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FINAL REFLECTION

During my CAS experience, I could see myself develop time after time I wrote my reflections. I constantly noticed new areas for development and learned a great deal with each endeavour. For example consistency was not my strong side, as I practices many different sports and learned different languages, but now I see my potential in learning French - the strongest of my newly learned. I had to do a lot of work to get to the level of my current understanding. I learned to plan and go through with ideas and activities, and to commit to them. A have developed my skills on working in a group and noticed the benefits that came with it. Finally, when participating in environmental protests I realised the significance of engagement in global issues and to take ethics into account in my actions.

With CAS, I understood what it meant to be an IB student and progressed as a thinking, caring and reflective person, only to name a few. For my CAS experience I mixed sport activities such as running or yoga with language learning for my creative development and contribution to vigilant protests and acts of kindness for my service. I managed to achieve most of my goals - learned a new language and attempted many others (here my fault was in a lack o perseverence), marched in some protests, helped friends and other in need and practiced yoga and jogging in the summer, which improved my agility and generally made me more fit. My only problem was not pulling through with many activities and giving them up after a few months, when I was usually bored or just forgot. I did, however, practice that aspect and became more and more consistent.

I am sure that in the future I will find many opportunities to make use of my newly found abilities, when travelling for one, and when working in groups (which will surely await me in the university). The act of working in a group and creating something as a team for my CAS project was the most impactful of the activities I took part in. It is also my biggest achievement - to be able to provide knowledge and entertainment to my fellow students. My biggest difficulty in CAS was activity, as I didn’t use to be an active person beforehand. Now, I learned to take a run every now and then and to do some yoga for good health. This was extremely difficult for me at first, as I got tired very easily and didn’t want to continue exercising. At the same time, sport became extremely enjoyable and rewarding once I had learned to take it a day at a time. More than any other activity, it gave me happiness and satisfaction. 

Throughout my CAS experience I can notice how much I had developed as a person. I can see from how I acted in the past that I have become much more responsible and consistent in who I am and what I represent, especially due to working in projects with others. I had also realised how self-focused I was, not caring about others and their needs. Service helped me understand how to care for those close and never met before. What changed the most to me, after CAS, is probably how I look at my future. The fact I had managed to do all those things motivates me to continue, and to grow as a person. I hope to go on learning more languages and doing sports as I age, now that I have learned to do so thanks to CAS.

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February

French - As the oral exams approach, I take more and more time with my additional French practice. My aunt, who teaches me, is a very demanding teacher, and to be honest I fear her with all my heart. Before each lesson I tremble in anticipation of how she might judge me in the hour to come. Nevertheless, or maybe thanks to that, I can see a visible improvement both in how I speak and read. I average 80% in the closed section of past finals, but I lack in the writing department. After the orals I will shift my focus to writing, but for now I will continue to polish my speaking.

Carrying wood - With the sudden temperature drop in February my house started to resemble an igloo from the inside. To battle the frost, we decided to put our fireplace to work. We had wood stored at the back of our lot, behind the garage, and I would take multiple trips for it each week. To bring enough wood would usually take me upwards of an hour, and it was quite a tiring chore too. At least I built up some muscles.

Movies - I watched some movies in February, they included „Jojo Rabbit”, „Lost in Translation” and „Uncut Gems”. They turned out to be very important to me. I loved the way that Taika Waititi used visual storytelling to introduce characters to the screen, it was fascinating to notice that I would recognise a character by their shoes. In „Lost in Translation”, a story told without action or deaths pulled me in, and gripped my interest - a genius screenplay executed perfectly, in my opinion. And Safdie brothers’ „Uncut Gems” is now my favourite movie next to „the Big Lebowski”, thanks to its use of interesting dialogue and unmatched suspense.

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January

Attending a vernissage in Cracow - I went to Cracow to see my mother’s new photography exhibition. I don’t have much time to see her works at home, and I had only a few moments to see how she worked on it. It was nice to give each piece of art a minute and appreciate their value. I am very proud to be a child of such a talented photographer.

Skiing with my father - During the winter break me and my father went skiing in Alps, as we do each year. What I noticed this time, is that I no longer have to put that much attention to my style - it sort of comes naturally. I showed a video of myself skiing to my friend Zosia, and she said that I could still work on some aspects, but that generally I ski fine.

Taking photographs with my friend - On the 4th of January I took another trip around the city with my friend. This time we photographed birds, and I managed to snap a nice shot of him tracing them with his camera. It was some good practice in taking photographs quick, and getting everything in the shot. I can see that the photos I take are better each time I put in some work (compare this month’s photo with the one where he’s taking a shot of a squirrel). 

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December

Cutting trees in my front lawn - The snow had still yet to come when I had finished cleaning up the leaves from my garden, and I figured there is still some time to get it in order. In front of my house there are some trees which should be tended before the winter - I don’t always have the time to fix them, but this time I did. In the end, the activity seemed like a waste of time, since little snow has fallen so far, but we’ll see. What I did to the trees was to fix their branches to their trunks, in order that they hold up straight in snowfall.

Iceskating - I went iceskating with some of my friends. I am not an experienced iceskater, so I had a difficult time on the rink. In the end, it was a fair bit of exercise and I learned a new sport.

Cooking dinner for friends - My friend was organising a party at hers and I volunteered to cook for all of us. I am getting better day by day and dish by dish, everybody enjoyed the meal. An interesting thought occurred to me - how me and my friend would keep all our kitchen-stuff like knives or such in fairly similar places, in spite of owning different sets of drawers and having a different kitchen setup.

Learning Bridge - My grandparents taught me bridge when I was younger (probably about 5 years ago) and I managed to forget most of it, so the first chance I got I decided to practice. After a few games I had refreshed my memory and I can proudly say that the card game of Bridge holds no secrets against me. Only that no-one else whom I know plays it.

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November

Photography - We bought our friend a camera for his birthday, and me and him went to Kościszko Park to take some photos, some of which would include myself in front of a tree or a building (we later went to the city to immortalise some architecture). This happened two times this month, on the 6th and 17th. One of my favourite moments was was we were approached by a squirrel - I managed to get a shot in the moment my friend took a picture of it. The art of photography is quite difficult - getting the right shot at the right time - but I think some of the ones we took were nice.

Cleaning up my back yard - As winter approaches, the time comes to rake the leaves in the garden, so that they don’t rot when the snow falls. Since I have been disregarding this duty for some time now, the task was quite tiring. Each weekend this month I would rake for an hour or two, and only by the end of November would all the leaves be taken care of. Since schoolwork was exhausting this month, tending the garden was a good way to blow some steam off and exercise a fair bit.

Organising Andrzejki at school - I organised the St. Andrew’s day at school with my friends Zosia and Weronika. Me and Zosia had a fortune-telling stand and the event taught me teamwork and improved my organisational skills. 

Helping my friends to manage a party (Bankiet V sił) - On the 30th I volunteered to help my friends with managing a party for five schools called Bankiet V Sił (the V Forces Banquet). We sold tickets, let people in and made sure they were having fun. After a long night, the organisers made some profit and I, as a volunteer, gained useful experience and had a fun time talking to my friends.

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October

Cooking crisps - I’ve been cooking for friends and exercise for some time now, but I always do the same stuff. This time I wanted to try my hand at something different, and a sudden craving for crisps guided my to my next food choice.They were not very difficult to make in the end, and although they look terrible on the photo I enjoyed them quite a bit. Throughout October I would make some more of them for friends and myself, and with each attempt they turned out more and more eatable. 

Catching criminals - On the 26th of October (weekend) I took a morning stroll with a friend of mine, with intent to visit a park in Piotrowice, to which we had never gone before. It was some tie past 11 in the morning if I recall correctly, generally it was a nice, bright day - no wind or rain or cloudy skies. As made our way down the stair at the entrance to the park we were approached by two men who sat at the top with their buddy. One of them, with a beer can in his hand, asked us for our phones. When we explained we meant no trouble and that we didn’t have our phones (which was a lie) he settled on all the money we could give him (a measly 6zł from my friends pocket). At the end, he pretended to attempt to hit us but let us walk away, scarred only by a memory of the incident. As we walked deeper into the park, still shaken by the incident, a bright idea conjured up in my mind - Shouldn’t we call the police? - I suggested. After a brief exchange of arguments for and against we decided to abide our civil duty and rid the neighbourhood of these thieves once and for all. We met with the policemen down the street from the park entrance, briefed them and pointed to where we were mugged. The men were gone, but the police looked around and told us they saw someone further down the park’s main path. We approached the area they pointed at from another entrance, and searched for the criminals. Me and my friend recognised them as soon as they made their way out of the bushes - the police approached them and took them away. We filled in some paperwork and the process is ongoing as of now, but I think that the park in Piotrowice is safe for now.

Riding a bike - I rode my bike to keep up my condition. I enjoy this activity and I keep finding new paths in the forest. It is also nice to go to the Kościuszko Park and read a book - a bike helps me get there faster, and it is also a fair distance from my home. 

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September

The March for Equality (Marsz Równości) - On September 7th I participated in a march which supported values of equality and tolerance. It was a fairly long and well-organised event. I was happy to see many people attend and support a cause which I align myself with. It was quite tiring to walk the entire distance, but at the same time fulfilling to see some support for liberal ideas in a conservative country like mine.

French - In September I continued learning French - after not taking a break during the spring break, I was happy to catch up with my friends. I was quite backwards after joining the group late, and I finally see myself reaching the group standard of speaking - which is close to none. We all found our abilities lacking in the face of our new teacher’s expectations. Time for a new, exhausting, balls-to-the-wall attitude in learning.

Climate Strike - On the 20th was the second march I would attend this month - the Climate Strike sparked by Greta Thunberg, taking place all over the world. In Katowice a long line of people walked around the city, subsequently reaching different governmental offices. It ended in front of the Silesian Sejm, with speeches made by the organisers and a friend of mine - journalist Jakub Buksiński.

Kayaking - A cherry on top this month would be the kayaking trip organised my school on the 30th. I made some nice memories making my was down a river with some good friends - it was also quite an exercise for my muscles. I was in a kayak with Janek, a friend of mine with whom I had once searched for a dog that bit me :)

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August

First day of school preparations

I was chosen to be the master of the ceremony for the school opening. I had to write a script with which the teachers would be happy. I managed quite fine, even slipping in a joke about student over saturation after the government’s changes in school curriculum. There would be two times as many students in first classes as last year. The joke went like this:

„For many of us, this is the last year in this school. For many more of us, this is the first year in this school.”

It was a little bit of a stretch, but some people laughed, at least that’s how I remember it (my friend said that the room was silent, which is unfortunately very likely). Nevertheless, we needed some preparation before the main event, so the students who participated on stage (singing, playing an instrument, or announcing - that’s me) met during the vacation break. It is important to note that this was voluntary work - as far as I am aware, no grades were awarded to the organisers.

Cycling

I continued riding to the Kościuszko Park throughout August. It is a very nice place to read, and I enjoy spending time there. Since the trip takes a while, I cycle for about an hour a day in total. The exercise is healthy and justified, since I stay at the park for an hour or two reading, motivates me significantly.

French

I managed to continue my lessons of French throughout the summer vacation. I see significant improvements, and can’t wait to share my new knowledge on lessons at school. I’m also keen on seeing my teacher - Mr. Fordham again. I hope I can show him how I have improved.

Shooting

When I have the time I go to my back yard and shoot at cans. It’s boring by myself, but a friend often joins me. I enjoy this sport - especially the competition when we are both trying to hit most of the targets. I also notice a pattern of improvement the more I practice.

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JULY

Running

I had taken up running last month. I usually take a path down into the forrest, up to the old train tracks and back again. It is very tiring, but each time I can make it a little bit further. Sometimes I will be tired earlier then before, say 3/4 of the way I already start grasping for air, but then I feel challenged to beat my best and still manage to do it. It’s tough, demanding, but very enjoyable for me. I am very happy when I make it back home, almost proud of myself. I also keep on losing weight and feel better about my body.

Shooting

On the 4th of July me and my best friend met at my house. We decided to make use of my airgun again. Our skills had improved even more this time. We did not realise at the time we started that it was the Independence Day in the US. It was quite funny to notice that, when doing such an american this as shooting at cans - we reminded cowboys in the wild west. I went back home for my American flag and we put on some 60s classics. It was time very well spent - I like doing sport with others.

Cycling

Me and my father went cycling. We try to cycle any chance we get. Its good for health and a quality time overall. I had a blast and lost some weight again. Overall, I am doing a lot of sports this month and it’s very healthy for me.

French

I managed to keep my promise about French language lessons in summer. I continue meeting with my aunt. I see great improvements in my reading and understanding. My pronunciation is also improving significantly.

Berlin

The only time I left Poland these vacations so far was with my father to Germany. We went sightseeing in Berlin, then to some small Polish cities near the border. It expanded my understanding of life in western Europe, and in different areas in Poland. I was surprised to see a vegan restaurant chain in Zielona Góra, Legnica and other cities on the way. I am happy to see veganism gain on popularity in my country. In Berlin however, it was quite difficult to find a place to eat - we had to walk a bit. The architecture was beautiful and the history fascinating. I hope someday I will visit Berlin again, I seem to like this city.

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JUNE

Rialto quartet concert

I went to the quartet concert with my mother and grandfather. It was fun, although I did not enjoy it as much as I usually do. In some aspects the depth of the music was lacking. I think I am spoiled by concerts in NOSPR, which have entire orchestras and world-renown professionals playing. Nevertheless it was worth my time to expand on my musical knowledge.

Sport - running, cycling, shooting

In June I decided to devote myself to doing sports. I had taken up running. I run once a day in the evening, and come back home in an hour as the sun comes down. It is very nice - I realised that I long to be a part of some group, and I find great pleasure in waving to other runners. It creates a very nice atmosphere, and it feels nice to be a part of a group activity of running in a forest, while remaining an individual by choosing my own path.

I went cycling with my father, I enjoy cycling more and more each time I go - it reminds me of when I was young an would go with my dad a couple times a week. I notice myself loosing more and more weight as I do sports this month.

I also cycle to get to the Kościuszko Park to read books there. It is very warm and nice, and the birds sing. (this month’s photo is from one of such trips, on the way to the park near Brynów)

Me and my best friend went shooting with an airgun. We set up a couple tin cans on the grass and shot at them. We had much fun for a couple of hours, and my aim got significantly better as they had passed.

Learning French

I decided to continue my French lessons in the summer. I wanted to stay home on holiday, and since I would spend most of my time learning anyway, I had made the choice to continue my lessons in the two months to come. I notice my language improving more and more over time, and I am very happy about my improvements.

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MAY

Cooking 

I decided to cook some stuff for my friends. They liked it, but I can’t say I discovered a culinary genius in myself. I have to learn some better cooking, since I have been vegan since the beginning of the year, and I feel a certain expertise in this field is expected from me. Time will show whether I will improve.

Cycling some more

I decided to do some sport, and went cycling with my father again. We talked a little and had fun a lot. I haven’t cycled for a while, so it was very fun to go back. Again, I see the improvement I make in this sport each time I sit on a bike. Narrow turns were always my problem, but I can see it going away if I sit on a bike a couple more times this season.

Riding Horses

I always wanted to learn how to ride horses, and I already had some experience riding with my father and his wife - so when a chance arose to go on a two-day trip with Zosia I jumped on it. It was challenging, but my horse was very supportive and I think we really had a good connection. It liked stop and eat, and it made it difficult to control, but then again - who doesn’t? I wasn’t sure if I would manage a whole two-hour journey through Bieszczady on horseback, however it turned out to be possible - and fun! I hope I will get a chance again someday to improve my horse riding skills, and maybe - just maybe - become a knight, cowboy or a horseback policeman, like in the movie „Madagascar”, or real life anarchist protests on TV. Or like Indiana Jones in „Raiders of the Lost Arc”, which is one of my favourite movies next to „Big Fish” and Sorrentino’s „Loro” (the latter two feature no significant horses to my recollection).

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APRIL

School Strikes

During the school strikes I managed to attend some - organised both by organisations and students. I gave an interview to the press on my position to what is happening in the country. I am very unhappy about what has been happening in Poland the past few years. The unfair way in in which the teachers are treated is disgusting. I wish that someday I will be able to change that. Nevertheless, I am very happy that I could somehow contribute to the statements made in those protests. 

French

I continue learning French day by day, week after week. I can see my improvements, and I can see where I could still improve. I also see the difference when I learn more, and when I lean back on French for a week. I am happy that I managed to stay consistent on this weekly basis at least. It is doing wonders for my language skills.

Self-understanding workshop

I attended a self-understanding workshop to better understand myself, and because it was organised by my father. Nevertheless, I participated like any other attendee, and I DO understand myself better now. It was a very interesting and provoking experience. A very personal one for that matter, pardon me but I’d rather keep most of it to myself. For the good of the IB programme, my word has to be taken a proof (or my fathers, for that matter).

Rzabka concert

It was a very active experience. It was hosted in a local far to small to fit all of the music connoisseurs, so some of the long stored water in my body left to never join me again. No new perspectives on classical music were seen, in contrary to the nospr endeavours, I did however get a better view at some social groups connected with rap. For my own good I took no drugs, which might have made my experience different from the rest to the club.

The Yoga comeback P.3

I continue going to yoga going to yoga, though some of the classes had to be skipped due to the school year’s end. I can still see the great improvements clearly, and I find it more and more fun to attend.

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MARCH

Kulturalnie 2 end

Since Kulturalne 2 was coming to an end, I could not miss the final meeting! It was set where the first one of the first edition took place. I enjoyed it and listened thoroughly, even managing to get a prize book when I answered a question to the audience. It again gave me perspective on how much has changed since it was me and my group making the project happen. One of the lectures compared the stories told in books to the stories on film. It definitely set put some positions on my to-read and to-watch list. I am happy to have broadened my understanding of these medias. Kulturalnie fulfilled its purpose again, since after these lectures, I felt culturally educated.

The Yoga Comeback P.2

My yoga comeback is going so far so well. I try not to miss any classes, and I get better and better in all of the positions. Meditation was also going great, however, the most recent session made me confused and unwell. For some reason, the amount of things on my head just collapsed in on itself. It felt uncomfortable and I did not enjoy it in the end. The sport side of yoga, on the other side is positive. I am looking forward to the lessons in April.

Cycling

We went cycling with my father. I like cycling. I was better at cycling then before. There was much improvement. I hope I get some chance to go cycling again. 

Mushroom-picking

We went mushroom picking with Zosia. We picked some mushrooms, but it was far too much trouble to be worth it. We spent most time walking around the forest, and the greatest profits were the health benefits of fresh air and exercise. Hopefully though, we will be able to cook something delicious out of them.

LANGUAGES - French, Italian (practice on Duolingo)

I continually learn French with my aunt. I see enormous improvements in my speaking, spelling especially. I also understand the basic times and nouns and verbs better and I can generally say a couple words, although I still spend most of the time thinking.

When we went to Italy with my father, I decided to use the chance to learn some local language. I used the duolingo app and some other internet helps to get a grasp of Italian. I didn’t learn enough to converse, but I understand some basic verbs and a couple nouns. I enjoyed Italian a lot and I think I will go back to learning it next winter holiday.

The Fredericks GALA

The Fredericks were another NOSPR concert to broaden my musical tastes. They included a few concerts and giving out prizes for good musicians. I saw some famous composers. Time and time again, NOSPR gives me so much knowledge about music! It was great for my creativity regarding music, and my understanding of how to enjoy it.

Morse’ing - cold water dipping

We went cold water dipping (which we call Morse’ing). It was extremely cold, but also very healthy. It’s a great sport. I wish I could go morse’ing more often. It’s great for health and burns calories. I hope to do it next season at least once again!

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FEBRUARY

Concerts

In February I attended the Presidential Carnival Concert. We went there with Zosia and had lots of fun. Many great artists performed. It was again a great chance to broaden my views on music, mostly classical in this case. We also had great places - right at the front, because we covered for some officials from Katowice Miasto Ogrodów. It meant a lot for my creative side to participate in Katowice’s culture of music in such a monumental moment.

A painting for my Father

My father’s birthday is on the 10th of February. Last year I promised him a painting, and I finally delivered on this promise. I didn’t paint for a long time, and it was harder than I expected. I did, however, have a lot of fun while doing it. I want to take up painting when I have more time. It is fun to do such creative things, and practice my skills in arts.

Skiing more

After practicing last month, the time finally came for a longer venture into the alps. I went with my father on a SportVita trip. It was harder at first, but I soon got used to the familiar feeling of zooming through the snow. I had a splendid time, and saw great improvement in my skiing skills both in relation to January and last year.

The Yoga Comeback P.1

I decided to do yoga again. My father and his wife host classes, and I go there with Zosia. We do yoga for an hour and a half, and then meditate for an hour. It is all very fun, but I find myself starting from square one in comparison to last years’ endeavours. Throughout the month I saw some improvements, and I think I’m far from the worst in class. I am looking forward to how I will do in the long run, and I plan to make yoga my #1 sport.

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JANUARY

Languages - DECEMBER, JANUARY

French - learning French is very interesting. I have never been so focused on learning a language before, not since English in primary school. I have tried learning German and Spanish before, but never treated it as seriously as English (and now French). It’s a difficult language - especially in reading, but once I had learned how to read certain vowels, it became easier. There is still a monumental way for me to go, and I hope that I won’t loose determination as I go. The first month of learning French is going fine so far - my aunt, who lives in france and gives me lessons, is very demanding and scary, but this mostly serves as a motivation.

Russian - I learned to read Russian letters when on vacation in Bulgaria, by practicing on signs, menus etc. I wanted to refurnish my knowledge by using small post-it notes. Russian is similar to polish, and if I am able to know some of the words, I will be able to understand most of it. This is my goal.

German - I had learned German already for three years, with little effort. I do, however, understand the language quite well, and I believe that if I ever sit down to it - I will speak basic German. I have recently found a book for self-learning German. It has all the rules etc. in on less than 200 pages. It fits in my pocket and I try to have it near me at all times - if I have a moment on the bus or waiting for a lesson, I will read it a little.

Spanish - I had learned Spanish for a year, with the incentive to speak it fluently by the said year ends. I did not manage in the end, but I had a taste of it. I will use post-it notes to refresh my knowledge of the words in Spanish. Once I can speak French and decide to move on back to learning Spanish, I will have already had many words revised.

Kulturalnie 2

Yesteryear I have worked on the Kulturalnie project - a series of meetings with people of great cultural knowledge. 

This year, the second edition was organised by students chosen by us, the previous organisers. It was great to see our idea followed by future ib students. The lecturers and the venue were amazing, a step up from the previous edition. The event gave me a chance to look back at when we had worked on it. I myself had made many mistakes when organising it, and had a fallout with some of my friends. I hope no such thing had happened in the new team. The lectures were on history of my region and TV personality. It broadened my understanding of Silesian culture, and on how the television works as a medium. I have taken a lot out of the two hours spent there.

Going skiing with my father

I went skiing with my father to get myself ready for out trip to Italy in February. We skid for a couple hours and went back home. It was very good exercise, I can see the improvements I have made throughout the past few years. It was also nice to spend time with my father. We talked about some due topics, and generally had a good time. I am looking forward to the winter holiday, I wander how I will do in Italy.

WOŚP

On the 13th of January, me and my friend Zosia were saving money for Christmas Help Orchestra, a Polish charity organisation. We served together as volunteers, and decided to commit to one donation box to gather a larger sum. We walked around the Katowice city center and started going south, when some kind elders in Brynów told us of a good spot in the Kościuszko Park. It was a goldmine - many people were just leaving church then, and were very eager to help. In the evening we exhaustedly travelled back north to give back our donation boxes. It took us a whole day of hard work, but it was fun and felt good - we knew we were doing this for a greater good. Overall, WOŚP was a very rich experience.

The MICKIEWICZ CHARITY CONCERT

In January I had also participated in a Charity Concert organised by my school. Other than being a great evening culture wise, it was also an exciting one. An auction took place in order to gather money for a sick child. I decided to spend some cash I have made while working in the US, and bought a four eyes meeting with one of the teachers for 200zł, and cold water dipping with another for 50zł. It felt great to help people in need, and, in the end, I wouldn't need and of the things I got for the money if I was left the satisfaction of doing something good.

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DECEMBER

COP translating for Australians

In December 2018, the COP24 UN organised event took place in Katowice. It was a big deal all around the city - there were many more policemen, all shops and stores were promoting themselves by proving eco-friendly and there was a large risk of terrorist attacks - our legitimations were checked before entering the school. 

I was sent by my school on the 7th of December to translate for Australian delegates, who would go around Silesian kindergartens to teach the young about different animals and the dangerous effects of climate change and bad air quality.

Translating was very fun, and a help for me in learning the language. It went very well and I didn’t make any mistakes - the Australians and the teacher who went with us (me and the other translator) were very happy with the help I provided. 

I wondered, whether I shouldn’t work as a translator when I grow up. It seems to be a fun job, and I felt confident about doing it. In the end, I wouldn’t want it to be my final line of work, but as a way of making some money for studying or paying rent, it seems like a good way to start. I hope that if another occasion arises, my school will choose me again to work as a voluntary translator.

Refreshing  my German

I had learned German already for three years, with little effort. I do, however, understand the language quite well, and I believe that if I ever sit down to it - I will speak basic German. I have recently found a book for self-learning German. It has all the rules etc. in on less than 200 pages. It fits in my pocket and I try to have it near me at all times - if I have a moment on the bus or waiting for a lesson, I will read it a little.

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NOVEMBER

Pharoah Sanders Quartet concert (2 XI)

On the second of November I was given a chance to listen to a Jazz maestro, Pharaoh Sanders and his quartet. It was a great experience - the old man would dictate the tempo for his friends, it was clear that he was in charge. He would walk around at points, to show the sound crew how high he wanted each instrument to be played. It was funny to see him move his hands around to resemble a piano or a trumpet. This made me see how little can age impact a healthy man, if he never looses his spirit. Sanders, at his old age, was in full control on the stage, and he was mesmerising everyone in the audience with positive energy and beautiful music. I hope I age as well as he did. It also made me see how treating things lightly can broaden the enjoyment in them. I tried to apply Mr. Pharoahs attitude ever since and the concert meant a lot both for my understanding of music (I fell in love with jazz) and my attitude on life.

Metropolia Młodych - BYTOM 24 XI 2018

On November 24th I have participated in my second meeting with the Metropolia Młodych event, organised by the Instytut Rozdzieńskiego. It was especially interesting, since it gave me a chance to confront real politicians on the issues I face with how the metropolis I live in works. Talking to them, and discussing different problems of the Silesian region really opened my mind to the many perspectives on them. Many of other participants were facing similar difficulties (such as the public transport), and we each had our way of dealing with them. Another thing was the knowledge - I now better understand why things work the way they work. I see the difficulties of managing the public transport, and problems of smaller Silesian cities, such as the sleepover-city issue. 

It was a pleasure to take part in this, and I later reflected on how to improve my own local area. I hope I had also helped the representative politicians with some of my own ideas.

MY YOGA ENDEAVOURS P.3

November - Unfortunately the yoga classes no longer work well with my school schedule. I will have to give them up for now, however I hope that I will find an alternative soon. My health has greatly improved, and I hope it will stay so.