Fidelly fi and howdy do

Here's another letter to mother that I decided could be turned into a fine blog post. Enjoy it! or face the consequences...

Good to hear from you! sorry ive been a bit lax in my communications of late, been stressed if not exactly busy. The package is something I ordered for one of Agata's students; electronics and etc are much cheaper in the US than in Poland so he asked if he could have it delivered to me in the US then Ill take it with me when I come back.

Im looking forward to coming back and seeing you all too, even though im sure it will be emotionally complicated for me at first and the adjustment might be rough. Unfortunately Ill be quite busy, attending random classes, filling out paperwork, and most of all writing my thesis and my holocaust essay. But as I will not be working or attending any classes regularly ill still have time to talk and play, im sure.

Today I bought my return tick to Poland; Ill be leaving May 7 and heading back to SLC Aug 7 (tickets are always cheaper if you are gone for exactly 90 days, dont ask me why) This week Ive had 3 job interviews for English teaching positions, hopefully some of them will work out and Ill be able to earn some money this summer. Yesterday we got Agata's bike out of storage just in time for a big rainstorm; I couldnt resist taking it for a spin anyways and was rewarded by being utterly soaked and having the seat break on me, leading to a long walk home. In general Agata and I are spending a lot of time together lately, hugging and trying not to be sad Im leaving. On Tuesday we head to Warsaw a day before I leave to get some last stuff from the archives; Ive been able to find so much good stuff here in Lodz that we have put off going there until the very last. Im satisfied with the amount of research ive been able to do; the final report wont be the exhaustively polished gem I always dreamed of but something I will be proud of none the less.

Thanks for the letter from Florida, Im flattered the offered me something, even though it is extremely unlikely we will go there. Still waiting for news from UW; they continue to be really nice to Agata while the Warsaw fulbright commision has turned from uncommunicative to downright rude. Were hoping to stop dealing with them soon and talk directly with the people in NY and Seattle and sort everything out. We are 95 percent decided on Seattle come heck or high water but are still waiting on news of my funding and CUNY for Agata before we pull the trigger.

We have a new dream project in mind: a two week journey through Italy in July. It will be quite cheap if we do it right. Agata's mother might accompany us for the first leg in Rome. Its fun to have something totally relaxing to look forward to, after the stress of thinking about schools and immigration all the time.

Love you much, hope to talk to you soon,

TC