Heather
4 Nov 2007
Life / Katowice: what do you think? [42]
Hi, I have been living in Katowice since September this year. My husband was transferred here through work (automotive industry.) It is definitely not a beautiful city by any stretch of the imagination. It is kept pretty clean, but the air quality is problematic at times. Transport connections are good here, but this is important if you want to get out of the city, not for whether you want to stay here. If you want to be in a big city that is a nice place to live and want contact with other expats, you are better off living in Wroclaw or Krakow. These towns are also close to good hiking areas, and have a lot more to offer.
Every Pole we meet thinks we're crazy for leaving Australia to come here, and I can understand why. Still, we wanted to get back to Europe and experience something different so here we are. As with any experience, you get what you put into it.
You will really need to learn Polish if you come here, though. I find most people either don't speak English or their ability is quite limited. And Polish is a difficult language! I speak German fluently, but I am truly struggling with Polish.
This is an industrial area - not exactly focused on culture. People are pretty nice - but I think that is just Poles in general. In other words, you'd get that anywhere in the country. I guess what I'm trying to say is, if you have your pick of anywhere in Poland to live, I think you could find something better.
Hi, I have been living in Katowice since September this year. My husband was transferred here through work (automotive industry.) It is definitely not a beautiful city by any stretch of the imagination. It is kept pretty clean, but the air quality is problematic at times. Transport connections are good here, but this is important if you want to get out of the city, not for whether you want to stay here. If you want to be in a big city that is a nice place to live and want contact with other expats, you are better off living in Wroclaw or Krakow. These towns are also close to good hiking areas, and have a lot more to offer.
Every Pole we meet thinks we're crazy for leaving Australia to come here, and I can understand why. Still, we wanted to get back to Europe and experience something different so here we are. As with any experience, you get what you put into it.
You will really need to learn Polish if you come here, though. I find most people either don't speak English or their ability is quite limited. And Polish is a difficult language! I speak German fluently, but I am truly struggling with Polish.
This is an industrial area - not exactly focused on culture. People are pretty nice - but I think that is just Poles in general. In other words, you'd get that anywhere in the country. I guess what I'm trying to say is, if you have your pick of anywhere in Poland to live, I think you could find something better.