Work / Monthly income for family - Warsaw [71]

I have never heard of the above private school- I am not saying it is bad, I have just never heard of it.
The interesting thing is that a few people are giving you advice but don't have kids and speak Polish. When I moved to Warsaw from Canada, my Polish was limited and I had a 3 year old. (I have 2 kids now).

Poland doesn't help foreigners to assimilate. Survival of the fittest. It can get very lonely as a parent- even going for coffee with an English speaking person who relates to your situation can help.

If you put your kids in public school- it will be difficult for the whole family- not to mention stressful for you not being able to communicate the most basic things- you have less of a chance to meet people in your situation.

A private school, perhaps the one linked above, in my opinion, is a better option for you- at least in the beginning. You have the chance to meet other foreigners and your kids will integrate better. However, the majority of those children at the school will probably be Polish- but at least they will know the language and your kids will be able to communicate.

There are a few groups you can join- mums and tots warsaw- I don't have a link but just google it and it will pop up. They are moms in exactly the same situation as you.

15,000 pln per month is a great salary and moving to Poland will give your kids a great learning experience and broaden their worlds- however, the goal is to lessen the amount of stress.

I have done what you are about to do. I can relate and I can tell you what to expect. Many of the other, so called experts here actually have no clue- but they certainly offer their opinion.

Real Estate / Banks in Poland selling fewer mortgages in 2011, down 49% [285]

exactly. for a first time home buyer this is an excellent option. However, what I have noticed in Poland is that the "first time home buyer" phenom is not the same as in the rest of the world. Logically, you should start small with the hopes of selling and buying bigger- as your family grows. Here it seems that people buy one place and live in it for a very long time.

we have friends who fit out their 70 m2 apartment for the same cost as we did our house. They are now a family of four living in that space--they will never make profit on this apartment if they sell, in fact they will be lucky to break even- so they are staying put in such a small place. We started small, sold- then moved to a three bedroom house- and made a profit from the sale.

Real Estate / Banks in Poland selling fewer mortgages in 2011, down 49% [285]

please, I don't need a lecture in real estate. I am more than familiar. However, Goclaw is not that bad. There are new blocks, shopping, good roads, bike paths and easy access to the rest of Warsaw. I do my grocery shopping there because I just have to cross the bridge as opposed to being stuck in traffic in Warsaw.

There is no perfect area in Warsaw. If you have been to Wilanow there are beautiful houses right next to a falling apart should be condemned house which an elderly couple live in. Konstancin is no better- gorgeous houses, over the top tacky houses and pre war falling apart houses --then of course the drunks that sit in the bus shelters all day.

Goclaw is cheaper -but most of Praga is cheaper than Warsaw. There are new construction buildings all over Goclaw.

Life / Polish dubbing in movies; why is it so that on polish television all the films are dubbed? [135]

despise it. I don't watch t.v. because of this. however, if you have polsat cyfrowy you can take the lektor off on certain channels. I also despise childrens cartoons (i have kids) --the voices are adults pretending to be kids- makes me insane. cartoons in english are using actual children's voices.

Real Estate / Banks in Poland selling fewer mortgages in 2011, down 49% [285]


Hey, I was just in Goclaw an hour ago. It is not that bad. There are worse places to live.

Work / Monthly income for family - Warsaw [71]


this is a very valid point.

Work / Monthly income for family - Warsaw [71]

actually, I really like Kabaty. It has a great feel to it. Young families, cultural mix (as mixed as it gets here), loads of shops, good parks for kids and on the metro line- so you don't even need a car. Also loads of bike paths and close to the forest for walks -you will surely find a place there to accommodate your family.

Travel / Dinner place suggestion in Krakow [17]

pod aniolek is really great- and the place is gorgeous.

Work / Monthly income for family - Warsaw [71]

wilanow and konstancin have the most expats.

zoliborz is also a good area

Work / Monthly income for family - Warsaw [71]

this is not entirely a language issue. If her husband is only doing a contract - something like 3 to 5 years- having your kids totally immersed in a language only to have to move again is a bit of a waste.

I also have an issue with the quality of teachers and the fact that they make so little- they don't have incentive to be their best.

My daughter used to go to school with a girl whose mother was belgian and father is irish. within 6 months she spoke fluent polish. it is amazing how fast kids pick up the language- this is not the whole issue, however.

Work / Monthly income for family - Warsaw [71]

to some extent yes. but then again, some children will adapt better than others. Ultimately, she knows her children- If I was moving to Sweden for three years I would have no problem sending my kids to the public school. They would learn the language super fast and the system is set up to help people with Swedish as a second language. The fact is- Poland is not. You speak Polish or you pay for school. English speaking children will be treated better than Roma, for example- but not only that. How does July25 communicate with her teachers if she herself doesn't speak Polish? It is not as cut and dry as you are making it out to be.

Work / Monthly income for family - Warsaw [71]


no, sorry- they will not be fine. I am not arguing language here. Being thrown into a new school where the language is foreign and the majority of the students don't speak English- and then there are the cultural differences - this is a recipe for disaster and she is right. she knows her children and they probably would be shocked.

My kids don't go to the American school. They don't need to as they are completely bilingual and working on French.- we are not American and I don't need the bragging rights. But throwing kids into a public school system where the methods of teaching are completely different, the language is different and the culture- sorry, but I wouldn't recommend it anybody unless they were planning on immigrating here.

--Do you think Polish, Hispanic children, Chinese children Japanese children etc all attend Polish Chinese Japanese schools when their parents move to the UK or the US ? Do you think they all speak English when they arrive?

If you explain to your children that "in Poland live like the Poles" is part of their international experience they will be ok after a couple of months.---

seriously? Now it is crystal clear that you don't have kids.

Poland is new to the whole immigrant thing- the uk and us are not and they are able to accommodate the amount of non English speaking people. Poland simply does not have the same level of assistance for those coming here without language skills.

Work / Monthly income for family - Warsaw [71]

I believe it has changed to majority Polish now.

Work / Monthly income for family - Warsaw [71]

The American school is filled with majority Polish children- also known as the pathetic nouveau riche who blatantly parade their money. There are also loads of Scandinavians and a good number of Americans, Canadians, Brits and other expats.

Have you seen this school? It is massive. From kindergarten to grade 12. And they are building an addition at the moment. They have a theatre, swimming pool, massive library and gym and a full functioning cafeteria.

I disagree that Poland has a good school system- particularly for foreigners. I would without hesitation send my kids to any public school in France, Germany, Uk, Switzerland- not in Poland. Unfortunately, the system is below parr.

"What do the kids learn or do for this price ?" the Polish parents have bragging rights. This is pretty much it. Actually, it has good teachers from all over the world- I don't think the American system is great- but the school is good compared to the public schools here.

Work / Monthly income for family - Warsaw [71]


this is our issue also. the preschool is not a big deal but the children in primary school you will be paying more.

There is a Canadian school- I don't know much about it- the fees are 2600 per month each child.

The International European schools fees are 30,000 per year, each child.

The American school is about 60,000 per year, each child and the British school is quite comparable.

There is an international American school- don't know anything about it.
There is also a French language school and a German school.

I have heard that there are a few good public schools in Warsaw- sorry I can't help there, I have no idea where they are---maybe somebody on the board knows?

maybe this will help: poland good for expat/en/warsaw/school/international-schools.

szkolamiedzynarodowa.pl this school is quite interesting. Most of the foreign teachers seem to be from Canada and trained at great universities- the tuition is cheaper but still 20,000 pln per year each child is pretty steep. We have friends with kids here and they love it.

"I would advise that juli25 sends her children to a good local state school if the children are toddlers, after all Polish education is excellent and there is no need to send them to an international private preschool.

Just get an English or American au pair (usually they are students) or an English speaking nanny, to supplement for English language exposure."

by this post I am assuming you don't have kids. Am I right?

Work / Monthly income for family - Warsaw [71]

I live in Warsaw. Two kids in primary school is a biggie. If you want your kids to go to public schools than there is no issue- we have two kids in private school and it is a huge expense. We are a bilingual family so it is important for our kids to have this education.

The American school is about 60,000 per year, the international European school is half that- there is a new school called the International school on Jagiellska- it is cheaper and has good reviews. We have friends with kids there.--it is in the south of Warsaw between Kabaty and Piaseczno.

Also- private preschool will cost about 750 pln per month (this is averaged)

So then you need to rent a place to live to accommodate 5 people. I think about 4 to 5,000 pln per month is about average- you may find better but it depends where you live- will your husbands company pay for this?

15,000 is a great salary to live on in Warsaw- however, it depends where you want to send your kids to school. If it is a public school- than you should hop on a plane but if it is a private school- than it doesn't make sense.

News / Polish hero pilot lands 767 without wheels. (Warsaw) [191]


don't forget architecture- she is also and expert in architecture.

News / Polish hero pilot lands 767 without wheels. (Warsaw) [191]


you don't care that there is water dripping on your head for 10 hours? You don't care that your seat is broken and the tray table too. You don't care that the bathroom is broken half way through the flight and the tv.

You are a better person than me than. Because if we are paying a crap load of money to fly for 10 hours then I expect the plane to be safe and comfortable. That is after all the basis of flying, no? Perhaps their slogan should be "our planes only look like they are falling apart, they are actually quite safe."

News / Polish hero pilot lands 767 without wheels. (Warsaw) [191]


I am not superficial but when I fly, for the most part, it is across the Atlantic and for a minimum duration of 10 hours. There is nothing wrong with wanting or expecting comfort- particularly when you are paying for it. A family of four flying to Canada is not cheap.

I do agree with you with your concerns about the dreamliner. We are at an interesting chapter in our world and the materials used to construct the plane have me thinking.

My brother in law works for pratt and whitney. They are the big guns of the industry- as I am sure you know. If they start compromising materials I think I may explode. (not that boeing has compromised- but you are accurate when saying they are rushing the build)

My father in law has actually been in the air when his plane was hit by lightening and they had to make an emergency landing in New Zealand. Nobody was allowed off the plane until it had been demagnetized (that may be the wrong word) and everything shut down while they were in the air.

all this aside---the pilot and the crew did one hell of a job landing this plane. Every time I see the footage it leaves me breathless- particularly coming from my background- those foam trucks are green in Canada- I have seen them a hundred times and have known since I was about 9 what they were for.

News / Polish hero pilot lands 767 without wheels. (Warsaw) [191]

there is new footage of the interior just after landing- on tvn website.

News / Polish hero pilot lands 767 without wheels. (Warsaw) [191]

absolutely!

The pilot landed with little more than a bump felt by the passengers. This is something Poland as a nation should take great pride in.

News / Polish hero pilot lands 767 without wheels. (Warsaw) [191]

perhaps I am generalizing with "Russia"- the last few times that I have flown to Toronto there were hoards of Russian speaking people on the flight- they could have easily come from Belarus, Ukraine, etc.

Real Estate / Banks in Poland selling fewer mortgages in 2011, down 49% [285]


mind you, I come from a city in Canada that has one of the highest property taxes- but all of the major cities are similar.

about 5,000 Canadian dollars per year- so that is about 3,000 pounds per year. but this would be an average based on a single family home.

the garbage is a big deal.
there is curbside garbage pick up and recycling paper products in one bin, metals, glasses and plastics in another bin and now there is compost collection.

News / Polish hero pilot lands 767 without wheels. (Warsaw) [191]

actually no.
These statistics are the average and not the actual age of the planes. The entire air canada fleet is not old. the boeing 777 are all less that 5 years old. The older planes have all been upgraded -interior and mechanics. So the links you are seeing are not actual completely accurate. body is 15 years old but the brain is 5. They don't list the age since the upgrade.

And once again I will point out the human psyche. If a passenger sees that the interior of a plane is falling apart then they will assume that the parts that aren't visible are in disrepair too. Doesn't matter if it is true - it is human nature.

Just out of curiosity how many here have actually flown Lot to North America. How many can compare this with a carrier such as Luftansa, Air Canada, British Airways, KLM.

And I am not talking about one summer to visit an auntie in Toronto or Greenpoint.
I have flown Lot many many times to Toronto. I have also flown many many times with other carriers to other Canadian cities.

I will not fly Lot transcontinental until they get their new fleet. But since Warsaw has become a hub for those from Russia traveling to North America- the quality of the flight has changed.

Real Estate / Banks in Poland selling fewer mortgages in 2011, down 49% [285]


Canada has high property taxes. I don't mine paying them when it supports schools, curb side garbage and recycling pick up (that is huge in my books) and many other things.

News / Polish hero pilot lands 767 without wheels. (Warsaw) [191]


perhaps the body of the plane is old but the interior and all of the engine parts have all been upgraded. And like I posted earlier- seeing the interior of a plane fall apart no matter how old it is- does nothing to ensure passenger safety. It is human nature to think if something you can see is falling apart then something you can't see is falling apart too.

It is like when you buy a house or a car too. That is the problem with Lot. The parts of the plane that people see are falling apart- which creates doubt in a persons mind as to the safety of the plane.

water dripping from the windows and ceiling, broken seats, broken toilets- don't do anything to help fly the plane but if you are a passenger sitting in a broken seat with water dripping on your head- how confident are you going to be that the engine and all landing gear are 100% safe?

News / Polish hero pilot lands 767 without wheels. (Warsaw) [191]


you have a source for that? for the amount of times I have flown transcontinental with aircanada- I don't think it is luck. My brother in law also works for Pratt and Whitney- I get the insider goods on what is going on in the industry.

I agree KLM is great, so is British Airways and Luftansa. I will not fly any U.S. carriers ever. Lot I will fly when they are updated.

News / Polish hero pilot lands 767 without wheels. (Warsaw) [191]


exactly.
The pilot and his crew did a stand up job and should be recognized for this- but the fact of the matter is that the transcontinental fleet are starting to show wear and tear and their age.

unfortunately, botox can't help these old birds.

News / Polish hero pilot lands 767 without wheels. (Warsaw) [191]


ya, I also have a source

tp://www.aircanada.com/en/about/acfamily/index.html

I am willing to bet mine is more accurate, no?

another thing- these are talking about averages- not the actual age of the specific planes. I know that the transcontinental air canada planes are a hell of a lot younger, in fact brand new, compared to the transcontinental lot planes.

News / Polish hero pilot lands 767 without wheels. (Warsaw) [191]


no that is fine, i don't feel attacked.

as for age of fleet- I am comparing to Air Canada -which is what I fly to get back from Poland. The have an all new fleet and a very good reputation. I have flown Warsaw to Toronto a number of times- too many to count, and I can't do it anymore. The interior of the planes are falling apart. This may not be important to the actual flying of the plane- but it makes a huge difference to the passengers. If the interior where the passengers are is a mess then it is human nature to doubt the cockpit and the engine and all other parts of the plane. By mess I mean water dripping from the ceiling, broken seats, broken bathrooms, broken tv.....small details but this is what passengers feel.

I am not attacking pilots. I have grown up with planes landing over my head for as long as I can remember. I was also able to sit in the cockpit while landing at Calgary airport a few years ago- so cool.

I grew up on the largest air force base in Canada- I have flown on hercules, boeings, airbus and a few others- I have great respect for those in the aviation field- it is what I know, but I stand by my statement- Lot needs to update their fleet. The planes flown within Europe seem to be ok- but the 767's are a mess.

maybe lot should have gone with airbus- like aircanada.