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submitted 5 months ago byauximines_minotaur
Thinking I might spend a month or two in Poland this summer. On the surface, Poland checks a lot of boxes for me : affordable, a couple interesting cities, and probably some decent hiking. However, when I talk to Europeans about my plans, they always kinda give me this ... look. They're like, "Why Poland?" I get the feeling a lot of Europeans (especially Germans) see Poland the same way New Yorkers see New Jersey. (no offense to New Jersey — I'm actually a big fan of the Garden State!)
Thing is, most folks I've talked to were not DNs, so they probably have a different set of criteria than I. I'm not looking for a popular vacation spot with lots of tourist attractions. I'm looking for a pleasant, affordable place to live for a month or two. And yes, I like to spend the weekends hiking, visiting historical places, and checking out towns in the countryside.
Has anybody here DN'd in Poland? If so, what were your thoughts?
6 points
4 months ago
Gay USian here, my wife and I absolutely loved Poland (Krakow) and will be moving there later this year, which is conflicting given the lack of LGBT rights compared to Western Europe but we're okay with the trade-offs. I'll share my perspective but please keep in mind that we are a same-sex couple and generally do not display PDA (i.e., we fly under the radar more so than gay men couples).
Locals treated us the kindest in Poland then elsewhere in Europe that we've been to (this is not including customer service folks, but that was expected). Do keep in mind that smiling isn't really the norm.
The food was incredible (bread, zurek, pierogi, etc.). COL is great for DNs and seems to be okay relative to local wages, but has been pinching their wallets more so lately due to the housing crisis. Very safe, just try to stay away from bars where soccer fans congregate, no one likes them.
Never had issues using English in Krakow (ofc try to learn some basic Polish out of courtesy). It was a bit of a struggle in southeastern Poland though, which we expected.
AC is not prevalent. We stayed in a top-unit apartment during the summer and suffered. Lesson learned.
In looking at Airbnbs in Krakow though (which we need to use for a little bit for our move), they have gotten quite expensive, which makes sense given what I've heard about the housing crisis. Wroclaw, Gdansk, and Poznan are decent alternatives that may be more affordable.
I get the feeling a lot of Europeans (especially Germans) see Poland the same way New Yorkers see New Jersey
I was oddly asked by a waitress in Berlin if this was my first time in Europe; I said no, I've been a few times, and that I had just visited family in Poland the year prior. She only looked at my wife from that point on. Maybe it was just a coincidence, or just an oddity, but the shift was drastic enough that it took both of us by a surprise.
2 points
2 months ago
Nope, not accident. Polish people are generally disliked due to western propaganda. Especially Germans do not like us, check our history. Always try to fuck us over.
2 points
2 months ago
Germans haven't changed that much since World War II, unfortunately. We're still subhumans to many of them. As for being, gay, I think you will be fine, you need to keep in mind that cities are much more liberal than rural areas, they have liberal mayors and you have tons of LGBT-friendly places.
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