English in Olsztynek and the Heaviest Sweater I Own

This past Tuesday, Amber and I headed out to Olsztynek, as usual, to teach our English lesson to the kids there. However, this particular week was a bit different! We had been told the previous week that there was going to be a special presentation about Polish folk clothes, so our lesson would be shortened to only a half an hour long. We were then invited to attend the presentation, to which we agreed. Now, at this point, I should mention that Marcin (the pastor we usually travel to these villages with) was out of town last week. So, through our Polish friend Iza's translation, we arranged to come and see the presentation, then teach a shortened english lesson. No problem, right? Well, when we arrived at the building where we usually teach (and where we thought the presentation was), we were right on time and ready to go and....NO KIDS! No one at all was in the building! At this point, I'm starting to sweat (and not only because I have on the heaviest sweater I own, along with my coat and scarf and we just climbed three flights of stairs!). I was afraid that we missed something in translation (it happens quite often) and, since we're still relatively new to teaching these kids, didn't want to make a bad impression. Thankfully, Marcin quickly called Iza, and found out where the kids were meeting...at the Museum in town! So, we high-tailed it over to the museum, just as the presentation was starting. The directors of the kid's program (it's kind of an after-school program for specific kids who qualify--due to low income, family issues, things like that) welcomed us warmly and the tour guide at the museum was extremely gracious and excited to get to explain to us the different traditional clothes worn by people in different regions throughout Poland. Marcin translated for us, and it was really interesting. I learned that the people from the region where I live typically wore more basic, cheaper clothes, because they were out working on the farms and caring for livestock. This region is one of the poorer regions in Poland, to this day (or so I've been told).
The clothing was beautiful, and it was a lot of fun to get to share the experience with the kids. Then, after the tour was finished, the directors asked if we would mind to just teach the english lesson right there in the museum! (no one else was there). So, we got to teach in an extremely old building (it used to be a church, although I couldn't find exactly how old--Google let me down) and Marcin snapped a few pictures that I thought I'd share! Enjoy =)

Amber and I with the kids. They are great kids and so much fun! Right now, their favorite game is Around the World with numbers 1-20. I'll tell you what though, some of these kids get vicious! They definitely get into the game!
As the tour director was showing this dress (above) she was pointing out the detailed embroidery on the scarf and telling us that when a woman was nearing the age to be old enough to marry, she had to start making shirts for her husband because he had to have enough shirts to wear a different one every Sunday to church. Yes, that's right, before she even got married, she had to have a stockpile of 52 shirts! Can you imagine?!
More beautiful clothes, typically worn by people in the mountains. And, can you see the pictures in the background? Amber and I kept commenting that many of the pictures looked like Mexicans. It was interesting.
Me and Amber. I dont' know if you can see the grates in the floor, but there was some serious heat pumping out of those things. And remember the aforementioned "heaviest sweater I own"?? Yeah, I was warm, to say the least. Sometimes, you just can't win here with the clothing selection. You think you've got it just right and you end up either freezing or melting!
In action. It's always a lot of fun in Olsztynek, and the kids seem to really be interested and enjoy learning english, which definitely helps =)

And, before I go, in answer to the questions on the previous post:

--yes, the purse is Vera Bradley. Love it!!!

--the boots: my friend, Teresa, back in Ohio introduced me to them. Then, when I was home for Christmas, the good old TSC (Tractor Supply Co.) in Sandusky had some in stock. Woo-hoo! If you have some free time (or a slight obsession with Google, as do I) just Google "fat baby boots" and you can check out the many different designs and colors. They're so fun!

--the tea: I don't know if you can buy it in stores, but I ordered it online Here and it's SO worth it!