Kasia Piatek: Mum from Poland - Embracing Adventure, Overcoming Adversity, and Becoming a Mountain Leader and Rock-Climbing Instructor

Tough Girl Podcast

Kasia wears many hats: a Mountain Leader, Rock-Climbing Instructor, and an aspiring alpinist. But above all, she's a lover of adventure. Her story began in 2008 when she left Poland in search of a better life. Little did she know, this journey would lead her to incredible heights—both literally and metaphorically.

Life in a new country wasn't easy. Kasia had to work hard, raise a child alone, and worry about making ends meet. But through it all, her passion for the mountains burned bright.

Despite the demands of her daily life, Kasia couldn't ignore the call of the wild. So, she took a leap of faith. She left behind the security of her job to pursue her love for climbing full-time.

Her greatest adventures awaited in the Himalayas, where she tackled peaks that few had ever dared to climb. But for Kasia, the thrill of exploration doesn't end there. Her dream is to keep discovering new corners of the world, to seek out untouched landscapes and experience the beauty of the unknown.

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Show notes

• Who is Kasia
• Moving to the UK in 2008 at 20 years old
• Not being outdoorsy while growing up in Poland
• The challenges of first moving to the UK
• Learning the language and the culture
• The challenge of finding her first job
• Getting a job in a chicken factory for 2 years
• Not having the energy to spend time outdoors
• Work - home - work - home
• Becoming a mother in September 2009
• Wanting to do more with her life
• Applying for new jobs every 2 years
• Doing qualifications
• Going through a divorce and why it was so chaotic for a few years
• Getting her driving licence at 26 years old
• Starting to explore the surrounding mountains in Herefordshire
• Being invited to a local climbing centre
• Starting with bouldering
• Spending time outdoors with her young daughter
• Getting new gear and finding an outdoor instructor to learn more skills in the outdoors
• Sharing her dreams of becoming a member of mountain rescue
• Speaking with a mountaineering instructor and receiving advice about how to start
• How to get registered with Mountain Training
• Providing evidence of her experience in the mountains and building her portfolio
• QMDs - Quality Mountain Days
• Doing her ML Training in 2020
• Passing her Rock Climbing Instructor in 2021
• Giving herself between a year and 18 months
• Getting qualified and the next steps
• Being supported by her partner
• Wanting to gain experience with Raleigh International in a volunteer position
• Having no job and no experience as a mountain leader
• Going through a very stressful time, not knowing what was next
• Using FB groups to get work
• Working with the British Army
• Gaining confidence and new skills working as an outdoor instructor
• Managing stress and uncertainty
• Going with the flow and why the journey is so important
• Not wanting to feed the negative thoughts, or overthink things
• Wanting to share her passion for the outdoors
• Inspiring other to follow their outdoor dreams
• Dealing with Imposter syndrome while working in the outdoors
• Working towards her Mountaineering and Climbing Instructor
• Having her assessment booked for May 2025
• The preparation for her assessment and getting in enough rock climbing experience
• The sacrifices that need to be made
• The struggle of finding people to climb with
• Enjoying the process and meeting so many like minded people who have similar interests and passions
• How her love for the mountains has grown
• Starting to climb in the Alps
• Spending time in the Himalayas in India
• Joining the Alpine Club
• Learning new skills
• Wanting to climb higher and go on expeditions
• Womens Trad Festival
• Reflecting back on the progress she’s made over the past 3 years
• How to connect with Kasia on Instagram
• Future goals
• Final words of advice for other women who want to make a career change
• Ignore the negative opinions of the people around you
• Keep working hard if you want to achieve your goals.

Social Media

Instagram: @mtns_and_me