Things I love about Poland

Poland is one of those places that it's easy to be judgemental of, at least for me. There are so many things that I don't like, that I'd love to change, that drive me absolutely bonkers. So, I've decided to come up with some things I love about Poland. I figured there has got to be something.

The fresh farmers markets
Every Thursday, my grandfather gets on his bike and goes to the farmers market for our weekly fruit and vegetables. Sometimes when I have time off work, I join him, especially in the spring and summer time. The colours of the tomatoes, cucumbers, apples and strawberries make my mouth water immediately. Usually we end up getting a bit of everything.

Strawberries
Come the end of spring, around the 1st of June, and the strawberries are in full season. I'm not talking about strawberries that have been genetically modified or ones that have been imported. These are fresh and deliciously sweet strawberries from Poland. Everyday, hundreds of people, sell them from the back of the cars, at the markets and on the side of the street in extra large punnet of about 2kg for 4-5 zloty per kilo. That's about $3 for a kilogram of strawberries. I can spend the season eating strawberries with everything – on my breakfast cereal, in my salad, and with noodles as a sweet dish, or in dumplings mixed with white cheese. Yum, yum, and yum again.

Spring time
This has to be the best season of the year. My grandma's garden blossoms with flowers, tulips, forget me nots, daisies, roses, and many more. It's a pleasure just to sit on the balcony and look out at the beauty. She can spend ten hours a day, grooming and tending to the flowers and shrugs she adores, they are like her little babies. The effects are clear, just one look, hers is the most gorgeous garden in the street, if not the town.

Poland's' EU Entry
OK, so the country is yet to see the full positive effect of being a part of the European Union, the best thing is that people can travel freely in between the countries without worrying about passport checks and border control. This has given people who wouldn't normally travel the opportunity to see more of the world, at a lower cost.

Opportunities & Potential
Poland is still far behind other EU countries and the rest of the world. There are so many opportunities here for new business ventures and expansions. I've noticed that many people here lack the initiative to do something, to make things work, and instead much of the country is being privatized. While privatization is healthy, the Polish government is going to extremes. Here, there are growth opportunities in the health and fitness sectors, services, education and retirement sector. With the right people, the right funds, the country and the people have a chance to really prosper. If only someone was willing to lead them in the right direction, and they were willing to listen.