Catalans Abroad
GABRIEL MIRABET
Warsaw (Poland)
Warsaw: a major European capital
Why did you leave Catalonia?
I have to confess it was never an option for me to leave Catalonia, but eventually a former colleague who moved to Poland 10 years ago called and offered me a very good job opportunity I couldn't reject.
How long have you lived there?
Since 2008. I first arrived in Warsaw in February 2008. It was so cold that I remember thinking to myself: “What I am doing here?”
What do you think is the best thing about living there?
Warsaw is a big European capital, still recovering after the Communist era, but full of cultural life.
What would you most like to change?
Maybe I'd try to keep the Polish identity of the city. As in any other big capital, franchises and chain stores are everywhere and the city centre is losing its personality.
What do you miss most from home?
My mum's food, for sure! I miss Catalan cuisine. Poland has a huge culinary heritage, but I still miss Mediterranean food. And I also miss my friends and family. I visit them as often as I can, but it's not the same as living and sharing your life with them.
What characterises your neighbourhood?
I live in Wilanów, a district with a large international community. It is a green area with landscapes and parks. And there are big shopping malls in the neighbouring Mokotów district.
What do you consider the highlights for any brief visit for the first time?
I'd suggest the Wilanów Palace, in my neighbourhood, and the Chopin Museum. Of course, a quiet stroll through the Old Town, reconstructed stone by stone after World War II, is a must.
Do you plan to go back to Catalonia?
I'd love to. Maybe I'll spent my retirement in a villa by the sea!
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