“The easiest, most straightforward way to create a great product or service is to make something you want to use.”
from “Rework” by Jason Fried & David Heinemeier Hansson
WHY THIS PROJECT?
Hi, my name is Radek.
In 2017, I went on an Erasmus exchange to Portugal. Back then my goal was to leverage my knowledge of Spanish to learn Portuguese and make the most of my time abroad. Guess what? I succeeded. (Yay!) But there’s more – language learning has become my greatest passion.
Over the last 7+ years I learned five more foreign languages (Italian, Russian, French, German and Romanian), mostly as as an autodidact – following the natural approach and using a variety of YouTube channels created with language learners in mind.
This project is my payback. I wanted to make something similar for the Polish language – a free resource that I would use myself, if I were a Polish learner.
Want to contact me? Drop me an email at radek@polishwithradek.com or send me a DM on Instagram (shortcut down below in the footer).
MY STORY
1997
Born in Toruń
My name is Radosław Grodzki and I was born and raised in Toruń, Poland. My hometown is located in the northern part of the country, it has around 200,000 inhabitants and it is famous for its beautiful old town, delicious gingerbread and Nicholas Copernicus (who was also born here). I had a happy childhood and, as many kids in Europe, I loved playing football.
2009-2015
Geography nerd
In high school I developed my interest in geography. I was curious about other countries, their cultures, and – even more so – about their socioeconomic conditions. I also liked reading books on business and personal development (I still do!) My idol at the time was José Mourinho, a Portuguese football manager. I admired his charisma and I envied his ability to speak multiple languages.
2015-2021
Formative years
I studied Economics (BSc) and Finance and Accounting (MSc) at the Warsaw School of Economics. During my studies, I had the chance to go on student exchanges to Coimbra, Portugal and Florence, Italy. I really enjoyed living in an international environment, making friendships with people from different parts of the world and – you’re right – studying foreign languages.
2021-2023
Becoming a businessman
After getting my degree, I followed a typical career path. I worked at a management consulting company for over two years, before realizing that it wasn’t the kind of job that fulfills me. Despite being surrounded by a lot of smart and ambitious people, I felt constantly stressed and longing for more purpose in my life.
2023-2024
Pivotal year
I decided to return to academia. I applied for the master’s in Linguistics at the Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona. I finally had the opportunity to learn more about language. Outside of university, I was teaching Spanish and running a personal blog on efficient language learning – without any idea how to make this a living.
2024-
The birth of Polish with Radek
I came back to Poland. I work in a bank and develop Polish with Radek after hours. I want to create an easily accessible resource for learning Polish to help foreigners learn and get inspired by the Polish language – just as their languages kept inspiring me in the moments of doubt.