Genealogy / Gleesau apud Posen, Polonia Silesia [35]


Which, at 141 km and on the other side of any significant border throughout history, is nowhere near being "apud Posen" (near Poznań), so that seems quite a bit of a stretch. Add to that that "Klieschau" is a big jump from "Gleesau" and it's even more unlikely.

In fact, that anyone would describe any place as both "apud Posen" and "Silesia" seems pretty weird to me. The closest to Poznań that Silesia ever got was Guhrau (Góra), and I wouldn't call that "apud Posen". The word you are reading as "Silesia" might be something else.

Genealogy / Gleesau apud Posen, Polonia Silesia [35]


Kliszów is nowhere near either Poznań or Silesia. Not by a long shot.

Language / The lost literary languages of Poland [54]


Not according to their website, which says that they are one of two year-round theaters in Europe that present performances in Yiddish, which is very much different from what you wrote.

It seems to perform primarily in Polish nowadays. There might be occasional performances in Yiddish, but the schedule on their website doesn't seem to mention any, though they say they still do. Probably only as an occasional curiosity, though.

Language / The lost literary languages of Poland [54]


Probably the only time you would even have a chance of hearing Yiddish spoken is during the Hasidic pilgrimage to Leżajsk, where the speakers will almost exclusively be from the US or Israel. And perhaps occasionally in Warsaw or Kraków, again almost exclusively among Hasidic tourists from the US or Israel.

Language / The lost literary languages of Poland [54]


Dubious to the extreme. The overwhelming majority of active Yiddish speakers are in the US, almost all in New York City. Also, the overwhelming majority of elderly people who still remember Yiddish, though they may not actively speak it any more, are also in the US, especially in Florida and, again, New York City. The number of active Yiddish speakers in Poland is microscopic in comparison.

Language / The lost literary languages of Poland [54]

If your Polish and German are good, you will thoroughly enjoy Tuwim's one-page short story called "Hydraulik" (The Plumber). It's a hilarious example of how people spoke in £ódź in Tuwim's time. The modern equivalent would be Polish businesspeople speaking in a weird mixture of Polish and (what they think is) English.

forum.gazeta.pl/forum/w,12359,127812718,127823290,Julian_Tuwim_HYDRAULIK.html

Work / Poland seeking more natural English speakers [54]


No, it doesn't depend. It is certainly true without a doubt that by far most people looking for work are primarily motivated by earnings and savings potential, especially those moving abroad, and that any exceptions like you and I are rare.


Which has nothing to do with quality of life. When I was a graduate student, I lived in San Diego, right on the Mexican border. We used to do our shopping and spend a lot of our free time in Tijuana because, at the time, one dollar bought ten times more than in the States. That didn't change the fact that the quality of life in Tijuana was among the worst in the Western Hemisphere. It was a total $hithole. No one in their right mind would argue that the quality of life was better in Tijuana than in San Diego, not even the mayor of Tijuana. Well. maybe a few drug lords.

Same with your example.

Work / Poland seeking more natural English speakers [54]


It's a safe bet that by far most people looking for work are primarily motivated by earnings and savings potential, especially those moving abroad. You and I are rare exceptions.


What condescending and patronizing nonsense. Hundreds of thousands of Poles who have left Poland to make a life there would very strongly disagree that the quality of life in Poland is on the whole worse than the UK, as would by far most people, who would find Poland even less attractive because they have no ties to it. And on any objective measure of quality of life, Poland lags way, way behind the West.

Enough of your romantic boosterism. People come here for sound advice, not for cheap propaganda.

Work / IT job offer from Wroclaw - advice on flats needed and other questions about Poland [17]


Baloney. These people have never even conducted a proper active job search, and if they did, they would certainly find plenty of better jobs in richer countries. Poland is not some magical land of milk and honey with a stranglehold on jobs. Quite the opposite.

Language / Am I being detained? Equivalent phrase in Polish language. [11]

Czy jestem zatrzymany? Czy mogę już iść?

Work / IT job offer from Wroclaw - advice on flats needed and other questions about Poland [17]


If your goal is to work in the UK or Holland or any of the richer countries, apply for jobs there. If you have the qualifications and experience to land a job for 13,000 PLN in Poland, you have what it takes to find a job in a rich country for double or triple the pay, and it doesn't make much sense to use Poland as a "stepping stone" or "back door".

Do your research and apply to as many jobs in richer countries as you can. Network and contact real people, rather than relying on the internet. Good jobs are practically never advertised on the internet. They are advertised by word of mouth, so networking is crucial.

Work / Poland seeking more natural English speakers [54]

Like I said. Never in all my time on this forum has anyone given an adequate answer to my question, and neither have you. Not by a long shot.

Granted, Poland is not the worst. But it is very rarely the best option for work or study, and then, only for a select few with unusual circumstances. And it is never, ever the only option.

And for the god-knows-how-manieth time, if someone thinks that Poland is their best or only option for work or study, then they have failed miserably at exploring the abundant better options elsewhere.

Work / Poland seeking more natural English speakers [54]

"I don't know Dominic - why did you spend so long there if it is only for losers?"

My circumstances were extremely exceptional. No comparison at all. And I really resent you trying to put words in my mouth. I loved my time in Poland. A lot. And I never said it is for losers. It's just not for by far most people looking to work or study. Precisely because there are almost always plenty of much better options available.

Work / Poland seeking more natural English speakers [54]


Why come to Poland when there are plenty of other places where opportunities for employment are much, much better, wagers are much, much higher, chances for advancement are much, much better, and quality of life by any criterion is much, much better? I've never heard anyone give a good answer to that in all my time on this forum, with very, very few exceptional individuals with very exceptional circumstances.

So why should this guy stay in Poland? He can't even find a lousy job in a lousy call center. What point is there in wasting any more time?

Law / Inheritance and taking care of elderly parents in Poland [7]

I have to agree that you sound greedy and callous. Best to keep your mouth shut and let your wife's family handle this in their own way. Your input has almost certainly not been solicited, and it will definitely not be appreciated by any of the parties involved.

Work / Poland seeking more natural English speakers [54]

"I don't know dominic maybe he comes from some part of the UK where the streets are not paved with gold and the casual jobs that he used to do have been given to Polish and Lithuanians...."

The painfully obvious answer to that is to move to a better part of the UK, or to a richer country, not to move to the place those Poles and Lithuanians are escaping from in droves.

Work / Poland seeking more natural English speakers [54]

Also, if you expect to find a good job by looking on the internet, you need to wake up and smell the coffee. Good jobs are never posted on the internet (unless they have been filled already, and then only for show). The only jobs you'll ever find on the internet are the crumby table scraps that no one else really wants.

Good jobs are advertised exclusively through word of mouth, and offered in face-to-face encounters between real people in the real world. So get out there in the real world and get to know lots of real people. Looking for work on the internet is for hopeless *******.

Work / Poland seeking more natural English speakers [54]


I have to agree with the other guys. Why in God's name would you want a lousy low-paid dead-end job is some lousy call center in some grimy backwater town like £ódź? Do you really hate yourself that much?

If this is the best you can manage in Poland, then it's time to pack your bags and head home.

Work / First English teaching job in Poland (Katowice) [75]


Relative to wages, the cost of living in Poland is very high compared to the States, including the price of food.

Work / What is deducted from a salary in Poland apart from Income tax? [155]


What doom and gloom, pray tell? What I wrote was extremely optimistic about the OP's chances of success in finding a good job in a richer country.


A very remote possibility. Make your plans on the very safe assumption that she will not be able to earn a single penny in Poland, unless she happens to be an IT specialist with abundant experience in some exotic skill set that is highly in demand.

Work / What is deducted from a salary in Poland apart from Income tax? [155]


No. You're missing the point. For experienced senior professionals like the OP, there is no need for a "stepping stone". They can go in the front door.


There certainly are. More and better ones than in Poland. Where do you think all those Polish engineers are going? There is an acute shortage of engineers in all of the rich countries.


It most certainly is, compared to Poland. A veritable land of milk and honey. No doubt about it. That's why there are so many Poles in the UK, and far fewer Brits working in Poland.


Not as soon as you think. And the amount of capital floating about in Poland is microscopic compared to the richer countries.


Again, there is no need for a stepping stone or back door.


You don't see Finns leaving their country in droves, especially for Poland.


Actually, it does. Polish engineers start at a disadvantage compared to those trained in the US, the UK, Switzerland or Sweden. Practical courses, innovative projects and high-quality internships cost more money than Polish universities can afford, and the lack of R&D bucks compounds the problem.

Please stop trying to put lipstick on a pig. I have little regard for boosterism.

Work / What is deducted from a salary in Poland apart from Income tax? [155]


What of all of that could possibly apply to a senior engineer or financial expert from the Subcontinent? They certainly aren't interested in eking out a frugal, but bucolic (actually, more bubonic) existence in a god-forsaken backwater where they will have trouble fitting in, where they have no interest in staying more than a year or two at the most, where their families will suffer from social isolation and boredom, and where they will be able to save up only a paltry sum of money towards their nest-egg?

Sorry, but I have trouble believing that any Asian engineer would even consider that at all appealing. The only attraction that Poland holds for them is 1) as a back door into the EU, which is not a smart strategy as they can go in through the front door; and b) something to enhance their CV with, which is likewise as there are abundant much better opportunities available in richer countries.


As Carl Sagan's father repeatedly told his son, "I've told you billions and billions of times not to exaggerate". Poland hasn't "arrived" yet. Not by a longshot.


Employment wise, the UK is a veritable bed of roses compared to Poland.


For an engineer, job satisfaction is primarily a factor of being able to autonomously shape their careers and work on innovative and interesting projects for decent remuneration, particularly in a place where R&D and investment money flows in rivers. Working in a SSC in Poland is not going to do much to help them achieve that goal. They are setting their sights low because they haven't explored more promising opportunities.


No, they are not. They are cheerier and happier because the quality of life and chances for advancement are much better than in Poland.


Oh, God. Not the old myth that Polish engineers are somehow special again. Polish engineers would disagree. Every single one I have ever spoken to was dissatisfied with Polish higher education, in particular the poorly funded practical course, and the lack of cooperation between universities and the business and industrial communities. They are hired in richer countries because there is a great demand for engineers there, whether from Poland or the Subcontinent.

Work / What is deducted from a salary in Poland apart from Income tax? [155]


Poland doesn't appear on the top ten list for any quality of life indicators, except perhaps racial and ethnic homogeneity, if you consider that conducive to quality of life. It offers nothing special that numerous other countries do not offer in greater abundance, with far less drawbacks.


Means jack $hit. It's far behind and still has a long, long way to go before it even nips at the coattails of the top and second-tier players, and that's not going to be in five or ten years. More like thirty to fifty, optimistically. Don't forget the other players are growing, too.


Why you would think that Poland is the promised land in this regard is beyond me. Far from it. This is a classic false dichotomy. The choice is absolutely not between the US and Poland. There are plenty of other countries out there that offer much better opportunities for work/life balance, and there are plenty of opportunities to do so in the States. Having lived in both countries, it was my impression that Poles, in general, were much more obsessed about money and working than Americans. And they were much more paranoid about losing their jobs. In any case, job satisfaction in Poland is abysmal compared to the States and Western Europe, which is why so many Polish engineers leave the country for greener pastures.

Work / First English teaching job in Poland (Katowice) [75]


Knock yourself out! I wish you luck!

Work / What is deducted from a salary in Poland apart from Income tax? [155]


It's microscopic compared to other places on the globe. The tech sector within, say, the municipal limits of Cupertino or Mountain View alone exceeds that of the whole country of Poland by a wide, wide, wide mile. Actually, they exceed the tech budgets of all the Eastern European countries combined. Poland doesn't even register as a serious tech player on the global scale. It's still mostly driven by outsourcing, and R&D dollars are still rather limited.

Poland isn't bad. It's just that there are much, much, much better places to be an engineer, so Poland should not be a realistic option.

Work / First English teaching job in Poland (Katowice) [75]

Your being completely delusional if you think those are the only three options available to you. And that this job in Poland is going to open up doors for you. It probably won't, especially if it's at a method school.

Your best options are either to find a much more rewarding job in the UK or a richer country than Poland, and/or to reschool, retrain or otherwise beef up truly salable qualifications in the UK.


Sorry, but that's just crazy talk. You seem to be acting out of sheer desperation and aren't thinking straight at all.

And the idea of working for slave wages for a private business is just plain icky. And referring to it as a "charity project" is downright loathsome. It's simply wrong on so many levels, from practical to ethical. There is ZERO charity involved in working for a private business, as well there shouldn't be.

Sorry, but I think you have to have some serious talks with some seriously qualified responsible adults with abundant serious experience in career counseling. You're thinking with blinders on, and can't see that you are in a mental trap.

Work / What is deducted from a salary in Poland apart from Income tax? [155]


The OP isn't "most people". He's a senior IT engineer or high-level specialist or senior financial expert with abundant experience, including management, administrative or consulting experience. People with lesser qualifications don't get offered 9500 PLN a month.

And for a person of his qualifications and experience, being able to save only a few hundred dollars a month (if anything at all) is absolutely atrocious, regardless of his long term plans. Add to that that he is dragging his poor wife halfway across the globe to a place where she will more than likely be bored to death from social isolation and cabin fever.

Short-term sacrifice has it's limits, and this is deep, deep into the extreme zone.

Work / IT Jobs in Poland? [30]


Basically, no. If it's money you are after, then Poland just isn't the right place for you.

Earnings and savings potential are much, much lower than in the richer countries of western Europe like Germany, Switzerland and Norway, in the English-speaking countries (US, Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand), and jobs for civil engineers are hard to find. Also, the high cost of living relative to wages makes saving up a significant amount of money much more difficult that in richer countries, and the quality of life is considerably lower. Concentrate on finding a job in those countries.

What ever you do, do not come to Poland unless you BOTH already have found high-paying jobs BEFORE you come. It would be foolish to do otherwise. In fact, there is little, if any, point wasting your time even thinking about Poland at all.

For both of you, I would recommend going either where R&D dollars are concentrated (for you), or where there are extremely advanced construction megaprojects with mega budgets (for him). Follow the money. That's where the interesting, rewarding and high-paying jobs are.

Work / What is deducted from a salary in Poland apart from Income tax? [155]


The long view is to find a better job with another employer. If they offered him a job that pays 9500 PLN in Poland, it means he has plenty of salable qualifications, skills and experience that are in demand in richer countries. He's certainly not wet behind the ears.


There is no way, no how that this offer can be considered a "golden opportunity". Not even a tempting opportunity. Not even a sorta mediocre opportunity. No "maybe" about it. Stop trying to put lipstick on a pig. Don't be silly!

Work / First English teaching job in Poland (Katowice) [75]


Agree. If anything, the price of lessons is higher than in Warsaw, Kraków and Wrocław, which are crawling with British and Irish backpackers, slackers and horny alcoholics giving lessons for as low as 20 PLN, and sometimes only the price of beer.