The End of This Story

I started this blog/journal/diary in April 2009. I wanted to document this adventure for my kids. My first entry was titled "Are We Really Going?" At that point we were not entirely sure that we were even going to Poland. Back then I had never even heard of Gdansk. We thought that if we did go, we would be living in Krakow or Warsaw. Details unfolded ever so slowly. We set a move date, we packed and we flew into the unknown.

We were able to do some unusual and exciting things, to travel extensively. We have indescribable memories to last our lifetimes. Years from now I hope that my kids will look through all of these entries and say, "Oh, yeah...," "Oh, my gosh, I forgot about that...," "Wow, that was really cool..." As time goes on this adventure will become more and more a part of our past. My hope is that my kids will remember it fondly and that this unique experience will bond them forever. I hope they will someday appreciate how much they learned, and I hope they will know how much Myles and I enjoyed this journey with them. I hope they will someday share it with their children.

Today we celebrate America's 234th birthday. As we continue to transition back to our normal, I realize that we are no longer An American Household in Poland. We are simply An American Household. It's been a pleasure.

Is It Weird To Be Back?

Is it weird to be back?

This is the question that I think I have encountered the most since we returned from our adventure. The short answer is no. In fact, except for a few things it seems like we never left. There is that new Arby's that has appeared as if from nowhere.

Every time we drive by it the kids remind me that we have not been there yet. And they want to make sure we immediately get to Sonic, Taco Bell, Golden Corral and Dairy Queen. I remind them that we need to pace ourselves. If we do everything there is to do immediately, what will we do for the rest of our lives in Olathe? We did cave in and made a trip to Dairy Queen this evening.

But I insisted that we walk, so we earned that treat! You know you're in Kansas when you walk by a cornfield on the way to the Dairy Queen.

There are a few things that have changed. The produce section in Walmart has been rearranged, and the tortillas are in a different part of the store now. Kids we know grew taller and look so grown up. Our trees are taller. But overall, things are more or less the same.

I don't think we have changed too much, but we have a little bit. It is not likely that I will ever forget to bring my own bags to the grocery store again. Yesterday, I took my big and very sturdy grocery bags that we had in Poland to Walmart and caught a bit of guff from the cashier lady. In Poland cashiers sit, here they stand. In Poland people sack their own groceries, here the cashiers do it. People bring their own bags in Poland, and really throughout Europe. Some cashiers here roll their eyes at my noble attempt to go green, especially when I bring my bigger grocery sacks. This cashier filled one of the big ones up and told me I was never going to be able to lift it. I did not let on that while apparently I look wimpy, there were times in very recent Polish history that I hauled two of those big bags from the grocery store on foot more than half a mile.

Instead, I told her it was ok to load it on up because my minivan was just right outside in the parking lot.

I have been unpacking tubs from our attic. I have made quite a bit of headway, but there is still a lot to get to. I am specifically on a quest to find a tub that has our American flag in it. I have not found it yet and 4th of July is two short days away! So far this is the best we have come up with. I will keep looking!

So is it weird to be back? No way. It's wonderful. It is home!