Major influences

I’m European living in United States.

I was born in August 16, 1972 in town with over 650 years of history. The city of Czestochowa has long been considered the spiritual capital of Poland. Situated on the Jasna Gora (Bright Mountain), the Pauline monastery's Basilica of the Virgin Mary is the sight of several annual festivals attracting Catholic pilgrims from all over the world. The Basilica houses the legendary icon called the Black Madonna. Brought from Jerusalem in 1384, the icon is considered by the faithful to be the work of St. Luke the Evangelist, painted on cypress wood from a table used by the Virgin Mary.

This environment has very strong influence on my parents’ mentality and because of that, religion was very important part of my life. The traditional forms of Polish life have grown out of the spirit of Christian Faith. Their high points, in all their wealth and diversity, are marked out by the Church calendar in its yearly cycle. The second high value that came from environment where I was raised is family.

I had very close relationship with my mother; she was always very important part of my life. From my parents, my grandparents and all people around me I have belief that you should always take care of your children until they are independent and also take care of your parents when they are elders. The environment where I was raised was foundation of my value and my viewpoint.