It All Started Quite Ordinarily
I received a message in English — brief, specific, a little stiff. A question about a website. The tone suggested the sender wasn’t a native English speaker, but not clumsy enough for it to be obvious. I replied — also in English. After a few more emails, something started to feel off. And then — in the third message — I spotted the footer:
Best regards, Jan Kowalski
I smiled to myself. It wasn’t deliberate. Most likely, he was using a different mailbox, with a default signature set back in Poland. But for me, it was a clear signal.
One Sentence Was Enough
So in my next email, I wrote in English again, but started with:
Just out of curiosity — do you speak Polish?
The reply came almost instantly — all in Polish, filled with visible relief and amusement. Turned out Jan had only recently moved to the UK and was starting his own business. A British friend had recommended me, so naturally he assumed he had to write in English. He didn’t know he had contacted a fellow Pole.
I know that feeling all too well. I started the same way. I also carefully weighed every word. Not because I didn’t know the language, but because in emigration, everything you say or write is your business card. You want to come across as professional. To give no reason for judgment.
A Shared Language Is More Than Just Words
From that message on, the conversation changed completely. No more tension, uncertainty, or overly cautious sentences. There was laughter, a sense of connection, and above all: trust.
The website I was building was for an English client. But the project was shaped by two people who both understood what it means to start over. In a new country. With a new language. But with the same story behind them.
Because sometimes all it takes is a footer to realise you’re not alone.