Settling in the Highlands

I moved to Inverness (Scottish Gaelic: Inbhir Nis) in 2004. I came from Wrocław, Poland, with my two children. Maja, my daughter, was 5 years old and Jonasz, my son, was 3 years old. The main challenges were homesickness, foreign language and unfamiliar Scottish climate. I struggled many times but overcame the barriers. I got used to the weather, I appreciate it now; and English is no longer foreign.

Margo is my true Scottish friend, my 'guardian angel', and a family friend. We met at the international house party. Since then, we have enjoyed each other's company and support. This relationship is so precious to me. I used to miss my family and closeness. It had been all left far away in Poland, but I found that closeness and warmth in Margo! My family is not here; but Margo is!

My children, Maja and Jonasz, are my pride and success. They both commenced and completed primary and secondary education in Inverness. When they first arrived, they were monolingual. Now Polish is their second language and their main language is English. Currently, they are both studying. Maja is a student of Jewellery and Silversmithing at the University of Edinburgh. Jonasz is a student of Electrical & Mechanical Engineering at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow.

My personal achievement is graduating from the UHI with the BA degree in Contemporary Art and Contextualised Practice in 2019. It was a really important and special time of my life in Scotland. In my art practice, I am inspired by Scottish landscapes and seascapes; the ocean and its wildlife. My graduation painting was a large-scale seascape titled Kingdom of Sensibility. It was an exploration of the mermaid myth; its interdisciplinary contexts and perspectives. I completed my artwork at home and it was displayed in Inverness Museum & Art Gallery during our UHI graduation exhibition.

My other rewarding experience was working at Inverness Polish Saturday School as a teacher of Art, Polish History and Culture. The pupils practiced and developed their native language and learned general knowledge about their country of origin.