Lazy Days

Sometimes you just need a lazy day. Or two. Sleep in all day. Do next to nothing. How relaxing.
But now I'm ready to get back to life. One thing that I've remembered while doing nothing is how much I need to do something. I need to be working on something. Always striving to be better. Today I didn't do that and I feel like a bum. Better today than yesterday! Starting now. I'm excited for tomorrow, well now today. Its Sunday and the perfect day for me to reflect, evaluate, and set goals. And then I get to start fresh on Monday.
This is exactly what I needed. I got so sucked into my life, surviving work and trying to make everyone else happy that I seemed to have forgotten about myself. Time to make sure I have my oxygen mask on. I need to build myself up too. Not just others. Otherwise I will have no strength to give to others.
Thanks to all of my amazing friends who have supported me, uplifted me, guided me, inspired me, and who still love me even on my worst days. I want to grow up to be just like you!

TGIF

Its Friday and what better way to celebrate a Friday on vacation than to be lazy all day long! I slept in, ate breakfast, watched a tv show, took a 4 hour nap, watched another tv episode, chatted with some friends, then went to the mall where I met up with friends, ate dinner, and did some light shopping. I found some stuff I've been needing back in Kyiv, and they were Walmart priced. Which they most definitely are not in Ukraine. Happy dance! I feel like I've been spending tons of money, but in reality I haven't been serious shopping in over a year, and everything I've bought has been things I both need and that are practical. No buyers remorse here. The only remorse I've had this entire trip is that I'm eating way too much good food, but I will make up for it at the beginning of the new year. Got to have me something to resolve to do ;) Too much good food and being here too long. Its sad but I'm homesick for Kyiv. I haven't even been here a week, and I'm more than ready to go back. Get back to work, get back to my friends, get back to attempting to have some sort of routine. I wish I could be there to say goodbye to all of my dear friends who are leaving to go home while I'm here. My life is going to be awfully quiet for the next little while. Maybe this trip is just preparing me for that. If there's one thing I've had to get used to again while on this vacation, its been being alone. Not having someone handy to talk to about everything. I guess its time for me to relearn to be my own best friend :) Here's to the opportunities we're given to grow, become stronger, to be better. Cheers!

Wishing you a tolerable Thursday.

My Thursday had a rough start, but ended up being more than tolerable!
I ate Mexican food today and a grasshopper cupcake. Got to see my adorable friends and chat online with some of my best friends. Learned some disappointing news but was supported by friends who knew exactly what to say to help me bounce back. Thanks friends. I closed the night by celebrating a new friend's birthday at Hard Rock Cafe Krakow where we had the best waiter, I ate the best burger and enjoyed some decadent creme brulee! Followed by a movie! At the theater. In English!!!!
I absolutely love movies especially in a theater setting and to see it in English was heaven! We almost had the theater to ourselves. I think the 4 Polish patrons had a blast laughing at me for laughing out loud so much during the movie. It was great fun. I'm now super pumped for New Years Eve (that's the movie I watched), even though I don't think I have any plans. I still think it will be a great one. There's nothing better than a fresh start and a chance for new beginnings.
Okay. So. I think I'll spruce this post up later...I'm falling asleep typing. A sure sign its past my bedtime. Sweet dreams friends.

Visa. It's Everywhere You Want To Be.

Today...I got a visa! It was actually super easy and not nearly as scary as I had pictured in my head. (Think stale cold poorly lit interrogation rooms and scary men with intimidating tones). It was nothing like that. Let me tell you my visa getting experience.

Day 1(Monday): Went to old consulate address. Oops. Epic fail. Such a little thing can be devastating when their working hours are only 9-12 on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday. That night I found the consulate, so I would know exactly where to go the next morning.

Day 2(Tuesday): Went to the consulate, had the guy at the "reception" desk my paperwork. He asked me why I wanted to go to Ukraine. I answered. He looked over my papers and handed them back to me with a small slip of paper with a bank name, address, and microscopic map. I was told how much it would cost, and that I needed to go to that bank to pay and then come back with the receipt. Got lost going to the bank. (I seem to be really good at getting lost).

Day 3(Wednesday): Third time's a charm! Went to the consulate, handed same man all of my paperwork including receipt. He said "Come back between 2 and 3. We're closed tomorrow, make sure you come back today" I guess he didn't get the memo that I'm here for another week and a half ;) Went back at 2, new man handed me my passport with a beautiful new visa in it! Happy day!!!!



I'm glad I don't have to worry about that anymore. And it wasn't scary at all. Now I'm free to just relax and enjoy the rest of my vacation. Although I'm starting to miss Kyiv. I met a girl at the consulate from the states who was also getting a visa today. We became fast friends. Her and her husband were speaking Russian and I've never been happier in my life. I was surprised at how much I understood and how incredibly happy it made me just to listen. I can't wait until I can speak it someday. She showed me a Polish "Walmart". And we have big plans for a bucket at KFC. Life is good!



I also met up with my bestie Felicity and her awesome mom and her cute brother Spencer. I love them to pieces! WE walked around the city center and checked out a bakery where I accidentally ordered a whole cake instead of just a piece. Oops. Oh the joys of language barriers. Haha. I love my life!



I did a lot of shopping today too. I bought several things that I've been wanting and needing for awhile and I got pretty incredible deals on some of them. I bought new boots(Mock UGGS...$20-score!) A "leather" jacket($12-AMAZING!!!) A super cute shirt that I'm uber excited about($15). A perfect little wallet that I already love more than anything ($5) [I'm thinking I should buy a back up or two ;)]
I also bought Jenessa's hoodie. And found a folding nail file(impossible to find) at a random store. I lost mine a couple years ago and my life has been incomplete ever since(шучу). It was a GREAT shopping day though!



And I can't forget about the food!

Today I had Polish sausage...in Poland! And it was AMAZING!



It came from a sweet stand in the city center on the rynok.



That has serious amounts of meat.



I also ate at Yummie's(Krakow's version of Chili's)



I got a NY Strip Steak. It was divine.



For sweet treats today I tried some ice cream. Strawberries and cream flavored.



And a waffle cone roll with sweet cream filling.



Plus that cake I accidentally ordered. :)

Pizza Power

Blogging early tonight. I'm exhausted. I didn't sleep well last night. I'm pretty sure its about -50 degrees in my room. I should've brought my fleece jammies and a hoodie.

I'm excited to vegg out tonight, snuggle up in my bed, hopefully by the time bedtime rolls around my bed will be toasty and I'll be able to sleep.

My day today...went to the consulate. The guy at the front desk spoke awesome English. That made me happy. He looked over my papers, asked me why I wanted to go to Ukraine, said "I don't think we can give you a visa, you need an invitation, that should look like this(showing me the fancy official looking letter pictured below)."



"I have one of those" "Oh." (Hands me a miniature map to a bank across town) Let the adventure begin.





You're kidding right?! How am I supposed to read this map?! So lost! Best way to get to know a city? Get lost there. Seriously. I am so grateful for the cute little mom, who tried her hardest to help me and when she couldn't called her husband who speaks English to give me directions. Dear cute family...you rescued my sanity from the brink of calamity. A million jenks! (short for dziękuję, "Thank you" in Polish)

After the bank I started heading home(ish). The consulate closes at noon, so after getting lost, there was nothing more I could do today. So do zaftra...
I happen to have to walk through the mall often when coming to or going anywhere from my hostel....so I walked through the mall. Decided to take a peek at the electronics store. So many things I wanted to buy, good thing I didn't do it. Then I went to the grocery store. I was thinking...what should I do for lunch. Peanut butter and honey on nutty bread. Yum! Ended up filling a basket to overflowing. How did that happen?! Oh yeah...I'm hungry. Tip of the day: Don't go grocery shopping when hungry. I decided I had more than enough junk in my basket to last me a week of occasional snacking, so I headed to the check out. Seriously?! All the lines were so long they reached halfway through the store! Ridiculous. So what did I do? I restocked everything in my basket, and I left. Sometimes its not worth the wait. I didn't need to eat that food anyway.

Instead I met up with the Elders.



It was their P-Day today since they had a conference yesterday. They decided they wanted pizza. I couldn't turn it down. It is Tuesday after all, and Tuesdays are pizza day. Its tradition. Only this time I got to eat at Pizza Hut instead of Dominoes. Pretty sure it changed my life. I forgot how good pizza can taste!





They had a new pizza there. The crown pizza. AMAZING!



It had super delicious stretchy mozzarella :)



I'm only slightly ashamed to say that I was able to eat as much as the Elders. Never again though! I was seriously in pain. It hurt to move afterwards.

Elder Kolinowski champed it and ate the last piece! Way to be Elder. Way to be!



Now I'm stuffed to the brim and ready to relax the night away. Perhaps a movie night is in order. Happy day.

Day 2 Here's To You

Day 2 and I'm already forgetting about my challenge. Oops. So here's a last minute glimpse of my day before I hit the hay. (apparently I'm in a rhyming mood)

Consulate was a fail today. They moved so I went to the wrong place(the old address) and they are only open for a few hours in the morning, so that didn't work out well for me. But there's always tomorrow.
Ate KFC for lunch. Burger King for dinner. Feeling American.
Bought a Polish SIM card, now I'm connected in Poland.
Figured out how to text Ukraine for free(ish)! So I can stay in touch with those I love in Ukraine :D
I decided to be brave and attempt the public transportation system. It was actually way nice, they had timetables and everything! Now if only I had been going the right direction. Haha.
Also went to Institute/Seminary and learned about Moses. I learned a lot about him tonight and it made me feel better about myself. Sometimes I get frustrated with things, when I should be patient. I think "Amazing" people are patient in these situations. So I can't be amazing because I'm not patient. Then I read about Moses who on more than occasion showed frustration. It was a lesson I needed. A lot! I'm so glad I went.
And now here I am, up WAY later than I should be. Story of my life.

Also I love Krakow so much that I think I'll live here someday. We'll see where the wind blows me. But I wouldn't mind one bit if it blew me in to Krakow. :D

Krakow Countdown to Christmas Challenge

It has been forever since I've blogged and I apologize. SO much has happened in my life that I wished to have shared with you all, but I am slightly superstitious and don't want to jinx myself by sharing it with the world. Because inevitably, the moment I do, it all goes south.
Let me tell you that I am in Krakow Poland right now. Being here is incredible for so many reasons, but mostly because of how I got here. I have a purpose in being here. Some of you already know, the rest, will find out as things work out this week.
My challenge is this...to make up for my lack of blogging...I want to try to blog everyday about my time here in Krakow. We'll see how well I can do.

Things today that made me happy:
Not dying in the taxi or airplane.
Getting naps after a sleepless night.
Short flights.
Hassle free passport checks.
Meeting new friends!
Incredible food.
Banana juice.
CHERRY coke!
My own hostel room.
Promises of lots of fun to come with new friends.
My new 3 year old best friend, Felicity!
Subway(Mmmmm!)
Krakow's amazing Christmas spirit!
Life!


I (LOVE) my life!