Posted on 04/17/2006 2:53:26 PM PDT by lizol
Warsaw teems with flowers, nightlife, friendly people
By John Bordsen Charlotte (N.C.) Observer
What's it like to live in a far-off place most of us see only on a vacation? Foreign Correspondence is an interview with someone who lives in a spot you may want to visit.
Brendan Ian Burke is Executive English Editor of The Warsaw Voice newspaper. The New Jersey native, 35, has lived in Poland five years.
Q. We've read stories and seen footage about how terrible this winter has been in Eastern Europe. What's your take on it?
A. In the past, winters were pretty mild _ no one remembered when winters were cold. This year was different. In mid-March, there was snow on the ground that has been there since New Year's Eve. It hadn't gotten above freezing for a good three months. There were some really bad cold snaps when quite a lot of people died here and all around Poland, mostly from exposure.
But don't get the wrong idea. It's not like Poland has mammoths; there aren't polar bears wandering Warsaw streets. It's absolutely beautiful here in summer.
Q. What's the best season?
A. I'm an autumnal person and love the cool fall weather. It's beautiful, but you don't have the visual fireworks of changing leaves like in New England. Here, you have maybe two or three colors.
Summer is absolutely the best time to visit, especially if you're not familiar with Poland.
People think of frigid, gray architecture _ it's what they remember from the films in `91 and from Solidarity days. In reality, Poland is a very green country with flowers everywhere. It's absolutely gorgeous in summer. That's what sold me on moving here.
(Excerpt) Read more at mercurynews.com ...
I wouldn't mind going to Poland someday ;)
And the past couple years, my dad's company has had college students from Poland working here. So, I've even picked up a few Polish words myself ;)
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