First Zloty

This is my first zloty (zwote) and it equals about 33 USD. It is very exciting using a new type of money. It is also very different here with money because getting change can actually be very exciting! They have 5's, 2's, and 1's as coins and so a hand full of change can actually mean something! I knew even as a kid my love for having lots of change would be meaningful someday. :D

Truly Europe

This is my view out my window. Looks like normal European apartment blocks and you see this everywhere. And yes there is a teddy bear sitting on a chair under the tree. Don't ask because I don't know.hah :) Also as you may see people either drive really small cars or big vans. The streets are very narrow here and a small car is a very healthy way to drive. And as for the van...everyone stays out of your way..hopefully.. because on a driving excursion I saw a tipped semi and I can only imagine how that happened... 

   The country

 The country is beautiful here. This picture I took was taken a way back into the woods at a facility for troubled youth. It is an amazing campus and God called 2 very amazing Adventists to take on the job. They both left their comforts of the city and jobs and came out to the middle of nowhere. This is just as shocking for people that come from the country to the city. But they have put their time and effort into this place. I will post pictures of it later. :) I also must note that here mushroom picking is a notorious pastime. People don't  compete by how nice of cars they have or how large of homes, but on the mushrooms they have picked, the neatness of their woodpile, and on the beauty of their garden. :D Really love it.

      Potatoes Anyone?

Here potatoes are very much part of the everyday life. At the market there are nothing but potatoes and I am in heaven! This meal here was a patty made of potatoes and dumplings made of potatoes. It was very good and extremely filling! My roommate Julia and I both got an entree and drinks and it cost only 21 zloty which is 7 USD....WOW...

  Lets make a mess.....lets do laundry!!

 So... hah so about that laundry. Julia and I both decided that it was time to do laundry on Monday. So we went to the Language Bureau to get the translation for our washer(for it was all in German) so we could get started on our endeavor. So we happily tromped home to get started. We put everything in and we had a hard time figuring out how to use it because we didn't get directions.. so yeah, but we eventually got everything going. So we both went to the kitchen to get Lunch ready, happy that everything was well. Little did we know... While we were eating the washer decided that it would give us funny looking Americans a time of our lives. When we later checked on the washer we found that it had spit all of its rinse water on the floor.. yay... Boy was that fun cleaning up! We definitely decided that it was broken and that we wouldn't use it anymore. So we went to the balcony and squeezed out all our laundry and put it out on the hanger. Later we found out that we washed the lady's bike that sits outside of the little shop under our apartment. Fortunately she found it hilarious and smileS and points at us a lot when she sees us. :D Also we found out that half rinsed laundry acts like it has been pressed and starched! I knew something was up when out laundry never waved in the wind... Maybe we will have to sell that patent someday!

Be aware! Lollipop crossing!!

Ah yes. My favorite sign. My Polish friend I was with I think was a bit embarrassed at my unconfined tourist emotions, but she let me do it with her around. :D