Real Estate / Wroclaw....good parts? Any "affluent, quaint European, suburb" areas here? [14]

I was looking on Google Street View maps of just random streets in Wroclaw.

It seems the city is filled with old buildings (and not in a good historical way) and lots of graffiti.

Is it possible that I was looking in the bad part of town?

Is there such thing as a "suburb" of Wroclaw that is comparable to a suburb of America?

I'm not trying to start a fight here....but I was kind of hoping for a "quaint European town"....and what I saw looked like it was just some random street in downtown New York.

Thanks if you can give me any tips on which cities/areas by or near Wroclaw to search.

Are there any "affluent" areas that aren't in the middle of the city, and are maybe 20 minutes out side of the city? Nicely manicured lawns, wide open spaces....

I have to be honest....I do not like the "big city". I like suburbs....does Wroclaw have suburbs?

Real Estate / House for rent - cost per month in Poland (Wroclaw). Affluent neighborhoods? [7]

Let's pretend I want to move to Wroclaw.

How much would a good house cost (per month) to rent in a very nice part of town (no crime, no drugs, no muggings/etc)?

The house would have to have high speed internet, hot and cold running water, dishwasher/etc and be in very good shape to live in. Basically like any modern house you would find in the USA.

Are there such things as "affluent neighborhoods" in Poland as there are in America? Gated communities and such?

I already looked online and I found some really good deals....but I have no idea if they are in safe/upscale neighborhoods.

Just looking to surround myself with people who have good jobs....and perhaps ingratiate myself with politicians and the sort.

Travel / Wroclaw or Krakow - 1st time visitor to Poland [3]

I'm visiting Poland for the first time next year in April.

I have three questions for you guys/gals:

1. For a 1st time visitor who will by then speak basic conversational Polish.....which city would you recommend I stay in? Krakow or Wroclaw?

I intend to do a little tourism, but not much. I'm more interested in discovering if I want to live in Poland for good. So I would want to meet people. I would also want to meet women my age (I don't have a hard time making new friends).

2. Is late April/early May a good time of the year to avoid snow in Poland? What are the chances the weather will suck?

3. Would you advise I rent a car? Or is the public transport system top notch?

Law / Poland's green card for American, and citizenship question [16]

I just called the Polish embassy in the city I live in. Apparently, there's only two ways to get citizenship:

1. Blood relation is Polish. But my ancestors left the country in the late 1800's.....so the guys said I wouldn't qualify
2. Marry a Polish girl, apply for green card, then live in the country for 4-5 years.
3. Get a corporation to "sponsor" you.

I'm American born and raised, I own my own (small) company (so I won't be a drain on the Polish welfare system) and I will be looking to hire Polish workers when I move there.

Was wondering if you guys/gals had any ideas on how I can go about this? I'm not marrying some broad for a green card. I'm single...and will be looking for love, and will most likely find it eventually....

So any idea how I can move to Poland and LEGALLY live there on my own (no wife) for about a year or two? How long does a green card give me? Is it hard to get?

I'm kinda bummed now.....the Polish embassy threw a monkey wrench in my plans just now.

Travel / Quality of life, women in Poland vs here in America - Is 14 days too long to stay there for holiday? [6]

American here. Am thinking of staying 14 days in Poland in springtime of next year. My main purpose is a fact-finding mission....to see what the quality of life is in the country vs. here in America. I am of Polish ancestry and am learning the language little by little.

I am thinking of staying in Gdansk and then traveling by train to Warsaw and other places of interest. The 2nd reason I'm going to Poland is to check out the women there....not for "sex tourism" but just see if they are any different/better than what we have here in California. I dated 2 American Polish girls prior and we seemed to be a good fit in a lot of ways.

Where can I go for nightlife (no strip clubs or raunchy bars). I'm in my early 30's, in shape, white male. I'm 3/4 Polish ancestry (great grandparents), the rest Austrian.

I own my own (small) business so if I were to move to Poland in ~1-2 years....I could afford to not look for a job for a very long time.

I really don't know where to start researching so I figured I would make a thread here.

Any input/advice is welcome.

Basically I'm tired of the high cost of living in this country (I pay $1,750/mo. for a 2 bedroom apartment....and this is down from the $3,800/mo. I paid when living in a more affluent part of Orange County). Yes, I know I could move to the Midwest, but I don't deal well with extreme heat, cold or humidity. I have seen the climate in Gdansk is "mild" and on the cool side....but not like super crazy freezing or hot. I also like being near the ocean.