Our series called “Foreign eyes on Poland” will present the profiles of people who have any connection to Poland or who have found their home in Poland, or just a favorite place for vacation where they like to return. We will be asking them questions like; what surprised them the most and how the Poles are perceived by foreign eyes; how Poland differs from their country of origin; and whether the behavior of people is different? We will also ask them what Polish experiences they remember the most. We will ask questions such as; if it is the architecture of the cities they visited, or perhaps that they were cheated by a taxi driver at the airport; whether communicating with the Poles is a challenge; and what kind of neighbours the Poles are. We’ll find out how they manage with their daily responsibilities of; work, school, the office, bank or dealings at the post office. We will ask; whether they get irritated by the swear-words they hear in public or did they have any situation when some unpleasant or nasty comment was addressed to them? They will be asked if they consider the Poles as a helpful and friendly people; what important words they learned at the beginning; what do they miss in Poland; did they feel discomfort due to climatic conditions; and whether they like Polish cuisine? We’ll find out what induced them to visiting Poland, was it a coincident or just a planned visit? We will ask them what gave them the motivation to learn the Polish language and many other issues.
Today Francesco from Italy.
Name: Francesco
Country of Origin: Italy
Profession: Photographer
Connection to Poland: photographer for Link to Poland
Purpose of the stay in Poland: work
What surprised you most while visiting Poland?
The amount of construction works all around the country. It is impressive how the country is modernizing itself and how much effort and passion Polish people are putting into their development. I started my 3 weeks trip in Warsaw and when I went back there at the end of my stay to get my return flight, I saw that a lot of work that just started only 3 weeks before, were almost done! It’s really inspiring and makes you want to follow this fast developing country and go back there in 5 years time.
What is different comparing to your country of origin?
People don’t have sweets for breakfast. Just kidding, there are lots of differences, but not many of them are really relevant, I found more similarities than differences. To name some differences I can say that because Italy is a warmer country, there are lots of people around till night and people use to eat later in the day while so even if it’s night, there are more people around. Despite it, I’ve found that people in Poland do use parks a lot even in the evenings.
What have you heard about Polish people, is this true or just stereotype?
In my opinion they are all stereotypes, you can’t generalize as you will always find differences among peoples. I have been warned by other Polish people about some stereotypes, but I didn’t find any.
Can you list three dishes you liked most?
Pierogi, potato pancakes with meat, soup
Which three places from Poland do you recommend and why?
Cracow, Zakopane and Gdansk. Cracow is an great city, I particularly loved it’s city life and it’s atmosphere. It almost felt like being in Paris of Madrid but with a strong polish touch to it. Cracow city center is extremely beautiful. Zakopane is a pearl surrounded by beautiful mountains. I had a great weather when I was there and that place will always remain in my memory for its beauty and uniqueness. The mountains makes it an unforgettable place. Gdansk, as for the rest of Poland, is a place full of history and despite the fact the city has been rebuild after the second world war, I found it to have a very special atmosphere. The city center has beautiful architecture and lots of beautiful museum.
Is there anything special you would like to share related to Poland or Polish people?
I had a lot of unexpected help from Polish people. I particularly remember one day when I needed to fix something for my photography gear and I didn’t have the tool, so I asked around until I found a man that took me to a friend of him and they solver my problem. All this without speaking the same language and for free, I didn’t have words to thank them enough.
What exactly guided you to Poland?
What was the reason you went or lived there? The reason I went there was to make photos, I didn’t really know what to expect. I had to visit seven different places in Poland and cross the entire country, so I didn’t even thought about how would that be.
Are you going to visit Poland one more time?
Yes, I will definitely go back to Zakopane and Cracow one day!