|
The Odyssey of a Seahawk: |
|
|
The Odyssey of a Seahawk: |
|
|
The Land of the Lotus Eaters (or, Dorothy drops into Oz!) |
13 August 1999 Arrived in Vienna after a less harrowing flight experience than I was expecting, although I did not sleep the entire trip and felt like I was running on hyperdrive when I finally arrived. I could hardly stay in my skin I was so excited. It didn't FEEL like I had just taken a plane from Jacksonville to New York, the air was alive with difference. Even though I was on a landing field that looked like any other landing field I had ever been on, it actually felt like I was in a completely new place. I couldn't wait to take it in. And it was only 12 o'clock in the afternoon . . . still a whole day ahead of me! Emil, my exchange partner, Jana's, husband, picked me up at the airport. He was still waiting for me at the international arrival doors one hour later. |
 |
|
Unfortunately, one of my suitcases did not arrive with me. Lost in the shuffle somewhere between London Gatwick and Vienna. As I am very flexible person, I did not panic and knew that it would turn up somehow, somewhere. If it didn't, I would just get new clothes . . . Luckily, the woman at the baggage counter spoke English and promised they would deliver the bag when it was flown in. As promised, the bag arrived safe and sound the next day, good thing, too, as it was the bag that housed all my sweaters. It was a lovely drive from Vienna to Zilina, my home for the next eleven or twelve months. I say lovely as if it is a usual Sunday drive. It was one of the most important drives of my life. The first thing that struck me was the abundance of flower boxes in Austria, and then in Slovakia. People seemed to take such great care to beautify their surroundings. We had to cross the Austria/Slovakia border--quite an interesting experience. The line was very long, it took about half an hour to get through, we showed our passports, were asked if we had anything to |
|
| claim (Emil told me this, as I do not speak
Slovak--YET!), and continued our drive. It occurred to me
that I would have to do this everywhere I went; I have
driven up and down the East coast many, many times and
had never thought about crossing a boarder, other than
the obligatory snapping of fingers, a tradition my father
started when we used to travel from Florida to New York
as kids. Arrived in Zilina in the late afternoon, had a
small "tutoring" session about some computer
and house basics, took the car to the town center, and
had a walk. The day ended soon after that, as being up
for over 26 hours is a little more than I can take! 14 August 1999 |
| The Samols and I have traded apartments (flats, here)
and cars . . . I hope they like my "flat" as
much as I like theirs. We went to the town center today. It is very old and very "European" looking . . . I need to stop thinking like that--of course it looks European, it IS Europe! People seem to take their time and not be in such a hurry. I am very excited to be here, but it still feels like I am on vacation--and I have very little time to sightsee! Then it hits me every once in a while that I LIVE HERE! |
|
| 15 August 1999
Went to Mass this morning, in Slovak, obviously. I did not understand a word of it, except for the Sign of the Cross. My father, who is Polish/Ukrainian, used to say the Sign of the Cross before meals, and we always delighted in this as fun. I was absolutely floored to hear (and understand!) that as soon as Mass started--it was like a good omen that this was going to be a great year. Of course, I had no ide a how it was spelled, and what the true pronunciation was, but to hear it on my second day in Slovakia, after a lifetime of hearing it at home, was great! (by the way, it is "v mene Octi y Syne y Duche Svätecho, Amen"!) I understood nothing else during the Mass except and occasional Kristos or Panny Marie here and there, but I got the general gist of everything (heck, after sixteen years of Catholic school, I had better know the Mass by heart!) After Mass, Emil took me to a nearby forest. It was so odd, yet completely normal. The trees were enormously tall, a real forest, less than a mile from the fifth largest city in the country. This is one thing people do for leisure. They walk. It is such a foreign concept to some of us in America. Everyone from parents with infants to children, to old folks were walking in the forest. No Walkmans , no Gameboys, no distractions, just walking. It was breathtaking. I am looking forward to going back, experiencing the calm and peace, and taking many pictures. There were one brave soul scaling the side of the mountain above us. The forest (and it really is a forest) is a short bike ride away. I drove the car (a Skoda, a Czech car) to the foot of the mountain, but the housing estate where I live is not far. I am sure the first few times I ride my bike I will end up walking it half way up the hills, maybe I will eventually train myself to ride all the way up (it is quite steep in some parts). We had a nice talk, eventually getting around to subjects I had avoided in our eighty-three e-mails (I could not believe we had corresponded that much before we met!), mainly, the Kosovo and Lewinsky issues. It was an interesting and enlightening conversation. I thought I had followed world/current events in depth before this, but I have vowed to pay much more attention to world issues this year. |
| 16 August 1999
Today Emil is going to show me where the indoor swimming pool is, the bookshops, the butcher, and the cinema. Fortunately, most of the films are in English with Czech or Slovak subtitles. There is no American/English television here to speak of, which is a very good thing (there is the Cartoon Network, which, gratefully, turns into TNT at night and shows old movies--in English!). Only BBC "World News," to which I am sure I will become addicted. We went to meet Jana's mother and sister-in-law in Povazská Bystrica, a few kilometres south of Zilina. Her mother's garden was lovely, and I took home peaches, apples, peppers, and tomatoes, all of which I thoroughly enjoyed in the days after. Although we could not communicate with words, her mother was friendly and generous, and she made me feel right at home. Her tomatoes were fabulous! The Samols have left an extensive English library in my bedroom. Everything from Gone with the Wind to Dr. No, Lolita to Frederick Forsyth Nazi spy novels. I have already started Gone with the Wind. I am sure I will re-read it this winter when I am homesick and longing for a Christmas of wearing shorts, even though now I say I can't wait for all that snow)! Already Fall has begun. Sorry, it has not been over 90 degrees every day here. A nice 20 degrees Celsius, perfect for a light jacket or sweater in the evening. Already, after four days, I can see that life is so much simpler here. I am sure I will find many things different good and different less than good, but so far, it is all different good. |
| 17 August 1999
Emil and the boys are gone--off to join Jana on Hilton Head, and tomorrow starts my first real day alone in Zilina. I am anxious to explore and walk around the city. Am listening to angels, bombs, and martians, a CD by my friend Gavin. A wonderful way to begin my adventure. Granted, I've only been by completely myself for a few hours, but I am starting to get quite homesick. Listening to Gavin helps, because it is familiar, but it also makes me miss everyone at home. I can't imagine what I would do without e-mail and Internet. I suspect that until I acclimate to this new environment, I am going to bore everyone stiff with e-mails (sorry in advance!!). |
|
18 August 1999 Today was like the first day of school. Got up, had coffee, bread and yogurt on my balcony, and tried to memorize a few key Slovak phrases. Showered and got ready for my first day alone in Zilina. I think the first day was quite successful. I got on the right bus, got off at the right stop, used the ATM machine (thank God it worked!), bought postcards, and went to the Tesco. I think Tesco used to be a K-Mart and that is exactly what it was like. I even had to ask directions to the post office and actually found it! Then came the hard part--asking the clerk for international postcard stamps. Had my trusty English-Slovak dictionary and managed to tell her what I needed. I am sure the people behind me in line hated me. I went to a cafe in the town square. An odd experience, as EVERYTHING seems to be sponsored by cigarette companies. So, on principle, I chose a cafe sponsored by beer (!) and decided to have a coffee (káva). [Wito, stop rolling your eyes.] I tried to order a káva and a water, but couldn't think of the word for water and was stammering a bit, and the waiter said, "I do speak English." I felt a little humbled! |
| On the way home, I could not find the bus stop, and
had I walked down the road a bit, I would have tripped
over it. I guess I looked confused, because an elderly
woman came up to me and I guess she asked what I needed.
I knew the word for four (styri), the number of my bus,
and Smreková, my housing estate, so I said those words
with a questioning inflection, incorrectly I am sure, and
she began explaining, v e r y s l o w l y, where it was.
I apparently still looked confused, because she led me
half a block to the stop, patted me on the arm as if to
say, "Here, dearie," smiled, responded to my, I
am quite sure butchered, "D'akujem," and walked
back to her stop. This is typical of the people I have
met so far. Everyone is helpful and anything but rude or
irritated. Everyone brings shopping bags with him or her, as shops generally do not provide bags for you. It is also up to you to pack your own groceries . . . none of our students bagging them for you like they do at Bi-Lo, Harris Teeter, or Publix! The grocery store was another adventure. I had to stick with things I could recognize and mainly fresh items. I couldn't read how to prepare something packaged if my life depended on it, and had no desire spending an hour in a dictionary to decipher directions! It's only four o'clock now, but it looks like it is going to storm. Can't decide if I should take the bike out or not. It looked like this yesterday and nothing happened. It's 70 degrees today, the warmest it has been since I arrived. There are houses in the villages, but not many really in the city. Most people appear to live in housing estates, which are like little communities, with grocers, pubs, video stores, and churches. I feel as though I am living in a history book. |
|
| 19 August 1999
Picture this: it is 70 degrees outside, beautiful day, perfect for a bicycle ride into the city. Ride my bike into the city, sit on a bench in the square and read Gone with the Wind and watch everyone go by. I saw four little old ladies wearing babushkas walk out of the church that is the center of the center. Then I rode around the city trying to get used to it. There is a lot of graffiti here--unfortunate because the old buildings are really beautiful. Went to the market on my way home from the bike ride. Paid 23Sk for a fresh loaf of chlieb (bread) [about 50˘]. All the bread sits on the shelves, uncut loaves piled on top of each other--no Sunbeam in this country! Perfect with some fresh tomatoes from Jana's mother's garden. I am going to take myself to the movies tonight. There are three cinemas in town and each of them plays one movie (no cineplexes here, either!). Tonight The Mummy is playing at one of them. Have not seen it and had no desire to see it in the States when it was out, but now I really want to experience an American action movie in English with Slovak subtitles! I recognized many words from the subtitles, and am even catching on to the grammar. Perhaps these subtitled movies will be useful as well as entertaining. 20 August 1999 |
|
Now the fun part. Took the car out for a ride today. Drove to Poprad, 150 km away, a little past halfway across the country. Along the beginning of the High Tatras (mountains). It took two hours to get there and the drive was unbelievably beautiful. Huge, magnificent, endless mountains, on one side, rolling hills on the other, not many cars on the road for a summer Friday. Although I was on a major highway (E50), I had to drive through many, many little villages. Quite a glimpse into the country. |
|
| People pass very differently here--as if they are
daring the oncoming car (or truck!) to hit them. They
pass in one lane roads all the time, and I do mean in the
one lane(!), as the slower car just drives onto the
shoulder, keeping its same speed, and the faster car
passes. Drivers in the oncoming lane just move a bit to
their right, and everything is fine. By the way, Slovaks
drive on the same side of the road as we do--one less
issue I have to contend with (and the roads are a bit
better than the midlands of Scotland, although I still
would not drive a 21 person diesel bus on these roads--I
know that the All in the Timing bunch is glad to
hear that)! Drove through the town of Hubova at around 3:15 today. There was someone talking through the loudspeakers--and there was a loudspeaker every 15 feet on the streetlights. I slowed down and tried to discern what the voice was saying. I thought I heard a lot of "Kristos" and "Panny Marie" and thought she must be praying. I can't remember, but do people say the "Angelus" at 3 pm? Then again, she could have been reading the news or making a village announcement. Nonetheless, it was strangely compelling. I have noticed these loudpeakers in other villages. Again, I felt as though I was driving through the pages of a history book. There is a thermal swimming pool on the way, about 40 minutes from Zilina. The sign says open all year round. Can't wait to go to that in the midst of winter! There were so many people working in the fields. And then they had bicycles with little wheelbarrow/carts on the back to tote their weeds and/or produce. It seems as if everyone who does not live in these apartments has a garden. And I literally mean everyone. And even the people who live in apartment beautify their homes with plants and flowers on their balconies or in their window boxes (later I found out that even people who live in the housing estates usually have a plot of land or a community garden somewhere). |
|
Saw two castles on the way to Poprad. Up on these
high cliffs--amazing th at they were built up that high.
They have crumbled, just the foundation and a few walls
are left. Will go back and visit them in depth later. There are tons of hitchhikers on the road. Mostly college age kids in pairs. I felt terrible not picking them up today, but I am not comfortable yet enough to do that. Maybe eventually. There was snow on the tippy tops of a couple of the peaks--on Aug 20! And the piece de resistance! While driving along, taking in the scenery, I had to practically jerk to a halt. On the overpass above the motorway, a farmer was leading his HERD OF COWS across the overpass! |
|
| On the road, business as usual, were about fifty cows
leisurely either going to or coming from pasture . . . Of
course I had to stop and take a couple of pictures. His
son, or some younger kid, was the caboose of this strange
train. It was quite an eventful day. |
 |
| 21 August 1999
Note to self: go out of town on weekends! Absolutely nothing happens in Zilina on a Saturday except that people get married! It reminds me of a Saturday in Washington, D.C.; that town was dead on Saturdays too. It was a good opportunity to walk through the city, though, and get to know the streets better |
|
22 August 1999
Decided to spend the day driving around the countryside and eventually wound my way to Cicmany. This is a kind of Slovak tourist village, like a mini-Williamsburg, VA. There are about 100 houses in the village, and they are all brown wood, painted with white traditional designs. It is also a skiing facility in winter. Walked through the village, took a few pictures, but, as I feel as though I am out scouting the lay of the land, I intend to return and investigate the village again later. |
 house painted in traditional fashion |
|
| 23 August 1999 Spent the day trying to learn a little more Slovak, organizing my stuff, cleaning house, and washing clothes. Finally starting to feel at home in my new digs. Have been reading a lot in the evenings, as there is not television to be a distraction. Gratefully, I have a vast selection of books in English from which to choose because of my exchange partner and her husband's considerate forethought. |
24 August 1999 Spent the day investigating computer shops, and there are many of them, as I wish to purchase a scanner. It was a little difficult, not knowing the language, but mainly I wanted to see where they were and if they offered a catalogue or product and price list. Everyone was extremely helpful, as usual. There are tons of little shops throughout the town. Tesco is one of the only department stores, as most shops are small and specialized. There are also HUGE daily markets (except Sundays) on both sides of the town square. Anything you wish can be purchased there--from laundry detergent to yogurt, fresh fruit and vegetables to fake Nikes! Flowers are very popular here. I have seen more people carrying fresh flowers in one day here than I have in my whole life. The faculty has its first day back--starts meetings at school tomorrow. I am surprisingly not nervous. I'm not overanalyzing everything; I know that I will sit in on the faculty meeting tomorrow and will not understand a word. I know there are faculty members who speak English and who will interpret the important parts for me. I keep telling myself that I am a competent person, I am a good teacher or I wouldn't be here. But then again, they could have made a mistake . . . ( "I am not nervous, I am not nervous" is my new mantra). I also realize I am typing this at 12:30 in the morning, so I must be kidding myself. I think I am still on Hilton Head time, though, because I have not been to bed before 1:00 since I arrived. It feels like early evening, and then when I get up, even though the sun is shining, it feels like the middle of the night. Tomorrow, the Odyssey officially begins . . . |
