Study / Overview of the WSGE university in Poland [42]

It's a scam. Is this the outfit you are recruiting for?

Work / Poland is not the best country to get part time job with study? [59]

I discourage anyone of any skin color or religion from coming to Poland.

And the cold hard fact is that the number of foreign non-Ukranian students coming to Poland has taken a nosedive, not least because they have caught on that studying in Poland is a waste of time and money, that there are far fewer jobs available for them since the Ukrainians started coming, and also because the Polish government has cut back on offering student visas, probably under pressure from western European countries.

Put your money where your mouth is. If you don't personally have a job to offer these poor suckers, then don't make empty promises that have no grounding in reality.

Study / Overview of the WSGE university in Poland [42]

It's a fake visa/vanity school run by a Turk. Any degree from there is completely worthless anywhere. Get real.

Study / Overview of the WSGE university in Poland [42]

The school is a fake school, so don't waste your money. Studying in an English-language program even at a good real school in Poland is generally a waste of time and money, too, as the degree is not worth much on the job market in Poland or anywhere else. If you cannot afford to study at a good university in one of the richer countries of western Europe or one of the English-speaking countries, then studying at a good university in your own country would be the best option.

Work / Poland is not the best country to get part time job with study? [59]


I wasn't talking about immigration at all. Exceedingly few of the students and workers from third-world countries have any intention of settling in Poland. They are all focused on getting into the rich countries of western Europe, particularly the UK. Very few of the students will complete their degrees once they discover that those degrees are not worth much in terms of getting a job in richer countries. Most will either return home or migrate, legally or illegally, to greener pastures at the first opportunity. This is particularly true for those who cannot afford to finance their studies and stay in Poland without working.

Out of the several hundred Indian students who start studies in Poland this year, more than half will be gone before a year is up, and a small fraction will stay long enough to actually earn a degree, predominantly those who can afford to pay and who study engineering fields. The rest are getting scammed to provide discretionary cash for university rectors, who couldn't care less about the drop out rate among third-world students who are going to return home broke and broken or abscond to greener pastures anyway. It doesn't harm then any as there will always be an abundant supply of gullible and desperate third-worlders to fleece the next academic year.

Only a handful, at best, will learn Polish and stay beyond the five-year mark to settle. As long as employment opportunities and wages in the west are so much higher than in Poland, Poland will remain a country that draws little in the way of immigration, except from the Ukraine and Belarus (and, weirdly, a tiny number of Poles and descendants of Poles, primarily, but not only, from the US, of a markedly conservative bent who want to move to a country that is practically devoid of immigrants). Third-worlders will continue to view Poland solely as a back door or stepping stone to better opportunities in the west.

Jon doesn't seem to realize that a poor Indian family has to go through hell to raise the money to send their child to study in Poland. They take a second or third mortgage on the family farm, sell what little belongings they have, take out criminally extortionary loans, sell themselves into indentured servitude, prostitute themselves and their other children, and even sell kidneys. To assure them that doing so is a good idea on the extremely remote chance that their kid will find a job to finance the rest is very irresponsible, as is assuring them that a degree from an English-language course at a Polish university is worth anything on the job market. A lot of these kids will have to go home and explain to their parents that the family fortune has been totally wiped out. Or make their way to Calais to sneak aboard a truck bound for the UK. The livelihood of a lot of people are at risk, and studying in Poland for a degree that no employer values is too great a risk to take with stakes so high. Might as well spend the money on lottery tickets.

Work / Poland is not the best country to get part time job with study? [59]

There was nothing disrespectful or abrasive in what I said, and the advice I gave was the best advice she's going to get. The OP is from India, so the chance that she speaks either Polish or Ukrainian is microscopically low. Yes, to get on in live you do need to speculate, but there is little point in coming to a country where the chances of ever finding work are remote to the extreme. That would just be plain stupid, and there is nothing wrong in pointing that out.

Language / Verbal Aspect - "składała" vs. "złożyła" [15]

A better general rule is not to use the perfective unless it strictly conforms to the textbook rule. Using perfective in the wrong place is a much bigger error than using imperfective in the wrong place. So when in doubt, use the imperfective.

Work / Poland is not the best country to get part time job with study? [59]

@Nandini

If you don't speak Polish or Ukrainian, then no. Make your plans on the very safe assumption that you will never be able to earn a single penny during your stay in Poland. If you need to work to finance your studies or stay, then Poland is not the country for you.

Language / Verbal Aspect - "składała" vs. "złożyła" [15]

Repeated events give me a headache, too. And the educated Poles I asked about it gave conflicting advice. Grammar books don't help much, except to say that the perfective is used for single, unique events that are successfully completed at a single, unique point in time. And regardless of what advice anyone gave about repeated events, they strongly agree with the grammar book definition even if it contradicts their own advice.

However, for all of the examples you have given, with "W zeszłym roku", I would use the imperfective, because the focus is not on a unique point in time when the action was completed, but on a more vague period of time. Your example 5 is particularly jarring to me. The "cały czas" indicates a frequentative use, which is handled by the imperfective in Polish.

The one that still confuses me is "Widziałem ten film we wtorek". To an English speaker, this fits all the criteria of a perfective use. I was never able to get a good explanation of why Poles use the imperfective.

Language / Verbal Aspect - "składała" vs. "złożyła" [15]

For something to be perfective, it has to represent:

A single, unique action that was successfully completed at a distinct point in time, or repetition of exactly the same action completed at about the same time, at most a minute apart or so. It doesn't matter if the time is explicitly specified, but only that the speaker considers it a successfully completed event,

In the poster you link to, there were four different, not unique submissions, that were submitted at different times, or it doesn't matter when they were submitted.

If the four wnioski had been submitted at the same time, you could use the perfective. But the idea here is that they were either submitted separately, or it doesn't matter when they were submitted or whether they were submitted together or separately.

The correct English translation would be "PO has (or have) submitted.....". Translating this with the continuous form would be a mistake.

Law / Where to go in Warsaw to register your residency? [7]


Yes, it's legal, but the process would take a little longer, especially if the application is not absolutely perfect. Any paperwork submitted at Plac Bankowy has to be sent to Marszałkowska. So it would be quicker to submit it at Marszałkowska. The decision would be exactly the same, as it is the same office that is making the decision. Also, if you have any questions besides the simplest ones, the staff at Plac Bankowy are not able to answer them, but will refer you to Marszałkowska. Basically all they do at Plac Bankowy is take you application and send it on to Marszałkowska. They do not take part in the actual decision process.

Work / Studies In Poland, is it easy to survive on part-time jobs? [259]


There are fewer and fewer. The massive inflow of Ukrainians destroyed chances of non-EU students getting jobs. It's harder for Polish students to find student jobs these days.

It's cruel to give these foreign students false hope that they will be able to find jobs in Poland, when no such opportunities exist.

Law / Both parent are Indian and child born in India; does child can have Poland permanent resident card? [2]

No. Because the child is not the child of a foreigner that has a permanent residence card. You are reading the regulation incorrectly. A child cannot have permanent residence unless the parents have permanent residence.

Life / Costs of living in Bialystok [17]


Not with a free standing house that fits that lifestyle. And certainly not with any savings. A western expat professional with a family of four would be scraping bottom if they were not able to put away at least 4000 PLN a month, and that's really minimal.


I'm assuming from the wording of his question that he is being sent by his Dutch employer and will be earning Dutch wages while in Poland, and that he is at least middle management.


It's not exactly a problem if they are earning expat wages and have money to burn. A bigger problem is foreigners coming here expecting to live as cheaply as Poles, and Poles like you telling them that they can. You kind of perpetuated that with your video quotes. What may be a comfortable wage for an average native Pole is horribly low for a highly qualified foreigner, or for a highly qualified Pole, for that matter.

Foreigners generally don't speak any Polish, and don't have a local network of family and friends. Both of those raise the cost of living a great deal. On top of that, they often have children that need to be sent to expensive private schools, which can cost as much as 4000 PLN a month per child. Poles are generally honest when dealing with foreigners, so the "gringo tax" is not nearly as bad as in, say, Central America, where price gouging is the rule, not the exception.

That is why statements like "you will be earning twice the local median wage" are completely meaningless to a expat. They don't give a rat's a$$ how much the locals earn. Their own wages per se don't matter to them, nor does cost of living per se, except as to how they impact the only financial figure that does matter to them, which is how much they can put aside at the end of the month in their savings or retirement account or in their kids college fund after paying for (what is for them) a comfortable lifestyle. Without savings, the job is not worth taking, unless it somehow has a very, very high probability of guaranteeing advancement and higher savings potential in the future.

For westerners, this is rarely the case. A decrease in savings potential is an opportunity cost that few are willing to incur, which is why so few westerners come to work in Poland compared to how many Poles go to work in the west. Indian engineers, on the other hand, may be willing to slog through a year or two of working for substandard wages in Poland on the assumption that this will enable them to get a much better paying job with much higher savings potential in the west in the future.

Work / Studies In Poland, is it easy to survive on part-time jobs? [259]

At best he would get hired by Uber Eats or some other scam outfit who will let him work for 19 days and then let him go without paying him anything. Plenty of that going around now. At worst, he will be "hired" by an organized crime outfit that will kill him and harvest his organs. Unfortunately, plenty of that going around, too.

Work / Studies In Poland, is it easy to survive on part-time jobs? [259]


No, he won't. Those jobs go exclusively to Ukrainians nowadays. A Nepalese student doesn't stand a chance.

Work / Studies In Poland, is it easy to survive on part-time jobs? [259]

There are no jobs for non-EU students in Poland. No one will hire you. If you need to earn money to study, then Poland is the wrong country for you. Make your plans on the very safe assumption that you will never be able to earn even a single penny during your stay in Poland.

Life / Costs of living in Bialystok [17]

Depends on how much he will be earning. More realistic if he is earning 25,000 PLN a month or more.

Life / English family in Wroclaw! [70]

The mistake would be entirely yours, as I was neither insinuating or implying nothing. Back to Logic 101 with you. Rumpole you are not.

Work / Loan / Credit in Poland (on 1600-2000 PLN income) [10]

Ask the bank. They will tell you.

Work / Loan / Credit in Poland (on 1600-2000 PLN income) [10]

If all you are earning in Poland is 1600 to 2000 PLN, then it's time to pull up stakes and go back to Finland, and ask your parents for help getting back on your feet.

Work / Loan / Credit in Poland (on 1600-2000 PLN income) [10]

With an income that low, no one is going to give you a loan. You barely earn enough to survive, never mind make payments on a loan.

Law / If I have a work permit, what are the chances that my visa application will get rejected? [25]

Yes, your visa can be denied even though you have a work permit. Don't quit your job until you definitely have a visa.

Life / English family in Wroclaw! [70]


I most certainly did no such thing. I refer you to the first word of that quote, "most", which means that I did not imply what you think I did, and that you inferred erroneously. (The writer implies, and the reader infers).

Life / English family in Wroclaw! [70]

They are looking for the type of people who would want to hang out with a married couple with child. Most single young people don't, nor do many of the short-haul technical specialists and consultants. And, of course, that they would want to hang out with themselves. In other words, other married couples, preferably with children, who are established or settling down, not single males who are just passing through. That narrows the pool a lot. It's a lot easier to be friends with someone who shares your values, priorities, lifestyle and circumstances. What's so difficult to understand about that?

You're married yourself, and established enough that under interests in your forum profile, you wrote "Walking the dog", and major concerns of yours include when the streetlights turn on and noise from an airshow. What kind of people are you friends with with? Hopefully not beer-chugging, poontang-chasing yahoos half your age (unless you have a drinking problem yourself). Backpackers can be interesting, but they are here today, gone tomorrow.

Work / Studies In Poland, is it easy to survive on part-time jobs? [259]


There are no jobs for foreign students. If you can't pay 100% for your studies and stay, then Poland is not the place for you. Make your plans on the very safe assumption that you will never be able to earn a single penny in Poland.

Degrees from programs taught in English at Polish universities are not worth anything on the job market. This is especially true for private universities like Vistula.

Yes, it is a waste of time coming to study at Vistula. Make more realistic plans for studying in your own country.

Life / English family in Wroclaw! [70]


Frankly, it will be a lot easier for her to meet Polish couples who can speak English than British and mixed couples with children living in Wrocław. While I'm sure the latter do exist, I never met any. The only English speaking foreigner I met with family was an American who came years ago and married a Pole.

There is a facebook group called Expats in Wrocław, but it doesn't want to load for me at the moment. There is, or was, also a group called International Friends of Wrocław. I'm sure that if you get out there and look for them, you might find a couple of British or mixed couples with kids. Check with the international schools. You might want to ask around at the British and Irish Pubs on Plac Solny. There is also a Scottish pub across from Renoma. Never been to any of them, so I can't vouch for their authenticity, but they might be able to put you in touch with some. There might be a couple of academics at the universities, too, though I never met or heard about any.

There is no British "community" in Wrocław. There are scattered Brits of various sorts, but nothing that resembles a community. If she thinks she is going to be able to operate in an English speaking bubble long term in Wrocław, and isn't gung-ho about learning Polish, then she has another think coming. You might want to reconsider moving to Poland if that's what she expects.

Most of the Brits in Wrocław fall into two broad classes: 1) Employees of British companies that are deployed short-term as consultants and technical specialists. If they have families, they practically always leave them at home. They're there to get a job done and aren't interested in socializing. And 2) assorted flotsam and jetsam, young backpackers, slackers, horny boys hoping to score, idiots who came to Poland with their Polish "girlfriends" who told them they could strike it rich there. Predominantly single males, often with alcohol problems. Not the type of people you're looking for.

Actual British and mixed couples are a distinct minority, and those with children even fewer. If you're planning on staying in Poland for long, then your wife should intensively study Polish, morning, noon and night. Even if she works her a$$ off, it will take her a few years to become conversant. Be super-ultra-supportive and helpful, and make sure you never, ever do or say anything that will turn her off, or else she will slam that book shut and never open it again, and will be on the next plane back to Scotland. Be patient, but constantly motivate her to keep working hard at it.

Good luck!

Genealogy / Turkiewicz, Czajkowski - Looking to connect with people with ties to Dobropole [13]


You're confused because you are thinking of these categories as static and mutually exclusive. They were far from either at the time.

Life / Costs of living in Bialystok [17]

@PatExpat

Like Jardinero said, it will be a challenge, but it could be a great adventure for you and your family provided you are earning well enough, especially if you are earning the same wages you did in the Netherlands.

It's difficult to give a price for the house. It depends on location, standard and yard size. It's going to be a lot cheaper to rent in a village outside the city than in the city itself, but that comes with disadvantages for you sons, who don't speak Polish, together with increased costs in transporting them to the city for school, lessons and social activities. I guess that a good ballpark price for the house is going to be about 5000 PLN a month. Add another 5000 PLN a month for living expenses, and how much you want to save, and multiply the total by 1.5 to get how much you should be earning. For example, if you want to save 1000 Euros a month (5000 PLN), it would be (5000 + 5000 + 5000) x 1.5 = 22,500 a month.

It sounds like you are coming for a long stay. If so, then it would probably be wise to rent an apartment at first and take your time looking for the right house.

Schooling for the kids is going to be a big problem. I'm not sure whether there is an international school in Białystok. There appears to be an IB program at one of the public high schools, and I suggest you contact them for further details. The person to contact is:

Ms Emilia Makarska
ul. Narewska 11
Bialystok 15840

email: zso2@um.bialystok.pl

This is going to work out best if your boys are outgoing and willing to take this as an advantage and opportunity. It is not going to work if your boys are shy and are going to take it as an ordeal. If your boys are not 100% vanilla in terms of sexuality, then reconsider whether this is a move you ought to make. A provincial eastern town in Poland is no place for a foreign kid with a non-conventional sexuality.

Life / Costs of living in Bialystok [17]

Where are you from? Yes, it does make a big difference.

What do you mean by "family"? How many people and how old are they?

Do any of you speak Polish?