Moving to Poland in 3 weeks to study!

Hi everyone!
I am a 21 year old male from Norway. I am moving to Poznan in just under 3 weeks to study medicine. I will be staying there for 6 years, and naturaly I have tons of questions hehe.

Money:
I will get a student loan arounde 1130 USD each month to live of. How can I expect to live with that amount of money to pay for an apartment, food etc each month...? I will probably finde a room-mate to sheer an apartment with!

What can you expect to use for a night out in a city like Poznan?
People:
Are people friendly to foreigners in Poland? Do many poles speak english? Is there alot of crime in cities like Poznan?
I will be studying medicine there in english at PUMS. Does anyone know anything about what the polish students think of all the foreigners studying there?

How is the climat in Poznan?

And the most important question, are the girls good looking? ;)

Thanks alot you guys =)

I think you already know the answer to this...

lol I have no idea since I've never been to Poland =P

I wish I could live on 1130 zlotys per month, not to mention dollars.
That's enough for food, accomodation (if you share an appartment or live in a campus), photocopies and alcohol.


I think they're quite friendly. Most students speak English.


0,5 of vodka and a pack of cigarettes. Student life...

I have looked arounde alittle, and it looks like it is pretty expensive to live near the City centre. (not compared to Norway of course, but still with my budget)... I am a little picky when it comes to where to live, so I hope I will finde someplace nice =)

I cant wait to come down to Poznan and check out the city. I just hope I will be able to go out and enjoy it after school starts and not be drowning in to much medical books =P

You should be fine on that, Girls are ok, Slightly orange with a bit of attitude, City centre looks an awful place to live, Avoid Wilda (where i live) Debiec, And Lazarz, Try and find something at Rataje or piont kowo if possible its cheaper, safe and you get more for your cash, I'll ask around about a room to rent and see whats available you should get something for around 400pln, drop me a pm if you need any help when you get here, Oh and 300 pln gets you a fairly good night out, Its awesomely cheap.

Euros would go farther than dollars, but a thousand is enough to live on.

Poznan traditionally has about the worst night life in Poland for foreigners of any major city (but studying medicine you won't have so much time for that). Traditionally Poznanians had active social lives but visiting each other at home, not going out together. This has changed a lot in recent years but it's still not Warsaw.

Poznan is a very safe city for its size. Polish people are mostly friendly to visiting foreigners but the longer you're here the more you're expected to conform to local norms. Poznanians also have a reputation for being stand-offish (by Polish standards).

The younger and better educated the person the more likely they can carry on a conversation in something approaching English. But despite what anyone might tell you ahead of time, you really do need to learn Polish while here. Not least because IME Polish people aren't as smart or interesting or fun in English as they are in Polish.

The climate in Poznan is north central european, generally not much snow in winter but it can get pretty cold (though it rarely gets below -5 the coldest I've ever experienced was about -20 but that's very rare). Summers can be hot and muggy (overall not so bad this year). Air-pressure changes a lot and can have a bad effect on how you feel (the worst is a sudden drop in air pressure which can lead to horrible headaches in a large percentage of the people here, including me).

21 single guy from Norway? You won't have any trouble meeting Polish women (added bonus, if a Polish woman is interested in you but you're too slow, then she'll make the first move). Assuming that like most wesern guys here, you'll end up with a serious girlfriend, don't necessarily settle for the first Polish girl you meet or be so picky that none can meet your standards. Also realize that Polish women are used to making a lot of the decisions in relationships that you might like to make yourself (like how many beers you can have at a party , how to dress and how to budget your money - let her, she'll usually make better decisions than you would).

Polish students at the medical university (and international students who attend classes with them) are not necessarily fond of the students in the English-language program as they get preferential treatment in a lot of ways.

Wow! Thanks ALOT you guys for all that information =D It seems like Poznan will be a nice place to live compared to Norway when you are a student. I guess it will be hard at times to having tons of schoolwork and being far away from home, but I will try to enjoy my years in Poznan as much as I can =) Lets just hope I make it through all 6years at PUMS!

I will be living in the university dormitory the first month, and during that time I will look for an apartment to live in after that. I just hope I dont get ripped of on the rent haha..

I also hope I will be abel to learn to speak polish in those years I am there, couse I dont want to be looked upon as an ignorant foreigner. But from what Ive heard, the Norwegian students tend to keep to them self. That might create a kindeof "getto" groupe thats having a hard time learning the local language and way of living =/

Its too bad that the polish students might not be very fond of us english-program students. I dont know if we get any advantages or not yet since I haven't started school yet. But it might be because we pay a shitload of money to go there and we might a scream a little louder if we dont get our way =P Just a theory though. I hope I get to know alot of poles though =)

I'm jealous of you, Simmy.
Your life is about to become one huge adventure of new experiences and learning!

LEARN POLISH.
I'm sure you'll find a basic Polish course in Poznan.
If you spend 6 years in a place and do not learn the language then something is not correct.
Good luck.

Thank you =) I hope so too! Do you live in Poland?

We will actually have a polish class for the first two years at the Uni. But I think that is mainly medicine orientated... I will do my best though =) But there is soooo much other things I will have to learn on the top of a new language, so we'll see how it goes ;)

I must admit I am pretty exited though! As you said, it is going to be a whole new experience. Not only living on my owne, but in another country!!!

Your last point is probably close to the truth. Many university programs here have two tracks, a day track during the week where students study 'for free' (it's an old communist idea that's hung around) and a weekend track for working people who pay for their studies. While the weekend students face some prejudice, their concerns are taken far more seriously and their needs are catered to far more than those of the day students.

The English language students pay a lot of money (by local standards) and are quite naturally treated better while the Polish day students are there at the sufferance of the university and treated that way. The resentment is natural (by local standards) but notice the day students aren't volunteering to pay more for better treatment.

One final note: A friend of mine has done a couple of lectures for the program (not as a regular lecturer for the program but as an outside expert in his field) and wasn't impressed by the organization. In general good organization and smooth functioning are not Polish virtues so it'll help if you're a self-starter. Forewarned is forearmed, as they say.

Yeah that is probably true about the "day/weekend-students". Its just how things are I guess.

I've heard various stories about the teaching in the different MD-programs in Poland. And from what I understand I must prepear myself to work my ass off, not trying to argue with the professors even though I might think I am beeing treated wrong or something like that and to be very efficiant when it comes to planning my reading...

I am hardworking, and I actually enjoy reading about subjects that interests me (medicine in general), so I hope I can use those things to my advantage...

It sure will be harder than studying in Norway. The schoolsystem and the teachers here are quite "soft", and the students have quite alot more to say than they are allowed in other countries.

No, Simmy. I'm English.
I'm trying to learn Polish and I'm planning on taking a two week intensive, residential course in Krakow in October.

I enjoyed my school years and neglected my studies......so now I do physical work that I hate!

Apply yourself. Learn medicine. Become a Doctor. Earn some money. SAVE SOME LIVES! Fantastic!!!

Don't take it too seriously. Of course, you'll have to work your ass off, because this is medicine. But about those unfair evil professors - these are things usually said by students who are either too lazy or not intelligent enough to be prepared properly to classes and exams. Many students think they shoul f*ck around for 5 or 6 years and get a paper in the end, and they don't understand how a professor dares to demand some work from them (to be honest, this is the attitude of most Polish students I know). And yes, the professor aren't too nice for them... But if you work hard and get good grades, you are treated well by your teachers. And if some 'accident' happens so you are not prepared, they'll turn a blind eye to it because you're a good student.


Then you should be OK and get on well with the profs. In Poland students aren't treated equally - you can earn some privileges by good academic performance.

The biggest problem with Polish students is they tend to have poor 'study' habits, that is they do as little work as possible and then try to cram for the last week before exams. The problem is that doesn't work in lots of fields (including medicine). Get good study habits from the beginning (studying steadily instead of goofing off and then cramming) and you'll do fine.

I've heard that can be quite hard in Poland (to do everything right before the exams), becouse you have tests allmost every two weeks... I think you finde people like that in every country in the world =P

Studying from the start has been my plan the whole way. I cant imagin how I would be able to pass trying to "take the easy way out" like you talk about. I'm not a super-smart guy, I only get good results from hard work =) It makes victories taste alot better knowing you have worked for it =)

there are some who will say that if you actually understand what it is you are learning, rather than just remembering it, you will be one step ahead of your polish course mates

^ no worries! medicine students in Poland obey the law -as this is one of the best medical schools in the country his polish mates are likely to everperform.

Yes, that's the good way. It guarantees better grades and less work (than those who get worse ones).

Cool that you are trying to learn polish!... I hope you finde something that you enjoy to work with later on =)

I've alway wanted to become a doctor as my dad, and I finde medicine to be a really interesting and exiting subject.... Basicly something I can see myself working with for the rest of my life =)

Hey Simmy. I'm from the US and I'm in the same program as you, however I'm in the 5-yr pharmacy. I'm sure we'll see each other in the pre-course in a couple of weeks. I'm trying to find a place to live. I won't stay in dorms, because I think they stuff you in the old ones with a roommate. I want a room by myself, it doesn't matter if I have a roommate. Let me know if you have any advice on the living situation there or anything else about the program. I've been procrastinating in preparing for school and will take any advice since it seems like you're a little ahead of me in preparing. Give me an email at ryanlinder@creighton.edu or if you have facebook: Ryan Linder.

Was this serious ?

It's just a question by the way, no irony in it.

Hi there, I'm Polish, from Poznań;) and I'm a local guide in here; I'm busy but always willing to help, with any questions or problems to be solved "locally" don't hesitate and mail me on etnoaka@yahoo.de

good luck!
:)

Thanks alot =D I will be sure to remember that.. I might send you an e-mail during the next week as I will go to Poznan next sunday =)

sure:) feel free to ask about anything.
and now good luck with packing and stuff...;)

hehehe, thanks.. I am making a "Need to pack list" right now =D

Do any of you know what a gym membership costs in Poznan? Like on monthly basis...

there is one club that u should actually know from your country - belongs to Nautilus. I've heard they have good offer and reasonable prices (comparing to expensive one called Niku) sth like 100 - 350PLN /month depending on what u want. possible student discounts too, I supposse...

but there must be smaller clubs too, maybe cheaper. thats all i know for now;)

Ok thanks.. 350 PL is way to expencive for me.. I have worked at a gym in Norway for 6 years now and even we dont take more than 200 PL per month (even that is pretty expencive in Norway)...

I need to finde a place with a squach qourt so I can continue to play while I am in Poland =/

well, if u meant squash... there would be a problem:(
Poznań is one of few cities in Poland where we have places to play squash but they are not in a good state:( I've found there is one place being built now,but still don't know exactly where.

the other existing ones are fully booked...the prices are from 20 PLN - 40 PLN per hour,depending where and what time...

As long as there is a place I can play I am happy =) I hope maybe the University (PUMS) have their owne quort or something...

Thanks alot for the info =)