Wintertime

I had a huge trouble to find something to write about this week. My creativity is dead, maybe because this awful weather! It's not that I don't like winter. There are some moments like Christmas, New Year's Eve or winter break when I really enjoy snow and the rest of it. But now, I'm sick and tired of this slush on the streets. I think that's enough. We all know what's behind windows, but it seems like snow has started melting, but of course I don't want to jinx it! 

On the other hand, winter is associated with one of my greatest passion - skiing ;)

Mountain in winter are beautiful. Just take a look ;)

Mountain in winter are fun!

And at the end - family portrait ;)

Well, all I can say is that winter is great, just not in the city ;)

„Sundowners”

I’ve read few novels written by Lesley Lokko, but two of them are my favourite: „Sundowners” (polish title: „Świat u stóp”) and „Saffron skies” („Szafranowe niebo”). Lesley Lokko spent her childhood in Africa and then moved to the United States and Great Britain. Those experiences are reflected in all of her novels.

It’s hard for me to decide which book is the best (of course only in my opinion), but I’ll present you „Sundowners”, because it was the first of those two I read.

The story starts in the Republic of South Africa where Rainne de Zoete lives. Her mother died when she was ten years old and few weeks later her father was missing so Rianne had to move in to her aunt, Lisette, the sister of her dad. Family de Zoete owns many mines of diamonds and other gemstones which means it’s an extremly wealthy and powerful family in South Africa. Rianne’s life changes dramatically when her aunt decides to send her niece to a prestigieus boarding school in Great Britain. Adapting to a new life far from home is really difficult for a sixteen year-old-girl. Not only standard of life has changed but also human environement – different races in one school is a phenomenon undoubtly impossible in South Africa of 80s but completly normal in UK so it’s schocking for Rianne. Her new room is smaller than her bathroom in Lisette’s house and what’s more she has to share it with three other girls. They don’t know that they’ll become friends for life.

„Sundowners” is a novel about the friendship lasting lifetime and exposed not once for difficulties. It’s a story relating 30 years of lives of four friends living across continents and having their ups and downs. The plot is both emotional and funny. Moreover, even though the author underlines in the introduction that this novel is fictional, some events and caracters described there are real. This novel touches also real social problems mainly apartheid in South Africa and the fight for tolerance and abolition of racial segregation.

I recommend ! ;)

The story of how it’s started

Now I’m a fan of books, but as a child I hated reading, and each homework involving reading was like a nightmare to me. Suddenly, it has changed, and whose fault was that? My PE teacher that made me and my classmates running outside when the weather wasn’t so good (it was really cold), and I got ill, it was a pneumonia, I stayed at home for 3 weeks, I knew all TV commercials by heart and I was bored to death. Then, I realized that some of my friends mentioned an extraordinary book which was so engaging that once you start reading you just continue until the end and I thought “maybe I could try and it won’t kill me”. I told my mum to buy my this book. It felt like a desperate move, but I had no other idea what to do with my time. My mum was skeptical, she didn’t believe that I might actually read something that I didn’t have to read. I begged her, so she finally bought that book for me. And it turned out that reading could be fun! You just have to choose something you like. So I guess I will write from time to time about my choices of books.

Oh and the book that changed my life – it was Harry Potter ;) I still have a strong sentiment for this series. And it really changed my life, because now, I couldn’t imagine myself without reading.

People are awesome !

This week I haven’t planned to write about risk, extreme sports and things like that, but then I bumped into this video ;) please watch it and you will realize that people are really awesome ;)

I have to admit that I was shocked, I can’t even name some of those sports and activities ! It’s crazy !  I don’t have fear of heights, deep water or open spaces, but I can’t imagine myself doing those things, to me it just seems to be too dangerous, I wouldn’t even dare to try.

The scariest thing I’ve seen in this video is a girl that jumps from some rocks or mountains (0.30). At first, I thought that she was going to crash against these rocks. It’s amazing because she smiled and jumped, totally relaxed and without any hesitation.

And, about those usual sports, like football or basketball, but done in unusual way. I only can think of how long they must have practiced to be able to do these tricks. Let’s say I could play football (if only i liked that) but I don’t think I would be so determined and patient to practice for such a long time in order to be able to do some tricks. 

I really admire such passion that pushes people to do unimaginable things. But, as far as it’s about me and sports I only enjoy doing sports for fun, without any fear and I don’t think It’s ever going to change. I won't be an adrenaline junkie ;)