Post-exam

Let's start back at Sunday. The pie, rice krispie's treats, and marshmellows were all a big hit and were all gone within the first 45 minutes of our charity event. So I scrambled around to find a hot plate and some toppings and made on-the-spot pancakes for another 3 and a half hours, also quite popular though the Poles cannot believe we actually eat such a "dessert" for breakfast. We raised about 1500 zloty.

After this, Kris and I went to the swimming pool in Pruszków where he swam 35 laps and I 30. Not too shabby! I enjoying swimming so much since I've improved some of my strokes this summer. Teaching helped out a lot.

Monday I had my last pre-exam practice at the Academy and a wonderful pancake lunch with Mikey. I came back to Podkowa, made a lot of threats about lawyers and notaries concerning the contract I haven't been presented with to sign, (and can't get paid until I sign it, oh the drama) ate some Alaskan fish with Ania, and taught a rousing English lesson to a group of young folk preparing for their FCE (first certificate exam). After this, the story gets interesting.

So last night, I was taking a shower while Ania and Monika were in my room checking their email when my phone rang and it was my grandmother. Unfortunately Ania and Monika didn't get me the phone in time, so I missed her phone call, but figured she might call again, so I just kept the phone in the bathroom with me. I haven't set up the voice mail system for my new number, so when my grandmother left a message, the voice mail service called me to set up my mail box. So I am scrubbing away when the phone rings again, thinking it is my grandmother I answer it, and here it the the voice mail operator. Well, I figured I would just take a few minutes a set up my voice mail. Why not? I can multi-task. So I am trying to finish washing my hair while setting up my voice mail when all of a sudden the lights in my bathroom start to flicker, to dim, and suddenly I am left without electricity. Talk about an experience! Monika and Ania had gone to find out what happened to our electricity and here I am, on my mobile phone, hair full of soap in the pitch blackness. Good times in Poland.

This morning I was up bright and early to try and pour myself into something "elegancskie" for my audition. Everything was going okay until I got off the WKD train in Warsaw and made my way to the bus stop to catch bus 175 which was supposed to come at 9:08. Plenty of time to be at the academy by 9:30. I waited. 9:08, 9:09, 9:12, 9:15... um... where is the bus? Here, a tram had broken down in the middle of the road preventing any traffic from passing through including my bus! It was too late to walk at this point, so I ran over to the tram stop a few meters away via underground. Tram 25 wouldn't be there until 9:22. Goodness gracious I was going to be late. So I am waiting and waiting for the tram when I see the next bus 175 whip around the corner. So I made a mad dash and hopped on the bus just in time. I ended up running to the Academy and I was only like, 3 minutes late. Not bad.

My exam (the part you've all been waiting for) was short and painless. There were 5 people there, Mommy-Moroz, some other teachers from the vocal department, and maybe the Rektor and Pro-Rektor of the school. I am not sure exactly who the guys were, but they were important and necessary. They were very professional, yet friendly and once I got up on stage, all my nervousness left me. I remembered all my words, and everything was okay- even "Rejoice" was not so painful. End of the story? 15 minutes later I was congratulated for my audition and am now an official student. Well almost official, I need to pay yet. I passed, praise God! They said it was nice and very natural singing. I don't know what kind of compliment natural singing is... but I think it is good. So now I just need to write some letters, and school begins on Monday!!!!