Study / Learning Polish at Adam Mickiewicz University [11]

As an American I have lived in Poland for more than 7 years - and to be honest, Poznan wouldn't be the place to go.

I run a private language school in Cieszyn, and I teach Polish to lots of Koreans who work at an auto production plant near here. This is perfect for them to get around and start learning how to actually speak/understand Polish and move up from there.

You can come to my school in Cieszyn - or find a private language school which can deliver an intensive Polish language course for foreigners. It's important that it's "for foreigners" too - as Polish philology teachers don't really have a grasp on current methods of language acquisition. Know Polish, yes. Know how to teach it - not really.

Hope that helps mate

Work / Advice on Teaching English in Poland [709]

Oh, be careful mate.

I've lived here in Poland for 7+ years, and have worked for quite a few private language schools and in the end, to be honest, I've opened my own. (joshlangaugecenter.com)

and be careful mate, be careful.

As a foreigner, there are simply many things that we don't know. Every other school I've worked for - I've been taken advantage of. In the end, my contracts put me at around 20 zl/hr which seems ok, but as a professional and talented teacher it's an insult when the Polish teachers whose English is at a much lower level than my own - both in terms of language and methodology - earn on average 50 zl/hr in my town. I don't know what about larger towns, but that's generally the way it's worked here.

Last April while applying for my residency permit (again) I found out that my previous school had me sign something which obligated me to pay ZUS (social insurance, retirement, etc...) on my own. I had no idea about this of course - a new arrival here in Poland. 6 years later, I ended up with a fine and paying interest of more than 5,000zl. Basically - they screwed me over by lying to me.

If you don't need the money - then dude, just do private lessons in a pub as you'll meet people and you won't have to deal with the dishonesty that goes on with lots of these second-rate schools who are doing everything they can to make their last groszy off you.

Hope that helps.

USA, Canada / Are Polish women marrying for US citizenship (or green card)? [19]

Come on guys.

Poland is EU these days and to be honest life here in Poland is pretty great. Polish girls like to meet foreigners because they're interesting and different than the normal guys. It's normal.

Marrying an American for their Green Card? That's more or less history when they can move to the UK and earn pounds which are worth even more than USD.

USA, Canada / Would you support a Polish village (Koniakow) by buying their goods? [3]

haha ... my Polish spelling is horrible... Beskidy - Bieszczady... it's a simple slip of the keyboard! ;)