Where Buttermilk (and this one onion) comes to die.

I think milk is gross. I have absolutely no problem admitting that or defending it. It is my taste preference and if we disagree, that's fine. I think milk is gross. It's gross because of where it comes from. It's gross because of what happens to it during the pastfakgakhf and homogekhcga process, and it's especially gross because of what happens to it when it goes bad. I don't like having something in my house that is going to require me to wear a gas mask and gloves and a really steady pair of super tongs to dispose of it (so I don't have to touch it, of course! duh) if it just so happens that I can't quite finish all I have purchased within the allotted time. It's like a ticking time bomb in there, just waiting to go off and shove it's little foul smelling chunks of curd right down my line of vision as I pour it into the sink....ughgghgh. And I am *definitely* one of those people that will *not* drink milk after the sell by date. I get it. The "sell by" is when it has to be *sold* by. I can read. I don't care. It's gross one day after that day and it gets set aside and offered to my husband until even he has to turn his nose up at it.

All that being said, I must admit, I do drink milk on occasion, my children use milk on their cereal and have the occasional recreational glass with a piece of cake, etc. We buy three different kinds of milk weekly in huge gallon jugs (the amount is almost entirely due to the fact that they eat a lot of cereal and that I do a lot of baking with milk, and Felix is a bit lactose intolerant so he gets special milk)...it's a bit obscene really. And to be fair to us, it rarely, very rarely, ever goes bad before it gets used up. Except for Buttermilk.

Now, if there was a King of gross milk, it would be Buttermilk, IMHO. I know that to some Poles, namely my husband and probably most of his family, what I have just typed is some sort of blasphemy in the hall of foodstuffs. I'm sorry, it's just the way I feel, and you shouldn't ignore your feelings, they could start to bottle up... and that's not good...IMHO.  Buttermilk is fairly disgusting to me because of several reasons. Let's explore those now...

1) It's incredibly, incredibly, thick. I *hate* thick milk. I drink Skim because I can't stand 2% milk thickness. You can't even *pay* me to try Whole milk. Buttermilk is so thick that when it comes out you might even automatically think that it's already curdled because it jumps out of the bottle in a big huge thick globular glob that just slowly slides into the cup...much as I imagine a really curdled whole milk might do. Goo, people...goo. Are the hairs standing up on the back of your neck yet? Just wait. This is only #1.

2) Buttermilk smells bad, fresh out of the bottle, well before the sell by date. This is my worst nightmare...a milk that STARTS OUT smelling curdled. It's sickeningly sour, and yet, creamy, at the same time. Who created this stuff and who were they trying to torture when they did it...maybe this guy...



...or this woman... except... maybe...yep...looks like she's already being tortured by someone else, so couldn't be her...


regardless of who they were trying to harm and the detestable drink that evolved, using Buttermilk in my cooking always makes me want to do this...




3) Buttermilk always goes bad before I can use it all. Hence the title of my post today. And yes, I am blaming the Buttermilk for it's lack of a reasonable shelf life. It's already got so many UNreasonable qualities you'd think it could muster one reasonable one that would make me want to say, "well at least it's..." But it doesn't. It goes bad within one week, or sooner! of purchase. And I can rarely just buy one little pint of it so I have to buy the medium size jugs and I use half on my delectable baked good and then desperately look around for another recipe so I can use it up so as not to waste food but I can't find anything reasonable that I could do quickly (because we all know that f you're bothering to use Buttermilk in the first place then you must be attempting to make real [insert pastry name here] so it's not just a quick "mix everything together and throw in the oven" kind of thing). Ugh. Buttermilk: what is it good for? (ok, maybe helping, occasionally, in a pinch, with pastries)

Which leads me to number 4 and 5 and my recent interaction with buttermilk and why it, and I, will always have a tumultuous and yet close-knit, relationship. This one recipe. And this one man.

4) I love Julia Child's scones more than any other baked pastry, in the whole entire world and universe. And you have to use Buttermilk. I justify it by reminding myself how much delicious golden butter (of which I have an unhealthy love affair with, in all my cooking) is used and the fact that they always come out beautifully and I can force myself to forgive Buttermilk for being so gross for the 1 hour or so it takes me, from start to finish, to make this delightfully light and airy, and yet rich and satisfying, impressive pastry.

5) Martin loves Buttermilk. The other night I was trying, once again, to use all the Buttermilk in my possession. I had made a double batch of scones. I had even accidentally spilled a bit in the process but it made no difference. I had about the equivalent of a cup's worth left and I had to do something with it (I can't throw it out, as much as I dislike it I can only imagine all those poor children around the world who would give their last piece of clothing for one little cup of something so belly filling). I turned to Martin and asked him if he would just drink the rest so I could be done with the whole lot of it. He says sure...takes a big swig and proceeds to exclaim...

*"I love Buttermilk, it reminds me of my childhood... and darkness."

Oh, what a guy. Oh, what a disgusting drink.

*Martin went on to explain, as I looked at him as though he had just told me he was pregnant, that it reminds him of when he was little.They would drink Buttermilk, by the glassful, in Poland,( including in the winter time when it gets DARK early), on Fridays when there was no meat served (which in Poland is every Friday) with Potato pancakes and Kasza (buckwheat...uhhhhhhh...yeeeeeeah...buckwheat), and fried eggs. He really, really likes Buttermilk. I knew this and yet I still married him. We all make sacrifices.

P.S. Sometimes other foods go bad in our fridge as well. For instance, this purple onion I found today in the back of the veggie drawer...

It doesn't need to speak for itself. The leg's it is trying so desperately to grow, on it's *own*, in order to try and throw *itself* away, speak for it, just fine...

Help a lady out!

I need some help from my readers. Mainly those of you with lots of free discretionary time, and/or who live in Poland. I am desperately searching for a group of American ex-pats in Poland to converse with. If they have families that would also be a plus, but not a must. I need to gather some info. to, as they say in the marketing business, "manage my expectations"...I have found many forums and what not that have some categories like this but some of the absolute drivel I find there is discouraging ...any and all help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

P.S. I am also taking suggestions for random places a T.V. remote might be, because we've been missing ours for more than a week and my legs are getting worn out from all the walking back and forth.

Do they even have that in Poland? #7

Ok, ok, ok. I'm only here for two things. Roach Motels and a case for D.V.D.'s. That's it. OK. Kids in the cart, alright, not much room with Felix sittin' in there... but that's no big deal... we're only getting two things... I'll just take a quick look at the dollar bins, just in case there is something I would really regret not getting...wow, ugh, I wouldn't even pay *one* dollar for some of this junk...oh wow, they have addition flashcards, I could use some of those... flashcards are good right, and I could use them for all the kids, so a dollar is really cheap if every kid uses them...no, no, no, just two things, I dont' really need flash cards, heck I can make my own flashcards, I dont need their stinkin' flashcards...let's keep going... ok, so Roach Motels and a D.V.D. case but I don't know exactly where they are, we'll just go this way and ... I wonder if they have any newer girls clothes, they should have their summer stuff out and maybe some fall stuff, Lina could use a couple more shirts... naw, I don't really see anything she *needs*...why do all these shirts have to be either bright pink or have Disney Princesses on them, gag... whatever, she has plenty of stuff for now, I just did laundry... ok, D.V.D. case....wait, that's in the area with the cameras and the record players and such... ok, D.V.D. case, here they are, one for kids movies and one for adult movies... man,I really want a new camera... they have a couple nice ones for not too much...hmmm...is that an iPad?!...they sell iPads here?...whatever......alright, doing good...now on to Roach Motels... alright, might as well let them look at the toys, we're not buying anything but no harm in letting them look... if Lina actually *got* all the stuff she wants for her birthday we'd need a new house...hey that's an awesome dollhouse, I wonder if we could find room for that... no, we can't take that to Poland...ok, leaving the toys...where are those darned Roach Motels...grocery section!... wait, I think Martin needs new undershirts... I'll just get one pack...he really needs them...ok, one pack of undershirts...on to the Roach killer...here it is!... in the grocery section...ok, get the 12 pack just in case... oh, look, they have school supplies out...hmmm...I do need some more Kindergarten ruled paper for Hejjo to practice his letters...ok, let's find that and get one package, we do need it after all, and we're already here... hmmm...where is that located...wow, it's really crowded over here...ugh, ok, one pack and we are OUT...let's see, not here with the other regular paper, not with the crayons...oh here it is! with the lunch boxes...wait, Felix needs a lunch box and I might as well get one for Lina as well, I mean she'll need one eventually and if I get it now it will keep her from throwing a fit, and she will need it anyway... ok, two lunch boxes, one purple, one green...and two water bottles, BPA free, good... oh wait, better get a blue one for Hejjo since his from last year wasn't BPA free...ok, three water botttles... wait, are those GLOBES? Man, we really need a globe, in fact, I can't believe we don't already have one!...ok, a globe...wait, we can't pack a globe...I'll just get a really big map of the U.S. instead...and they also have one of the World!, yay...that'll take care of that...oh and they also have construction paper right here as well... I could use more of that for projects and stuff, and the kids like to color and paste, ok... one big pack of construction paper... wow, there are a lot of kids here, that woman has on the same shirt as me!... Oh Hey!, this is a great workbook for younger ones to use while I'm helping Hejjo and Felix with their school work... I'll get one of those for Lina, that'll be helpful in the long run, and if I make copies of the pages before she uses it, I can keep them for Kacio so it's really like getting a workbook for two kids instead of just one...ok, out of this section, it is crazy over here... let's see, easiest way out is past the shoe section, could def. use some new black flip-flops...ugh, they have no regular ones without colors ...forget it... hmmm...big bunch up of carts over here, maybe I'll just go through the baby section...wow, look at that stationary jumper, Kacio would love that...kinda pricey...wonder if Martin would go for that...probably not...oh, wait, didn't Martin say something about getting ink for our printer, maybe I should check that out while we're here...that's over in the same section as the D.V.D. cases, ok, better head back over there...oh my goodness, that is the cutest little green cargo skirt for Lina...I didn't notice that earlier...and it's a great length...she could even use it in the fall and in the winter with tights...it's such a great color for all seasons... I know I wasn't going to get anything for her but I think I should  get it...she'll definitely use it a lot, it would be silly to not get it really...and maybe a few tops to go with it...just some plain little puff sleeve t-shirts that match...just three...okay... wow, what a find!, that is the cutest little skirt...ok, now over to the ink...oh shoot, they have like 5 different kinds of ink for Canon printers, I don't know which one to buy..I guess I'll have to wait...but I don't want to have to come back...better call Martin and ask...he doesn't know either...blast!...okay, so I won't get the ink...I'll just have to come back another time... I guess I can start heading toward the checkout...what fun little dresses for women...a little too short for me...but hey they have some cute simple tops...no, no, I shouldn't buy anything, they always fall apart after the third wash and I regret it afterwards...wow, that purple maxi skirt is nice... I don't usually like maxi skirts but this one is super cute, and I have been trying to wear more skirts lately...I should buy it...they only have small, I think I need a medium...whatever, it has an elastic waste, it'll fit enough... ok...I can always bring it back later if it doesn't work out... ok, check out, check out... "Neverending Story" for only 5 dollars!!!!! Every house *needs* to own that movie! For only 5 dollars!?!...and a Thomas film, we don't have that one, great for a rainy day...ok, two movies for 10 bucks, score!...alright check out...Dr.Pepper...mmmm...man, they are never cold out of these little fridges, oh well, I can put it in the fridge for later... you know...maybe I *should* get those flash cards just in case... I mean, when would I have the time to really make quality flashcards for less than a dollar...my time is worth more than that...ok, we'll get the flashcards...ok, back to check out... dumdedumdedum....lalalalalalala...Total $192.53!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  What????? What could possibly have cost that much? I hardly got anything, ok, a few things, but still... I mean, we've only been here for a few...oh wait, ok, so it's been a little over an hour...but still...200 bucks?!?!?!?! ...  smile like you knew what you were doing...pay the man...take your receipt...don't lose the receipt!!! ... you might want to bring that skirt back...ok, outside...breathe...breathe...what time is it?...what is all this stuff?...what just happened?

P.S.

I would leave this post at that. I think that would be more "artistic" and funny, but I can't do that, because my husband, who is hyperventilating right next to me after having just read this, demands that I add a post script of some sort so his family, both here and abroad, will not think he made a poor decision during wife choosing time. I am not an impulse buyer. My family is not in the poor house because of any type of uncontrolled spending. I do not have a problem. I don't even really like shopping. I often go shopping and come back empty-handed, but there is just something about about this place that grips you when you walk in, makes you feel all warm and happy (and consumer-y) inside, and has you leaving with a lot fewer dollars and a lot more junk, than when you started. They know my name at the return counter. I'll be seeing them tomorrow.

And thank you to Shawn for posing with me for a picture. It was hot out there, and you have a lot of hair, and yet you paused in your work to take a picture with an insane person. You are a generous soul.

Shawn asked me why I wanted to take a picture and I said, "well Shawn, our family is moving to Poland in a few months and they don't have...

 ...in Poland, and I'm going to miss it."

Why we are getting a husky.

Felix: Mommy, when we get to Poland we're getting a dog, right?

Me: Well, Felix, we've talked about this. When are we getting a dog?

Felix: When we move to Poland.

Me: Aaaaaaaaand?

Felix: When we have our own house that we built ourselves.

Me: That's right. What kind of dog are we going to get, do you remember?

Felix: A husky.

Me; Yep. And do you remember why?

Felix: Because Tata likes Huskies.

Me: Why does Tata like Huskies?

Felix: Because they look like wolves.

Me: Mmhmm, and why is that important?

Felix: Because wolves are his power animal.

Clash of Cultures: Tea... Iced or Hot?

Europeans don't drink Iced Tea (for the most part). I don't know if many people outside of the Southern United States really drink iced tea. But people, I am on a crusade.

I grew up drinking iced tea. I grew up watching my mom make sun tea in the summer, outside, in a big jar, and on the stove on rainy days by boiling it, steeping it, and pouring it over ice.  We drank it EVERY NIGHT at dinner (an action that still causes grumblings from my brother Fred who claims that drinking that much caffeinated tea at his young age stunted his growth. The guy is nearly 6 feet tall...quit your yappin' Fred) and it was served at every function, fancy or casual, that we attended. It was the most requested drink at the restaurant where I waitressed in college, and it was served at my wedding. It is a main staple of beverage life in Texas. It is expected to be present, as an option, at every eating establishment, every grocery store, every gas station, and, when I was growing up,  in every home. And it can be found in ours right now. And it will be... until the end of time.

I'm bringing my culture of iced tea to Poland and I am servin' it up! I will not fear condemnation from the locals for "what I have done to tea (gasp, grumble, gasp)!" I will not fear grimaces and smirks and downright spitting out of tea if that is what results. I will stand strong in the name of my culture... my Southern culture...my Texas culture!

If the East gave them HOT tea, then the Southwest can give them ICED tea, dang it. Big ol' full to the brim pitchers of delicious, condensation forming on the outside, ice cube clinking on the inside, iced tea.

And, on the days when I want to really blow their mind's... I'll serve it...full of sugar!

 

P.S. I do not allow my young children to drink iced tea. My father was caught doing so, without my permission. I would NEVER give iced tea to a child, everyone knows caffeine stunts their growth!

POTS: as a means to an end

I was making some pasta today. Wagon wheels. Aren't those fun? And I mistakenly thought I could fit a whole 16oz. bag into my 2 Quart pot. 16oz. = 1lb. 2 Quarts = ? lbs.? Well, you can't really figure that out since pounds are a measurement of weight and quarts are a measurement of volume (I sound so smart don't I? smoke and mirrors, people, smoke and mirrors), but you get the picture... it wasn't really all fitting, especially as the pasta began to swell and overflow the pot. Luckily, I have done this before (I know you were pitying me until that admission) and I knew that it would all turn out alright. But it got me to thinking, and remembering, and wistfully smiling...

I've wrote before about moving and what we are going to do with all our stuff. The short answer to which is: we're just going to get rid of it. I don't know if I mentioned it before, but a lot of our furniture and other housewares were purchased with the intention of them lasting, for *us*, only about 5 years, and for some of this stuff, we are really pushing that limit. Ektorp couches from IKEA only get MORE uncomfortable as time passes, when I'm pregnant I can't even sit on it my back is in so much pain... lesson learned, yeah? We have sort of lived in this suspended existence of not wanting to buy anything new if we already own it and we can still make it work, a fine and economical way of living to be sure, but it has left a few, how shall I put it..."holes", in our family-oriented lives.

*We  have two steak knives. We had eight knives six years ago. That's 75% knife "lossage" over time. We're losin' that battle.
*We  have four large plates, and two of them are "borrowed" from my mom and dad. All of the rest have been broken by me (accidentally, I swear).
*We have three legitimate cereal bowls. But 5 soup bowls (lost only one of those... see, lacking soup skills is actually *better* for the family), which have replaced our big plates, and double as cereal bowls. It's easier to eat out of bowls anyway, less chance of slopping over the side. All class. All the time.
*We  have about 4 sets of original silver ware and a bunch of mix and match stuff from IKEA and some I "borrowed" (accidentally, really!,) from a couple eating establishment (and just for the record, would it really hurt to invest in some nicer eating utensils for your guests, really? ).
*We have about 4 original towels and about 4 "borrowed" towels from family, towels around here go the way of "the other sock."Hand towels? Only for guests!, and washcloths...uh, what's a washcloth? If I can't scrub it off my kids' face with my own bare hand then it best just stay where it is ya'll.
*We have one usable cookie sheet. "Usable" means the non-stick part still works, after that, it gets downgraded to holder-of-whatever-has-been- urinated-on-today-until-mommy-can-deal-with-it-later-sheet." I've got two of those. "Urination on things"- 2. "Homemade cookies" -1.
*We have 8 place mats that have seen better days, and one table cloth that is red with snow flakes, used weekly. Slap a little Bing on the record player and turn the A/C down real low, and just go with it.Just go with it.
*We have two mixing bowls, which are actually from the *third* round of mixing bowls that come here to die.
*We have two spatulas, both melted at the tips, with nondescript bits of food impervious to any scrub brush.
*Lastly, we have our pots and pans. All dented around the rims so the lids don't fit, and scratched on the bottom due to repeated scooping out of food. The handles refuse to keep any heat out despite the look of fancy non-conducting heat rubber handles they flaunt in my face every time I try to outrun the heat from the stove to the sink. I never win that race. The original little frying pan has scrambled probably over 500 eggs, and the big ol' pot has housed many a failed soup. The medium sized pot is my go-to for mashed potatoes and spaghetti sauce. And the little saute pot is so cute, with it's little lid...it makes the best iced tea...well, it boils the tea, and steeps the tea, and then I add the ice. Duh.

Yeah, so, we are living somewhere between a college apartment and a really old fussy couple who refuses to switch to C.D.'s from cassettes because "the tapes work just fine, who cares if we don't have any music made after 1999." Except I graduated from college some time ago. And I like C.D.'s. I think they're neat.

So, I'm looking at this pot, and the over-flowing pasta, and my apparent inability to gauge size and volume and capacity...and reminding...

Reminding myself , that every day that I make all these old and tattered parts of our lives stretch a  little further, for just a little bit longer, we are saving that much more money towards our future home. A home where I can buy all new furniture, all new housewares, and all new pots. Pots with lids that fit, and insides that aren't scraping off, and handles that don't conduct heat. And I smile. And I look forward...

...and I make no promises as to whether, in the future, I will be able to tell how much pasta can fit into which pot.

Decision Tree revisited

I am doing it folks, I'm home-schooling my kids. I'm homeschooling them here, in the United States, and I'm home-schooling them there, in Poland. That's it, that's all that needs to be said on the matter. Now, I just have to figure out *how*... (unless of course we decide not to home-school them, which could also happen :) )

The odds are stacked against me, that's for sure.

Let's do a bit of compare and contrast... color coded for your convenience...

Texas:

124,798 children currently being home-schooled (just in Texas!)  Over 1,300,000 in the U.S.

Poland:

Number of Homeschoolers: Over 500 families (in the whole country of about 40 million people)

Texas:

   a. Homeschools can legally operate as private schools in Texas;

Poland:

   Legal Status: Homeschooling is legal.

"Unfortunately, homeschooling is still largely underground in post-communist occupied Poland.

Parents often prefer to remain anonymous out of fear from state harassment or prying neighbors. Today’s fight for the right to homeschool is an uphill battle against government interference and a strong dose of post-communist red tape." 

Texas:

3. As a result of the Leeper decision, homeschools do not have to initiate contact with a school district, submit to home visits, have curriculum approved or have any specific teacher certification. Homeschools need only have a written curriculum, conduct it in a bona fide manner and teach math, reading, spelling, grammar, and good citizenship. If you are contacted by your school district, please contact HSLDA for assistance in drafting a statement of assurance.

Poland:

"In April 2010 the Polish Parliament passed an amendment to the Education System Act, clearly stating a parent’s right to apply for permission to homeschool from any school headmaster. Currently, there are five Polish schools—both public and non-public—that are very friendly to homeschoolers and grant permission to homeschool. This positive change for homeschoolers has caused the number of homeschool families to skyrocket..."

Texas:

c. “A state agency may not adopt rules or policies or take any other action that violates the fundamental right and duty of a parent to direct the upbringing of the parent’s child.” Tex. Fam. Code § 151.003.

Standardized Tests: None. The court in Leeper specifically stated that the school district could not mandate standardized testing. 

Poland: 

"...While these positive changes over the past year are cause for much rejoicing, Polish homeschoolers realize that several unsolved problems stand before them. Among these, requirements for homeschooled students to comply with compulsory non-standardized annual academic examinations, as well as forced examinations at psychological-educational centers (both demands are unlawful in the light of anti-discriminatory claims of the Polish Constitution)... "

 Texas:

5. Homeschool graduates are specifically protected by law from discrimination by Texas colleges: “Because the State of Texas considers successful completion of a nontraditional secondary education to be equivalent to graduation from a public high school, an institution of higher education must treat an applicant for admission to the institution as an undergraduate student who presents evidence that the person has successfully completed a nontraditional secondary education according to the same general standards as other applicants for undergraduate admission who have graduated from a public high school.” Tex. Educ. Code Ann. § 51.9241.

Poland:

Shoot...I have no idea what an institution of higher learning would do with a home-schooler in Poland...best to think about that another day...

Some personal thoughts: 

First and foremost, they are not, and I repeat, they are not, doing any type of forced psychological testing on *my* child, ever, or *anything* "forced," for that matter.  (for all I know, this could literally be someone just making sure we aren't teaching them that the sky is really neon green or something, but you never know...) If we can't get around that somehow, then the deal is off and I'll let the beauraucrats win (oh, I hate those beauraucrats, with their wee beedy eyes, "oh you're going to take my tests, oh...") and we'll put them in regular school... 

Secondly, while all of this sounds kind of difficult,and hairy, and, well, jut tiresome to be completely honest. I can't help but feel that's it's important. So important, that I am willing to talk to whoever I need to talk to, in whatever language I need to speak, for as long as it takes, to make it happen. So, yeah, there are a bunch of hoops, but you know, sometimes stuff is hard, and then you get over it, because you're an adult, and that's what you do.

 I really do hope this answers some of the questions I get daily from friends and family about home-schooling in Poland. If you follow any of the International schooling news ( I don't know why you would, but who knows...) there are several countries where it is a *criminal offense* to home-school your children, like Germany and Norway. Why these countries have to adopt "western" thinking on things that are completely worthless, such as fast food and pop culture, and not something as fruitful and meaningful as home-schooling is beyond me. I assume it's because they are afraid that their comrades,oh, excuse me,  I mean, *citizens*, might actually teach something that isn't approved by the government. The second reason I posted it all is because I think it's important for me to be able to visualize what I am up against, remain utterly thankful for what I have in this wonderful state, that allows it's citizens so much freedom, and remember that home-schooling in Poland is not impossible and hopefully ( fingers crossed!) it will only get better.

And, of course, if worse comes to worse, I'm sure we can always pull out this card, I don't know how, but we could find a way... because gosh darn it, we're doin' it...

Our "CARD:"   It is worth adding that foreign families of European origin who stay in Poland have an undisputed right to home-school here. In addition, American parents and children are totally free from any educational coercion in Poland.

 


   





Sources:
http://homeschooling.gomilpitas.com/weblinks/numbers.htm
http://www.hslda.org/hs/international/Poland/default.asp
http://www.hslda.org/laws/analysis/Texas.pdf

Do they even have that in Poland? #6

1. Homemade Pierogi's, made by me and my young ones, two days in a row?









2. Original, amazing, Lego constructions, made by my 5 year old and then videotaped with voices and action scenes, and everything?

3. Birthday parties with cake and invited guests...for an imaginary friend's 3rd birthday?



4. Record players and old records for dance parties?



5. Kinder eggs, found after one year of being hidden?






Yes!
Can't get much better than that, I tell you what...


.

Clash of Cultures: Don't drink the water!

There are so many things that I know will be different in Poland. Some of them I am really looking forward to, like fresh, organic, fruits and veggies, available right down the road, every day, at open air farmer's markets. Every day! And then there are some things that I an not looking forward to, such as the sun rising at 4am every day during the summer (and subsequently, children that assume that if the sun is up, then, of course, it must be time to start the day. ugh). Every. day. (during the summer)

One of the bigger things that I was not looking forward to was having to drink bottled water, all the time. That's right, *not* drinking water out of the tap, *ever.* See, Martin and I decided a few years back that we would try to never buy bottled water. There are lots of reasons for this. The two biggest (which are really kind of the same) being that, of course, it costs money. And the second, well, WATER IS FREE, PEOPLE. That's right. It's free!!! It comes out of the tap... free! Well, mostly free anyway, really really cheap, at least, right? Right. (this is a blessing!!!! we should be taking advantage of it, put down that bottled water and go get a glorious cup of it from your tap, right now)! So I was not looking forward to having to drink bottled water all the time. Especially since we have our children so well trained as to actually crave water over any other drink. They drink it by the bucket around here. Bottled water for all of us, on a daily basis, would be expensive and inconvenient. And yet, every time we visit Poland, we have to make sure and buy jugs and jugs of bottled water, so that we all have something to drink. Grocery shopping gets heavy. Now of course, your next question should be... why don't you just drink out of the tap? Well, I'm getting to that...

I don't care what she says next...she will NEVER get my bottled water! NEVER (Hejjo, 2006 a.k.a. The personification of Polish water stereotypes)!

For whatever reason it has long been held that drinking out of the tap, in Poland, is something "you just don't do." I don't know why. Martin doesn't know why (ok, strike that, he *does* know why...because during communism there was no real water treatment efforts...eww...gross...but there is NOW, and has been for the last couple decades at least...sooooo...). It just is that way. Everyone that I have ever visited in Poland, ever received a glass of water from, has gotten it from a bottle (or boiled the water from the tap first, but this isn't done as often).  If you ask around you will get lots of different, often conflicting, reasons as to why "you shouldn't drink from the tap." From "the water is too hard, it will make you sick," too,  "it has too many minerals, it will make you sick," and finally, "it's so contaminated with bacteria and sediment that it can cause a monster to grow in the deep recesses of your intestines which will eventually grow to the size of a watermelon and burst forth devouring you from the inside out." ( ok, I made that last part up, but they could be saying that... remember, I don't speak Polish). So, you get the picture... "don't drink the water, it'll make you sick." I don't know if this true myself, I follow the rules while I'm there. I've never drunk out of the tap.

But, today, all my fears have been assuaged, and I am about to singlehandedly dispel a long held myth about Polish water. Are you ready for it? Here goes...  It is perfectly safe to drink water from the tap in the country of Poland! That's right, every major city, and most likely every city period, has potable, drinkable, clean and safe water, held to the same standards as any other industrialized nation in the world. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaand....I HAVE PROOF!

Thanks to the good people over at Brita, I have proof, in the form of real research and fancy graphs and even Youtube videos, in English mind you, of this very fact. Isn't science and the Internet, combined, great?!


Real Research:

Brita tester tap_water_quality_tests_silver_drum_2010

Fancy Graphs (in Polish)!:
 http://www.tester.brita-polska.pl/wyniki-laboratoryjnych-badan-wody-kranowej-w-krakowie,wykresy,9

Youtube videos:

I'm not gonna' lie folks, the idea of having to cart in bottles of water to keep my family going was not a pleasant image. The vision of plastic bottles taking up space in my big country kitchen, overlooking my mountain view, was just not, well, not part of my vision. And now, it doesn't have to be. Cheers!

It's ok to be patriotic.

One month before I turned 21, September 11th happened. I was in college. I was studying abroad in Italy. I was sitting outside on some steps reading something for class, a history text of some sort. I was by myself. Others were around but I was alone, sitting there, studying. Suddenly someone came out of a set of doors and  sort of announced what had happened. At first I didn't really understand what they meant. I didn't really know much about New York or what the buildings were called, or how big they were or what significance they held.  Of course, every soon, I realized the gravity of the situation, and huddled around the one available television in the nearest building and watched as the story unfolded. We were all shocked of course, really shocked, just...speechless. I remember my first reaction as it all began to sink in... "I want to go home." I wanted go home. And for me, this was the first time in my life where "home," really just meant, "America."

 HOME = AMERICA

I didn't necessarily need to see my parents or my friends. I didn't have a longing for my own bed or my house. None of those things mattered really. No, all I wanted, was, America. Plain and simple. I wanted American soil. I wanted to have my feet on American ground. Never in my life had I felt that way before, and I dare say, I have never felt that way since. I have had moments where I have been traveling and wanted my own bed or familiar people and places, but never such a longing, a deep and utter *need* for the country itself. It was a new sensation and something that is hard to describe.

 I remember feeling so stupid. So stupid to be in Italy. So stupid that I was there, on some fancy semester abroad, when I should be home, crying, and blaming, and questioning, and grieving, with my people.With *my* people.

The first thing we were told was to not announce our presence. The sign outside our University was taken down, the gates were locked, we were  forbidden to leave campus until we heard other news.  When we finally ventured out of our area into the world, a few days later, we were told to try and hide the fact that we were Americans, speaking English only when necessary, and travel in smaller groups, just in case we were targets. It was scary.

Every 4th of July since that semester in Italy, I am forced to reflect on that feeling. The first time in my life that I really felt that America was my home, where my heart truly longed to be, and how I was told to not let that show, and how that hurt so much.

Today is the last 4th of July I will celebrate in America for at least a couple years. Martin asked me today, as we were coming home from a day of celebration with my family, if this particular July 4th had more meaning, knowing that it will one of the last we spend here for the foreseeable future. I said yes, of course it has more meaning. I am not so dramatic or silly to say that I will *never* be here again to celebrate America's birthday. Of course I will. But every year that I am not, I know that I will feel this day more keenly. There will be a pricking in my eyes and a lump in my throat when I think of my homeland and how I am away from it on the day of its birth. Happy Birthday America!

What do you mean it isn't *my* birthday?!