Halloween and All Saint's Day
Trip Start
Mar 02, 2003
1
15
41
Trip End
Jul 04, 2005
Krakow,
Poland
Tuesday, November 4, 2003
Our friends Tom and Tina threw quite a bash in Lviv. We had candy corn (supplied by Regine who had recently returned from America) and a jack-o-lantern designed by yours truly and carved by Mark, Tom and Tina's guest from America. We drank, chatted, and laughed. It was a great time made even better because I really wanted to be around as many people as possible soon after Alec left.
Krakow-
My trip to Krakow was just slightly more eventful than the Halloween party
01 Halloween
. This is due to my interesting choice of transportation to get there. I took a train to Lviv, a bus to the border, walked across the border (this took 2 hours of waiting), another bus to Przemysl, and finally a train to Krakow. The whole trip cost around $13, significantly cheaper than the train back to Rivne from Warsaw which cost $40. This was my first time in Krakow during All Saint's Day (Wszystkich Swietych). It was incredible - the graves bathed in flowers and light. Thousands of people going to the cemetery to remember their loved ones who have passed. Honestly, it was completely humbling. I went to two cemeteries while I was there, one to visit my grandma's sister's grave, and the other to visit my grandpa. Both times I was speechless.
Saturday night I was also able to go to a concert with my cousin, Sylwia. It was held at St. Katherine's Church, where the Krakow Symphony and a choir performed Mozart's Requiem. Those first four notes or so always give me the chills. It was perfect. The place and the day.
I also hung out with my cousin's kids - Szymon, Kuba, and Antek. They've grown up a lot since I last saw them and I can't wait to go back at Christmas to see them again
02 St. Mary's Church
.Most incredible was the vast difference between Krakow and Ukraine. My whole life I thought of Poland as Eastern Europe, as poor and downtrodden. This is still somewhat true, but after being here for eight months I felt like I was in the most civilized, most forward country I'd ever seen. I went to the movies with my Aunts - the theater had stadium seating! I spent only 10 minutes at the train station buying my ticket, the woman was nice to me, and I could pay with my credit card! Every bathroom was clean, and the internet was fast. Of course, Poland still has a far way to go, and next year when they join the European Union changes will come even quicker. I'm anxious to see what will happen.
It was really hard for me to come back to Rivne. Yesterday morning when I arrived here all I wanted to do was get back on the train and go to my babcia's. It was nice to be home, in a familiar place, with people I've known practically since birth. I can't wait to go back at Christmas when my mom and Claudia will be there. My friend Regine is going to come with me, and probably Wendy and Susan also, so it's going to be quite the Krakow party. Anyone else interested?
I'm already counting the days.... but now back to work and writing a big grant for the European Commission. A PCV's life isn't always play - I swear!
