Regardless of the
destination you choose, it's a good idea to make preparations before starting your Au Pair stay. Check not only what
essentials you should pack, but also gather tips about your destination country.
Check the most important regulations, weather conditions, cultural customs as well as eating habits.
Your Host Family will surely smile if, instead of "Hi," you greet them by saying "Dzień Dobry," and later mention that you cannot wait to try pierogi - Polish dumplings.
It’s not as cold as you may imagine
Refresh your knowledge of geography before you start to worry that you'll encounter a polar bear in the centre of Warsaw. Poles don’t live on the North Pole! Poland is placed in the transitional region between oceanic and continental climates. You can experience both, very hot summers and quite frigid winters.
Try to pick up a few words, because Poles really admire the effort (even if pronounced wrong)
Learning a few words might help you strike up a conversation with the locals, despite the fact that the wide variety of strange vowels and consonant combinations may first seem scary.
If your pronunciation makes people laugh, don't be disheartened or irritated. In Poland poking fun at others is a symbol of friendliness.
If you're a woman, elderly males may try to kiss you on the hand as a kind of greeting
Although giving someone a kiss on the hand is a quite archaic greeting, some older men still consider it as a show of valour and respect. On the other hand, young people prefer a quick handshake when meeting someone new and a kiss on the cheek when they are with someone they already know. Only three kisses are given during family meetings.
Don’t ask people how they’re doing unless you really want to find out
When your Polish friend asks you how you are, they truly want to hear about your day since Polish people rarely say things they do not mean. The usual English "how are you/fine, thank you" exchange is not similar in the Polish language, so it is unfamiliar to Polish speakers. Because of this, when your Polish friends welcome you in English, they pause and wait for a meaningful response.
Accepting a lunch/ dinner invitation from a Pole will likely result in you being fed until your stomach is bursting
There is a Polish proverb that wonderfully captures the culture of hospitality in Poland - "Guest in house, God in house." Since it’s generally known that food has the power to warm someone's heart, your Polish hosts will undoubtedly serve you great amounts of food. Regardless of how full you may feel after the first serving, take a second and see how happy their expressions become.
Drinking alcohol in public is prohibited
You may have heard several stories about Polish drinking customs that have led you to assume that drinking in outdoor spaces is okay. Unfortunately, it is illegal to open a beer in a park or any other public area, and if the police catch you, you will be fined.
Take your shoes off
Always remove your shoes while entering a Pole's home unless they specifically state that they can be left on. Which also means that on your next trip to Poland, you should remember to pack socks without holes!
Don’t you dare leaving Poland, without trying pierogies
The list of Polish dishes is very long, but one of the must-try foods are the insanely delicious Polish dumplings - Pierogi.
You can choose from any of the dumplings that are filled with cream cheese and potato. Your pick of them can be filled with all kinds of delights, even with fruits. No matter if you prefer hearty meat or vegetarian dishes with creamy cabbage and mushrooms, you will surely find your favourite type of dumpling.
Follow these tips and you will feel confident and happy throughout all your experience in Poland!
Just go with the flow and enjoy your time there. 
Login
