Justyna Kotlarczyk

I am a professional Russian linguist, but also have a wide variety of other interests. I love learning about new cultures, world views, and various ways of living. I believe in continuous learning and growing as a person. I gather memories, acquire experiences, and collect books - which all are at the same time my greatest strength and weakness. I follow my intuition and passion. I like Mondays.

Maria Krawczyk

I am a businesswoman and a diplomat by profession, by passion - a dancer. The emotions accompanying me during every performance are very unique. Apart from dancing, I love reading. I especially enjoy historical stories, biographies, and adventure books. And flowers - I love all the different kinds, without exception. In my free time, I like taking long walks, travelling, and going to theatres, museums, and art galleries.

Magdalena DeVault

Since my family moved to Poland in 2018, we have started becoming a part of Varia. We have grown into it. We have gotten to know the people and the place.

My husband Ken and four children: Ela, Julia, Adam, and Daniel have started taking Polish language classes. I have begun getting to know the school, the students, and the teachers. Very informally, sometimes while having a cup of coffee, other times in a passing conversation. I liked this friendly, warm place. A few times I stayed late, and now I am working (although this is not the most suitable description, because mostly I enjoy being and give endlessly) at Varia as a project manager. Every day I make our school the most friendly and comfortable place to learn and to teach.

I relax while practicing yoga, discover myself by taking pictures of my surroundings, loose myself in good books. I constantly learn. I never say “no” to travelling or to a great cup of coffee. I indulge myself in shapes, colors, scents. I am learning to feel.

Justyna Szybińska

I am always on my bicycle and fascinated by language and people. Every aspect of language captivates me. I love observing how language influences our perception of the world, how it shapes us, how it evolves with time, and how it co-creates our culture. For me, learning a language is like discovering a whole new world. It allows me to meet new people, develop my own personality, and … have fun. A bicycle trip to discover the local colour or a bonfire accompanied by long conversations with students about ourselves and our culture - that is what I love about my job.

Agata Miks-Lorenzoni

My name is Agata Miks-Lorenzoni, and I have a license to teach. Being a teacher is not only my occupation but also my passion. My experience comes from working in Poland and Italy. I believe people continue learning throughout their lives, and I find that beautiful. A recipe for a successful lesson? A large dose of clear communication and a pleasant atmosphere, a pinch of grammar, and a spoonful of vocabulary. During my lessons I like using creative materials. In my free time, I cook, read, and travel, especially in Tuscany. I am passionate about sociolinguistics and learning foreign languages. I appreciate my students’ even tiniest attempts to communicate, and I want to support their efforts.

Ania Stelmach

It is said that you can teach the workbook, the language, or the student. The last one is the most important to me, yet, the most difficult. It compels you to be attentive, constantly seek, and look for inspirations. I strive to conduct my classes in a pleasant and creative atmosphere, make them engaging, and avoid boredom. I hope my lessons are eagerly awaited by my students. After many years of teaching, I continuously enjoy my job. While during my work I give much of myself, I receive just as much.

Anna Winczura

I have been teaching Polish as a foreign language since 2005. My experience comes from teaching at universities in Poland, Czech Republic, France, and Germany. Currently, I teach online. I am passionate about foreign languages. Since I am continuously learning new languages, I can easily put myself in my students’ shoes and understand their needs. I am trying to design interesting and dynamic lessons filled with a variety of information about the Polish geography, culture, and society. In my lessons, I also use my personal interests and hobbies, including love for cooking, cinema, music, and board games.

Dorota Rybińska

I work as a tour guide in Krakow, and I love this city! In my line of work, every day I appreciate not only the beautiful monuments but also the people I cross paths with. I truly enjoy meeting new people, learning about their culture, and discovering their mentality. The same things are important and valuable to me when I teach Polish. I believe languages are a window into the world and I want to show my foreign students a little bit of the Polish world. I also like travelling and hope to visit South America. In my free time, I like bike riding, mountain hiking, hanging out with friends, and playing with my dog.

Iga Strzałka

Foreign languages are my specialty. I speak Russian and English fluently, but I have always been the most passionate about the Polish language. I graduated with a degree in Russian Philology. Upon earning the certification to teach Polish as a foreign language, I started teaching. I take great pleasure in sharing my knowledge with my students, especially the youngest ones. I love travelling. My dream is to hitchhike across the former Soviet Union and travel by the Trans-Siberian Railway all the way to China. When I am not physically travelling, I use my cooking skills to take me to the remote places in the world.

Joanna Michalczyk

Ludwig Wittgenstein said, “the limits of language . . . mean the limits of my world.” As a Polish language teacher, I have been helping people from all over the world expand these limits. I enjoy teaching grammar because that is where the logic of a language lies. I sometimes work as a translator. I like photography, cats, knitted toys, and reading late into the night. I hope one day to learn Finnish, Japanese, and Icelandic.

Katarzyna Kałwak

I love learning foreign languages, but I enjoy teaching Polish to foreigners the most. I am a graduate of Slavic Philology and that is why Slavic languages are the closest to my heart. I still would like to learn a few new languages and polish the ones I already know. I am a huge advocate of lifelong learning and personal development. In my free time, I like reading books, spending time with friends and family, going for walks, and taking trips out of town. I love the mountains as much as the sea. I also enjoy watching televised sport competitions; mostly ski jumping, volleyball, and football.

Magda Król

I work at Varia because I like people and here you can meet the entire world. I like enthusiasts because if it were not for them, who else would learn Polish? :) I like irrational variety, even absurdity - there is always something interesting, but unexpected similarities may hit close to home. My motto is: “Having fun with Polish” - this can be accomplished while teaching grammar as well as having conversations. Welcome to my lessons!

Magda Mielimonka

I have a weakness for chocolate and Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn. I also love the scent of freshly mowed grass, people with a good sense of humor, and red wine. What do my students say about me? “The terrorist.” :) That’s required when you are teaching Polish grammar. And what do I say about my students? “The perfect material for hostages.” ;-) My students are disciplined and obedient. Our classes are always very interesting and filled with joy and laughter. All the adventurous daredevils are welcome to my class.

Małgorzata Vailleau-Wołczyk

Learning foreign languages has always been my great passion! Now, I am discovering the same passion in teaching Polish, and I very much would like to infect my students with it. The opportunity to meet people from all corners of the world is one of the biggest advantages of my work. Personally, I love cats, traveling, and good cinema. I spend my free time on culinary experiments and catching up on watching movies.

Magdalena Kotarska

I log in to Varia’s virtual classroom from beautiful Sopot, a city near the Baltic Sea. I graduated with Polish Philology degree from the University of Gdansk and have been teaching the Polish language to students from all over the world. The Polish language is my great passion and I like to share it with others. For me, meeting foreigners is always an awesome experience, an opportunity to learn about various cultures, customs, and different points of view. During the lessons, I give my all. I do my best to make each class engaging, action-packed, and full of various virtual games. You will never be bored during my lesson. My free time? I fill it with studying foreign languages, travelling, and good books.

Monika Barańska

I strive to teach in such a way to create the feelings of fulfilment and success in my students. I derive great pleasure from inspiring conversations and encounters with people. I also enjoy spending time with nature and admiring all its wonders, reading and winter sports (especially skiing.)

Natalia Wójcik

My favourite writer, Marcel Proust, used to say: "The true journey of the discoverer is not about finding new landscapes, but about finding new eyes." These words has become my motto in a private and a professional life.
I love travelling and during each trip I really try to "see" other cultures. My work and passion is to teach those who set out on a trip to Poland and settle down there for a while - I help them to find "new eyes" in Polish reality. I cannot get bored, I like riding a bike, practicing yoga, buying cool clothes and talking to people! On my lessons you can have fun and a lot of homework :), because the success gained by hard work brings real joy!

Aleksandra Barczyk

I grew up in the family of teachers and I was always surrounded by foreign languages, as well as music. Over time, I decided to study philology and for several years now I’ve been following my passions as a teacher of Polish and Russian. My area of expertise is pronunciation and intonation. At work, I share my passions and skills, I like helping students to break down linguistic barriers and I heard that my good humor is contagious 😊. Privately I love theater and I'm passionate about the borderland of Podkarpacie. I sometimes sing and in my free time I like to ice-skate.

Paulina Stawarz

I’m trying to teach in such a way so that my students can have a feeling of „fullfilment” and success 😊. I take great joy from joint meetings and inspiring conversations with my (fantastic!😊) students. In addition to teaching, I also enjoy having contact with nature, admiring the wonders of nature on all continents, reading interesting books and winter sports (especially skiing).

Nicola Agier

I became a teacher because working with people motivates me. I like learning about new cultures, especially about their scents and flavours. My students surprise me with their language discoveries and their fresh look at any cultural differences. I love Krakow, its romantic, narrow streets, and crowded cafes. I also like walking in the rain. I am interested in modern literature - you can often see me sitting on my balcony with an interesting book and a cup of coffee. My favourite writers are Italo Calvino and Matei Visniec, while ma favourite word is “flanowanie”, which means a spontaneous wandering around town and sightseeing without a map or a guide but focused on getting to know the residents.

Małgorzata Mikołajska

I am passionate about discovering new cultures, languages, flavours, and my job allows me to cultivate all my passions. During spring or summer you can see me biking or kayaking, during fall - backpacking in the mountains, and in the winter - I am dancing to an oriental music or reading my favourite books with a cup of coffee or tea (brought from a trip). I am very interested in the culture of the Balkan countries - I am looking forward to learning more about them.

Katarzyna Władyka

After many years spent in London, I came back to Krakow and was immediately swept away by Varia. I am excited to continue teaching Polish as a foreign language. What does my work mean to me? It means that I can have the opportunity to share the beauty of my language with people from all over the world, promote Polish culture, build bridges between my students and there Polish girlfriends, wives, husbands, friends, employers, and in-laws ;) What is important to me in my work? Continuously the same things (for the past twelve years) - passion, involvement, search, discovery, motivation, purpose, satisfaction, and a sense of humor. And what do I do when I leave Varia? I sing jazz, dance Zumba, listen to rock, read Olga Tokarczuk, take long walks, and venture into Bieszczady.

Klaudia Mucha - Iwaniczko

I love travelling and teaching Polish as a foreign language. From my students I learn a lot about the cultures, flavours, and colours of the world. What I like most about my job is getting to know the other person by teaching him the language. I teach children and adults. I also conduct studies on the inherited language in the Polish youth living in The British Islands. In my free time, I like reading contemporary literature, watching TV series and movies, and developing my culinary skills.

Agnieszka Zięba

At Varia I work as a director of study. I supervise the the entire teaching process and its implementation. I ensure the great quality of all lessons by helping our teachers conduct their classes in an effective but also inspiring way. In my free time, I like to travel, especially to Istanbul and the Balkans. I am passionate about cinema, fashion, Polish folklore as well as the forgotten stories and legends. My favourite place in Krakow is Planty - any time of day, any time of year.