Poland - Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture

Poland - Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture

Language: English

Pages: 168

ISBN: 1857337093

Format: PDF / Kindle (mobi) / ePub


The changes in Polish life, culture, economics, and development have been remarkable. And the pace of change shows little sign of abating. Through twenty-five years of post-Communist transformation and ten years as a member of the European Union, some Polish cities, like Warsaw, Kraków, Poznan, and Wroclaw, have experienced an economic renaissance thanks largely to direct foreign investment, EU funds, and an influx of tourists. Much of the countryside, and cities like Lódz and Lublin, however, are shadows of their former selves. The mass emigration of Polish workers following European integration has had as significant an effect on Poland as it has on the destination countries, such as the UK. Despite a crisis of confidence in the country’s direction, a swing toward political populism, and the tragic death of the Polish president in the Smolensk disaster of 2010, Poland is the only EU member not to have suffered economic contraction in the years following the 2007–08 global financial crisis. That Poland continues to develop in growth and influence is a testament to the legendary Polish resolve in the face of adversity. This new, updated edition of Culture Smart! Poland provides visitors with an insight into everyday life in today’s Poland. From the country’s rich and tragic history to the growth of a modern economy, from the rustic rural countryside to the Warsaw hipster scene, the reader will gain an appreciation of Polish culture much deeper than that to be found in conventional travel guides.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

with whom he had been dealing. The day after delivering this present he received a telephone call telling him that his documents were ready. * * * CHIVALRY OR SEXISM? ATTITUDES TO WOMEN The fact that political correctness has never really caught on in Poland can be a breath of fresh air for visitors, but at the same time certain situations can prove awkward. This is perhaps most evident in the attitudes of older Polish men toward women. On the face of it, Polish men are perfect

Polish cities. There is certainly no shortage of taxis in large cities and you shouldn’t have to wait long to find a vacant one. There are, however, some things to be aware of. First of all, taxi drivers are generally very honest and will rarely take advantage of foreigners. This is not the case at airports and train stations, however. Never take a ride with a cabbie loitering in the arrivals area asking if you need a taxi, or you will almost certainly be taken for a ride in more ways than one.

casual clothing and formal business dress is the norm. In Polish business, for better or worse, people are judged by their appearance. Furthermore, dressing well for a meeting shows your counterpart(s) that you value the opportunity to meet with them. A smart, stylish suit always makes a good impression. Having said this, some offices have recently implemented an American-style “casual Friday,” allowing employees to show off their weekend wardrobes. CORPORATE VERSUS LOCAL CULTURE

surname until they propose that you call them by their first name. If you are the elder person or hold a higher position (especially in business), it will be your responsibility to propose communicating on a first-name basis. Do this only when, and indeed if, you feel comfortable with it. SENSE OF HUMOR We have also seen that Poles like to laugh at themselves while at the same time retaining their pride in being Polish. This has complex social roots and foreigners should not attempt to

among such incidents was the execution of over 4,000 officers of the defeated Polish army in the forests of Katyn in March 1940. The refusal of the Soviet authorities to accept responsibility or even acknowledge the massacre was a cause of great animosity among ordinary Poles. Germany gained complete control of Polish territory after invading the Soviet Union in June 1941. A system of concentration camps, such as Auschwitz and Treblinka, was set up by the Germans—well outside their own

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