10 zloty, I only have 10 zloty. What can you make me for 10 Zloty?

Well - my first week and my first weekend in Poland has already come and gone, and at 9am this morning it was time to get back into the daily grind - nothing like starting the day off with a 30 minute presentation. Probably the most beneficial aspect of studying communications, the endless presentations I had to do - putting all that practice into good use now!

How should I do this, start with what happened last night and go back, or start with what happened last week and move forward? Oh what the heck. Last night we had a 'family dinner' and by that I mean, lots and lots of pasta was made! Reminded me a lot of Italy (with the best five roommates ever), although, our food here was a lot more simple than what Ricky and Brends created for us, and we didn't set anything on fire, but it was delicious none-the-less. Had a night out in Krakow on Saturday, reminded me again of the good 'ol days in Europe - I am not sure why but I like going out in Europe so much more than at home - I think the biggest reason is the walking - don't have to worry about that driving nonsense.

Saturday was actually a very sobering day. Early in the afternoon we took a trip to Auschwitz and Birkenau - the largest concentration camps. If you ever have the opportunity, go. The vastness of evil in the world, and the lowest depths that man is willing to stoop are not new concepts to me, in fact, I am well aware of the disgusting nature of mankind, but to see it that close was an experience in and of itself. To think that such actions went on, and in the very backyard, is astounding. So many of the people that were taken to the camps honestly believed that they were being relocated, because slaughter of that extent had never happened before in history, no one could even begin to guess what was going on behind the barbed wire fences. The part of the tour/trip that really shook me the most was the fact that the head SS officer who ran the camp actually lived directly next to Auschwitz where he raised his family, literally a stone's throw away from the first gas chamber. I cannot even imagine being a child growing up with that happening right outside my window. They actually had to move the first gas chamber out of Auschwitz (one of the reasons Birkenau was built) because the townspeople could actually hear the cries of those being murdered and it was a disruption - evil to that extent cannot be masked and hidden. These are not stories that I enjoy hearing about, but they are stories that I (and everyone) need to be made aware of - inaction and unawareness are the reason that evil prospers. It is important to become knowledgable, not so we can defeat evil, but so that we can slow down its progress.

First week of training has been completed. It was long, it was exhausting, but it was (in the long run) worth every single heart wrenching moment. Am I a perfect teacher, of course not. Do I understand every part of grammar, not a chance. But am I truly learning and progressing, absolutely. Have a live lesson with Spanish students this week, and a live assessment in front of the head teachers - nerves nerves nerves. And one week from today, Lord willing, I will be living in Bielsko-Biala (in a swanky apartment) and having my first lesson.


But for right now: I shall take a nap.