food for fish

Today it down poured on my way to the English school. When I left it was okay, it looked like the rain had just stopped, but nope, it was just beginning. By the time I was 5 min into my walk, it was pouring, and I didn�t have an umbrella, because I couldn�t find it, and I wasn�t wearing my rain jacket because I was running late and had already put on to other jackets to stay warm. By the time I made it to the school I was drenched, water was dripping down my face into my eyes, my hair was completely soaked, but thankfully the Banana Republic jacket I bought just before I left worked very well at keeping me dry. The teaching time was okay, I had a little bit of trouble motivating the students to talk, or read, they don�t volunteer for anything, and I hate choosing someone to read. But I think things are getting better and they are realizing that I don�t think of them any less, just because they are students (which is something pretty normal in Poland and a lot of Europe, not just Eastern Europe either).

Then on my way back home (which is about a 30 min walk) the rain had thankfully stopped, but I was bothered by two drunk beggars, one of which seemed to get quite upset that I didn�t speak Polish, and tried to follow me, but I just walked faster. When I got home I was freezing, but at least the heat has been on, at who knows what cost to us, because we still don�t have coal so we are still using the electric furnace, which everyone says is going to cost us an arm and leg, but its not up to me to get the coal thing going, since I sorta don�t speak the language. So, I wasn�t in the best of moods, and I decided I wanted to eat something, like a meal. But I don�t want to upset Chris by eating something which is designated �dinner�, he�s been a little stressed lately and doesn�t like things to be out of �wack�, such as food that he thought was there, being gone. So, I decided I�ll just have some toast and whatever else I can find. Well I tried to cut myself a few slices, and it is the most frustrating thing when your hungry and you just can�t cut bread into slices with out them breaking apart into pieces which won�t go into a toaster. So I just took the pieces and put jam on them, I was very frustrated. So, now I�m making French fries, but because we don�t have a microwave, I�m using the oven, which is okay, but it takes a lot longer.

Basically I�m complaining, some things are beginning to get on my nerves. The way people think around here is so confusing to me. For instance, we are trying to reserve a hotel for this pastor�s retreat we are hosting� well the hotel receptionist on the first day didn�t seem to have any problem� then on the second day, the day we are suppose to make our deposit, another receptionist says, well I don�t know if this is going to work because we are painting some of the rooms. Then the receptionist looks at us, as if we are suppose to solve the problem. We tell them, well, if it isn�t going to work then just tell us� we are thinking �Do they want our business or not?�� The receptionist looks at us baffled, and says �I�ll need to call them and see if they can move your rooms around�� why? We don�t know. So we took the papers, didn�t make the deposit, and decided we�ll talk to the management ourselves. This is pretty typical business thinking� basically not being able to make a business decision, or accommodate the customer. Anyway, all of this is stretching me, my patience for one, I haven�t lost it, but surely it's being used.

So now, i'm enjoying my french fries and tarter sauce.