Today, April 1 marks our one year anniversary of living in Poland�s capital city!
I woke up to slightly overcast skies, but warm temperatures in Warsaw.
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| April 1, 2014, in Warsaw, Poland. |
However, one year ago, was a different story; we arrived in Warsaw with six inches of snow on the ground. I cried! I thought the world was playing an awful April Fool�s Day prank on me; and I was angry at my husband for moving us here from my beloved Istanbul! (See: Expat Life: Week One in Warsaw.)
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| April 1, 2013, in Warsaw, Poland. |
Luckily, Poland treated us kindly for our first winter. We had a fairly mild winter here in Warsaw with only below freezing temps in January (when I was walking every day to my Polish classes, of course).
Comparatively, our families in the U.S. have experienced some of the worst winters in many years; and my in-laws had snow on the ground just last week outside of Philadelphia! We�ve had to restrain ourselves from bragging about Poland�s weather!
Meanwhile, our weather has been sunny, and the spring flowers are blooming everywhere in Warsaw. The city is full of life again! I cannot complain.
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| Mild temperatures in March in Warsaw. |
I�ve started riding the nearly free rental bikes around the city again. On the weekends, we head to our favorite watering hole for a locally-brewed IPA beer or pop into a new place. We�re still exploring Warsaw�s many nook and crannies and constantly finding new restaurants.
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| Last night, we popped into the new Delirium Pub that opened in Nowe Miasto in Warsaw. |
I continue to find beauty in the city�s pre-WWII abandoned brick buildings. To me, this is what makes the city intriguing. Forget the fancy, modern buildings and the ugly Communist-era blocks, I want to see the city�s history when I walk down the street.
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| In the middle of the city, you can still find buildings like these! |
And I�ve been practicing my Polish. The other week I had an entire conversation with an animated taxi driver who�s been learning English. I understand more Polish than I can speak, but I am quite pleased with my new Polish skills. Polish is still by far the most difficult language I�ve ever tried learning!
Being an expat forces you to get out of your comfort zone.
Being an expat isn�t always easy, but I at least try to make the best of any situation.
I�m thankful I didn�t spend the past year wrapped up in my comforter like I wanted to when we first arrived in Warsaw.
There�s still much I want to explore and discover in Poland�s capital city. I hope you�ll stay along for the ride!
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| My father-in-law and me enjoying a sunny day in Warsaw in July 2013. |