One Chapter Ending, Another Beginning

This last week or so has been a very emotional one for me. I took my last hikes in the mountains of southern Poland, said goodbye to the wolves that I have been following through the forest all these months, always a step or two behind, and also closed an important chapter in my life. I have done a lot of reflecting over the past week, about some of the experiences I have had here, about where I started and how far I have come, and of the subtle changes that my experiences here have brought about in me. There has been a lot of laughter and a lot of tears. This has been one long rollercoaster ride, but every climb and every drop, every turn and every redirection, every increase in speed and every slowdown, they have all been worth it.

So I won’t bore you with all the things that have happened this last week, but I will mention some of the more important things, and also some of the more humorous happenings and thoughts. So when it came time to leave my worksite for the last time, I was looking out the window of the place I have essentially called home for the past 11 months, up at the mountains that I have befriended during my numerous hikes. As I was looking out the window, only a few minutes from catching a bus and leaving that place for good, I saw a small dog run up to the fence of the yard. I immediately recognized this dog, a Labrador mix. I first saw this dog when I arrived here in February, and quickly named him the “Marking Machine.” He literally pees on every single thing he comes across, and he takes such pride in it and puts forth such an effort! Every time he lifts his leg to pee, he lifts it so high that he looks like he will fall over backward. It is hilarious! I fell in love with him and looked for him every morning as I would wake up and look out the window to see what the weather was doing in the mountains. Since returning here in September, I had only seen him once, at the very beginning of my return. I was starting to worry that maybe something had happened to him, but as other things started piling up, I also began to forget about him. However, this day, the last time I looked out this window, he decided to make his presence known and come say goodbye. He looked up at me through the window as he was doing his best to make sure all the dogs in the neighborhood knew whose fencepost that was. I hope he goes on to mark those fenceposts for years to come.

After saying my goodbyes to the mountains, to the place where I have been calling home, my hosts, and to my biologist friends, it finally came time to say goodbye to the wolves. It is always hard working to protect something that you never see, but I have learned that you just need to trust that your efforts are making a difference. I will miss these wolves and always trying to solve the puzzles that they leave behind. I hope that they have a future in this region and slowly gain more acceptance among the people here.

I then traveled up to Krakow, my home away from home for nearly the last year. Among all the cities I have been to in Europe, Krakow is right near the top. Not even considering how my life has changed during my time here, Krakow is an unbelievably beautiful city with a lot of character and history. Walking through the streets that I have come to know so well, memories rushed into my head without abandon. Every street corner, every tram and bus stop, every little shop, they all had memories tied to them. It was pretty emotional, especially the last walk I took through Market Square. On the way there, I stopped by the good old Orange Hostel, where I had spent every weekend for five months. I had become their first VIP member, received my own special discount there, had a bed reserved just for me, and had also made friends with the girls that worked there. Luckily, this time, as I stepped through the door, I saw one of the coolest girls I have befriended there. She knew right then that I had come to say goodbye. She showed me around the hostel, which has undergone some significant changes in the last two months. It was almost a completely different place, but not quite. I think the Orange Hostel and I both grew up together over the last several months. If anyone gets a chance to visit Krakow, please stay at the Orange Hostel, but please stay away from bed number 10 in room 6. That bed is special:)

So getting back to Market Square, I remember first arriving in Krakow and taking my first walk to the square. I was overwhelmed by its size and by Mariacki Church towering over the rest of the square. It is remarkably beautiful, particularly at night. Although it is overrun with tourists at certain times of the year, it still had a beauty that cannot be touched by any amount of people packed in there, and no matter what languages they are speaking.

I said goodbye to my friends in Krakow, who have been incredible and more generous and nice than I could have ever asked for. I hope to see them again, either in Poland, the U.S., or somewhere in between. The world is a big place while you are traveling, but a small place for meeting people. Life is funny, and you never know what your path will lead you to, and who may be traveling along a path to the same place. Life is beautiful that way.

After wishing Krakow a goodbye and giving it my thanks, I traveled to Warsaw. I only spent about a day and a half in Warsaw, so didn’t get to see much. The Old Town was pretty cool, while other areas had their own charm. I definitely noticed the difference between Krakow and Warsaw immediately—Warsaw is much bigger and is the commercial center. Warsaw was also mostly destroyed in World War II, so the old buildings found throughout Krakow are almost non-existent in Warsaw. That being said, Warsaw has areas where the Communist-era only seems like a few years ago. The square, dull, concrete buildings left behind are not esthetically pleasing, but they do add some character to the area.

After leaving Warsaw, I arrived in Berlin. Berlin is a really cool city. It is a little run down and shows some age, but there are awesome little cafes and shops all over the place, and there are also really cool, green parks scattered throughout the city. I really enjoyed just walking around and getting lost, completely without an agenda and no plans at all. I did see some of the remaining pieces of the Berlin Wall, particularly the section known as the “East Side Gallery,” with all its cool drawings and works of art giving the wall a special effect. I mostly just relaxed in Berlin and soaked in the atmosphere, preparing myself for the real adventure about to come my way.

So that is that in a nutshell. Tonight I am headed to Cairo, where I will be spending a few days, before heading off to Dubai. I will try to post another blog entry after Dubai, just before arriving in Uganda. I wish you all well and look forward to hearing what all of you have been up to as well. See you in Africa!

Pictures of my Christmas trip in Italy, and also pics of Warsaw and Berlin, can be viewed at

http://www.photoworks.com/members/Nathan_Owens