Kapoesy: Pole jokes in Poland are not good jokes.

Today, I experienced what the English speaking world (apparently there are whole countries out there who don't actually 'speak' my language.) refers to as an "ephiphany." It wasn't even a very nice epiphany either. Nor was it an englightening, James Joyce kind of moment. It was mostly just frustrating.

Let me back up.

I have a favorite joke. Its a joke that never gets old to me. One that I laugh at over and over and over again. And everybody else really hates it. And it goes like this:

Question: "Why did the little girl fall out of the swing?"

Answer: "Because she didn't have any arms!"

hahahahahahahahahaha.

Okay fast forward.

I went to Poland today. I have been really excited about going, especially because it was only going to cost me 7 euro. (Which is a premium price for traveling to another country, I don't care who you are) Anyways, to make a long story short I got really sick yesterday but decided to go anyways. And then it poured rain the entire time. And was really freezing. And I remembered that I forgot to bring a decent jacket with me when I flew to Europe. And Poland looked a lot like Germany except the graffiti was in polish this time.

So there I was, standing there in the pouring rain with a raging fever, so stuffed up I couldn't smell the steaming polish dog the kid standing next to me was holding, when it hit me...

...having no arms isn't that funny. And neither was my predicament. In fact, both of them kind of sucked. And between that and the fact that it was getting late on a Saturday and I had just remembered that all I have to eat for tomorrow is potatoes, instant mashed potatoes, and potato balls, I reached the distinct conclusion that today wasn't all that nice to me.

I guess I should look on the bright side and say "Hey, at least I have arms." But then I think about some girl with no arms, sitting in the sun in a swing on the other side of the world, and just as she slips from her swing I bet she is saying "Hey, at least I'm not in Poland, in the pouring rain, with no warm jacket, and a fever.

But I don't hear her. Because I'm laughing really hard. That joke gets me every time.

Glad to be back in my temporary home.
I kinda missed Deutschland.

Katie

P.S.- I guess I better post some pictures now, just to prove that I didn't hate ALL of Poland.