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Published: April 10th 2006
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Poland
Map of Poland for reference I want to skip the irrelevant details of my flights from Mumbai to Vienna. but this being an account of my travels and all........... Ok so I reached the Mumbai airport really early. the guy at immigration had so much time to spare that he was even showed me the UV light and how to detect fake passport. Thanks to him, now I have enough information to start a perfect passport scam(I know how to avoid the loopholes). Austrian Airlines is quite ok. food and service fine.
I reach Vienna airport really sleepy. Transit is nothing to brag about. The seats were so uncomfortable I sat on the floor on cross legged position and went to sleep for 1 hour on my backpack!! I awoke quite rested and then a policeman told me to sit on the chair. The ground was more comfortable!
flight was really tiny. less than 50 people. 1.5 hrs but only water, coffee and tea is free. food everyythin you have to buy. I think only in India they will feed you even if the flight is 1/2 an hour. Hooray for that!
I reach warsaw airport- had to be in a que which was held up by this dude. God why don't they check his passport before he takes the flight!!! then I'm waiting for my luggage and everyone is gone and I'm left standing waiting for my suitcase and gazing at an empty conveyor belt. I ask an airport authority, he, with this pitiful look in his eyes explains that my baggage will not come and I have to go to the lost luggage counter. ugghhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!
I knew the day would come. Then I had to report the lost luggage and I was told there was a 98% chance I would get my bags. so in other words there is a 2% chance it won't be found. All the stuff for other people was in the bags with me, the suit case had all MY stuff. FINE if the airlines looses my suitcase I'll get them to compensate and get a new wardrobe!
so then its ok I have to wait for them to get in touch with me and then I come out and meet Chris from AIESEC who's come to pick me up. He was really nice and helpful. Then when I go to use my card to withdraw money, it doesn't work. WHAT!!!! could anything else possibly go wrong. But its ok, I know in this situation Sarfaraz would say 'Don't Panic'. Haha! so then I exchanged money and we took a bus to the AIESEC office in Warsaw University. Chatting with Chris and noticed the city was quite nice.
At the office I met Andre from Ukraine who had also arrived. He was a really energetic guy who had come to Poland to learn Polish. The amount of languages he speaks!!! Then came in Sohini and Alice and Olga and we went together for a culture session that was taken by Martha who had gone to India(Hyderabad) on an AIESEC internship and liked it so much that she's stayed. Then we had an orientation to MONAR by one of the board members. Answered some of our questions.
Then Sohini and Alice went to their center and I went for a walk around the city with Olga and Andre to find a church-Palm Sunday. In Poland I discovered they don't have Palms because of the climate- Duh! but they have these sticks of everlasting flowers. I bought 3 to take to India. Then we met Swietlana and Evelina. It was sooo nice to meet them. I had been co-ordinating with Sweitlana and it was great to finally meet.
so I went to stay at Evelina'a place. We has dinner together and then I went to church. The mass was really nice. The weather that was horrible. really rainy and windy and cold. but I'll get used to it.
So the day ended when I had a bath and went sound asleep!!
So to sum it up Lost baggage, a card that doesn't work, horrible weather, really nice people, a pretty city and a nice sounding language- WELCOME TO POLAND NALINI!!!
Things I learnt today:
- Polish people shake hands when they meet you the first time, 1 kiss on the cheek if they know you and three kisses if you are good friends. this is with both sexes.
- Saying things in English its 1 word, Polish use more than 3 words!! so the prayers at mass are longer than the english ones....
- AIESEC Poland really look out for you. They will make sure one of their own is there with you at all times!! Sweet at most times. haha!
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Karthik
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Great going...
U seem to have a blast at Poland... Having great fun... Enjoy... Will catch u later...