I’ve just arrived in rainy Warsaw, and am excited to get exploring. I have a lot to stuff into three days, and maybe I’ll be thankful for the rain since it includes a lot of museums!

And something’s different this time… I’m actually wearing walking shoes (instead of boots which give me a couple extra inches).

Halloween is rapidly approaching and to ward off homesickness (just kidding, youth-sickness), we’ve been celebrating in my classes. One class decorated the classroom thusly:

And one wonderful student made Linzer tarts (linecké) in the shape of bats:

Thankfully I remembered to take a picture before they were all gone.

Lots of people made treats, but this was the only spooky-themed one. Thanks everyone!

***

I remember the beginning of my first year in CZ, when I would get lots of looks like,

That’s the American who’s going to teach us? Isn’t she, like, 12 years old?

(Speaking of Halloween, I did successfully trick-or-treat without getting too many weird looks til the age of 18.)

I don’t fit in very well with Czechs, who are quite the Amazonian race in terms of height. There is exactly a 40cm difference between my boyfriend and I.

I’m over it. Emotionally, not physically. Ba-dum-ching?

There are, surprisingly, advantages to being short while also a traveler. For example, you have the possibility of sleeping comfortably on a plane to NYC (regardless of whether some ancient curse on your family’s house prevents you from ever sleeping on planes ever) or on an overnight bus to Warsaw so you can save time and a hostel stay, and be able to be up bright and early finding coffee.

So excited to eat pierogie (pirožky) again.

Also, another good thing about being short is, well… nope, those are all the advantages.

The disadvantages include struggling to find a bike rental that’s your size (and losing your friend while riding in Tel Aviv because you fell off your bike and couldn’t get back on alone, true story), standing out more because your purple traveler’s backpack is nearly your own size (sorry/not sorry I don’t have a photo of this), and not being able to see at concerts or impromptu events you happen upon, though sometimes nice people move out of the way for you.

Paris was my bike city.

Oh yeah, I thought of one more positive. I’ll get child’s admission to all the museums.

Do widzenia for now!