Slovakia #2

Since my last post, I have changed cities. We are now in Kosice. Thankfully, the city center is located far enough away that I do not hear any bells from my room. Wow. I can't believe that I survived a year living right next to the bell tower my freshman year of college. Whew.
Our hotel here is nice...my room is smaller and my bathroom is bigger...and the shower head is attached to a pole that I can secure highly, so I don't have to worry about flooding my bathroom now. We are not on the main city center street, but we are close enough that I feel comfortable to go out walking by myself.
I always forget how independent I am...its one thing to be independent in Arkansas, but its a whole different thing to be independent in a foreign country on a different continent. Maybe for some people, this goes unnoticed. However, when you have all the safety/security thoughts that have been pounded into my head (Dad, I was listening), then you are always on gaurd and alert. My passport does not leave my side...its easily said that I gaurd it much better than I guard my debit card at home...and Ep can attest that I lose that thing about once every two weeks. Ok, maybe once a week. I should clarify...usually it is only "lost" in the bottom of my purse or left in the pants I wore yesterday. Anyway, back to Slovakia.
We have been eating well. Normally, I am ravished for "home" food while I am gone. I did visit Pizza Hut. Overall though, I am not just overly craving any foods from home because they have done a good job feeding us home type foods here. Until Monday, I got to order whatever food looked good from the menu, but when we go out as a larger group, our meals are ordered for us ahead of time. Last night, we had bread topped by steak topped by a mushroom sauce and topped by stringy lightly fried onions. It was yummy. I am sick of lettuce and cole slaw though. Cabbage is king here. There have been two instances of someone ordering fish when we got to order our own food. I always forgets that Europe serves its fish with the skin, etc still attached...and that inlcludes the fish head with eyes still there....EWWWWWW!!!! Today, we are having fish for lunch, but I have been told that it will be fish without heads...I have lots of snacks, just in case.
The rest of today will be meetings....and tomorrow we visit the field. That always proves humbling and eye opening. On Saturday, I fly home. In fact, while most of you are eating dinner or going to bed on Friday night, I will be going to the airport. My flight leaves here at 5am and we have to leave the hotel at 3:30am...so that means that it will be 8:30pm back home....and I don't get home until 4:30pm the next day (home time).
Last night, the group went ot the Opera. I doubt anyone was surprised that I did not go. I just let my ears rest....as I have been taking notes during our meetings and just need some silence sometimes.
We went on a group tour of the city center (lots of churches and fountains) yesterday. It was interesting and not the type of thing I would normally do....so I have been culturized...
Ok, my break is over......until next time....