- Be prepared for a lower level of customer service except for large foreign brands. Polish small businesses rarely follow the international standards of customer service quality and common rules.
- Walking on pedestrian crossing on the red light is forbidden and can cost penalty, usually small amount.
- Polish people use the 24 hour time format without AM/PM (e.x. 5 PM is 17:00).
- Driving after drinking any amount of alcohol is strictly prohibited.
- Having even small amount of weed is strictly prohibited.
- Poland is full of Poles. Its hard to find foreigner in Poland and people are excited and very welcoming to them. The only 0.1% of people living in Poland are foreign born. It's unique in Europe.
- Buying stuff in Polish shop doesn't give you right to turn it back if you changed your mind, unless the seller agrees. Online transactions can be revoked for 14 days.
- Be prepared that on Sunday quite a lot of Poles (especially the elderly) head to church for a mass. Some services might be not available. Shops close much sooner.
- Learn European metrics. Only metre, kilometre, kilogram, gram and litre is used.
- Poles don't have lunch time. They have breakfast, dinner in the afternoon (usually huge portions) and supper in the evening.
- In polish restaurants there is no service breaks between breakfast, lunch and dinner. Restaurants are serving food usually since 12 o'clock constantly to the 10 - 12 in the evening. Although in luxury hotels that keep international standards service break is possible.
- Polish people aren't used to wear casual cloths for office work except companies that follow dress-code politic.
- Polish people talk to each other (even neighbours) with manners using Mr or Ms. But it is not so common in English conversations.
- If you are in Poland you should visit mountains to see true greatness of polish folklore culture. Most popular but a bit crowded is Zakopane - tourist city built at the foot of beautiful Tatra mountains.
- Fuel nearly twice expensive comparing to American prices.
- Taxi can be expensive.
- You should try Polish pierogi - dumplings which are available in great variety, savoury or sweet - you can have minced meat filling, cheese-potato, mushrooms, berries, etc.
And you, have you ever been in Poland? Is there anything which surprised you?
