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Posts by DominicB  

Joined: 28 Sep 2012 / Male ♂
Warnings: 1 - O
Last Post: 23 Sep 2020
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Posts: Total: 2706 / In This Archive: 2159
From: Chicago
Speaks Polish?: Yes

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DominicB   
5 Dec 2014
Life / What should a foreigner do when invited to join Christmas dinner with his Polish-friend's family? [21]

Do not openly drink alcohol on the 24th

I haven't met this custom. Quite the opposite, in fact, with the families I spent Christmas with in Chojnice, £owicz and Jelenia Góra. Drinking wine with wigilia was the rule, and "pasterka" meant watching a film or gathering around the fireplace and drinking wine and vodka, but not to excess. Christmas day is spent sitting at the table all day long eating and talking, with a hike in the woods or a visit to friends and family.

I fel nervous because I don't know if it's okay or normal for him to invite me over to his home in such an occasion, I learned that Christmas is the time for the whole family to re-united, so is it okay for me to join them?

Your absolutely welcome. Poles love having guests at Christmastime.

what should I do to express my gratitude and to please the host family? what kind of gift should I bring

Be polite, eat at least a little of everything offered to you at the table, compliment them on the cooking, play along with whatever they are doing. As for gifts, a box of very fine chocolates or a selection of very fine teas, perhaps an excellent bottle of dessert wine, fancy liqueur or mead (miód pitny) for mom, and a bottle of excellent vodka or whiskey for dad (unless you know he doesn't drink). Token gifts for other family members - nothing over a zloty, just something small to show you thought about them, especially if you've met them before. Don't bring perishable food. There will be more than enough. Homemade cookies may be a nice treat for the family if their the kind that can keep for a few days.

Lodz (my place) to Wroclaw (his hometown)

There is a bus from the Kaliska station, and trains as well. The bus is generally faster and cheaper, but less comfortable. The train takes longer, but its a lot more comfortable. DO NOT TRAVEL ON THE 24TH. It's murder, unless you are traveling first class. Try to go on the 21st or 22nd if you can. Check about the bus. There's PKS for sure, but I think there are also some private bus lines that are faster and more comfortable. Check. I always took the train first class on the same route, just in the opposite direction. It's worth the extra money. Second class can be very crowded at holiday time. The roads and train lines from £ódź to Wrocław are in bad shape, so plan on a long ride.
DominicB   
4 Dec 2014
Work / Job consideration in Warsaw - what would be my expenses in case I move here? [11]

Food - 500

Groceries and household supplies will cost you at least double that, and maybe even a lot more if you eat out more than once in a blue moon. If your job requires frequent traveling, you will be eating out a lot in places where you do not know the cheapest places to eat. Depending on how often that happens, you're combined grocery and household supply spending, together with other travel-related expenses, can well be more than 2000 PLN a month.

Misc 250

You are going to hate life if this is all you are budgeting for entertainment, travel and assorted diversion. Are you some type of masochistic ascetic, a glutton for punishment? The only hobby or pastime that you will be able to afford with that budget is masturbation.

The main aspect I am looking after in this job is the exposure I will get, which will hep me grow on professional front.

Far more useful than any exposure you may get in Poland are diplomas and certificates that you can earn in India.

This is the reason I want to know what I would be able to save at the end of every month.

yet a saving of about 2000 PLN per month

2000 PLN a month? Are you kidding? That just ain't going to happen even if you are masochist ascetic. 0 to 500 PLN is more like it, 1000 max, with a lot of luck, and that only in the best couple of months out of the year. What happens if you get sick? Even a minor illness or dental problems can wipe out your entire savings really quick.

Sorry, I just don't think it would be to your advantage to take this job, as far better options exist elsewhere, including India. Maybe if you were a desperate unemployed recent grad with no experience, but not at your stage in your career. Explore your options for improving your qualifications in India, and get to work earning diplomas and certificates that you can sell in richer countries. Your experience in Poland will probably mean little on the global job market.
DominicB   
4 Dec 2014
Love / Learning a language solely for your partner [21]

Kind of like, out of love

The best teachers in the world are Pain, Shame, Fear, Guilt, Regret and Hunger. Notice that Love doesn't make the list.
DominicB   
4 Dec 2014
Real Estate / Bydgoszcz - studio/apartments [19]

Bydgoszcz since birth,my question is....why on earth you want to move here???

They don't call it "Brzydgoszcz" without reason. As Monitor said, Atos is hiring Indians by the droves.

circa 2 x national average wage.

Cost of living is significantly higher for foreigners than for natives, so that comparison doesn't mean much. It's still a fraction of what they can earn in the West. 5000 PLN a month is only $20,000 US, and 10,000 PLN is a measly $40,000. On a global scale, those are low wages.
DominicB   
4 Dec 2014
Real Estate / Bydgoszcz - studio/apartments [19]

1000 PLN is ok for a studio.

That is going to be the absolute minimum for something rubbish in a no good part of the city.

Agree. 1200 PLN is more realistic.
DominicB   
4 Dec 2014
Love / What do Polish guys think of Asian girls? [50]

Germans don't behave any more like native Macedonians than Americans do. They were just as out of place, regardless of the fact that they didn't smile.
DominicB   
4 Dec 2014
Love / What do Polish guys think of Asian girls? [50]

I feel like I am a Panda in the Zoo

Don't worry. It's just a natural reaction that any people have to seeing something unfamiliar, Harmless curiosity, not any form of actual antipathy. The same thing happens when non-Asian people go to places off the beaten track in Asia. Consider yourself lucky that Polish people don't touch you or feel your hair, like rural Chinese people would when they encounter a blond European.

It doesn't have to do with race or skin color even. Thirty years ago, three German colleagues and I (white American) visited Macedonia in Yugoslavia. Everywhere we went, we were quickly surrounded by swarms of curious children. Physically, any of us could have passed as an ethnic Macedonian. It's the way we acted, spoke and dressed that set us apart as obvious strangers.

When I first came to Poland, people instantly recognized me as a foreigner. People used to come up and ask me for a cigarette several times a day. After a few years, that didn't happen any more, because I started behaving like a local (don't smile, don't ever smile in public). Nobody asked me for a cigarette anymore.

The same thing will happen to you. Once you start behaving like a local, fewer people will notice you and stare at you. Yes, you might get an occasional ignorant comment from an ignorant low life now and then, but just ignore it and you'll be fine.
DominicB   
4 Dec 2014
Love / Learning a language solely for your partner [21]

Is it really that difficult? Could one reach basic conversational fluency in a year if they really made an effort?

Yes, it really is that difficult. It's by far the most difficult Indo-european language (English is the easiest). And it's very unlikely that you will reach basic conversational fluency in only one year, even with major effort. Even translators trained by the military who study the language every day from reveille to taps don't often manage that. The grammar is truly perverse, and makes Latin seem like child's play.

For me it is really important

Give it a try. Like Pam said, there is an off chance that you might actually fall in love with the language. It is a helluva challenge, though, and one that will try your patience time and time again. Every rule has tons of exceptions, and even Poles have trouble. Just the amount of grammar you need to say the number "two" is mind boggling. Polish learners of English often complain that we have a couple of hundred irregular verbs. In Polish, ALL verbs are irregular. There isn't a single regular verb to be found. Take English grammar (which is childishly simple as far as languages go), multiply it by a thousand, and that will give you a good idea what you are up against.

The worst part is speaking. Your listening and reading skills will develop long, long before your speaking skills do. When I was learning Polish, I was reading at professor level before I was speaking at preschool level. The amount of time needed to develop basic speaking skills is the reason most people who start learning the language soon quit. Those that persevere generally have very serious motivations to learn (long-term living, studying and working in Poland), iron discipline, and a masochistic love of pain, hard work and frustration. If you fit that description, then have a go at it. Good luck!
DominicB   
4 Dec 2014
Real Estate / Bydgoszcz - studio/apartments [19]

My idea would be 600 PLN per month.

You're not going to find an apartment for that little money. The cheapest studio apartment will cost you about 1000 PLN all inclusive (rent, fees and utilities), and I wouldn't count on finding one even that cheap unless you are lucky and have help from an experienced local.

Here's the link your looking for:

gumtree.pl/fp-mieszkania-i-domy-do-wynajecia/bydgoszcz/c9008l3200120

You will need the help of a Polish speaker to find an apartment. You won't manage on your own.

Also, when you see the price of an apartment advertised in Poland, that is not the full price, but only the money that the owner receives. For most apartments, there is also a 300 to 600 PLN property maintenance fee, and utilities cost an additional 200 to 600 PLN, depending on the type of heat.

So if you see an apartment advertised for, say, 800 PLN, that means that the total all-inclusive price will be anywhere from 1300 PLN on up. Beware of leaky windows. They can cost you a fortune for heating. Always visit the apartment with an experience (older) local native, and take their advice.
DominicB   
3 Dec 2014
Work / Job consideration in Warsaw - what would be my expenses in case I move here? [11]

The pay is low though ~3,000 PLN netto.

That is far too low to justify moving to Poland for. If you take your airfare and visa fees into account, you may even end up in the red after a year. So this is not an option.

about 5,000 PLN (netto)

That would be about the bare minimum that you should be offered to move to Poland. However, as Monitor points out, you would be making about the same or even a little less in terms of purchasing power, especially considering it's in Warsaw, the most expensive city in Poland, so it's hardly tempting. I wouldn't consider this a serious option either.

My advice would be to continue working in India, build up your qualifications, and then try finding better paid work in a wealthier country. You will not be able to do that in Poland.

P.S. Poland has always been a center of attraction for me because of my interest in world history.

Poland is attractive only if you have the cash to enjoy what it has to offer. Otherwise, it is not so attractive, especially during the winter. Although wages are low, the cost of living is rather high, and the quality of life is rather low, especially for foreigners from warmer climes.
DominicB   
3 Dec 2014
Study / What is the best medical school in Poland? [33]

I am leaning to suggest to her to learn Polish and attempt polish language and calculate a year to prepare for USMLE ( 8 years same as US BSc/MD program).

If she doesn't speak Polish now, it will take here at least three years of very hard work to learn Polish to the level that she will be able to study Medicine in Polish. The amount she has to read and regurgitate with great speed and a high level of fluency is staggering. Even if she does speak basic Polish, she may require a year or two to bring her academic Polish up to snuff.

Agree with Jardinero's comment. There are a lot of slackers in the English language programs, and the level of education is not very rigorous. She would need a review course after returning to the States.

Best option, of course, is to study in the States. If she has the grades, she can get significant financial help, including a full-ride scholarship (like I did). Medical schools in the States are lightyears ahead of Polish schools. And they may actually be cheaper. Look at your state university system, and those in other states.

Passing the USMLE is not the hard part. Getting into a good residency program is, and it is very tough to do without references from professors at American medical schools.
DominicB   
3 Dec 2014
Love / Learning a language solely for your partner [21]

Would it be possible to become fluent when this is your goal or would you need more motivation like needing it for work or to live in the country or something?

While it is a nice gesture, it is highly unlikely that that will be sufficient motivation to learn more than a few expressions, especially with a devilishly complicated language like Polish, in which saying even simple sentences requires a great deal of grammatical knowledge, tons of practice, and iron discipline. It's not a plug-and-play language like English, where you can quickly start speaking once you start learning it. It will take you years to come up to basic conversational fluency.

This isn't knocking the language. I learned it and used it in Poland for twelve years as a professional translator, have read hundreds of books in it, and obviously love it despite it's perverse difficulty. But this is a language you have to learn because you love it with all your heart, not just to please your mate.

I just think there are better ways to spend your time showing respect for your partner and their culture.
DominicB   
1 Dec 2014
Work / Salaries in corporations vs elsewhere in Poland; interview procedures [8]

I said to one company from 3500 to 4000, but then I read on internet, that in this company they pay much more.

That would be pretty near the tippity-top of the range for the jobs you listed above.

And, as InWroclaw said, that translates only to 2000 to 2500 PLN a month netto. Hardly tempting for a foreigner. For comparison, a studio apartment in Wrocław will cost you about 1500 PLN a month all inclusive, and with less than 1000 PLN a month for other expenses combined, you will be living like a student. I highly doubt they would offer you much more, if anything at all, and I would not count on getting a substantial raise after you start. Poland is an employer's market, not an employee's market, which is why so many Poles seek employment abroad, while very few people from Western Europe come to Poland to work. I advise you to rethink and seek employment elsewhere.

And what do you think about changing the expected salary and saying a bit higher one? Is it somehow possible?

Of course it's possible, and that's exactly what you should do. Ask for 5000 PLN, and don't be disappointed if they turn you down.

Like saying, that for the beginning I would be ok with 3500, but after some time and getting more serious and responsible tasks, I would like my salary to be higher.

That would be incredibly stupid. Once you're hired, they have very little incentive to give you a substantial raise.

I speak foreign languages and I have a master degree.

So do thousands upon thousands of unemployed young people in Poland, and they would be willing to work for half of what you are asking. There is nothing you have said that indicates that you are particularly valuable on the Polish job market, other than being a native speaker of Italian, and that doesn't translate into serious cash. Unless there is something that you are not telling us.

I would just like to have a real idea on how much should I expect for these roles. Especially for an executive assistant of bosses. It sounds a demanding work, but I have no idea about the salary.

Like I said, 3000 PLN butto would be considered very good pay in Poland for any of the jobs you listed. Anything more would be extremely generous. Like I said, there are tons of Poles who would take these jobs for a lot less.
DominicB   
1 Dec 2014
Work / Average salary to live&work in Wrocław? Local Credit Suisse opinions. [33]

planning to put it in an English school?

If you will not be making at least 9000 PLN a month AFTER TAXES, that is 13000 PLN gross, then it would hardly be worth moving to Poland with a wife and kid that needs to go to an English school. Cost of living in Poland for foreigners is a lot higher for foreigners than for native Poles, and it is extremely unlikely that your spouse will be able to find work.

For a more detailed answer, tell us where you are from (citizenship), what are your education, qualifications and experience, what job you are applying for/have been offered, and how much they are offering, if they have. Also, how old your kid is.
DominicB   
29 Nov 2014
Work / Salaries in corporations vs elsewhere in Poland; interview procedures [8]

At the first moment at the phone interviews I said maybe too low salaries

Never, but never, answer that question. At all. There is never a way that you can answer it without hurting yourself in further negotiations, as you found out. Make THEM make an offer first. Always. And ALWAYS take a few days before reacting to their offer. Never let them talk you into doing otherwise. If you do, that just proves to them that you are a complete idiot that they can f.uck over however and whenever they want. And when it comes to wages, that is exactly what they plan to do.

work in a travel agency? And in customer service with Italian? And in the position of executive assistant of bosses with English?

All three of those jobs are unlikely to pay more than 3000 PLN brutto, and probably a good bit less, especially to someone with little experience or other special skills. Even if you are desperate, that is certainly too little to make relocating to Poland worthwhile, and probably not even enough to justify staying in Poland if you are already there.

In other words, you are wasting your time looking for what amounts to unskilled jobs in Poland because wages are far too low and the labor pool is abundant. Try elsewhere in one of the richer countries.
DominicB   
27 Nov 2014
Work / Internships in Warsaw for non-Polish speakers? Area of logistics / supply chain management preferably [8]

I am not a recent graduate, and should make clear that I am currently a 2nd ear student looking for a 3-6 month internship during my 4th semester at university

If that's the case, you are off to a rather late start. Best put your holiday plans on hold and spend the time looking for that internship.

therefore logistically it needs to be in or around Warsaw.

An often undervalued if not completely overlooked source of quality leads for things like this is upperclassmen who have this stage already behind them. They can provide you with tons of useful information, including the names of the people who actually make the decision to take interns on.
DominicB   
27 Nov 2014
Study / Bachelors in Civil / Mechanical Engineering Degree in Poland [39]

my parents cannot afford the expenses of higher education

The last place you should be looking is in countries like Poland. There is extremely little in the way of financial aid available, and you will not be able to earn any money with a part-time job. Sorry, but Poland is not an option for non-EU students who cannot pay their own way.
DominicB   
27 Nov 2014
Work / Internships in Warsaw for non-Polish speakers? Area of logistics / supply chain management preferably [8]

Maybe try to talk to somebody in your uni? Making this by yourself sounds risky and difficult.

Your goal as a student was to cultivate as many useful contacts as possible, among your teachers and among your fellow students, but also in the business community you plan to make a career in. If you failed to do this, then finding a cushy and interesting internship that will further your career goals will indeed be a difficult task.

I tell my students that they should develop strong relationships with their professors, greet them warmly every time they see them, pop by their office if only to say hello and keep them posted about your progress, ask intelligent questions about the work they are doing or have done, and generally to butter them up without being obnoxious.

Professors get cookies to hand out, and they hand them out to those students and former students who pop into their minds first. These cookies range from invitations to conferences and other events, letters of recommendation and introduction, job leads, graduate programs and, yes, internships. When people in the business world are looking for promising new talent, they often call up professors for leads.

Your goal as a student was to become one of the names that pops right into their minds. Not necessarily because you excelled in academics, though that helps. But there are a lot of top students who fail to ingratiate themselves with their professors and thus do not come to mind when someone mentions an internship or job opportunity.

If you failed to do so, then there is no time like the present for damage control and making up for lost time. Get your butt to the university, meet with every single professor you can, do your utter best to dazzle them with your brilliance and charm, and hope that some of the mud you fling on the wall sticks. It's time to hustle now, and if you snooze, you will certainly lose.

Also, as a recent grad, you would be very foolish indeed if you were to limit your search to a single city in a single country. Cast your net very wide, because you are fishing in waters where trophies are very sparse indeed.

As Monitor said, apply for every opportunity you can find.

One last word of advice. The best opportunities never get posted on the internet. The one thing you should have learned in management school is that real business, including hiring, takes place in the REAL world between REAL people with REAL handshakes. Word or mouth is worth more than an impressive CV or top grades. If you rely solely or primarily on the internet and social media for your job search, you drastically reduce your chances of finding a quality position, so get your lazy butt out there and start knocking on doors.
DominicB   
26 Nov 2014
Love / What to get my Polish girlfriend for her birthday / 6 months? [3]

She loves horses? Easy. Black Beauty, The Black Stallion, The Red Pony, My Friend Flicka, The Horse and His Boy, National Velvet, Dick Francis books (start with either Decider, Comeback or Smokescreen, they don't have to be read in any particular sequence), James Herriot books (these do have to be read in sequence. Start with All Creatures Great and Small), and the Saddle Club series (Start with Horse Crazy). Anything I've just listed is essential reading for any horse lover, and they are all easily available on the net in English, and almost all of them in Polish.
DominicB   
25 Nov 2014
Work / Australian looking to teach English in Poland [25]

True, but you're cooped up in a dingy maze of tiny cubicles instead of being out in the fresh air and sunshine. And none of those moving spiritual songs to brighten your day.
DominicB   
25 Nov 2014
Work / Australian looking to teach English in Poland [25]

If you are not a technical specialist, especially in the IT field, the only jobs for you in call centers are cold-call sales and low-level bill collection, neither of which I would wish on a dog, nor pays enough to live on. It's the cottonpicking of the twenty first century.
DominicB   
24 Nov 2014
Work / Living in Katowice (programmer, 3000 PLN) - is it enough? [65]

my wife and my two kids. ?

Where are you from (citizenship)? What do you mean by IT guy (education, qualifications, experience)? How old are your kids? Does anyone have special needs? What kind of lifestyle to you expect to lead? Without this information, it's well nigh impossible to answer your question with any degree of accuracy.

In general, though, you're probably going to need about 11,000 PLN net (after taxes and deductions), or about 17,000 net. You're not going to get that much unless you are a very experienced SAP or HBase consultant, or similar high-level technical specialist. Or a high-level senior administrator or top level manager. Any less and you are going to reduce your ability to save up any substantial amount of money for a rainy day fund.

Housing is going to cost you about 3000 to 3500 pln all inclusive (rent, maintenance fees, utilities, phone, internet, cable and heating).

Food and basic household supplies at least another 1500 PLN.

School for two kids can easily set you back 2000 PLN a month for a good private school.

Entertainment and travel are a huge wild card.

Make all plans on the very safe assumption that neither your wife nor your kids will be able to earn a single penny during your whole stay.

Also take into account that, if your wife has a career, she will have to put it on hold for the duration of your stay, and unless she speaks Polish, will have very little opportunity to enhance her credentials or qualifications.

Also, take into account that your wife and kids may be quite isolated. Most Poles do not speak English, and even people in their thirties generally do not beyond a basic level that may not be good enough for free-ranging conversation.

If you are from India or Korea, remember that those expat communities are extremely closed and rigidly stratified, so if you are not in the "in crowd", life can be very lonely.

Last of all, unless you are a top level administrator or manager, remember that the location in Poland is dedicated almost entirely to outsourcing or insourcing, and that you will be cut off from the mainstream of the corporate culture (basically, it's like being in the windowless basement). That can greatly reduce your opportunities for advancement.

Working in Poland can actually close more doors than it opens. Make sure you talk it over with several people from your country who have done it before (face to face, not on the internet).
DominicB   
17 Nov 2014
Life / Quiet Hours and Hot Water Supply [12]

BTW, this is in Gdansk.

Then you should have little trouble finding a better apartment, which seems to be your only option.
DominicB   
17 Nov 2014
Law / Process involved in the transfer of a work-permit? [4]

if it's possible to transfer my current work-permit to my potential new employer and if yes, how?

No. Your new employer would have to apply for a work permit for you from the very beginning. The work permit belongs to your employer, not to you.
DominicB   
16 Nov 2014
Work / Storage Admin 3 years experience in field IT - salary in Poland [36]

One live real-world contact is worth a million virtual contacts. Sorry, but REAL business is done in the REAL world by REAL people with a REAL handshakes and REAL word-of-mouth recommendations. If the best you can do in terms of career advancement is relying on internet contacts, you career has taken a major nose-dive.
DominicB   
13 Nov 2014
Work / Storage Admin 3 years experience in field IT - salary in Poland [36]

The bulk of IT work that foreigners can do is overwhelmingly outsourced or insourced. This means that the work is basically grunt work that the engineers in the home country don't want to do. Interesting projects are a rare exception. Also, the OP would be cut off form the corporate mainstream, and would find it very hard to advance within the corporation or even to make useful contacts. Working in Poland is generally like working in the basement, where nobody upstairs sees you or cares about you.
DominicB   
13 Nov 2014
Work / Working in music industry in Poland? [3]

Do you think it's possible for non-Polish speaker to find a job as an sound mixing and mastering engineer?

Not a chance.

Or else do you guys know if there's a job for non-Polish speakers? I mean what jobs are available for non-Polish speakers in Poland?

Basically nothing that is worth moving for. Sorry.
DominicB   
12 Nov 2014
Work / Storage Admin 3 years experience in field IT - salary in Poland [36]

would it be an open contract and therefore your job would be safe ?

It's extremely unlikely that you will be offered an open-ended contract. Chances are that you will be offered a two or three year contract, as Monitor said, with an option of renewing at the end of the contract. Which you are not going to do, anyway, because by then you will have found better opportunities in richer countries, unless you are too stupid or lazy to aggressive pursue better prospects once you get hired. At best, this will add a couple of years of low-grade experience to your resume. Nothing exciting at your level. For a poor country with low wages, the cost of living is rather high, which pretty much rules out saving up a substantial amount of money.

Your time would be better spent exploring more promising job markets. Don't even think as Poland as a backdoor to the richer countries in the EU. That could set your career behind by years. Best advice is to find a job in your home country for an international company, work there for a few years, and transfer. Sorry, but working in Poland is rarely a rewarding a valuable way to further your career, and is often career suicide.