Top 5 things to know before coming to Poland

Poland is a place full of really mystical and beautiful sights, and also very interesting people (not to mention a language worth learning!). Before you plan to come here, no matter where you will go, here are a few things to know before your trip or your move to Poland.

The Polish Language

First thing’s first, as you’ve potentially heard, the Polish language is notoriously difficult for some people to learn. This isn’t always true (we promise ;-)). Polish is a really interesting language that is 100% possible to learn, and there are some useful phrases to know before you come. For example: dzień dobry (hello), dziękuję (thank you), smacznego (bon appetit), na zdrowie (cheers! – literally ‘for health’). 

I read somewhere that ,Polish is easier to speak than to read’ but in fact, this isn’t necessarily the case. Once you know how to say individual letters of the alphabet and the phones (głoski) then you can read everything in Polish with no problem. 

In KLUB DIALOGU Polish Language School for Foreigners, we can offer you Skype classes to help you prepare for your Polish adventure, and feel that little bit more prepared to come here and feel at home. Contact us for more information! 

The Currency

In Poland, we do not have euros but we have złotych. Remember this before you come and before you change your currency! We also have places to change money, and it is called ‘kantor’ so there you can change your money once you’re here! 

Bar Mleczny

Bar mleczny translates into English as ‘milk bar’, but don’t expect to find a place full of milk! These places are ideal if you want to eat traditional and cheap Polish food in a relaxed cafeteria themed restaurant with a really Polish atmosphere! Here there are things like pierogi (traditional Polish dumplings filled with meat or cabbage, mushrooms or sweet fillings), schabowy (schnitzel), as well as soups, vegetarian dishes, and desserts. See for yourself and smacznego! 

Public Transport

The public transport system in Poland (particularly in Warsaw) is (at least in my opinion) very efficient. Buses and trams (and the metro which we also have in Warsaw) are almost always on time, but they can be crowded. Here, we buy tickets on the bus or tram, you don’t buy them from the driver, or you can buy them on the street in machines near public transport stops. You also have the option to choose a language on the machines which include Polish, English, German and Russian. Once you’re on the bus or tram you have to use the small machine to validate your ticket, and then you’re good to go 🙂 Often, ticket inspectors come to check tickets so it’s always worth to make sure you always have them and they are valid. Happy travelling! 

Poland is actually very beautiful

Poland isn’t an industrial and grey country like some may perhaps think. All over Poland, in the cities and villages, there are lovely green areas with incredible scenery. The Vistula (Wisła) river flows through Poland and we have a lot of other rivers and lakes that are perfect for activities like canoeing and kayaking and for relaxing next to them in our hot summers. Warsaw and Kraków are undoubtedly amazing cities, but it’s also worth to travel beyond them to the mountains in the south for example, or to the north to places like Białowieża (where you can see zubr and do a tour of the famous Białowieża forest/National Park, after which the village is named). The trio of cities, Gdańsk, Sopot and Gydnia, known as the Trójmiasto in Polish is located on the coast of the Baltic sea and is a place of nightlife, beaches and sightseeing. 

As you can see, Poland is an interesting place that is really worth the visit; many memories will be made and fascinating nooks and crannies discovered that you’d never imagine exist in this lovely and charming country. Come, eat, drink, sight see and speak Polish! Who knows, maybe you’ll never want to leave!