## Plans and controlling 

I always thought of myself as someone who doesn't follow strict plans and is quite spontaneous when travelling. Now I don't think that's entirely true. Maybe I didn't plan every single part of my travels, but I did like to have some level of control.

Over the past few months, I've been observing what happens to me when I let go of control and don't have a plan.



## Serbia and time with myself 

When I sold my belongings, packed Cookie and everything I owned into my car, I had just one goal in mind - to get to Serbia. I rented a little cottage there, in the middle of nowhere. Not in a famous town or anywhere particularly busy or popular.

I travelled by car, with two stops along the way - one in Slovakia and another in northern Serbia. I realised that this was my first trip abroad in my own car. And my first trip this far away.

Of course, I felt a little stressed (also because I was travelling with Cookie and wanted to make sure he would be okay in the new environment).

On the other hand, I felt excited. I knew this trip was the beginning of a completely new chapter in my life.



## A warm welcome 

I remember the moment when Cookie and I finally arrived in Serbia. The owner welcomed us and was extremely nice. He showed me everything and seemed a little worried that I might not like the place because it wasn't luxurious. But for me, it was perfect. A wooden cottage with a hammock hanging on the terrace and several fruit trees all around.

I felt like I was in a little peaceful heaven.

We were also welcomed by a female dog, who instantly became friends with Cookie. This made me feel calmer because I had been worried about how he would adapt to the new environment.



## Slow life

During my stay in Serbia, I had to learn how to slow down all over again. It was extremely difficult after such busy and intense months. However, at some point, I managed to create new daily routines, and that helped.

After waking up, I would go for a walk with Cookie and then collect fresh fruit from the garden. During my stay, the fruit season kept changing. First, I started by picking one type of plum, then another variety ripened, followed by pears, blackberries, apples and, finally, grapes.

After collecting the fruit and playing with the dogs, I would feed Cookie (and sometimes his friend too. Although I wasn't sure if that was her second breakfast :D) and prepare oatmeal with fresh fruit and coffee.

Having breakfast in front of the cottage, under a tree, became another ritual. Along with my morning coffee. I know these sound like very simple activities, but I found them so pleasurable, and they were important for starting my day well.

There were other valuable parts of my day too, such as taking a nap, practising yoga (I finally started at some point. Not from day one!), reading and writing.

In between these activities, I was observing myself. And you know what? I struggled with being alone with myself. Of course, I had Cookie, but I mean being without other people around. My body was so used to being surrounded by people and constantly being in an active mode.

So, initially, I was sending multiple messages to different people and calling friends.

After that phase, I finally realised what I was doing. I was running away from myself. So I stopped being so socially active and allowed myself to simply be.

Of course, I did meet some people and spent valuable time with them, but I tried to focus more on just being with myself.

Serbia will remain a peaceful place in my memory. I also had some lovely experiences with the locals, who even invited me for coffee (without speaking any English! We managed to communicate using only Serbian and Polish) and gave me fresh tomatoes and cucumbers from their garden. People in the neighbourhood were nice too - they would greet me and Cookie and smile at us whenever we went for a walk.

To be honest, I didn't want to leave that place, but I had to because I had a medical procedure waiting for me in Kraków.

Obviously, what I experienced wasn't a true representation of Serbia, as I only got to see this little town - Negotin. But I will have fond memories of that place. It will stay in my mind as somewhere I could slow down and have many moments of inner reflection.



## Reflection 

When was the last time you spent time alone? I forgot to mention that I also took a break from social media. So, when was the last time you spent time alone, without social media?

A little cottage in the middle of nowhere, slow mornings, fresh fruit and time to reconnect with myself. My stay in Serbia turned out to be more than just a stop on my journey. It became a lesson in letting go of control and learning to simply be.

Serbia and a journey within

## Goodbye to things

The last few months were full of goodbyes in all sorts of ways. 
I said goodbye to most of my belongings. To be honest, there is still more that needs to go. Even though I consider myself a minimalist who doesn’t collect things, I was surprised by the number of things I owned. There was also something else that surprised me even more. With every single thing I was selling or donating, I felt like I was giving away a part of myself. Don't get me wrong - it was a relief in a way, but it was also extremely scary. I started thinking, “This is real. I am leaving this part of me behind.”

I said goodbye to the apartment I was renting. I know it’s just an apartment, but that was the place where I started “living my life” again. It remembers the people who made me laugh, love, and cry. It was a nest for Cookie and me, where I could either hide from the world when I needed to, or open my door to the people who made my life exciting and worth living.
I decorated that flat with my heart, surrounding myself with photos of the people I love. It was there that I allowed myself to celebrate the little moments - the smell of the Christmas tree (I kept it up, together with the cosy Christmas lights, for months), the taste and smell of my morning coffee, the laughter of my friends as we made pierogi in my small kitchen.

All those moments of sitting on the couch under my blanket, watching Cookie sleep or do something funny.

This place remembers people from all over the world who wanted to bring a little bit of sunshine into my life, who taught me about their cultures, told me their stories, and listened to mine. They brought love and made my heart grow. 

It also remembers very sad moments of my life - my tears and fights to stand up for myself. All those moments of disappointment and fear. The fear that love doesn't really exist.

I didn’t just say goodbye to my place. I also prepared it for the next lovely person who will be living there. When I painted all the walls, I felt like I was telling the apartment, “This chapter is over. It was beautiful, but it’s time to prepare the energy for the next person who will bring their life here”. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed painting the walls (but not the ceilings! Oh no!).

## Goodbye to my work with children

Saying goodbye to things wasn’t the biggest challenge. 
The next step of saying goodbye was related to my “career”. It’s not like I haven’t done it before, because I changed careers a few times. But this time it’s different. I know what I am leaving, but I don’t really know yet what’s ahead of me. 
So I said goodbye to “yoga for kids”. Of course, it’s possible that I will be teaching kids yoga, but it was a huge part of me. It was not just work, but a project to change these kids’ lives for the better. I wasn’t just teaching them yoga. My goal was to teach them how to observe their bodies, how to notice tension and emotions. I wanted to teach them to breathe and to “just be”. It was my way of creating a society that will be more mindful and able to survive in a world full of distractions. Did I do that? I don’t know. I can only say that I am sure I made a few kids’ lives a little bit better.

This project was so precious, and I couldn’t just leave my students without the opportunity to continue practising yoga. I found a new teacher with whom they can continue their journey. It felt like giving a part of myself away, but I knew I had done it to keep this project alive.

I know my students are in good hands, and Magda will take care of them.

The memory of saying goodbye to my students who practised with me over these years still brings tears to my eyes. I got a carved wooden yoga figure from one of my students and it will definitely be my totem for the trip. 

Another huge part of my life over the last few years was my job at school. I know it’s “just a job”, but for me it was never just a job. I left my IT “career” to go back to school, because I wanted to do something more meaningful. I had a mission of helping shape a better future society. And I believe I did. These years were full of all kinds of experiences. There were many amazing moments when I could watch my students grow. I didn’t need more. 

When I started this job, I had one thing in mind: if I managed to bring light to the life of at least one student (help them grow, be more confident, discover their talents), that would be enough. 
I wanted to mention here someone who inspired me to be a teacher. It was my Polish teacher from primary school, Ms Renia (Pani Renia). She was the first person in my life who saw light in me and made me realise it. I am and will be grateful for that till the end of my life, because it literally changed my life for the better. She believed in me and because of that I learnt how to believe in myself. 
I mention her because I had this image in my mind while going to school. If I could be “Pani Renia” for one child and make their life better - that’s enough. 

I started as an after-school teacher and later I became an English teacher in early childhood education. But my goal was to teach much more than just English. I wanted my students to discover their strengths, learn how to communicate with each other, collaborate, and resolve conflicts. I wanted to inspire them to think outside the box. Was I a perfect teacher? Of course not. I kept learning and discovering different ways of communicating and working with my students.

EduScrum was a huge part of my teaching career. I applied the values and principles of eduScrum, adapting them to the needs of my students. At the same time, I kept working with the wonderful Marta and Paulina, organising eduScrum workshops and spreading new ideas about education. I am not saying goodbye to education, but in some way I am pressing the “pause” button to discover more about myself and the world.

## Goodbye to people at school

I wrote so much about my career, but it was much more than that. For me, school meant people: students, teachers, parents, school workers. These years made me realise how important it is to me to be surrounded by people in my work. I can do the work on my laptop for a while, but real face-to-face contact is something that you cannot replace with anything else. 
Early childhood education has its perks and challenges. The biggest perk is genuine contact - the smile of a student, a hug, a serious question that makes you laugh. The same things can also be challenging when you are physically tired and overstimulated. 

What I want to keep in my heart from this experience is this feeling of being part of my students’ journeys. I am grateful for every single student - also the ones who made my life hell sometimes. These students made me realise how important it is to observe a human being without judgement. Someone’s behaviour is never “just that”.  There is always a story behind it that we don’t see or know about. What you see is just the result of many circumstances. 
Saying goodbye to all of these little humans was a very emotional and beautiful moment. I already miss them! 

It was also interesting to discover the relationships I built with their parents. I must admit that over these years I worked hard to make sure that we collaborated and were on the same side. It was worth it! All these words about how I changed their kids’ lives will stay with me forever. These are the moments when you can truly say, “I am happy and I am so proud”. But I wasn’t just proud of myself or my students. I knew it was something we all created together - students, parents, other teachers and school workers. 
One lovely parent sent me this beautiful song, “Chwytaj dzień” (by the way, I am listening to it now), and this song will accompany me on my future adventures. 

Now it’s time to mention people without whom I couldn’t have grown and enjoyed my time at school - teachers and all the school workers there. I still remember that moment during my interview with the principal. I just knew it was the right place for me.
Teachers in this school are not “just” teachers. I met so many people with open hearts who guided me and supported me in my journey at school. 
I was inspired by the way they communicated with kids, how much love and effort they put into helping students.
Teaching is one of the most underpaid and underappreciated professions in Poland, but it’s so meaningful and important. All my dear teachers and school workers who read this - I want you to know that you are doing a great job and I am grateful to have you in my life. 
I will remember you and I am glad that my students have you! 

And with that, I didn’t fully say goodbye to Poland  because I am going to officially start my trip in October. So if you are reading this and I haven’t managed to get a coffee with you yet, stay tuned!

## Goodbye to myself

The last person I said goodbye to was myself. I said goodbye to Renia, who has lived in Cracow since my university days. Yes, I left it for 5 years to live in Australia, but Cracow was still a huge part of my life. I am leaving behind a part of myself that has changed over these years. The part of me that changed her career, went through multiple heartbreaks, lost friends, but also gained new ones. I am leaving that part of me that kept doing things for other people or because of them.  It doesn’t mean I will now be focused only on myself.  That’s not what this is about. But I am finally ready to fully listen to what I need and want in this moment of my life - now and for the rest of my life. And that means following the dream that has been quietly waiting in my heart for a while. 

So after saying goodbye, Cookie and I packed everything that was left into my car. And just like that, we began a new chapter. 

Do you want to know what happened next?

Stay with me.
I'll tell you soon.

The last few months were full of goodbyes - to things, places, people, work, and a version of myself I was ready to leave behind. It was emotional, scary, and liberating all at once. As I let go of what I knew, I made space for the unknown and a dream that had been waiting in my heart for a long time.  This is the story of closing one chapter and finding the courage to begin another.

Goodbye to the life I knew

## Introduction

There’s never going to be a “perfect” moment to start.    So I’m starting today. This is my moment,  the point where I decide to write to you again. This blog is still a bit messy and sprinkled with traces of my previous life, but honestly, I don’t care. I want to write without pressure, without the feeling that everything has to be perfect and polished.  

## Why am I doing this?


Because I’m tired of short-form everything. Creating it or consuming it is exhausting. I’m left feeling empty and unsatisfied when Instagram insists that a video must end at a specific second or when a post outgrows the character limit. And I feel like I have to stop to obey those rules or I’ll burst! I want space to express myself, to share my thoughts and stories without being boxed in.



I know this space won’t be for everyone. And that’s perfectly fine. I don’t need “everyone” here. I want people who are searching for something  and maybe my words will help them get closer to whatever that is. Or perhaps the opposite: maybe they’ll step back, gain a new angle, and realize the answer was sitting beside them all along.



If you like to slow down, contemplate life, and stay curious about its beauty, then welcome - come wander through my thoughts.



I’m actually writing this right after talking with a friend of mine, to whom I’m incredibly grateful. It’s so important to surround yourself with people who help you grow wings,  who make you want to fly. Without them, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

## So what can you expect here?

I’ll be sharing experiences from different corners of my life. I’ll write about people, communication, and little social observations. Education will show up too, because lately it’s been taking up a big part of my world. There’ll be yoga and reconnecting with the body. I’ll bring you along on my travels and reflect on what I’ve lived through:  cultures, people, moments.



It’s going to be a mix of many things, but they all have one thread in common: reflection. I invite you to join me on this journey, where we’ll explore the quieter corners of our minds and hearts.



And if you don’t know me yet,  I’m a champion of fresh starts and all sorts of changes. So don’t get too attached to anything I wrote in the paragraph above. Lately I’ve learned that I love following whatever life brings. It doesn’t mean I hate planning. There’s a “controlling Renia” inside me who absolutely adores organizing things. But I’ve managed to soften her a bit, and now I only plan what truly needs to be planned.



And here on this blog? I don’t have to do anything. My vision for this space might shift completely and I’m okay with that. I’m giving myself permission to change, even celebrating it, because every change holds a chance to grow and understand myself better.

I’m returning to writing to share my thoughts, stories, and reflections without the pressure and limitations of short-form content. It’s a new beginning, a space for change and exploring life from different perspectives.

Let's start again!

**I’m Renata, a curious traveller, lifelong learner, and passionate advocate of change. I believe that growth can begin anywhere. Through travel, meaningful encounters, new experiences, or simply seeing the world from a different perspective.**

RBeyond is a new chapter in my journey - beyond the familiar, beyond expectations, and beyond the boundaries we set for ourselves. Through travel, encounters with people and cultures, and reflections on life, I explore new perspectives and what it means to live more consciously.

Building on the spirit of *Let’s Scrum it! :* curiosity, learning, and openness to change, I’m taking these values beyond the classroom and into the world.

**Welcome to RBeyond. Let’s explore what lies beyond the familiar.**

I'm about to set off on an hitchhiking journey from Poland to India. I want to experience the world up close, meet people, discover new cultures, and learn things no textbook could ever teach me.

Subscribe to the RBeyond newsletter if you'd like to join me on this journey. I'll share stories from the road, encounters, discoveries, and reflections along the way.

**See you somewhere along the way!**

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