Life always manages to surprise me, showing me all over again how seemingly insignificant events can create a powerful change. Firstly applied in weather science, the butterfly effect describes how a small change in an interconnected system could lead to huge, unpredictable results. Edward Norton Lorenz, a mathematician and meteorologist, originally explained the concept using a powerful metaphor of butterflies' wing flaps leading to the formation tornado on another side of the world. My Laidlaw journey really reminds me of this comparison, with so much growth, change and adventure originating from one visit to the library. When I saw the poster advertising the Laidlaw scholarship on one of the library screens, I just thought to myself that I’d give it a shot. The opportunity seemed incredible; however, I didn’t give it much thought at the very beginning, thinking that my chances were quite slim anyway. To my surprise, after sending an application outlining my original idea for research and the Leadership in Action project and an interview, I opened an acceptance email in the place where it all started: in the basement of the Main Library. Little did I know, not aware that these few paragraphs would be such a strong catalyst for adventures and challenges, with knowledge and skills that I will cherish for a very long time.

When I reflect on the changes and lessons I’ve learnt over the past two years, the first one that comes to my mind is an incredible sense of confidence and independence. Having come from a conservative, low socio-economic background, leadership skills are definitely not the ones deemed as important, especially for girls and women. When in school, I was always told off for speaking my mind loudly and standing up for what I believed in. I was constantly told that I’d change my mind, as I knew very little, that once I grew up, I would just accept the ‘natural’ order of life that is pre-prepared for me. My Laidlaw experience allowed me to truly explore the other side of the story, and by constant exposure to challenges, taught me that I’m able to not only manage things but also excel at them.

Upon reflection, confidence and independence have been cultivated the most during my Leadership in Action project in Buenos Aires. Before starting, my head was filled with nervousness and self-doubt that prevented me from being truly excited for the upcoming project. I was nervous about spending an entire summer so far away from home, not only distance-wise but also with such a big time difference. It was also the first time I didn’t spend my summer in Poland, which turned out to be harder than I anticipated. It was also the first time I travelled outside of Europe, which was both extremely exciting and nerve-wracking. This mix of emotions was with me up until the very beginning of my project in Argentina, until the time I stepped on another continent for the very first time. Then, all of a sudden, these feelings that were present for such a long time and cultivated by my own self-doubts disappeared very quickly. As it turned out, Argentina was full of extremely kind and warm people, who soon became my close friends. Working alongside such a positive, selfless and diverse group of people showed me a real definition of the leader I strive to be, a leader so hard to define in words but so easy to notice in real life. An example of an incredibly strong leader that first comes to my mind is Silvia, the founder of the English Institute. From the first time that I entered the school, she treated me with warmth and kindness, so genuine that I felt like home instantly. This kindness was very well supported by confidence and strong-mindedness, which made her not only very well liked but also respected by everyone, from children attending the classes to all teachers and volunteers. Being mentored by leaders such as Silvia really cultivated my confidence, showing me that the traits I had considered as negative in the past became my strong sides. Moreover, all the leaders I have worked with put a lot of confidence in me and my skills, knowing that I would be able to tackle challenges ahead of my journey. Therefore, on the first day of classes, I was surprised with one of the teachers told me that I would be leading the class, not only helping out the main teacher. As nerve-wrecking as it was, it showed me that I’m more than capable of doing it, and it was actually part of the LiA that I enjoyed the most. Working as a main teacher for the next 4 weeks fostered my independence and belief in my own skills.

Meeting such a vast diversity of people and leaders also showed me the reality of the leadership theories I have learnt during the leadership training and talks while in St Andrews. I discovered that leadership can look in so many different ways, and that practical experience is a key to discovering what leadership means. While in the soup kitchen, I quickly learnt that connecting with people I worked with was the best way to try to enact a good impact, as otherwise my efforts could go into solutions that were simply not needed. I discovered that for me leadership is more about listening than speaking, and that I always want to be a leader guided by compassion and understanding. I found that making deep connections with your team is vital for the success of any leader, as it cultivates the mutual trust and respect necessary to navigate complex problems. I was truly inspired by more people than I can count, and I hope that I managed to give back at least a bit of what I got during my experience.

Lastly, I believe that my curiosity was a trait necessary for my role as a leader during my LiA project. From curiosity about the people I worked with in the community soup kitchen to the curiosity during the conversation with children in the English Institute, it allowed me to create connections with people I worked with. This curiosity also allowed me to discover Argentinian culture and history through the eyes of the local people, which turned out to be more real and interesting than anything I managed to read in books or online before my journey.

One of my main goals while in Argentina was improving my Spanish and immersing myself in the language in a variety of ways. I have decided to take part in an intensive Spanish course, and for two weeks I spent 4 hours each morning practising speaking, improving grammar and learning new vocabulary. I’m a firm believer that language is a necessary part to truly get to know the place you are travelling to, as it contains not only a collection of words and grammar rules but also carries culture and history. Deciding to take an extra effort was really worth being able to have conversations in Spanish with my friends from the English Institute, as well as strangers I was meeting during my other adventures around the city. This strengthened even more the connections that I have made with others and allowed me to be an even better teammate. It also proves itself useful while teaching, as it is quite difficult to explain grammar and certain vocabulary to others without any point of reference to their native language. It definitely made the students trust me more, and the little conversations that we had in Spanish before and after the classes were often the highlight of my days.

As I’ve mentioned before, I think that the true importance of the Leadership in Action part of Laidlaw is being exposed to a variety of leaders, who inspire and work with people in a variety of different ways. Being able to spend 8 weeks in a country of such cultural diversity was very inspiring and made me reconsider my own internal battle between Polish and Scottish identities that I thought stood in opposition to each other. However, seeing people from different cultures and backgrounds celebrating each other and sharing parts of their cultures was a beautiful way to realise that even the differences can connect us. In a polarised world, divided between ‘us’ and ‘them’, it was refreshing to see such an acceptance of a diverse way of living, connecting and loving. That’s why, even though I have visited only Uruguay and Buenos Aires, I felt as if I had travelled around Argentina, from El Calafate in the very south of the country all the way through Patagonia, Salta, Jujuy and more. Hearing about different customs and foods from around the country made me feel connected to the people even more and opened my eyes up to all Argentina has to offer. It also made me re-fall in love with my home country, Poland, when I realised how much I miss it when answering questions during my classes and in the conversations beyond the classroom. The complicated relationship with my country has definitely been on my mind, but rather than denying this part of my identity, I started embracing it more. In addition to the internal self-discoveries, the international nature of Buenos Aires allowed me to visit places not only in a metaphorical way, during the conversations, but also hopefully in the future, as my new friends have invited me to join their travels. Connecting with people also redefined for me the meaning of the word ‘networking’, which I quite frankly resented for a very long time. I have realised that this word doesn’t have to stand for exchanging pleasantries to receive something in the future, but rather for forming meaningful and deep friendships that nourish both sides.

These few thoughts that I’m describing here are just some of the lessons that I have learnt over the past 2 years. This Laidlaw experience turned empty phrases and words like ‘resilience’, ‘confidence’ and ‘leadership’ into tangible and meaningful qualities that I will always strive to cultivate in my future adventures.

The amount of gratitude I have towards Laidlaw scholarships and all the people involved is hard to express in words. Being involved with this opportunity meant that instead of having to work full-time during summer, I had the chance to follow my interests, learn through practice, explore new places and meet incredible people. Being able to work in a lab during my first summer made me realise that, as much as I love learning, pursuing academia might not be a way for me. This made me think of other options, with many plans starting to grow in my mind for my future endeavours. All the skills that I have learnt and practised in Buenos Aires have made me more into a leader that I’d like to be, connecting with people and always striving to make decisions with empathy and compassion. For these reasons, I hope to be involved with the Laidlaw Foundation and help as many people as possible get to know about the programme. However, I believe that the best way to give back for all I have learned is by giving back to the communities I’m surrounded by. The Laidlaw experience equipped me with all the necessary tools to enact a positive, tangible change, and I hope to carry all these lessons with me into the next chapters of my life. Like the butterflies from Lorenz's metaphor, I hope that my Laidlaw experience will be just the beginning of a bigger change, a change that strives to unite people despite prejudices and invites curiosity and compassion into the definition of a good leader.

As always, I’m incredibly grateful to many people for making this opportunity possible for me: from the entire Laidlaw Foundation and Lord Laidlaw, to the Laidlaw team at the University of St Andrews, who have always been there to support me and help me grow. Last but not least, a special thank you to Finley, my fiancée, who’s been behind all my adventures and by my side during every challenge I’ve encountered. Your love and support mean more than you can imagine.