How to understand Polish culture when living abroad.

Описание: Is the glass half full or half empty? In the UK, we are taught to "Keep Calm and Carry On." In Poland, people often look for the negatives first.

In this unfiltered update, Aga and I sit down (amidst the dust of our home renovation) to discuss the massive shift in mentality we are experiencing. We discuss the viral TikTok concept: tell a Brit you are moving to Poland, they say "Lovely!" Tell a Pole you are moving to Poland, they ask "Why? It's a [__]hole."

The Culture Clash: We are currently living in a building site, sleeping on mattresses, and dealing with the stress of bureaucracy. This has highlighted a major difference in how we communicate. I (Lee) try to charm the officials; Aga uses the direct Polish approach.

As you can see in the scale above, the UK is linguistically "indirect" (polite/subtle), whereas Poland leans much more towards "direct." This explains why I feel Aga is being rude, and she thinks I'm just being soft!

In this video:

The "Dirty Jumper" Argument: Why I think it's fine to wear old clothes to go sledging, and why Aga thinks it brings shame on the family (The Polish focus on Status/Appearance).

Bureaucracy: How to survive the "miserable" government offices.

Renovation Stress: We haven't slept in a bed for 3 months—how this is testing our marriage.

"Carpet Day": My theory on why you have to go through the mess to get to the beautiful finish line.

A positive note: Despite the tiredness, our daughter Lucy just won 2nd place in a Polish speaking competition after only 6 months! Proof that the hard work pays off.

Let us know in the comments: Who is right about the sledging outfit? Should Lee dress up to roll in the snow, or is Aga worrying too much about what the neighbors think?

Follow the daily chaos:

TikTok & Instagram: @leelearnspolish


#PolishMentality #InternationalCouple #RenovationReality #LifeInPoland #LeeLearnsPolish #lifestyle #polska