2nd stop Chicago - the most 'Polish' place in the US

hej,
generalnie trudno jest mi znalezc czas na pisanie bloga miedzy sklejaniem filmikow, jezdzeniem do lekarzy, ubezpieczalni i praca. Pod koniec dnia zazwyczaj padam, kiedys mialam problemy ze snem, teraz wystarczy, ze usiade w poludnie i bez problemu zasne!!

2 STOP CHICAGO

Jechalam pociagiem z Michigan do Chicago!

Nareszcie przyszedl ten dzien - nasz wspolny 1 stop Chicago (moim pierwszym stopem byl Michigan)

Martyna - poznalysmy sie praktycznie przez Facebookowa grupe, 'Polskie au pair w USA' - te same daty wolnego i podobne zamiary co do podrozy, trasa itd. Lot z CA. 

Julia - poznalysmy sie w Darien, mieszkala 5 min ode mnie, potem zmienila rodzine. Okazalo sie, ze rowniez dostala wolne w tym samym czasie! Lot z NY.

Wszystkie mialysmy roznice czasu w glowach - dla mnie i Julki godzina do tylu, a dla Martyny 2h do przodu.

 Kiedys napisze posta na temat zmian czasu, granic itd. Kiedys zastanawialam sie czy sa ludzie, ktorzy mieszkaja na granicy dwoch czasow? 

TAK, a ich telefony szaleja (godziny).

• Gdzie spalysmy? Couchsurfing u Seana (hejo, na pewno to czytasz!!!).

• Jak dlugo? - 2 noce.

Spotkalysmy sie w poludnie w centrum, przed wiezowcem (w ktorym spalysmy). Generalnie nigdy nie korzystalam z couchsurfingu, nie macie pojecia jak sie balam! No, ale bylo nas 3. Trafilysmy do mieszkania - 2 dziewczyny i 1 chlopak - Nowa Zelandia, Francja i Wegry. W sumie to spodziewalam sie gdzies hosta, ale okazalo sie, ze byl w pracy. Wszyscy pozytywnie nastawieni, rozmowni, z bagazem doswiadczen i przygod. Studia, praca, podroze.
Szybko ruszylysmy na miasto, ale dlugo nie wytrzymalysmy.
Zdazylysmy skoczyc do sklepu cos kupic do jedzenia, a nasza dieta generalnie wyglada tak:

-sniadanie-owsianka, owoce, czasem jogurt i herbata

-lunch- bagel z creeme cheese

-snacki 

-dinner-popularne jedzenie w danym miescie albo po prostu 

makaron z sosem, ugotowane w domu!

 Wrocilysmy, poznalysmy chillujacego na kanapie hosta i ogladalismy wszyscy film, tak, prawie zasnelam!

Najbardziej brakowalo nam tego snu, uslyszalysmy, ze ktos wychodzi, wiec wypadalo zeby udawac, ze nadal spimy. Wstalysmy, zjadlysmy i lecimy na miasto, atrakcje Chicago:

• Skydeck Willis Tower - 20$

• The University Illinois at Chicago (free)

• Millenium Park (free) 

(the Fountain, parki, Gate Cloud - fasolka, koniecznie przejdzcie pod nia!)

• Navy Pier (free)

• Lincoln Park (free)

• Water Taxi - 8$ 

 taksowka po wodzie w centrum Chicago, robi wrazenie, ale nie unikniecie widoku budynku z wielkim napisem 'Trump' :(

• Polska dzielnica (tanio!) 

 'Jackowo' – taaaaaakie dobre golabki i pierogi maja!!!

• the ZOO (free) 

(szczerze, nie bylam podekscytowana, nigdy nie widzialam tak zdenerwowanych i smutnych zwierzat)

i warto rowniez wypozyczyc rower i po prostu jezdzic po miescie, nie zapomnijcie sprobowac Chicago Style Hot Dog! (ok. 5/6$)

Mozecie zobaczyc to wszystko na youtube!

PART 1

PART 2

Trudno bylo sie zebrac i jechac do nastepnego miasta... a na dodatek pomylilysmy miejsce odjazdu busa Greyhound (ja mowilam, ze musimy isc w prawo, a dziewczyny, ze w lewo, a tam byl Megabus – dwie najtansze linie do podrozowania) i bieglysmy jak szalone w druga strone majac tylko 5 minut – akcja jak w filmie, ale zdazylysmy w ostatnim momencie!

I zaczela sie ponad 12 godzinna (nocna z przesiadkami) podroz do Nashville,TN..

M.

Breathe in the ocean

Hi, that was a busy time..

• I've just started my driving license course, 
• signed up for another classes,
• Niagara Falls trip,
• insurance problems - I'm gonna write a post about an American healthcare!!
• working on videos and photos
• and trying to organize my life

Sometimes you need to take a break from the busy World. 

Just forget about 

the problems, 

the past,

and try to start everything again.

Do not push yourself,

breathe in the ocean and enjoy the moment.

Find the confidence in yourself to get up and move your life forward.

I'm finally happy.

/ somewhere in Greenwich, CT

Polish -> 

Czasami musisz odpoczac od zabieganego swiata,

 po prostu zapomniec o problemach, przeszlosci i sprobowac wszystkiego na nowo.

Nie naciskaj na siebie, wdychaj powietrze oceanu i ciesz sie chwila.

Znajdz w sobie pewnosc siebie i odwage, aby wstac i isc przez zycie.

Nareszcie jestem szczesliwa.

/gdzies w Greenwich, CT 

Have a great day everyone.

Mine is pretty nice today ☺

xx,

M.

TOEFL? answers to all your questions - click!

 Hi everybody,
I hate being sick (soooo I'm gonna write a post about these American Healthcare costs,appointments etc. - for example you can even pay for a blood test OVER 1000$ - not everywhere but it happens ) it's kinda hard to find a doctor or clinic which provides your insurance...

Okay, so let's talk about better things today,

some of you have heard about TOEFL and don't even know - what does it mean?

TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)

it shows your ability to understand and use English at the university level. It's also important if you want to study in an English - speaking country. 

The test consists of:

• listening
• reading
• speaking
• writing

What's more, people takes this test for various reasons such as:

-learners who just want to track their progress,

-scholarships,

-certification,

-applying for visas etc.

If you're interested in studying abroad (anywhere) for example UK, Sweden, Denmark, Australia or even Japan you should start preparing for this test soon because more than 9,000 colleges, universities and other institutions accept TOEFL scores - in over 130 countries!

Many of you keep asking me...

How to learn ?

It's a lot of hard work - you'll have to expand your vocabulary by for example reading books, newspapers, websites (translate unknown words), using Apps on your phone - I've found some interesting on Apple Store : Synonyms, TOEFL vocabulary, TOEFL Words (unfortunately, you have to pay for some capabilities),

learn all of the grammar tenses (I don't even know how many we have), 

really important - listening - you can watch movies, TV shows, travel to English - countries for vacations, speak and listen to the native person.

There's some more resources online that I'm gonna share with you:

• http://www.toeflgoanywhere.org/toefl-practice
• http://www.grammarbank.com/toefl-pbt-practice.html
• http://esl.about.com/od/printablequizzesforclass/a/toefl_structure_practice_quiz.html

MORE SOON - keep visiting my website.

How much does it actually cost?

It depends on a country - visit the website https://www.ets.org/bin/getprogram.cgi?test=toefl (for more information)

In the USA it costs around 200$.

If you're considering studying abroad - this is the first step to make your educational success come true!

There's some valuable benefits that I've noticed so far:

1. International experience by studying and living in a foreign country. You'll see new places and meet fascinating people - its traditions, and its culture. In addition, you will become more responsible, confident or independent. 
2. You can be fluent in English - remember, you'll talk this language all the time.
3. That's a chance to experience a different style of education.
4. Broaden your worldview - you can improve your skills, gain interests and be inspired by others success stories.
5. Life experience once learned never forgotten - if you really wanna try it - do it. You don't want to regret something you didn't do - life's too short.

Photos taken last year, Oct 2015

To sum up, you know more about TOEFL, the next thing I'm gonna talk about is:

SAT (Scholastic Assessment Test) 

Stay warm peeps,

M.

---

100th day in the USA, really?

Hi,
time flies,

100th day in the USA... 

seriously?

This is going to be a really short post but anyway I'm so excited it's 100 days in here.

I'm so grateful for all the wonderful people, moments, experiences since October 2015.

I've become a different person and what else, I'm learning more about myself each day. 

What's more, I'm planning to visit some places this year (100% sure!)

• Washington DC
• Philadelphia 
• New Jersey
• Boston (maybe Rhode Island)
• Niagara Falls - already in process!

So, I've decided to take part in the Niagara Falls classes and I'm gonna visit it in the beginning of the June.

  CANADA I'M COMING !!!

I'm gonna share with you guys some photos from NYC soon,

tbh. that was a short note because I receive so many questions everyday - I don't have enough time to do everything I want, so that's it. The photo on the top is just a little sneak peak !!

Thankssssss,

xx,

M.

"All-in-one" 3 MONTHS IN THE USA! What has happened in the 2015?

Hello everyone,
enjoy the YEAR 2016!
It's just unbelievable, this year has gone so fast...
Enjoy your life now because it won't last forever.


It's been a fun and exciting year for myself although there were of course quite a few sad moments that I don't want to talk about.
Let's see what has happened in 2015 so far!!

1.I'M IN THE UNITED STATES (today's the anniversary - it's been exactly 3 months ☺) - dreams do come true.. all you have to do is know what you really want, make a reasonable plan and take steps to be on your path to success.
I've been to many places in the New York City and I've been travelling to this area - Connecticut and New York states.

2. I passed my driving exam in the beginning of January

3.I passed my finals and successfully graduated high school!

        (I was studying so hard..)

4.I had the best prom ever with the best peeps

5.I was working in 2 cafes and teaching kids - it was challenging but tbh I feel satisfied !!

(Latte Art ☺ )

6.I was living on my own - alone. That was such a good experience!!

Anyway, we were hanging out there a lot so I wasn't alone at all hahah xx

And this is what we were doing there.. sometimes!

7.I visited Prague with my brother and his fiancee - the last trip - right before my flight to the USA.

You can see the video below.

8. That was my first time - I was taking part in the Charity Event called "Feed My Starving Children" #FMSC I really enjoyed it!! We were packing food.

9. I've spent this year with American traditions so for example I've experienced Thanksgiving, Halloween (in the NYC), Christmas and also (scary) Elf on the Shelf, some birthday parties and some events such as NYC Marathon etc.

(SO MANY presents under the Christmas tree!!)

10. Last but not least, I feel fat - (I haven't weigh myself since my arrival to the US - I'm too scared lol) so I started running!

To sum up this incredible year... life is full of ups and downs.

What else,

 the best way to predict the future is to create it.

Time is precious - don't waste it!!

And this is the video from my last weekend trip to White Plains to my close friend!! She was singing - not me!! ☺

See ya in the 2016 !

HAPPY NEW YEAR !

xx,

M.