Hungary

"Mr Gyurcsany (prime minister) said the protests, in which dozens of people were hurt, were Hungary's "longest and darkest night" since the end of communism in 1989.

The violence erupted at the state TV building following a largely peaceful rally calling on Mr Gyurcsany to quit.

In a leaked tape, Mr Gyurcsany admitted his government had lied to the public.

His comments, which were recorded just after a general election in April, have prompted calls for his resignation from opposition parties. ... " (the whole article at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/5359250.stm)

I'm shocked. It's not mocking or anything. I'm very suprised that riots like this broke out in the middle of the Europe (although it's not that different from France a few months ago). But Hungaary is much more similar to Poland. As post-communist country, most of the civil activity should be dead by now, I would think. Apparently things were so bad, that people woke up.
But probably the most important reason why I'm shocked is that during the proccess of joining EU, we would compare Poland to Czech Rep. and Hungary. The latter always seemed to be so much more developed, with much stronger economy. And now what do I hear....

I think it not only shocked me. I am afraid. That there will be a similar situation in Poland, which economy is not growing fast enough and too many people are without jobs. The country ruled by twin brothers, the Ducks, very controversial: very religious, traditional, yearning for "strong" government.
And they are one of the reasons I don't want to go back to Poland.

Jestem z powrotem.

Mialam nadzieje, ze znajde czas na napisanie paru slow, ale jednak nie. Musicie poczekac, az naszemu klientowi zacznie sie nowy rok fiskalny.
W kazdym razie wrocilam szczesliwie.
Buziaki dla wszystkich.

Still in America

I'm still doing great. People here are so nice and friendly!
I went to the baseball game on Tuesday and shopping yesterday.
Today Prince is comming.
Tomorrow we're going west.
It's great!

We're all living in America

I'm on the new continent!!! It's good. People are really nice, hotel is amazing, everything is ok. I wil write more if I'll have a moment, right now we're starting a training.

Off to the US

I'M GOING TOMORROW!!! I'M SO EXCITED!!!

In the world of fanasy

I wasn't exactly in the condition to post recently. And Prince did so you know what's going on. I'm sick :( I spend the whole Sunday and Monday in bed and half of yesterday. Fortunately, I have a great book: Kushiel's Dart by Jaqueline Carey. Oh, I just saw the gallery there and now I want the next tattoo. No, I don't have money for that! But when you stat with tattoos, you never want to stop. There are always some new ideas, nicer drawings you'd like to have on yourself. Oh.... Marta, don't even think about it!
So I have a cold or something. It's getting better now but even yesterday I left work very early, I just couldn't think. All the time I feel so tired... I hate being sick. Ok, I could get sicker so I'd go to the doctor and not have to go to work for a week or something that would be nice on the one hand. But this is just a bad cold. And I just need to handle it. The worst is sneezing. It's not like normal sneezing, it's like my whole body is trying to out....
Thank you all for all the ideas about moving to the US. We need to think about it more. Prince wants to travel more around Europe so it would be logical to stay somewhere around here for a few more years. Oh, we'll see. I can't think about it now.
And I'm going to the US in 4 days!!!! I'm so excited!

Am I old enough to get me a watch?

Wow, 2 comments already under the last post! Just wanted to verify something: Prince doesn't want to move to the US right now, not even in a year. It seems to me that he cannot decide, but he says the same thing about me. We both have problems with decision making.
I was thinking to transfer within my company but: 1. Prince doesn't want to live in Pittsburgh where my company is based (at least my department); 2. I am not sure if they would even consider it - the reason why they opened the office in Prague is to cut down costs.
I was also thinking about UK / Ireland. But then I was under the impression that Prince want to go to the US. It would be definitely easier.
We need to talk about it more.

OK, enough serious stuff. Yesterday we were in the pub. It was nice, not too many people but there was Courtney, Megan and Mark, Matt, Scott. We left really early - Prince wasn’t feeling too well, Courtney has a nickname Larry ('cause she always leaves early). So I went home too. Today we are suppose to go play darts but tomorrow we have to get up really early to go to Sychov castle to the Highland Games. And I feel weird today - my stomach. Not hangover but like I'd eat something. So we'll see about the evening. And yesterday when I came back home I broke the ring that Prince gave me for my name day. It was the second I broke. The first lasted over a year and the second not even a month. I was really angry. Now I need to go to Tesco. That's actually a good idea as I'm planning to get me a watch and they have both of them at Tesco. I figured out I'm old enough to have a watch. It's like a sign of being adult. All the kids want to have it, and of course I had it when I was a kid. But then it started irritate me. It's like a leash: you depend on the time so much more than if you wouldn't have it. I haven't used it for at least 5 years, since I have a cell phone. And it would be useful in the US as my mobile won't work there and it's good to know the time. I made a decision: I'm going to Tesco today.

Have a nice Friday and weekend!!!

Serius decisions

Yesterday we had serious discussion. Well, it wasn't all that serious but it was about serious things. I agree with Prince that we have to make some decisions about our lives. It's difficult. The points were that we won't stay in Prague more than a year (more or less). Prince should start saving for his retirement and it's impossible with teaching. And he wants to move back to the US. I agree. However, it creates extra problems: US is not EU and I need visa and work permit and so on. The hardest is work permit and I cannot see any other way to get it than to get married. And we don't really want to get married yet. I'm not exactly like most of girls / women dreaming about the white wedding dress and so on. On the other hand I was brought up to dream about it. I'm confused... I want to get married some day but not exactly yet. So if anyone knows how to get work permit in the US without it, please let me know. It would solve a few problems. Also, weddings are expensive and I'm not sure how my family would react if I would just skip the reception. Actually I'd like to see reaction of my aunts. Hehe, it would be funny. So maybe we could get married in Vegas or something :))) Those serious things make my brain boil. Too much logistics. We can decide: yes, we'll go to the US but it's all interconnected.
So I'm waiting for advice: how to solve it easily?

Borning days

Oh geez, I'm so bored. It's morning but not so early - 9.42 but I still can't wake up. There is not too much to do. Well, I should do D.'s work since she's on holiday but I really don't feel like it. I don't feel like anything. At least the weather is much better than for the last few weeks: it's sunny and warm. We'll see for how long.
Prince told me yesterday we should make some important decisions so now I'm thinking about it and I'm totally scared. I know that he cannot stay here for ever; especially that he doesn't have insurance here or any pension plan for that matter. Even if he would, teaching is not something he wants to do till the end of his life. OK, I understand. But that created a few questions: do we have to move somewhere? If yes, where? When? How?? He could try to find a regular job here, but I don't think that he wants. I feel that at this point he wants to go back to the US. And me? Well, I've never been there so I'm not sure. But I wouldn't mind. Only that I would never see my parents. And I love my family very much and I'd like to be able to visit them at least twice a year. Not from the US though. Next problem: it would be extremely difficult to save money here to be able to move there - Czech Korunas are not Euros. And we probably won't start working immediately. Also, I would have to get all the permissions to work there, and this ain't that easy.

My head is going to explode!!! Why everything have to be so difficult?

Music music music

And again you all had to wait a very long time for the next update (it sound like there are hundreds of people reading it, hehe - it doesn't matter how many of you read it, I know about at least 2 people so it's cool). This time, I just wasn't in the mood for writing. I couldn't force me to answer email either. Brak natchnienia (I apologize English speakers - some thing sounds better in Polish. Ok, I admit - I don't know how to say it in English.) So.... what we were doing? Last week was quite nice: we went to a new noodle place on Wednesday. I had a Long Island Ice Tea for the first time in my life. It's not that there wasn't an opportunity before, I'm just usually more traditional in regards to drinks or I don't have too much money. And I live in the land of beer! So we had delirious phad thai. Thursday is pub night which we actually joined this time. And I convinced Courtney to come. We met a lot of people we haven't seen for ages ('cause we never go there), had some good talks and came back home a bit drunk. It was a nice evening. But weekend was the best: the Love Planet music festival. We saw Ministry, Franz Ferdinand and Body Count feat. Ice T. A lot of great music, nice atmosphere and lots of jumping. I was especially surprised with BodyCount. I've never heard their music before, just on Saturday Prince played some songs for me but I didn't really like them. But live....WOOOW! They were great!!!
After the concert on Saturday we went to play darts. I enjoyed it for the first time really because we were playing different game: the aim was to get exactly 301 points but if you get exactly the same amount of points as somebody else, the other person looses his / her points. So one don't have to be all that good at it to have fun. And I suck at darts.
But I almost foregot about the most important news: I have the ticket to the US!!! And the hotel booked. So I'm set up to go. I just need money, a lot of money. The plan is to go shopping there (I already asked a girl from the Pittsburgh office, she will be my guide). And on Monday we're going to the baseball game! Truly American experience. That's what I count for.

Plans itp

OK, I am sorry for lack of the update: there is nothing going on.
It has been raining for the past week.
We were planning on going to the Celtic Festival (outdoors) this weekend but it was raining.
I was going to go rollerskating but it was raining.
We were plaing Arcana half of the day yesterday.
Except for that we didn't do anything.
But we have a lot of plans.

Next weekend there is Love Planet festival, with Franz Ferdinand, Ministry, BodyCount feat. Ice T, The Rasmus, Pet Shop Boys (ach, well..it's a festival).
August 19th we're going to castle Sychrov u Turnova to see Scottish Games.
The last weekend of August Jan may come :)))
August 28th I'm leaving to the U.S. for 2 weeks, I'll be back on September the 10th. First week till Friday I'll be in Pittsburgh and the next week in Grand Tatons.

That's all. If something interesting happens, I'll let you know.

Have a nice week.

Happy time with a headache

I'm very proud of myself! In regards to my work. It can actually give some satisfaction sometimes.
That's what happened: buyer (specjalista ds zakupo) responsible for Poland is on holiday and I'm her backup. It's crap because usually it's sending requests for quotations and things like this. But 2 days ago I received a quote for more than 4 ooo Euro and I figured out: ok, let's try, the supplier can always say no. But he didn't! I got 4 % discount! I know it's not much, but it's a good beginning! I'm happy and proud.

Btw I have a terrible headache and the only thing I can think of is going to bed. It's all Lida's fault. As you may know, she's going to Nepal for 3 months and yesterday we had a small good bye party. I had a lot of fun! Lida has very nice friends, I hadn't known most of them before. Actually I had met just one: Misia. So they are all great people and we had a lot of fun and laugh. For the first time in my life I was laughing so hard at my own language. It appears that the sentence "Palenie tytoniu w czasie ciazy szkodzi twojemu dziecku." If you don't know, tyton is a little furry animal and if you'd burn it, it will harm storks sitting on the roof, and they would die and fall on your child :) Probably it's not all that funny to you all, especially if you don't speak Polish (this sentence really means "Smoking while pregnant harms your baby"). It's just a drunk talks but it was funny so I thought I will share it :)

I'm going back to my work. The main task for today is: not to fall asleep under my desk.

Tesknoty i smuteczki

Ostatnio zaczynam coraz bardziej tesknic za rodzicami. Stopniowo sie od siebie oddalamy. I jest to tylko i wylacznie moja wina - to ja zdecydowalam sie wyjechac. Bedac w Polsce, nawet nie w Lublinie (bo tego chyba nikt sie nie spodziewal), odwiedzalabym ich czesciej. Dwa razy do roku to zdecydowanie za malo.
Podobnie z przyjaciolmi - juz chyba przestali nimi byc, skoro nie widzielismy sie od roku, a maile to jednak nie to samo.
Do tego Ksieciunio wspominac zaczyna, ze chcialby wrocic do Stanow. A ja wtedy co? Z jednej strony powoli przyzwyczajam sie do tej mysli i moze nawet bym ja zaakceptowala, ale.... Po pierwsze najpierw chce Stany zobaczyc. Ale wazniejsze jest to, ze gdybysmy tam wyjechali, to juz na dobre. A to znaczy, ze rodzicow bede widywac jeszcze rzadziej.
Czasem sie zastanawiam, czy nie zrobilam bledu. Czy nie lepiej bylo zrezygnowac z tego szalonego pomyslu bycia z obcokrajowcem z innego kontynentu i spokojnie wrocic do normalnego zycia po Szwecji? Tyle rzeczy byloby latwiejszych... Z drugiej strony wiele rzeczy prawdopodobnie juz bym nie mogla zaakceptowac. Nikogo bym nie zranila (moze kazdy na wyrzuty sumienia gdy zakonczy zwiazek, ja mam wielkie). Bylabym blizej rodzicow, widywalibysmy sie przynajmniej raz w miesiacu. A tak... Wszystko sie tak dziwnie ulozylo... Tesknie czasem za moim dawnym zyciem z Polski.

US baby

Woo-hoo
Apparently I will be able to go to the Grand Tetons!!!
That's the whole story: my trpi to the US was planned for the week of the 28th of august and Prince's parents (that would be the King and the Queen :) ) invited us to go with them to the magnificent mountains in Wyoming. But then M. (my Spanish- Italian colleague)said he cannot go then cause he wants to take his vacations then. So for a few days we were trying to figure out the best solution but as either me nor him coulnd't change the dates of our planned time off, our manager finally decided we will go separately: first me and D. (my Czech colleague) and after 2 weeks - M. So I can go to the Grand Tetons!! Unless we'll be uninvited. But hopefully not. I'm really looking forward!

Our recent activities

I apologize for not writing earlier. But still I'm not as bad as some people (nie bede wytykac palcami). We had a busy busy weekend - actually the whole week. For me it actually started at the beginning of July when Andrea left and I had to help the new girl. Now, I'm just answering her questions but I'm not doing the work for her. Then, last week Stefan and Christiane were here. So we were going out, it was fun but I was so tired after very hard work and intense evenings. Although the weekend was great: on Saturday we went to Divoka Sarka, a place to swim and hike almost in Prague, we saw Hvezda and Bila Hora, where took place the battle between Catholics and protestants in 1620. On Sunday we went to Melnik, the most famous Czech vine place (I bet you didn't know Czechs have their own vine). We walked around and of course drunk vine. On the bus there we had to listen to very loud Americans (sorry, but Americans for some reason are always louder than anybody else - most of Americans) who were teachers in Prague and one of them is a friend of our friend. It was quite annoying. We also discovered that Rob is a very specific kind of gentlemen but he said he will write about it (and I'm sure it will be funnier).
And that's all....
They left on Monday morning and last night I got 10 hours of sleep :)

p.s. Lida has a blog: http://www.situlin.bloguje.cz/ Well, actually she will have a blog, when she'll write something there :) But she promised to write from Nepal, where she's going next week for 3 months. The only problem - probably she will write in Czech.

p.s.2 Pics from weekend with Stefan and Christiane will be posted soon - as soon as I convince somebody to download them.

Views from my window

Apparently I'm not writing enough. But still compared to some bloggers (actually to most of who I know) I'm pretty regularly.
Recently work has been very very busy. Mostly because Andrea left and we have a new team member who is still learning and is not able to do all of her job on her own. So I'm doing most of it. But I have a plan how to make her learn fast :) Or start getting used to more responsibilities.
That's just work stuff - probably not so interesting for you. Except for work and more important is that Stefan and Christiane are in Prague. They came yesterday. We went for a dinner to the soup place (I think it's called Mlejnik or something like that). We got a bit drunk with Czech beer, discussed everything that happened last year and have a lot of laugh. I'm very happy to see them again. Today we're going to the pub (THE pub - Konvikt) so If anyone is interested, you're welcome to join.
And some pictures - views from our window.

Pewna letnia noca o czym mysle...

Chcialabym sie nigdy nie urodzic. Nigdy nie umrzec. Zostac na zawsze osmioletnia dziewczynka. Bez smutkow i zalu - do ludzi, do swiata. Bez doroslych problemow. Nikogo nie stracic. Nie zakochac sie. Nie zostac porzuconym.
Bez smutku.
Bez radosci.
Ale co by to bylo za zycie? Moze jednak lepiej wyplakac sie w poduszke, by rano moc sie cieszyc z nowego dnia. Co sie dzisiaj stanie? Kogo nowego ponam? Czego sie naucze? Przyjaciela strace czy zyskam?

A planety szaleja, szaleja, szaleja. I smieja sie, smieja, smieja....

Kazdy z nas jest jak laneta. Krazy samotnie wokol swojego slonca. Nigdy drugiej planecie za bardzo zblizyc sie nie pozwoli. A jesli juz sie na to zdecyduje, to zderzenie zabije ije obie.

To ja jeszcze poplacze w te moja poduszke w misia wtulona. Przynajmniej misie nie rania.

Nawet jesli bym chciala odejsc, to nie moge.
Uciec w bezkresna przestrzen. Bez granic i bez panstw. Bez roznic kulturowych. Zeby bylo latwiej sie dogadac, latwiej zyc. Bo teraz latwo przyhcodzi tylko ranic. Palnac glupstwo... i po wszystkim. Nieprzemyslane slowaw, niepotrzebne gesty. Tyle razy to powtarzamy, ale jeszcze sie nie nauczylismy jak zyc razem. Nie obok siebie, ale razem. Nie niszczac tej drugiej planety i siebie za razem.

Tak sie wlasnie czuje

Jestem taka, jestem taka zmęczona
Bolą mnie ręce, boli mnie cała głowa
Tyle dzisiaj, tyle się dzisiaj stało
Boli mnie serce, boli mnie całe ciało

 Paranoja jest goła, paranoja jest goła
 Paranoja jest goła, paranoja jest goła

Dzień się skończył,
Na księżyc patrzę jak pies
Stopień po stopniu na metalową wieżę wspinam się
Rosa pokrywa, rosa pokrywa ciało
Tyle się dzisiaj, tyle się dzisiaj stało

(Maanam)

Visa Visa Visa

HURRA!!! I have the visa!
I have the visa!
I have the visa!
Tam ta ram tam, hurra!!!

Did you guessed? I had the interview today in the morning at the US Embassy and got the visa! I don't know what kind of visa, I don't know for how long, but I know I got it! So now sometime in August I'll probably go to Pittsburgh and for Christams to Virginia. I can't wait!

Except for that: it's suppoze to be very hard day at work - I'm the only one from our team and we had 2 days off unlike the rest of the world, so there is a looooot of work. But I'm still all about the visa and I just can't be bothered to work too hard today. It can wait till Monday :)
As I mentioned, we had two days off. On Wednesday we went to the ZOO and saw giraffes, they are so cute. We saw lots of other animals too but I had seen them a year ago when Mloda was here. We just missed giraffes. So we saw pingwins and lions and elephant and hippos and owls and voulchers (hmm, the birds that eat dead people :) and... I don't remember :)) There was too many of them to remember all. Oh, gorillas and those animals who are extremely lazy and the sin is calles after them - laziness, can't remeber their name. It was fun day.
And yesterday we were playing Arcana Unearthed. I'm fean mage-blade. It's fun. There are dragons and giants and all sort of wacky stuff going on. I'm enjoying it except that Prince (who is not playing prince btw) has to play like 3 people and be the Game Master at the same time so it's a bit difficult at times. But still it's fun. I know for some of you RPG is this strange thing that make people kill themselves (that's what I heard) but for me it doesn't have any of this kind of stigma and it's just one more fun thing to do.
So I guess that's all. Oh, and Italy won with Germany in semi-final. And they are playing France (again). Hopefuly it won't be penalty kicks that decide who won the World Cup this time.

And:

I GOT VISA!!!

Saturday

Another lazy Saturday morning. This time I'm in a Polish mood - first of all of course bc of Marysia (for those of you who don't know Maja the Bee or Przczolka Maja - we met in Sweden, she's from Warsaw, graduated from UW in March and now came to Czech Republic to the Film Festival in Karlove Vary) and also bc she brought me some Polish items - the magazine Polityka, ptasie mleczko i Zubrowke :) Teraz mamy calkiem niezly zapas polskiej wodki :).
Wczoraj bylismy ....Oh I switched to Polih somewhere there... ups
Yesterday we were in our local with Lukas, who I haven't seen since last July even though we live in the same city. But Marysia made him come (ach, ten kobiecy urok). It was fun. The only problem was that I was quite tired after Thursday so me and Prince went home around 11. They were ambling around the Old Town till 5am. And in the morning Marysia left to Karlove Vary unfortunatelly. But it was great to meet her.

Other news: Friday was Andrea's last day at work unfortunatellly. We have a new girl but it's not the same. We were getting along really well with Andrea. But she wanted to work in civil engeneering . Hopefully we will meet often. We have a plan for Tuesdays - to meet all three of us: me, Andrea and Migul, the whole team. We'll see. I'll miss her.

Also, after the party one guy couldn't find a night tram home so he slept in the office :))

And tonight we're going for a dinner to Courtney's. I'm making a salad of course.