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Hey the Phil travelers, Mark here with Wolters World. Today, we're back in Poland, one of my favorite place to visit. Cool people, interesting facial expressions, but a good time to be had anywhere you go in Poland. Whether you're down in Zakopane in the Tatra Mountains, heading up to Gdansk for the big crane there and the Neptune Fountain, or here in beautiful Krakow. Today, we want to talk about are some of the things that the Poles kind of wish people knew about Poland before they came here, so they'd be better prepared, and so we might not have any um misunderstandings. And this is one I want to start off with this one. This is one you'll see in I've had this in my other videos. I think it's a really important thing to mention. It's
like, "Look, Poles want you to know, we're not Eastern Europe, we're not Russia, we're not communist, we are Central Europe, we are Polish, we're a democracy, and we're very proud of it." Like, the Poles are super patriotic. You will notice wherever you go in the world, there might be Polish people that have gone to work in the US or work in Germany or Ireland, they still have their Polish flags. When the Polish soccer team's playing, they're still wearing their jerseys. I mean, they're very proud, and they're proud of who they are and everything they've gone through, and they want people to know that. Like, we are proud of Poland. So,
please, don't call us Eastern Europe. Don't associate us with Russia and the communist era, cuz that is not who we are. And that's one of the things that is really important to know when you're going to be coming here, and that's one of the things they really want you to know, okay? And kind of going along with that Polish pride, um look, we aren't impressed with your jokes. You know, in the US, "Oh, how many Polacks does it take to do this?" Germany, "How many Polish people does it take to do that?" You have a lot of these jokes that have been made up over the years to really downgrade and denigrate the Polish people, the Polish workers that have gone around the world. And let's be
honest, a lot of this was to, you know, be mean to the Polish immigrants in those society, or to make it so it's easier to attack a country. And some of these jokes are still around. So, just realize, the locals, they don't want to hear your Polish jokes, okay? It's not going to go over very well. So, please, keep them at home, okay? Unless you have a really good Polish friend and they have some dark sense of humor, then you can do them. But otherwise, look, they don't like being the butts of the jokes, okay? So, just be aware of that. Now, when you're in Poland, you might notice that sometimes people have a very stern look on their face, you know, the resting Polish face. And this is one of
the things in my 10 shocks of Poland video that got the most comments, but it was people like, "Yes, you're right, but" and I think it's really important to know that the Poles want you to know is like, "Look, just because we walk around with resting Polish face, like we look like we're not happy, we don't like anything, and everything's upsetting us, no. That's just how they are. They just are just walking around." And so, they don't engage because, look, the Poles want you to know is, "We're not big on small talk. We don't really talk to people we don't know very well right away. So, we're just going on our daily business. And it's not that we're mean, it's not that we don't care, it's just
that this is just how we are, okay? So, just be aware of that. Don't take it the wrong way. We're not trying to be mean to you, that it's just us walking around." And I think also what Poles would want you to know is, um, they don't mince words. Look, like I said, small talk, not a big thing here. Like people get right to the point. Let's talk, "Hey, let's go have a drink if I want to get to know you. Hey, let's go have dinner if I want to get to know you. Hey, you want to know what's at the store? We sell clothes." Like, you're going to have much more directness here. It's not necessarily rudeness, it's just directness. And they want you to know that. It's not that Poles are like super
rude or anything, it's just very direct. So, do be aware of that. They want you to know that. Now, another thing is when you come to Poland or you meet Polish people anywhere in the world, they want you to know is if we're going to drink together, you always, always, always cheers in the eyes because it's very bad luck if you don't look into eyes before you cheers. And also, don't drink before we cheers. Like you look, whether you're having vodka, whether you're having your mixed drinks, whether you're having beers, a piwo, right? You always cheers in the eyes, okay? And then after that, then you drink. You don't start drinking and then like your buddy's sitting there, no, no. You have to cheers, eye contact first, and then have
a drink, okay? Because it's one of those things here in Poland. So, don't be rude. Now, speaking of not being rude, I think another thing Polish people would like people to know is when you go into shops, when you go into restaurants, when you go into places, just say, "Dzień dobry." Dzień dobry is good day. That's all you have to do. You walk into a shop, it's just polite. Like, even though they might come in with a stern face, they're going to still going to say "Dzień dobry." Dzień dobry, which is just good day. Do that when you go into a store. Go do that when you go into a shop. Cuz look, they know you don't speak Polish. Like, Polish is insanely difficult. Like, just looking at it,
you're like, "My brain can't function." And then I listen onto what it's supposed to sound like, I'm like, "That sound and those letters together don't make sense." So, they know you don't speak Polish, but just knowing Dzień dobry, which is good day, or "Dziękuję", which is like thank you, that will go a very long way to ingratiate yourself to the locals. But, honestly, going into a shop, going to a museum, when you're at the bank, just say "Dzień dobry." It will make life so much easier. And it's a nice way of saying, "Hey, I respect the Polish culture. I respect the Polish language, but I don't speak it, but I can at least say that, okay?" Another thing I think is important the Polish
wants you to know is we have more than pierogi and pączki. You know, the pierogi, the little dumplings you see all the time, and the pączki, the jam donuts. Yeah, they're fantastic. Yes, you should eat them when you're here, but we have other foods. The kotlets, like the pork chops that are here are really, really good. The soups, the żurek, the sour rye soup's really good. If you're here in the summertime, if you get the cold beet soup, it looks like a Barbie soup. Have that. I mean, we love our soups, but there's a lot more to just pierogi and pączki when you're here. So, please, go and explore. Even if you just have the potato pancakes, you can stay you'll
stay in the P. Like, you know, pierogi, pączki, potato pancakes. You can still do that, but just explore out in the food here, because we are more than that here. And you'll notice um we want you to realize when you go and we invite you to our home, do expect to explode for the amount of food we give you. And you don't say no, especially if baba, if grandma made it for us, um you're just going to eat until you die. That is the way it is. Suck it up, tourist. And here's something I think is really important. Like, this is one thing I've learned, and I have a video on what I wish I would have known before I came to Poland the first time, but I think it's to realize for Poles, they'll let you
know, if we're friends, we're friends for life. You know, it takes time to make friends in Poland, but once you do, I mean, they're with you. Like, hey, someone's giving you gruff, they're like, hey, let's go. Like, I'm there with you. You have problems, you need something, you need somebody to help move your house. I mean, Poles are really great friends, and they're going to be there for you. And that's one of those things a lot of people don't realize. Like, they are ride and die with their friends. So, just know, you mess with somebody, you mess with the whole friend group, all right? You're hitting on one lady, you're hitting on her whole friend group, sometimes it seems like that. So, just realize this,
friendship here really means something. It's not like in the US where like, oh, they're my friends. I see them once every 7 years. No, no. Here, friendship really has a really impactful meaning. So, do know that when you are here. Oh, another little thing that the locals want you to know is, don't skip out on the milk bars. Look, they're not as popular as they used to be, but what milk bars are is basically a cafeteria that sells affordable Polish hearty food when you're here. And a lot of tourists walk by and see it and go, hey, is that some kind of like communist leftover kind of thing? I don't want to do that.
I don't want to go to the restaurants on the square. I want to do that. But, you can. But, don't pass it up. Like, don't talk bad about it, cuz it's kind of a fun thing. And if you're a budget traveler, you know, hey, it's a really great way to eat good Polish food, and big portions at a good price. And when you do come here to Poland, especially places like Krakow, could you please, please, please stop being a completely blackout drunk jerk? I mean, here in Krakow, especially on the weekends, you get all those bachelor parties that come, and people really drink it up, and then act like fools, AND ARE LOUD AND ANNOYING. LOOK, here in Poland, we like things quiet, okay? Public transportation, quiet. We're out with
our friends, you know, having dinner, quiet. You know, we're walking around, quiet. They don't like the big loud tourist kind of thing. So, please, just, you know, keep it down. Enjoy yourself. Have the fantastic vodka. Have the fantastic compotes. Have the fantastic beers. Have the fantastic all kinds of fun things. But, use those inside voices, cuz that's one thing that I've seen the locals really get upset with, is the drunk tourists that come around the weekend. They're they're it's so cheap to be here. We're going to go crazy and the women are so good-looking. Yeah." And it just gets a little it gets a little much. So, just be aware of that. Now, another little thing I
think probably the uh locals want you to know, just as a friendly reminder, um our public transportation here in Poland is not free. Yes, a lot of it you can just literally walk on and nothing really's going to happen. But, the thing is there are people that actually do check to make sure you validated your ticket, that you bought a ticket. Cuz look, people, for us to have all this public transportation here, somebody has to pay. We're paying, so you need to pay. So, stop being the tourist who's like, "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know I needed a ticket to take a public bus like everywhere else in the world. Oh, I'm sorry. I don't speak Polish. I don't know how to say I want a ticket." Look,
everybody can do that. And nobody If they come and get you, if they check for tickets and you don't have it, don't bother saying, "Well, I don't speak Polish." They're still going to find you, okay? So, be aware of that. And the locals don't like that cuz you're holding up the bus. You're making it uncomfortable for all of us, all right? So, just get the ticket. Just go to the little stand to buy a ticket, take the bus, get a little kiosk, go get the thing for the metro if you're in Warsaw, and do that, okay? Cuz the trams and buses go all over the cities, you're going to want to use it when you're here. So, just buy a ticket and validate it. Don't be that jerk tourist that
doesn't. Now, going back to the food stuff that's there, um one thing I want to tell you is Poles want you to know is they really love soup and they really love to start their meals with soup. And you may say, "Oh, I'm going to have such a big plate. I don't need soup." No, you're going to have soup. Just get the soup, whether it's żurek, the you know, the sour rye soup, or the borscht, the beet soup, or the dumplings, the chicken broth. I mean, there's a lot of different soups you can have when you're here. But, it's one of the things we love here in Poland, so please, just accept it. Don't be weird and be like, "Oh, I'm going to get something." No, just get the soup. Get the soup starter and then
get something else. That's just how we roll when we're here, okay? And I think another thing is really important to mention when you are here and the locals really want you to know is like, "Look, young people, yes, they do speak English here and they speak English pretty well here in Poland, too. But, if you're talking to the grandmas, the babas, the babcias, you know, you're talking to them, they're probably not going to speak English. They probably could speak some German or some Russian, of course, Polish kind of stuff, but not English. So, don't be all like, "Oh, they don't speak English here. That old lady, I can't believe."
Look, look, she grew up in a different time, guys. All right? And if you're rude to the babas, like no one's going to be nice to you cuz the babas, they're the ones who going to feed you until you explode. I mean, I went to a Polish friend of mine's house and his grandma was there and she's like, "Oh, you boys look hungry." It's like 3:00 in the afternoon, okay? Like we probably just had Yeah, we actually did just have lunch. And she was like, "No." She literally made homemade cabbage rolls for us right there. And she's like, "Eat." I'm like, "I'm having like four." I'm like, "I'm going to die." My buddy's like, "Just keep eating. Don't stop cuz baba's not going to stop, okay? So, just be aware of
that the older generation not going to speak too much English. Younger, you should be fine. Don't worry. But oh my god, if baba asks you for some food, if you want some food, you say yes and you eat until you die, okay? Just be aware of that cuz the locals, they have to do the same things too when they visit her. Now, another thing I think the locals want you to realize is Poland is not some backwater country. I know a lot of people think, "Oh, Poland." And for all those years and years of jokes about Polish people in Poland and thing, they think, "Oh, it's just all agrotourism. It's all backwoods stuff. It's just, you know, farms and nothing else there." That is not how it is. You have a very
high level of education here in Poland. You have tons of tech firms that are here. You have the glass and steel business. You have the historic sites like here in Krakow. You have so much to enjoy when you're here. It is not the joke backwater people make it out uh, you know, online and other places cuz Poland is a really cool place to visit. So, please, don't insult Poland and don't think it's some backwater because it's not. Now, another thing I think the locals want to punch you in the face for if you do this is any times you're disrespectful or you're at like you know, you go to Auschwitz which is nearby here, going to the concentration camps, or you're disrespectful in
churches. Look, people are very Catholic here in Poland. Like you'll be on the bus going by a church and you'll see people make the cross sign of the cross on the bus, okay? You're like, "Whoa, that's pretty Catholic here." And And so, they take it very personally when people are disrespectful when it comes to churches, pure the concentration camps, any of these kind of things. I mean, God forbid you're one of those Tik Tok people that try to Tik Tok dances inside a church or at a concentration camp or some memorial. That will not go over well, so please don't. And please, if we say don't take pictures, please respect that. Whether you're in beautiful churches or around people, please just do that. The locals
would you like you to know that, okay? Now, some smaller little things you get to know Polish people well. One, please if you're coming to my house or my parents' house, please take your shoes off. That's just a standard thing here in Poland because, you know, you're going around, you're having things. I don't want that tracked in the house. No one wants to clean that stuff up, so take your shoes off when you're there. Another thing I think is important to mention is, look, if we're friends, my birthday's nice. That's thank you that you told me happy birthday, but don't forget my name day. That's the important day. Remember when Mark's Mark's name
day is. That's the one to remember, all right? So, you have that cuz we celebrate that here. Now, since Poles are very Catholic, I think it's really important to mention this one. JP2 is the man. He was the man and he will always be the man cuz John Paul the Second, they love him here in Poland. Fantastic pope, fantastic person, very important. Do not joke around with JP2 because they love with him. They love him to death. Ride or die with JP2. You're here in Krakow. You can go and see his statue when you are here. It's just very important to them cuz the Catholic Church, the fact they had got to have a pope as well during the
communist times means so much to us here in Poland. So, please, don't joke around about JP2 cuz he's the legit. And as I've said probably many times so much in this video, I think the last thing that I want you to know and I know the locals want you to know is that the Poles love Poland. They love being Poles. They love the Polish food. They love the Polish people. They love their country. They love their history. However complicated it is, they do love it and they have so much pride in their country. So, please, don't make fun of Poland because we will take it personally and we won't forget.
All right. So, what are some things that you would want tourists to know about coming here to Poland? If you're from Poland, what are things you wish tourists knew before they came here so they could enjoy this beautiful country even more? Anyway, let us know down in the comments below and what you think of my list of things that I think Polish people want tourists to know. Let us know, and I wish you all the best. I'll say bye from here in Krakow.
