Under the Giewont mountain

by Ewcyna
Belianske Tatras
Belianske Tatras
Riga!

I opened the door and saw a few boxes of shopping and a tiny boy that stood behind them. Before he started to drag them throgh the door our eyes met for a second, He gave a quick glance at my hideous pink apron, then asked, "Da dove sei?" (Where are you from?). Responding, that I am from Poland I could not help the feeling, that this scene reminds me of something. He left quickly not asking anything else and I closed the door.

I had before my eyes a scene from an old music video "Let's Dance" by David Bowie - black-haired boy with great effort is pulling on the crowded street some junk, sweat is running down his forehead. He sees the girl washing the street and for a second their eyes meet.

And me, while, standing in this pink apron, which my former employer (a Sicilian family with aspirations of being something better then me) gave me , to wear while working at their home in Palermo in the 90-ies I saw the scene from "Let's Dance". It flashed through my head, that none of us, neither me nor him did like, what was doing. At least that is my interpretation.

I was then little more than 20 years old and as soon as Poland opened its borders I began to do everything, to go abroad. While I found the job ad which was written in small print in the newspaper I saw only one thing - the name of an exotic place far away from home in my beloved Italy. Let me remind you, although it is difficult to believe for the younger generation , that internet did not exist. neither did mobile phones, and if you wished to talk to somebody abroad you had to ask to be connected, Therefore, I could not nothing check in advance . I bow my head in front of my parents with thanks for a holy patience in accepting all kinds of my crazy ideas, because this was not the first one. After two days spent in the trains I've fortunately did not finish in the tentacles of the mafia, but to work hard at somebody's house, where before me only submissive women from the Philippines used to be employed. I was tired by performing the same household duties every day, that I have never liked since there are more important things to me than cleaning, The most, however, I was just tired of being stuck indoors. I was dying seeing the beautiful world out of the window, sunny, exotic world and I was tired of having to ask for the possibility to go out . Why is it, that someone just wants to go for a walk? to enjoy sunshine, see the people? It was hard for my employers to imagine.

Those, who doubt in the stubbornness of my character I might add, that I threw away the pink apron on the second or third day of work, in which in the meantime I am gradually introduced, my own principles. In short, they looked like this: stop getting up at 6 AM, to make coffee flandlord - he can press the button on the coffee maker himself (I went to bed after midnight when is cleaned after dinner), I dust the carpets every few days because it is insane, to do this every day, the same goes for washing windows.. even I began to feed the dog at their backs because the standard dose of food he got was 100 grams of pasta per day. Of course, cooked al dente, but without the bolognese sauce. No sauce added let's be clear. And the dog, filled with the job that he would get his measured food 100 for half a day was banging his nose against the glass of the balcony window, where it was held, and one of my duties was cleaning from these traces his nose left. And when the dog got some more food, he was banging less and so I had less to do. Logical. Completely do not know why, after three months they resigned from my services…

About working in Sicily, where I finally worked in several families I might tell more one day, and I write it all now, because for the first time I tried to find themselves in a new situation, but I noticed some similarities to the old one.

For a few days I lived and worked several hours a day (as part of barter for food and sleeping that is volunteering - found through the portal workaway.info) helping to prepare to serve visitors a small guest house in the charming village of Osturna in Slovakia just behind the Polish border. Cellular signal does not reach here and the store is open untl 3 PM. Well, but I did not need anything from the shop - in the guest house I lived here, just me and the owner - an American of Slovak origin. The situation may not be quite as similar to the sicilian one, and even less that of the video, because it was nice, nobody told me not to wear the apron and the owner cook fantastic food, however, I experienced a feeling, it already once was, and that this has already felt. That living in one's home you are never at home and never out of work. And as it does not define the scope and hours of duties is much room for interpretation and it just is not cool. I was here a few days and go look for something else.

From left Warsaw, indeed very delayed, He began a string of minor and major upierdliwości. Broad health issues skip silence. I will not also develop thread, that was the second day I spent in a tent in the grove near Grójec, because it was raining continuously and I do not ride in the rain as I do not have. Before leaving my bike got a cast-iron umbrella, who delivered wind from the garden of a cafe and broke a lamp. Road light. But at least I did not get the bike instead of my head. On the brakes the bike struggled probably for several months - fell repaired again (Magura hydraulic SH 11), and I liked it enough, I did not want to invest in other. Just before leaving for the beginning of September done so, sent under warranty parts of Berlin in the first week running again did not work and handle liquid. Then problems with the new tire, which turlała like an egg and the bike was bouncing rhythmically. Brakes constantly not to hamper, What began as a hill in southern Poland has become a little fun. However, when, which being at an event promoting the trail Green Velo which I decided to take part lost (fell from the bike rack, which I was driving – it was not my bike) backpack with valuable content (ID card, credit cards, glasses and many useful small things) I thought to myself 'stop, something's not right here!". Well, this can not be true, the back somewhere and something that I can not roll further, because I will have production of new cards and proof.. A winter under his belt as seen, You hear and above all - feel.

Inevitably, I was in Zakopane, where I stopped at Brand in a quiet place in the center just behind Krupowki (namely Pilsudski 13a, highy recommended). Stay rather pleasant for me to be able to Andrew, who lives there, taking on cycling in the Tatra Mountains and revealing where there are cheap eateries. Waiting for new cards and documents familiarize themselves with the Podhale and Spisz and generally a lot, I wonder how they all continue to sort out.

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11 comments

and 12 October 2015 - 10:01

you can always move in the spring! good luck

Reply
Ewcyna 13 October 2015 - 20:05

Total I, but maybe I'll try even now? Thanks!

Reply
Witold Michalek 12 October 2015 - 17:48

Świetny wpis 🙂 Szerokiej i ciepłej drogi!

Reply
Ewcyna 13 October 2015 - 20:06

Blow heat! Zwłaszcza z pólnocy to będę miała w plecy 🙂

Reply
Joseph Bienkowski 13 October 2015 - 12:54

Now you understand these long you e-mails in our business.
Where do you follow this time?

Reply
Ewcyna 13 October 2015 - 20:04

Sir Joseph, I would like very well to get back to the mainland Asia, sooner or later in total.. I greet!

Reply
Robert Szablowski 18 October 2015 - 10:09

Ewa, zapuściłaś have roots in Giewontem? Documents future? Fingers crossed!

Reply
Ewcyna 21 October 2015 - 20:35

Well, maybe not the Giewontem he then moved to Slovakia and then in Pieniny, but the fact, little incumbents. Everything came, snows too ;), but I try to go. Tomorrow Hungary.

Reply
Robert Szablowski 21 October 2015 - 22:39

Super! There's probably already a little warmer. Pełnych dętek życzę 🙂

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Mira Boat 18 October 2015 - 20:05

About me you are sorry, ..How many new things you learned about Eve this entry. Sicily during socialism? Wyprzedziłaś the era. Hardly anyone undertake such decyzje.Rozumiem,that now you have a dilemma, how to interpret series ” characters from the sky”. Unfortunately,you know, that no one you can not help……..Fingers crossed.

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Ewcyna 21 October 2015 - 20:36

Dear Mira, what socialism? .. Years 90th you to be. But the fact, it was not so easy to leave as now.
As for the decision.. – no jak t, and thought, ze pomożesz 🙂

Reply

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