Observations of a Torontonian Living in Warsaw

I moved to Warsaw from Toronto in February 2019. After living here for three years, I must say the two cities and countries share more similarities than differences, but in this post, I will share some of the random and not so random differences that stand out to me.

*Poniatówka* *beach on the Vistula river during the summertime - a must visit.*

Talking to strangers

In Canada, it’s normal to say hello to a stranger and strike up a conversation - often about the weather. But here in Poland, I have learned that isn’t the case. One weekend, Kasia and I were outside on the first beautiful day of spring. Everyone was out and about and I am saying hello to strangers. After noticing the trend of people simply staring back at me and not saying a word, I asked Kasia why is no one responding? “It’s kind of weird to say hello to a stranger.” In Toronto, we don’t go around saying hi to every stranger but there are certain situations where not saying hello would be considered rude. In Poland, it’s the norm but it still doesn’t stop me.

Driving

The first time I drove on a Polish highway my jaw was on the floor. In Poland, going 130km/h seems slow as cars blast by at 170+ km/h. The speed limit can be as high as 140km/h but it’s normal to see cars going much faster. In my home province of Ontario in Canada, if you go 50km/h over the 100km/h speed limit, the police can pull you over, tow your car, and suspend your driver’s license on the spot. Around Toronto, I’d say cars in the fast lane typically go between 130 and 140km/h. In Poland, that’s a snail’s pace. While the speed limit is much higher, I don’t see nearly as many accidents on highways here as compared to Canada.

*The one and only picture of a Polish highway that I had on my phone :)*

Speaking one’s mind

Polish people say what’s on their minds. I am constantly blown away by how well Polish people argue. They state their opinions, some discourse occurs, and generally speaking, the argument finishes with no hard feelings. Canadians tend to steer clear of confrontation and disagreements and when confrontation does occur, it can get personal and ugly. Canadians like to smile and think everything is ok - even if we don’t feel that way. Kasia found living in Canada frustrating at times because of this and I have to agree with her. Disagreement isn’t personal. It’s a good thing. It leads to progress.

Dessert

“Więcej ciasta.” In no country other than Poland have people been more insistent that I eat more cake. Even if you decline, you’re still liable to be served another slice.

*Kasia’s mom cutting her birthday cake. Please note there was much more cake than pictured here.*

Bike lanes

With 530km of bike lanes, Warsaw has a wealth of ways to cycle the city. The entire city, except for the strict city centre, is well anointed with bike lanes. In most cases, the bike lanes are protected from the road too. I am shocked to see that even lots of rural areas have good bike infrastructure. This makes cycling a popular activity and all year round you will find lots of people cycling which warms my heart. Cycling in Toronto generally means sharing the road with cars and it’s not for the faint of heart. Oh, how I wish Toronto could have such bike lanes!

City parks

I often try to imagine what Toronto would be like if it had the embarrassment of parks that Warsaw has. There are a few well-known parks in the Polish capital like Łazienki, Ogród Saski, and Pole Mokotowskie, but what impresses me most is that every neighbourhood in the city is rich with green space. It is truly a green city and if you come to Warsaw outside of summer, you are missing out on one of the most charming parts of the city.

Mushrooms

Mushrooms are an important part of Polish culture and a prominent ingredient in many dishes. It’s a normal activity to get together with friends and family to pick wild mushrooms and there is a good reason too! Freshly picked chanterelle mushrooms are to die for. A typical way to eat them is fried with butter and topped with parsley, salt, and pepper - delicious! How popular are mushrooms in Poland you ask? One time I was sitting in a sauna with three other gentlemen and they talked about mushrooms for 10 minutes. Enough said.

Dog poop

This difference pains me and causes me a lot of shoe problems. I only noticed this after becoming a dog owner in Warsaw but I am shocked at how few people pick up after their dog. One time I asked a person why she didn’t pick up her dog’s poop and she told me, “someone else does that.” Having stepped in poop more times than I can count on walks with my dog, I can assure you no one else does it, ma’am!

Multiculturalism

Toronto is one of the most multicultural cities in the world. There are people from all around the globe with diverse backgrounds, races, experiences, and perspectives. It’s a city where you can almost certainly find your community. Warsaw, on the other hand, is predominantly populated by caucasian people and the lack of diversity is noticeable to my Torontonian eyes. It’s not to say there is a lack of culture, but it’s still not quite a multicultural metropolis. With that said, more and more people are settling here from abroad and in the three years I’ve lived here, I can see things are changing quickly.