ALL ABOUT THE TEST: "There is barely any homework during the term, and your whole grade depends on attendance and a final exam. It may seem like you have a lot of free time, but you still have to put aside time to study for the exam in order to pass the course."
PASS (ON) THE SOUP: "I really enjoy pierogi, which are dumplings stuffed with anything ranging from fruit to meat. My personal favorite are the strawberry-filled ones smothered in sugar and sour cream. They bring back memories of my childhood, when my grandmother used to make them from scratch. But I am not an avid meat-eater and one Polish specialty that I steer clear of is czernina, which translates to 'duck blood soup.' Definitely not a big fan."
'THANK YOU . . . WAIT!': "In Poland if you say 'dziekuje,' when you hand the check back to the waitress, it is a signal to keep the change as tip. Once I was waiting for my change for awhile, when I realized that I must have said thank you, unconsciously. That must have made her night!"
ALL THAT JAZZ: "Surprisingly jazz has a huge following here and well-known artists come to play at the jazz clubs and festivals that are held in the city. One of my favorite venues, Piec Art, is located in a cellar and the acoustics are amazing. (www.piecart.pl). There is also Polish hip-hop. You be the judge: www.youtube.com/watch?v=l59PN059wSQ."
THE MALE TRIANGLE: "In Poland the bathroom symbols for men and women are a triangle and a circle, which have no association for me whatsoever. Once I was not paying attention and I walked straight into the men's restroom and of course was completely mortified."
PAUL MAKISHIMA
