Slow Down

After living crazy London life, and after travelling across 6 countries within few weeks, it was nice to go to Slow Down Festival. It was taking place in Poland, in little place called Lubiaz. Festival wasn't as big as I thought it will be, but it was really nice to chill out. I was meant to run ceramic workshops, but instead together with few people we've build a kiln! It was made in very simple way out of the things we could find. Construction for the kiln was made the same way like tipi - indian tent: wooden sticks and branches. This was covered with thick layer of clay mixed with dry straw, and another layer of clay. We had to wait couple of days to dry it up under the sun. Then we made 1st firing to fully dry up and bake the kiln, so it would be more waterproof and to burn out branches from the inside.

Kiln is ready now for first proper firing of ceramics. Now we need to organise workshops;)

Anyone interested??

Slow Down Festival, had good vibe, music and people. Sometimes I think I got old to be on festivals, but on the other hand I never been big fan of them. Too crowdy for me ;) Anyway I did enjoyed this one, because was small;) I went for shiatsu workshops led by shiatsu master Andrzej Turczynowicz. It's the 3rd kind of massage I can do now ;) Amazing thing about the workshops was that my dog could take part in it! She was sneaking in quietly, walked around people, giving wet kisses to some people and lying down sometimes between people, but mainly on the side of the room and snoozing for hours. She was bringing good energy, never disturbing;) I love my dog! Sometimes my friends think she's human in dog's skin :)

I have to say that at first I wasn't happy with organisation of that festival, and actually with the lack of it. But they called it "Slow Down" - do I decided to follow it - and slow down;) 

I think everyone should every now and then slow down and take care of things that are happening around them. To look at them closely from perspective! understand them. Since I started this journey I decided to look at my life from the perspective. Being away from London definitevly helped. I wish some of my London's friends could do that too. Some people I know definitively need perspective. When you are too close, with your nose glued to the window, you see only dirty glass and nothing what's behind. Lots of people I left behind in this city, live their life in this way. I feel sorry for them, but I cannot make decision for them. To some, I tried to help and open their eyes on new perspectives. Some called me stupid, some called me crazy, some called me un-responsible, some didn't want to listen; but some did. Few knew what I felt, understood my needs, because they felt the same. Some of them went already for their journey  and supported me; some start thinking of it. Some people become my inspiration, and I think I became inspiration for others. I hope I could do more - but their life is in their hands

Sometimes I think I love life ;) There were days when I felt down. Days seemed grey and boring. Not worth anything. I am so glad I was able to break up with this feeling. And now - I know I don't want to come back to those people and feeling of depressing feeling! I know this bad feeling might come back, but I want to feel strong to go through it! I hope power will stay with me ;)

Train travels and different perspectives

photo taken from google pictures library

I've heard bad joke once before in Poland, that life is like a toilet roll - long, grey and for shit. I think some one came to that conclusion years ago during war state, after the communism times in Poland. I was too young to remember and have my true opinion about this. But from what I remember from my youth, is lots of people who lived stagnant lives. No great hopes, no amazing perspectives. That you were given this life to live as it is, that you can't change things, that things are as they are. Full stop. Or maybe this was just an attitude of my closest surroundings, that I perceived in that way. Nonetheless this are my personal feelings. And I think this kind of attitude always made me some kind of angry, and wanted me to be different and change things about my life. I never wanted to agreed to attitude "take what you are given, and be happy with it, because there is nothing better" or that "everyone has it's cross to carry" .. I wanted to runaway from that statements and this depressive way of life. I wanted to believe that there is ME who decides of the fate of my life. And not that has been given to me, decided for me. Of course now - I understand another meaning of the statement - take what are you given and be happy with it - a good meaning ;) But I won't agree with the other part, that there is nothing better..

As they say - you get different perspective from different point of view! I always wanted to believe that things CAN be better, but I knew they won't change on their own. I have to go for it. I didn't always feel happy, but staying too long in a place of stagnancy, with no perspectives for change, made me UN-Happy.
And so I lost my "nazi" corporation job last year because of that (which loosing it actually truly made me happy!) found new nice job after but recently quit to travel now, and to get new perspective and new hopes :)

If you want to ask about that toilet roll digression - well here is the answer:
It used to be only this kind of paper in Poland.  Now it can be found only on the polish trains! And only  if you are lucky! Otherwise there is non ;(

Coming to Poland in the middle of my journey around Europe, brought exactly the same feeling, like it did some 15 years ago, after my first trip abroad - that this country is in some ways like wild east. Not in good way though.

For the last month I've travelled around Europe by the trains. Everywhere trains were clean, most of the time fast, but most important; had air-conditioning, which in such a hot summer like this (over 32C in shade is absolute must) In Poland trains have open windows. And if this is not enough, you can open doors between carriages to get wild drought, (and bad smell from dirty toilets) ;(  My journey from Wroclaw to Jaroslaw (my hometown) lasted almost 12 hours! When I used to study there it was about 8 hours. Now from Wroclaw only to Rzeszow is 9. My train had some electrical issues, and we were delayed. In Rzeszow we had to wait over 1 hour for another late train to get home.
I hope not all over this country is the same! But this particular experience was exactly like this shitty grey toilet roll. Long, and nasty if you have to use it, because there is no other option...