happyWell, I made it to Płużnica after all! I'm in SMGP now enjoying a Żywiec. My host siblings Paulina and Przemek are here, and Marcin just left to take Justyna home and bring Monika and her boyfriend back from the Ostrich farm where they're staying (and probably getting cleaned up after their long drive from Warsaw after work).
The remainder of my train ride was immensely entertaining – I sat next to a guy who spoke to me in an English / German / Polish hybrid – he was a philosophy student who told me about the history of Poland by pointing out various places on my map. We had a lot of fun joking about the continual relocation of the Polish capital in response to threats from other countries. I ate the sandwiches Czarek made for me. Our carriage was packed with Polish soldiers who used every swear word in the language, plus more. They didn't give me too much trouble when I disembarked, though.
Pan Andrzej met me on the platform in Wąbrzeźno and took me to Płużnica. We stopped on the way to pick up Richard, whose father is Andrzej's business partner in plumbing and heating. We went home for dinner. It was funny to be back there again. They asked me all manner of questions about what things were like in Ukraine – on that note, we exchanged a lot of stories, and for the sake of my future relations with Ukraine, I won't repeat (very many of) them. Even Marcin got in on it when we were at TRGP later. We had entirely too much fun at Ukraine's expense, but I always make sure to mention (truthfully) that I love Ukraine like I love family. You don't always get along, but you love them anyway.
Some carolers came to our door after supper. One teenage boy was probably the first caroler I've seen wearing devil ears.
We went to TRGP to help set up for the big New Year's party tomorrow. It was really, really nice to greet Marcin and Justyna. I still kind of like Justyna, and when I have nothing to do I sometimes flirt with her. I don't think it'll go anywhere, though. Speaking of which, Andrzeg asked me in Polish:
"Do you have a Ukrainian girlfriend?"
"No have!" ("Ni ma.")
"Do you have a Polish girlfriend?"
"No have!"
"Do you have a Canadian girlfriend?"
"No have!"
"Oh, no... you must go look for a girlfriend!"
So anyway, SMGP (downstairs from TRGP) rocks the socks! They have four computers now, a kick-a** sound system, satellite tv, and a projector. It's fun to think that we were a part of it – I can look back with pride about my contribution – namely, taking photographs while other people were repainting the walls.
It's really, really... kind of odd to be back here. Sometimes it's true that you can't go back again – we went to the petrol station tonight, but it was filled with drunks who were swearing like sailors. We hastily relocated to SMGP.
I have a lot of memories here. It would be nice to have other Canadians here with me – maybe we'll do that someday. It feels good to be among old friends. It's almost like I never left even though I'm a changed person since my last time here.
It's time to say farewell to the old year, and tomorrow we'll greet the new one. And I can't keep being antisocial for the sake of my writing. Take care!