Coping with Homesickness in Poland: Our Tips

Published on October 24, 2025 and written by Cyril Jarnias

Living far from home can be an enriching experience, but it often comes with a sense of persistent longing and nostalgia for one’s home country.

When settling in Poland, a country rich in history and culture, these emotional challenges can be exacerbated by the language barrier and cultural differences.

However, there are many strategies to ease homesickness and turn this expatriation into an exciting adventure.

This article explores practical tips for successfully adapting to life in Poland, from the importance of building a social network to discovering local traditions, to make this country a place where one truly feels at home.

Managing Homesickness Gently: Tips for Adapting to Poland

Expatriates in Poland face several challenges related to homesickness, including the language barrier, cultural differences, and adapting to the climate. Learning Polish is crucial for better integration, as it facilitates daily communication and access to administrative services. Here are some strategies to overcome these challenges:

Strategies to Overcome Homesickness

• Learning the Polish language: Taking private lessons or using mobile apps to learn Polish can help you feel more independent and better understand the local culture.
• Participating in local events: Joining expatriate groups or taking part in local events helps create a supportive social network and reduces feelings of isolation.
• Staying in touch with family and friends: Using social media and online communication platforms to maintain contact with loved ones back home.
• Preserving personal rituals: Keeping personal traditions or rituals can help maintain a sense of continuity and reduce homesickness.

Activities and Places in Poland to Feel at Home

Activity/Place	Description
Visiting historic cities	Exploring cities like Krakow, Warsaw, or Gdańsk to discover Polish history and culture.
Local markets	Visiting traditional markets to taste local cuisine and meet residents.
Outdoor activities	Participating in activities such as hiking in the Tatra Mountains or skiing to enjoy Polish nature.
Cultural events	Attending music festivals or theater performances to immerse yourself in local cultural life.

Importance of Social Networks

Joining expatriate groups or participating in local events is essential for building a supportive social network. This allows you to share similar experiences and benefit from practical advice for navigating daily life in Poland.

Keeping in Touch with Family and Friends

Maintaining strong connections with loved ones back home is crucial to avoid feelings of isolation. Here are some methods to achieve this:

• Using online communication platforms (Skype, WhatsApp, etc.) to stay in regular contact.
• Sharing photos and videos to keep loved ones informed about your daily life in Poland.
• Regular visits to strengthen family and friendship bonds.

Preserving Personal Rituals

Maintaining personal traditions or rituals can help sustain a sense of continuity and reduce homesickness. Here are some examples:

• Traditional cuisine: Preparing dishes from your home country to feel more at home.
• Cultural activities: Participating in cultural activities that remind you of your home country, such as watching movies or listening to music.
• Celebrating holidays: Celebrating traditional holidays from your home country to maintain a connection with your roots.

Building Connections: How to Stay Connected with Loved Ones

Regular communication with loved ones through video calls, instant messaging, and social media is essential for maintaining emotional bonds, sharing daily moments, and combating feelings of isolation. These tools create a constant presence despite the distance and strengthen the sense of belonging to a family or friend circle.

Benefits of Main Communication Methods:

• Video calls facilitate spontaneous exchanges and make interactions more human through the visual dimension.
• Instant messaging offers immediate responsiveness, allowing easy sharing of thoughts, emotions, or anecdotes throughout the day.
• Social media enables staying informed about loved ones’ lives, commenting on posts, and participating in group discussions.

Communication Tool	Main Benefits
Video calls	Visual, spontaneous, emotional connection
Instant messaging	Speed, frequency, daily sharing
Social media	Activity tracking, multiple interactions

Organizing planned visits in advance provides something to look forward to, strengthens bonds, and allows sharing memories in person. This helps structure the year and preserve family closeness.

Sharing daily experiences through photography and sending media (videos, voice messages, etc.) lets your loved ones experience your days, integrates them into your new reality, and fosters intimacy. This approach creates continuity in the relationship, even at a distance.

To strengthen connections, you can synchronize certain activities:

• Watching the same movie or series simultaneously and discussing it afterward.
• Cooking together remotely by sharing recipes and photos of prepared dishes.
• Participating in online games or family quizzes.

These shared activities, even virtually, help create common memories and maintain a lively relational dynamic.

Finally, it’s fundamental to find a balance between maintaining ties with your home culture and integrating into local life in Poland. Preserving your language, traditions, and habits contributes to well-being, while openness to Polish culture facilitates adaptation, personal enrichment, and creating new social connections.

Key Points for Cultural Balance:

• Participate in events organized by the expatriate community to share experiences and celebrate national holidays.
• Take part in local activities (festivals, markets, sports clubs) to discover Polish culture and build friendships with locals.
• Get involved in expatriate groups and social networks to benefit from practical and emotional support while broadening cultural horizons.

Recommended Actions	Expected Benefits
Maintaining contact with loved ones	Emotional support, sharing familiar references
Integrating into local Polish life	Cultural openness, new connections
Diversifying social circles	Personal enrichment, adaptation

The key lies in regular communication, sharing experiences, and openness to dual culture for a fulfilling expatriation experience.

Embracing Local Culture: Integrating Local Activities into Daily Life

Getting involved in local culture is essential for easing homesickness during expatriation in Poland. Participating in cultural life, joining traditional celebrations, exploring local museums, or enrolling in clubs and classes, particularly for language learning, not only helps you better understand your new environment but also builds connections and fosters a sense of belonging.

Benefits of Cultural Involvement:

• Discovery and adoption of local customs
• Meeting locals and other expatriates
• Increased sense of integration and emotional stability
• Accelerated language learning and daily autonomy

Examples of Recommended Activities:

Activity	Impact on Integration
Participating in Polish holidays (Easter, All Saints’ Day, Andrzejki)	Discovery of traditions, local encounters
Visiting museums or galleries	Understanding Polish history and art
Joining clubs (sports, music, cooking)	Creating social networks, sharing interests
Taking Polish language classes	Increased autonomy, access to more activities

Must-Attend Seasonal Events in Poland:

• Christmas Markets: Present in all major cities, these markets feature artisanal specialties, local cuisine, and a warm atmosphere ideal for meeting locals.
• Summer Festivals: Music, film, or folklore festivals (such as the Jewish Culture Festival in Krakow or Open’er Festival in Gdynia) promote discovery and intercultural exchanges.
• St. John’s Night (Wianki): Traditional summer solstice celebration marked by concerts, dances, and floating flower wreaths on water, a special moment for an authentic collective experience.

Expatriate Testimonials:

“Despite these initial obstacles, persevering with language learning and building local connections allowed me not only to advance professionally but also—finally—to feel at home in Poland.”

“Even after several months, I was unable to have a simple conversation without using automatic translation… Registering for social security was a nightmare! Eventually, I took intensive courses and asked Polish colleagues for help.”

Practical Tips for Overcoming Homesickness:

• Accept the adaptation phase and acknowledge your emotions
• Join local groups or expatriate associations
• Take initiative to participate in group activities, even outside your comfort zone
• Maintain balance between contacts with your home country and local immersion

Cultural integration isn’t instantaneous, but every effort to open up to Polish culture contributes to making expatriation more rewarding and transforming feelings of loneliness into a shared discovery experience.