Goodbye Warsaw

Warsaw has been my home for the past 9 months. I missed all the birthdays of my family members this year from Warsaw - 5 family dinners I really looked forward to every year (next to our annual family New Year dinner, of course). I also missed our annual family summer outing - I spent Holy Week stuck in the office, working. All the restaurants and stores in Warsaw were closed during this time, so I had instant noodles and cold hamburgers for dinner on some days (I can't cook, remember?). I also spent a fortune on cellphone bills trying to get in touch with various friends and members of my family - just so that I'd have someone to talk to (I was the only "loser" online during this time in Yahoo Messenger, hehehe).

It wasn't all that bad though. Warsaw is not the cleanest city in the world, but it is a lot cleaner than Manila (heck, it is even cleaner than Brussels, Paris, or Berlin). The air is fresher, traffic is almost non-existent (cars are moving - so its not traffic!), they have a bunch of nice, big gardens scattered around the city (which during the summer, gets really interesting hehehe), and it's relatively safe because of all the policemen walking around. Public transportation is cheap and reliable (but not quick, except for the single, unfinished Metro line), locals are generally friendly and helpful, the ladies look smashing (I read this somewhere - according to a recent survey, men thought that 70% of all the women in Warsaw were pretty. I disagree - I think its more like 80% hehehe), and the beer is strong. I also met the nicest, friendliest group of Filipinos in Warsaw - people who I will really miss a lot.

What more could you want, right?

Most of these things will sound very strange to some people (especially a Pole), mainly those who have been to Warsaw. But I guess it's all relative - if you ever go to Manila, you'll know why I'm talking this way.

When I got back to my apartment in Warsaw after a recent trip to Brussels, I even caught myself murmuring: "ahh...home, sweet home." I guess this is due to the fact that for the first time in my life, I've spent more time abroad than at home. My mind should get "rewired" to its original state soon - I hope.

Alas, Warsaw is finally getting rid of me. Will I be able to rid my body of this place? Well I sure hope so, I gained 10 kilos here - it will take me months sweating it out at the gym before my "beer muscle" fades away.

I will really, really miss this place.

This is probably my last post from Poland (at least for now). Although I'd love to come back, there are no plans for a "return visit" anytime in the near future.

I'll see you in Manila in 2 days! Ciao!