At age nineteen, I fled from the communist dictatorship in Poland to the West. During the first years after my escape I supported myself as a metalworker, seaman, draftsman, and engineer. Subsequently, I pursued and received a M.Sc. in geology from Stockholm University. This led to work both in Sweden and abroad, for state and private companies, as well as the United Nations. Presently, I am active as a freelance writer and contribute to newspapers and radio.