first day in Poland (copied from my new blog)
o what a perfect day!
Posted on February 18, 2012
Freaking perfect first day in Poland! O man! It already started out great because I’d read in my guide book that Poles don’t smile at strangers - its considered a sign of stupidity - So I was thinking: “ok, guess I’ll be seen as the town idiot then
” But its not true at all! Everyone smiles at me
At least, that’s what it felt like. Maybe because I was (and am) so happy to be there… here.
Anyway, in the morning I met with the real estate agent and one of my Dutch speaking colleagues and we went to look at apartments. They were all quite nice but she saved the best for last. It was the perfect price, 1100 pln (the other apartments we viewed were 1300 and one was even 1500 -that’s quite expensive for Polish standards. Though translated to Euros its about the same as one would expect to pay for nothing but a room with shared bathroom and kitchen in a house in Amsterdam) Two rooms, fully furnished and equipped, and very close to the office where I’ll be working. About a 4 min. walk (for me, probably about 7). The walls were brightly colored. I didn’t mind too much (except for the red wall) but they said they would paint over them in any colors I want. It seemed like the perfect place. Only problem: the owners were going on vacation for one week, and then it would take another week for the renovations to be completed (the painting of the walls and to put in a washing machine and fridge/freezer. all included in the price). Can I really afford to spend 2 more weeks in a hotel? no not really.
But low and behold, behind the scenes I had been connected to a Christian girl in Katowice. She was my “friend of a friend I have never met” who saved the day. The “friend I have never met” was a guy who commented on my post on a forum where I mentioned that I was moving to Katowice the next day. He said he knew some nice people there from an alternative home church (so not affiliated with one of the established - mostly Catholic - church institutions in Katowice, but just a group of believers that meets in someone or each others’ home(s) regularly. Anyway, we connected on Facebook and he connected me to a friend who said she was actually not in Katowice right now but she connected me to one of her friends. So the one I have met now is actually a friend of a friend of the friend I have never met. …See why I love the internet and these social network sites like Facebook and various forums
Anyway, she met me at the hotel lobby and showed me around town a bit as we made our way over to her apartment for a Bible study with friends that evening. We stopped at a store to pick up some bandaids and plastic forks I needed. (Bandaids because my toe spontaneously decided to start bleeding like a fiend that morning. I don’t know why. maybe it wanted attention. - and Forks because I had left overs from the lovely lunch with the Dutch speaking girl from work earlier that day. I had the lasagna with spinach and tomato. all the other options looked really good too. Really, the food here is great! the main course came with a salad one could select from a salad bar. I had a little bit of each option
something with beets, something with potatoes, something with carrots, lentils, etc. (all that plus the main course for less than 5 euros). Luckily I could get a to-go box. O how I love to-go boxes
you can never get those in Holland. But then, they give such stingily small portions at restaurants you probably won’t need one. Anyway, that’s why I needed the forks). But so I told my new friend about the ‘perfect apartment dilemma’ - I found “the one” but would probably have to go for one of the lesser ones (which were also great, but just not “the one” because “the one” was not available yet and I could not afford to wait for it) and she just offered to let me stay at her place on the (fold out) couch for the time being until I can move into my own place! Sigh
what a day. made two new friend and my first dilemma in the move to Katowice has already been encountered and resolved… and if this series of events aint a miracle
What follows is a bit about the Bible study, for those who are interested:
The Bible study that evening was really great. It was about Joshua 8. Now Joshua 8:1 is a very special verse to me: “Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged” Is linked to intense memories. Memories that are not so great, but also a reminder that God can give unfathomable courage and comfort in hard times. and will “never leave or forsake us.” The guy who was leading the discussion explained (or other people came to the conclusion - its hard to remember who said what when you hear everything through a translator! she was a great translator though ) that the chapter shows that one can’t rely on miracles all the time, that tragic things can still happen to God’s people, and no matter how much you believe, you may still feel defeated and see no victory. We may feel like” Well I believe in God now, I have faith now, so why did this bad thing just happen? Isn’t it all supposed to be different now?” (that’s exactly how that verse is linked to that memory - the 31st of August 2001, and also sort of December 18 2005) But “do not be afraid, do not be discouraged” for God is still there. The rest of the Bible study was also a sort of comparison between Joshua 6,7, 8(and also 9 I think). Apparently in each chapter God gives them slightly different instructions (destroy the city, offer a sacrifice vs. destroy the city, don’t take anything, not even to use as a sacrifice) which had to be obeyed to the letter, or God would get very angry. and of course, they got it all mixed up. In that situation you could be like “but previously God said….” But God would be like ” It’s not about what I said to you in the past or to your ancestor or to those people. You must do as I tell you now.” So the moral of those accounts was kind of not to get stuck in traditions or just repeat things as people have done in the past because God might require something different of us now. Yes God is eternal, but I guess he also changes his mind from time to time
so “do not be afraid” of the things He tells you, even if its different from what they told you that He has told us. So now I get why in the book of Joshua, the punishments were so severe for such small and understandable mistakes… it’s an important message God is trying to get across. Listen carefully to God in your heart, do as he tells you, and don’t be distracted by how things used to be done or how you or others think/assume they should be. Each situation is new and different and may require a (slightly) different approach or perspective from what the people are used to.
Posted on February 18, 2012
Freaking perfect first day in Poland! O man! It already started out great because I’d read in my guide book that Poles don’t smile at strangers - its considered a sign of stupidity - So I was thinking: “ok, guess I’ll be seen as the town idiot then
” But its not true at all! Everyone smiles at me
At least, that’s what it felt like. Maybe because I was (and am) so happy to be there… here.
Anyway, in the morning I met with the real estate agent and one of my Dutch speaking colleagues and we went to look at apartments. They were all quite nice but she saved the best for last. It was the perfect price, 1100 pln (the other apartments we viewed were 1300 and one was even 1500 -that’s quite expensive for Polish standards. Though translated to Euros its about the same as one would expect to pay for nothing but a room with shared bathroom and kitchen in a house in Amsterdam) Two rooms, fully furnished and equipped, and very close to the office where I’ll be working. About a 4 min. walk (for me, probably about 7). The walls were brightly colored. I didn’t mind too much (except for the red wall) but they said they would paint over them in any colors I want. It seemed like the perfect place. Only problem: the owners were going on vacation for one week, and then it would take another week for the renovations to be completed (the painting of the walls and to put in a washing machine and fridge/freezer. all included in the price). Can I really afford to spend 2 more weeks in a hotel? no not really.
But low and behold, behind the scenes I had been connected to a Christian girl in Katowice. She was my “friend of a friend I have never met” who saved the day. The “friend I have never met” was a guy who commented on my post on a forum where I mentioned that I was moving to Katowice the next day. He said he knew some nice people there from an alternative home church (so not affiliated with one of the established - mostly Catholic - church institutions in Katowice, but just a group of believers that meets in someone or each others’ home(s) regularly. Anyway, we connected on Facebook and he connected me to a friend who said she was actually not in Katowice right now but she connected me to one of her friends. So the one I have met now is actually a friend of a friend of the friend I have never met. …See why I love the internet and these social network sites like Facebook and various forums
Anyway, she met me at the hotel lobby and showed me around town a bit as we made our way over to her apartment for a Bible study with friends that evening. We stopped at a store to pick up some bandaids and plastic forks I needed. (Bandaids because my toe spontaneously decided to start bleeding like a fiend that morning. I don’t know why. maybe it wanted attention. - and Forks because I had left overs from the lovely lunch with the Dutch speaking girl from work earlier that day. I had the lasagna with spinach and tomato. all the other options looked really good too. Really, the food here is great! the main course came with a salad one could select from a salad bar. I had a little bit of each option
something with beets, something with potatoes, something with carrots, lentils, etc. (all that plus the main course for less than 5 euros). Luckily I could get a to-go box. O how I love to-go boxes
you can never get those in Holland. But then, they give such stingily small portions at restaurants you probably won’t need one. Anyway, that’s why I needed the forks). But so I told my new friend about the ‘perfect apartment dilemma’ - I found “the one” but would probably have to go for one of the lesser ones (which were also great, but just not “the one” because “the one” was not available yet and I could not afford to wait for it) and she just offered to let me stay at her place on the (fold out) couch for the time being until I can move into my own place! Sigh
what a day. made two new friend and my first dilemma in the move to Katowice has already been encountered and resolved… and if this series of events aint a miracle
What follows is a bit about the Bible study, for those who are interested:
The Bible study that evening was really great. It was about Joshua 8. Now Joshua 8:1 is a very special verse to me: “Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged” Is linked to intense memories. Memories that are not so great, but also a reminder that God can give unfathomable courage and comfort in hard times. and will “never leave or forsake us.” The guy who was leading the discussion explained (or other people came to the conclusion - its hard to remember who said what when you hear everything through a translator! she was a great translator though ) that the chapter shows that one can’t rely on miracles all the time, that tragic things can still happen to God’s people, and no matter how much you believe, you may still feel defeated and see no victory. We may feel like” Well I believe in God now, I have faith now, so why did this bad thing just happen? Isn’t it all supposed to be different now?” (that’s exactly how that verse is linked to that memory - the 31st of August 2001, and also sort of December 18 2005) But “do not be afraid, do not be discouraged” for God is still there. The rest of the Bible study was also a sort of comparison between Joshua 6,7, 8(and also 9 I think). Apparently in each chapter God gives them slightly different instructions (destroy the city, offer a sacrifice vs. destroy the city, don’t take anything, not even to use as a sacrifice) which had to be obeyed to the letter, or God would get very angry. and of course, they got it all mixed up. In that situation you could be like “but previously God said….” But God would be like ” It’s not about what I said to you in the past or to your ancestor or to those people. You must do as I tell you now.” So the moral of those accounts was kind of not to get stuck in traditions or just repeat things as people have done in the past because God might require something different of us now. Yes God is eternal, but I guess he also changes his mind from time to time
so “do not be afraid” of the things He tells you, even if its different from what they told you that He has told us. So now I get why in the book of Joshua, the punishments were so severe for such small and understandable mistakes… it’s an important message God is trying to get across. Listen carefully to God in your heart, do as he tells you, and don’t be distracted by how things used to be done or how you or others think/assume they should be. Each situation is new and different and may require a (slightly) different approach or perspective from what the people are used to.