Unofficially Homesick

Well flip, guys. I miss Poland.

Like, A LOT.

Poland is as much my home as anywhere else. Which is interesting, because I've lived in Utah a considerably longer time than I lived in Poland. But, for whatever reason, that country feels like home. And I miss it.

Don't get me wrong - I love being home in my Utah home. Love the crap out of it. It rocks. But it's just not the same, you know? Something is decidedly less magical - less exciting. I mean, it's POLAND, for goodness sake. So much history. So much culture. So much adventure. (Define adventure. Adventure: living in Europe, more specifically, Poland.) I miss that. And I also miss the not magical and unexciting things about Poland.

Basically, everything. I miss everything about that blessed land. (Except, perhaps, the smells. But at this point, I'm so far gone I might miss those too.)

A List Of Things To Be Missed:

1. Banana juice. I'm barely surviving without that ridiculously sugary beverage working it's way through my system. It's the worst. I don't even know how I'm still alive, to be quite honest.

2. Ryneks. Yeah. Good luck finding a rynek in Layton freaking Utah. I want to see some old classy architecture and street vendors with overpriced souvenirs and Asians with cameras. We just don't have a lot of that here! It's very disheartening.

3. Cobblestone. Why are the streets not cobblestone here?

4. Trams. I know, I know. I hate public transportation. But maybe not because what do you know I miss trams. They're so convenient. (Actually, cars are a lot more convenient. And I really do hate public transportation. But I miss trams because they're so thoroughly Poland for me, and I miss everything Poland right now.)

5. Dopełniacz. I just want to wish someone a good day or "have fun working" without making it seem weird. Because I'm trying to make it work in English, but it keeps seeming weird. Not a fan.

6. Polish people. Glory, I love them.

7. Żabka. Because it's the most convenient convenience store of them all, and it's everywhere. And it has Milka chocolate and banana juice. 

8. Tiny branches. Church is a sensory overload in America. So many PEOPLE. Which, on the one hand, is super cool. It's like, "Oh look at the Church! It's so big! Good job, team!" On the other hand ... I miss my tiny branches. Because they're mine, and I love them.

9. Fake family. I miss my fake Poland family, made up of members and investigators and missionaries. I just miss them. 

10. Polish. In general. I love that crazy language. I love it, and I miss it. You know, I felt a certain sense of accomplishment in Poland for knowing Polish. But here, it's just not the same. No one gets it. Even if they know that Polish exists, they don't understand how difficult or beautiful it is. Maybe the Poles don't understand how difficult or beautiful it is either, because it's theirs, and sometimes we have a way of forgetting that the things that are ours are special. But at least the other missionaries understood. 

11. Pigeons. Those blasted pigeons. I hate them. But I also miss them.

12. Castles. Poor Utah. We just aren't old enough to have castles here. And since we haven't built any, future generations won't have them either. There just aren't castles in Utah. There's something terribly tragic about that.

There's more. But it's late, and I'm tired, and there are some things that haven't got words matched up to them because language is incapable of truly expressing them in all their glory.

I just miss Poland.

Yeah. This is Poland. I love her.

I'm un[OFFICIALLY] homesick.

Unofficially Anna

Well. 

This is weird. 

I am back from my year and a half hiatus, and I'm blogging. 

And I'm Anna now.

I was Sister Young for a long time. Like, a REALLY long time. (Okay, okay. I guess a year and a half isn't THAT long. But you know. Whatever.) 

It's so strange to be Anna again. And I know, it's fine, because I'm me either way, but I think we can all agree that missionary-selves and normal-selves are slightly different selves. Not in a bad way, or a good way, but just a way that is slightly different because that's the way the universe operates.

I'm at peace with being Anna again, it's just WEIRD. Because Anna does things that Sister Young did not. For example, Anna listens to music. That's nice. Anna watches movies and spends time with her family. BIG FAN of that. Anna has her own room, and can be alone if she wants to. Score! But at the same time, there are things Sister Young did that Anna kind of can't. Anna can't walk up and down the streets, sharing the Good Word with all of God's children here at home. That would be a little bit socially unacceptable, and a lot bit awkward - besides, Anna isn't set apart to do that anymore (that sounds REALLY depressing ...). Anna can't speak Polish with the people around her, and THAT bites hardcore. Anna has to call people by their first names. It's weird.

I'm conflicted.

But, for better or worse, I'm un[OFFICIALLY] Anna now.

Unofficial Final Post

Well, this is it, guys! I'm headed out tomorrow! Tomorrow! Would you believe that? It is so crazy! And I'm strangely excited! Knowing me, that is quite unusual. I'd have thought I'd be a nervous wreck, reduced to tears by the mere mention of leaving. And yet, here we are! Possibly that will still happen tomorrow, but as of right now, I'm feeling pretty dang good!

Just so you're all in the know, my mother has graciously offered to keep the blog up for me (it was a while ago, but I believe the offer still stands ... Hopefully it does, or this will have gotten really awkward), so don't fret! I will make sure you're all kept well informed of my whereabouts and wanderings! I'm guessing (emphasis on the guessing part, because let's get real - I've got no idea what's going to be happening in a couple days when I'm outta here) I'll be updating the blog once a monthish? I'm not sure. But we'll see what happens!

I kinda still can't believe I'm leaving. It will probably sink in tomorrow on the drive down to the MTC. It's just the craziest! So crazy. It is so crazy.

This is my un[OFFICIAL] final post! Gah!

Unofficial Mission Fest

My life is a Mission Fest right now. Like, everything I do is about mission stuff. It's awesome, but at the same time, it is freaking me out in a big way. Still. It's mostly awesome.

Yesterday my bestie since before kindergarten opened her mission call (San Jose California, English speaking, leaves June 12)! It was so exciting! I think it's amazing that my little friend group from high school, the four of us, will all be going on missions and out at the same time! It's just so crazy! A couple of years ago, heck, even six months ago, this would never have seemed a possibility. And now here we are! I just can't quite wrap my head around it!

Today I met up with a couple of girls going to the same mission as me for lunch, and it was so much fun! It was really nice being able to talk to other girls who are in the exact situation as me. It's like, I can talk about getting ready with my family, and even my friends who are also preparing for missions, but talking to girls going to Poland was so fun! It made me really excited to get out there! Which is good, because I'm leaving in a week and a half. Holy hannah! That is so soon!!!

My life is an un[OFFICIAL] Mission Fest!

Unofficial Missionary: Jadę do Polski!

Today has been the most fabulous day ever. Really honestly. But let's begin at the beginning, shall we?

Fabulous Thing #1

I finished all my finals and crap! The semester is officially over, I basically rocked, and I am getting my Associate's Degree. Boom.

Fabulous Thing #2

They're making a Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs 2! It will be called Cloudy 2: Revenge of the Leftovers, and Neil Patrick Harris is being added to the cast! But even more fun - John Francis Daley (The Love Of My Young Life) is co-writing the script. It's coming out September 27 of next year, and will FOR SURE be the first movie I watch when I get home from my mish ... Or maybe, like, in the top fifty.

Fabulous Thing #3

MY MISSION CALL CAME! It came! At last! But again, I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's start from the start.

Last night was absolute agony. It was like Christmas Eve on crack. I couldn't get a wink of sleep. I just lay there, thinking, and thinking, and thinking. My mind would not shut off. Misery. And then morning came at last (yay!), and I went to school (boo!), and I came home to open my mission call! The plan was to open it at 12:12 (a very auspicious minute - 12/12/12, 12:12). But alas, instead of coming at the usual time (11:30), the mailman decided not to come until, like, 12:40. I tell you, that was, like, the most miserable half hour of my life. I mean, really. There was some serious anxiety going on at this house. James and Emily watched for the mail from the door, my Dad and Abby even chased down a mail truck to see if they had it (they didn't - it was the wrong truck). We were all of us quite anxious. And then, at long last, it came! 

We gathered in the family room, attempted to FaceTime Annlie (except that ended up being a fail, because it cut out right before I announced where I was going), and opened the call. My heart was pounding about a million beats a minute. I accidentally saw the word "Warsaw", but didn't have time to focus on it because I was already reading out loud to my family from the beginning. "Dear Sister Young: You are hereby called to serve as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You are assigned to labor in the Poland Warsaw Mission." At this point, the flood gates really opened. I had convinced myself I would be serving state-side. I did NOT see this coming. I was crying, and laughing, and hugging, and there was lots of freaking out. 

I'm going to learn Polish! Polish! I'm so excited! I leave February 27th. That feels like it's crazy soon, but I'm so excited! And, of course, I'm scared to death. I'll be halfway around the world, speaking a language I don't know! But it's all going to be okay, because it's right. I know it's right.

Poland is so pretty! I'm super excited to go!

I'm an un[OFFICIAL] missionary, and Jadę do Polski!

For those of you aren't savvy with the Polish, that means "I'm going to Poland!"