 I have never been to the USA. I have experienced the country through its people. I believe that the people reflect what the states are like - diverse, expansive, and hospitable. In today's episode, Ola takes us on her trip to Florida. Let's delve into her experiences. All the images used in this post have been sourced from Ola's private collection. Feel free to click on them to enlarge. Season 2, Episode 1 The one where Ola tells us about the Florida vibe  Agnieszka: Hello Ola, thank you for joining us today. I heard you recently took a trip to the USA. Could you tell us about your experience? Ola: Hello Agnieszka, thank you for having me. Yes, I had an amazing trip to the USA, visiting the Bahamas, Miami, and the Kennedy Space Centre.  Agnieszka: That sounds fascinating! Let's start with the Bahamas. What were some of the highlights of your time there? Ola: The Bahamas was absolutely stunning. The ocean with its beautiful colours and the pristine beaches were the most memorable aspects for me. But one thing that stood out was the opportunity to see a big ship used for ocean crossings. It was fascinating to see how these ships, which seemed small from a distance, turned out to be extremely big when you got closer.
 Agnieszka: Moving on to Miami, what were your impressions of the city and Miami Beach? Ola: Miami was quite different from the Bahamas. The city had impressive tall buildings and a lively atmosphere. Miami Beach offered breathtaking views of the ocean, and I was lucky to witness both sunrises and sunsets. I also discovered amazing art paintings and murals in certain parts of the city, created by 60 different painters. Agnieszka: It sounds like you had a diverse range of experiences in Miami. Did you have any favourite spots or activities in the city? Ola: One of my favourite spots was an American-style restaurant that had a nostalgic atmosphere, just like the ones you see in movies. It had always been my dream to be in such a typical American restaurant with booths, and it felt like a step back in time. Another interesting sight was a building shaped like a guitar, which was quite captivating. As for activities, exploring the Kennedy Space Centre was both educational and emotional. Seeing real rockets and learning about space exploration history was truly fascinating.
 Agnieszka: One last question. Can you tell me about the estate where you stayed in Tampa? Ola: Sure! The estate I stayed at in Tampa was absolutely charming. It was a typical American house with a small swimming pool and a cosy atmosphere. The neighbourhood was picturesque, with narrow streets and numerous houses, each featuring spacious garages. It felt like being part of a movie scene. 
 We thank Ola for sharing her experience. Please leave a sign of your presence in the comments section below.
Also, if you feel you would like to share your experience, passion or hobby in an interview just drop me a line. You know how much I will appreciate that.
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 When I first came across the concept of an icon I must say that I was more than skeptical about it. Years later, a friend of mine presented me with one which I displayed on a wall in my living room. One the one hand, there was something incredibly appealing in this form of art. One the other, something that scared me a bit. Now, I love icons and I am so pleased that in this interview Darek will tell you more about his passion for icons. I am leaving the comments section open this time. Please feel free to share your thoughts with us or just let us know you've enjoyed the read. Thank you! Episode 2 - The one where Darek tells us about icons.  Why have you become interested in icons?  I started to be interested in the icon in college. I met a professor who knew the subject of the Christian East very well, and the icon is associated with the East. In addition, I was interested in painting myself, because my mother is an art restorer and there were always a lot of oil paints, turpentine and paintings at home. In addition, I noticed that the icon represents Christian theology with the use of colours, shapes and visual forms suitable for our pictorial era. I devoted my master's thesis to Trinitarian theology presented in the famous icon of Rublev. You know, I'm a priest now, a professor at the university, but even in the usual teaching in the parish, the icon helps me whenever a complicated dogmatic formulas have to be expressed with words.  What are the aesthetic/technical rules that define the icon? How are icons different from other forms of paintings?  The icon uses a specific language of symbols, strictly subordinated to theology. It can be said that everything in the icon is symbolic. The board on which the icon is painted evokes the symbolism of the paradise tree and the cross tree on which Christ died. The canvas glued on the board resembles the scarf that Jesus offered to King Abgar of Edessa, who recovered thanks to it. This is a legend not known very well in the West. Hence, each icon has healing powers. Then you apply 12 layers of chalk-glue mortar to honour the 12 Apostles. Each layer must dry for at least 1 day. There is a special set of ritual prayers for each activity. A board prepared this way is the background. Then you stick gold flakes that symbolize the divinity in which the holy figure is immersed. Then layers are painted, starting from the darkest to the lighter ones, just like God did, when he created the world from darkness and light came into existence, Icons are usually painted with natural materials, pigments made of earth, minerals, rocks. The binder (medium) is made of mass wine and chicken egg yolks. The classic icon represents tempera painting, this technique is rarely used today, it is characteristic for the Middle Ages and survived mainly in the Byzantine East. In addition, the icon is subject to Church law: no one can paint icons in a different way. It all distinguishes the icon from other forms of painting.  What makes icons so popular even among people who do not identify with Christianity? Spirituality. In the technical world, people miss a certain spiritual depth, meaning. They do not understand, and often do not like Christianity. They do not fully engage in any religion (Buddhism, Christianity, Islam), and at the same time they see some attractive elements in each. For such people, icons are just as attractive as a Buddha statuette or Islamic arabesques. Many people "sense" their spiritual character, different from their technical and economic reality. Spirituality, depth, sense, mystery - it all attracts us, that's how we are constructed. We have a desire to be connected to something greater than just working, giving birth, eating, excreting, holidaying and ending in the grave. We feel that the icon is communicating to us that there is something more above this surface of visible reality.  What is your favourite icon? “Anastasis”. This is the icon of Christ's Descent to the Abyss and Resurrection at the same time. It is an icon which, through an image, shows to the world the conviction that ultimately Life, Goodness, Truth, Beauty and Love win. It embodies Christ. Everything we miss.   When Basia told me about her involvement in a cooperative I was really excited. The whole idea is very close to my own heart and something definitely worth educating people about. I do hope you will find the interview and the idea interesting. I am leaving the comments section open this time. Please feel free to share your thoughts with us or just let us know you've enjoyed the read. Thank you! Episode 1 - The one where Basia tells us about a cooperative.
How long have you been involved in that? I have been involved for over 2 years. What made you interested in it? I’m a mother of two and when I had my first child, I started to think about what I wanted to feed him with. Unfortunately, at that time there wasn’t a lot of organic food in supermarkets and there was only one organic shop in my city which was extremely expensive for me. I started to search for alternatives, after two years somebody began a food cooperative in my city (thank you Wiola!). I joined our cooperative in the first six months and the beginnings were exciting. It was a new chapter in my life, now I am so much more conscious of my consumer decisions and I do appreciate this knowledge every day. Sometimes we forget that we can vote for changes with our wallet and the way how we spend our money. I believe this is the power which we should use intentionally.
All the photos in the post come from Basia's private collection. All rights reserved.
 It goes without saying that when you are a teacher you are able to meet a lot of people. If you are lucky, your students can share great stories with you, tell you about amazing places and experiences, offer you useful tips on how to do something - starting from cooking a delicious risotto ending up with an innovative way of changing a tire in your car.
I think that in a way I have been blessed with an abundance of such stories and anecdotes, advice, strong opinions, recommendations, dos and don’ts -you name it. And … I thought that I would like to give you a glimpse of some of them. That’s why I am presenting - the one and only- Interviews with my students. In English, but not necessarily about English. Season 1, Episode 1 - The one where Basia tells us about a cooperative coming soon! |
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