I was born and raised in Poland. My great adventure with Iceland started in 2001. I came here, like many other immigrants, in search of a better life and earning opportunities. In my case, these earning opportunities meant working in a fish factory in a small fishing village. When I came here, I spoke only one language – Polish. The rudimentary Russian language brought from the Polish education system turned out to be no less useful here than an umbrella, which, by a strange coincidence, also found itself somewhere in the luggage. For the first few years of my work, learning the Icelandic language was not in my area of interest. Anyway, most Icelanders communicated with us immigrants anyway – mainly using the good old language of Shakespeare, or English if you prefer. Suffice it to say that for many years, I was sure that I would never be able to learn this “strange” language. The years passed and it was time for a change. Another job, a child who went to school needed help with learning, and then I realized that I simply MUST speak Icelandic.
And so, it was necessary to start this adventure with Icelandic somewhere. The first few courses I attended in Reykjanesbær could safely be described as a disappointing waste of time, which assured me that I would never learn the language after all. Fortunately for me and my knowledge of Icelandic, in 2005 I started my undergraduate studies at HI in Reykjavik, majoring in “Icelandic as a second language”. I graduated from these studies in 2009 with an additional faculty in business management. After a short hesitation in the choice of further development (I had three years of engineering studies in Poland behind me), I decided to continue the Icelandic path. I started working as a translator and started studying translation studies. However, these studies were interrupted due to the appearance of my second son.
In 2010, I started working at Retor as an Icelandic language teacher for evening courses for Polish-speaking students. It was then that I realized that this is what I want to do in life. Parallel to my work at Retor, in the years 2013-2016 I worked at the Reykjavik City Service Center, and from 2016 I became fully involved with Retor as the Project and Solutions Manager for Enterprises, which I held until February 2023. Working in this position, apart from great satisfaction, allowed me to gain a lot of experience not only as a teacher teaching Icelandic to foreigners, but also as a creator of materials for learning the language, as well as a manager and organizer of courses in companies employing from several to several hundred employees.
And it’s time for change again. In 2023, together with my colleagues from Retor: Aneta and Marzena, we decided to create a new project – a company that will allow us to realize our greatest dream. The dream is to create a space where people of foreign origin will be able to use this very interesting and beautiful language in the simplest and friendly way possible.
We cordially invite you all to this Adventure!!!
I vistied Iceland in the summer of 2008. From the first moment spent here on vacation, I was fascinated by it‘s beauty. I didn’t know then that this would be my future home. In Poland, I worked as a civil servant for 12 years. My decision to move here was quick. I started a new life on the island with my family, I worked in a hotel for a year. After first year, I returned to Poland and to office work. However, life had it‘s own script and Iceland could not be forgotten. A few months later I returned to Iceland. Then there was an almost two-year break in professional duties, and from 2011 to June 2023 I worked at the Retor Fræðsla school as the head of the secretariat. I’ve always worked with people and probably always will.
In 2023 together with my best friends, we created the Liberis Fræðslumiðstöð, which is open to anyone who wants to learn Icelandic. Our many years of experience allows us to bring out our best features and meet the expectations of our students and partners.
We are looking forward to those who already know us and will follow us, and those who want to get to know us and trust our services. See you on our courses at our new school.
I am a food technologist. My adventure in Iceland began in 2001 when I intended to go to Ireland, but fate led me to this beautiful Iceland instead. Shortly after arriving, I started working as a nanny for children.
For eight years, I worked in two different preschools. In one of them, I was promoted to the position of a group leader for younger children, which was a significant achievement for me. Later, I reduced my hours at the preschool and took up a short-term position at an elementary school, where I assisted students in learning Icelandic.
After four years of living in Iceland, I decided to teach the Icelandic language. It was an exciting challenge that brought me great satisfaction. In 2007, inspired by my passion for teaching and the Icelandic language, I founded Retor Fræðsla, a school where I could share my knowledge. I began pursuing a master’s degree in Icelandic language and completed the first year, but due to the rapid development of the school, I had to temporarily pause my studies.
For many years, I have been actively involved in advocating and fighting for better access to Icelandic courses for all individuals who desire to learn. It has been important to me to ensure equal opportunities for a better future start for everyone living abroad. While my commitment and determination have yielded some results, I believe there is more that can be done.
In addition to my work and interests related to the Icelandic language, I am passionate about travel, photography, and handicrafts. These fields serve as my inspiration and allow me to explore the beauty of the world in various aspects.
Currently, I am incredibly excited about embarking on another dream project – Liberis Fræðslumiðstöð. Together with Beata and Marzena, we aim to share our extensive experience in teaching Icelandic and create new possibilities for our current and future students. Despite the challenges life throws at me, my passion for what I do never diminishes.