How to forget the paradise?

What a change of reality! In great rush, facing many financial and logistic obstacles I managed to organise my return from the depths of the Dark Land as the contry of Kenya was rapidly closing the borders for all the flights which I got to know one day before it happened. Now I am starting my two weeks quarantine. Three days ago I was still enjoying the heat of equatorial sun, eating sweet mangos and greeting smiling people on the streets...

view from the pick of Mfangano Island on the mainland of Kenya

There is many stories and facts from the teaching experiences and island adventures that I will be telling you in next days, so thay tuned! 

For now, as I am still adapting to the feeling of being at home, I can easily bring back the memories of omnipresent nature on the Mfangano Island where I spend the last three weeks. Let me describe you the uniqueness of this quite isolated place in the western part of the Lake Victoria. 

Mfangano Island seen from the waterbus

The main thing you notice from the first step made on its ground is the peace among people, so common for the island life. From the first step you feel the difference in the air which is much cleaner and lighter than on the mainland, because due to the fact there is no hard roads - there is almost no cars. Only some oldschool motorbikes decorated colorfully in african style by their owners are driving on bumpu and rocky roads. From the first step you can not ignore the coexistance of humans and animals which is stronger than on the mainland. Mfangano is inhabited by mixture of Luo and Suba tribes. In their culture having cattle is a tradition and still it's quantity says about your wealth. Therefore, families keep many cows, donkeys and goats on their properties, but as most of the poeple can not afford fences around their land, the animals are just walking freely around the island. Another reason is - a free cow is a happy cow that gives happy milk. You can meet groups of them lying along the roads, on the roads also, passing in front of your door, gathering in your yard. And what was beautiful for me - everyone is fine with that, no one is getting nervous at them (but if they start to eat your crops... Oh, they better run away before farmers catch them!).

The part of the island life that made me fall in love in it with all my heart and will never let me forget it were THE SOUNDS. The lack of cars, factories, commercials and TVs created perfect space for all the cute bird and bug trills to be heard in their full power. There is 350 spieces of birds on the island and I assure you that during the day you could hear at least half of it if you listen carefuly. Some of the sounds were similar to the bird's songs that I know, but some where like from a fairytale. The multitude of sounds makes you shiver. Every now and then you can hear a new, delightful singing. After few days, you can easily recognize individual birds and choose your favourite one, whose melody will cause a smile and a feeling that this paradise is more and more your home. There is no silence on Mfangano. The nature orchestra is playing its sypmhony all day with specific parts at specific times of the day. Around 5 a.m. you can hear first rooster crowing, which begins the morning concert of joy welcoming the rising sun.  The dawn hours are the loudest and most lively during the day. The twittering of birds combines with cows mooing and goats bleating. What was extremely funny to hear - some of the goats' sounds seemed like children crying for help, or old men screaming or drunk guy trying to pronounce incomprehensible words. Until the dusk you could enjoy those soothing notes, letting them pet your ears and heart. With the sunset there was a change of the band. Some birds were falling asleep being replaced by the night singers. Frogs would croak loudly trying to drown out the cricketing of crickets. The lake surrounding the island was gently and rhythmically sending it's waves to cool our minds before floating into the land of dreams. And again, the next day you would be awakened by a rooster getting up early from the bed. The daily concert would begin and all the people on the island would slowly start their everyday routines with theirs souls getting pleasure from this wonderful soundrack of life.

fichermans waiting to start their work

The bush and forest on Mfangano seems like there was a bomb with lush greenery that blew up and covered each part of the land with fastly growing palm trees and grass, aloes, cactus, custard apple trees, banana trees, huge fern and many other types of trees that I couldn't even recognize. They all tangle with each other creating a perfect place for some humans to build their clay houses in a secure, covered from the sun and strangers areas. There a family can have their peaceful life, vegetable-rich garden, space for keeping the cattle that from time to time comes back home, just to visit,  because there is plenty of food wherever they go.    

Mfangano stole my heart with it's simplicity of the way of living, joy and kindness of people and the nature that gives a strong friendly hug which reminds that this environment if where we came from and this is where our souls and minds feel safe and at home. Even thought my conditions at home are so different from the ones on the island, on Mfangano is where I found inner peace and felt connected again, brought back a primal understanding of living with the nature, taking care of it, fighting with it, accepting it's force and managing to survive. 

Although, except the beauty of nature there are many troubles that people on the island have to deal with. I will tell in my next post about the everyday life of Suba and Luo people that I was lucky to experience.

Living on the island made me understand how much we need beauty in our lives. That by surrounding ourselves with natural beauty we make it easier to awaken the beauty we have within. Everyone has it. Everyone has their own. Some of us already found its source and a way to refill it. Some are still searching.

Wherever you are, try to find a way of bringing the beauty around, May it help you smile to yourself because of simply enjoying the moment :)  For me, as I am now closed in the apartment, it would be playing some nature sounds that will fill the silence of the four walls and a city where the spring is just slowly starting.

Here you have a link to a short and old movie about some birds of Mfangano and you can hear the traditional Abusuba language: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93Mmz0a55yI

And here is a website where you can create your own life soundtrack: https://mynoise.net/

Clowning for smile - Nairobi Hospital Project

        One of the most touching parts of our Performers Without Borders project was for sure each visit in the Jomo Kenyatta Hospital. As a child I've spend months in different hospitals having different health issues. Now I felt like I can take part in giving back some joy to those suffering children. 

           Our task was to walk around rooms with songs on our mouth, gather the youth for the show that some incredible clowns from "Smiles for change" prepared, in which we also took part and visit the burn unit. There were waiting for some time of laughs the ones that couldn't leave their rooms. 

Some of the hospital and "Smiles for change" staff

The work in hospital is filled with dualities. On one side there is US - colorful, laughing, doing circus tricks and smiling at every one around. For being the Rainbow Creatures we get applause and smiles back. And we know exactly why we are there. To give a Little bit of sparkle to the ones that are struggling for years with catastrophies, unfortunate accidents, powerlessness and exhaustion. They get from us a tiny shot of endorfines that are being kept asleep because of the serious conditions. They stay frozen in the corner of the mouth and in tired eyes without seeing a purpose of releasing themselves. Thanks to us, there might be an explosion of happiness hormones that brings a laughing relaxation. Laughter is precious, cause it helps to survive the hardest times. 

Arts&craft activity

On the other side - those CHILDREN. With scars all over their faces and necks, covered with bandages after burns, stuffed with medicaments until numbness, with blown bellys in which fearlessly grows deadly cancer. There is a fog of sickness, sadness, hopelessness and a huge hope at the same time. A hope in parents of this adorable, loving being that in some cases have just been born, that has all the life filled with possibilities. A hope that the light might shine for him that would brighten the labyrinth of future. But a parent that keeps feeding himself with those hopes, everyday sees suffering and deteriorating conditions of his sunshine. The death of other children whose voices just yesterday were resounding from over-packed rooms, from between beds surrounded with machines, pipes and sweaty bedsheets. And this parent despite the doubts has to be strong for his Child and assure everyday, support and encourage to live, convince that constant suffering makes sense, that it is worth living, because maybe one Day it will pass. How difficult is persistence between terrifying truth, uncertain future and shy but strong hope ?

This is why we did our Best to give all of them some safe space to forget even for few minutes about their worries. It was extremely rewarding to see children engaged in the dance, laughing at clowning gags and being amazed with Magic tricks. Sometimes with a glimpse of an eye we could see a parent crying silently somewhere in the corner of the room. Maybe from joy of Seeing his Child happy, maybe just taking advantage of few minutes on his own. Either way, crying is cleansing and they need it for sure...

 The experience of clowning in hospitals had a huge impact on my emotional resistance and ability of seeing good parts of any situation. I was also delighted to work with some local clowns from "Smiles for change" organisation. It is heartwarming to know that the Children have constant dose of joy brought each week by very talented and professional artists.

Remeber how important it is to appreciate each healthy moment of your life and never forget to smile to the ones that you Love <3

Here you can get to know more about Hospital Clowning in Nairobi from its source:

https://sarakasi.org/programmes/smiles-for-change/

Don't be worried, be human

         Going out of your comfort zone gives  the opportunity to find human beings so diverse that it would be hard to just get to know them while walking the street or ordering a smoothie in your home town. Especially that talking to strangers in some places seems inappropriate...

   However, when you are in a travelling mode, new friendships happen by themselves. "Your vibe attracts your tribe" as they say. I was extremely lucky to meet in Kenya two soulmates that showed me even more of how easy it can be to spread smiles around by being open to any person that you meet.

With Benja, watching stunning view on Hell's Gate gorge

           Before coming to Africa I had to listen to many warnings that made me feel quite stressed. I couldn't imagine myself travelling and not getting into conversations with people on the street. I was wondering: How will I get to know the country if I am not allowed to meet with locals because I am a girl, white and tiny and have no self-defense skills? It made me really anxious.
         And then the universe put me in one apartment for 6 weeks with Danni and Benja who made my worries disappear with their lovely laughs and loud way of speaking.
         Wherever we went, they were acting like they were friends with all the traders at the market, staff in hotels, people in matatu. I have to admit, some locals are very friendly but some of them look at us - wazungu - as if they would like to kill us or at least torture for hours or they just seems extremely tired with life. Even with them my friends could create a close relation by simply showing them attention, throw some jokes, use their swahili skills. And it was working!

       

   With Danni, after a fashion show during our project with refugees from Somalia and Ethiopia

       It is really easy to put a smile on someone's face, but sometimes it requires some effort. During our stay in Nairobi Danni was a Master of small chat, with her huge amount of energy and ability of asking tones of questions. She would make everyone laugh at themselves or at her. And she would always show respect and appreciation of the person she met. This powerful woman living her live between continents, changing jobs with each flight, creating her live as it goes, taught me how to be flexible, thankful and always keep on going with a huge smile on your face. Because if you will smile, others will smile to you. What bad can happen from a smiley interaction?

With Peter, our local guide at Hell's Gate. Such a lovely smiling boy! 

         As Benja was saying You will always get something from interacting. If you don't - you get nothing. And aren't we travelling to get this SOMETHING in our memory? A story, an experience, a thought, a friendship, an adventure, even a stressful or scary moment. For that we travel - for that we should live.
      Himself for sure lives for sharing with others. He would always find an opportunity to give, without wanting to receive anything back. This approach in combination with ability to make fun of himself and make others feel noticed filled our travels with small lovely moments with locals.
         During the time I've spent with them I could notice how easy it can be to break the pattern of a white tourist and to stay in minds of the people from our path as wazungu that actually care and respect. Wazungu that are also people, like the locals, not only cash machines filling their bellys and bags with more and more goods.
 

Our Performers Without Borders team on a Valentine's Day dinner

    This post is my huge bow to both of them and shows my appreciation for their loving hearts that keep on beating in the rhythm of Kumala Vista song.
       Thank you for giving me safe space to open myself for you and others and forgetting about worries from the regular world. Thank you for your crazyness, I shall follow it!

For all the readers, if you feel like sometimes in your everyday life you close yourself too much in your own world and don't aknowledge the people around - try one day to smile to someone on the street or start a conversation in a bus or while waiting in a line with someone that seems interesting to you.
And let me know how did it go!

Social circus in Nairobi

It is incredible how many new possibilities appeared since I've started practicing circus and Flow arts. For almost 3 years now it became my new passion that keeps on bringing inspiring people on my path and showing me how to develop my body, mind and soul.

 The main reason why I came to Kenya is participation in a 6 weeks social circus project with NGO Performers Without Borders. Being chosen as a part of this tour is another step in learning how to teach circus and seeing the remarkable influence it has on people in the poorest areas.

WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE? 

The group of 6 people (now 5 cause one of us decided to come back home) from USA, UK, Ireland and Poland is training with acrobats and youth in circus space called Sarakasi. The project we take part in takes place for 13 years already and each year different crew is coming here to share their knowledge with local artists and street children in the slums. 

Kenyan acrobats have an amazing drive to train and they seem to have no fear and never get tired! During our everyday warm up at 9a.m. they are doing front rolls, back rolls, cartwheels, walk-overs, handsprings, hand to hand and two-high on a floor without any matress or spotting. For me it was shocking in the beginning HOW CAN YOU NOT BE SCARED? But after 3 weeks of working with them I understood that this is just how they are used to train. And the fact that they have any safe space to do all these crazy jumps is better than having nothing. Working with them is teaching me to appreciate all the comfort of an european life. Moreover, their attitude during training is unbelievable. "JUST TRY" - we hear it each time any doubts about our acrobatic skills are filling us with fear. This is how they learn here - if you don't have a coach that will teach you the technique,you have to keep on trying and at some point it will work. Seeing everyday the inner power of those extremely strong acrobats is giving me a lesson of pushing myself to achieve the impossible and never give up. 

During the project we are focusing on sharing with them our knowledge about professional performing, building the characters and preparing a show. We are teaching them clowning, hooping, staff, Theatre, juggling and proper acrobatics technique. It is challenging and interesting at the same time. Importance of our cooperation is based on bringing parts of the artistic world that for us is an everyday reality to the performers that have really minimal contact with anything else than building complicated acrobatics pyramids. 

Except the acrobats training, we are working with few organisation that provide after school classes in slums and are working with street children - educating them, taking care of their health and reclaiming them. This work for me is an experience that is changing the way of looking at all life aspects from completely different perspective. 

When it comes to running classes with street children it is easy to notice that they have gone through some strong experiences in their lives. Some of them have many scars and burns. Some of them are glue addicts, so during any activity they would stay with the coca cola bottle filled with shoe glue in their mount or in their pockets.

Some children in the slum areas are only walking barefoot, wearing very dirty clothes that you can tell haven't been washed for a long time. All this from distance looks really miserable. However, we are coming there with the power of circusy happiness that is giving us the access to these children's Play Space, to their world of fun and laughter where the conditions don't make any difference. 

Seeing these children rolling in muddy ground, running around in the area surrounded with trash and playing with each other regardless the age is a great confirmation of the fact that our happiness depends only on our perspective. Because of someone from outside of those poor areas or from richer countries, the conditions that Kenyan children are growing in might seem terrifying. But for them it is just everyday reality that with all it's dirt and hunger does not exclude enjoying the time with friends. 

While teaching these children juggling and playing circus games they are sharing smiles and hugs with everyone around. Their laughter sends sparkles all over and reminds us of our biggest purpose: to start the fire of smiles :) 

Mzungu meeting Mama Africa

It has been already 3 weeks that I am experiencing all of the novelties of the Black Land. Since I was a teenager my interest in the african culture was growing with every book that I've read, with every movie that I've watched. There was always something driving me towards the tribal rhythms of the drums and energetic steps of traditional dances. My dream was to visit Mama Africa and see with my own eyes all the landscapes, crowded cities and colorful people that I was feeding my imagination with. 

wooden sculpture in park next to National Museum

Fist impression of Nairobi could be put into few words: garbage, noise, car exhaust fumes, poverty and COLORS. But after first hours of being shocked with huge amount of stimuli, I started to notice more and more details in complexity of this enormously diverse agglomeration. 

 Walking down the streets forces all my senses to work on their best. Tired traders are barely visible from behind piles of fresh mango, avocados, pineapples, tomatoes, carrots, greens and roasted corn. The expression on their faces changes to a welcoming smile followed by "Hi mzungu!" every time that I pass by. Mzungu stands for white person but it literally means someone who wanders without purpose, someone that is constantly on the move. For the locals, especially sellers and beggars, to see a white person is an announcement of potential earnings. The stereotype of an European with a wallet full of dollars is very strong here and unfortunately it is being confirmed by tourists spending huge amounts in expensive restaurants and resorts. But this is not the only reason why they see us as cash machines. First one would be all the colonialists' influence on the local economy and their attitude towards Kenyans for hundreds of years. Then, we have all the missionaries and organisations that are coming here and giving the people clothes, building them houses, providing food. At the end there are tourists that are wearing branded clothes and leaving big tips that for locals can cover food costs for a week. All that and more accumulates in the simple mind of a Kenyan that is spending 1$ or less for a meal (that he might not get everyday) and creates a picture of equivalence of white skin and wealth. So except getting closer to them on a human level, making friends, being open and curious about their culture, we can not do much more to fight this stereotype. And let's be honest, most of white people are richer and better situated than most of the Africans and our everyday problems are way different than theirs.

workers waiting for job on the side of the road

Although, when you get used to being pointed out from the crowd and stepping over decaying leftovers, everything that is happening around can be really fascinating.African beats vibrate with dancing power from each shop or market. People are sitting next to the road chewing khat or leaves they call magoko. It is similar to coca leaves in South America. I could not stop myself from trying a local soft "drug". The effect is wuite weak - it seams like you would have to eat huge amount of iy to get some unusual feeling. After chewing out one small bag I felt some shivers in the body and I got quite energetic, it was a pleasant feeling. For the locals it is something that makes you relaxed and chilled. Some of the people I spoke with are looking at magoko almost as on a real drug, putting it on the same shelf with alcohol and weed.

Fully packed colorful buses called matatu change walking around Nairobi into an extreme experience. This is one of the cultural pearls that you can not find anywhere else in the world. Each of these vehicles is fully decorated outside and inside. Covered with graffiti, funny quotes, paintings of Bob Marley, movie characters, cartoons. Most of them are fully equipped with speakers and screens inside so that few hours spend in the traffic doesn't get too boring. They really want you to enjoy the ride, although my experience was quite tiring. We got into one of those matatu that was splashed with colours inside, had few screens playing video clips of black rappers in expensive cars accompanied by almost naked dancers shaking their booties few centimeters from the camera lens. The music was so loud that the base coming from the speakers attached with metal bits and screws to prevent them from being stolen, was drilling into my ears, heart and soul leaving the vibrating sensation even few minutes after leaving the bus. We were being thrown up and down on bumpy roads that made us feel like we are bouncing with the rhythm of tuff rap music. Our local friend laughed at our shocked faces and assured us that what we've experienced is not so terrible, that we could get even louder speakers and even more screens with sexy pole dancers... Funny contrast that appeared in this matatu - screens with almost porn videos were facing walls covered with religious stickers and posters of bands singing about Jesus and God's mercy. Thank you Kenya for making me laugh even in the hardest conditions :D 

                                                        religious stickers inside a matatu

 inside of our disco matatu

Kenya is my first African country and I am going to spend here 3 months exploring first the city parts, visiting slums and social community centers and afterward I am going to start the nature adventure. Each day here brings more thoughts and remarks that I will be sharing with you, so stay tuned! 

If you are interested in Kenyan history, here are some documentary movies that I've watched before flying, to be aware of the place I am going to visit. Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afHFNVZZ-7U&t=730s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Umi0l-NNXg&t=1850s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKRATwnLbw4

The absurds of travels

Let's start with a motto:

This sign was painted on the wall in a unique bar-travel office-hostel in Hanoi that I found on couchsurfing. It was three years ago, during my first big trip and since then I keep it in my mind, because it is so accurate! Humans were living a nomadic lifestyle for so long, that a bit of craving to concuer new lands had to stay in our genes. The unexplained need of exploring the world is what drives me to go on the road again and again. When I am already there I am always amazed and never regret the decision of leaving home and one of the reasons are the strange, funny and sometimes impossible to understand ABSURDS of visited countries.

 China, Yunan  Province

Each country has their own quirks. Among many of them, in China I found it to be all families (including babies) packed on one motorbike with their traiding stall. Also the hostels that don't accept tourist. In Vietnam - people crossing the highway by themselves, farmers still using cows to maintain their fields. Cambodia shocked me with huge amount of chinese casinos and companies just next to extremely poor areas where people lived in bamboo houses. The prostitutes and turistic night life in Bangkok. In Egipt the most visible was the difference between 5 star hotel life conditions and polution and poverty of surrounding villiges. There was much more of it in each one of those countries that you could notice all around.  Also, one huge absurd is a turism industry that on one hand supports the economy of developing countries and at the same time destroys their identity, culture and forces to develop in a way that we as turists want. All of that is stopping the locals to spread the wings their way.

\

 Additionally in all of the asian countries I couldn't get over their food. Getting over eatting all the parts of the animals with no exceptions puched me strongly in direction of vegetarianism... The strangest thing that I ate in China was duck's head, pig's  fried noses and intestines. I have to admit, it sound worse that it tastes. Although now, I wouldn't force myself to do it.

However, aren't these eccentricities exactly what we crave to see? Because beside them, at the end, each country is just a country of our modern world. Filled with cars, smartphones, internet, corporations, airports, taxis, money issues, clubs, drugs etc. And I love those absurds, because they always remind me that we can live our lives any way we want - there is so many ways to do it and people do! You just have to go out from your comfortable bubble of your country, city or all inclusive hotel to see them. Then, the next step is not to judge, not trying to understand, just accept and be amazed with the diversity of the world :)

China, Yuanyang

China, Yuanyang

Sometimes, before departure to a country that I haven't visited yet, my friends and family are warning me recalling common stereotypes. 

"Watch out, they will try to kidnap you in Thailand and sell your organs", "Be careful, I heard that in Israel they are walking around with guns on the streets", "Take care of yourself, everyone will want to hurt you in Kenya", "There is mafia in Italy", "Be aware of gypsies on Balkans".

If I let them continue speaking, this could go for ever. Just repeating the fears heard from others.Isn't it  the biggest ABSURD: to spread unflattering opinion about something, before experiencing it in the first place? Of course, these stereotypes don't come from nowhere. However, most of the time there is so much more above them, so much good and pleasant things to receive from the people that are also feeling beings.

Vietnam, Ha Giang, New Year's period, tradition mixed with modernity, everyone watching an airplane in the sky

For a traveler it is really important to keep distanced from those warnings. Don't let yourself become scared of a place you're going to before even getting there -  it will take all the pleasure from you. 

Remember to be careful of unknown, but know the difference between PRECAUTION and PREJUDICE.

I will tell you a story.

              The sun was getting closer to the horizon, covering the world with darkness. This day so many cars passed my way, not being touched with the itchhiking message of my thumb. Crossing the border with Cambodia was becoming a dream more than reality. Until this day, hitchhiking in Vietnam was working really well, even though not many people spoke english. They were just very helpful. 

             Hope was leaving my soul and  I started to wonder where the hell can I put my tent around this busy road with no bush to hide behind. Suddenly a motorbike stopped and a man in his 40 kindly offered me a ride. His english was very basic but luckily we could understand each other . He was very concerned that I don't have money to pay for accommodation. All the way he was asking me if for sure I don't want to stay in a hostel. My answer was surely NO, because I decided to travel low budget.After  a long motorbike ride he decided to offer me a place to sleep at his home. Not thinking much I agreed. 

              As it was getting darker and darker we were going further from the main road. My heart startet to beat faster and thoughts filled with doubts about making right decision started to appear in my head.  There was less and less buildings around us, only small houses and no more concrete roads. The only audible sound was our engine and dogs barking. Finally, we arrived to a small house with two rooms and a garage made into a living room. The wife of my new friend was extremely surprised to see a white blond girl on a motorbike with her husband... In the beginning I saw she was a bit suspicious and didn't trust me. The man created a hostile atmosphere by showing me their simple home. It was a blessing for me. I really wanted to leave a good impression, so that the family wouldn't get discouraged with white people. Luckily they had two children which I started to play with and softened the mother's heart who understood my harmlesness. At this time the meal was being made with love and will to share the best the family had to offer.

             After a while all the family including grandmother, brother of my host and his children, we gathered around a big food tray filled with different types of greens, rice, some chicken, spices and soup. This was another moment during trip in Asia that showed me the importance of sharing the food with our close ones.

            Despite the late hour children didn't want to stop playing with me. The host expressed huge interest in the reality in Europe and my extraordinary way of travelling. This evening made us all feel connected, as if we experienced something very unusual together. The fact that the house was very poor, without inside toilet and kitchen did not disturb at all, because the people themselves were giving me much more than luxury. They showed me hospitality and nonjudgmental attitude. Of course, they didn't let me help them clean, because I was their guest and I could not say anything when the grandmother gave me her room with bed and went to sleep on the floor in the living room. 

         The next morning we woke up at 5 a.m. as my host was supposed to start his work. His kindness expressed with small gifts for the road - vietnamese coffe and a helmet that would provide me more possibilities of motorbike rides :) At 6 a.m. I found myself next to the highway again, with a feeling that after a night like this, things just have to go right.

Actually, I remind myself this story while writing this post when I was thinking about precaution. This was another time during my travels that I wasn't very careful and at the end it turned out to be an experience confirming that it is good to trust people. But I have to mention, that from the beginning I didn't feel any bad energy from this man and if I did, I wouldn't agree to go to his house.

SOME MORE TINY ABSURDS

a view on rice fields, 5.30 a.m.

border China-Vietnam which people are crossing everyday to trade their goods

a cock on a chain

             

Everyone needs some light

                     Exactly 3 weeks ago I flew from the Promised Land, where parrots were singing with their funny voices and sea waves were playing rythmical symphonies. Above all this beauty, everyday my good old friend Sun was sending greetings that put smile on people's faces. I felt at home. I felt pleased and happy.

                     Then I came back to Poland where the winter is just starting and I got hit by the grey reality of my country. I saw all the trees already without any leaves in the parks, where the only birds you can hear now are the crows. The snow also didn't come for the most of the country, so there is no fun of throwing your friend into a huge, soft snowdrift and the view is not sparkling-white but boring-greyish. All that, decreased a will to live and enjoy. Because what is there to enjoy when even my good old friend Sun is not showing up anymore? In Israel he was giving me the power to move, to go out from home, to take from the day as much as I could. And I noticed that the people in my city - Warsaw, also became even more sad and closed for others. It is visible on their faces when you pass them on the streets or in public transport that they had to put a lot of effort to force themselves to get up from the bed and start another day without Sun Support. Functioning in such conditions, where there is nothing to cheer you up during the day, is quite depressing. The spreading lack of enthusiasm for life is visible and even audible - barely no one talks to each other. We are just crossing our paths with a quiet "I'm sorry" when we accidentaly touch someone in crowded places.

How, every year, do we survive this period of anxiety and insensibility? Today I found the answer. LIGHTS.

I went for a walk after sunset and I got amazed by the uncountable amount of LED lights decorating  the central and most turistic parts of Warsaw. The Old Town, Nowy Świat and the area with fountains next to the river Vistula seem to be covered with shining glitter. After nightfall, this grey city is being transformed into a fairy land in which wherever you look, you get amazed with glowing trees.

                    But really thrilling is a picture of so many people walking around this areas despite the cold that is already pinching the noses and fingers. All families went out in the evening to enjoy the beauty of light instalations. There were children running in some shining labyrinths and their parents were chasing them while making some strange monster's voices. Couples were taking photos on this sparkling background. You could feel the life there!


On the cute carousel with cars and airplanes I saw people in all ages laughing and screaming of joy as if the cold and the gloomy aura of the past days didn't exist. I also started to smile to myself - we need so little to forget about our concerns. But it is also so easy to forget to let go of them.


Seeing that happiness surrounded with shining "stars" made me think that we need the experience of LIGHT in our everyday life. If there is no Sun, we crave for something else to shine. Because the Sun and other types of light (when placed in a proper way), they enhace the beauty of our surrounding. Communing with beauty makes us feel better and gives us indescribable pleasure.


 

There is also something from bugs in the human nature. We as humans love to gather around shiny stuff, as moths we run straight to every brighter object to stare at it with amazement. So it is pretty easy to make people delighted - just put some LED lights or candles and something starts to awaken inside of us - some kind of joy or will for life. I believe, that as with bugs, it is our primary need of Sun warming up our gentle boddies. As living creatures WE NEED SUN!

So my message for you today is to determine your level of demand for sun rays and really focus on providing it proportionally to your requirements :D



Some light-inspired recommendations:
One day visit  the Light Move Festival that is happening every September in Łódź, Poland where you can amaze yourself with all kind of maping instalations and art pieces
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnRx7czcTgk&t=58s