So it's Thursday. Well, here it is Thursday. Thursday evening to be exact. I have no idea what time it is where y'all are, and to be perfectly honest, it's really not significant. Wherever I am is what time it is. Therefore, it is Thursday evening at 8:40. I've finished an excellent dinner at the city square- Poland's version of a Greek Gyro. I have no idea what it was, and I'm perfectly happy with that, because it was wonderful.
Today I ended up laying cement bricks. We developed a system. I spread the muck and gunk, and someone else deals with the numbers and levels. It's all good. :) I feel much better because I feel like I can actually say I accomplished something.
One thing has resonated with me this week. Ana Cryz from the Habitat Office in Poland came earlier this week and spent a few days with us. She's the National Global Village Coordinator for Habitat in Poland. (In English- she's a head high muckety-muck) And wonderfully friendly. We talked for a little while and she was telling me that volunteering is not prevalent in Poland. Alot of that comes from the days of communism, etc. It's just not common. So when they hear of Americans coming all the way over here, they truly think we are crazy. (Anna doesn't, obviously, since she works for Habitat. Although after spending three days with us crazy Americans, she may have changed her mind!) But she asked me, why we give our time, our money to come to a place like Poland. I felt somewhat uncomfortable, because in alot of ways, this trip is somewhat selfish. It is not a hardship to come here. I come because I love to be able to give my time and what little talent I have. But at the same time, I've had the opportunity to experience a totally new culture. A place that I otherwise would never have come to. And not only once, but TWICE. So yes, I'm doing "good". But I'm getting so much more in return.
It's given me alot to think about this week. I watch the people here and I compare it to the people back in the States. It's different, yet people are people no matter where you go. I wish that I had made more of an effort to learn Polish. One of my favorite parts of the day is breakfast at our hotel. Breakfast is included, and we stop by the front desk to get a ticket for the restaurant. The woman behind the desk speaks no English. We've been practicing saying our room numbers in Polish, and she gets the biggest smile on her face when we say it. This morning I said it and she exclaimed and laughed and I think she said something along the lines of "perfect".
It made me realize that one of the basic human emotions is a yearning to be understood. This trip has taught me that, and I don't mean specifically language.
So there you have it. It took almost a week, but I think I've got the attitude change I was looking for.
More tomorrow. I miss y'all.
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