Thank you for this question. I think that Poland should adopt euro currency and elect more liberal government. Same-sex marriages would be an advantage. And of course - we have some issues with rule of law which should be immediately rectified. Regards!
Witam. The huge amount of People in service jobs who don't speak English at all or very fucking broken. Warszawa needs more Metro lines. Far more green self-sufficient energies, the government should massively subsidize private Photovoltaics for EVERY new build house and or helix wind turbines. (that goes for every Country). If you love Poland say NO to "soon to be Chernobyl/Fukushima reactors" planed to build in Poland! ! Honor i Ojczyzna & Slava Ukraini !
@@robokop482 1. Same sex im with you. 2. Only the Polish people decide who & what Government will be elected & no one else. 3. Hell no to the Euro! Have you already forgotten what happens if you don't have control over your own currency? Remember Greece, Ireland, Portugal, Spain etc. ? Poland has a exporting focused economy thus having control over the exchange rate is a massive benefit in competing on the global market! I also hate Kaczynski's PiS party BUT this is the (by far) most popular party right now & therefore they will obviously make laws, that liberals aren't so fond of but that's jus how democracy works.
Poland is definitely on the right path. My parents moved back after 33 years living in Canada. I was born in Toronto, after they immigrated to Canada, and I came with them for a better quality of life. Polska, jesteś piękna i już jestem zakochany. Dotychczas, świetnie żyć tutaj.
I don't know if someone told you, but cinemas in Poland generally use subtitles instead of dubbing so even without fully understand Polish you should be able to go to one and watch a film in English
@@DatDermicio it didn’t change. It was always like that. You can always choose. There’s always few options for the same movie. You can choose either dubbed one, with subtitles or with lector.
I'm very glad that I foud your films. I was like typical Polish person, always complaining about how bad everything around me is. Don't anderstend me wrong, I absolutely love Poland and cant even imagine living anywhere else, but complaining is our national sport. But listening to you I'm like "mabye it's not that bad". Seriously, its great to see different point of view.
Stop watching content about Poland just to confirm that your complexes about being Polish are wrong. I lived for 16 yrs in Wales and it sucks. Poland is one of the best countries to live in Europe - undarstand this and don't waste your time watching videos, do something. If I have not spent my last few summers in Poland instead of Wales, I would probably kill myself by now...
I was born to Polish parents and have lived in Uk almost my entire life. I love Poland - when I go there I want to stay. I don’t want to romanticise it but Poland is such a lovely country. Beautiful and clean cities, the nature, the quality of food is great and prices are affordable. Poland is really a pleasant place (at least from my experience). My dream is to improve my Polish so that I could move to Poland and live there for the extended period of time.
Because of people like you... I come back to my own country 😊 14 years living in uk , traveling around whole Europe I just feel I missed something very important in my life... That was the reason why I come back to Poland. Hope you and your other half gonna find this , what I find for myself... Let's get a great life in beautiful country and people around us 😉
A short story about Polish patriotism, happened this weekend: My wife in the garden cut off flowers to give it to her mother. My 6-year-old son saw it and asked with a shock in his voice: „Mom, do you love Poland?”, „Yes, of course I love Poland”- my wife answered, confused a bit - „why are you asking?”. My son answered with a question: „If you love Poland, why are you destroying Poland by cutting of Polish flowers?”. My son got explanation, that these were Polish flowers, cultivated in Polish privat garden, cut off to give them to his Polish grandma. But still we were positively surprised a bit with a reaction of our son. I remember, when I was a teenager (over 20 years ago), the level of confidence in Poland was similar as you describe in Ukraine. In Poland about 20-15 years ago something good happened in our mentality and it has become visible in the last decade. But what shows this reaction of my son? I think my son, who experiences this taking care of common infractruture, taking care to make it look not only functional, but also beautifull is not only granted, but it’s a national/citizen duty to keep it and keeping it is a part of national pride. You love your contry, you take are of your country. The environment in which my young son grows since his birth, also causes in his mindset a feel of duty to take care of it. On the other hand, public places in Poland look like they look, because we pay for it, we pay taxes also for it. The reasonable part of Polish society (IMO - the majority), don’t want to destroy something they (us) payed for, but want to keep results also of their (our) work (their/our taxes payed).
Coming to warsaw 1 week on Monday for a holiday trip. To hang out. I like warsaw and very cheap travel from uk . Notice it feels much cleaner and feels safer than home
Spring in Poland is AMAZING huh? :) I know! The green on the trees - "coming to live" - waking up after the winter - the flowers - the sun and the quietness... Enjoy! ;)
You have just touched on the problem that we have been facing in Poland since we have been helping refugees from Ukraine (since the beginning of the war). The vast majority of people who came by themselves necessarily wanted to be in a big city (preferably in the center). They were afraid of smaller towns or suburbs. You explained why this was happening. Now those who had to settle in smaller cities or suburbs (because there were not many places in large cities), found out that in Poland you do not have to live in the city centers, because even the suburbs offer a good level and good public transport. Visit the Włochy district (preferably on both sides of the train tracks, because they are practically different districts), or maybe Ursus.
@@planetjames95 get on the Wkd train and go, for example, to Podkowa Leśna. Not only you will see the suburbs of Warsaw but also be able to walk in and the so-called "garden-city".
@@planetjames95 I guess my comment disappeared: / And so my favorite district is Wawer i Wesoła. Try to get to the Warszawa Wawer station, go east to Stradomska Street and go south, for example to VIII Poprzeczna Street, and then return to the Warszawa Anin station. I wonder what you compare this district to in the USA: houses in the woods, 20 minutes from the Center. It is similar in Józefów and Otwock. However, I know it's not your style :) You can use the SKM and Koleje Mazowieckie trains (within Warsaw) with the Warszawska Karta Miejska (in SKM on any WTP ticket), of course.
Sorry about sounding like a wise guy, but I’d like to point out that when you say standard of living I think you mean quality of life. The standard of living in America and other western countries is higher than in Poland, but in my opinion, the quality of life in Poland is better. And I lived in America for 36 years before moving to Poland two years ago. I’ll never go back.
@@arektrip9727 Agreed, except that I wouldn’t call them poor, but living with modest means. Most everyone in Poland has a car, a place to live, almost no one goes hungry. Poland is beautiful, clean and wonderful.
I like poland when I have been there but there is a reason people from poland move to Sweden. Poland isnt a fantastic country. Its a poor country but if you (the youtuber) like it, good, because you are the one that is going to live there. But its true that most things in poland is super cheap. But then again, the salaries are also super low…
@@erikstenviken2652 You should use the word "poor" more carefully. If Poland is poor imagine that part of Poland, Masovian Voivodeship has GDP of all Ukraine. Secondly Poland was under communism 44 years we couldn’t grow up, we are behind west countries, nothing new. People will start going back to Poland from your Sweden cuz life in Poland year by year changing here, we are one country that growing very fast in Europe, you can’t change that. Money is not everything. If you are so rich country why did a poor country like Poland have to send its firefighters to help you in 2018 during the forest fires?
Thank you James for sharing your thoughts. It's so refresing to see Poland with the eyes of a foreigner. You help us to appreciate what we have. For those Poles that still underestimate Poland seeing this country from foreigner's perspective is very helpful, as allows them to be proud of beeing Polish. Thank you for that :-)
Hello my friend. Missed this particular video. Soooo soooo good! So enlightening as well. …and you’re so right. Especially about here in the States. I love how Poland seems to blend so many cultures and lifestyles. It’s a beautiful thing to see. Another reason why I’m so excited to come. It was wonderful to see you and Marina today. I feel like I’ve been gone forever. LoL. I realize it was only a week…however 🤷🏻♀️. Yes, still felt like I was gone to long. Anyway. I don’t normally have to jump on a plane last minute. Sometimes in my business it’s just needed. Again, another wonderful and inspiring video my friend🥰🥰👋🏼♥️♥️❤️
I really love your videos, because they are heartfelt, sincere, and frankly put things into a perspective. In Poland we have this saying which roughly translates as "you praise the foreign, you don't know your own, you don't realise what you have" ("cudze chwalicie, swego nie znacie, sami nie wiecie co posiadacie"). It's a very common trope in Poland to be very critical of what we have and see ourselves as inferior and needing to catch up. It is very refreshing to see that we seem to be doing something right.
Been there twice. Poland wnet through a lot changes and nowadays is really good place to live. 10 years between my visits and I was shocked that country can be so succesfully in term of rising quality of live standards.
right now its very difficult to live here :D a bottle of coca cola costs half your hourly wage (its 9PLN at this point) and fuel is 7.50pln for gasoline WITH NO TAX! soon the "anti inflation shield" is going to expire (in july) fuel prices will rise up by 23% of VAT
You could basically live on n any city in Poland and you will have everything: restaurants, gyms, night live, public transportation on the high level, Żabka on every corner, whatever you want. I’m from Warsaw, I was born here and grown up, this is my city. But I’m not afraid to say that literally everywhere in Poland you will have high quality life regardless it’s +1M city, 200-500k or 20-50k.
I live in a small town (around 30k) and this city has little to offer. In the other hand, there is expressway to neighboring city which is a few times bigger (around 200k) and has much to offer.
That's an interesting take on the topic of respecting public property. From a Polish point of view, Poland wasn't particularly good in that regard - I vividly remember 1990s when everything built for public use was getting damaged on short notice, e.g. infrastructure for kids' sports activities, benches, etc. Nowadays it is not so rampant - I believe because people most inclined to destroying property went to Britain and elsewhere with the first wave of Polish immigration starting in 2004. They were the restless, adventurous types.
For now you don't know much about small towns in Polish countryside and you'll be surprised going there one day. Living level there is much the same like in big cities, sometimes even better when we count nature proximity, cleanness, short distance to all places you need to visit. Prices are bit lower there and so living costs as well.
I totally agree, I moved from big city to middle-size city and do not regret. Better infrastructure, higher level of maintenance, no traffic jams nor crowds and proximity of nature.
I wonder if you would be interested visiting some museums in Warsaw, like Neon Museum, Polish Vodka Museum or Museums of Jars. There are also nice parks like Saxon Gardens, Botanical Garden, Chinese Gardens, Ujazdowski Park.
My friend...exactly this was the situation we had in Poland in the 90s - 00, what you meet is a consequence of the changes that Ukraine wanted to achieve - including on EuroMajdania ... Poland is in the process of transformations, but I am pleased with your etusionism and may our countries reach the summit!
Wealth is spread in all cities in Poland. Not only Warszawa is like this. I used to live in Krakow down town. Now few years ago we moved to a village outside of the city and man I have Burger King around 300m from my house! It this village near Kraków we also have few restaurants (two italians, suhi, chinese), barber shop, groomer, two pets shops, Shell, Rossmann, bakery, few supermarkets, kindergardens park and anything you need for your happy living. We used to think that we are going to spend as much time as possible in the center of Krakow to feel the city life but now I have no reason to get stuck in a traffic just for beeing downtown... After 3yr of living my polish village life I can tell you that polish suburb areas are at very high standard.
I love the street signs (or the street signs that are on the buildings) - They are nice and big and always include the neighborhood, which I haven't ever seen anywhere else.
Interesting to hear your perspective. Having been few weeks ago in "perfect" and tidy Switzerland I came back a little bit "frustrated" with similar reflections to those you have in this video in the context of Ukraine. Poland is far from being perfect but you are right that we are taking many good things for granted, not appreciating them anymore.
Regarding public property. When buying a flat in a new development building, it is often the case that in addition to the ownership of your flat, you have a share in the ownership of the common parts of that building, e.g. corridors, the plot on which the block stands and the surrounding space. It is not public property per se, but property of the housing community.
I'm glad you like our country. I gotta say this is very refreshing, and really eye opening for me as Pole. We tend to complain alot about how much we are behind western countries when it comes to living standard, while simultaneously take for granted many things that you mentioned, not even thinking how important they could be regarding overall happiness and satisfaction.
Hello! I'm from Poland and it is very much good country. I live in Wrocław. I'm still learning english so sorry if I'm bad. Poland and Lithuania was first to help Ukraine in war and let planes go through. They all did at the same time because of the Poland-Lithuanian Common-wealth. I hope you ok!
Liked your video and subscribed on your yt channel. Richard forwarded me this link. Hes part on the first few seconds of this video. Keep uploading. With love from the Philippines! 🇵🇭🇵🇭🇵🇭
When it comes to taking care of the surroundings, whether your home matches the neighbors etc., Poland is halfway between Ukraine and Germany. We often have problems with the terrible urban planning of new housing estates. Only recently has it been started to take more care of urban greenery. We have cities cluttered with billboards and advertisements. But I hope it is going for the better.
I feel like switching poles minds from "state property" to public property was the biggest achievement of the last 30 years. And believe me - it was struggle. Perhaps for someone from outside east block it is not easy to understand difference between state and public property. It is mostly in people's minds. And I think it would be nice to get to Japanese standards. I see you found Park Skaryszewski - it is my favorite one in Warsaw. You should take Marina there for picnic. Cheers.
in Poland people used to say "państwowe znaczy niczyje" which means "if it belongs to the state, it belongs to no one" or literally "statish means nobodys", and it could be stolen, and it's what apparently people in Russia, source of that behaviour, still say, and we all see how they end up with it, responsibility for seemingly abstract entity like a state is what we had to incorporate
I will tell you from my point of view. On pupular portal for short term booking, I already have a history of over two hundred rentals throughout Poland. So I saw something. It is true that these apartments are so nice The reason for this is that the common type of investment in Poland is the purchase of a flat for short or long-term rental. So you buy such apartments and build them from scratch, so it will necessarily be new and modern, because it must be so, because the competition is fierce. Edit: my previous comment was deleted, maybe due to I mentiioned that popular portal.
That's interesting what you said about the wealth "spreading"... Guess I never realized how different it can be in other countries. In Poland it often really looks like " cities in the City ", Kraków is the same- each district has a different feel and you can basically live your whole life in one, having all your needs fulfilled and only go to the other districts to work or university
In our little neighbourhood of apartament blocks we clean our main floors and stairs in turns. We have a list of numbers and their "cleaning weeks" so it very common to see other neighbours with brushes and mops. It makes everybody want to care more for the building. :>
Lol I'm polish and that is something I've never heard about. Very weird. Every apartment building has a management. Every apartment owner is obliged by law to pay the management regularly so that they can take care of the building (for example: hire a cleaning company, renovate the building). There are different types of managements, but that's how it generally works.
@@arektrip9727 That's really shocking to me. I don't really understand why people would do it because it doesn't make sense. Every old commie block of flats I've seen in my city and other parts of the country hires people to clean the building. It's interesting... I can't imagine there are people agreeing to something like that. Really, mind blowing!
@@youlol7331 We live in a closed neighbourhood and the developer gave the administration of the area to us. So we have those meetings where we discuss problems, elect a manager, guy for picking leaves and trash, a gardener. And one one of those meetings the cleaning lady said she wants more money. So everybody agreed to clean ourselves and have our rents lower. It is like back to the university camp XD One time I forgot to clean my floor and my kid left a trail of dirt leading to our apartamnet. And the next day I found a pile of sweeped dirt on my mat. XD
This same observation we have when going to Germany/England. Cheaper and better products. Also There is a Dragons Parade on June 4 in Kraków. Definitly worth going to. If you are looking for trip ideas :)
Thank you so much for all the vlogs about my country. I am very pleased that you see and show Poland just in superlatives. I have a question- as you are working in IT and you know our IT market: could you please make vlog about IT job opportunities for foreigners in Poland? I am recruiting for many IT positions for international company - but as you know we suffer from a shortage of IT specialists in Poland (even though the salaries on IT positions are world-class in PL). Best regards to Marina and the baby she carries under her heart. God bless your family!
I lived in Saska Kempa for a couple years; very nice area, enjoyed it a lot. I'm an Australian so I'm used to a very high standard of living but not once did I ever say to myself "man, I miss Australia" while I lived there. I've lived in other parts of Warsaw too, all were great, but I definitely have a soft spot for Saska and it's main strip (I think it's Paryzka, right?). Cheers for the video dude. I enjoy watching your videos while I'm here in AU and I'm definitely looking forward to coming back to Poland later this year :)
That is not the case. Price discrimination is used while you pay less per piece if you buy more, come to restaurant during happy hours or you was loyal so they gave you discount. The reason for higher prices in UA is low number of people that can affort something. That impacts a number of companies that will provide this commodity. Low competition means higher prices. After certain level rich people are immune to price rise. If Ukrainians would be welthier prices would drop. Also contacts to right people will help. Rich people have their favorite places, specialists and brands like in real estate. Also Customs are rising prices. When we switched to free market everything was becoming more avaliable and when we got richer they were more and more affortable. Later when we joined EU there was a price drop. Other counties didn't charged us with border fees and because of that those pieces that stayed home were getting cheaper.
Hi I really like your walks around Warsaw and your grades. I can see the changes that have taken place in the country recently, but I don't see it in any special way. I do not deny that, it is quite well organized but I don't know ... something is still missing ... maybe I'm a typical Pole and I'm just complaining, but maybe thanks to this complaint something changes for the better. If you get bored of walking in the streets, I recommend my beloved Bielański Forest. For me, it is a real gem of the city where you can get a bit of sleep while walking. Make sure to take Marina with you. Regards
Poland has a lot of something called "spółdzielnia mieszkaniowa" - housing association, which means residents of any given block/appartment complex come together to invest into renovating said building, not only for the aesthetics (it's nice to live in nice places) but also to increase the overall value of the appartments within. Also, there is a strong sense of competition between people there so one always has to outshine their neighbour. At least that's the way I see it :) All the best!
Grocery prices rose sharply. This year it is particularly strong, but in the last 2 years at least 30% in my opinion. Walking around the store, I get the feeling that it is expensive. Unfortunately, it will be worse in this and possibly next year.
Huh you didin't get to main street of Saska Kępa (Francuska street) :) so you didnt see exactly this area which was reccomended :D one more time to go there :P
I generally don't last more than a few minutes watching vlogs with talking heads. But in your case it is different, I watched the whole thing and it was addictive for me. The reason for this is that you deeply analyze the problems you encounter, you do not slide over the surface, but grips the essence of the issue. And this is not a common phenomenon with jutubers :) Besides, you visited this district and this park that I once recommended to you ... so the satisfaction is full. Good luck in Wawa.
I must admit I'm a little bit concerned about Marina & James. I don't say You need to upload every day, but up to this point rarely there was such a long break. If You guys are just chilling, cool, don't ever let random ppl like me pressure You :P I just hope everything is fine with all 4 of You :-)
What do you think will be top 5 places to see in Wrocław to inhale proper city energy? I've never been there but will be doing business trips from next month like every 4 weeks so would like to explore it in my free time. Also would appreciate some food recommendations ;) cheers!
@@alinamaria7176 Take a boat trip on the river if you have the time, visit the vicinity of Hala Stulecia (impressive historical exhibit/sports hall built before WWI+with beautiful parks around it), visit Old Town area with the market square, visit Ostrow Tumski which is the cathedral island (no longer an island really) and take a stroll along the river and through the different islands
@@alinamaria7176 plus there are like 6 big shopping malls if you're into that, there's a beautiful historical Opera House in Wrocław + a brand new huge concert hall , perhaps you can catch an interesting concert if you search in advance
@@annabanana5057 it’s not. It’s expensive for what it has to offer and infrastructure is terrible outside of the city center. Better keep your money in Warsaw.
There is a local cafe-patisserie Lukullus, Walecznych 29 str., the same is in the center, on Chmielna str. 😋👍 You will have your first cake there and you are addicted, especially to yeast cakes.
Myslef like you I lived in New York for over 20 years, Place is horrible. I moved to Colorado for much better life . I need to visit Warsaw my home town. It had to change in last few years.
Grannies apartments - it's the same case in the UK. Dark, grim and expensive. Some look like set of 70's horror movie. From the outside British houses might be way prettier than polish blocks, however indoor standard had risen massively in Poland among general public, especially over last decade. Great views of Saska Kępa btw!
If you would like to get a taste of a small city I highly recommend you Pułtusk. Small city just 60km from Warsaw with great history and infrastructure! On the way you can check out Zalew Zegrzyński (big lake where 2 rivers meet). Enjoy :)
As for multiappartament buildings there are in Poland 2 legal solutions. 1. cooperative (spółdzielnia), which was also practiced on communist era. It's a complex solution, but in general there are some limited rights for appartaments, close to ownership but and that what's outside is a public place managed by the cooperative, 2. building commonwealth (wspólnota mieszkaniowa), where appartment owners are their only owners, but also co-owners of the common part of the building and the ground below it. They choose the manager or can hire a specialized enterpise to manage the building. Since the capitalist era Has begun, this second solution is more popular. Both solutions mean that appartment owners participate in some ways on costs of common infrastructure, of renovating it, etc. The 2nd solution is more democratic. It's more complex than I describe, there are many detail legal solutions that it works fair enough in Poland, including Courts which solve conflicts between members of building commonwealth, which happen very often, because never everybody's satisfied: for example about making cheaper or more expensive renovation of the common root, the more expensive renovation, the higher bills, or somebody claims that there is some other more urgent priority, etc. So such a building commonwealth is some kind of a microstate.
I live in a building commonwealth "wspólnota" and it is great. The best integrated, helpful and disciplined neighbours I ever had. Pre-sittings reassemble a garden parties if the weather is good. Then there is a proper meeting of our armed with signed papers representatives and the administration. It is also economically efficient solution, so despite investing not trivial sums in our building we keep our payments significantly lower than in cooperatives. We found some sources of additional income, we are doing simple tasks, like gardening, painting things or even less complicated construction works by ourselves - great fun. It is really not more than half an hour of work on weekend once a month or two for six guys. Of course it is connected with a party, so we are officially working hard for the whole afternoon and evening painting 15 meters of simple to paint fence, until we became to noisy and "children want to sleep you idiots!" 😜 Downsides? Our wife's know everything about us, because of theirs intiligence network and we must behave properly (so as they ;)
Lived in Greenpoint, Brooklyn... wasn't so bad. Spent 30 yrs in Toronto and it is definitely decentralized city made of "villages" each self contained but inter connected
I think you are wrong regarding the standard of apartments there are in Poland there are also are very different standards and prices in Warsaw They are not all equal. You have modern and simple units and prices are all spectrum from modest to expensive . I live in Chicago I’m from Poland emigrated as a child in 1964 with my parents I love Chicago also Warsaw . We come to Poland almost every year . I have been to Poland in the last 19 years fifteen times and from four to seven months each time , so that’s tell you that we ,my husband and I love Poland my husband is from Warsaw I’m from Poznań . We have been renting apartments all the time and can tell you that maybe the units inside might be nicely decorated and stuff some of them at least you get all kinds but what bugs me that people don’t care what’s on the outside .As many doors on the floor that’s you have ,that’s how many different styles and colors you have and locks two three even four different to a single door that looks like a ghetto , balcony’s is another story I know that the apartment specially the ones from communist era are small but people keep junk in them . On the other hand the new developments everything is uniform looks clean but also, people cover the balconies with glass I have to admit some are even nicely done and blend in nicely but some are horrible . That doesn’t stop me from loving my country but it’s not all peachy keen . I live in a condo I can not change anything out side of my apartment I can do anything inside but still need the managements approval which I get anyway but I need a professional to do anything that’s major I can not just hire handy Andy to for example to change the structure of the walls or any major stuff small things yes . I love the you like Warsaw so much and I watch every single video you put out so I say no more. Good luck 👍
You came from the US to Poland and I came from Poland to New York and why am I listening to you, you did the opposite LOL. Here, I live about 20 min by subway to Manhattan and I consider it a short commute (if there is traffic, it could take 1 hour-one way). Rental prices are going through the roof this year. Subway is very convenient, but of course the problem here is that you can get shot or pushed in front of the train or attacked in a different way.
Well in fact, here in Poland people have been massively escaping from big cities since over 30 years or so. I won't be too far from the truth when I say that having a house in village or suburbs or small time became kinda of "higher living standard indicator" or so.
Urodziłem się w 78 roku. Mój ojciec powiedział mi że nie musze się uczyć jezyka radzieckiego. Na "wywiadówkach" zawszepowtarzał ze jego syn jest polakiem i nie bede sie tego jezka uczył. przepuszczali mnie na 3
As for paying less for basic products in Poland than in Ukraine, the same can be said for prices in Germany and Poland, many products are cheaper in Berlin than in Warsaw. Poor countries always get fucked over by the richer.
Very good point on the overall confidence people have in the system. In Poland that confidence level was very low in the 90s, after the fall of communism. It has grown slowly, but surely and now stands at quite high level. I think it's related with standard of living and infrastructure which improved a lot in the past 30 years. Also some political reforms in the late 90s worked really well, by that I mean decentralization and putting more power, more responsibilities and more money in the hands of local authorities (towns, cities, etc.).
Saska isn’t really far from the centre mate… it’s like ten minutes or less using a tram. You should explore Praga more it’s more like the original Warsaw. It’s not really dangerous anymore, maybe it was ten years ago but not now.
What you discuss around 19:20, about people fixing stuff for themselves - and everyone and everything around be damned - this used to happen in Poland a lot too. It is fortunately less and less - but it takes a lot of time to teach people not to do that, that "I own this, I am free to do as I please" leads to anarchy in public space. I personally blame communist times, where "public" meant "no ones" and people had to get creative with what they had just to get by. This kind of mindset is hard to change.
Let me be honest with you - IMHO you didn't do justice to my favourite Warsaw park, the Skaryszewski Park that you've roamed. Please go back there and show its entire beauty with the Kamionkowskie lake (perhaps also on kayak, probably available to rent there as last year), its huge pines, lovely landscape (carefully master planned by Franciszek Szanior in the early 20th century), waterfall, stone dedicated to British airmen, etc. For me, that park is a unique in-city place to "get away from it all" and to relax on a deck-chair at the seasonal cafe by the lake.
I spent one night in Kyiv before leaving the country through airport. I was checking out Apartaments to stay in the net just to sleep some hours before leaving the country and I found one cute so I decided to book. The building was extremely old, horrible, but the apartment was very modern and cozy + the owner was waiting for me because was difficult to find it despite I took a taxi and it was around 25 minutes driving to the airport. I barely could sleep btw. lmao 😂
Actually, Filtry you mentioned is also Ochota :) every district in Warsaw is divided into some neighbourhoods and Filtry belongs to Ochota district. I also agree that Warsaw's districts are like cities inside of the city. I live in Włochy, next to border with Ochota and I visit city center once a month. Everything I need to live is in my district.
@@planetjames95 Ochota district is an administrative part of Warsaw, which consists of four historically separate districts: Stara Ochota, Filtry, Rakowiec and Szczęśliwice.
I live in Stara Ochota after moving there from Stara Praga (part of Praga Północ district) but Filtry (and Plac Narutowicza) is my favorite part of Ochota. Enjoy the city, blooming trees and sunny weather - thats what we all were waiting for:)
The biggest park of Warsaw are "Pola Mokotowskie" that are in Mokotów streaching from Żwirki i Wigury street (there is a populaar american restaurant called "Jeff's") to Waryńskiego street and Metro Politechnika station. Pola Mokotowskie are our "Central Park", because of its size, location and popularity. And you are walking through Skaryszewski Park, that is smaller than Pola Mokotowskie, but in my opinion much more beautiful. I love the view from Skaryszewski Park on the Wedel's chocolate factory mirroring in the water. Maybe you were interested seeing a village in the city center? Then check out Jazdów street, near Łazienki and Ujazdowski Park ;) And don't forget to check out Szczęśliwicki Park before moving to the new neighborhood. ;)
You have to visit Praga, especially Ząbkowska and Koneser. It used to be a "bad neighbourhood" 30 years ago, but it changed immensely it is a really cosy place. If you are looking for an apartament to hire there, I will have one from September onwards. If you are interested, please let me know - I will be happy to meet.
Speaking of price discrimination, I once read a comparison of grocery store prices in Boston from some source that I do not remember, and it turned out that the grocery store in front of the bus stop in Central Square had, If not the highest prices, then very close to the highest prices in the city. Actually it was in Cambridge, so maybe the comparison was Boston/Cambridge. That particular area was among the lowest income areas, I believe, between the two cities. And we are including various locations within the same grocery store chain. So, obviously, what they were doing was taking advantage of the fact that these people couldn't shop anywhere else. Yes it's just another reason "why Poland is better than Boston (and Cambridge)." And I haven't even watched the entire video yet! So apparently, Poland has not yet progressed as far down the path of greed as the US has?
Poland. One of the last country where average person can afford a contractor like a builder, good hairdresser, mechanic or plumber. Unfortunatelly prices of cervices are goiong up fast.
What's the one thing you feel should be done to improve Poland even further? 🇵🇱
Yes, You get my like but why You did not walk to real Saska Kępa? Francuska street waits for You.☺♥
Thank you for this question. I think that Poland should adopt euro currency and elect more liberal government. Same-sex marriages would be an advantage. And of course - we have some issues with rule of law which should be immediately rectified. Regards!
Witam.
The huge amount of People in service jobs who don't speak English at all or very fucking broken.
Warszawa needs more Metro lines.
Far more green self-sufficient energies, the government should massively subsidize private Photovoltaics for
EVERY new build house and or helix wind turbines. (that goes for every Country).
If you love Poland say NO to "soon to be Chernobyl/Fukushima reactors" planed to build in Poland!
! Honor i Ojczyzna & Slava Ukraini !
@@robokop482 1. Same sex im with you.
2. Only the Polish people decide who & what Government will be elected & no one else.
3. Hell no to the Euro! Have you already forgotten what happens if you don't have control over your own currency? Remember Greece, Ireland, Portugal, Spain etc. ?
Poland has a exporting focused economy thus having control over the exchange rate is a massive benefit in competing on the global market!
I also hate Kaczynski's PiS party BUT this is the (by far) most popular party right now & therefore they will obviously
make laws, that liberals aren't so fond of but that's jus how democracy works.
owners picking their dog's poop.
Poland is definitely on the right path. My parents moved back after 33 years living in Canada. I was born in Toronto, after they immigrated to Canada, and I came with them for a better quality of life.
Polska, jesteś piękna i już jestem zakochany. Dotychczas, świetnie żyć tutaj.
Wow, that’s awesome.
I don't know if someone told you, but cinemas in Poland generally use subtitles instead of dubbing so even without fully understand Polish you should be able to go to one and watch a film in English
Mainly only movies for children or kids are dubbed.
That’s a smart thing to be able to learn many languages 👍🏻
in city like warsaw you can also choose - for example Hobbit was available: dubbing, subs, 2d and 3d ;d
really? never saw one. always inly dubbing in polish and translation to polish. welp things may changed
@@DatDermicio it didn’t change. It was always like that. You can always choose. There’s always few options for the same movie. You can choose either dubbed one, with subtitles or with lector.
I'm very glad that I foud your films. I was like typical Polish person, always complaining about how bad everything around me is. Don't anderstend me wrong, I absolutely love Poland and cant even imagine living anywhere else, but complaining is our national sport. But listening to you I'm like "mabye it's not that bad". Seriously, its great to see different point of view.
Hello. It might interest you to know that us Americans of Polish descent...my word is Americanskis...complain a lot, too. I know I do it.
Stop watching content about Poland just to confirm that your complexes about being Polish are wrong. I lived for 16 yrs in Wales and it sucks. Poland is one of the best countries to live in Europe - undarstand this and don't waste your time watching videos, do something. If I have not spent my last few summers in Poland instead of Wales, I would probably kill myself by now...
Well complaining is not only your national sport we are better on this. Greetings from Lithuania😁😁😁
@@someonewhosupportukraine We had a one country with you, so what do you expect? Lithuanians are besties.
I was born to Polish parents and have lived in Uk almost my entire life. I love Poland - when I go there I want to stay. I don’t want to romanticise it but Poland is such a lovely country. Beautiful and clean cities, the nature, the quality of food is great and prices are affordable. Poland is really a pleasant place (at least from my experience). My dream is to improve my Polish so that I could move to Poland and live there for the extended period of time.
Because of people like you... I come back to my own country 😊 14 years living in uk , traveling around whole Europe I just feel I missed something very important in my life... That was the reason why I come back to Poland. Hope you and your other half gonna find this , what I find for myself... Let's get a great life in beautiful country and people around us 😉
Hehe podobnie
A short story about Polish patriotism, happened this weekend: My wife in the garden cut off flowers to give it to her mother. My 6-year-old son saw it and asked with a shock in his voice: „Mom, do you love Poland?”, „Yes, of course I love Poland”- my wife answered, confused a bit - „why are you asking?”. My son answered with a question: „If you love Poland, why are you destroying Poland by cutting of Polish flowers?”. My son got explanation, that these were Polish flowers, cultivated in Polish privat garden, cut off to give them to his Polish grandma. But still we were positively surprised a bit with a reaction of our son. I remember, when I was a teenager (over 20 years ago), the level of confidence in Poland was similar as you describe in Ukraine. In Poland about 20-15 years ago something good happened in our mentality and it has become visible in the last decade. But what shows this reaction of my son? I think my son, who experiences this taking care of common infractruture, taking care to make it look not only functional, but also beautifull is not only granted, but it’s a national/citizen duty to keep it and keeping it is a part of national pride. You love your contry, you take are of your country. The environment in which my young son grows since his birth, also causes in his mindset a feel of duty to take care of it. On the other hand, public places in Poland look like they look, because we pay for it, we pay taxes also for it. The reasonable part of Polish society (IMO - the majority), don’t want to destroy something they (us) payed for, but want to keep results also of their (our) work (their/our taxes payed).
I would think the same with Grafitti, why do you want your country to look bad with that stuff?
People only complain in Poland for everything. They should travel more arround the world or start to watch your channel 🙂
Coming to warsaw 1 week on Monday for a holiday trip. To hang out. I like warsaw and very cheap travel from uk . Notice it feels much cleaner and feels safer than home
Greetings from Alaska. It’s such a pleasure to watch you. And yes, Poland is beautiful. Thank you so much!,
Spring in Poland is AMAZING huh? :) I know! The green on the trees - "coming to live" - waking up after the winter - the flowers - the sun and the quietness... Enjoy! ;)
I literally dont care what this guy is doing, but when he starts his vlog it is always
exciting (:)
You have just touched on the problem that we have been facing in Poland since we have been helping refugees from Ukraine (since the beginning of the war). The vast majority of people who came by themselves necessarily wanted to be in a big city (preferably in the center). They were afraid of smaller towns or suburbs. You explained why this was happening.
Now those who had to settle in smaller cities or suburbs (because there were not many places in large cities), found out that in Poland you do not have to live in the city centers, because even the suburbs offer a good level and good public transport.
Visit the Włochy district (preferably on both sides of the train tracks, because they are practically different districts), or maybe Ursus.
Interesting. And, yes, I will visit both of those areas.
Interesting is that you want to live in center only too.
But you can say that you think like real Ukrainian citizen( strange for an American )
@@planetjames95 get on the Wkd train and go, for example, to Podkowa Leśna. Not only you will see the suburbs of Warsaw but also be able to walk in and the so-called "garden-city".
@@planetjames95 I guess my comment disappeared: /
And so my favorite district is Wawer i Wesoła. Try to get to the Warszawa Wawer station, go east to Stradomska Street and go south, for example to VIII Poprzeczna Street, and then return to the Warszawa Anin station. I wonder what you compare this district to in the USA: houses in the woods, 20 minutes from the Center. It is similar in Józefów and Otwock. However, I know it's not your style :)
You can use the SKM and Koleje Mazowieckie trains (within Warsaw) with the Warszawska Karta Miejska (in SKM on any WTP ticket), of course.
@@magdalenabaran4969 yep, Podkowa Leśna and also: Józefów, Otwock.
Sorry about sounding like a wise guy, but I’d like to point out that when you say standard of living I think you mean quality of life. The standard of living in America and other western countries is higher than in Poland, but in my opinion, the quality of life in Poland is better. And I lived in America for 36 years before moving to Poland two years ago. I’ll never go back.
To the point. There is more poor people in Poland but its safer and there is more untouched nature areas.
@@arektrip9727 Agreed, except that I wouldn’t call them poor, but living with modest means. Most everyone in Poland has a car, a place to live, almost no one goes hungry. Poland is beautiful, clean and wonderful.
I like poland when I have been there but there is a reason people from poland move to Sweden. Poland isnt a fantastic country. Its a poor country but if you (the youtuber) like it, good, because you are the one that is going to live there.
But its true that most things in poland is super cheap. But then again, the salaries are also super low…
@@erikstenviken2652Thank you for your kind and gracious comment about Poland. Best of luck to you and Sweden.
@@erikstenviken2652 You should use the word "poor" more carefully. If Poland is poor imagine that part of Poland, Masovian Voivodeship has GDP of all Ukraine. Secondly Poland was under communism 44 years we couldn’t grow up, we are behind west countries, nothing new. People will start going back to Poland from your Sweden cuz life in Poland year by year changing here, we are one country that growing very fast in Europe, you can’t change that. Money is not everything. If you are so rich country why did a poor country like Poland have to send its firefighters to help you in 2018 during the forest fires?
Thank you James for sharing your thoughts. It's so refresing to see Poland with the eyes of a foreigner. You help us to appreciate what we have. For those Poles that still underestimate Poland seeing this country from foreigner's perspective is very helpful, as allows them to be proud of beeing Polish. Thank you for that :-)
I really love your attitude. And, as they say, attitude is everything!
Dziękuję za bardzo miłe słowa o Polsce! 👍🇵🇱
Very interesting observations.Thank you! Be happy in Poland!
Hello my friend. Missed this particular video. Soooo soooo good! So enlightening as well. …and you’re so right. Especially about here in the States. I love how Poland seems to blend so many cultures and lifestyles. It’s a beautiful thing to see. Another reason why I’m so excited to come.
It was wonderful to see you and Marina today. I feel like I’ve been gone forever. LoL. I realize it was only a week…however 🤷🏻♀️. Yes, still felt like I was gone to long. Anyway. I don’t normally have to jump on a plane last minute. Sometimes in my business it’s just needed.
Again, another wonderful and inspiring video my friend🥰🥰👋🏼♥️♥️❤️
I really love your videos, because they are heartfelt, sincere, and frankly put things into a perspective. In Poland we have this saying which roughly translates as "you praise the foreign, you don't know your own, you don't realise what you have" ("cudze chwalicie, swego nie znacie, sami nie wiecie co posiadacie"). It's a very common trope in Poland to be very critical of what we have and see ourselves as inferior and needing to catch up. It is very refreshing to see that we seem to be doing something right.
Been there twice. Poland wnet through a lot changes and nowadays is really good place to live. 10 years between my visits and I was shocked that country can be so succesfully in term of rising quality of live standards.
right now its very difficult to live here :D a bottle of coca cola costs half your hourly wage (its 9PLN at this point) and fuel is 7.50pln for gasoline WITH NO TAX! soon the "anti inflation shield" is going to expire (in july) fuel prices will rise up by 23% of VAT
You could basically live on n any city in Poland and you will have everything: restaurants, gyms, night live, public transportation on the high level, Żabka on every corner, whatever you want. I’m from Warsaw, I was born here and grown up, this is my city. But I’m not afraid to say that literally everywhere in Poland you will have high quality life regardless it’s +1M city, 200-500k or 20-50k.
I live in a small town (around 30k) and this city has little to offer. In the other hand, there is expressway to neighboring city which is a few times bigger (around 200k) and has much to offer.
That's an interesting take on the topic of respecting public property. From a Polish point of view, Poland wasn't particularly good in that regard - I vividly remember 1990s when everything built for public use was getting damaged on short notice, e.g. infrastructure for kids' sports activities, benches, etc. Nowadays it is not so rampant - I believe because people most inclined to destroying property went to Britain and elsewhere with the first wave of Polish immigration starting in 2004. They were the restless, adventurous types.
For now you don't know much about small towns in Polish countryside and you'll be surprised going there one day. Living level there is much the same like in big cities, sometimes even better when we count nature proximity, cleanness, short distance to all places you need to visit. Prices are bit lower there and so living costs as well.
I totally agree, I moved from big city to middle-size city and do not regret. Better infrastructure, higher level of maintenance, no traffic jams nor crowds and proximity of nature.
@@marekkwapisiewicz2675 exactly😊
Thank you for yours perspective it really interesting! ☀️
Thank you for watching, Justyna.
I wonder if you would be interested visiting some museums in Warsaw, like Neon Museum, Polish Vodka Museum or Museums of Jars. There are also nice parks like Saxon Gardens, Botanical Garden, Chinese Gardens, Ujazdowski Park.
Saska Kępa jest fajna, Warszawa jest fajna, Polska jest piękna. Kocham ją 🇵🇱 ;-)
Fajnie ;) ja też kocham nasza Polskę!
@@perunwszechmocny7248 I ja też :)
I ja kocham ❤️❤️❤️❤️
szkoda, ze sprzedana ukraincom
Haha powinni Ci zapłacić za reklamę Biedronki. Super video. Pozdrawiam że Śląska ❤️
My friend...exactly this was the situation we had in Poland in the 90s - 00, what you meet is a consequence of the changes that Ukraine wanted to achieve - including on EuroMajdania ...
Poland is in the process of transformations, but I am pleased with your etusionism and may our countries reach the summit!
Wealth is spread in all cities in Poland. Not only Warszawa is like this. I used to live in Krakow down town. Now few years ago we moved to a village outside of the city and man I have Burger King around 300m from my house! It this village near Kraków we also have few restaurants (two italians, suhi, chinese), barber shop, groomer, two pets shops, Shell, Rossmann, bakery, few supermarkets, kindergardens park and anything you need for your happy living. We used to think that we are going to spend as much time as possible in the center of Krakow to feel the city life but now I have no reason to get stuck in a traffic just for beeing downtown... After 3yr of living my polish village life I can tell you that polish suburb areas are at very high standard.
I think your dream apartment would be just one, big balcony! 😂
It's relly interesting to explore Warsaw with you. I live in Wołomin, just 20 km from Warsaw but many places you showing I didn't visit since years.
to potrzebowałeś najazdu ukraincow aby zwiedzac Warszawę ?- gratulacje.
I love the street signs (or the street signs that are on the buildings) - They are nice and big and always include the neighborhood, which I haven't ever seen anywhere else.
Interesting to hear your perspective. Having been few weeks ago in "perfect" and tidy Switzerland I came back a little bit "frustrated" with similar reflections to those you have in this video in the context of Ukraine. Poland is far from being perfect but you are right that we are taking many good things for granted, not appreciating them anymore.
Regarding public property. When buying a flat in a new development building, it is often the case that in addition to the ownership of your flat, you have a share in the ownership of the common parts of that building, e.g. corridors, the plot on which the block stands and the surrounding space. It is not public property per se, but property of the housing community.
Makes sense.
Yes, we must pay maintenance fee and community decides how money are spent.
It’s basically an HOA in the US.
I'm glad you like our country. I gotta say this is very refreshing, and really eye opening for me as Pole. We tend to complain alot about how much we are behind western countries when it comes to living standard, while simultaneously take for granted many things that you mentioned, not even thinking how important they could be regarding overall happiness and satisfaction.
Hello! I'm from Poland and it is very much good country. I live in Wrocław. I'm still learning english so sorry if I'm bad.
Poland and Lithuania was first to help Ukraine in war and let planes go through. They all did at the same time because of the Poland-Lithuanian Common-wealth.
I hope you ok!
thanks for making my afternoon better
That's what I do, bro!
@@planetjames95 that was pretty enjoyable 40 minutes bro!
Liked your video and subscribed on your yt channel. Richard forwarded me this link. Hes part on the first few seconds of this video. Keep uploading.
With love from the Philippines! 🇵🇭🇵🇭🇵🇭
When it comes to taking care of the surroundings, whether your home matches the neighbors etc., Poland is halfway between Ukraine and Germany. We often have problems with the terrible urban planning of new housing estates. Only recently has it been started to take more care of urban greenery. We have cities cluttered with billboards and advertisements. But I hope it is going for the better.
Germany isn't really that super fascinating. I wish that we will avoid their mistakes and mess
just move to Germany there is no border!
@@MrCr00wn no, I hate their language xD
For a man to leave his favourite"Biedronka" behind... It's when you finally understand what true loss feels like.
Any Biedronka has the potential to become the new favorite, easily ;) I'm more of a Lidl man myself
Poland is a great country with great people. I can't wait to see it. I hope I can find some distant relatives.
I feel like switching poles minds from "state property" to public property was the biggest achievement of the last 30 years. And believe me - it was struggle. Perhaps for someone from outside east block it is not easy to understand difference between state and public property. It is mostly in people's minds. And I think it would be nice to get to Japanese standards. I see you found Park Skaryszewski - it is my favorite one in Warsaw. You should take Marina there for picnic. Cheers.
in Poland people used to say "państwowe znaczy niczyje" which means "if it belongs to the state, it belongs to no one" or literally "statish means nobodys", and it could be stolen, and it's what apparently people in Russia, source of that behaviour, still say, and we all see how they end up with it, responsibility for seemingly abstract entity like a state is what we had to incorporate
15k subscribers👏
I will tell you from my point of view. On pupular portal for short term booking, I already have a history of over two hundred rentals throughout Poland. So I saw something. It is true that these apartments are so nice The reason for this is that the common type of investment in Poland is the purchase of a flat for short or long-term rental. So you buy such apartments and build them from scratch, so it will necessarily be new and modern, because it must be so, because the competition is fierce.
Edit: my previous comment was deleted, maybe due to I mentiioned that popular portal.
I left Poland 1991 and moved to USA. Poland was a Mexico of Europe but in 30 years its really amazing how it transformed
chyba nie odwiedzileś Bulgarii i Rumunii w tym czasie.
and thats why you should visit small cities too, in most of them you got anything you want :)
That's interesting what you said about the wealth "spreading"... Guess I never realized how different it can be in other countries. In Poland it often really looks like " cities in the City ", Kraków is the same- each district has a different feel and you can basically live your whole life in one, having all your needs fulfilled and only go to the other districts to work or university
In our little neighbourhood of apartament blocks we clean our main floors and stairs in turns. We have a list of numbers and their "cleaning weeks" so it very common to see other neighbours with brushes and mops. It makes everybody want to care more for the building. :>
Lol I'm polish and that is something I've never heard about. Very weird. Every apartment building has a management. Every apartment owner is obliged by law to pay the management regularly so that they can take care of the building (for example: hire a cleaning company, renovate the building). There are different types of managements, but that's how it generally works.
@@youlol7331 yes he is right. In my old błock of flats from PRL people still doing it. You talking about new flats.
@@arektrip9727 That's really shocking to me. I don't really understand why people would do it because it doesn't make sense. Every old commie block of flats I've seen in my city and other parts of the country hires people to clean the building. It's interesting... I can't imagine there are people agreeing to something like that. Really, mind blowing!
@@youlol7331 We live in a closed neighbourhood and the developer gave the administration of the area to us. So we have those meetings where we discuss problems, elect a manager, guy for picking leaves and trash, a gardener. And one one of those meetings the cleaning lady said she wants more money. So everybody agreed to clean ourselves and have our rents lower. It is like back to the university camp XD One time I forgot to clean my floor and my kid left a trail of dirt leading to our apartamnet. And the next day I found a pile of sweeped dirt on my mat. XD
I moved out from Warsaw 2 years ago, after 10 years living there. But I love villige, nature, privacy and I found my paradise in polish village :)
Nice - and unexpected! - background view of Stadion Narodowy ~ the 29th minute mark!!
This same observation we have when going to Germany/England. Cheaper and better products.
Also There is a Dragons Parade on June 4 in Kraków. Definitly worth going to. If you are looking for trip ideas :)
Thank you so much for all the vlogs about my country. I am very pleased that you see and show Poland just in superlatives. I have a question- as you are working in IT and you know our IT market: could you please make vlog about IT job opportunities for foreigners in Poland? I am recruiting for many IT positions for international company - but as you know we suffer from a shortage of IT specialists in Poland (even though the salaries on IT positions are world-class in PL). Best regards to Marina and the baby she carries under her heart. God bless your family!
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I lived in Saska Kempa for a couple years; very nice area, enjoyed it a lot. I'm an Australian so I'm used to a very high standard of living but not once did I ever say to myself "man, I miss Australia" while I lived there. I've lived in other parts of Warsaw too, all were great, but I definitely have a soft spot for Saska and it's main strip (I think it's Paryzka, right?).
Cheers for the video dude. I enjoy watching your videos while I'm here in AU and I'm definitely looking forward to coming back to Poland later this year :)
What you doing than, going up and down to AU? Are your parents polish?
That is not the case. Price discrimination is used while you pay less per piece if you buy more, come to restaurant during happy hours or you was loyal so they gave you discount. The reason for higher prices in UA is low number of people that can affort something. That impacts a number of companies that will provide this commodity. Low competition means higher prices. After certain level rich people are immune to price rise. If Ukrainians would be welthier prices would drop. Also contacts to right people will help. Rich people have their favorite places, specialists and brands like in real estate. Also Customs are rising prices. When we switched to free market everything was becoming more avaliable and when we got richer they were more and more affortable. Later when we joined EU there was a price drop. Other counties didn't charged us with border fees and because of that those pieces that stayed home were getting cheaper.
Hi
I really like your walks around Warsaw and your grades. I can see the changes that have taken place in the country recently, but I don't see it in any special way. I do not deny that, it is quite well organized but I don't know ... something is still missing ... maybe I'm a typical Pole and I'm just complaining, but maybe thanks to this complaint something changes for the better. If you get bored of walking in the streets, I recommend my beloved Bielański Forest. For me, it is a real gem of the city where you can get a bit of sleep while walking. Make sure to take Marina with you. Regards
Poland has a lot of something called "spółdzielnia mieszkaniowa" - housing association, which means residents of any given block/appartment complex come together to invest into renovating said building, not only for the aesthetics (it's nice to live in nice places) but also to increase the overall value of the appartments within. Also, there is a strong sense of competition between people there so one always has to outshine their neighbour. At least that's the way I see it :) All the best!
Spoldzielnia = cooperative
Because of how you explore Warsaw (by foot) it's safe to assume that you saw more of this city than me (local) 😅
Grocery prices rose sharply. This year it is particularly strong, but in the last 2 years at least 30% in my opinion. Walking around the store, I get the feeling that it is expensive. Unfortunately, it will be worse in this and possibly next year.
Huh you didin't get to main street of Saska Kępa (Francuska street) :) so you didnt see exactly this area which was reccomended :D one more time to go there :P
He did, the cafe with umbrellas is at Francuska street.
I generally don't last more than a few minutes watching vlogs with talking heads. But in your case it is different, I watched the whole thing and it was addictive for me. The reason for this is that you deeply analyze the problems you encounter, you do not slide over the surface, but grips the essence of the issue. And this is not a common phenomenon with jutubers :) Besides, you visited this district and this park that I once recommended to you ... so the satisfaction is full. Good luck in Wawa.
In poland u pay around 700 zl a month for condominium expenses to keep it clean and in order , each flat pays monthly
I like your channel a lot, stay in Poland longer :)
I must admit I'm a little bit concerned about Marina & James. I don't say You need to upload every day, but up to this point rarely there was such a long break. If You guys are just chilling, cool, don't ever let random ppl like me pressure You :P I just hope everything is fine with all 4 of You :-)
When will you finally visit Wrocław? You must see and FEEL the atmosphere of this beautiful city. You will be really charmed by its energy👌
I’d love that! … do you think Wrocław is a good place to invest in? Thinking of buying a condo property there as an investment.
What do you think will be top 5 places to see in Wrocław to inhale proper city energy? I've never been there but will be doing business trips from next month like every 4 weeks so would like to explore it in my free time. Also would appreciate some food recommendations ;) cheers!
@@alinamaria7176 Take a boat trip on the river if you have the time, visit the vicinity of Hala Stulecia (impressive historical exhibit/sports hall built before WWI+with beautiful parks around it), visit Old Town area with the market square, visit Ostrow Tumski which is the cathedral island (no longer an island really) and take a stroll along the river and through the different islands
@@alinamaria7176 plus there are like 6 big shopping malls if you're into that, there's a beautiful historical Opera House in Wrocław + a brand new huge concert hall , perhaps you can catch an interesting concert if you search in advance
@@annabanana5057 it’s not. It’s expensive for what it has to offer and infrastructure is terrible outside of the city center. Better keep your money in Warsaw.
There is a local cafe-patisserie Lukullus, Walecznych 29 str., the same is in the center, on Chmielna str. 😋👍
You will have your first cake there and you are addicted, especially to yeast cakes.
Myslef like you I lived in New York for over 20 years, Place is horrible. I moved to Colorado for much better life
. I need to visit Warsaw my home town. It had to change in last few years.
In Szczecin neighbourhood districts are sometimes even more beautiful than the centre because there are many new buildings built there
Grannies apartments - it's the same case in the UK. Dark, grim and expensive. Some look like set of 70's horror movie. From the outside British houses might be way prettier than polish blocks, however indoor standard had risen massively in Poland among general public, especially over last decade. Great views of Saska Kępa btw!
You have to change name of the chanel. American in Poland. :)
ZAPRASZAMY DO PIEKNEJ POLSKI🇵🇱✌🤝❤
KOCHAMY GOSCI, SPIEW, TANIEC I DOBRZE ZJESC🍎🍏🍒🍓🥗🍜🥂🤹♀️
POZDRAWIAM ELA🤗✌🤝❤
OMG my lovely neighborhood
Sadly, I do not have time to watch so I just came to comment on the title: As a Pole, I'm glad you like Poland :)
If you would like to get a taste of a small city I highly recommend you Pułtusk. Small city just 60km from Warsaw with great history and infrastructure! On the way you can check out Zalew Zegrzyński (big lake where 2 rivers meet). Enjoy :)
As for multiappartament buildings there are in Poland 2 legal solutions. 1. cooperative (spółdzielnia), which was also practiced on communist era. It's a complex solution, but in general there are some limited rights for appartaments, close to ownership but and that what's outside is a public place managed by the cooperative, 2. building commonwealth (wspólnota mieszkaniowa), where appartment owners are their only owners, but also co-owners of the common part of the building and the ground below it. They choose the manager or can hire a specialized enterpise to manage the building. Since the capitalist era Has begun, this second solution is more popular. Both solutions mean that appartment owners participate in some ways on costs of common infrastructure, of renovating it, etc. The 2nd solution is more democratic. It's more complex than I describe, there are many detail legal solutions that it works fair enough in Poland, including Courts which solve conflicts between members of building commonwealth, which happen very often, because never everybody's satisfied: for example about making cheaper or more expensive renovation of the common root, the more expensive renovation, the higher bills, or somebody claims that there is some other more urgent priority, etc. So such a building commonwealth is some kind of a microstate.
I live in a building commonwealth "wspólnota" and it is great. The best integrated, helpful and disciplined neighbours I ever had. Pre-sittings reassemble a garden parties if the weather is good. Then there is a proper meeting of our armed with signed papers representatives and the administration. It is also economically efficient solution, so despite investing not trivial sums in our building we keep our payments significantly lower than in cooperatives. We found some sources of additional income, we are doing simple tasks, like gardening, painting things or even less complicated construction works by ourselves - great fun. It is really not more than half an hour of work on weekend once a month or two for six guys. Of course it is connected with a party, so we are officially working hard for the whole afternoon and evening painting 15 meters of simple to paint fence, until we became to noisy and "children want to sleep you idiots!" 😜 Downsides? Our wife's know everything about us, because of theirs intiligence network and we must behave properly (so as they ;)
Lived in Greenpoint, Brooklyn... wasn't so bad. Spent 30 yrs in Toronto and it is definitely decentralized city made of "villages" each self contained but inter connected
I think you are wrong regarding the standard of apartments there are in Poland there are also are very different standards and prices in Warsaw They are not all equal. You have modern and simple units and prices are all spectrum from modest to expensive . I live in Chicago I’m from Poland emigrated as a child in 1964 with my parents I love Chicago also Warsaw . We come to Poland almost every year . I have been to Poland in the last 19 years fifteen times and from four to seven months each time , so that’s tell you that we ,my husband and I love Poland my husband is from Warsaw I’m from Poznań . We have been renting apartments all the time and can tell you that maybe the units inside might be nicely decorated and stuff some of them at least you get all kinds but what bugs me that people don’t care what’s on the outside .As many doors on the floor that’s you have ,that’s how many different styles and colors you have and locks two three even four different to a single door that looks like a ghetto , balcony’s is another story I know that the apartment specially the ones from communist era are small but people keep junk in them . On the other hand the new developments everything is uniform looks clean but also, people cover the balconies with glass I have to admit some are even nicely done and blend in nicely but some are horrible . That doesn’t stop me from loving my country but it’s not all peachy keen . I live in a condo I can not change anything out side of my apartment I can do anything inside but still need the managements approval which I get anyway but I need a professional to do anything that’s major I can not just hire handy Andy to for example to change the structure of the walls or any major stuff small things yes . I love the you like Warsaw so much and I watch every single video you put out so I say no more. Good luck 👍
You came from the US to Poland and I came from Poland to New York and why am I listening to you, you did the opposite LOL. Here, I live about 20 min by subway to Manhattan and I consider it a short commute (if there is traffic, it could take 1 hour-one way). Rental prices are going through the roof this year. Subway is very convenient, but of course the problem here is that you can get shot or pushed in front of the train or attacked in a different way.
Well in fact, here in Poland people have been massively escaping from big cities since over 30 years or so. I won't be too far from the truth when I say that having a house in village or suburbs or small time became kinda of "higher living standard indicator" or so.
Hello, I just want to inform you that today is Warsaw museums by night for free. It's only once a year so it would good to see.
Have a nice time.
it would BE good to see*
Urodziłem się w 78 roku. Mój ojciec powiedział mi że nie musze się uczyć jezyka radzieckiego. Na "wywiadówkach" zawszepowtarzał ze jego syn jest polakiem i nie bede sie tego jezka uczył. przepuszczali mnie na 3
But is ok to know enemies language
@@bognarossy9033 so he knows at level 3 of 5, it’s enough I think ;)
As for paying less for basic products in Poland than in Ukraine, the same can be said for prices in Germany and Poland, many products are cheaper in Berlin than in Warsaw. Poor countries always get fucked over by the richer.
If you like it make your riebionek speaking polish, ukrainian, russian, portugees and english, and stay with us friend.
Very good point on the overall confidence people have in the system. In Poland that confidence level was very low in the 90s, after the fall of communism. It has grown slowly, but surely and now stands at quite high level. I think it's related with standard of living and infrastructure which improved a lot in the past 30 years. Also some political reforms in the late 90s worked really well, by that I mean decentralization and putting more power, more responsibilities and more money in the hands of local authorities (towns, cities, etc.).
Saska isn’t really far from the centre mate… it’s like ten minutes or less using a tram. You should explore Praga more it’s more like the original Warsaw. It’s not really dangerous anymore, maybe it was ten years ago but not now.
What you discuss around 19:20, about people fixing stuff for themselves - and everyone and everything around be damned - this used to happen in Poland a lot too. It is fortunately less and less - but it takes a lot of time to teach people not to do that, that "I own this, I am free to do as I please" leads to anarchy in public space. I personally blame communist times, where "public" meant "no ones" and people had to get creative with what they had just to get by. This kind of mindset is hard to change.
Let me be honest with you - IMHO you didn't do justice to my favourite Warsaw park, the Skaryszewski Park that you've roamed. Please go back there and show its entire beauty with the Kamionkowskie lake (perhaps also on kayak, probably available to rent there as last year), its huge pines, lovely landscape (carefully master planned by Franciszek Szanior in the early 20th century), waterfall, stone dedicated to British airmen, etc. For me, that park is a unique in-city place to "get away from it all" and to relax on a deck-chair at the seasonal cafe by the lake.
I spent one night in Kyiv before leaving the country through airport. I was checking out Apartaments to stay in the net just to sleep some hours before leaving the country and I found one cute so I decided to book. The building was extremely old, horrible, but the apartment was very modern and cozy + the owner was waiting for me because was difficult to find it despite I took a taxi and it was around 25 minutes driving to the airport. I barely could sleep btw. lmao 😂
Actually, Filtry you mentioned is also Ochota :) every district in Warsaw is divided into some neighbourhoods and Filtry belongs to Ochota district.
I also agree that Warsaw's districts are like cities inside of the city. I live in Włochy, next to border with Ochota and I visit city center once a month. Everything I need to live is in my district.
Ok, interesting, thanks for the clarification!
@@planetjames95 Ochota district is an administrative part of Warsaw, which consists of four historically separate districts: Stara Ochota, Filtry, Rakowiec and Szczęśliwice.
I live in Stara Ochota after moving there from Stara Praga (part of Praga Północ district) but Filtry (and Plac Narutowicza) is my favorite part of Ochota. Enjoy the city, blooming trees and sunny weather - thats what we all were waiting for:)
congratulations!
🥳
The biggest park of Warsaw are "Pola Mokotowskie" that are in Mokotów streaching from Żwirki i Wigury street (there is a populaar american restaurant called "Jeff's") to Waryńskiego street and Metro Politechnika station. Pola Mokotowskie are our "Central Park", because of its size, location and popularity.
And you are walking through Skaryszewski Park, that is smaller than Pola Mokotowskie, but in my opinion much more beautiful. I love the view from Skaryszewski Park on the Wedel's chocolate factory mirroring in the water.
Maybe you were interested seeing a village in the city center? Then check out Jazdów street, near Łazienki and Ujazdowski Park ;)
And don't forget to check out Szczęśliwicki Park before moving to the new neighborhood. ;)
Good info thanks
Just wondering ,,, why do you wear sunglasses?
Time to change the channel name "American from Ukraine in Poland" xD
Haha yeah
You have to visit Praga, especially Ząbkowska and Koneser. It used to be a "bad neighbourhood" 30 years ago, but it changed immensely it is a really cosy place. If you are looking for an apartament to hire there, I will have one from September onwards. If you are interested, please let me know - I will be happy to meet.
The author of the film characterized the differences between the countries.
But city centres are noisy, polluted, traffic, sirens? Peace and quiet is good for the soul.
Speaking of price discrimination, I once read a comparison of grocery store prices in Boston from some source that I do not remember, and it turned out that the grocery store in front of the bus stop in Central Square had, If not the highest prices, then very close to the highest prices in the city. Actually it was in Cambridge, so maybe the comparison was Boston/Cambridge.
That particular area was among the lowest income areas, I believe, between the two cities. And we are including various locations within the same grocery store chain.
So, obviously, what they were doing was taking advantage of the fact that these people couldn't shop anywhere else.
Yes it's just another reason "why Poland is better than Boston (and Cambridge)."
And I haven't even watched the entire video yet!
So apparently, Poland has not yet progressed as far down the path of greed as the US has?
Boston is not indicative of the entire US. Not even close.
@@penguinsfan251 granted.
I have not seen so far that you visited the tomb of the unknown soldier which is a landmark of Warsaw.
Poland. One of the last country where average person can afford a contractor like a builder, good hairdresser, mechanic or plumber. Unfortunatelly prices of cervices are goiong up fast.
This is important.
Ale wawka jest otagowana. Trzaskowski zrob cos z tym! Miasto wyglada jak 3 swiat.
E tam warshafka sa inne ładniejsze miasta w tym kraju warte odwiedzin