How everything has started…

How the idea of spending one year at the North has appeared in my head:))

I was thinking about writing before. I want to tell you the story how everything has started. Exactly one year ago, 05.01.15, I was on my way to Paris. It is important in my story, therefore, I think the 1 year aniversary from that moment is good time to start the story.

September 2014

At the end of the month, 25th, I have presented my phd thesis. It seems to be great personal  achivement, but I was then the wreck of the human being. Many problems. I am glad that with time I am forgetting slowly the state in which I was in those days. I was not myself. September and before definitively left the dark mark in my interior. I am forgetting the reasons but still remember the pain in my cheast, the stress, the tiredness and the situation I did not how to deal with. Even with finished phd I was not on my way. Definitively.

October 2014

I was visiting the home town and family, went to fancy, exclusive and expensive party for 40th aniversary of my secondary school in Centennial Hall, Wroclaw. I have even invited my ex, but as time quickly had shown, it was not a good invenstment. I still had phd crisis, flown too much km, driven too much and slept to less.

I had never so much full 5 days in Poland. Apart of the party, I had to do some paper stuff, we had visited my brother, I had a crash.. a small car crash since I did not see the column. My eyes were so tired that I could not see very well. Anyway, many things...

When the things were normalizating we had realized that the relationship between 3 countries, Spain, the country I was living, Poland my country and Germany, the country of my ex, it is not physically possible. You cannot have the life in 3 places simultanelously (2 is great and funny, but 3 is too much rush).

The break was very hard for me.

In the meanwhile I came back to Spain. Friday late afternoon I opened the door of my flat in Granada and it was too empty, too quiet… I was so surprised to hear the silence and since I was feeling uncomfortable with it I went to play volleyball with my collegues. We had a nice group of friends and collegues with whom  I was playing voleyball few times per week. We do not play very well but we have always a lot of fun. .. ok not always… that time I had twisted my ancle. 

Funny, but I think that it was the best thing that had happened to me that year. Or better said I had unexpected and good conequences of my lesion.

I had the imobilization for 10 days. It was very unnatural for me. In one moment I started to have time to think. A lot of time.

I remember the long expedition to the bar in front of my flat. I really liked that bar.:) I remember that while drinking a coffee and resting, I was looking for some jobs on my laptop. I did not know what to look for.

October 2014

I have met many interesting people in my life but then I was thinking about few guys that were on the Spanish Polar Station. It was some time ago, but since then the idea of the cold adventure was in my mind.

Spain has 2 polar bases in Anatarctica and they are open during the summer period.

From the stories that my father was telling me when I was a small girl I remembered that we have The Arctowski Station. So… since I am Polish and I want cold adventure, why not to apply to Arctowski Polar Station? 

So then I was investigating. But for Arctowski was already too late. The expedition already started and there were not currently looking for a new crew. But on Arctowski webpage I found Hornsund, Polish Polar Station and it was the time when new jobs had appeared.

I needed to think. 

Hornsund… hmmm not like Spanish stations, that one is permanet. It is 77 N and that means 3,5 months of polar night, Arctowski is 63 S so there is not polar night at all (the polar night is above/under polar circuits N and S, respectively). It is ubicated in the Arctic, not Antartic, so instead of pinguins there are polar bears and everyone needs to have weapon.   

All the idea about going to Hornsund seemed for me very exotic and nearly impossible to implement. 

But I did not find other satisying me job. My mind was already in this project although then I was not talking openly about my plans. I needed to reorder things in my life.

I always have more then 2 interesting ideas in my head. Previously, I had some extra expenses and I could not permit to travel around the world or go to Himalayas with my dad (maybe I will go in the future, who knows:) ).

Since I really like to walk and spend time sometimes alone, sometimes with people, I wanted to do this before and now I had time, so it was the time to realize other project- Camino de Santiago.

November 2014

My doctor was looking at me as I were crazy or an idiot when he was checking my leg and I told him that I go to Santiago on foot. The leg was ok but maybe it needed a bit more of rest? Anyway, that time I was a doctor too, not physisian but physisist and I decided to take the risk and for my own responsability go and try to walk. Walk day by day till I can.

So, I have organized the long-time-remembering firewall party. The classic one. With absynth and cards on the table. The most precious in that moment was the warm atmosphere and the feeling that I was surrounded by the people for whom I am important.

I remember, next day i was so so so weak after party…  small hangover.. I will not hide it..  And that day I shared the car Granada- Pamplona and 2 days later started my camino. 11.11 - The Polish Independence Day.

About st. James Road I always want to say more. By now it was the most beautiful experience in my life. I was writing the poor blog when I was walking ( http://wdrodzedosantiago.blogspot.com.es ) and I want to write more. Maybe once I will write some stories that happened on the way.

Now when I mention it my heart and thoughts are still there- somewhere on the way. I have met there amazing people, with whom I could share my life, my experience and my problems. I could learn from them and consult my doubts.

There was one special person. We shared about 10 days of walk. We talked a lot.

He wanted to know more about me and my plans after the road. And I, to be polite and not to say „go away” at the beginning I told him that I am thinking about spending one year at the polar station. Saying this I was not beliving in it, but with time he made me belive that I can do it and that is good for me.

Entire Camino,  more then 700 km, was full of adventure, pain and time spent thinking about next steps in life.

Many times I tried to write my cv and motivation leter, but always I did not have a time.

I found it on the way- Follow your dreams-change your life

Some of my dear people

Everyday walk was everyday fight

I loved to make pics of my legs :D

Entrance to Burgos

December 2014

I have finished my Camino on 6th Dicember, and that was my 26th day of walk. Not so bad considatering some problems with my leg. On the other hand it was not very quick, mean of 27 km/day, but I was never in hurry. That was good. I enjoyed a lot and I was a new person, much more tolerant, equilibred and mentaly stronger then before. Distracted as always.

I needed to come back to Granada, be there at 9th of December to do some papar stuff. It was important. So I could not go to Finistierre. I had to take the bus and other bus and it took about 14 hours to travel from Santiago to Granada. Long way and for me the most tiring day during last month.

But during the way back I had time. So I have written my cv and my motivation leter. I was then so inspierd. I came back to Granada. Did some more things, scanned documents and last possible evening sent all my stuff through free wifi in mc donalds at the bus station. I want to add that the cv was made on the tablet and I did my photo for cv somewhere on camino at the moment that I was very happy (but not pretty ;) )

For Xmas I went home. I took the plain via Germany and spent 1 day with my ex. Suprisingly I could deal with it and even if we were not couple anymore we spent nice evening together.

Galicia <3<3

about more 200 km to walk

700 km in foot :D

Galicia !!!

Galicia !!!

MORE GALICIA!!!

I finish the way with 100% of different people I started the way:)

January 2015

I spent Xmas time at my home town, Wroclaw in Poland. After that time I needed to come back to Spain where I was living for last years. I did not have the job there anymore but I had my friends and unemployment. I was coming back, but since there was not direct connection I went via France.

Exactly one year ago I was my way to Paris. Paris has some indescribable magic. I feel  it every time I am there. But that stay in the city was more special then normaly. I met people I wanted to meet. I again exchanged the energy and taken some extra vitamins.

2 days later, at 7th January I had the next flight to Malaga. I was on my way to the airport and then I had the phone call from Warsaw. I need to mention that I have used the tablet as the phone in the middle of Paris. I was shocked beacuse I was invited for the interview for the polar expedition. I was walking in the shock state on Avenue des Champs-Élysées. When I was close to Arc di Triumph instead of just going along the monument I did a circuit and had not realized it. Instead of crossing 6 streets, I crossed 6+ 12.

I did not know what to do. I had the flight in few hours. I continued throuh The Avenue de la Grande Armée till the end and stayed at the shop center. I reserved the flight back to Poland in 2 days, because it was senseless going to Spain since I had the interwiev in 1 week. I gained 2 more days in Paris. Unfortunately when I stayed in Paris for 4 days there were terrorist attacks for 3 days. That situation made me really sad because Paris is so beautiful city and that is the pity they have so many problems. 

I went to Louvre and was admiring the beautiful art since maybe I was supposed to stay 1 year far far away from museums. It had much more taste than normaly. I was contemplating the paintings knowing that maybe I will not experience it for a long time. Louvre gave me some cultural satisfaction. Again, Paris has someting. Sometimes I am dreaming of going there for the weekend.

5 days later I was in Warsaw and I had the interwiev. It was so crazy that I could not realize that it was real and  therefore I was not stressed. I had the interwiew with 5 people for geophysist position. I was happy how I did it. And even if I were not employed I considered everything a nice experience. 

PARIS!!

and more Paris

PARIS!

More Paris:)

Warsaw by night

Warsaw, going for the interview :)

February 2015

About 6th or 8th they had written to me, personal (sic!!) mail that they had big doubt what to do, but finaly they did not take me. I was sad for one day and later started to look for some other jobs.

It was not effective at all, I started to feel very bad. Health problems. Did not have the force to do normal things. I was very tired after 2-3 hours of reading something at my computer and needed to sleep.

The worst moment was on 14th Febryary, when I lost conciencious twice. It happened in 2-3 seconds and I remember to be very calm. The feeling I had was like taking off the power supply from my head.

Later I was frightened about my health,I think for the first time in my life. I went to the same doctor as with the leg. He made me some tests and gave me the medicine that probably I will take all my life, but with this I am healthy again!!! big wow for this.

March 2015

It took me nearly one month to get well. But I did it. When I was ok then they called me again from Warsaw asking if I would like to work as meteorologist. They knew I was applying for other position but they though I could do other job. The important thing is they wanted me for the winter team!!! hahaha

My boss called me Thursday afternoon, asking me where I am and when I can be in Poland. The same night I bought the flight for Monday. I went to Berlin and from Berlin with car to Wroclaw. On Tuesday morning, after 2h of sleeping I went for medical checks. About 8h of medical checks. 2 days like this, so together about 16h. Specialists from dentist to psychiatrist. All the examinations were very funny and the most important is that the results were very good:)

Then we started to have courses, the ones that I start to describe at the beggining of my blog.

It is very suprising how everything can change just in few months.

February 2016

The story continues. It is nearly the end of the polar night. Time is running fast. I am now far away form my earlier stories. How it will be in the future? I sincerely do not know. It will be different. Now I have a beautiful dog I have to take care about. I hope new opportunities will appear with the time. Always is like this. Just one needs to see them. Now I am looking with more strenght into the future.

Sometimes I ask myself what I have learned here. 

For sure a lot and I can learn more. But the most tricky during the winter at the polar station, in my opinion, is to deal with the same people in really small group, for long period of time. No possibility to escape for the weekend to Paris or Granada:) To be over this and all the time be in good humour sometimes is a big challenge. It is very important to work on the human relations all the time since the human relations are the base of the Polar Base:) For sure I have learned a bit of human behaviour, some diplomacy and a bit more about myself.

We have very good living conditions, from the moment we cook for ourselves we have good food:) I do not miss any food, I do not miss even the Sun. I just miss some people.