Ten Months

What’s Changed

During my time in Poland:

1. A terrible Wisla flood breeched parts of the floodwall and nearly reached my doorstep.  
2. The paltry rural road to my house was paved in Wola Batorska and sidewalks were put in along my bus route.  
3. WiFi was brought into my country farmhouse! 
4. The Polish president and top government leaders were killed in a freak accident.
5. Obama nearly came to Wawel Castle for the state funeral, until...
6.  A sudden volcano eruption just so happened to ground most state leaders from flying to Poland and…
7. My mother who was planning to visit me but was also unable once her flights were cancelled.
8.  A random virus or bought of food poisoning suddenly struck me in the middle of my marathon leading to three days in the hospital.
9. Joe Biden came to Poland, Roman Polanski was indicted, the U.S. sponsored Eastern European anti-missile shield plan was dropped, a dog bit me, and…
10.  A Starbucks will soon be opening in Galeria Krakowska ??! 

1

In 10 months, Poland’s changed. 

So have I.

As college placement exams, course selections, advising papers, and housing forms call my name, it has dawned on me that my time here in Poland has almost come full circle.  The weather is now hot and muggy like the weather when I first arrived.  The looming pressures of school once again occupy my mind.  The travel agency writes constantly asking me to confirm my flights.  My friends back home have returned from their first year of college. 

In so many ways I am exactly in the place I was one year ago.  Yet in so many ways I am not.  In the interim year, I have seen and experienced more than I could have imagined due largely to random, unplanned, and fateful events which popped up around every corner.   There was never a dull moment.

I thought that by going away I would iron out the fine wrinkles in my heavily steamed and tailored life plan.  But instead I’ve done just the opposite and have come to appreciate life by not trying to control its every detail. 

So here’s a toast to openness and freethinking: “the plan” I once had has been scratched and reevaluated.  Thanks Poland.

The road ahead lays open.