Airport Confusion … Our First Problem Solving Challenge in Poland

We arrived to Krakow on Sunday September 2^nd, 2012 around 1:30pm.  We got off of the plane and were unsure of what we were going to do next.  Did we need to go through customs?  Where were we going to get our bags?  Where would Magda be to pick us up?  And the most important question running though our heads, when can we go to sleep.  Most of these questions were soon answered. 

 We didn’t need to go through customs again.  Turns out customs was super easy I barely even noticed I was going though.  The lady behind the glass took my passport, scanned it, stamped it, and gave it back all with out looking at me or saying anything.  The strangest part was I didn’t even have my check baggage with me. 

We walked off of the plane onto the tarmac and into a building.  Soon our baggage came in on the conveyer belt.  We took it and were free to go!  Only one problem!  Magda said she would be there with an Oxford Center (our school) sign waiting.  No one was there was an Oxford Center Sign!  We looked at the crowd waiting, walked through and sat down on some benches in the lobby.  Maybe she was running late we thought, no big deal!

We waited for a long while and then began to think about the what ifs… Was she waiting at a different terminal?  Did I give her the wrong time or flight information?  Do we even know her last name?   Luckily the airport had Internet, we checked our e-mails … nothing.  I looked at the e-mail I sent her about our flight information … few I thought to myself it was all correct.  

We waited a bit longer and brainstormed about what to do.  We looked at all of our e-mails and found one that had Magda’s last name with it.  So that was something.  We e-mailed her saying that we were at the airport waiting in the domestic terminal.  We thought about taking the shuttle to the international terminal assuming she would think we were there, even though I specified that we would be at the domestic one.  But then I remembered that when I was little mom told me, if I got lost to stay put, she would find me.  So we did. 

Next while Kayla tried to see if we had a phone number or any of our information about the school or Magda.  I went and tried to talk to the man behind the ticket counter, but he didn’t speak any English.  I think he might have understood a little bit because he pointed to the information counter.  All the while checking our e-mail even few minutes.  Kayla looked in the travel books for nearby hostels to stay at.  I went and talked to the lady at information.  At first I was scarred that she didn’t speak any English either because after I finished explaining the situation she just starred at me.  I asked her if there was any way she could call over to the international terminal and ask if Magda Galuszka was there looking to pick up Genna and Kayla?  She just looked at me, then after what seemed like hours she said okay.  She got onto the phone made 4 or 5 calls, none of witch I could understand and then hung up and said they will announce it over the loud speaker and if someone comes to the information counter I will let you know.  

Well that was a start I thought but now it was just a waiting game.  I went back and sat down with Kayla, in the mean time she had found several hostels that looked promising all with internet so we would know if Magda tried to e-mail us, our only form of contact with her. 

Then all of a sudden after waiting another long while  (now we have been at the airport waiting about 3 hours) the lady at the information counter came running up to us and said, “I have found you a taxi!” 

 We looked at each other and then back at the lady and said "NO, NO! We need Magda to pick us up." 

She said again, “I have found you a Taxi!”  She was so excited and we were so not excited. 

Then a middle age sweaty man came running up to us and said with a thick Polish accent, “Genna Clark and Kayla Haines I take you to Bielsko!” 

Kayla and I looked at each other again and Kayla said, “no.”

He said, “yes yes I talked to Magda and she said that I will take you to Bielsko.” 

We said, “no no.”  Kayla asked me what information I gave the lady.   I told her not where we were going only Magda’s name and our first names.  So who was this man who knew where we were going and what our last names were?  His name wasn’t Magda, he didn’t have a sign, and he wasn’t a girl. 

Then he said, “Ok ok I will call Magda.”  He called Magda but there was no answer.  He started taking our bags out to his taxi.  We were nervous to say the least.  Then his phone rang and it was Magda!! Kayla talked to Magda and she said it was fine she sent the taxi because she got the time we were coming wrong.  He would bring us to Bielsko and she would pay for it and it was okay.  She told Kayla that she felt so so bad that there was this confusion and she was very sorry. 

We got into the taxi and away we went.  On a fast and crazy ride to Bilesko that I thought took all afternoon but in actuality it was probably about 2 hours, though the countryside of Poland.  We arrived at our flat and Magda was there waiting for us!

So it was a crazy beginning our adventure in Poland but it all worked out!  In Poland they use military time and in my e-mail about our flight to Magda I said Sunday at 1:30pm, not even considering that this would be confusing.  She thought we were coming at 1:30am.  We are still not sure though because then you would think that she would have been there the night before, since that would have been Sunday at 1:30 not the night after cause that would have been Monday.  But oh well!!     

*** Disclaimer all of the pictures above were found on google images, the following were from the actual event in the taxi!