Angelica
November 7, 2001
Departure Day Journal

11/06 15:00NYC - I arrived at the airport 5 hours early to be greeted by my first line of the trip: 1 hr. so far, but will probably last at least 1 more. Some of you know of my fanaticism with foreign faces and airports (nessie), but I've been put in the Lufthansa/Austrian Air line and am unable to pick out the Poles. There are plenty of aryans.

11/06 16:05NYC - My, what glamour! I sit munching "Wok and Roll" cuisine, while gazing off into the distance at the pale diffuse red/orange strip embracing the new york skyline; this space embodies post-modern architecture at its height. To my right sit a table fully endowed with Dutch runners, clad in their 'New York City Marathon' garb.

11/07 09:00Vienna - Granite walls, neon green metal seats outlined in chrome and utter silence. It appears I'll be boarding my Warsay flight from the runway. The international game of 'Spot the American' continues as I glance at passerbys and they return my gaze with their placid reserved countenance. Two people await my plane, while five await the nearby flight to Prague.

11/07 11:00air over Poland - a quote froma polish paper read in-flight: "'Our competitors have a more healthy lifestyle.' -a member of an actors' soccer team after being beaten by the priests' team in a match."

11/08 00:28Lodz - Despite minor attempts at sleep, I've received very little of it lately, and am therefore about to end my "departure day." I fought the phones in the Warsaw airport and got through to someone who spoke about 10 words of English, so in combination with my 5 words in Polish, I got my message across and hopped the 2 hour bus to Lodz. Greeted there by Krzysztof, I was incredibly relieved to make contact with someone who cared about my whereabouts. He wisked me off to a cozy nook where I am to stay for 2 weeks with 2 girls, 12 and 20 years old. It is great here, and soon after giving me all possible keys, and another cell phone, he said I was to meet him for dinner in 2.5 hours... which I needed to take the Tram for. "here is the Tram number, and here is your token, and here is a map of the city, and here is your arrival and destination." woo! thank god that was in english. dinner was delicious, yet prepared by a girlfriend who prepared it but didn't feel up to joining us in eating it, so I haven't met her. Krzysztof is warming up to me, although everyone is, as Jason warned, lightly warm (approachable, but very aware of personal space.) The people are beautiful for the most part. Much more than I've seen in any of my other travels (DR, Venezuela, Iceland...). The city is quite dreary, but I think I love it anyway. I'll write you romantic descriptions some day soon. until then, thanks for reading!
woo hoo! I'm alive!!!
-angelica

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