ProjektPolska.is - team building workshop in Flúðir ;)

Last weekend we went to summerhouses near Flúðir for a special workshop on leadership for ProjektPolska.is members. 12 people, 2 kids and 2 trainers from Poland - Daniel and Magda from School for Leaders in Warsaw. Very nice and creative atmosphere, a lot of involving tasks and social games. Evening party in the hot tub, card games, snow and ice outside. Really intensive and well invested time. I feel we are much more integrated after that event and are ready to build stable working teams.

I was travelling with Darek as Klaudia got sick and Ola was in the Lithuania on the study visits.  We set off early in the morning on Saturday and got back on Sunday evening. Weather conditions were so bad and we were quite worried about the way back home. However, I really wanted to be in Reykjavik early to spend more time in my favourite Vesturbaer with someone very dear to me :))))

Warming up at Vesturbaer - brand new day :))))))))

As Michal was back from Poland and moved into my apartment on 6 January, I agreed immediately to do the second warming up party at Vesturgata on upcoming Saturday. So here we go! We have many common friends so I just let him invite people and just sent few additional invites.

It started so quietly and after midnight we had around 30 people in our house!
Iza was the first guest, came with little Nelia Eva that was sleeping in my room during the party. In the pick hour we had also 2 pregnant women on board, Marcela and Kaja, and I was glad that they managed to climbed the steep narrow stairs! And some more expected and non expected surprise guests. I was very happy that my friend from the mountain search rescue team managed to came to my place, as well as Kamil, our glacier guide. Tomek was the last one, coming straight from the city hall party late in the night.

 I was really happy with the party. After midnight we had more Icelandic guests, still party was dominated by our Polish friends.

And on Sunday around noon Darek, Ola, Michal and me went to Heiðmörk for cross country skiing. Though I was just walking after them as I still don't have my own skies. I am planning to buy my own set of skies soon. It was a very good way to get rid of the hangover and spend nice time in nature.  

And.... it was such a lovely brand new day... harmonious and sweet..  new beginning, new life :)))))))))))))

It's already 1 year since I moved to Iceland! :)))

Last weekend (3/4th January) I had an anniversary. Very important and cheerful one. It's exactly one 1 year since I moved to Iceland :))) And what's more, I didn't travel abroad during the whole year!!!! So it's a first time since 2001 probably, that I wasn't flying at all for such a long period.

Starting a day by swimming pool meeting at sunrise with Klaudia, then a walk in the neighbourhood  in a company of another Polish friend.

I really wanted to go for a hike to celebrate that day. I thought it would be great way to spend that special moment. And finally, I was surprised very nicely. I got spontaneous invite in the afternoon. My friend from the mountain rescue team invited me to go for a hike with his niece and a dog. We went to pick up the girl and the dog and went for a hike to Úlfarsfell near Mosfellsbær.

We got there at the sunset, fresh cold air, white fields and hills covered with snow, sound of the frozen snow under our feet. Sylvia was tired after the first kilometre so I agreed to continued  up the hill alone.  I got from my friend a flash light, the dog and some dog's food  to make him more obedient. Golden retriever was running cheerfully, eagerly climbing up with me. Silver full moon was lightening up the way, blueish sky gradually changing into a night, and I was feeling so happy and free, really enjoying myself and the special moment!


Then I got an invite to join his sister's family for a dinner at the cute wooden house situated far away from the town, hidden in a cosy place close to nature, owned by very sympathetic couple with 4 kids. Having 3-4 kids it's rather a standard for Icelandic family life :) I was positively surprised that the host was also vegetarian and the food was really delicious. We had a nice conversation during a dinner.

So it was my celebration of my 1st year in the land of fire and ice. Cheerful and peaceful time with an excellent company. That's one more reason to be grateful, Iceland is such an awesome place! :)

New Year's resolutions: Gleðilegt nýtt ár 2015!

I just had very nice guests in my apartment for the last 5 days, Elias and Sana, very cute French couple with Tunisian roots. They came straight from Paris, as their dream was to see the northern light in Iceland.  They were staying in the second room, the one with the terrace. For 4 days they did all the trips possible, very much enchanted with Reykjavik :) It was a pleasure to host them at my place.

Funny thing, my neighbours came over to the terrace to watch the fireworks. It's a custom of the house, so I left the door opened for them :)
And I was spending New Year's Eve with my Polish friends.  After midnight and coming back from the firework show at Hallgrimskirkja, the party suddenly turned out to be more international, as many mixed Icelandic-Polish and one Icelandic-German couples joined us at Mirek's place. I really loved the fireworks, maybe next year will see the fire-bones, huge fire made of wood, an old Icelandic tradition.

One more thing, tomorrow's night I will be celebrating an important anniversary, It will be exactly 1 year since I moved to Iceland! Still can't believe it's true :))

My New Years resolutions for 2015:

*  Photography (become professional)
* Studies (decide what to do next)
* Art, music, concert, festivals (piano classes)
* Environment protection, nature, more hiking trips
* Icelandic
* English
* Self-development
* TRAVELLING!
* harmonious relationships
* house open for guests :)
* sports (yoga, running, swimming, skiing)
* additional work (ngo, teaching, projects)

many  more.... :))))