Rob Reacts to... DON'T GO TO POLAND IF.... (6 Things You Must Consider)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 22 เม.ย. 2023
- Is Poland the right place for you to visit? Well, consider these 6 things.
Original: • DON'T GO TO POLAND IF....
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Hi Rob, I'm currently living in Canada for some 30+ years, originally from Poland. Thanks for posting, very informative and sometimes humorous video. Cheers from cold Canada. Two thumbs up guys.
Vigo's Dad is a dumb pro-German sell out
That's true. Many Poles love sarcasm and irony. sometimes you don't need to insult someone, just make a sarcastic remark. The wise will understand, the stupid will not.
My family members are abstynents ( not drinking alcohol ) and we still have a great time as Poles .
He meant more the people that are not fine with alcohol in general. You know, the sort of people that don't drink themselves and complain about others drinking in front of them.
As a Pole that barely drinks alcohol and hates the idea of drinking when not at home, I don't have problems as a result of that. However, I am aware that others like drinking and during social events I don't throw around unappreciated glares at others for having a shot, I don't complain that this or that person got themselves drunk (I do complain if they are bothering me, whether or not because of them being drunk) etc. I interact with drunk people as I do with anyone else (to the extent they are able to, at any rate). But I also know there are people that would bring others down for drinking.
You liar!
I am a Pole and my partner too and we both don't drink
me and my boyfriend too. To the point where my I glass of wine or shot of liqueur (both in 10-15% alcohol range) once a few months is "drinking".
You don't need alcohol to have fun. You need the right people to have fun, not the right amount of alcohol ☺️
I came back to Poland after living 37 years in US, but still think Poland is better and more beatiful
Hey...it is going to be 30 years in the US and going back. Did you accommodate well after such a long time?
Thank you for asking, Renata.Ja jestem bardzo zadowolony ze wrocilem na stare lata do Polski.Takie zmiany, bardzo ladnie i nowoczesnie tutaj,poza tym dostaje amerykanska emeryture.Jedzenie bardzo dobre, pieczywa takiego nie ma w Ameryce@@renatalegutko6164
Vigo's Dad is absolutely right ! His observation are just perfect. As a Pole I would add #7 "if you hear people around you complaining all the time and this makes you nervous or depressed - don't come to Poland". We ove complaining :)
haha im always moaning! :D
That's true. Whining and complaining about everything around is our specialty 😁
The main topic for a random chat especially in a shop is how expensive everything is! Prices are growing crazy! Do you have an inflation in your country?
Speak for yourself, maybe you love complaining. I and my friends don't
Number 5 ;) My English friends around 2010, before coming to Poland, asked me:
Is it possible to exchange pounds in cash in Poland, because you don't have ATMs?
How much food and canned food should we take with us?
and: Do you have a microvave to heat them up?
They flew in and then I took them to a big dinner where I paid by card. They apologized for the next 3 days. ;)
haha!
Just right on everything, spot on I think. I would add one "don't". We also are very direct people, no small talks, no endless "thank you" "how are you", no political correctness, bare truth being told in a manner of a casual conversation, whereas other nations would start to beat around the bush, etc. That directness is nerve-wrecking to my foreign friends.
ok, but that thing about "you don´t get friends easily", they also say it about scandinavians, people are reserved" - oh, get the fuck out, there are the greatest people which will take care of you in Polska, Danmark and the usa
We say in Poland ,,Western prices, Eastern wages" like everything cost way out of our league when it comes to prices.
2 4 u in McDonald's was 4 zlotych now its 10,50
This is defninition of Central Europe: "Western prices, Eastern wages" ;)
And northern taxes.
@@0plp0 thats a nice one :D
Pracujesz jak koń, zarabiasz jak kucyk.
I'm from Poland, I think they are good advices. Especially about the weather and the dark sense of humor.
Many Poles love Monty Python's humor.
We did a whole Monty Python and the Holy Grail -themed scout camp for a group of 13-15 year olds in Jura Krakowsko-Częstochowska (all the castles there lent to the general vibe). Some themed activities in these surroundings and the screening of the movie - they loved it!
true, I come from Poland and Monty Python and the Holy Grail is a fucking masterpiece
True
In the US there was something called Polish jokes. I understand that the people who came there for work in the 19th century were mainly social lowlands. So they laughed at them but the jokes weren't very smart. However, I have my favourite. A six-seat light aircraft crashed in a cemetery. Polish rescue services recovered two thousand bodies. 😂
@@tomaszjedrzejec4479 Po polsku będzie mi łatwiej to wyjaśnić: Polish jokes przywieźli pod koniec XIX wiek emigranci z Niemiec. Mieli bardzo negatywne stereotypy na temat Polaków, ocierające się o niechęć kulturową. Amerykanie niemieckiego pochodzenia, których jest znacznie więcej niż Amerykanów polskiego pochodzenia rozwijali ten motyw by uzyskać efekt zjawiska pt. Polish jokes, które rozprzestrzeniło się w całych Stanach. Nie ma to nic wspólnego z poziomem wykształcenia polskich emigrantów z przełomu wieków, był to po prostu przejaw niemieckiego nacjonalizmu i poczucia wyższości nad Polakami.
I used to live in the UK. The UK is much colder for me than Poland. Why? There is more sun in Poland during all the year. We, the Poles, often say, that in the UK there is autumn all the year. There is almost no summer, 23C is already hot for english people, when for me 22-23C is the proper temperature inside buildings. My God, people in the UK have often 17C in their flats. For me it's too cold.
And I hate winter so much!
Anyway snow is not very common these days. Christmas very often is the time without any snow. Older people say "winter now? 40yrs ago we had winters like -20 or -30C. There is no winter now!"
Dużo zależy w jakiej części UK mieszkałeś . Najcieplej jest na wschód i południowy wschód od Londynu i sam Londyn ogólnie też . Na zachodzie często pada i wieje ( wpływ oceanu ) no i im bardziej na północ tym zimniej , wietrzniej i nie rzadko bardziej mokro .
@@mariolondyn50 Nottingham i Bristol
@@mariolondyn50 Londyn super, pogoda jak dla mnie o wiele lepsza, niż w Polsce, łagodniejsza, bez ekstremalnych zmian i skoków temperatur, temperatury też bardziej umiarkowane w lecie, a cieplej w zimie, co mi bardziej odpowiada. Natomiast w domu zimno w zimie ze względu na wilgoć - i tu wolę polską pogodę.
Not just old people. I'm a few years shy of being a gen Z and I remember those winters. Freaking climate change is very visible and terrifying.
@@mariolondyn50
Nie do końca się z tym zgadzam. Z tego chociażby względu że w zimie częściej jest śnieg w Londynie niż u mnie w West Yorkshire.
With friends we often say: dark sense of humor is like a pair of legs, not everyone has it
Thank you for the reaction Rob, Pozdrawiam! 😊
Vigo's Dad is Pole already. He makes great videos about Poland, Poles, living in Poland. He is 100% correct with his observations.
As you've seen many videos about Poland you should realize, why we need time to decide what are the people real intentions and if we can open up or should keep a guard.
"Dark sense of humor" is second or third name of most of us.
Oooo, tak!
Vigo's Dad is dumb pro-nazi cunt
It is not even called "dark". In Poland it is just a normal, regular humor. It is others that call it dark. Also the distrust is probably the resoult of PRL and its spies.
Nigdy nie będzie Polakiem.
yea, thats why most of us that speaks eng and pol, struggles with word 'friend'. we dont instantly 'make friends' at parties. we have like another level between stranger (obcy) and friend (przyjaciel)- znajomy. i think closest translation would be 'colegue', but it isnt quite it.
Basicaly is you come to Poland in Spring or Autumn for a month or longer- you should be prepared for any possible condotions. The year my daughter was born November was so warm it was 20C+, other year, same date and you can see a 100% winter...
There's also saying there are 6 seasons in Poland: Winter(snow, you should visit Poland at least once when its below -10C, sun is shining and trees are covered with hoarfrost), Przedwiośnie (early spring, when all that snow is melting, everythingbis covered with water and mud, but sun is already shining very bright), Spring ( when everything becomes green and all trees blossom), Summer(sometimes with such outragous temperatures as 35C in shade or warmer), Złota Polska Jesień ( Polish Golden Autumn, when temperatures are close to Spring and all trees are covered with multicolored leaves) and finaly Autumn- when its mostly raining, muddy, dark and depressing
The November or April weather can change rather rapidly. I was born in November and apparently it was like 20 degrees when my mom was going to hospital and it started snowing as soon as I was born.
I observed similar scenerio in April when I was a child - I went to a circus with a t-shirt and shorts because it was quite warm and when I got out when the show ended 1,5h later there was snow everywhere. And a few years ago we had a sudden snow on Easter. They don't say much about November (I quess everyone just expects the snow because winter is nearing) but for April there is a saying "Kwiecień-Plecień bo przeplata trochę zimy trochę lata" ("April-Interweaver because it interweaves a little bit of winter and a little bit of summer.").
Rob, yours is the only channel from a non-Polish person that I would recommend to anyone who wants to get a true representation of the Polish culture, customs and the general realms of living in Poland. You really do get it. One thing I think is often overlooked though is that, yes - we have loads of gloomy days, especially in autumn, and it can get really cold in the winter months. However, once the nice weather kicks in (often in May), it stays consistently nice and hot (often very hot) right up until late September. Plus, unlike in the UK, if a day starts hot and sunny, typically it stays hot and sunny.
British sense of humor is well received in Poland series like Black Adder or Hallo Hallo were hits...
I like Keeping up appearances :)
Weather in Poland is always something that is going to it's full spectrum. You get all 4 seasons and they usually have 2 "flavors" as I'd call them. Spring you'll see proper green, beautiful landscapes emerging from winter sleep, at the same time winter will let itself known during that period with cold winds and maybe even snow, usually rain that can be both heavy or very light and refreshing. Summer can be roasting as in Philippines or can be rainy and cloudy like in tropics only colder. Almost guaranteed storms, thunder and lighting every once in a while. Autumn is either or both gold and stunning in variety of colors, a bit warm or cold and even icy. Winter, that is usually around zero Celsius or slightly below, or a proper well below (I remember can go even down to -35C). So if you wanna experience full spectrum of weather stay in Poland for a year.
If you like to visit medieval buildings, castles, etc., I recommend taking a trip along the Trail of the Eagles' Nests (from Krakow to Częstochowa - a whole lot of strongholds and fortresses).
Yess, I'm just planning my trip there.
Polish person born and raised there, I have been living in UK for 10years now and can tell you few things:
1. Rob we should be friends I'm same amount of introvert/extravert combo 😅
2. Money thing Is true for sure. Of course there are jobs that pay really really well and those Poles travel around the world and have generally very good life, but there are many that struggle and still see travelling, eating out or shopping excessively as a very unrealistic way of living;
3. This may apply to many European cities because it is an old continent with tumultuous history but there is a sort of divide when you meet an old Polish pearson and young Pole. It's basically because they grew up in different times, so their idea of other countries and life, might be quite different. There are many people who never left Polish borders .
4. Polish people tend to be more cautious when meeting new people and they will kind of show you that, meaning they will be polite but not kissing your a@@ just because you said "hello" .
5. Polish people are proud of the history and conflicted about current politics so it might get awkward
6. Weather can be bothering , especially November but I think most still appreciate that we have full 4 seasons, although sometimes spending summer in Poland is for a regular Pole and his family much more expensive than going abroad (especially Greece, Malta, Cyprus ) so nowadays people choose other destinations.
As polish and living in UK since 2010, I would love to foreigns and especially ppl from UK to stop calling us drinkers. We drink but tbh we don't drink so often like for instance Brits, when we drink, yes we drink heavy but we don't have a culture of going to pub almost every night, Brits do. In UK weekend in pubs starts on Thursday, all pub's are fully booked especiallyon payday, if the pay day is on Fri, most of brits have empty wallets and are still hungover on Tue. Not to mention football Wed pub nights. Regarding cost of living, the situation from years ago was only because zloty was weak and pound was 1 to7, now I can assure u that polish ppl are way better then we are here in UK, they do have inflation too but to compare cost of living to wages in UK and Poland u would see that brits are in much worse situation, it may look different but it's simple as that :(on average)polish ppl don't like to waste money and also polish ppl don't have a culture of credit cards so polish ppl may spend less money than u but at the same time their bank accounts are in good shape where most of brits have at least 1 credit card to pay off after trip to Poland....
As for weather, it's drastically different than what it was 15-20 years ago. The winters are now rather timid outside of mountainous areas, and summers got hot. The best weather is from the mid may to... early october I would say, if one doesn't mind the temperatures dropping around 15 degrees C. The big caveat is that every now and again this beautiful weather can be interrupted with 4-5 rainy days and if you booked those days... well.
You’re right. That’s the story about Poland. And barely we smile on the picture.
It's interesting that, from what I heard, when someone comes to Poland it's always Warsaw, Kraków and Gdańsk. I remind you, that western Poland also exists, and there are some places to visit, for example Poznań and Gniezno next to it, witch is first Polish capital. There is also working steam train in Wolsztyn, huge fortification complex in Międzyrzecz and so much more.
Also Wrocław if you prefer cities or Karkonosze if you like mountains:)
Poland is not underdeveloped. I remember my boyfriend telling me once that our main export are video games. I have no idea how true it is, but our country is average in almost everything, but we strive in video games. This is a clear sign that we are up to date with technology and stuff. Also I apprecieate that guy, he got everything right about Poland! Especially that humor part. I once joked on American discord server and they started giving me psychological, therapeutic and lifestyle advices and I had to explain that nothing was wrong, it was just a joke. Also sarcasm is a big part of how Poles speak. I need to bite my tounge, because apparently many foreigners do not get it. This is a similarity to UK, they do sarcasm too. They understand 😭It's awsome when you don't need to hold back, because you know the other person will know.
The video game thing is probably due to Wiedźmin and it was a temporary thing. The biggest export of Poland is stuff like car parts and next one is various electronics. And of course: apples (the fruits).
Idk dude i from Poland and i work in neederland its sad to me but our work market after pandemic and ucraine war issue, we learn and go, because inflation Burn to much money
@@AnaMert1 What? Cyberpunk 2077, Bulletstorm, This war of mine, Dying Light, Superhot, Dead Island- there are many Polish games that are known all over the world
@@Cziwares Well, I am Polish and I don't know any of them so I wonder how popular they are.
@@AnaMert1 You are not into gaming, so you don't know them. In such a case you shouldn't say that only Witcher is popular
I’m Polish and I really love British people, I love British humor and politeness ❤
I was also subjected to some British insults- but I suspect their author was trying to find out my reaction. Took me a little time to get over it- but I did! I'm Polish you see.🙃 A toughie by birth.
Have you seen "Keeping up appearances"?
@@mojyoqueen350 My favourite series😊
You would suit Poland very well. It is true that it is hard for us to open up to strangers, but if you win the friendship of a Pole, you become part of the family and we will give you our own bed 😊
Racja, my Polacy nie rozdajemy przyjaźni za darmo, jak ulotki na ulicy. 😊
With a daylight, It is also the opposite - we have very long days in the summer, longer than in hot countries. I got really shocked how fast it gets dark when I was in Egypt.
nfortunately for a few years Poland has not really had a proper winter, maybe just a couple of weeks of it
The video you've reacted to is very good, he made some very good insightful observations that only someone who lived in Poland for quite some time and is connected to the culture can make. A lot of those videos about Poland or any country for that matter are just based on some random clickbait top 5 lists and range from not very insightful and very surface layer to being plain wrong. I agree with every one of those observations.
I also liked you adding the commentary with your own experiences and feelings etc.
I'm glad you enjoyed both the original but also my part of the video ☺️
@@RobReacts1
Your videos are even more interesting because you confront other guys' observations with your own experience.
@@Mario-xr3jo I try to. That's what I try and do in most of my videos. Making things more personal and relating to my experiences
Thanks Rob for your positive videos and spreading awareness about Poland. Our country has been under the rule of hostile individuals multiple times, and even now, some of our media outlets spread misinformation and try to portray us as people who are not familiar with the developed world. Our country is beautiful, and I say this as someone who has worked in high tech in Germany and returned to my home country where such things can also be done and one can be proud.
Unfortunately, there are also individuals who do not know the world outside Poland. I have people in my environment who think that I sleep on money when I work abroad, which is greatly exaggerated. Hence some texts, that our compatriots (in isolation) do not know the wider world. But I assume that it's just a lack understanding and just Polish desire to complain ;)
I really like this video and your comments. I've already seen some Vigo's dad videos. I think he mentioned weather first because he's from Dominicana. I guess British and Polish both need to struggle with little sun, especially in thd winter. He's so right about Polish being sarcastic. Polish friends often make fun one of another and we are all ok with that.
You are right about cold weather contributing to a different experience you get while in Poland. My favorite time is autumn in October/November, when it's a bit chilly but you still have beautiful colors everywhere.
I think the "you have to be ok with alcohol" point is spot on, especially for some Americans, as there are some groups and regions where drinking is really frowned upon (I'm thinking Bible Belt, southern baptists, mormons and the likes), and if you lived your life in a place and society that is basically tea total, and then you go to Poland and you're offered a beer at 2 pm on a kids birthday party you might be a bit ruffled.
I'm Polish I love Monty Python, Allo 'Allo!, Mr. bean
You should update British humour. Watch some Live at Apollo.
As for the food in Poland - in decent restaurant you would pay less than 1/3 the price of non-London area. Same goes to accommodation. Long story short, a transfer to London based airport, including fee for a parking lot & train > plane ticket to Poland and return + hotel in Warsaw in the city centre + great food. 5 days trip to Poland is a significant lower amount of money than of operational costs in UK to get here. Already tested.
About the dark sense of humor - that gut explained it perfectly. We are self-deprecating and deprecating others in order to make jokes almost daily. Heck, I even know half-Peruvian, half-Polish guy (lives in Poland almost whole his life) with much darker skintone than a stereotypical Polish guy and he often makes jokes about himself and doesn't get offended with similar ones even though in the western countries such humor would be considered racist and offensive. We Poles really like to push the boundaries and if you don't get it, you could be perceived as someone unnecessary aggresive or at least oversensitive and dull.
Average number of sunny days (per year) in Poland is 40. So expect gray, cloudy weather and/or rain
next react to polish legends - this is polish humor there are english subtitles enjoy watching and lots of laughs
Legendy Polskie. Film TWARDOWSKY. Allegro
Legendy Polskie. Film TWARDOWSKY. 2.0Allegro
Legendy Polskie. Film Jaga. Allegro
Legendy Polskie. Film Operacja Bazyliszek. Allegro
Oh yeah! Twardowsky! th-cam.com/video/hRdYz8cnOW4/w-d-xo.html
Your reaction to this is spot on to my reaction as an American. I get asked the weather question ALL THE TIME. 😄
About the weather in Uk and Poland... I living in Wales, what i miss the most is polish summer, sunny hot from May till September with night showers make the air so nice and fresh 🔥 20'C in Poland is cold summer, while in UK this is the heet waves... So we don't have similar weather, maybe its cold in winter but summer is just lovely...
Average temperature in UK in summer is 17'C, in PL is 25'C.
Average temperature in UK in winter is 7'C, in PL is -5'C.
So from Polish point of view in UK are only two seasons spring and autumn, and no real summer and no real winter.
So, since you've mentioned this bullet holes in walls for the second (I think) time, I feel provoked to share a story I've heard some time ago about such a place in Wrocław, I'm not sure how true it is though. Inhabitants of such a building are accusing local authorities of not renovating the building on purpose, because it is used as a background scenery for war movies :)
Yup there are streets with older buildings some still without renovation so it's there. Maybe ill grab one from Google map if it captured it
There's a difference .Bullet holes in wall in Wroclaw ( then Breslau ) show lack of maintenance while those in Krakow signify local history..
Meanwhile my friend from Warsow - shoot his wall, covered it with furniture, so his housemates wouldn't notice, still lives happily ever after.
If you have never been to Silesia, then I recommend going. It is probably the most urban part of Poland. It hold a lot of technology business and there some great mines to sightsee, if you are into that.
Vigo's dad is fantastic. You could do more reactions to his videos! Maybe someday you will visit him on a trip to Warsaw :)
British humour is sarcastic too. We love your comedies. I'm a big fun of "DocMartin". I wish they would continue the series. The humor in "Downton Abbey" is great, too.
I live in Poland and I agree that Poland is definitely not an underdeveloped country. Actually as I read/hear about other countries I am often surprised how behind they are compared to Poland. I barely use any cash - I do have emergency 100PLN in my wallet just in case but I pay with the contactless Google Pay in my mobile phone pretty much everywhere. It's so advanced compared to for example USA where apparently the waiters take your card and pay with it somewhere you can't see then bring the card back... it's just... unimaginable for me! Or an "advanced" country called Japan where you apparently must always carry cash with you because barely any place accepts cards.
Another thing is the very cheap and quite good quality internet connection in mobile phones. I literally pay 5PLN a month (my monthly income is about 2700PLN and I am living on the minimal wage, so get a clue how cheap that is) and it gives me 37,5GB (accumulating!) of LTE internet I use in my mobile phone, laptop and tablet every single day (I turn my mobile phone into a wifi-router), watching youtube, anime and stuff (and I keep the 5PLN for calls/sms/mms/other services, the GBs are actually free, you just need to make sure you store 29PLN per year for the service that keeps the the GBs active - it's highly customizable plan, basically you get a free 12,5GB for every 5PLN you add plus free 25GBs for the first prepaid payment you add each month). It's speed is 20-100Mb/s (currently 52.14Mb/s : www.speedtest.pl/wynik/368619402). People who prefer talking get "unlimited communication (phone, sms, mms) + 20-25GB" for a 30PLN/month unlimited service and can still get their free GBs (12,5GBfor each 5PLN added + 25GB for first payment each month) just by adding the prepaid money they later use for their monthly unlimited service. I don't talk/sms so much though so I use a cheaper "2 days unlimited calls/sms/mms for 1PLN" when needed.
We also have the google maps with full country street view coverage updated every few years. And mobile phone applications with actual gps locations for public transport so you know if your bus is getting on time or running late (not every city got this one, but it's more and more common).
Not to mention pretty much everyone has a smartphone.
Which network offers these rates, if you don't mind?
Actually all in that video is true about Poland. Ha ha İ am Polish I hate alcohol, i don't drink, my family doesn't drink, but frankly İ can get along with people who drink alcohol in parties. No problem with them, and they don't have problem with me, they are funny, they open up, and it's cool, we all have fun. So it doesn't matter if you drink or not, you are not obliged to drink.
I am from Poland and I think this video is veeery accurate. But... I also don't drink alcohol so, I gotta admit that drinking is not necessary.
I'm Polish and I don't enjoy drinking, so that's a bit of a bother to engage in social situations, but I fit all the other points that were made here. It's quite true actually. My Filipino friends (who aren't exactly latin, but they are from the same spanish sphere of influence) often don't immediately get my humour and are easily startled by some topics and opinions of mine, which are perfectly normal to my Polish friends.
I know a lot depends on each person individually (and so the people they surround themselves with) but for me the drinking part is kind of true but not entirely - I usually don't drink at all, neither do my friends, and I really don't like dealing with drunk people. And still I rarely have to. It's mostly a matter of the kind of company.
But it's definitely true that if for whatever reasons you don't want to be around alcohol at all (even people drinking really small amounts) it might be really difficult for you in Poland.
Weather-wise, well worth coming here in spring. Before the season, it's not as packed yet, but it's fairly warm. It was 22C today in Gdynia, almost summer, but with that fresh breath of spring. Grill time! Also summer, especially July is the time of the year where we pack all our thunderstorms. So end of April-till-June or August and later are a better shot if you would prefer to avoid a chance of a brief downpour amidst your sightseeing : )
Poland has beautifull villages .
"IT feels like you should be cold in Poland" 😂 as a Polish person I totally get it and love the idea
Poland in winter ❄ - sunset around 4pm , SNOW AND SUN during the day, so its very bright and you do not feel gloomy-doomy like in the UK. Also its completely totally different cold. It's dry, pinches your face and fingers but your body is warm. We've been so many times, once for while month from mid Dec to mid Jan and it was -17C and snowing every day - it was gorgeous and we were WARM !
Come to Lublin :D and nearby towns/cities. Direct flights from Luton
Have you ever visited/ thought of visiting Zator? In the last few years it grew from unknown town to one of the most popular tourist destinations in Poland, because of Energylandia (amusement park that got opened in 2014 and now it can compete even with Europa Park) and some other smaller amusement parks.
As for drinking...well its also a tradition that whenever you go visit your friends ( like for a dinner or party) - its usually a good thing to have a small gift either for the host or their children... a bottle ( or two) of wine( or domething stronger) for host ( and some sweets for children)is usualy a good idea, if you dont have anything particular in mind... usualy that very same bottle happens to be served on the very same dinner/party
I am Polish and I was raised here. I hate winter and darkness, and I rather dislike Polish food, not as a concept, but many dishes I simply dislike. My Father used to cook in the Mediterranean style, mostly from South France and Balkan with some pizzas in between. I still prefer Asian or Italian restaurants over anything else, and I am very happy whenever I visit Italy or Spain, both for the sun and cuisine.
Viggo is pretty much right about everything, except for alcohol. If you do not like alcohol, try to hang out with non-drinking people or with a group that keeps drinking as an individual thing. I only once had trouble when rejected to drink. In all my life that was only one evening. I can drink or do not drink and people are mostly like "What's your poison?" and if you say "orange juice" you'll get one, poor soul. You're driving or on meds aren't you? And that's it. Have fun anyway.
As for not making friends, that was my big struggle back in the days when I started to learn English. My teacher asked me to describe my school friends. "I have no friends in school," I said angrily (and yes, I used the old-fashioned form 'I have no' because I was a good boy and it was the only correct negation of 'to have' back then; I am older than dinosaurs). My teacher widened her eyes in surprise. 'You are not going to school?' "I am" "So you are the only student in a class?' 'No, my class is 48-strong' 'So why wouldn't you describe me your friends'. 'Because I HAVE NO FRIENDS IN MY SCHOOL!!!!'. To make myself used to the word 'friend' in common English usage, I had to translate it for myself as 'kolega, znajomy', not as 'friend'. At the same time, I struggle with translating 'przyjaciel' into English as it is much more than 'a friend'. It would be true friend, best friend, bestie... well... Anyway, for a long time I could not accept calling a guy I just see 6 days a week for 6 hours (we had classes on Saturdays those days) a day - a friend. No way. Not even a schoolfriend.
Finally, I agree Poles and Brits are very much alike, but I think we have more in common with Scots and Welsh rather than English. When I went to study in London I felt 100% fitting there. It could be different in other centres, but I had a great time in Wales too. While people there were very reserved and did not talk much, they were very helpful and when my host took me on a sightseeing ride and we ended up in the hills with our front wheel detached I was amazed how strangers organized to transport us to our village, then how villagers organized - that one took care about the car left up there, other one took me to the station so I could catch my train, others were ready next day to take Peter to the garage and his kid to school and his wife to work. Also one English driver helped me on my last day there to get me to Heathrow.
You may think Poles are cold-hearted, but if you need help, you need a Pole. Maybe we will not entertain you with chit-chat, but we will take care of you. So similar to Brits. Truly, I cannot remember we have exchanged a single word with those Welsh guys...
The gap, or more like the chasm between the wages that people just across the border in Germany and further West earn, and what do Poles earn is massive. I left Poland in 2017 for west of Germany because working in Poland with my grade of education (let me just say I failed to finish studying due to serious injury, long rehabilitation and my parents' money running out, and ended up doing menial work in retail) I wasn't able to earn enough to move out from my parents and afford anything more than rent and very basic daily upkeep, even though my wage was good couple of złotys per hour higher from Polish minimal wage. Here I work also in a simple menial job with 13 Euros per hour, which is minimum wage or a few cents above locally, and I can afford a tiny apartment of my own, save up for holidays, buy new clothes, nice food, books, own bicycle, bring it to a workshop regularly, and still have something left at the end of the month. So it's not only that a Euro is worth so and so many złotys, and I simply earn more nominally - it's that the purchasing power, or whatever you call it, is so much to Poles' disadvantage (as in, how many loaves of bread you could buy for wages of identical profession in Poland as opposed to Germany etc.)
And if I go to Poland for a short trip or holidays, everything here appears dirt cheap to me, while for Poles, it costs a fortune. I can also afford to donate to help organizations bringing various aid to Ukrainian people who either fled to safety to Poland or run their own charity and other aid initiative in their home country, and when I hear how much my money buys there, it's absolutely cosmic.
"It feels like it should be cold in Poland" I love this quote. I'm Polish and I love winter and snow :D winters in Poland can be amazing, especially at peacefull night with full moon, snow sparkly so lovely, really beautifull thing to observe.
I love coming when it's cold in Poland. Adds to the atmosphere
Gdzie Ty masz ten śnieg????
@@PaulPaul-bq2wk w mojej głowie ;) nie mieszkam w PL od ponad 12 lat ale zdążyłam zobaczyć jak piękne potrafią być.
Watch 'Poland is beautiful' for some inspo on what to see when you visit next
I’m 80is girl and I remember that in my early teenage years Monty Python (Flying Circus) was broadcast on public television with a very good translation and a great voiceover. Many Poles know MP and appreciate i. we have a similar sense of humor
I love winter. I love when snowing with -20°
I remember winter with -33° and also my work outside with -27°
I loved that :) anyway most of polish prefer sun
Actually it's better when it is freezing cold than when the weather stays at -5 - +10 degrees. The humidity in the air makes you feel cold ten times worse and makes your clothes useless. -20 is actually not so bad, especially if it's sunny and not much wind. However -30 is too much for me. I remember experiencing -30 once. It was beautiful but the air was quite literally turning into ice. It is called diamond dust weather phenomenon. I couldn't stop staring through the window but when I tried to go out I immediately got back in because I had trouble breathing. And I said "You know what that pretty thing is? The air is freaking frozen!".
This is true. I miss Polish cold, snowy winters.
Polish humor is not heavy handed , even if dark / sarcastic sometimes . English humor , from my experience , could be very offensive and rude ....and when it is visible for everyone that it was just simple bulling , they say " oh , sorry it was a joke ". Oposite situation is unthinkable in England for somebody from country like Poland to make jokes of British . The only nation that Brits allow to make jokes on them are French because Brits are in love with French culture , even if they are not keen to admit this . Polish humor , on the contrary , is inteligent and light and not always understandable for People from other countries because it is deeply rooted in our culture and history but it is not mean . You need to live in Poland for many years to know what it is all about .
I don't know your experience with Brits, but your conclusion is so wrong.
@@mil3k I am Polish , you know , and this is MY experience with English humor .
I find British people to take a micky out of themselves but can’t stand others to do so. I don’t really joke with them that much as I am always worried I will offend them
@@a.c528 Then stop worrying. :)
Yeah they all say that's not true, then proceed to act exactly as if it was true, every single time.
Don't fraternize with idiots : )
Winter weather - it's actually sunny often than some may think. Especially on those very cold, frosty days - these are usually very sunny too
I agree with dad's observations 100% , and I agree with u, Rob, Ithin Poles and Brits share the same sense of humour, kind of dark, nasty , sarcastic. I love British humour.
Didn’t expect to see his video right away :o amazing video Rob, love ya 😊
Rób i love your films about Poland .I live in Chicago area and i let my friends now about your channel
I'm from Poland living in Australia i agree with U
The last part about polish sense of humour is true. And it really catches foreigners off guard. Its not just self-deprecating jokes. The humour can get really dark really fast.
This latino guy IMO has best movies about Poland as foreigner, i saw many of them. He knows us really well and he's very good observer.
Winter in Poland aren't that cold anymore I didn't sew a snow since 2018 maybe.
:) i warsaw snow was mayby 7 day
@@stanisawdebski8897 wilkopolska sniegu nie wiedziała od kilku lat , tych milimetrowych opadów nie liczę
@@vickyvids3579 jako poznaniak zgadzam się
Well, I've had a hard time getting to work because of shit ton of snow just this year. Eastern border of Poland. If Belarus ever invades - I'll be the first to know.😉
Bardzo trafne spostrzeżenia :)
Pozdrawiam z Wrocławia!
When it`s cold in Poland bigos tastes even better.
Truth be told Poles are a bit distanced in Cracov due to incredible amount of plastered Brits, yelling, puking and even passed out from drink in the streets. So trying to make friends there when you speak English can be sometimes met with reluctancy. But if you're nice enough and know how to behave, you will make friends... eventually.
03:03 Well, you can still go there pretty cheap, as long as you don't follow the usual "tourist" route, which is usually _designed_ to drain your money. Just go there as a casual visitor, maybe hitch hiking, and stay in ordinary people's houses or pension houses, or agrotourism places.
04:04 Cold weather? Pfft! We have 30° Celsius here too! 10°C in the morning, 10°C at noon, and 10°C at the afternoon, that's 30°C total ;)
05:00 When there's cold outside, people become warmer inside ;)
05:15 -"Poland, what type of weather would you like to have? Sunny? Rainy? Snowy? Windy?" Poland: "Yes."
05:24 It didn't use to be that way. Polish name for April is "Kwiecień", which refers to blooming flowers on trees and meadows. In the past, spring was starting with March, April was quite warm already, and may was hot. The first snow usually began to fall on first days of December, hence in Polish culture Santa Claus comes on 6th of December, not on Christmas. There was a lot of snow in December, January was the middle of winter, and February was the coldest (its Polish name is "Luty" which pretty much means "ice-bound"). But nowadays, everytihing seems to be shifted by a month or two: there's still cold rainy weather in December, there's often no snow on Christmas, and the first snow appears somewhere in January. March is still pretty cold and snowy, and only in April the snows start to thaw and it's starting getting warmer.
05:44 And that's something particular to Poland, but something that depends on the geographic latitude. The closer to the poles, the shorter are the days in winter. Poland and England are quite similar in this regard, England being even a bit more to the north might have winter days even shorter, and countries like Sweden, Norway or Finland would have them shorter still. There's a boundary (the Arctic Circle) after which the Sun doesn't even rise in Winter due to the tilt of the Earth's axis (the entire circle remains in the Earth's own shadow for winter time). Another reason why winter days in Poland might appear shorter to a foreigner might be the Daylight Saving Time: in Poland, clocks are shifted by 1 hour for winter, then shifter back in late spring, allegedly to make a more efficient use of daylight time and save some electrical energy. I'm not sure if this still has as much sense in present days as in the past, but it's another factor that might influence the perception of time, especially if you're from a country that doesn't use DST.
09:07 We are quite friendly, but we don't sell our friendships cheaply ;) We're not that trusting towards strangers. Polish people value their privacy and personal space, they're therefore less open and direct towards other people, and find such behavior of other people as a bit intrusive. I'd compare it to a situation in which an American happy-go-lucky dude confronts an English gentleman. Poles are more conservative with their social behaviors, but once you get into that circle and make friends with them, such friendship will be more valuable.
09:12 Oh yes, alcohol definitely helps "breaking the ice" :)
11:15 My explanation is that alcohol removes the constraints that people obey due to social standards, and therefore a drunk person is doing what they'd be doing when no one could judge them (because at that moment, they don't care anymore about being judged, or following norms, etc.). If you're friendly by nature, but something constraints you in your everyday life, you become even more friendly while drunk, because you start acting natural to yourself. But some people are aggressive by nature, and they only thing that stops them from expressing it is social norms. Those people, while drunk, stop caring about those constraints and show their true colors. So long story short, alcohol reveals who you really are when you don't care what other people would say.
11:53 This should be number 1 on the list, because it's the most important one. Poland might _seem_ cheap when you come here as a visitor. That is, when you earn money abroad and then you come here to spend it. But it's not cheap anymore if you move to Poland to live here. Because when you work here, your earnings will be a _lot_ smaller, you will have to pay a lot of taxes, and the costs of living here will eat the major part of your paycheck. Also you're gonna hate Polish bureaucracy. Polish government facilities are places where the time stopped somewhere in the '80s and they're still one leg in Communism. Everything is impossible there, they'll make you jump through multiple hoops to do the simplest business. And everything takes horrendous amounts of time, standing in lines, going from one room to another, they'll keep making fool out of you etc. And either you learn how to deal with them, or your life here will be very miserable :q
16:00 I'd rather say that Poland is under the wrong government, for decades. People here _want_ to develop, but the government is throwing obstacles under their legs and constantly cutting their wings and bringing them down, making even the simplest things impossible to them. And not just the present government, but pretty much all the governments that ruled the country since the end of Communism. I use to say that Communists here never died - they just faked their own funeral, but they're still secretly in charge. The same people over and over, changing the names of their political parties and their image, but still being connected to the old system in one way or another, and still holding their grip on Polish people. It's quite sad, because Poland is a beautiful country, full of awesome people, natural resources, it's got a lot of potential for growth and development, and yet it cannot get past this artificial barrier for decades.
Cheers mate. When you're talking about it should be cold in Poland, my first reaction to that is in Britain should rain all the time and London is fogiest of all cities xD
Rob let loose ypur inner Pole ! ! 😂
In fact the best fun and jokes i ever had is of myself....
Yesterday I took my family to amusement park. And went with my 4y old son for a slide. Me and my Partner(she is like turkey weight) took turns sliding with him. After few times he said: i want to slide with daddy, coz he is fat and we slide faster... 😂🤣🤣
We invite you to Masuria. There are flights from London to Szymany Mazury. Masuria is a beautiful place with a thousand lakes, wonderful forests and unique nature. I recommend
Well that's another place on my list to visit 😀
@@RobReacts1 😎
I know what you mean about the cold weather…I miss that….the air is crispy, refreshing. Even at 6am hanging it will be like a cold shower. I found it in Sweden as well. Opening windows in the morning….gosh I miss that. Regards from UK.
Really enjoy your content mate, thanks for regular uploads!
Thanks buddy
Of course we would love to have more sun. Eg. this weekend is very nice sunny weather, everybody is doing some activities outside
I know very UK weather becouse i lived in Scotland near sea northern 4 years. Winter was no frozen but very windy, and sea climate cold is original, summer was not very hot was max about 20-25C. I like UK and Scotland
As a person living in Poland for more than 30 years- the most insane thing here is weather. Especialy in latests years- temperature can change very rapidly in a week or two... one day its 20C and all you need to go out of home is a t-shirt... and week later you wake up and its below 0 and some fresh snow outside... this dynamic is purely thanks to geography and mountain ranges in the south, which block masses of hot air from entering Poland... instead most often then not we're getting cold winds from Scandinavia or Russia... when winds change, weather can chamge rapidly...
As an aussie with some Polish ancestry, I think I would do pretty well in Poland. Especially since some of the points brought up does describe me pretty well and have been told that a bit cold until I get on the grog.
We wouldn't survive all this dark years of our history without sense of humor. Humor kept Polish people sane. Humor was a dangerous weapon against all sorts of oppressors, for example communists forbid a famous comics/stand-upers Zenon Laskowik and Bogdan Smoleń to perform, cause they were laughing at communist government and caused a lot of commotion. I still laugh at jokes they made 30-40 years ago.
Very good observations guys👍🇵🇱
1. Daytime length is depending practically only on geographic latitude. So it is the same for Germany, England, Wales, Ireland, Benelux, and it is "worse" in Denmark, Scotland.
What's funny, it is the same as in Vancouver, Calgary or ... on Falkland Islands or ... in southern part of the Hudson's Bay, but it is just a Gulf Stream issue that it feels weird.
But remember, that what is taken away in winter, it returns during summer, so you have those long warm bright evenings lasting till 10pm...
The climate in Poland is a bit more continental than in Western Europe, so there is slightly more high-pressure sunny dry weather during winter. Slightly. It is not like in deep Russia or smtn. Usually western ciculation prevails.
Yes. It would be nicer to get more sun during winter, but also I felt a bit weird when I visited, say, Australia, temperatures were over 30C, and it suddenly started to get dark after 6-7pm. I wanted longer cooler evening! Not a drop from full sun to a dark night.
The other opposite for me was staying around June 20 in Helsinki - there was no real night at all, and I suppose that in return in December they don't have much daylight even at noon, brrr... Just a few degrees north from Poland ;)
2. Getting "familiar" is another thing which seems to change with geographic latitude ;) The more north the "harder" people are. Try in Finland ;) But after you "break the ice" it is all the same everywhere.
3. Not anymore. Older generation has "higher intake", definitely - but generally ethanol consumption is nothing compared to Western Europe. The main difference is a bit more frequent use of "higher voltage", as denoted "% Vol." on the label...
4. Not anymore. Still a bit cheaper, but now it is just the EU. The main difference between West and East are salaries, though. What is normal for a Brit to buy can be expensive for a Pole. And... yes, we can say that there is quite a "common sense of injustice" because for the same work just a 100-200km west you get a few times more money, despite both countries being equally "post-communist". The gap is slowly closing, but not in the most healthy way. There is more lower paid jobs in Germany, for example, lowering average there - and the average wages in Poland are going systematically up. But there is much lower percentage of higher-salary specialist or management jobs in Poland. Young doctors, scientists, engineers are migrating west.
5. Not anymore, but. It is only ~30 years of "transformation". You can still find really "historical" gems "untouched by capitalism", especially in remote, eastern regions of so called "Polska B". But you have to really look for it today, and it doesn't feel so different from abandoned industrial cities in the UK or US. The disparity between large cities and the countryside is much closer to Western Europe than to what it is in Russia/Ukraine/Belarus. Or China ;)
6. Yeah. Also Monty Python is quite typical Polish kind of humor :)
As a Pole, I am pretty polar. On one side, it is really difficult for me to open up to people, on the other side, I am really social when I like someone, I can talk really much, I am always happy to help, but when you get on my bad side I hold the grudge for eternity and blow up quite easly. I can be really sweet and silly, but I am the most sarcastic and ironic person I know, my humor is really dark too. And I am extremally sensitive to emotions of people in my surroundings, but don't quite understand where the emotions, actions and reactions are comming from
The lack of warmth isn't the main problem. Shorter days are the real issue
I used to hate Polish winter and fall seasons so much. But when I learned more about environment in my country I started to embrace it more and more thought the last years. The beautiful nature that emerges in spring and summer in our forests, mountains, lakes and fields of wheat, canola or corn, is possible only because of the snow and rain that soaks into the soil during fall and end of winter. The great circle of nature life you can witness every year. Harsh winters with short days and low temperatures (although it used to be far more challenging back in a day with temperatures -20 Celcius), are the reason why Poles crave for spring and summer so much. When the sun and warmth kicks in we spend as much time outdoors as we can. The whole country wakes up from winter sleep into something different. Plus, long days, white nights and high temperature are long awaited reward after so many months of dull weather.
You mean Autumn ;)
@@RobReacts1 , oh my.. Apology for such "yankenism". It's bloody Hollywood!
@@00brs haha!
2.30 pm dark in Poland in winter??? Never heard off as I'm Polish.
A bit of over the top
If lots of clouds might be darkish during the while day but never dark at 2.30. Neither in South or North of Poland
Completely agree, 2:30 pm is highly exaggerated
Everything is correct 😂😂 but I must say I am polish and I dont drink alkohol, just because in my family nobody drinks, I cant take smell of alkohol and taste, but I dont mind if oders drinks its unfortunetly part of ours culture for years😊
Pol'and rock Summer open air Festival is something special. Recommend that experience. It's for free and atmosphere is amazing!!
The length of the days in Poland is the same as in England. Go to Sweden to see long nights in the winter and long days in the summer.
There are more seasonal extremes in Poland compared to the UK - continental vs maritime island. Tends to be warmer and colder than here. In the last week in Łódż it has been 22c as well as 4c during the daytime
unas in poland currently in some stores butter or other products siengajom 10 or 12 zlotys it's as if butter in germany cost 6 euro or even a bit more for 1 kilogram.
I think this one is quite universal, not Poland-specific, really: if somebody comes somewhere and says "oh, look how cheap everything is", there's a good chance for this to be taken by the locals as an euphemism for "lol, look at all these poor peasants". And that, well, won't make you many friends.
But as a side note - there actually is a way to say basically the same thing without people taking it anywhere near as unfavourably. The trick is to switch the perspective. Instead of saying how cheap stuff is in Poland, comment on how expensive it would have been back home. That changes you from the rich prick from rich country that came and shows off into someone who came from an expensive country and marvels at reasonable prices. Not saying that this won't still rub some people the wrong way, but it will definitely be orders of magnitude less severe.
In fact, there's even a chance that putting it like that might get you some positive reactions too. After all, you're implicitly complaining about insane prices back home, and if there are any universal things you can bond with Poles over, "complaining about your home country" would certainly make that list, and probably not at the bottom either. Just make sure that everyone keeps complaining about their own, a foreigner joining in on complaining about Poland would usually be a bit of a faux pas (it can be done tactfully but it takes some skill, not advisable for beginners). The correct etiquette for first-timers would probably be to pick up on what the other person is complaining about and explain in what ways the same or closely related thing sucks where you are from as well.
...I'm getting the distinct feeling that my digression grew several times longer than the original thought...
Yup, you' ve got it right😅. However, those major points are also starting to change slightly and especially the way, we Poles, view ourselves. We are getting a bit more gentle with our Polish dark sense if humour and seeing ourselves so much " behind" other Western countries. We are rather feeling that this gap is decreasing despite all factors like politics, post- pandemic effect or the war in Ukraine.