Old Town Squares and elderly people
Old Town Squares - I just love them! There is a very pink church off the old town square of Poznan (Fara Church). It was started by the Jesuits in the 1600's...was demolished in the 1700's and rebuilt again. It is now considered a 'city' church and it has a huge pipe organ. So every Saturday at noon there is a concert there and I have gone a couple times now. The church is absolutely beautiful! HUGE marble columns on each side leading up to the alter area so it is very awe inspiring. The perfect thing about this church? I went today with a girl from the shop and her boyfriend! After the concert each week is an opportunity to take a tour - of the crypts, the upper level of the church and of the sacristy...where the priests get ready etc. It was excellent! I enjoyed that very much....it was a cold, windy and rainy day so what a perfect day to be inside. We have had spring like weather this week so to have a rainy day again is kind of a bummer. But so is spring I guess!
The orphanage didn't happen for me this week; I was out of commission for a few days due to being sick. I feel better now, still some to go. But I must get better for this week is Joshua's spring break! He is going to Prague to sing...selected kids from schools several countries gather and practice together for 3 days and then on Sunday they perform two concerts. Sounds awesome to me and Josh invited me to go!...he knows that all he has to do is ask...I'll be there :). Really...all my niece and nephews have me wrapped around their little fingers...just ask and I will be go, do, give, whatever! Being an Aunt is the best thing ever!!!! Anyway - bonus that Bob and Colleen are going as well so that will be fun. Actually - Bob needs to come to Poznan for some business so he did the route from Poznan to Prague on Google Maps and the fastest route is through Berlin. What a shame right?!!! So - Bob and Colleen will come to Poznan on Tuesday...Bob will do his business meeting etc Wednesday morning and then we are off to Berlin! We will hit Prague on Thursday when the other volunteers from Poznan will join us and we will all enjoy Prague for a couple days ending with amazing concerts! I'm looking forward to it all. And then I will take the midnight bus (hmmmm...should be midnight train - isn't that a song?) home to Poznan. FYI - Poznan to Berlin - approx 2 1/2 hours, Berlin to Prague - approx. 3 1/2 hours. Not bad!
There was one observation that was funny to me this week. When I arrived in Poland and was part of the 'public transportation' crowd - I noticed so many people running to make the light at an intersection - to get across to the tram stop. Or...even better...running to make the light becasue the tram was already at the stop and they wanted that tram! Well...I was feeling all 'mature' or some crazy thing because I was thinking that I wasn't in that big of a hurry - I could wait until the next light, the next tram or whatever. Well I found myself over the past few weeks running to make those lights and those trams! It was classic - not that I was late getting anywhere or in that big of a hurry but I just didn't want to stand and wait for the next light or the next tram! So I am sure there is some kind of life lesson in that isn't there? Or is it just that I'm basically an impatient person and I've adjusted enough to feel 'at home' and to my normal self here to not want to wait? Not sure if that is good but it is happening, I can see that. One thing about the trams etc that kind of breaks my heart is the elderly people. Of course it is proper to give up your seat for an older person (there is a definite tram riding etiquette that exists but that's another story!) - but when they have a hard time getting up and down those steps to get on and off the older style trams...that hurts me. I feel their pain. They certainly aren't running to catch the light or tram but they are part of the public transportation crowd and I give them cudos for that! The older couples are the best - helping each other, sitting with each other, many holding hands. Awesome.
I trust you are all enjoying this spring, Lent and life in general. I'm sitting here in a food court area of a mall called Stary Browar (old brewery) by the street that I live. It is a great atmosphere and nice old brick building that really was a brewery. So...as you can read...life is good and God has certainly proven to be waaaay better yet again this week!
The orphanage didn't happen for me this week; I was out of commission for a few days due to being sick. I feel better now, still some to go. But I must get better for this week is Joshua's spring break! He is going to Prague to sing...selected kids from schools several countries gather and practice together for 3 days and then on Sunday they perform two concerts. Sounds awesome to me and Josh invited me to go!...he knows that all he has to do is ask...I'll be there :). Really...all my niece and nephews have me wrapped around their little fingers...just ask and I will be go, do, give, whatever! Being an Aunt is the best thing ever!!!! Anyway - bonus that Bob and Colleen are going as well so that will be fun. Actually - Bob needs to come to Poznan for some business so he did the route from Poznan to Prague on Google Maps and the fastest route is through Berlin. What a shame right?!!! So - Bob and Colleen will come to Poznan on Tuesday...Bob will do his business meeting etc Wednesday morning and then we are off to Berlin! We will hit Prague on Thursday when the other volunteers from Poznan will join us and we will all enjoy Prague for a couple days ending with amazing concerts! I'm looking forward to it all. And then I will take the midnight bus (hmmmm...should be midnight train - isn't that a song?) home to Poznan. FYI - Poznan to Berlin - approx 2 1/2 hours, Berlin to Prague - approx. 3 1/2 hours. Not bad!
There was one observation that was funny to me this week. When I arrived in Poland and was part of the 'public transportation' crowd - I noticed so many people running to make the light at an intersection - to get across to the tram stop. Or...even better...running to make the light becasue the tram was already at the stop and they wanted that tram! Well...I was feeling all 'mature' or some crazy thing because I was thinking that I wasn't in that big of a hurry - I could wait until the next light, the next tram or whatever. Well I found myself over the past few weeks running to make those lights and those trams! It was classic - not that I was late getting anywhere or in that big of a hurry but I just didn't want to stand and wait for the next light or the next tram! So I am sure there is some kind of life lesson in that isn't there? Or is it just that I'm basically an impatient person and I've adjusted enough to feel 'at home' and to my normal self here to not want to wait? Not sure if that is good but it is happening, I can see that. One thing about the trams etc that kind of breaks my heart is the elderly people. Of course it is proper to give up your seat for an older person (there is a definite tram riding etiquette that exists but that's another story!) - but when they have a hard time getting up and down those steps to get on and off the older style trams...that hurts me. I feel their pain. They certainly aren't running to catch the light or tram but they are part of the public transportation crowd and I give them cudos for that! The older couples are the best - helping each other, sitting with each other, many holding hands. Awesome.
I trust you are all enjoying this spring, Lent and life in general. I'm sitting here in a food court area of a mall called Stary Browar (old brewery) by the street that I live. It is a great atmosphere and nice old brick building that really was a brewery. So...as you can read...life is good and God has certainly proven to be waaaay better yet again this week!
So jealous you're going to Prague! What wonderful opportunities you're getting, I hope you have a great time.
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