Today the conversation started somewhere about wine, and I told how much I liked the Georgian Wine that we had at the wine shop in Zakopane. (The winoteka is pictured here.) One of the Ukrainian ladies told me a liquor store she was certain had Georgian wine.
This exchange led the other client to ask about my being in Poland. Then she began to tell me about being in Warsaw in 1979 on a faculty exchange. It was fascinating to hear what life was like as an American in Warsaw then. She went on to tell me the Polish director to whom she reported during this time gave her the standard party speeches about what she could and could not do. She said that she did some things on the not to do list such as exchange money on the black market. She also told me she smuggled in paper and ink wrapped as Christmas gifts to be used for underground newspapers. She said after Poland gained its freedom the Polish director wrote her and thanked her for all she had done for Poland.
What a blessing it was for me to be at the nail shop at just the right time! I think I have more fun at the nail shop than anyone -- this may also serve as a commentary to the blog entry from David in Poznan about women seem to have a different hair cut experience than men.
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