We have time

Today I’ve been put to the wall by Octavian Paler’s death. He was a Romanian poet, writer, well-known journalist and editorialist, a spectator of the political and cultural phenomena, but nevertheless… in my own words… not only a believer, but also the reality-maker.

Listening to his thoughts and comparison on every talk-show was so moving, due to his strong arguments that sometimes all the time it made you think and analyse more and more.

Little is left to be said now, but even more should be sad. Like him, there have to be more. It simply has to!

We have time
poem by Octavian Paler

We have time for everything.
To sleep, to run around
to regret that we’ve done wrong and to do wrong again
to judge others and to forgive ourselves
we have time to read and to write
to correct what we have written and regret what we have written
we have time to do projects and not to stick to them
we have time to cherrish illusions and search their ashes later.

We have time for ambitions and diseases
to blame destiny and details
we have time to watch the clouds, the ads or whatever accident
we have time to chase the questions away
to postpone answers
we have time to break a dream and reinvent it
we have time to make friends, to lose them
we have time to take lessons and to forget them afterwards
we have time to receive gifts and not understand them.
We have time for it all.

There is not time but for a little tenderness.
When we do this as well, we die.

I have learned that some things in this life that I’m sharing with you !!
I have learned that you cannot make somebody to love you.
All you can do is to be a loved person.
The rest… depends on the others.
I have learned that no matter how much I care
others might not care at all.
I have learned that it takes years to win the trust and only a few seconds to lose it.
I have learned that it doesn’t matter WHAT you have in life
but WHO you have.
I have learned that you get by and that the charm is worth for 15 minutes
afterwards, however, it would be better to really know something.
I have learned that you don’t have to compare yourself with what others can do better
but with what you can do.
I have learned that it doesn’t matter what happens to people
but what I can do to solve it.

I have learned that anyway you cut it
anything can have two sides.

I have learned that you have to say goodbye from the dear ones with warm words.
It might be the last time you see them.

I have learned that you can go on for a long time
after you said that you can’t do it any longer.

I have learned that heroes are those that do what it is needed, when it is needed
no matter the consequences.

I have learned that there are people who love you
but do not know how to show it.

I have learned that when I’m upset I have the RIGHT to be upset
but not the right to be mean as well.

I have learned that true friendship continues to exists even when you are far away
and this is true even for true love.
I have learned that, if somebody doesn’t love you the way you want
it doesn’t mean that you’re not being loved from the bottom of the heart.
I have learned that no matter how good a friend is to you
he will hurt you from time to time anyhow
and you have to forgive him for that.

I have learned that not always it is enough to be forgiven by others.
Sometimes you have to learn to forgive yourself.
I have learned that no matter how much you suffer
the world will not stand still for your pain.

I have learned that the past and the circumstances could influence your personality
yet YOU are responsible for what you become.
I have learned that, if two people are fighting, it doesn’t mean that they don’t love each other
and also if they don’t fight, it doesn’t prove that they love each other.
I have learned that sometimes you have to put the person itself on the first place
and not the actions.

I have learned that two people can look at the same thing
and can see something totally different.
I have learned that no matter the consequences
those who are honest with themselves get farther in life.

I have learned that your life can be changed in a matter of hours
by people that don’t even know you.

I have learned that even when you believe that there’s nothing left to give
when a friend calls for you, you will find the strength to help him.

I have learned that writing
as well as speaking
can comfort grief.

I have learned that people that you care about the most
are taken away to quickly…

I have learned that it is too hard for you to realize
where to draw the line between being kind, not hurting people and to speak up for your opinions.

I have learned to love
so that I can be loved.

Ankieta/Chestionar/Survey

I’ve got a mail from Agata, with a message from Monika, a student at International Relations Faculty.

She was asking foreign students to fill in a survey called Climate of Lodz “to see how international visitors (as You!) see Lodz after their staying in the city.”

I couldn’t help but send her some nice comments as well, after filling in the survey. =)

“Western” Attitude

I was telling you yesterday evening about Western “Standards” in connection to our new laundry system.

Well… this morning I went back to the reception desk… told Marta (middle position between the reception people and the dormitory manager) about it, then we went to the dormitory manager. She kept on saying that the machines don’t work. Then htf?! do I wash my clothes?

I also told them that I used 6 PLN and that Dominique (the reception guy) put another 3 PLN.

Needless to say that the dormitory manager started to take the position of an electrical engineer… opening the coin-machines… taking cables out… and plugging them back in… asking me for 3 coins (?!?!!??! wtf?… she eventually went and got some coins on her own)…. then the machines didn’t start either…

Then Marta wanted to “put her hands on the matter”…

Western “Standards”

This week, the laundry room got “upgraded”.

Instead of paying a deposit of 10 PLN at the reception desk… getting the laundry room key… washing our clothes… then getting back the deposit…

NOW you need to have coins with you… you ask for the key to laundry room… you put in your clothes… you put 3 PLN coins in some machines that control the electrical power to each washing machine…

& they are supposed to give you electrical power for 90 minutes, afterwards the machine stops.

My situation, this evening

Mathematicians

This very last weekend I went to Krakow again. I came back. I waited for the 57 bus from the train station to the dormitory.

I had no ticket and so I hopped in the bus, and went to the driver to buy one.

A 30 minutes bus is 1.50 PLN.

I told him “jeden studencki bilet… trzydzieści minuty” and put 1 PLN and 50 grosze on the table near him.

He said something in Polish… I acted like I don’t understand.

He was going for his tickets… and I said “pfiu…solved!”.

He gave me back a ticket of 10 minutes and 40 grosze back.

Brilliant!

Feminism in Łódź

Yesterday we’ve been to Ramzes. AGAIN! =)

But it was a very very long time since going there, and we decided to treat ourselves :p I think we all agree that the place has the best food for us. It’s not that expensive, and the food is almost all the time very tasteful. The only thing that we disliked was their Pizza. The other stuff was from “good/tasty” to “just perfect” and it didn’t go bellow that.

With all their poultry/beef/pork cousine and the French fries/grilled potatoes/rice as side-dish, and always with a cabbage and red beetroot… Yummy! And when you add two Tyskie or Pilsner to that… Perfect! :)

Now… we were sitting at a table, and not for the first time… On weekends, but most probably on Sunday evenings, the restaurants are almost empty. The streets as well. Just some “extreme-sports” people that were going to some clubs on a Sunday night, and, as always, getting back home drunk! :D (I just couldn’t help but mentioning that).

Ok, ok… I’ll get to that feminism that lies in the title!

Patio Restaurant

We’ve been trying out the Patio Restaurant, which would be like a cafeteria inside the university, where they also serve some hot meals.

But, I really don’t think that we will go for anything else, other than pizza.

So far we’ve had some cabbage with mushrooms and macaroni, in the same dish!!! Quite Ok, yet yucky! Then a snitzel with some smashed potatoes. Again, just Ok. Then some cooked mushrooms, with “frykydelka” - freaky! :p

But anyway… it’s not that the food is horrible, but if you take some meat and a bottle of water as well, you reach about 15 PLN. With 15 PLN you eat better at Ramzes, or at least the same!!!

So… until another pizzeria we’ll be tried by us, I think I’ll have pizza just at the Patio Restaurant on Wednesday, when I have a window between two courses, and on Thursday, after we meet with Piotr.

Dacia Logan

The Romanian “proudness” was spotted 3 times in Łódź and 7 times in Krakow, so far =)

They should really instate the “Rabla” programme in Poland too. That is - renewing the car park in Poland, the same way we do in Romania (government “discounts” if you give away your old car and buy a new one) !

I mean… It is far better than “Polski Fiat”, Fiat sei-shit-cento, Fiat cinque-shittier-cento… not to mention Fiat 126 !

YES! There are still people using those cars!!!

WSHE Internet

I’ve been writing two posts offline. Why? because I simply cannot get the WSHE Internet to work.

1:09 I was at the cafeteria, just one level bellow the library, where there’s a hot-spot. Didn’t work this time. I went up in the library to tell them to turn on the wireless, because some time it is turned off or something. “One second”. I went back to the cafeteria, in order to enjoy my lunch.

1:41 Nothing. Went back. Asked them again. I went back to the cafeteria.

2:14 Nothing. I decided to finish my “lunch” which turned to be just a Snickers. I don’t feel that comfortable eating between courses :-?? And I went inside the library. Asked them again.

2:22 The guy here started to worry. Restarted the Access Points and all. And we waited some more.

2:29 He decided to give me a patch cable and to connect through a cable to their network. For a second it worked! Then “Limited or no connectivity!”

2:37 They guy returned and switched to another LAN socket. It works now! I’m POSTING!

Post Scriptum

Thanks, “Is this Vista?” guy! ;)

Quicky

I know that I’ve said that I will look on the bright side from now on, BUT:

I need to state that it is weird to go to travel agencies and have nobody that can speak English to you when their native language is not that widely spread.

Yes. True! Went to 4 travel agencies on Piotrkowska, the main street, 2 agencies were unable to provide any info in English.

But if you are willing to take it easy - just smile, ask for a sheet of paper and write down the basic things you need to know, like destination, period and mean of transport :)