Fundacja Primus and TMMS Exchange

Trip to Poland - Fundacja Primus and TMMS Exchange - Day10 -12. You know life is fulfilling when there is hardly time to write a blog or Facebook. That’s kind of funny, because at the same time, it takes a lot going on to have good stories to share. Well, a week has passed, a few days after the TMMS students returned to Albuquerque. It took a little while to sink in that this was Gaja Learning’s first trip with students from the USA visiting Poland. And since I, Benjamin Burg, am pretty much Gaja Learning, and that I’ve lived here for 20 plus years, it was a very personal experience.

So with that, let’s finish up the trip. Day 10 we spent with Running Wolf on the Republic of Sciborska, an 30 year organic farm, semi professional dog sledder, believer in Living Earth, inspired by Shamanic influences with particular interest in Native North Americans. 50 sleight dogs greeted us with a howling song through out the day, lasting only a few minutes before the song of spring birds took over. We learned about life on Polish farm, we cooked some bread over an open fire, we gathered greens to flavor the butter, we even planted a few berry bushes and got on our knees to weed away. Highlight of the day was a cool girl getting her foot stuck in the mud so deep that it took her sneaker off. And thanks to the cool local boy who without hesitation reached down to get it out. Highlight, because it so eloquently showed the difference between New Mexico and Poland. In the Southwest of USA there are canyons, in the Northeast of Poland there are bogs and lakes. Afternoon we harnessed some dogs and took them for a run.

Day 11 we got our chance to kayak the crystal clear waters of the Mazury region in Poland. Little fishy swimming below and the classic line of the day, “I learned that Swans are really beautiful and dangerous too.” It was a perfect day, warmest of the two weeks and the rain greeted us just as the last kayak pulled up the river bank. Lucky for us, the rain was short and sweet, hardly could call it a shower. Finished the day with playing by the river and roasting our final kiebasa on the fire.

Day 12, it was tired day. We had them going long and strong for 11 days straight. Yet we got our final little tour of how Polish country life looked like a couple hundred years ago and ended with making paper flowers, old Polish folk style. Then of course a little last minute shopping before saying our final good byes.

Learning about Running Wolf's farm and enjoying some good tea — in Gmina Banie Mazurskie.

Spicing up the butter with garden greens — in Gmina Banie Mazurskie.

Baking bread over an open fire — in Gmina Banie Mazurskie.

Exploring the green damp bogs of Poland — in Gmina Banie Mazurskie.

Little garden work

Braiding bison grass to give to a friend. — in Gmina Banie Mazurskie.

Dogs taking us for a run

paddling away ! — at Rzeka Krutynia.

Learning about old Polish village life. — at Skansen w Olsztynku.

Final Group Picture at Republic of Sciborska