Siberian Lessons

A young Polish woman travels across Russia by train. Her final destination is a hamlet in Siberia, 7000 kilometres from her native town, where she will teach Polish to the descendants of Polish expatriates. The living and working conditions over there are far from ideal; the local teachers have been on strike for months because they do not get their salaries paid.The seemingly casual shots have a poetic undertone, showing a disintegrating country. After a difficult start, the young Polish woman gradually feels better at home among her predominantly young students, each of whom would like to go and study in Poland.In a voice-over, she tells about her daily experiences in diary form. She has never felt so committed, but after one year she has to return to Poland, where she marries the love of her youth. The loving memories of Siberia will always remain in her head, like a valuable lesson for life.