Since I moved to Krakow, I was and still surprised so much by the difference
between Warsaw and Krakow, though both in the same country and should have the
same culture but what I noticed that each city has its own characteristics that
make it so different from the other to a shocking point.
Anyone knows me well, knows how much I LOVE Warsaw, not
because I lived there for two years but because the moment I stepped out
walking to my university during my first day in Poland I felt safe and I didn't feel as a stranger walking down the streets, I remember myself walking wearing my
hijab and feeling that I liked this place to the point I want to be part of it, so when I noticed that people were staring at me feeling a little uncomfortable,
I went back to my hotel and took off my hijab and went out again. That decision
clarified for me from the first moment how much I like that city, and how much I wanted to be integrated with it and feel at home and Warsaw never failed me. When I was there, for the first time in my life I was me 100% … I would say even 120% because
even the things I didn't know about myself I discovered them in Warsaw, I felt
for once that despite my weirdness I was accepted fully and no one cared about
it, which one of my favorite characteristics about Warsaw and the worst at the
same time; the feeling of not giving a f**k is very liberating and make you
discover yourself fully without any fear or hesitation because you know no one
will pass judgments, but that comes with the negative side as well, which is that no one really cares enough and detachment from emotions is the main theme for human interactions there, this taught me that I come first
which something I needed to learn because before Warsaw I was a complete a selfless person in a very bad way which put a huge impact on my life so though I didn't like it
much but I needed it at that point of my life.
Anyway, other things I enjoyed in Warsaw, that everybody is honest and blunt, most of the time they will tell you straightforward what they think even
when it is quite tough and I didn't see the bad side of this habit until I
moved to Krakow … then comes practicality of Warsawians, no matter how rich people
there most of the time they are practical and they think of everything, which
something I truly admire and respect but totally failed to learn, there I met
awesome people who were the best despite their age, position or social status and
I learned a lot from them and whenever I go out alone I met new people that I
most of the time became friends with them and still in touch with them. Life
there got a little intense and my introvert side of my character wanted to run
because I was unable to have a month by myself, simply it was impossible in Warsaw
to fight temptation and stay a while at home by myself so I offered a job in Krakow
and I took it just to try Krakow and I was 100% that by the end of my contract; maximum, I will be back to my home and first love Warsaw …. But then Krakow
happened!
I moved to Krakow in August, the city was beautiful and breathtaking
beyond reality, I found the best apartment ever and I lacked nothing at all,
but for the first three months, I hated Krakow so bad that I was ready to go
back to Warsaw but I didn't want to be a quitter and I decided to
give it a little time, and then the magic happened, though I liked Krakow quite
much but I was struggling to be integrated into the life there, what I discovered later that I was
suffering cultural shock … Yes it is possible to have a cultural shock moving
from city to another but I didn't even
consider the option because I have great adaptation skills and even when I left
my home country I didn't suffer at all and quickly got on the rhythm of polish
life so how that happened?! The thing is, that when I moved from Warsaw I was
not prepared for a big change, I assumed that Krakow won’t be much different
but then I was shocked by the difference and I struggled much to adjust my
character especially after I was completely behaving myself in Warsaw which
something doesn't work in Krakow.
Beautiful Krakow though it is a touristic hub, still pretty many conservatives, I remember the first week I got here and started to make my sarcastic jokes I noticed people being a little uncomfortable, people here are
quite shy and reserved and to the opposite of Warsaw, Krakowians are very indirect
in their interactions, they are not much friendlier than Warsawians but they wouldn't show if they don’t like you or have some remarks regarding you they will rather
to feel hurt by your attitude than to confront you with their feelings or
observations, which something I really couldn't deal with at the beginning
because I am very direct person and I don’t like hiding things, in the same time
I will say whatever I want not to offend anyone but because I have this need to
express myself clearly but I was quite often misunderstood for a very
aggressive person … or a cold heart bitch :S
Another thing, though people here have less income than Warsaw, I noticed that they are less practical and they like to show what they have which is kind of my style of life, though you can find decent cheap places still you can get treated to very fancy style if you like and I am totally happy about this part. Another aspect, people here in
Krakow care and when they care they show it, I had really good friends in Warsaw
but most of the time they will not go out of their way to help or do anything,
but in Krakow, people do care and they are pretty proud of it.
Then here I had to learn how to
balance between what I have learned in Warsaw and what I am facing in Krakow, I
had to tone down my straightforwardness; and I am still working on it, trying
to still be the honest me but in a sweet way that might not hurt sensitive people
and impressive enough I learned to care; when I was in Warsaw I enjoyed not caring too much and
not giving a f**k to anything which is easier than finding the balance between
care and not to care, I still struggle here because though I do care, the fact that
I do care bothers me a lot, because when you care you get emotionally attached
and accordingly, you start to want, need and stress as normal human beings which
something for a while I stopped doing and it was a relief, it really bothers me
that the people I met here could get into my emotions and feeling which is
something I protected for almost 3 years untouched, though I really cared
enough about certain people I never cared much to feel hurt or disappointed
which something totally changed the moment I decided to adapt to Krakow
lifestyle and I hope I don’t regret it.
Eventually, both Warsaw and Krakow managed to give me lessons to learn
from and changed me enough to be feel attached to both of them but the move
between them impacted my balance so much, which something I am grateful for,
though I am still unhappy with some aspects of Krakow effect I know it is a good change, the question that leaves me confused now, that if I have to choose
where to settle in the next few years which city I will choose??
I will be totally honest and say ... I have no idea at all, and here comes the time to use SWOT analysis again after investigating the data ..... So
Warsawian of me :P
