Day 3. I have now experienced Polish food and Polish beer, the factors in any culture that determines it's validity as a Nation to Compete with the British and I must admit it's going well so far. Of course, there are flaws, but they may be overlooked in time or at least compensated for in other areas such as the fact that BBC World is available in my flat, or even the fact that the school I'm working for is a proper language school where I can get free Russian lessons. (Yeah – I know it's a bit late)

So, I based my previous blog on my cynical observations on my experience in Russia, which was partly fuelled by my fellow native English speaking friends similar disdain for the country and it's inhabitants (which obviously masked our true feelings of enthusiasm for the place). But here in Mikolow everybody is so happy. Maybe it's something they put in the beer. Which in turn makes this writing of a blog all the harder because nobody wants to hear the good stuff. You friends of mine don't want to hear what a great time I'm having; I know you enjoy my misery, my tales of woe, my lonely outbursts....

If it's any consolation, I took a walk around the town and it took me about 10 minutes. Once the snow sets in I predict that life here will take on elements of a Steven King novel.

And obviously the question on everybody's lips – what music do they listen to out here? Well, it's pretty much similar to the playlist on a cheesy local radio station's afternoon show. Plenty of hits from the 80's, forgotten tracks from the 90's and tripe like James Blunt from more recent times.