Time capsule⌗

In the description of this blog post, I emphasized the significance of my interactions with my charges. It might be surprising for those who glance at my portfolio and notice that the last reflection on this topic dates back to October of last year!

While I don’t have a groundbreaking explanation, I simply directed my reflections towards other matters during that period, and nothing unusual occurred to prompt a new entry. It was essentially routine. However, now I have something new to share—multiple things, technically.

I realize this might have confused some readers, so let me proceed to provide clarification, focusing on the actual content rather than a meta-discussion.

Piotr⌗

In the last reflection, I mentioned that I couldn’t reach Piotr’s mum to arrange a meeting with Piotrek. Fortunately, we were finally able to communicate, and I’ve resumed having regular meetings with Piotr. Through these sessions, I had the opportunity to get to know his mother better.

I discovered that she holds a PhD in (I believe) macrobiology! Furthermore, her husband held the title of professor and studied in Switzerland! That was unexpected. While I knew she was educated—evident in her vocabulary and manner of speaking—I didn’t realize the extent of her education. It was exciting to learn.

I also had the chance to apply my IT skills. Piotr’s mum acquired a new DVD player for him because he enjoys watching cartoons, mainly Polish ones, but I also noticed he had Garfield. This player came with two types of cables: RCA connectors and SCART.

Piotrek’s mum wasn’t sure which one to use. The previous DVD player only had the SCART cable, making it more straightforward. I explained to her that they’re interchangeable (both are used for transferring audio and video) but that SCART is newer, beating RCA connectors by about 30 years or so.

I helped her set up everything and showed her how to use the new equipment. It’s not particularly complex, but the remote’s design was a bit different from the previous machine. That’s all. Overall, it was enjoyable—both because I could “play with cables” (a strange description, I know) and because I could genuinely help.

Oh, and one more thing! Piotrek and his mum received an album from the Bury Mis Foundation with photos and the history of the foundation for its 30th birthday. Believe me, it was fascinating to look at old photos from the 80s, 90s, and 00s that depicted the organization’s headquarters in Wętvie! The transformation is truly astonishing!

I recognized some old pics of the other charges, but there was only one photo with Piotrek. However, his mum brought an entire album of him and her! It was heartwarming to see a younger Piotrek. He hasn’t changed that much.

Gosia⌗

A new name has emerged!

As I mentioned in the blog post about the splits, I have encountered a new charge, Gosia. Well, technically, Gosia is not new to me. I met her during the Bury Mis Camp. However, I didn’t interact with her. We didn’t speak, spend time together during the camp—nothing. I just knew she existed.

So how did I meet her? One of the volunteers from the foundation announced that there’s a charge, Gosia, who needs more exercise, and they are looking for someone who can take her for walks. I thought to myself, “why not? It’s close,” so I replied.

After a brief conversation, we agreed that I need another volunteer, who has some prior experience with Gosia, to introduce me to her. It turned out that I knew this person from the camp. So we scheduled a meeting, but after the New Year.

The first meeting was a get-to-know kind. We didn’t go for a walk, but we talked to Gosia and her mom a little (she preferred lying on the mattress rather than our company). It was lovely, as always when I’m meeting charges. We had tea, coffee, and some sweets.

The next meeting was the actual work. Well, not exactly because Gosia is not the athletic type. We went for a walk, but we made several stops because Gosia couldn’t manage. Besides, (and I should have emphasized it earlier) Gosia has sight impairment and she doesn’t see too well.

Therefore, I had to guide her by hand, which wasn’t a problem for me at all! It’s just that there’s a noticeable height difference between us, and my back hurt a bit later on. But that wasn’t so troublesome. The bigger problem is that Gosia was expressing her unwillingness to participate in the activity loudly. Like… VERY loudly. She was basically shouting.

I talked to her mom, and she told me that I’m not an exception and she does it with everyone—hence why the walks are so difficult. Nevertheless, we managed to finish the walk, even though Gosia insisted on calling a cab or her mom for a ride.

After the walk, she was as red as a human being can be! But I regarded it as a sign of a well-done workout!

We’ll see what the future will bring to our little endeavor.

Adam⌗

With Adam, as often is the case, we played video games. This time, however, we opted for Forza Horizon, a car game, instead of some offline multiplayer alternative. The reason being, Adam got a new brand-new gaming wheel (the gaming setup that imitates the real steering wheel, pedals, and gears), allowing us to enjoy the game even more.

I must admit, as a sign of modesty, that I drive way better in real life than in the virtual world. That goes without a doubt. But, well, it was fun nonetheless.

However, as winter approaches its end, I plan on going on a bike trip with Adam. Winter limits our outdoor activity options, but with the rising temperature, I see the prospect of putting our bodies into motion!

Marcin⌗

Normally, I meet with my charges at their places. I used to reach out to Marcin, but that’s not always the case now.

Marcin has joined a relief care program where charges are stationed at a house, with a volunteer or two, and they live almost like on their own, handling chores and dinners, etc. It’s organized by the Arka Foundation. Actually, it was not until I met with Marcin and one of the Arka-managed houses that I became aware of this foundation’s existence.

I still don’t know much about this foundation’s mode of operation, but it’s not the place to discuss it. Click here to visit their website.

Coming back to Marcin, it’s refreshing to see him in a new environment. Usually, he’s quiet at his parent’s house. I discussed why here, but I’ll summarize it with one word: parents. Not that they’re a bad influence, but if you ever were a teenager, you would understand.

The point is, he was much more talkative than he usually is. He was smiling, jumping, just having fun. We even listened to music through the speaker he got for Christmas. It was funny because he definitely has a very different music taste than mine, to say the least.

I also met other charges in the program—Marcin’s buddies. I didn’t catch the names of all of them, but I can assure you they were cool!

Final remarks⌗

I know I mentioned being more concise, but there have been many exciting developments over the past three months, not just related to the Bury Mis Foundation.

As I approach my mock exams, await decisions that will determine my academic future, and work on my IAs, among other things, life is becoming quite packed. While I believe I can handle it, I’ve noticed myself getting a bit more tired and irritable than usual.

I sincerely hope this won’t impact my volunteer work. I’ve been offered a higher responsibility during this year’s Bury Mis Camp, but there are too many uncertainties for me to provide a definite answer.

Perhaps a part-time job could be an option again? Only time will tell. Until then, see you later!

Learning outcomes:⌗

• LO 1 Strength and Growth
• LO 2 Challenge and Skills
• LO 3 Initiative and Planning
• LO 4 Commitment and Perseverance
• LO 5 Collaborative Skills
• LO 6 Global Engagement
• LO 7 Ethics of Choices and Actions