Anna Garusova is in charge of English language training at an IT company and runs her blog, English Speakers, focused on conversational American English. She is passionate about travelling and concerts. This year, she fulfilled two of her most cherished childhood dreams — visiting Scotland and attending Eurovision in Sweden.

We spoke with Anna about what truly matters in the beautiful city of Warsaw, where she lives with her family — her husband and their cat. We discussed the effectiveness of street pole advertisements, which seem to work better than Instagram targeting (the secret might lie in the „Hoba“). And we candidly talked about the challenges of self-acceptance and facing one’s fears.

Anya, what are your impressions of fulfilling your childhood dream of attending Eurovision this year? Who impressed you the most?

Anna: I’ve been following Eurovision since 2005 when Ksenia Sitnik won the Junior Contest. My husband gave me tickets for my birthday, and it was a spectacular show! But what really surprised me was the scale. I always thought it was a huge arena with multiple stages, but it’s actually a small hall, and the sets change in a matter of seconds. The team’s work is just incredible. I was more worried about those assembling the sets, hoping no one would slip.

And how do you rate the winner?

Anna: I still have some unresolved feelings from last year; I was rooting for Finland, but they didn’t win. This year’s winner from Switzerland is good, but I was betting on Croatia. Their performance was very reminiscent of last year’s Finnish entry.

Photos from Anna`s archive

I totally understand your frustration about the Finns. But the main thing is that you finally fulfilled your childhood dream. Would you say that moving to Warsaw has expanded your opportunities, both physically and perhaps internally?

Anna: You know… 100%. I mean, there’s a lot to say about travel and visa-free access when you have permanent residency or a visa. Before, Eurovision seemed unattainable to me. Like some grand event on TV that you just couldn’t attend. But now, you buy tickets and go.

Moving really does open up new opportunities. But my internal boundaries have expanded too—I’ve started allowing myself more experiences. For example, I took up singing and started painting. And I found an amazing dance coach! Highly recommend.

I’ve noticed that besides the dance insta stories, you’ve been doing more beautiful photoshoots with talented photographers. So, the obvious question: how do you find the specialists and services you need in Warsaw?

Anna: Thank you! There’s a funny story about the dance classes. It’s the most old-school marketing you can imagine. I was walking to the store to buy some bread and saw an ad on a lamppost. Can you believe it? No Instagram targeting, no TikTok. What caught my eye was the name of the studio — Hoba-yoga. You know that meme with the cat lifting its leg, like, Hoba! (Note: this reaction is similar to the American „Ta-da!“). Even Mark Formelle made socks with this meme. I thought if it’s on a pole, it’s probably near my house. I found them on Instagram and reached out. But that’s the only story like that I have.

Фото: markformelle.by / Photo: Jon Tyson Unsplash

„It’s the most old-school marketing you can imagine“

That’s a great story! How about finding other specialists?

Anna: I work for a company that provides private insurance, so I look for specialists using the insurance app. If I need someone urgently, I just go to the specialist who has the earliest availability. For something like a gynecologist, which is a very delicate matter, and because I had a negative experience in Poland, it took more effort. I used the site ZnanyLekarz, and I manually checked each doctor I found there and in my app, looking at their ratings. So, to answer your question, I use rating websites and recommendations from close friends.

And how long did it take you to find one in the end?

Anna: About two hours. It was like parsing the whole site. I had a list of gynecologists from the insurance, around 100 names. I manually checked each one’s rating on Google and various websites, mostly on ZnanyLekarz. So yeah, two hours, seriously. That’s why I really like the concept of Nomadvice, and I recommend specialists there that I’m satisfied with.

You’re a happy cat mom. Have you ever needed to rush your cat to the vet? How did you find one?

Anna: Actually, that happened just this month. My cat developed cystitis, so I needed to find a vet urgently. Here are some key points from my experience:

• Ratings and Reviews: They often reflect the real experiences of other pet owners and can be very helpful in finding the right vet.

• Availability and Proximity: It’s important to consider how close the clinic is to home. This is crucial to minimize the stress on your pet, especially in urgent situations or when frequent visits are needed.

• Support and Communication: It’s a huge plus if the vet is available for follow-up questions and communication after the appointment. It’s also very important that they speak a language you understand. I was lucky — our vet is always accessible. I ask follow-up questions, and she responds.

I’ll definitely create a card for this vet on Nomadvice.

Photos from Anna`s archive

Thanks for the recommendations. And how do you find events and activities in Warsaw?

Anna: I often use social media for this. Targeted ads work great for me — I discover concerts, workshops, and other events through them. I find a lot of information on TikTok, like new places opening up or upcoming events. When I first moved to Warsaw, the first app I downloaded was Locals. I’ve attended various events, like yoga with singing bowls, which was really interesting. I love the idea of gathering for something specific rather than just to chat. For instance, there are meetups where people walk their dogs or celebrate New Year’s together. It’s a great app for both introverts and extroverts, user-friendly, and everything is in one place.

To find events organized by locals, I often have to search through Facebook. For example, I wanted to find a Polish conversation club, but it wasn’t on Locals or in the targeted ads. For more expensive activities like spa treatments or workshops, I look for certificates on the Prezent Marzeń. You can choose categories for individuals, couples, families, or friends and see a variety of activities — from hang gliding to horseback riding and dining in the dark.

Photos from Anna`s archive

Dinner in the dark sounds fascinating!

Anna: In Minsk, at the „Renaissance“ restaurant on Nemiga, there’s a similar project that I had always wanted to visit. I found a certificate for a dinner in the dark for two on Presentmarzeń and immediately bought it for our anniversary. The dinner is held at a restaurant called Different. What surprised me was that the waitstaff are blind, making the project not only unique but also socially significant. The service was top-notch, with the waiters speaking both English and Polish.

It’s not just a dinner in the dark — it’s a whole experience. One memorable part was an activity where we had to draw in complete darkness. We drew on sheets without understanding where exactly we were drawing — whether on the paper or the tablecloth; we had no idea about the colors we were using. I just knew I was drawing a countryside house with my husband and our cat. I still keep these drawings.

It’s interesting that in complete darkness you drew a house, reflecting its deeper meaning. Does the family hearth now depend on you and the person beside you, or is it also about the place?

Anna: Since 2021, the family hearth has become less about the place for me. We tried a workation in Tenerife, then moved to Poland, went back to Spain, and finally settled in Poland. These moves have shaped a new concept of home and family. My home is my husband, my cat, and the things that create a sense of coziness. For instance, a tear-off calendar and ceramic plates that we made and painted ourselves. They are very significant, and despite their weight, I carry them with me across all countries. The family hearth is my husband and my cat.

„My home is my husband, my cat, and the things that create a sense of coziness“

Photos from Anna`s archive

What other places in Warsaw would you personally highlight as unique and interesting experiences?

Anna: Besides the dinner in the dark, definitely three more places!

Photo: zagrywki.pl

Photo: M. Chechovich / Photo: tepfactor.warszawa Instagram

Are these the places you visit yourself and bring guests to?

Anna: Actually, I celebrated my first birthday in Poland at Zagrywki. It’s an amazing experience. But when we have guests, I always make sure to show them the main attractions. My top picks:

Photo: yoon_hard Instagram / Photo: Lāsma Artmane Unsplash

Photo: Maksym Harbar / Photo: Adam Bajerski

You mentioned earlier about Hoba Yoga. Are there any unique activities that you would particularly recommend?

Anna: Oh, definitely! There are some really interesting projects I’ve experienced, that I would highlight and recommend:

Photos from Anna`s archive

Anna: Additionally, I really want to highlight KrapaCheese. They make glazed cheese bars! It’s a farm near Kraków run by Belarusians who offer tours of their farm, introduce you to friendly sheep, and provide tastings of their local cheeses and Belarusian glazed curds. They also deliver their cheeses to Warsaw. I highly recommend this from the bottom of my heart.

Photo: Anna`s archive / Photo: krapacheese Instagram

„I’d describe it more as a ‘puppy meetup’“

We talked about how moving to Warsaw has expanded your horizons and opened up more opportunities for you. It was here that you decided to start running your second blog about conversational English again. As of our conversation, you have almost 65,000 followers. How did you achieve this?

Anna: You made an interesting point — I was just thinking about this over the last 10 seconds. Did moving to Warsaw play a role in this? The whole „allowing myself to step out of shame, guilt, and fear“ might have coincided with my move to Poland. Maybe it really did align, as I’ve been working towards this for a while.

I actually launched my English learning blog in November 2023, while I was in Poland. The idea had been brewing for two years, starting in 2019 when I began posting generic images with English words and translations. By 2020, I realized Instagram had evolved. People were now presenting content through personal branding. I filmed my first video with myself in the fall of 2021, watched it, got scared, and immediately deleted it. I thought I would never succeed, so I was afraid to return to the idea.

It’s really about not accepting yourself. I think it’s a curse of our time.

Anna: At that moment, yes. It was about not accepting myself. I understood that my content wasn’t as good as what others were creating. Of course, there was a rational thought that they also had to work hard to get to where they were, and their first videos weren’t perfect either. But that didn’t help.

A year later, when we were in Spain, I shot and edited 10 videos. And this is important to note: I actually liked them. I was so close to hitting that „publish“ button. But the fear was stronger. Maybe it was 49% vs. 51% in favor of fear. I couldn’t push through.

All this time, I was in individual therapy. That’s probably one of the reasons why I got so close to the 49%. Thanks to my therapist. But I needed heavier artillery. Already in Warsaw, I joined a group therapy and attended for 9 months. And a couple of months later, I saw an Instagram story about a call for participants for a mastermind group from a girl I know. We set goals for the day and the week. And I set a goal to post, damn it, my first post. At least the first post.

„Maybe it was 49% vs. 51% in favor of fear. I couldn’t push through“

And did it work?

Anna: The mastermind organizer suggested a technique that sounds so basic. You know, if you find a book on goal-setting, this technique wouldn’t just be on the first page, it would be on the cover or in the epilogue! It’s super simple — break the big task into tiny, manageable steps. That’s it. No magic wands here.

Monday: choose a shirt for filming the video. Tuesday: research different types of lapel microphones. Wednesday: order a lapel microphone. So, five-minute tasks. And within two weeks, I had a video ready. So, on November 24th, I’m sitting in the office in tears. A colleague is sitting next to me, waiting for me to post the video. I press the "publish" button. Close Instagram. Go home. Open Instagram, and there’s so much support! And gradually, it became easier to put myself out there. Now, I can talk to people way easier. Without any makeup on, without shame, without inner turmoil.

Photo: Bazhena K.

After such a serious journey of working on yourself, how would you define „fear“ now?

Anna: Oh, interesting, let me think. You know, fear has become my best friend now. If someone approaches self-expression with the mindset „I’ll start a blog once I conquer my fear“, remember — fear never goes away. I still have it. But now, fear equals caution: I think more about the format and the audience’s needs. It’s a secondary function of fear.

The thought that helped me was that living in fear is unbearably painful. Living in fear and doing nothing is unbearable. Running a blog while constantly worrying about the audience, about haters, getting exhausted — that’s also tough. And you have to make a choice. As they say, „choose your hard“. It’s important to study yourself and approach it from a position of self-care. There’s no other way. It took me two and a half years to find this self-care.

„Fear has become my best friend now“

You’ve probably faced the need to learn Polish during these two years in Warsaw.

Anna: Yes, absolutely. And I’ll tell you more — I received my B1 certificate just a few weeks ago.

Great! Do you have any personal tips or hacks for learning a language and getting certified?

Anna: I have a complicated relationship with learning Polish. It’s probably rooted in the fact that I’m a teacher myself. Here’s what’s crucial:

• Start practicing the language right away: My advice is to start using Polish as soon as possible. The sooner you begin speaking it everywhere and with everyone, the faster you’ll learn. Polish speakers are very tolerant of mistakes.
• Consume content in Polish: I started watching Polish series and movies on Netflix. For instance, „Love Never Lies“ in Polish with subtitles helps not only with understanding the language but also with adapting to local culture and pronunciation. By the way, in cinemas here, movies are mostly in the original language with Polish subtitles.
• Join conversation clubs: Regular meetings at conversation clubs are a great opportunity to practice. For example, I found a group called LanguageMeet-Ups on Facebook, where everyone talks, shares experiences, and improves their conversational skills.
• Find a good tutor: It’s best to look for recommendations. I went through five tutors before finding the one that really suited me. It’s essential to get the pronunciation right in Polish. The sounds and phonetics are quite challenging.

Let’s talk about comfort. What has been a revelation in Warsaw that has elevated your level of comfort in life?

Anna: I still find it amazing that Poland has these things called „paczkomaty“. Let me start with them.

• Paczkomaty (from the word „paczka“ / package): These are large metal structures with lockers placed all around the city, available 24/7. When I order something online, I can choose delivery to the nearest paczkomat. Everything works through QR codes. I use them occasionally to send packages to friends in other cities in Poland.
• BLIK payment system: I love using the Polish „BLIK“ system for online purchases. Instead of entering credit card details, I generate a six-digit code in my bank’s mobile app. This makes the payment process secure and convenient, and I can confirm the transaction in the app.
• SIM card sales at local shops: When I first arrived in Warsaw, I was amazed that you could buy SIM cards at local grocery shops. It’s so convenient because you can quickly activate your mobile service.
• City bikes: I frequently use the „free“ city bike system. The first 20 minutes of a ride are free, and if you need more time, the rates are very affordable. If you go over the 20-minute mark, the cost is one złoty, which is about a quarter of a dollar. Two hours costs around 2 złotys — about 50 cents. Electric bikes are also available under the same conditions.
• Zalando and Zalando Lounge apps: I really enjoy the Zalando apps. They offer a wide range of brands, including many premium ones. Zalando Lounge features past collection items and accessories with discounts of up to 70%.
• Free museum days: I often take advantage of the opportunity for free museum visits in Poland. It’s a wonderful European practice that makes cultural events more accessible.
• Neighborhood tours: I love that Warsaw offers neighborhood tours. This unique format allows you to dive deeper into the history and atmosphere of specific streets and buildings. Most of the time, these are donation-based — effectively a free-walking tour. It helps in choosing a neighborhood to live in, not just learning about the city. I highly recommend this guide:

Understanding through experience, what mistakes one might make when moving, what advice can you give?

Anna: Can I start with a joke and then give you a serious answer? My husband is a Virgo by zodiac sign.

Oh, Аndrew is a Virgo? Well, you wouldn’t really guess that.

Anna: Well, not exactly Virgo. He was born on the cusp, on the very first day of Libra, so technically he’s a Libra. But he jokes that he identifies with Virgo in many ways because he loves making checklists, doing checks, and having Plan B, Plan C, Plan D, and so on. And going back to your question, moving with someone is definitely easier. Andrew loves to organize everything, prepare in advance, he has his own pace, and it’s important for him to double-check everything.

Photos from Anna`s archive

I’m going to title this interview „Moving to Warsaw: No mistakes, thanks to my Virgo husband“.

Anna: On a serious note, that’s an interesting question about mistakes. Let me think. My personal advice would be: don’t talk on the phone while crossing the street. The fines for that are quite hefty. Or if you’re distracted by your phone. So, if I’m on a call, I immediately say „goodbye“ or „hang on“, put the phone in my pocket, cross the street, and then take the phone out of my pocket and continue talking. I’d highlight that because it’s really important.

Doesn’t this also relate to the idea of „fear equals caution“?

Anna: Yes, it’s a great example from a different angle.

Anya, thank you for all the tips. Before we wrap up, could you share with us your most vivid impression or memory from Warsaw?

Anna: The most unforgettable experience for me was Ed Sheeran’s concert. I’ve been a fan of his for over a decade, so when I found out he was coming to town, I snapped up tickets immediately. When he finally came out on stage, I was screaming so loudly that I started shaking and even dropped my phone. I have a video of the moment: he’s walking onto the stage, and there I am, screaming my heart out while everyone around is probably thinking, „Who is this crazy woman?“ I was crying, dancing, and felt absolutely over the moon. It was simply indescribable!

„I was crying, dancing, and felt absolutely over the moon“

Photos from Anna`s archive

As the world evolves, so do we. Whether in a different country or constantly on the move, we often spend hours seeking for a good specialist, asking for advice from friends, acquaintances, and various channels.

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