A Ukrainian named Tetiana has been working as a cleaner in Poland for many years and notes a striking difference between the lifestyles of Poles and Ukrainians. According to her, locals live quite modestly, rarely updating their interiors or furniture, while instead willingly spending money on travel and leisure.
This is reported by Finway
Poles Prefer Travel Over Renovation
Tetiana shared her observations about the mentality of Poles. She points out that, unlike Ukrainians who are used to investing money in renovations, property, and modern appliances, Poles do not consider this a priority. She gave the example of the house where she works: the furniture and carpets have not been changed for many years, and the last renovation was done several decades ago. The owners do not worry about this issue, but instead travel the world and bring back souvenirs.
“I have been cleaning here for many years. They have a cleaner. They have a janitor who takes care of their garden. But they have neglected their renovations. They did a renovation in the house once, and then they just live. They travel all over the world. These folks have been on various trips for any holidays about 5-6 times this year, bringing back souvenirs.”
The Ukrainian showed the stairs in the house, where pieces of old carpet have been lying for over 20 years without being changed. The interior of the residence resembles the style of the early 2000s, and the furniture remains unchanged. The owners explain that updating is not important to them; what matters more is traveling and gaining new experiences.
Differences in Approaches to Comfort and Life
Tetiana recounts that the owners of the house go to the sea in Gdańsk every month, even in winter, to breathe in the beneficial sea air. She admits that for most Ukrainians, such priorities are unusual, as our compatriots more often invest money in renovations, home improvements, and changing interiors, postponing travel for later. According to her, many Ukrainians redo renovations several times but rarely leave their city or village.
Tetiana also notes that the Polish family she works for is quite well-off and could afford a modern renovation. However, she says that the husband of the hostess drives a new BMW but does not wish to change anything in the home, instead directing all efforts and funds towards leisure and travel.
“We should learn from such things,” concludes Tetiana, highlighting the difference in value choices between Ukrainians and Poles.
Poles travel instead of renovating. Photo: TikTok
Poles travel instead of renovating. Photo: TikTok