Writing about happy people can sometimes be very difficult. Why, you ask? Because reading about happy people might sometimes appear to be boring and contrived. We are programmed in a way that we are always looking for news; and the more “dramatic”, “sad” or “unexpected” the news is, the more interesting it is. If we pass on to the people a happy story about a happy man, it is a tad “not real” for us. I am thinking now, that Steve’s life could simply be described as happy. God, nobody is going to believe me…

On a prominent Polish street inside the big hall of Urus’ Works, Polish celebrities are getting ready for the final performance of the TVN-TV show “Taniec z Gwiazdami” (the Polish version of ‘Dancing with the Stars’; a show where non-dance experienced celebrities are pitted with professional dance partners and compete against each other in new dance routines each week, with the lowest scoring couples dropped after each episode down to the winning couple). Bodyguards are standing in front of the building; it is messy and chaotic inside. Iwona Szymańska – Pavlović, an important and revered Polish dancer and a judge on this show, wanders through the corridor in front of us and disappears in the small room around the corner. Dancer, Arek Hezler, leans on the wall beside us. This tall, athletic boy, dances each episode as a teaser before the main couples begin. The show is already 20 minutes behind the scheduled start time. Everybody is in their seats and waiting silently for the start – here we go… Lights! Music! Dance! Steve had arrived in a black t-shirt, with black pants. He is tall, well build and with infectious smiling eyes. On arriving, Steve took my backpack (it is not so heavy), because it is the polite thing to do; because that is how a man should act, believes Steve. As we walk through the production hallways and pass a crowd of onlookers we sit down in the “anteroom”, behind the scenes of the television production. This Anteroom is decorated in red with the royal coaches in the middle… Ok, first question: Steve, how did this story with windsurfing begin?

Windsurfing and Steve.

Steve was raised on an Australian farm around 5-6 minutes drive out of the city centre of Brisbane. Brisbane is one of the larger cities of Australia and is situated in the south-east corner of the state of Queensland, and is built against the Brisbane river which winds its way out to the ocean a few kilometres from the city. As a result of their close proximity to the water, the Allen family had all been involved in windsurfing for a very long time. The Allen family’s farm was situated probably a little too close to the ocean; so much so that most of Steve’s time was spent on the water, especially in his earlier school days, of which when mentioned, Steve begins to smile widely.

I smile always. Sometimes my teachers thought that I am just sarcastic. But that was such a big misunderstanding, I just like to smile, whether the situation required it or not.

Steve admits that during his school days, the work wasn’t his centre of his attention. Often he would sit in class and observe the wind outside of the window. Windsurfing has stolen his soul. It happened – he admits – that in the super windy days I was going to the beach instead of attending class. My mum used to write me papers to school that I sick and visiting the doctor – says Steve. Every Wednesday we had ‘sports days’ and I had convinced my teacher that we could include windsurfing in the curriculum. The progression from sailing on Wednesday afternoons until competing in real competitions was not really that long.

Everything started during one holiday, when the teenage Steve was training with one of his friends. Steve was surprised how well his friend was windsurfing and how good the equipment he was sailing on. His friend was taking part in the ‘real’ competitions – local and state racing championships in Australia; the reason for the improvement in gear and technique. “Ah’ha” I thought, to get the possibility to train more, to have better equipment, I have to start racing in the competitions. And that was that; that’s where it started… - Steve smiles (for the umpteenth time).

Steve had taken part in first competitive windsurfing event when he was just 13 years old and he was improving every season. He started competing in bigger and tougher competitions and his talent in the sport was out of dispute. When Steve finished school and was 18 years old he flew to Maui (Hawaii) for 3 months. There he won a very important competition and this win gave him a wildcard entrance to the Professional Windsurfing World Tour. Why windsurfing I ask him? Steve gives the answer without hesitation – FREEDOM – he says strongly, looking straight into my eyes. Yes. Steve is a person who will hold your eye contact. This you will always notice but it doesn’t make you uncomfortable, it is rather warm and reflects his interest in your conversation. Steve’s conversations in his adopted second language, Polish, are very impressive, but it is a big loss for Polish people that they cannot get to know him “in English”. In his mother tongue he is an even more absorbing person. Behind his gallant smile – a famous trait Steve is known for – he has hidden another important idealistic trait - philosophy. Steve’s philosophy of on life is that everyone has the ability to control it (or maybe it is better to say that you can control your ability to be happy in life). Windsurfing is a visible sign of that. - The feelings which you gain while you’re on the water are unable to be described. The elements of nature; wind! Water! First you learn how to play with them, after you will learn control over them. In your own hands you are harnessing the power of nature.

Maybe this is sounding weird but windsurfers are a little bit different people to the rest of society. They are more easy-going and relaxed, enthusiastic and positive; “younger!”.

Problems do not exist for us – says Steve – there exists just solutions for these problems. I am never disappointed by anything. Bad things I treat as the process of learning. Adversity just makes me stronger. Of course it has happened in my life some terrible days. Every injury I had was ins some point consequential for me. But I have learned to keep looking for the positive way out only. That was the way I was raised by my parents. Especially my mother, who is very into psychology. She passed down to me a lot of important values and knowledge in the positive thinking area. As Steve underlines these values which underline his attitude to life, it is apparent that he was influenced not only by his family’s values but by his cultural background.

Poland – Australia / I am a Plumper and I am Not Ashamed!

Polish people are great! I always enjoy their kindness. For example near my house is a small shop and whenever I shop there, the shop-lady works on my Polish. She tries to teach me how to change the ending of the words which in the Polish language are different for different contexts. This kind of grammar rule doesn’t exist for the English language at all. That is so nice. With Polish people you have to first break the ice and afterwards they are very open people. In Australia it is a little different as people are living in the few large cities or otherwise out in the farming areas which can often times be a long way from the big towns. Australia is huge and with a small amount of inhabitants in comparison to Poland (The population density in Australia is 2.8 person/km2 vs 124 persons / km2 in Poland - editor.)

In Australia, on the street people say to others – strangers -“hey” and smile to each other. We are more trustful and we aren’t caring as much about problems. Let me give you an example. I am a plumber by trade. It was my job back in Australia and I am not ashamed of that. But it happened in Poland that someone paid me attention that I shouldn’t go around saying I was a plumber, because it is a shame. I couldn’t understand why I should have been ashamed about plumbing?! – Steve’s face is asking me. After while he adds – but its just details, Polish people are wonderful! I am sure Steve doesn’t dwell on it. Why? Because he has married a Polish girl and now lives with her in Warsaw, Poland!

I Talk to My Children in English and They Answer Me in Polish.

The history of my love with Agata is very simple. We just fell in love with each other - he finishes calmly. I was 29 years old when we got married in 2002 and yes, she is Polish and we do live together in Poland. But for me, “place” has no meaning. It is important with “who” you live. Poland is the perfect place to live! Of course I miss Australia sometimes. To be honest, when we were planning with Gucia (nickname of Agata) I said to her I would never, ever live in Poland. And here we go! Here I am living in Poland. What will my children do? Whatever they want to! For sure I will introduce them to all different sports, but they will choose what they want to do by themselves. My son Andy is a very energetic kid, his teachers in the kindergarten say he is like a small battery. He keeps running around when the other kids are already tired. Sometimes when I look at him, he reminds me of myself when I was younger. His thoughts are drifting away, like mine were when I was younger… and Eva – Steves eyes begin to light up – Eva is a girl, she is into dancing and playing with dolls. My kids are getting bigger already – adds Steve – we will see what happens when they grow up.

What language we are speaking in? Ha ha – Steve laughs – I talk to my children in English and they answer me in Polish.

Steve admits he is missing Australia, especially the surfing, for which the conditions for in Poland are not that great. Steve travels back home to Australia every two years and spends a few months there. Does he plan to come back to live in Australia? - It depends on the future – he underlines calmly.

The Future: A Windsurfing School; if Not, Just Regular Work.

I have a lot of plans for the future - Steve smiles provocatively – do you want to know all of them? – he asks. I can tell you a couple of them: For sure I would like to be the owner of some windsurfing location where I could be windsurfing, alone, or with friends. I was thinking also about building a windsurfing school, or if not, maybe a windsurfing shop? - Steve thinks – if I couldn’t realise this dream in Poland, I could always come back to Poland and do everyday, regular jobs, as I used to do in the past. Steve is sure that life will be fine whatever he chooses. He believes that a solution will always find him; he likes the challenge. The best example is his participation in the Polish TV show : “Dancing with the Stars”. Steve was dancing there with Anna Głogowska, a Polish professional dancer. Steve was dancing? Nobody from his windsurfing world would believe that. But it’s true!

I don’t hear the music well, but I can properly react for the movements of my partner.

One thing I understood about dance for sure, it is so difficult! - says Steve when asked about the dancing. – I don’t hear the music at all - he laughs – I have learnt dance just with the help of good communication with the body of my partner. And that’s why it worked out. Steve thinks a short moment and adds – it was an incredible experience. A really great time and I appreciate that I got a chance from TV TVN to present myself to the public. It is not only about myself but also about windsurfing as a sport.

Meanwhile, back at the danceshow final, where this interview began, Mr. Bodyguard looks into our red room. He circles his hands around his face, giving mysterious signs to Steve – make up time – comments Steve – I have to go. It is a petty we didn’t get more time to talk – he says with kindness. The stylists and makeup girls are taking him from me, we say a quick goodbye, and I go outside. In the front of the entrance stands a group of youth. Maybe it is the audience to the final dance episode which is going to be filmed today? (I have seen somewhere that you could buy tickets for 50 euro). The group encompasses older girls full of make up and younger kids with bundles of paper - maybe for autographs? I pass the crowd and walk through the huge halls of Ursus’ works. I am smiling to myself. This has to look silly, I am thinking after a while. Why am I smiling? I don’t know… Maybe I just caught a bug?