Pole-ish

Peter MacLeod / John Nett

Two expats. Two cities. Two perspectives. Peter, a Brit living in Warsaw, and John, an American based in Kraków, dive into the hilarious, always confusing and often eye-opening reality of building a new life in a foreign country.              From navigating Polish bureaucracy, learning a new language, dating, renting, and understanding cultural differences, to deeper conversations about immigration, integration, politics and money... no topic is off-limits.           Using humour (humor!), honesty and a healthy dose of self-deprecation, they compare British and American viewpoints as they try to make sense of modern life in Central Europe. Along the way, they share real stories, practical tips, and introduce some very special guests in order to bring them greater context to their new lives.  Whether you live or plan to live as an expat in Poland or elsewhere, want to improve your English or Polish, or are just curious how two foreigners survive everyday life in an alien environment, welcome to the adventure!   New episodes every Monday.           

  1. 4d ago

    Planet Pole-ish

    This week we're joined by Ged Nichols, founder of Planet Kraków, one of the fastest-growing online communities dedicated to helping visitors discover the very best of Poland's former royal capital. Originally from Sunderland via Los Angeles, Ged tells us how a pandemic lockdown, a leap of faith, and a move to Kraków led him to create a platform that's now inspiring thousands of tourists and expats to look beyond the obvious attractions. We chat about hidden gems in Kraków, why Nowa Huta deserves far more attention, day trips to Zakopane and the Tri-City, the best place to grab a proper zapiekanka, and why Ged thinks Poland's greatest asset isn't its castles or cuisine... it's the feeling of safety. Elsewhere, Peter returns from a birthday trip to the UK with an embarrassing Polish-language story, John tackles a gruelling 42,000-step hike in the Tatra Mountains before soaking in Bukovina's thermal baths, and the pair continue their increasingly chaotic 3 in 10 quiz battle with a geography challenge that neither of them covers themselves in glory over. Whether you're planning your first visit to Poland, already call it home, or simply enjoy hearing two expats (and this week's guest) celebrate everything that makes the country special, there's plenty to enjoy in Episode 23. As always, we'd love to hear your own recommendations, hidden gems and travel tips. Do get in touch, and if you're enjoying Pole-ish, please subscribe, leave us a review and tell a friend! Planet Kraków: https://www.youtube.com/@planetkrakow Magillo Restaurant: https://magillo.pl/ Endzior (‘best zapiekanka in Kraków’) – via Google Maps - https://maps.app.goo.gl/CSgjYw8X1tQUuwuh6 Golonkarnia (‘best golonka in Kraków’) – via Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/nW69gcAjz5joV4ce8 Feniks Nightclub: https://feniksklub.com/ USMNT ‘We love it!’ chant: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/V3Iq5DaZ18Q Bal u Rafała – Ralph Kaminski: https://open.spotify.com/track/3uIYWYJzh4qKfpExCF05oS?si=84bdb91e09044eac Pole-ish Guest Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/68kYaLG4XYgcjRdSjzzgcW?si=de7065757241400c

  2. Jul 11

    Pan Kiełbasa

    It's a Kraków Special on Pole-ish as we welcome David McGirr - Scottish photographer, founder of Kraków Expats Directory, creator of Kraków TV, and one of the city's official Ambassadors of Multiculturalism. David explains what first drew him to Kraków, why he chose to stay, and how he's helped thousands of newcomers discover the city. We talk hidden gems, favourite neighbourhoods, expat life, learning Polish, British tourists, Kraków's thriving food scene, the city's unique blend of history and modernity – and how his friends came to give him THAT nickname! Plus, Peter and John explore some of Kraków's best-loved legends, from the mysterious knife hanging in the Sukiennice to Pan Twardowski, and put John's local knowledge to the test in another round of 3 in 10. -- Read our blog: www.pole-ish.eu Write to us: peter@pole-ish.eu Follow our socials: search for ‘Pole-ish Podcast’ on BlueSky, Xwitter, YouTube and Facebook. The Legend of Pan Twardowsky: https://culture.pl/en/article/pan-twardowski-the-first-pole-on-the-moon Kraków Expats Directory: https://krakowexpats.pl/ Kraków ‘sine’ bridge: https://www.architekturaibiznes.pl/en/kladka-ludwinow-kazimierz-dzieli,34665.html Kraków TV: https://www.youtube.com/@KrakowTV Otwarty Krakow: https://otwarty.krakow.pl/ Kraków Celtic Festival: https://krakowcelticfestival.pl/ Kraków Photo Tours: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g274772-d9786466-Reviews-Krakow_Photo_Tours-Krakow_Lesser_Poland_Province_Southern_Poland.html Polish Celtic Association: https://www.polishcelticassociation.org/#/en Mad dog (wściekły pies): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W%C5%9Bciek%C5%82y_pies Caledonia – Dougie McLean (lyrics): https://genius.com/Dougie-maclean-caledonia-lyrics Caledonia – Dougie McLean (song): https://open.spotify.com/track/7jEVW8o2CIfdgziEJXnii8?si=50681d767dfe4dd3 Pole-ish Guest Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/68kYaLG4XYgcjRdSjzzgcW?si=de7065757241400c

  3. Jun 22

    Flying Solo

    No guest this week - just Peter and John, armed with microphones, questionable opinions and 21 increasingly random questions. In this special guest-free edition of Pole-ish, the hosts turn the spotlight on themselves. They tackle everything from beaches vs. mountains, Warsaw vs. Kraków, and Żabka vs. Biedronka, before John reveals his own answers to the Five Big Questions usually reserved for guests. Along the way, John discovers a new scuba diving community in Kraków, Peter stumbles across the historic town of Olsztynek, and the pair discuss one of Poland's most beloved icons - the legendary Fiat 126p "Maluch". There's also a deep dive into the curious history of Czernina, the traditional Polish duck-blood soup once used to reject unwanted suitors, plus plenty of the usual banter, disagreements and cultural observations. -- Read our blog: www.pole-ish.eu Write to us: peter@pole-ish.eu Follow our socials: search for ‘Pole-ish Podcast’ on BlueSky, Xwitter, YouTube and Facebook. Centrum Nurkowe Nautica: http://www.nauticadiving.pl/ Polski Fiat 126p ‘Maluch’: https://www.motor1.com/news/62725/soviet-bloc-cars-were-weird-polski-fiat-126p/ Czernina: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Czernina Jesień – Tańcuj (z filmu ‘Chłopi’) - Various Artists: https://open.spotify.com/track/1TwTHhkLEU4XcDRobMAUaW?si=a5fa1028d1a24248 Pole-ish Guest Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/68kYaLG4XYgcjRdSjzzgcW?si=de7065757241400c

  4. Jun 15

    Mission Accompl-ish

    Football, history, bureaucracy, seafood, bicycles and a lot of affection for Poland - it can only be Pole-ish! In this episode, Peter and John welcome Mike Giammattei, an American former Army Reservist who came to Poland on deployment, met the woman who would become his wife, and ended up building a life in Gniezno, Poland's historic first capital. Along the way, Mike shares his experiences of bristling at Polish bureaucracy, working in logistics and his frankly bizarre love of Ipswich Town - not exactly one of English football's most glamorous clubs. Elsewhere, Peter reports from the Baltic coast with some surprisingly salty facts, John reflects on a seafood extravaganza in Kraków, and the pair discuss cycling culture in Poland and the Netherlands. This week's Pole of the Week is the extraordinary Irena Sendler, the Polish social worker who helped save around 2,500 Jewish children during the Second World War. -- Read our blog: www.pole-ish.eu Write to us: peter@pole-ish.eu Follow our socials: search for ‘Pole-ish Podcast’ on BlueSky, Xwitter, YouTube and Facebook. RJ’s Goals – in memory of Mike’s brother: https://www.instagram.com/rjs.goals?igsh=NXJrb3VwZ2dmY2dw Kapitan Konrad: https://en.kapitankonrad.pl/ Dutch Reach Project: https://www.dutchreach.org/ Polish National Anthem (Mazurek Dąbrowskiego): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BWvhox662o Ipswich Town Football Club: www.itfc.co.uk New Haven Pizza: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Haven-style_pizza Delta Dawn – Tanya Tucker: https://open.spotify.com/track/7GH8qNOm2gEKryVUyVzkmt?si=5bdd431f9c1c491f Pole-ish Guest Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/68kYaLG4XYgcjRdSjzzgcW?si=de7065757241400c

  5. Jun 8

    Two Weddings and a PESEL

    In Episode 19 of Pole-ish, we ask what makes someone leave Britain behind to build a new life in Poland. Communications consultant Tom Lane swapped the drizzle of West Midlands for the sunlit uplands of Poznań after falling in love during the Covid years. He shares the story of moving to Poland, navigating the post-Brexit maze of paperwork, getting married across two countries, and launching his own communications business in a foreign language and culture. Along the way, the conversation explores Polish bureaucracy, learning the language (obvs), football, community spirit, quality of life, and how Poland for Tom increasingly feels more like home than the UK. Elsewhere, Peter and John discuss Czechia, Nashville, amber, Żabka, churches, and the welcome return of the legendary 666 bus to Hel. -- Read our blog: www.pole-ish.eu Write to us: peter@pole-ish.eu Follow our socials: search for ‘Pole-ish Podcast’ on BlueSky, Xwitter, YouTube and Facebook. Return of the 666 bus to Hel: https://notesfrompoland.com/2026/05/31/polands-666-bus-to-hel-returns-in-new-form/ Polish amber: https://culture.pl/en/article/amber-poland-a-history-crafted-in-resin UNESCO Heritage Sites in Poland: http://whc.unesco.org/en/statesparties/pl Polish National Anthem: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poland_Is_Not_Yet_Lost Myslovitz - Długość dźwięku samotności: https://open.spotify.com/track/0DqRsfmMvauRib1AsgpOP2?si=de6e5c9309ae4c01 Pole-ish Guest Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/68kYaLG4XYgcjRdSjzzgcW?si=de7065757241400c

  6. Jun 1

    Pole-ish Position

    For Episode 18 of Pole-ish, we’re joined by internationally minded Polish career coach, recruitment expert and intercultural communication specialist Lucy Bolin. After living in six countries across Europe and North America - including the US, UK, Germany, Spain and France - Lucy shares what two decades abroad taught her about identity, ambition, language, belonging and the emotional reality of expat life. We explore reverse culture shock, why some people never truly feel “at home”, how moving abroad changes your personality, and why learning the local language matters far more than many people realise. Lucy also opens up about returning to Poland during COVID, raising a multilingual family, the emotional pull of home, and why she believes Polish people are uniquely adaptable abroad. Along the way, we discuss confidence, self-awareness, recruitment culture, British food, Polish seriousness, beaches on the Baltic coast and the psychology behind starting over. -- Read our blog: www.pole-ish.eu Write to us: peter@pole-ish.eu Follow our socials: search for ‘Pole-ish Podcast’ on BlueSky, Xwitter, YouTube and Facebook. Puszcza Białowieska: https://bpn.gov.pl/ Lucyna Bolin Coaching: https://www.lucynabolin.com/ Sviatoslav Kondrativ: https://www.youtube.com/@NaSkrzypcachGraSviatoslav Marcin Wyrostek: https://www.youtube.com/user/wyrostekmarcin Maciej Tubis – Into The Night: https://open.spotify.com/track/1wJq8P1gSQzp9fReVlsMOU?si=ecfa96e49abe476c Pole-ish Guest Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/68kYaLG4XYgcjRdSjzzgcW?si=de7065757241400c

  7. May 25

    Rosół Cures Everything

    In Episode 17 of Pole-ish podcast, Peter and John are joined by Nigerian-born content creator Raphael Obi, whose hilarious and sharply observed videos about life in Poland have built a huge online following. Raphael talks about why he moved from Nigeria to Warsaw, the culture shocks of arriving in Poland, learning the Polish language (or attempting to), and what it’s like being a Black foreigner in one of Europe’s most homogenous countries. The conversation dives into identity, belonging, bureaucracy, Polish food, viral content creation, and why rosół apparently solves every problem in life. Elsewhere in the episode: Peter discovers the wonderfully Polish tradition of the parapetówkaJohn takes us deep underground into Poland’s legendary salt minesWe visit the ancient settlement of Biskupin - the “Polish Pompeii”And Peter somehow survives another round of Three in Ten SecondsExpect observations, laughter, honesty, and at least one attempt at Disco Polo singing. -- Read our blog: www.pole-ish.eu Write to us: peter@pole-ish.eu Follow our socials: search for ‘Pole-ish Podcast’ on BlueSky, Xwitter, YouTube and Facebook. Follow Raphael Obi / DarkMagikCA Instagram: @darkmagikcaTikTok: DarkMagikCA LiveLinktree: DarkMagikCAWieliczka Salt Mine: www.kopalnia.pl Biskupin Archaeological Site: https://biskupin.pl/ Bałkanica – Piersi (Będzie zabawa!): https://open.spotify.com/track/3bsxKpPB1rv80N8edDIZz8?si=6daa91481db549cb Pole-ish Guest Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/68kYaLG4XYgcjRdSjzzgcW?si=de7065757241400c

  8. May 18

    Barszcz to the Future

    We boldly go where no podcast has gone before... well, at least no podcast which also features ptasie mleczko, pétanque and the coconut song. Our special guest is Dr Tomasz Zajkowski - President of the Polish Astrobiology Society, and researcher at AGH University’s new Faculty of Space Technologies in Kraków. Tomasz talks to us about the search for extraterrestrial life, whether we might all secretly be Martians, the challenges of science in Poland and the US, and why understanding alien life can actually teach us more about ourselves. Along the way, we discuss Polish student festivals, Stanisław Barańczak’s linguistic madness, veganism, California culture shocks, Mazurian lakes, and the possibility that Poland may soon play a much bigger role in space exploration. Also featuring: Rugby & cricket in Warsaw parkswhy Americans sit facing restaurant entranceswhich Polish delicacy is much in demand at NASAand a scientifically questionable amount of discussion about bird’s milk.We urge you to listen to this episode – it’s out of this world! -- Read our blog: www.pole-ish.eu Write to us: peter@pole-ish.eu Follow our socials: search for ‘Pole-ish Podcast’ on BlueSky, Xwitter, YouTube and Facebook.  Stanisław Baranczak: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanis%C5%82aw_Bara%C5%84czak Polish Astrobiological Society: https://astrobio.pl/ Project Hail Mary (film): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12042730/ The Coconut Nut (The Coconut Song) - The San Miguel Master Chorale: https://open.spotify.com/track/1XHeQupI4MWPA7UrU6EKEu?si=f7ee483235a94ac6

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About

Two expats. Two cities. Two perspectives. Peter, a Brit living in Warsaw, and John, an American based in Kraków, dive into the hilarious, always confusing and often eye-opening reality of building a new life in a foreign country.              From navigating Polish bureaucracy, learning a new language, dating, renting, and understanding cultural differences, to deeper conversations about immigration, integration, politics and money... no topic is off-limits.           Using humour (humor!), honesty and a healthy dose of self-deprecation, they compare British and American viewpoints as they try to make sense of modern life in Central Europe. Along the way, they share real stories, practical tips, and introduce some very special guests in order to bring them greater context to their new lives.  Whether you live or plan to live as an expat in Poland or elsewhere, want to improve your English or Polish, or are just curious how two foreigners survive everyday life in an alien environment, welcome to the adventure!   New episodes every Monday.           

Information

  • Creator
    Peter MacLeod / John Nett
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    25
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Peter MacLeod / John Nett