Work / Coming to Poland with Erasmus? [18]


I am not sure how is it now, but at the time I was studying at the Wrocław University (3yrs ago), the Polytechnics was in the top three technical unis in Poland.

Plus, Wrocław is the most brilliant city to go to. Student life is vibrant, the city itself beautiful and exciting... Definitely go, Khan!

Life / My personal (American) view on Poland [22]


This is a MA holder, who works at the university while getting his/her PhDs. This requires having normal classes at the uni as well as being available for students for help apart from normal classes. And of course this requires a higher level of education and much more researching for the job, as you don't teach kids what's 2+2, but students about more complicated issues :)


Check out how many directors are there at a regular hospital, and how many "normal" doctors and how much they get ;)


I don't think that the money saved would be nothing - on the contrary, if all that money was put into education or health care, everyone would be much happier. Plus you forget about taxes - you would not say that they are small. I am only at the beginning of my career, so don't earn very much, but already pay 1500 PLN in taxes every month! ANd I don't use public health care, as my company gave me a health care plan in a private practice. It's similar for my friends and my parents - comapnies do that now on an everyday basis. So please explain: if so many people pay and not use, the conditions at hospitals should be so much better?

When my friend got to hospital last year (accident), he didn't get toilet paper. He didn't get spoon to eat his pitiful hospital dinner with. He had to pay for TV. This is beyond imagination.

Life / Relocated from the US: Warsaw or London? [24]

Sparky359: I am living near plac Hallera - this area is lovely ;) Of course, you need to have your eyes open while you look at the flat: don't pick the one which is too old (there is a good deal of 1950s flats which are desirable, as they are in a fairly good shape and house mostly elderly people, which is good ;) but also some prewar building which may be cold in winter and problematic concerning general comfort of living). Plan Hallera is a good point concerning buses and trams, plus zoo and the Praski park nearby and fairly good portion of shops around.

Good luck!
Yankeedoodle: actually never has seen price for rent given per week ;)

Life / Polish positive attitude [24]

Optimism is really difficult now - I've read about last week yet another vetting (i believe this is the ENG word for all this former UB and SB hullaballoo) and my fears are only getting bigger and uglier. How can you be an opimist when basically nothing optimistic happens around you?

Love / Symbol of polish of love to surprise my fiance [26]

Szarlotka, I heard about this thing (like you shouldn't give the even number of flowers). It is the same as the colours symbolics (red - love, white - innocence good for weddings, young girls birthday etc, yellow - jealousy), but I don;t think young generation really cares. It must be similar to Russia then - an old custom that is dying out. Especially that not many people can afford 12 long-stemmed red roses - so they buy one :D

Life / My personal (American) view on Poland [22]


Wow, where do you work. Grzegorz, a university asisstant on a public university in a big city gets 800 and has no permission to work elsewhere (the job I was offered). I was getting 1100 at a gymnasium (English teacher, 3 yrs experience). McDonald - 1500 in Warsaw :D I agree that older teachers get more, or teachers in private schools, or in Warsaw.


You mean private practice? Definitely not public health care.


So you advocate sitting here doing nothing? I see at least a couple of solutions:
- less changes in the government (well, don't we have a brand new minister every time we turn on the telly?)
- NO extra / early elections
- END to long debates about the former UB and SB workers and NO money put in new and new again policies concerned with that
- NO money for Włoszczowa train station-type projects
- NO money for heated pavement in front of His Majesty the President palace
- educating people, so they can make use of the EU financial help (How much possibilies are there left unused?)

...and so on and so on and so on. I bet we can scrap some pennies there ;)

Love / Symbol of polish of love to surprise my fiance [26]

red roses. An absolute classic ;)

Love / Polish men and sex [89]

That's very possible - enjoy then! ;)

Love / Polish men and sex [89]

Polish men - seems to me - are like all the other men on earth: some are sex maniacs, some are romantic, some have respect for women, some have even too much respect for women :)

Maybe the only real difference is that here you have a greater chance of meeting a Catholic who may prefer not to have sex till marriage - but not that often in the young generation anyways... Plus men here buy flowers. And kiss hands (rarely, but still). Plus give up their seats on a bus.

Love / Polish men and sex [89]

Well, either you're very lucky or just the opposite ;)
You may believe him and understand, that this guy seems to be the sir Lancelot type, which is quite lovely I think, or he is just not very much sexual, which may be a problem for you in the future.

Life / My personal (American) view on Poland [22]


Exactly!
Constructive criticism is only helpful, especially from the eyes of foreigners who live here and see things differently...

Life / My personal (American) view on Poland [22]

Well, I think you grasped a part of the truth, but there is also something like "distribution of goods" (how very Marks and Engels ;). I used to be a teacher myself and that's a shame that I was actually earning LESS than a Polish McDonald's worker. Some jobs are paid ridiculously well - I just compare my currect position with my boss', and he doesn't do much more - I would even say he does less - to get three times as much as I do. I think there is just a very feeble and comparatively small middle-class here: people are either barely making a living or earn so much that they can afford 1-million-PLN apartment in Warsaw.

Another thing - even more important here I think - is the total lack of respect towards teachers and - more commonly - doctors. That's the real shame...

Life / Polish positive attitude [24]

Szarlotka, you're not Polish, right? Because this attitude is kinda rare here, and I wish it wasn't... Anyways, whenever I hear anybody saying that I feel like hugging this person - thanks!

Life / Relocated from the US: Warsaw or London? [24]

Well, I think you're right, Szarlotka - I think in 3-5 years Praga will be the most desired area in Warsaw. Plust the Euro 2012 stadium will be erected here, so we'll got the metro line, and a general face lifting... ;)

Life / Relocated from the US: Warsaw or London? [24]

If it does, then go right for the Babka Tower :D (that's the apartment's tower in Midtown, located just near a huge mall and overlooking the city - plus the interiors are whoa! luxurious!).

Seriously, it is difficult to say where to live best - it very much depends on your preferences and expectations. I definitely would not reccomend the area of Szmulki / Grochów, as it is not very safe (cheap housing attracts many strange types, even though of course still the ajority is decent ;). If you work in the centre and drive a car to work, it wouldn't be wise to live anywhere far, as the traffic may kill you, really. So basically forget about Białołęka, Ursus, Tarchomin, Włochy, Jelonki etc etc.

I think it is the best to pick Żoliborz - that's a green, serene part of town, fairly close to the centre, but without the centre's noise and hassle. The houses are mostly old, there's lots of parks and the metro line (which is crucial here). It is similar in the old Mokotów ad Muranów. These are all nice, quiet areas.

Plus, for the ultimate experience - Praga Północ (Stara / Nowa Praga). It is the old part of the town, fairly undestroyed by the War, so you may wander for hours among tremendous old houses. Most people would not advise you to live here, as it is considered dangerous, but I have to say these are myths - I live here two years now and it's fabulous. Bit cheaper than the other river bank, plus quite quiet and very green. Plus lots of exciting new art galleries, experimental theatres etc - loads of Polish young artists choose to live here, upgrading the district.

If you need any extra info, let me know ;)

Life / Polish positive attitude [24]

Of course, I believe that Poles may be very energetic, optimistic and positive. I just think, that deep down, each of us have this feeling, that the positive attitude is very much make-believe and we're always at a huge risk of getting a crap end of the stick eventually ;) I wouldn't call this pessimistic - ironic, maybe, and definitely realistic. And I absolutely love it in Poles :D

Food / Vegetarian food in Poland? [83]

Really? Would never guess it's international! ;)

Travel / Poznań or Wrocław? [12]

Wrocław. The most beautiful city in this part of the world :D

Life / Relocated from the US: Warsaw or London? [24]

Gee, those pics look really cool. And think I live here :D
And as for the discussion: of course, London is huge, and more cosmopolitan, and has more clubs and stuff, and Warsaw in comparison is uglier, unfortunately. On the other hand though, Warsaw is specific, it is not like any other big city, plus the cost of living would be like three times smaller than in London. I rent a one-room flat one tram stop from the Castle and pay 130 pounds a month - definitely impossible in London :D

The question, Yankeedoodle is basically: how adventurous you are :)

Food / Vegetarian food in Poland? [83]

cs1973, I don't know about veggie restaurants in Poznan, but I know GreenWay, as we have it in Warsaw too. I would not call it expensive (around 8-12 PLN per dish) and they offer quite a variety. That's not Ritz, but not bad either ;)

Food / Decent Coffee to Go in Poland... [15]

I don't really know about drive-thru coffee shops - whenever I am travelling, I always get my coffee in McDonald's :) (you may laugh, but it is decent) or in some restaurants on the way. There are lots of coffee shops in the city though (grab-and-go type), like Coffee Heaven or Green Coffee or Voyage...

Love / My Polish boyfriend never says 'l love you' to me, what should i do? [93]


It seems that you know where your problems are. Just don't be too nice - I heard that most men actually prefer "*******" ;)

Life / To all of you who are Polish - where did you learn English? [64]


Sparrow, it's still like that, at least on public TV :D

Study / Mexican moving to Wroclaw for 3-Month-Internship, tips needed! [15]

You'll be very fine, Wrocław is a very cosmopolitan city. Lived there for 5 yrs.
One thing that comes to my mind tho: Mexican restaurant on Rzeznicza street ("Mexico"). Absolutely fabulous ;)

Real Estate / Single family houses in Warsaw - do they exist? [7]

hey, try out oferty.net - they have a whole lot of real estate offers!

Love / My Polish boyfriend never says 'l love you' to me, what should i do? [93]


Miranda's right, I am afraid. You need to think, if you're ready to become a "desperate housewife" for him?
I see you're very much in love, but, as we say in Poland, "Do tanga trzeba dwojga" ("it takes two to tango"), and you need to look into your heart and answer yourself, whether he will want to dance with you for the rest of your life - and not to his tune only. <wow, got poetic ;)>

Love / My Polish boyfriend never says 'l love you' to me, what should i do? [93]

Allrighty, I never deep-kiss my bf in a club, an mind you, I am Polish :D
There are certain behaviors all over the world - and women with no limits too ;)

Love / My Polish boyfriend never says 'l love you' to me, what should i do? [93]

Moire, I don't know you or your boyfriend, but from what you wrote I don't get the impression you are very satisfied and confident in your relationship. What can I say? I live here in Poland and I know it's not so easy to have a successful scienfic career here, so you must be really well-grounded to come here and try. If you feel that there is something in this relationship to build your future on, then go for it, but think twice and don't forget about yourself! The man you're with doesn't seem to be very much into commitment, so you need something on your own to relate to. Coming here for him only may be great for your relationship at first, but then it may introduce a whole lot of frustration and disappointment, if you end up in a different place that you hoped for. In either case, talk to him about your fears and hopes. If he has some hopes for future with you too, he'll understand and listen to you.

Sorry if I am being too pessimistic - I really wish you all luck - it's just I've been in a similar situation and I never heard the wedding bells after I moved to another place just be with my man.

Good luck though!