Im interested in visiting Poland, for a few days 4-5 days, the idea is to get an idea of the culture, the place, understand how things works there, the culture, people, learn some basic polish to survive in the meanwhile...
I dont have a plan yet, as I really dont know anything about Poland and that is why im going, I would be more interested in knowing Poland for living, not holidays, im want to see how it is like from the inside, like a local person living there.
I want to get a rought idea of how is everyday Life in Poland, I guess it depends as well on the city, I didnt choose any city yet. Any advice?, if possible i would like to meet some people and talk about how is it there based on their experiences.
After this I would analize the whole experience and what I could see and learn about the place and decide if in a near future I would like to move and live there.
Any suggestions about what city to choose?, where to stay, or somebody would be kind enought to meet and show me some of how is it like there, any advice?
If you could choose any city in Poland to live which one would you choose? and why?
Please reply, any piece of information will be usefull for me.
Thanks
George
I got some offers for Gdansk, actually a place near there called LĘBORK, is not cheap but with a family, accommodation and polish classes for 1 week.
So what about Gdansk?, anything i should know about the place?, good, bad? I'm researching as well but any experience/advice is welcome!...
Płock is where the cases of swine flu were localised so I wouldn't go there. Just go in with an open mind and few preconceptions, that'll increase the thrill factor. There aren't so many faux-pas than can trip you up so enjoy it.
Gdansk? I live here and wouldn't live in any other city in Poland, but we all love the city where we live, so I'll ask you a few questions. Where are you from, how old are you, what do you like to do, what are you looking for in a city, etc ad nauseum. A little more information about yourself will get you you a lot more answers.
I'm 24, I live now in Barcelona, but was living all my live in Paraguay, My grandparents were polish, so something of polish culture was left in my family and I grew up with that, I'm not much of a party guy, I like to be more relaxed, I normally dont go out to party, sometimes maybe, preffer to have a quiet and relaxing dinner, going to the movies maybe, go arround for a walk, I'm studying by myself right now, doing some Microsoft Certification exams, but on my own for now, reading books and researching. Im software/web developer, working as developer/IT Manager on the company i'm with now.
Looking for in a city, mostly nice people,educated, not to be a stressful place, to have a good infraesctructure (markets,pharmacies,anything to cover al basic needs), well comunicated, (busses, maybe metro if needed, just to be able to get from one place to another without needing to have a car), to be a minimally nice place (clean, etc), I guess that is what im looking for.
Thanks for your reply. I don't know much about the IT market in Poland, but there are some members here who do. I think Warsaw may offer the best opportunity, but I don't think it's not a stressful city. Those who live there will probably disagree with me, and I'm sure we'll hear from them soon.
There are lots of posts on this site about about positions in IT. Read them, decide which ones you find useful and which cities they're in, and then you can plan your visit. When are you coming? Polish winters are a little colder than in Barcelona.
This is a small town, lost in forest with heavy traffic route in the city centre and french fries odour 24h a day but only 50km from Tri City and 30km to £eba and Baltic Sea.
Yeah well i dont plan to be all the time in LĘBORK, if I choose to go there I may have the place to stay with a family there, but I will have time to go look arround to the nearest places as center of Gdansk, Also read about people recommending Tri City, the Baltic Sea sounds good to see :) what about trains? is it far to get to warsaw or krakow by train? long travel? or there is any other city arround i can go by train or bus and come back the same day?,
About an IT possition well for the moment that is not a problem, I used to work remotely for a company, I will go back to my country soon and keep working from there remotely as well...
So that is not a problem, and in the worst case well I dont have a problem to work in anything I could do and is available, never had a problem getting a job.
So scottie, you think Gdansk is good if we forget about the job offers for IT?
There are IT jobs in Gdansk. Wirtualna Polska, an isp, has an office here and everybody who works there loves it. But I think you'll have to speak Polish to work there.
Tri City is Gdansk, Sopot and Gdynia. All are nice and have different attractions and they're all on the Baltic, but Gdansk has stolen my heart.
Well, i found a flight for 21-December and coming back 28-December if going to Gdansk, Still not confirmed but i think that is what is going to be it. Now checking with the embassy if a Visa will be required or not.
And of course if I will move to live later, I will learn proper polish... It will always be easier to learn being there as I will need to use it as well :)
On the 21st I teach from 16.00-19.30 and on the 22nd from 16.00-21.00. On the 23rd I'm going to Germany for 10 days. If you have any free time during the day on the 21st or 22nd, I'd be happy to show you a little of the Old Town.
scottie1113 That sounds good scottie!, on the 21st not sure as i may get there by 13:00 and going to leave the things and meet the family, but on the 22nd for sure!...
thanks!
ook!, flight booked, Gdansk it is!, 21-12 to 28-12, Well Lebork, but close enought, will be arround Gdansk a couple of times for sure, and lets see what else is arround, also anybody knows how to get to Lebork from Gdansk, and vice versa?, Train or Bus I guess, any website where I could see the times and prices maybe?
Slim, Lebork is about an hour and a half/quarter from Gdansk by train. The train you want is the SKM and there's a link to the online timetable at polrail.com I hope you didn't think it was close to Gdansk. By the way, absolutely everything will be closed on 25, almost everything on 26, and everywhere will be closing early (like 2pm) on 24. Don't bother going west from Lebork: the next city along is Slupsk, a complete sh!thole (I lived there for a year and still have to visit sometimes).
Thanks Harry, no, I knew it is 80 Km from there, but I dont mind doing the trip :) I will be staying at a family's house in Lebork that is why, I didnt want to be on my own. So well, I have some days to have a look arround there then before everything closes... on the 22nd I will go to Gdansk for sure.
