Thinking of New Year’s resolutions can be hard (and sticking to them can be even harder, but that’s not the point). The most important thing is to know what you would like to change in life in order to improve it. To make things easier, we came up with 5 New Year’s resolutions that will improve your life in Poland. If you follow these simple steps, next year you are going to feel even more comfortable and settled in Poland. Your confidence and feeling of control will improve and who knows, you may even start feeling at home?
1. Learn Polish for 5 minutes a day
Language is probably the biggest obstacle that foreigners have to overcome when they settle down in Poland. It’s true that the majority of young people speak English, but it may not be enough to get by. Sorting out legal stuff, working or even shopping (if you choose a small, local shop with an old lady behind the counter) may be difficult. At the same time, the Polish language is difficult and starting to learn it may be an overwhelming experience. So why don’t you start by doing 5 minutes of Polish a day? There are many websites (often free) that can support your new resolution, Duolingo, Memrise, Rosetta Stone, Babbel to name just a few. And of course, you can check our language section with video lessons too!
2. Meet more Polish people
Meeting locals is the first step to getting to know the culture and learn more about the country itself. The more Polish people you meet, the more confident you are going to feel later. There is nothing wrong with being surrounded by fellow expats, but if you really want to feel part of Polish society you should aim to mix in! One of the advantages of that resolution is that it may help you with improving your Polish language skills as well.
3. Try a new Polish dish once a week
Polish food is amazing and has much more to offer than pierogi and a dry sausage. By trying new things you can learn about local specialities and if you dig deeper, you can learn a bit about history and local customs. Food is one of the best topics to talk about with Polish people as we are very proud of it, so you may even gain some friends thanks to it.
If one dish a week is too much for you, you can always set a more achievable goal of one new culinary experience a month. Our must-try dishes include duck with red cabbage and dumplings (speciality from Wielkopolska), potato roasties with sour cream, pickled cucumber soup and pancakes with soft cheese. For more inspirations check out our food section.
4. Visit one new place in Poland every month
As a foreigner, you probably decided to live in one of the major Polish cities, which absolutely makes sense. But there is so much more to discover. Mountains, lakes, seaside, smaller cities, abandoned castles and even forests. Why don’t you decide to visit a new place every month? It will give you a better picture of Poland and enriches your Polish experience more than any other activity. Of course, you can combine it with other New Year’s resolutions and meet new Poles while eating local delicacies in a new place. You can find some ideas in the travelling section.
5. Wear slippers at home
It may sound weird at first but you should start wearing slippers at home. Apparently it is one of the weirdest Polish customs but you know what they say – when in Rome, do as the Romans do! It may gain you a silent approval from your Polish friends and if you really want to feel at home in Poland, the actual home is a really good place to start, isn’t it?
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