Posts by mattyz

mattyz

24 Jan 2010

Real Estate / Nice sections of Krakow to live in, and other questions [4]

Hi guys,

My long-term visa was just approved, so my planned move to Poland is defiantly going to be a reality!

I'm 90% settled on Krakow as my initial residence, so I'm currently researching the areas of the city. However, it is really difficult to get good information on Krakow's neighborhoods, at least in English. Polish is technically my first language; however, compared to a native, it is terrible and I can not read or write in the language. So any help here would be most appreciated.

I don't have any hard criteria. I could comfortably pay 2000pln a month on rent, but that seems a bit excessive (but maybe I'm wrong) and obviously the cheaper the better provided it is not a horrible/unsafe location. Ideally, I'd like to find a roommate because living alone (at least initially) doesn't appeal to me since I'd be alone in a new country, and of course, there are savings associated with a flat share.

Finally, what would be the best method for finding a roommate? In the US, people are all ways advertising available rooms or roommates wanted on Craigslist or in the local newspaper, how or where is this best accomplished in Poland?

And just one more related question if you guys do not mind. My strategy so far is to fly into Krakow, and then stay at an affordable hostel until I find the above desired long-term flat. I'm guessing I'd be stuck in a hostel for at least a 1-3 weeks, but who knows, is this even a good plan? Are there better, faster, (and cheaper ways) to find housing?

Once more, any help would be greatly appreciated. :)

mattyz

13 May 2010

News / The EU's 1 Trillion Dollar Rescue Package [144]

I fail to see how economic prosperity is different then physical or military security. Every country has the right to defend their borders, and you don't do that by relying exclusively on the promises of other nations.

So its supposed to be a good idea for European countries, all with very different economies, to place their lots with the ECB and the Euro??? Its just a relabeled Bundesbank and Deutsche Mark. And remember, your not just taking orders from Berlin, but your also stuck with the all the Mediterranean countries who recognize a free ride when they see it. These are great locations for holiday, but those people can not govern their economies if their life depended on it. The fact that there are jokes actually questioning the intelligence of Poles is beyond me, we have done an admirable job recreating the nation from nothing in comparison to many of these countries.

Germany tried to subjugate Europe in 1914...failed. Again in 1939...they came much closer, but failed. In 2002 they did it again, but this time with out a single panzer. So I'm glad that the euro is in serious trouble and that Germany is stuck bailing out all of the lazy countries. Defeat is nothing new to them. For context, Obama can not even extend US federal unemployment benefits to the states that need them most with out a serious political fire storm. He barely got that passed even though he controls congress. Now imagine if we gave Canada or god forbid Mexico any money... LOL LMAO!!!!! A second civil war.

So controlling Europe in some vain attempt to match the US isn't all its cracked up to be. America and the rest of the world loves VW,BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Porsche. (keep your Audi, what a terrible car) That should be enough for Germany, they need to stop trying to play 4th Reich behind a bankers desk, the Euro is garbage.

I really hope that clown Tusk thinks real hard about his Euro pledge, the Euro is a great idea when every thing is going perfectly smooth, but all good things come to an end. Having your own currency is pretty important as you can actually dictate your own fiscal policy in recession by doing what ever you want to your currency.

Disclaimer: I'm Polish living in the US, I got citizenship to both countries. My girlfriend and I are getting married in Rzeszow next spring and we'll stay in Poland if we can manage financially. Maybe we can, maybe we can't, but I don't want to live under the German jackboot, I'd rather do the US rat race.