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Untold
Millions of perfect aesthetic photos are posted on Instagram every day. In gossip portals we can read about famous people, on the other hand in mass media there's a lot of bad news and politics (sometimes they are the exact term). Do your life means less than the life of Robert Lewandowski? Obviously no. But we rarely see 'ordinary' stories in mass media. Life is often dull, arduous and not infrequently with many, many obstacles on the way. I wanted to share the Voice of my peers, generation Y, born in the nineties in Poland. Divorce, emigration, ordinary life and challenges of raising a child - these are their stories.
Magdalena "I lived day by day following traditional Polish patterns until I got married. The beginning was great, end not so much - couldn't see any other solution than splitting our ways. Getting divorced as a 25-year-old resulted in many tremendous changes in my life" – said Magdalena. She is a 28-year-old tall and skinny brunette. With her appearance, she could be a model. You can spot calm and happiness in her eyes, but it wasn't always like that. She got married right after high school. For her, it was some form of fear of missing out – if not now, then when? She loved him indeed. Foundation crack Everyday reality hit painfully. Magda lived in a small town. She worked even on weekends in a position below her qualifications and minimum wage. She couldn't stand it anymore. Her husband preferred to spend time lying on a couch and playing video games, like life and activities after work didn't exist. He wanted to vegetate. She wanted more. Magda has always dreamed about going abroad, and at first, she thought they could do it as a marriage. "It is obvious that at the beginning, you are penniless, but it will change after some time. But then I noticed that my head was in the clouds, but in reality, nothing ever changed, and we were putting down our roots more and more." They couldn't even afford minor holidays because there always was
a hole in their budget. Many young couples have to scrimp and save because they collect money to get a mortgage and build a home. That was one of the nightmares on her skyline. "I thought that it was the only way to live. I was wrong." – she said. "There wasn't a big "aha" moment that I didn't want to live that way anymore. The Internet helped me a lot. Even on Instagram, I saw a completely different life; I know that there's a difference between Instagram vs reality, but my life was far from that what is called 'reality' on Instagram." Restart Magda took a leap of faith and, after the divorce, moved to London. Living in the UK showed her a different approach to everything. No one knew her past. It was refreshing after smalltown gossiping. "Since my divorce, I haven't worn make-up. In Poland, I heard comments all the time, even at work, that I look ill and I should put on some make-up. In the UK, no one cared at all. I could wear the same clothes every day, and no one told me – buy yourself new clothes." She felt free from other people's expectations. In Poland, everybody knows better what is good for you. Not having thousand unwanted counsellors was new for her. "It was a mental detox for me. Meeting new people, realising that there are other perspectives and that changes as scary as may they seem, they are needed
to move forward." She was a little stressed that her future relationship might look like her marriage, but all the signs on the road showed that it would be something completely different. And it is. New quality Living in the United Kingdom allowed her to travel around Europe more accessible and affordably. In the middle of the pandemic, she moved to Barbados, stayed there for eight months and headed towards her ultimate destination – Puerto Rico. "I'm happy here... Will I move again? Probably yes. Did I do it all by myself? No. There were people along my way, and they influenced my decisions, supported me and encouraged me to do what I want to do, not what's expected from me." Right now, she can consider herself a digital nomad. She works from whichever place in the world she's currently able to call 'home'. She's financially independent and can organise her schedule however she fancy. "All the above makes me happy; allow me to enjoy my life. But let's not sugar coat the lifestyle; it has its downsides. Even many obstacles wouldn't make me trade my life for another one. What I've been through has shaped me into the human being I am right now, taught me many lessons. No matter how painful or hard they were. Panta Rhei. and I go with the flow." VOICES - 11
