Bibaspora: Where Are They Now?

Bibas dearest,

In the spirit of childhood actors from the '80's, I thought we could all use an update on each other's worlds/ lives. I have been in a hole for three months that I am just climbing out of... and the first thing I wanted to do after emerging was hear about you all! So maybe we can post some updates? The bibaspora is expanding (geographically) with D in Israel now and in the past week I have officially set up residence in Warsaw. So I'll start and I really hope everyone can make some time to follow up!

Okay so... yes I live in Warsaw! The main reason for me being here is because I've been given the rare opportunity to live with my family for four months and get to know our latest addition: Benjamin Tadeusz Elliott. He's pretty much the best human I have ever met. He has such an amazingly happy temperament, giggles all the time, and wears ridiculously cute baby clothes. In fact, since I just brought a backpack with me, he has waaaay more clothes than I do. He has terrifically long eyelashes and already knows my voice. And also, he kind of smells like pringles. This is the result of his milk. Though I don't know if it says something about his milk or about Pringles... I can't really express properly how amazed I am by him daily. I've been here one week and he has already changed so much!

I'm learning Polish pretty quickly. I'm enrolled in intensive language classes for 5.5 hours every morning, which has been really good for my communication. It's all coming pretty quickly. The class only has 4 students: me, this german business guy, a danish film producer, and a french student. They're all pretty interesting, though the german guy is impossibly annoying. You know in language classes how there's always the one person that wants to revolutionize the grammar system? "why do they still write this accent if it's not pronounced?! we dont need this shit." like that. What is our poor language teacher supposed to do with him? Other then ask him to stop wasting our time with those kinds of questions.

I live in the center of the city, sandwiched between a big beautiful park, a music school that seems to emphasize accordion (very european, no?), an old cafe made out of wood from polish barns that all the hipsters hang out at, and a yoga studio. This is all in the same lot, so there is no street to cross. I love it. I'm only 4 tram stops from my classes and one metro stop from most of the bars and concert venues, etc.

Now, Ashlee, I know you are wondering about my coffee situation. Every morning, I wake up and make coffee in this thing that has quickly earned an inspired role in conversation: rozowy skarb (The Pink Treasure). For 15 zlotych (about 5 bucks), I inherited a coffee maker that was the last of its kind in the store: 50% hot pink, 50% pepto bismol pink. It's wretched looking... and I love it and depend on it desperately. I have also been eating lots of chocolate, of course :)

Now a story for everyone but especially Aub: a few nights after getting here I was going music crazy (probably a direct result of missing every single concert for The National this summer) and looking up what shows I could go see. Guess who was playing?! Basia Bulat!!! She played this super tiny show at Kafe Kulturalna, a venue buried in the Palace of Culture (a gift from Stalin himself to the Polish people that now houses every type of capitalist development imaginable!) Apparently, every european tour she has she ends in Warsaw at this small venue, because.... she's Polish! Of course. I don't know why I never connected that with her name. But she sang two songs in Polish and was wonderfully adorable as always. It was a great show. Afterwards I gave her Alan's number again.

So that last part wasn't true :) But it would have been great. Last night I went out on the town for Nocy Museum. It's this thing where all the museums all across Europe are free and open all night long. Most have free food and live music too. And Thomas Klein, one of the exchange students that lived in our house in highschool was in town for a conference. So we went out with him! It was so great, particularly because my brother came and with the new baby the two of them are mostly too exhausted to go anywhere at night. I usually spend all afternoon at their place playing with Benju and then try to go out. Making friends can be tough because my Polish is still on its way, but I've managed to find a few. I'm definitely not afraid to talk to people (you all have suffered through that for seven or so years now...) so we will see as the summer progresses. Hopefully I find some good souls to spend time with.

Other than that, I'm generally thinking about sociology, as I do. I wouldn't really call what I'm doing right now "working" per se, but don't tell the people back home. I'm thinking this is enough of an update for now. Love you all and hope to hear from each of you! That includes Landrie, who is the only faithful (and only period) follower of the blog. Miss you Lan :)

Meag