Well I still seem to be on the right train, as an hour later the conductor came by and wrote on my ticket and gave it back to me. Alles in Ordnung. (Everything’s in order.) We just passed a town, Leopoldov and more ski people got on. We keep passing flat fields covered in snow, with the occasional huge jack rabbit scampering by.

Now the air is not so clean. I can’t tell if its smog, snow, smoke, or just dirt on the windows. Whatever it is, the clouds are grey now, and thick. No sun. The talking guy already got off.

Like Luise said, “It can’t be worse than China.” She hated it there. For the first year it was terrible. Then the next four years were okay. Next they may go to Shanghai. They’ll probably find out next week.

Anyway, I’ll only be in Košice for three months, which will go by quickly. Plus Michael will be here to visit with me in six weeks. And Wien (Vienna) is only a day trip away! Who knows, next I may even go somewhere more civilized.

Right now we’re passing through flat fields covered in snow, with the occasional large hare scampering about in search of food. They are really funny and leave huge paw prints all over the place!

Still on the Right Train

Let me interject here, that once again it appears I am on the right train, heading in the right direction. We arrived in Bratislava a few minutes late, but no worry, I still had 20 minutes. I climbed off the train with Sarah and Paul, the two Americans and I could actually manage my bags better than they could theirs—as I pointed out.

I stuffed full the red huge backpack 🎒 from Michael and crammed pack my blue roller suitcase. I put my backpack flat inside the suitcase, and carried a linen sack with lunch and water. My bags are pretty heavy, but the red backpack is a godsend. Unsightly and as tourist obvious as it is, I’m fortunate to have it.

One of two pleasant young guys sitting across von mir (from me) just made a call on his cell phone. (Keep in mind that this is eastern Europe in early 1999.) Luise hat auch ein cell phone, Nokia. Maybe I’ll get one when I get my laptop, I mused.

Now we are starting to see some hills. Otherwise still snow scattered over brown earth, brown trees, and grey sky.

Musings with Self

I ask myself again, “Self, why am I doing this?”

She answers, “It will be good to get to the Berlitz Košice school and meet other Americans and English speaking natives to hang around with.”

“So you had to leave San Diego and come to the edge of eastern Europe to meet Americans and native english speakers?”

No reply.

Last time I was in Salzburg, I reminded my self, I had avoided Americans and native English speakers. But now you want comraderies.

“Yes,” she said. And as if to prove the point continued, “I even invited two obnoxious Americans from Louisiana to sit with me, on the train from Vienna to Bratislava. I hope to meet similar Americans at the school to hang out with and explore the area.”

We just passed— Poprod Tatry – major station

I also want boyfriend that I left behind, to come visit me, now that I know I have a flat for people to stay in. But, I am curious about that too.

“It Can’t Be Worse Than China”

“If it’s that bad, I’ll be back on Saturday!” I told Luise and Fritz.

“Why wait till Saturday, come back on Wednesday!” Fritz said.

Now, less than an hour and I will meet Bibiana. It can’t be worse than China. I can always take a flight direct out if I want to leave. And I can always go home. Or call Jacquie and ask her to put me back on the schedule. Or I can get another job — and lay in the sun, and run, and buy a condo with my (P.S.Plus) profit sharing plus money. Hey, great idea.

— Spiska Nova Ves station – stop with gypsies, first interaction.

Maybe if I just keep on writing, I’ll be there already. And all my fears or silly anxieties will be subsided. I guess this is living proof of, “Feel the fear and do it anyway,” the book of mom’s I just finished reading. At this point you could say that I’m plunging myself right into life.

Off to the right side of the train, it’s getting hillier. That would be north, and must be the start of the Tatra Mountains.

 

This is an excerpt from my Košice Journal, documenting my exodus from a (relatively happy) bustling life in beautiful San Diego, to (voluntarily) take a post teaching English in the newly independent eastern capital of Slovakia  during a very cold winter 1999.