I didn’t choose Poland. Poland chose me

25 sierpnia 2017, 10:25 | Autor: admin

I want to be remembered for making a difference in helping Poland to be a more positive place in which to live, where Poles are proud of their beautiful country, heritage and history. Above all I want my daughter to be proud of what I’ve done for her country – says Patrick Ney, (a.k.a. Paddisław Wędrowniczek), the British blogger, film producer and entrepreneur in an interview with Brin Best from his home in Warsaw.

How did you end up living in Poland today?

“Well I’m now married to a Polish girl (Maja), who I met in Warsaw in 2012 when we were both working at the British Embassy. We have a little girl (Zofia, age 15 months), who we want to bring up bilingually. Maja and I got married recently in a wedding ceremony that was conducted in both English and Polish. I first visited Poland in 2007, after meeting a Polish girl from Wrocław. I then moved to Poland permanently in 2010. I came without any great plan and began teaching English like most Brits end up doing. Later, I got an internship at the British Embassy in Warsaw, and ended up running a team of people helping to promote British business links in Poland – as well as meeting my future wife there!”

How easily did you find it to settle in Poland?

“I made a big effort to blend in and integrate from the start, so I actually found it relatively easy to settle in to the country. I love to talk to people and I used this to my advantage by speaking to Poles in all sorts of places, from the bus to the supermarket, and this helped me to feel at home. The key thing is to focus on overcoming the embarrassment and difficulty of not being understood and keep making progress every day.”

How do you find the food in Poland?

“I have so many ‘favourite’ dishes already, often linked to family and friends. My father-in-law makes superb bigos and I have lovely memories of making huge quantities of pierogi with my former ex-girlfriend’s grandmother, to serve at family gatherings. I also love a good żurek soup. It’s often talked about but Polish hospitality really is special and I’ve witnessed this on many occasions.”

How do you find the standard of living in Poland, compared to that in the UK?

“Although salaries are not comparable to those in the UK, I firmly believe that life isn’t just a question of how much you earn. The quality of life we have is excellent and we love living in Poland with our daughter. It is very safe here and the public education system is also excellent. Poland in 2017 is now a modern European country, so although there is much to do, I would say the Polish standard of life is as good if not better than many other EU countries.”

Many Poles are really impressed by your excellent grasp of Polish. How did you gain this level of Polish language proficiency?

“Poles do often comment on my grasp of their language, but I feel this has more to do with the fact that so few people from overseas learn the language. I actually think Polish is not as difficult to learn as many people believe.
In order to get to my current level of proficiency, where I’m able to live and work among Poles naturally, I used what I call the ‘total immersion’ method when I first came to live here. I had lessons, took exams in Polish, read Polish newspapers, listened to Polish language podcasts and watched Polish TV, and I also deliberately separated myself off from other foreigners in Poland so that I didn’t get too comfortable.

Another thing that I feel is really important is that you have to accept that mistakes are okay, and are part of the learning process. Every day you can learn new things about the language if you are open to this, and just try your best. By focusing on the pleasure of the process, rather than the outcome, you see yourself make huge strides forward. My current focus is on reading as much as possible in Polish, and I read dozens of books on World War II, which is my historical passion.”

What was the first book you read in Polish?

“I began by reading books about the lives of famous Polish footballers, such as Iwan and Kowal. Not intellectual books at all! I’m particularly fascinated by books about prominent Poles in history and those about World War II. I’m currently reading a very moving book about the lives of children who were involved in the Warsaw Uprising, called Dzieci 44.”

Describe a typical day for you today.

“I like to make the most of my days so they start early! Sometimes as early as 3am, when I work on my social media videos (in both Polish and English). I produce films that try to help Poles understand the country they live in and the country they want to have, as well as promoting Poland around the world. I also host a weekly live talkshow (called ‘To My, Polacy’) with Ryan Socash, an American guy who also moved to Poland and speaks great Polish. My films get on average a million views a month and a great reaction from around the world. Then, between 7 and 8am, I look after my daughter before walking to work, which only takes around 15 minutes. My working day usually lasts till 6pm, and I have a really interesting job as a director in a digital marketing agency in Warsaw called James Cook Media. My company is working at the cutting edge in its field, and specialises in creating what are called ‘digital sales funnels’ to help companies sell their products and services through online story-based marketing. My role encompasses a mixture of creative tasks and leading or managing others. Then, when I get home, I play with my daughter and relax with my wife or read. Bed often comes early!”

What are your hopes for the future of Poland?

“We face a national crisis – we need more young talented people to continue to drive our economy forward. I hope the country can continue to become more prosperous and attract Poles who have moved to other countries back. I also hope that Poland can become a less divided nation and a more cheerful, happier one too.”

What are your own plans for the future?

“Poland is home for me now and I intend to stay. I’m currently working towards gaining Polish citizenship which will create even closer ties with the country. As my friend Ryan says, ‘I didn’t choose Poland; Poland chose me.’
I want to be remembered for making a difference in helping Poland to be a more positive place in which to live, where Poles are proud of their beautiful country, heritage and history. Above all I want my daughter to be proud of what I’ve done for her country. This is much more important to me than making money or advancing my own career. The films I’ll be focusing on for the rest of the year will promote Poland in English, so that other people become as excited as I am about this incredible, maddening, romantic place I call home.”

FIND OUT MORE:
Website www.patrick-ney.com
Facebook www.facebook.com/PaddislawWedrowniczek

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This interview was carried out as part of the ‘Poles in the UK’ project, and is linked to the book Poles in the UK: A Story of Friendship and Cooperation (by Brin Best & Maria Helena Żukowska, 2016).