Leaving one’s homeland comes as a shock for an emigrant and his family. It is even more difficult when they decide to settle down in a country as far away from Poland as Australia is. Its exotic character, so different from European lifestyle conventions, can cause difficulties in adapting to the new culture and make the whole process last longer. Language and culture - the two elements closely connected with emigration are discussed in the article. On the one hand there is a need to preserve one’s own values, on the other, however at the same time, one must adapt to new values to avoid isolation.