Confidence.

Something happened to me in the last few months.

I am here across the world in a foreign country trying to live and work and have found that I have such confidence it is astounding me. I am not afraid to be alone. Be lost. Try new things. Ask for help. Have an adventure. Meet new people. Maybe not have people like me. I am just SO happy in this foreign experience I am starting to think something is wrong with me. Why dont I miss home more? Why am I not nervous asking for help or trying new things like I usually am?

I can only conclude that saying goodbye forever to the ex and having to pick up the pieces alone, has left me more secure and confident in myself then ever before. And that my moving out awhile and being alone so much has set the tone for this new person I find here in Slovakia.

First Day of School! First Day of School!

This is from Sunday, no time to take pictures Monday! Too crazy! 

This is the bridge connecting the elementary to the big gym. 

I was much too tired to write last night upon coming home and finally finished what I needed to at 11p and could go to bed...of course I am now WIDE AWAKE and its 3a. The time change AND me not usually being able to sleep when Im too excited about my job means I need to start taking tylenol pm...ugh.

Anyway, yesterday was such a lovely day but was the LONGEST day ever. I would even venture to say it exhausted me 10x more than traveling here did. The school day itself seemed to inch by as I had to go back and forth between my future class I was observing and assisting in for the day to help me get acquainted and HR paperwork, getting keys, internet set up, getting a lunch card...etc. It was very well organized when I was supposed to go do things, just a lot of running around for me. Then right after school we had a staff meeting, then I had to leave a little early out of the staff meeting and go run school errands with the secretary. I now have an empty Slovak bank account, cell phone chip in my iPhone that isn't working yet, Euros instead of US dollars, and a notarized power of attorney for the secretary to process paperwork for me here. As you can imagine, getting all of that done after a long day at a new job was pretty tiring. I was a yawning MACHINE and was having a hard time understanding people because I was so so tired. 

Thats when the adventure began...

We were finally finished with everything around 7p and ended up at Au Park- the big beautiful mall here which is like 10x nicer then anything I've seen in the states and has WAY SWEETER stuff...plus its soldes right now so everything's like 50-70% off...but thats another story. Au Park is apparently ACROSS TOWN from my flat and without my room mates I still have no idea how to use the bus system. I am catching on to how to get to work and the store, but unless you look up your route on the internet and know where to go...its kind of tough to figure out. Plus, the stops are all in Slovak which is Germanic and NOT a romance language so its really tough to even know how to pronounce and remember the stops....aka my little pocket notebook is now my life. My secretary had to go to a meeting, didn't know how to get to where I live, and I was just going to be stuck across town with a phone that wasn't working and no idea how to get home. Luckily she called around and got my roomies number, they told me exactly how to get home, her sister worked at the mall and was hanging out with us and guided me to the bus stop I needed and then I was on my way. Friends, if you ever doubted my travel skills prepare yourself:

-Took the bus all the way home to my flat with one walk and bus change...I had to be brave and ask if anyone spoke English at the stop and if they could guide me to the other stop...thank Jesus a nice girl did.

-Since I dont have keys into our apartment yet and my phone wasn't working to be able to call the roomies and let them know I was there, I managed to run up and sneak in behind a lady who was also getting off the bus and had keys into the building. 

-Did this all in the cold rain/snow WEARING HEELS.

But come now, are you even surprised? 

My room mates were so happy to see me when I got home and had dinner all ready, it was very sweet. But then while they watched CSI, I still had a bunch of stuff to do for work I tried to get done but was just so tired it wasn't happening. I would just stare at the computer screen and forget what I was doing. 

About My Class...

So, even though they call it kindergarten here in Slovakia, really my class is preschool. I have the 4 & 5 year olds who are all English language learners. Some are Slovak and some are German (some speak both!) and there is even one little Chinese boy in the 3's class. Some of the kids speak and understand more English then others, so it is a lot of hand motions, visuals, and repetition which Im actually used to from teaching Spanish speakers in the US, plus its part of my degree to be able to teach English language learners so its kind of my thing. The head of the 3s class is bilingual so she will come and assit in my class during certain times to help translate for the kids and myself. The kids are ABSOLUTELY PRECIOUS. You will all seriously DIE whenever I get a chance to snap some photos of them. Also, since I am not used to seeing children in cold weather attire...they come in all puffed up like marshmallows with their layers on and then it takes them like 30min to take it all off and its hilarious. Then the little girls just wear their stockings and a little sweater around the class, its hilarious. My friends were teasing me back home for wearing leggings with tops that don't cover my butt...got NOTHING on these little girls. And the boys change out of their boots and then wear socks with sandals around the classroom. Precious!!! My other favorite part of the day was that they get 2 school fed snacks a day, in the morning it was a roll with egg spread and a cup of tea and in the afternoon it was like that Jewish Hallah bread with butter and jam and more tea. One little boy ate like 3 pieces...they eat a lot of sweet things here apparently. Imagine little four year olds drinking tea?! I couldn't stop smiling all day! 

Food...

They pay for 50% of our lunch here and whatever else we use is just taken out of our paycheck, so I tried the lunch today and it was so good! It was bean soup and then a pasta with potatoes and a yummy sauce, plus fresh cole slaw. They have other little rolls or 2 other non vegetarian options of food, but they said they always offer something veg a day so I should be set. Its so nice having a home cooked style hot meal in the middle of the day, not what I am used to. I will try and take pictures of the food here...lots of potatoes in different forms (dumplings, pasta, roasted) and then with either meat or pasta and a yummy sauce on top. They also have a lot of pizza and soups and meats on the menus in restaurants. REALLY good though, I am thoroughly enjoying it so far. Although I already could use a burrito...

In a few hours I will get up and take on another day. I think I will actually take my kids and have them in my room alone today, I am in charge! I dont think the reality has even hit me yet...what I do is so second nature I just jump in and go forward without really stopping to soak it in that WHOA. I AM HEAD TEACHER. The day is really quite simple though...morning play time, circle time, snack, little lesson and craft, outside play, lunch, brush teeth and nap, play time, another little lesson and craft, play time until they go home. Seriously, thats it. And with only 8 kids in my class...oh the places we will go! I already looked up a bunch of songs for us to sing about getting in line...cleaning up...the weather...etc. And I am going to make some CD's with my music to play when the kids are playing or sleeping, and by my music I mean MY music because its my class and I can do what I want!! And because after all those preschool songs you start to lose it and need some adult songs before "the itsy bitsy spider" gets stuck in your head for the 50th time. And Im going to make us some good behavior charts...etc. 

I think...I might...LOVE...my job?!

Ok, Im going to try and go back to sleep a bit before tomorrow...can't wait for another day!

Love from Slovakia!!!

xoxo

Pretty Things: Ballerinas

Oh, after an amazing but long day at my new job in my lovely new city- these just had me swooning.

photos by alfred eisenstaedt, courtesy of life magazine

First Days Slovakia...

Oh I am just LOVING it here! I just keep telling my room mates "Its so beautiful here! I just love it!" and they smile and nod and laugh like "well yeah, we told you!". The ride to our school today was just gorgeous...we ride everyday along the Danube river where you can throw a stone at Austria on the other side, and were surrounded by big green hills filled with all of these cute little houses with smoke billowing out of their chimneys. Even though its grey out, its not too cold and the grey leaves this super fancy mist all around...I just die for it all. Seriously, die. 

Ok, on to the pictures I know you've all been waiting for. If you follow my travel blog too, you might get some repetition here and there...like today...but this blog is always 10x better so if I were you...I would just click the little "follow" button on the right and we will forever be friends. 

Come and see my new home...

Here is my future classroom!

I'm in charge of children now?!

My room mate Jackies classroom

The kids eat these little honey flavored sweet bear cakes for snacks, so stinking cute!

My other roomie and friend from college in her 4th grade classroom

My new school!!!

 (UGH still need to lose some holiday weight+layers= GROSS)

Then we had dinner at this super nice restaurant next to the school with some of the other teachers. SO GOOD and so cheap! Nicer then most restaurants I've been to in Europe for sure.  

 yummy Kozel beer...1 euro, BOOM.

As you can see my penne pasta with some yummy sauce was so good it was gone VERY quickly. I got the entire bowl of pasta, beer, and water for like 5 euros. 

I just kept squealing the entire walk from our school to the bus stop...look how cute and pretty!

There is a really beautiful church, square, and old castle ruins right here too but we were carrying a lot of supplies and couldn't stop...so tomorrow after school I will try and snap some more. It gets dark at like 4p here during the winter so its a little tough, but I shall try.

I am not minding the cold, grey, or dark yet...the sun doesn't come up until 8a and goes down around 4p which is a little strange for me, but I've already gotten used to it. It does make you want to just be home and snuggle in after a day of being out though. We are going to try and hit the gym across the street the 2x a week we don't have social or work things to do to try and keep our energy levels and endorphins up. The gym here you just pay each time you use it...like 1 euro I think. And its all brand new and so fancy!. 

Love from Slovakia,

xoxo

Harper Lane

Room Redecorating: Vanity + Walls.

The room redecorating has begun and as its 2am and I can't sleep anymore (thats what happens when jet lag makes you fall asleep at 7p) it is time for a sneak peek at the little happenings I have been working on to make my room more amazing me.

You may remember upon arrival this is what I'm dealing with here.

Before:

Right away I knew the TV had to go since we don't even have cable and if we did it would all be in Slovak. So I decided to make myself a little vanity.

Vanity Sneak Peek:

It's not done yet, I still need a mirror, but I scoured our cupboards for old jars that they were saving for recycling and just washed off the labels and they made perfect and cute brush/Q tip holders. Then found pretty plates and tea cups we weren't really using to old hair supplies, jewelry, and makeup. The plate for my makeup isn't big enough so I am going to keep an eye out at little shops for something else that I could take home as a souvenir maybe too. 

After I get the mirror I'll show you the final result!

Walls Sneak Peek:

Predicament: What to do with 4 white concrete walls in a tiny room reminiscent of a jail cell?

Before leaving I threw pretty thread and ribbon plus mini clothes pins and all of my favorite post card size pictures into a little box to be brought here. I didn't know I wouldn't be able to pin or nail things into the walls because the concrete is ridiculous, but luckily there were already nails randomly around the walls that I just strung the lines from. The end result makes my heart sing.

Now I am on the look out for pretty posters or prints I can put up to fill in some of the blank spaces that are still lingering. I am contemplating just buying some canvases and doing something myself...but I keep forgetting I am going back to work tomorrow, theres an actual night life here (no time for craft projects!), and I am in the part of the world where finding beautiful art prints is like stealing candy from a baby.

Next weekend is the big Ikea run...mirror...new bed spread and sheets...hangers so you can actually see what my room looks like without clothes piled everywhere...and maybe even a new window treatment because DAMN the current one is painful.

Love from Slovakia!

xoxo
Harper Lane

Pretty Things: Carlos Ramos

Thanks to my girl Allison for posting these gorgeous paintings by Carlos Ramos of Bowie and...the luggage from one of my favorite movies of all time The Darjeeling Limited. I was just thrilled seeing these.


Thrilled. 

Plans...

Today we went to the GIANT store here, Tesco. Seriously, I have never been so overwhelmed by a store like I was this one. Wow. It was like a Target, Huge grocery, and then mall all put in one! Even though it sounds like Im in Eastern Europe with a name like "Slovakia", they have everything I could ever want here and more. Even most of the toiletries are in English and are American brands. And so cheap!

We got tons of food and I got the toiletries I needed but I forgot to buy hangers (cue pile of all my clothes on a chair in my room) so we walked to the grocery 10min down the street which was also huge and just as nice! There is even a little mini mart, craft store, cafes, gelato, ATM, hard ware store, bars...everything only 5min away. Maybe even less, its like around the corner. And so cute! We are 20min from the city center by bus which runs all night, and are going there for the afternoon tomorrow. I am hoping to actually take some pictures then. I didn't really have anything to take pictures of today...the grocery store? Outside was grey and rainy...which I haven't minded...but it doesn't make for scenic picture taking.

This evening I made dinner for the roomies and then began redecorating my room 2011. Oh my it looks so much better already! Next weekend we are venturing to Ikea where I will finish the redecorating and you can see pictures then. My room mates are all impressed and excited for me to decorate the rest of the house too, they clearly have no idea who they are dealing with.

So tomorrow I go to my new school so my roomies can get some work done, then coffee in the city center with some of the other teachers, and then dinner at one of the other teachers houses. Everyone is so nice here...although I dont know that Ill find someone who is into the same things I am...but I can't wait to start working next week!

No snow yet...but there should be some Tuesday.

xoxo
Harper Lane

Pretty Things: Gypsy Rose Lee

Thought these pictures put together by NPR of the infamous Gypsy Rose Lee were absolutely stunning. Inspiring, slightly sexual, and just delicious. Hope they inspire you to be beautiful today too.

xoxo

Harper Lane

Here.

Rockin the glasses and granny sweater. First impressions are important. 

Hello loves from Slovakia!

Damn time change...only got a few hours of sleep last night even though I am SO tired. Its 9a here and Im already ready to go back to sleep! Flight was pretty easy...lack of sleep due to my lover (and travel anxiety) from the night before meant I just slept and woke up in London! We were late getting in and had to RUN to catch our next flight to Vienna and then wait in line for lost baggage once in Vienna because they didn't make the quick switch. From Vienna we bused to Bratislava...it seemed beautiful but it was too dark to really tell...and then took a 20min bus to our flat which is just around the corner from the stop here. I have to say, I was in HIGH spirits the entire travel time which is pretty rare for me since I am usually fussy and uncomfortable and am just trying to hide it the entire time by putting in my ear buds and reading my kindle. I am just so happy to be doing this! Even though it means leaving PAG...and my Bella...and my dearest girl friends and family...I feel like I was MEANT to do this. And its so natural for me- traveling in Europe is what I DO (kind of like my OTHER part time job...after being a teacher and blogger of course). I have been itching to get here for ages and now that Im finally here it just feels so normal and lovely!

I dreamed of PAG and I together while flying to London. I didn't like sleeping in my jail cell of a room here without him. But at the same time...I am ok. I know what Im doing is what Im supposed to be doing. And that I will be home in July and everything will be the same as when I left. For the first time in a long time I feel that forgotten feeling of peace. Hello old friend, its been awhile.

Today we venture to get a month bus pass and to Tesco which is like their huge grocery/Target type of store. I will be getting my phone set up...a towel so I dont have to use old clothes to dry off...and groceries and other little things. The bus is really more like a trolley that runs on those lines above...it goes EVERYWHERE and the stop is just around the corner from our flat.

Our apartment is just PRECIOUS and so big! I've posted pictures before here and it looks exactly the same. I want to redecorate my room NOW, but I think I need to wait a few days until I have the basics, like food, covered. I am excited to be able to buy things and actually have them in my room! Usually when I travel we are always moving around and trying to stuff little things into my luggage, it's the worst...but here...if I like it, I buy it, and home it goes!

Ill try and take lots of pictures today as we venture around the city and I get my room together...ugh this room. Oh, and my roomies are super cute and fun. VERY easy going and easy to get along with, they are so eager to help me get acquainted and welcome me here. I am excited to work and travel with them.

Today I love my life.

xoxo
Harper Lane

Oh I Love You So...

I have had quite a few texts and calls requesting a "WTF happened with postal annex guy?!" update...however if you may remember I am MOVING TO SLOVAKIA TODAY and getting ready and trying to see everyone has been Ridic so currently I am writing to you on my iPhone because there's no fucking wifi at LAX while waiting for my flight to London...half asleep girl at the gate with a top knot and a pink cashmere scarf typing furiously on her iPhone would be ME. Do you see how much I love all of you?!

Ok so...we met at Starbucks and I wore my seduction dress including fake eye lashes (obvi) and black leather boots to complete the outfit. FYI the trick of seduction is to look like you didn't really try that much at all...besides the eye lashes which I just couldn't help...I feel this was mastered. ANYWAY...he sat down and I was just a bitch and said
"So. What do you have to say for yourself. Where have you been."
He then proceeded to tell me that the realization of me leaving hit him and that his feelings weren't just butterflies anymore...and that he figured it was going to suck either way. Whether he didn't call and I left or if we spent more time together getting closer and then I left.
We both got teary.
I said he should have just told me what he was dealing with instead of just peacing out. I told him what Number 2 and countless other gentleman have done to me and how it looked from my perspective. He apologized profusely...and asked if we could go for a walk.

While walking to the car I realized then I had a decision to make. I could either be upset and hurt, go back home and tell him to go fuck himself OR be honest about my feelings that I L-word him, want to spend my last day with him, and cut him some slack since I know his lack of relationship experience and me leaving may have made the perfect storm in his little heart. SO I took his hand while we walked to the car and when he asked me to forgive him I did...and then made him promise to never do it again.
So we walked on the beach hand in hand and I found fun things for us to look at. We took pictures and I had him pick shells for me to take with me abroad. And of course we talked a lot more about him hurting me, my family, what to do about me leaving. It was so good. It was hard for me to be sad about leaving because I was so happy being with him. I couldn't stop smiling. He kept getting sad...I would catch him staring off into space or looking at me all sweetly and sad. Classic me would just shout "Dont be sad!" and then wrap my arms around him and give him a kiss.

I invited him to family dinner hoping it would get him some points back with the fam and because I secretly wanted to spend more time with him. Dinner with everyone was SO wonderful. Family didn't bring up any of the drama and we just laughed and ate delicious beans. I went back to his house to hang out a little before I was planning to go home and pack and get sleep...but as soon as he had me all cuddled up in that bed there was no way I was going anywhere.

Ladies and gentleman, we almost had SEX this time. Such a big deal for both of us to find someone we are that comfortable enough with to be ok doing it with. But he didn't have any condoms and ironically everytime I forget to take my pill someone wants to fuck me. We talked a lot more about what to do. He wants to write and chat and try and keep us going...obviously I was more than fine with that. I invited him to come visit in the spring. And that 6 months is doable for any couple.

And then I told him I was falling in love with him.

And then he held me so tight all night long. I couldn't sleep a wink but I wouldn't have moved if my life depended on it.

He came by my parents house today in between work to give me more kisses and he brought me a gift. All of these euro chocolates for the plane ride and his favorite lion king socks that always make us laugh. It was probably the sweetest and most thoughtful thing any boy has ever done for me. I haven't had a boy give me a gift since high school and it certainly wasn't unless it was a holiday or birthday. I cried my eyes out after he left, thank goodness my girls happened to be there to cheer me up. My heart hurts.

I am off for my adventure and am so excited but so sad at the same time. It hurts so much to leave something I know is so good. Something I've been waiting for. But I have to trust that my decision was made before meeting him and that it even led me to him since I was at the postal annex processing paperwork for my trip.

So if it was meant to be, it was meant to be...

Flight boarding...off to Europe I go.

Good bye Loves.

PS

Clearly a fake eyelashes kind of day.


BOOM.

Breaking News!!!

Finally have pretty much forgotten about Postal Annex Guy (PAG) when I wake up to a text from 2am last night from him...

"When do you leave? Tomorrow?"

"Yes, I leave tomorrow afternoon. Where have you been?"

"Do you want to meet up mid day?"

UM WHAT THE FUCK DUDE?!

"If I say yes will you explain where you have been at said time?"

"I haven't been anywhere, but yes I will expatiate myself"

We made plans to meet at the Starbucks down the street from me in...uh...2 hours.

I have so many mixed feelings. I forgave Number 2 so many times for disappearing on and off during our year of drama...only to be finally broken by his last and final disappearance. (STILL haven't heard from him and its been 3.5 months. Not even an apology. Asshole) I really just don't know how this is going to go. Whatever PAGs reasons were and are...he should have just TALKED to me about it. Family emergency? Upset about me leaving? Swamped with work? Even if your just over it. ANYTHING- Just fucking send me a text. A call. Email. Something.

But at least he doesn't want me to leave with us on a bad note. More than I can say for some people.

New slogan,

Be A Man, Send A Text


So if you thought I was just going to move to Slovakia without any drama you were clearly WRONG!

xoxo
Black and Lashes