Trying to learn Polish language in Bialystok

Im moving there in a few weeks.Im originally from Los Angeles.I want to learn the language to communicate and work.Any recommendations as to where to take classes or meet others trying to learn aswell?

The Espersnto cafe in the old town square has a language exchange club which meets every month. I'm sure you could find someone there to help. They have a facebook page. I know the guy who runs the club. PM me and I'll hook you up.

@Roger5
Lol Roger, I walked by that place a few months ago, my girls mom tried to explain to me, this is a made up language right?

The creator, Ludwik Zamenhof, was born in the city. A street just off the rynek is named after him. It has an interesting mural.

Maybe learning Esperanto in his honor might be the best tribute:-)

When you consider just how honoured Zamenhof is all over the world, it's dispiriting that in his birthplace he is largely forgottem. I have spoken to students in Bialystok who have never heard of him. I wonder why that is...

Perhaps his Jewish origins fell into disfavor around the time of WWII. As throughout much of Europe at the time, Jewish contributions were singularly either belittled or linked to Christianity, to the extent that they became disconnected from their Jewish roots, e.g. Heinrich Heine, author of "Die Lorelei" as iconically German as one can get, known from 1933-'45 as "anonymous poet" aka "Dichter unbekannt". Felix Mendelssohn who founded Leipzig's world famous Gewandhaus Orchestra was barely mentioned in textbooks of the war period, and if at all, solely under his "baptismal" name "Felix Bartholdy"!

all languages are made up.... and some literary standard languages (esp Basque, Slovenian) are very artificial combinations of different dialects.

Esperanto does have a relatively large wikipedia for the number of speakers (maybe 2 million)

eo.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vikipedio:%C4%88efpa%C4%9Do

And the duolingo Esperanto course in English has over a million learners

Polish International Radio used to do broadcasts in Esperanto (apparently they generated more mail than any of the other foreign language services ) but the program was axed by the first PiS government because of Zamenhof was a Jew (that's actually the reason that was given).

Go with one-to-one classes instead of group lessons, you should be able to find a teacher for about 40zl per 60 minute lesson.


Yes, why might a man who whose Jewish father spoke Russian as a first language and whose Jewish mother spoke Yiddish as a first language and who called the area where he lived Litovujo and referred to himself as ruslanda hebreo be somewhat overlooked in a city now regrettably noted for its nationalist element?

@Rio911

I would echo what Harry said. But if you are looking to self-study in your free time I would recommend 'Living Language.' I used quite a few different systems when I was learning Russian, and I found Living Language to be the best of all the systems. I'll be starting on Polish in a few months myself, and I'll be using their system.

@Harry

I found it to be a delightful town...its where my fiance grew up, and I think it's such a beautiful region, definitely more my speed than Warsaw was, and reminded me the most of home as far as geography and quaintness. We would live there permanently if there was work for a respectable salary, but unfortunately I don't think that will be a reality anytime soon.

I haven't been there in many years. The one time I was there it was weird, it felt very non-Polish (in ways that are hard to describe) and the way people were dressing looked like western Poland (where I live) did four or five years previously.

This was also in winter so I could tell parts were probably prettier in better weather but in minus 5 degrees the charms weren't so apparent...

The city has changed a great deal in the last ten years. I remember when the Best Western hotel Crystal was the most handsome building in town. Why not come and have a look? There's a brand new opera house, Branicki Palace has been beautifully restored, and you would hardly recognize the place.

Minus 5? I'd call that a refreshing chill. Try minus 32.

Why? After all that was but an accident of a birth. He has done nothing for the city neither his family. Also I doubt he is forgotten if one is interested or even heard about Esperanto can learn all the good stuff about it. Beside you contradict yourself he has a street named after him and I dare say not only in Bialystok but in few other places as well.

What they have been studying? Maybe there is your answer?


Well, I didn't know that so if that is true small wonder none would like to remember that a...hole.

If any students don't know about esperanto, they shouldn't be allowed into any university. I don't know if that's the matura-to-bzdura generation or what.

Interestingly enough, he came up with an idea of a universal language as he had witnessed divisions between people in a multilingual community.

Not a bad idea either, yet, like Volapuek along with a few other such attempts, it never really caught on, relegated sadly to Esperanto societies world wide with little practical application!

Today's "universal" language (of merry miscommunication!) is, of course, English aka Globish, aka "Worldlish" aka........

@mafketis

I can't relate to what you're saying because I've only been in Warsaw and Bialystok personally. I can say that I didn't enjoy Warsaw because it seemed like the liberal 'hipster' culture had infected the city. That is in stark contrast to my experience as a resident in Kyiv, where the progressive virus and hipster culture hasn't taken hold. So Bialystok certainly felt more authentically Eastern European if I compare to my previous experiences, although obviously much more modern compared to where I had lived previously.