Source: http://www.betterworldbooks.com/lonely-planet-poland-id-174059522X.aspx
We went on a 36 hour road trip from London to Poland, stopping off in Germany for breakfast, squinting in the morning light , tradesmen opening their shutters. Thanks to the APASS scheme advert that used to be run I had noticed on the campus noticeboards at university.
We got to know each other on the coach. My roommate in the teachers residence came from Brighton. I was introduced to him on the coach.
We taught English classes that summer, constructing lesson plans about Wavel Cathedral, the place where the Hindu God Shiva was said to have thrown a magic stone, legend has it, the place remained unoccupied during the the Nazi occupation of World War II. The stone is said to be in the foundations, so that’s why you see people from the Hindu faith meditating in the area. Peace, not war, I suppose.
I constructed word search and crossword games for the students, to increase their vocabulary, however it always started with the most simple words of the English language, that was the way I had been taught to write. Along the way on the chessboard of life, making sense of it all, I learned Polish words, though my enunciation clearly needed work.
My accent was terrible. Carousing with the teachers on our time off at the bar, stupidly drunk I impressed some words upon the girls, as chat up lines, and it was quite easy to get girls’ numbers, I wrote them on a postcard I had bought on my sightseeing around the country. There was another British-Asian in Poland, who wore spectacles. He liked the attention of being one of the few Asians in the country. He enlisted on the APASS teaching scheme several times I had heard. He piqued the interest of the locals, who asked if he was Moroccan…
The girls in Poland are pretty. The men that accompany them are not as fashion conscious, handlebar mustaches with socks and sandals are the order of the day.
Vodka is the drink of the people. It’s drunk in the way beer is drunk in Britain.
One of the students came up to me to ask about the lyrics to some Red Hot Chili Peppers song. We took the students outdoors on the green. I played them a song, handing out the lyrics to High and Dry, a song by Radiohead.
Me and my roommate were in the teachers residence, there was a mosquito in the room, so he got out his lighter and sparked an aerosol spray to burn it. he slept in the opposite bed, and said I slept with my eyes slightly open, maybe I was stressed, I don’t sleep like that anymore.
© Zubyre Parvez 2016 All Rights Reserved
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WRITER BIO: Zubyre Parvez (BA hons) studied English Literature at Hertfordshire University. He writes song lyrics, poetry, short stories, reviews, and articles for The Taoist Crucible. His poetry won runners up in a competition judged by Simon Armitage and Margaret Atwood. His poetry has been published in Kobita. His articles have appeared in The Epoch Times as a journalist for the newspaper. He has worked for New Tang Dynasty Television as a journalist. You can catch up with his tweets @TheEaghams
ARTIST BIO:The Eaghams aka Zubyre Parvez is an Urban Indie singer songwriter from London. His song The Roots was played on BBC 1Xtra by DJ Excalibuh. He has collaborated with artists such as Mr Hectic and Jason Air formerly of Island records. He has played at The Garage, and various open mics.
Zubyre Parvez 