Life / Reasons for moving to Poland [291]

I will move to PL as of October 1st, having accepted a job in Crakow. Some of my reasons ( I have been to PL once only, very recently) 4 this decision:

1. I think it is an adventure
2. I find it a challenge to live in a country of which I don't speak the language
3. I like the atmosphere in PL - it seems to be laid-back and open; people seem to have a curiosity and interest in other people

4. Cost of living is considerably lower than in Western Europe
5. I found the buildings and scenery in Krakow very beautiful
6. The city seemed to be very clean
7. Krakow is well situated wrt other countries/cities (Budapest, Bratislava, Praha) I will like to visit
8. There is a lot of space and nature in PL

Law / Tax in Poland? [57]

a good and up-to-date website to get exchange rates is:

oanda.com

good luck!

Travel / Which city is better to visit: Warsaw or Krakow? [169]


What do you like most about Krakow as compared to Warsaw, other than it is the city you weer born in?

Travel / Which city is better to visit: Warsaw or Krakow? [169]

What do you think is better in Wroclaw as compared to Krakow?

Work / CV for polish job market [17]

Well, why don't you apply for some jobs, do interviews by telephone first from the UK. Then, if you get invited, plan the interviews in a 1-2 week period. Come over to PL, do the interviews and, if you get hired, arrange terminating your contract in the UK.

Just inform the interviewers that you have a notice period; if the interviewer is good, they will ask for this in the first interview via telephone already anyway.

Life / Vinyl record stores in Warsaw. [5]

Vinyl Tamka, ul. Tamka 38.

They have a selection of LP's and 7" of all kinds of music. Not very extensive collection though. Mostly from 60's to 80's.

Shop assistent was quite helpful and kind when I visited.

facebook.com/vinyltamka

Love / Are Polish girls better cooks? [45]

"Are Polish girls better cooks?"

In my experience: no. But their mothers usually are. At least as for Polish cuisine. Anything else than that is usually regarded with suspicion :))

Odd as it may sound, some of the Polish girls I met (I live in PL nearly 6 years) don't know how and/or don't like to cook at all. If they do cook, it is usually soups/salads kind of stuff. Not something that fills my stomach. So I usually do the cooking, especially as I like good Italian/Asian food. Polish girls I met have no idea how to cook this ;)

I am under the impression that they prefer to study, and have a career and not necessarily to be a cooking/caring housewife (anymore?). At least, that's what they told me :P

Obviously, some girls may love to cook and will be good at it also. Depends whom you meet. I guess chances are higher in smaller countryside towns and cities than Krakow and Warsaw, where I've lived so far.

Also, I am not so sure if cooking at home is so much cheaper than eating out. Getting all the ingredients and so on, adding the shopping/preparation time, cleaning up, etc., it seems to be too much of a hassle when you can get a pretty decent meal at the company kitchen/cafetaria or neighbourhood restaurant for 15-20 zl.

I cooked once a real zurek with a Polish girlfriend of mine. Adding up all the ingredients, I think we spent around 60 zl (good bottled soup base, veggies, eggs, good sausage, etc.) and it took some 2-3 hours for the soup to cook. In a restaurant on a 5 minutes walk from the place where I lived then, I have ordered and enjoyed many times a delicious zurek for I think some 6-7 zl, which was served instantly...no math skills needed there :)

Work / Is there a market for teaching Dutch in Poland [22]

MatteoCarati

I did Dutch language teaching for over a year in Krakow (I am native Dutch). PM me if you need more info.

Travel / Whats your favourite Polish city and why? [132]

Not really so, I'm afraid. Typical small basement Krakow club, average music, nothing too special. Kind staff though, expect for the bouncers, which is not unusual in PL. Been there, seen it :)

Travel / Which city is better to visit: Warsaw or Krakow? [169]

Lived in Krakow for 5+ years, now around a year in Warsaw. Warsaw beats Krakow by miles in every possible aspect IMHO.

For those who are more into small provincial towns then into big cities, I could understand a preference for Krakow. Anything else? Warsaw.

Travel / Whats your favourite Polish city and why? [132]

This one.

Language / Ukrainian language similar to Polish? [236]


Sometimes as a peasant language and it is strangely looked upon by some. Others may just be happy that someone speaks the nation's own language, though. Depends on whom you meet.

In Kiyv, as well as e.g. Odessa, they may even "pretend" that they don't understand you if you speak Ukrainian, so I was told by Ukrainian friends!

In addition, speaking Russian in let's say Lwow (Lviv) could get you the raised eyebrows and suspicious looks as well!

Off-Topic / Are you living in Poland? [77]

Are you living in Poland?

Yes. Warsaw

Language / "No tak"; The Oddest Phrase In Polish For This American [75]


Yeah, I noticed how Polish people sometimes write the infamous 'no' as 'niom' or 'nio' in online chat. Prolly other versions exist as well :)

When I first encountered this, I was at a loss, but I quickly figured it out what they meant and started using it myself :))

Language / "No tak"; The Oddest Phrase In Polish For This American [75]


It's one of my favourite words in PL :)

Not advised to used for beginners, tho, 'cause of its informal tone, and different meanings, depending on context.

Love / Are Polish girls better cooks? [45]


Well, that's a talent as well and deserves credit. At least I wouldn't know how I would go about making something taste like salty cardboard :))


I found a few more, though. Especially in the soup division: barszcz czerwony is quite unique, grochowka and fasolka po bretonsku in winter. Not sure tho that asking for the latter in Britanny would result in understanding faces ;)

I recommend flaki with a decent amount of pepper or tabasco for hangovers. Mushroom soup is also good. Pierogi in all its different varieties is interesting as well. That sums it up, I guess, for my taste.

I could actually imagine missing these dishes, would I leave Poland.

Travel / Whats your favourite Polish city and why? [132]

My pick:

1. Warsaw.
2. Gdansk (Trojmiasto)
3. Wroclaw.

I liked also Lublin, Sandomierz and Zamosc, really pretty city centres, but too small for me to consider as favorite city.

Lwow is also beautiful by the way, but it lacks water access (river/sea). A really nice city should have this.

Haven't visited Poznan, Bydgoszcz, Bialystok, Szczecin, Lodz, Torun yet, though :)

Law / Which Polish cell phone (+ Internet) operator is the best? [18]


I use T-Mobile (formerly ERA), and I am satisfied about their network and service. They're prolly not the cheapest, tho.

Play is cheaper, but their network coverage is worse. I have some friends using Play, and they have no signal in some places, including their rooms/flats...so sometimes they need to lean out of the window/get onto the balcony to have a conversation. Especially fun in the winter with -15C! :))

Orange is a bit better, so I've heard, but their service seems to be lacking.

The prices: best to check yourself on the websites, that should be easy to find out.

Life / Temperament of Poles - my observations [23]

Interesting observations, thanks for sharing. I like these kind of cultural/communication discussions.

IMHO (based on living in PL nearly 6 years):

1. It depends on the person, in my experience. But there is a tendency to be rather quick in reactions here. This is sth cultural BTW. E.g. Scandinavians/Japanese rather let the other speaker first finish, then think, then respond. Poles react quicker, but not as quick as people from e.g. Netherlands (where I am from), who sometimes think they know better what you are going to say than yourself and before you have finished your sentence :)

2. A Polish friend once told me: "Poles often think they can say everything about anyone else/any other country, and they don't have the slightest idea that this could stereotype/insult people, and don't understand this. But as soon as someone says something about them/their Polish culture, they take it personally and will hold it against you in the case of criticism." This friend lived a considerable time abroad ;)

3. Don't agree there, but I noticed that sometimes they tend to become emotional about things in discussions.

4. This is sth new for me. Poles I met are usually kind and polite, sensitive to group dynamics. Mayb it depends on how this help has been offered? :)

5. Not more/less individualstic/independent than in other countries I lived/worked in. Depends on your viewpoint, I guess. For me they are sometimes too collectivistic, and try to 'hide' behind others when working in groups.

6. No considerable difference noted b/w Poles and other nationalities. Women are better at it than men, though, but I guess this is true across nations.

Work / 3500 PLN gross - not happy with my salary (working in Warsaw for an international company) [55]


Yep, I can second that. I'm native Dutch, and I worked in Krakow in outsourcing for 1,5 years. Some 5 yrs ago now.

Starting salary if I recall well was around 5,500 zl gross/month. When I was promoted to manager around 8k zl gross monthly. These figures were normal then for native Dutch speakers.

The salary OP has posted is a joke for a native Dutch speaker in PL. Especially in the capital, where salaries (and costs) on average are higher than Krakow.

Money may not be everything for job satisfaction, but working this much below average salary level is a whole different story.

Law / Obtaining a work visa/permit for non-EU resident (Ukrainian) in Poland? [7]

For which posts Ukrainians don't need a work permit?

It will be for a one year period.

Law / Obtaining a work visa/permit for non-EU resident (Ukrainian) in Poland? [7]


So, how about the rules for language teaching then? That could apply, as I'm in the translation/training sector.

Law / Obtaining a work visa/permit for non-EU resident (Ukrainian) in Poland? [7]

Thanks, Monitor and Harry, for the useful info and links. I've read it all and it has been very helpful.

I found that there are actually companies specialized in taking care of the documentation and bureaucracy of procedures for hiring non-EU employees, obviously for a fee.

I think I will hire one of them to safe myself a lot of hassle and time going thru the whole procedure.

Love / Do Polish men think that Polish girls are materialistic and demanding ? [37]

I've lived in PL for 7+ years and dated several PL women. IMHO you need to be very lucky here to find a good girl. It is possible, but the odds are very low.

Girls especially interested in foreigners (mostly) will be interested in them because of expected material status and short-term focus on money.

I've stopped dating PL girls some time ago exactly for this reason.