Connections

Finally autumn feels like autumn again: I envy my friends the balmy złota jesień they are enjoying in Kraków right now, but still in Poland the change of season is too abrupt for me. I like the clean crispness of the air fresh on my skin and of the leaves underfoot; I like being blinded by the low sun flashing gold through sheaves of foliage; I like unpacking my handbag and finding at least six conkers* from the seasonal kernel kleptomania that sees me unwittingly but systematically stooping down to collect the satiny chestnut gems like some kind of misguided magpie.

I like being able to go out in just a sweater for heavens' sake, rather than having to choose between spaghetti straps and a full ski jacket and boots.

However, when we were rushing out of the house with suitcases at nine o'clock that Thursday morning and I reached for my coat to find nothing resembling mine on the coatstand, it might perhaps, just maybe, have been a good idea to backtrack, to say 'wait, hang on, I'll see if there's anything upstairs' or 'I'll just check the laundry' (futile, we never wash coats in my family) or even 'Mum, have you got one I can borrow?'. But no. I was on the cusp of a new start, nothing was to encumber me in my new life...

- Screw it, let's go!

I may have to make a trip to Promod before the month is out.

Finally my internet is connected! It's been just over two weeks, but now I have a gently winking lajvboxe perched on top of my desk and a superfast connection so I can download Polish news til it comes out of my ears... Better still, I can work without having to go to the wifi cafe. I can accept all the last-minute jobs I want. Um. Thanks Mobistar.

Seriously though, now I have t'interweb** at home, I need never leave the flat again. I even have the Pages Jaunes so I can order pizza. No wait - Pages d'Or in Belgian.

Rather than become a total recluse though I've devised a series of strategies to force myself into the pathway of other human beings (think rabbit, think headlights) at least once a day.

- Go jogging: I live next to a park so there's no excuse. To keep it exciting, try changing direction (more people seem to run counter-clockwise than clockwise: maybe it has something to do with driving on the right). Even when you get too tired to jog yourself, watching other joggers on the other side of the fence - like they're in a cage - provides hours of mindless fun. More on that later.

- Use services. For example, open a bank account. Or three. Declare yourself at the local comune (uh... eventually). Stay at home to let the Belgacom man in. Get a X-ray. More on that later. Maybe.

- Chat to the lady at the vegetable shop (there's a vegetable shop and a cheese shop. My dzielnica is really cute: I need to adjust my time/money balance so I can bunk off work and spend the whole day shopping) Be very flattered when she thinks you are a student. (Yes! Yes! Yes!).

By far the most important connection right now however involves my head and a nice deep Ikea pillow.







*Chataigne in French, kastanje in Flemish, now we have three official languages donchyaknow...
** did you know that in Flemish they also abbreviate one of the definite articles to 't? It's basically English as spoken in Yorkshire.