So That Was Interesting

Since August I have been living in Poland, first for a month in Warsaw at a most unpleasant Dormitory, and then since October in Krakow in a tiny ghost bat infested apartment located next to a strip club. Erasmus has been one of, if not the most, interesting experiences I have ever had and its a sad and sorry thing that it has already come to an end.

Modra, the dormitory I lived in with roughly thirty other international students for a month, was truly enlightening. I have never lived in quite such *ehem* squalor. Short circuits, electrical fires, limey water, the worst and most confusing wiring system known to all of man kind, and of course lets not forget the pipes. Oh these pipes kept me awake at night, they dug deep into my darkest nightmares and caused me such indescribable pain. Thinking about it now, I want to cry! And also there were some Ukrainians this one time...who lets just say didn't make the best impression with everyone.

But despite the flaws this house had, over the month, it really did become a home *So painfully cheesey!* Some of my fondest memories are the first party there, the police were called and asked to come in, learnt about vodka and discovered Żubrówka for the first time, but certainly not the last time and tried to meet everyone. Forcing myself to be friendly was hard but bonding over the many different types of polish vodka, sure did make that easier, and at least gave me some excuse for my inability to pronounce any one's name right. Making lunch everyday was pretty memorable too, well as far as making lunch goes to be memorable. Everyday for a month some Tost, ham, salami, pepperoni and kielbasa. Everyday for a month I tell you, and I'd have some right now if I was given the opportunity! And not to forget the last days, and the last party. It was so sad leaving these people who I had been surrounded by for a month, was with them for pretty much every moment of the day, had class together, lunch, dinner, and drinks, though must admit they didn't get me out as often as they would have liked to. Though thinking about it now, maybe Park club wouldn't have lived up to my low expectations of it! It also taught me that sometimes, national stereotypes are as right and correct as 2+2=4! The French really do care only for Wine and Cheese, the Turks smoke like chimneys, Spainards like other Spainards and the English are a loud bunch.

Just wonder did me and Red Hair live up to our expectations?

And that was Warsaw, the most memorable and enlightening month that I've ever managed to survive.

Krakow on the other hand, a very different city, prettier and original was a whole different story. For one thing my flat. Yes I have complained about this one, but if I hadn't lived at Dielta, a lot of things would be different I imagine. I wouldn't know what a Ghost Bat is or how serious their plight, I would still need relative quiet to try and sleep (forever gurgling pipes, constant sirens, the tinkling of miniature vodka bottles as the trams go by every twenty minutes, the guy next door talking to himself and doing only who knows what and the bangin' club music from the strip club below, by the end were nothing) and I would never have truly appreciated an oven, or my mother's cooking, but we won't tell her that! But you know, I could see Wawel from my window so I'm pretty sure that cancels everything else out. But the people too, again some of my dearest friends, people I will never forget and am delighted to have met. Now for the sake of going all Zakopane on ye (yup, I mean cheesey!) I ain't going to mention each of ye or anything like that, like, who's to say that ye even read this. Though I hear Noodle's has become very popular, one of the most google translated sites on the net.

Some little things I'll miss are CoffeeHeaven, already I'm having withdrawal symptoms from not drinking about a litre of coffee a go, each day. Actually just being able to afford to go for coffee every day was a pretty big thing, try that here and I'll be bankrupt fairly quickly. Gofry, lody and naleśniki too as well as Leczo and Irish stew made with Gulasz, but that's just food wise. Lunch round at the lads, playing chess and claiming Swedish Chef, even just going out on a whim was so much fun.

I arrived home to Ireland on Saturday, had to pay out almost €400 to Aer Lingus and since then have lost my phone and Stephen my computer has died and left me, for what I hope is not forever. I'm reading Harry Potter, so please no one talk to me about it, I've had enough spoilers already. And I'm working on two major projects, 'Angrim and his Friends' (name is subject to change), a comic about an viking, who for dramatic purposes is also an orange, and my FYP, that being my Undergraduate thesis. Sounds like fun eh?! So I really should be kept busy. Hourly comics is next week too, so should find time for that but they'll probably be all of me sitting at my laptop, pretending to read. And of course I must finish all those draft blogs I have, and change the profile bit.

Speaking of Draft blogs, I started writting this pretty much on my return, over a week ago now. But due to circumstances outside of my control, such as freaking out about FYP, visiting Moo Moo, reading all sorts of crap and that sort of thing. It has only just been completed, and some of the work is already done! Yay me and my super well-organisediness! But still so much work!

I Have No Answers or Intentions

It is New Years Day, a chance for so many things.

I woke up this morning at about six o clock and proceeded to be very unwell. What is it about wanting to end one year on a high and begin the next on a low, like 'having to sleep on the bathroom floor in minus degrees because of having drank too much cheap schnapps' kind of low? Should it not be the other way around? Would it not be so much more liberating to feel terrible and miserable only for something great to happen and the world seem like a fantastic place again?

I tend to get philosophical and cheesy as well as a major downer around this time of year, but only because I generally believe each day should be savoured but realise and accept that I don't have the motivation or will power to do so. And that is why I sit around all day complaining about how bored I am and pretending to have interesting hobbies, like reading comics instead of drawing my own. And also the best way to enjoy something is to have exceedingly low expectations to begin with and go from there (hence why I attempted, the best I could, to destroy the souls of The Finn and Red Hair before the rest of our guests arrived last night! Sorry about that.) Now that I've explained the major downer part, the getting all philosophical and cheesy up in this place part.

The End of Year Review:

1. What song perfectly describes for you the year past?
2. What piece of work was the highlight of the year for you?
3. Most memorable moment of the year past?
4. Describe in one word the year past?
5. In ten years time, do you think you will be able remember where you were and what you were doing on the first and last day of the year past?

Yes that's right, I go in for all this sort of thing, even though this day is just one of 365/6 other days that the earth happens to experience as it runs around in circles in the empty vacuum of space. But its still nice to sum things up and know exactly how you feel about them. Or maybe its just the case that I've had a fantastic last year and hope that my friends have too! And yup, just before midnight I was asking this of folk.

I also, willfully and happily take part in the tradition of New Year's Resolutions. In my youth I failed every year, just as I did with my Lenten promise and those aspiration thingys (or should that be thingies?) for advent that the nuns used make us write out in school, but I think it was only because in my youth I promised to give up sweets and help out more and that sort. Things that didn't necessarily make me a better person and certainly not happier, so instead the last three or four years its been more habit forming resolutions that won't make me a better person but to some degree a different person, and yeah all the better for it.

My New Years Resolutions:

1. Be more motivated, finish the things I start and start more things.
2. Don't be sad, accept the way things are and don't dwell, it doesn't provide any solutions and leads you further away from being happy again.
3. Keep in touch with the new friends I make, they could turn out to be the most important people in my life, and what is a text every now and again or a messgae on facebook anyway?

Happy New Year and Regards Folks