Who's Leaving Poland?

inspired by a recent quote by Torq:


well, i guess we'll see for ourselves how many elves and dragons are out there.

i, for one, am leaving next year in the winter/early spring.

what about the rest of the expat clan on this forum? my main question is this: how many of you can honestly say that you will stay in Poland forever? how many of you can honestly say that you will stay in Poland 10+ years? how many plan to leave this year/next year?

i guess now we'll find out for ourselves, Mr. Torq.

to be honets - poles are leaving poland...

Leaving this winter once the I'm comfortable leaving the business to run itself.

That's all. Poland is a good destination if you have family ties, have an interesting business idea that hasn't yet been exploited, or you have a hard on for church and nationalism.

For me, our neighbors to the south have a much more agreeable view on personal freedoms, economic direction, religion, and business practices.

But hey, I guess that's just me.

i guess that makes you and i an elf and a dragon, convex.

we'll have to grab a beer one night before we both shove off.

Me. Been here for three years and unless something completely unforeseen happens, I'm going to throw out my anchor here.

Thanks. This should be interesting.


Poles are NOT leaving Poland. They are going abroad for a couple of years to earn some
money and come back. Most of my friends, who emmigrated in 2004 and after, are already
back in Poland. They bought apartments or houses for their British or Irish salaries and are
back home now, living and working here without worrying about credits, mortgages etc.

Out of all those who went abroad, maybe 10% will stay there permanently (mostly
girls who married foreigners :)).


I wish you all the best in your future endavours outside Poland, Fuzzy.
I hope you will have more good than bad memories of our country.


All the best to you too, Convex.


Fairl play to you, Scottie (or should I say Scottowski ;)).

So that's Elves - Humans 2:1 so far :) Now, let's wait for others to speak up.
Seanus, Harry and others - tell us about your plans!

Well, it seems like part of my stay is an endurance test. The way some things are handled here go right against my principles and the greater part of me misses my family a lot. Too much of Polish life is too routine without any spontaneity and rule bound. Recently, I have become acutely aware of it and, frankly, it bites.

I guess my judgment has been impaired by the heat and recent calamitous experiences with people who can't see past their own noses here. It's too uptight a society for me and, in summer, the vibe should be more laid back.

My wife is aware of my feelings and the sacrifice I have made for her but she did the same for me in reverse. She came back from England to be with me so I'll be sticking it out for some time yet.

i'd say Seanus is really looking forward to being an Elf.

Elves - Humans: 3:1

Maybe, but he's remaining human nonetheless - 2:2.

How many people commit to spending their entire life in one country? Not many. Bit of a stupid question really.

The truth is that few people really become integrated with the host country regardless of where they go. Look at how many people from the UK went to Spain "for good" - only to pack up recently because the country is screwed.

In regards to ESL teachers in Poland specifically, the problem here is that you hit the top of the profession very quickly (in monetary terms). The only real option to progress is to either open a school or to pursue a university career - or diversify completely. I know a few expats in Poznan who are doing very well for themselves, who are very happy here - but that's because they took their money from teaching and invested it, rather than throwing it down the drain on flights home.

Ultimately, the ones who are happy here are the ones who are going forward in life. The ones who are stuck at the same level financially, who have a prospect of another 30 years earning the same salary (adjusted, of course) really do tend to become bitter.

Come on, DD - make up your mind... are you a human or an elf?


That doesn't surprise me - more foreigners on the human side.

Haha, I'm taking life as it comes. I don't see the point in wasting my time thinking constantly about how I'm going to leave in the future - what's the point?

Anyway, every country has benefits and drawbacks. I'd like to consider Germany in the future - but all the rules? Gaaaaaa...

Delphiandomine wrote:


where I come from, nearly everyone.

The world is big, lots of exploring left to do. No reason to pick a place to roost already...


I think most people that have been here for more than a week have many more good memories than bad...

theexpeditioner.com/2010/02/17/how-many-americans-have-a-passport-2

Interesting article, especially the comments - Americans really only get two weeks holiday a year?!

On the other hand, I have met Americans in just about every f*cked up place that I've ever been. We seem to get well off the beaten path and then decide to live there for a while.

Oh yes. The British and Australians do this too, but Americans are almost certainly to be found in the strangest of places. Heck, you can even find a black American Jehovah in Glogow!

Yes,I remember 8 years ago when Krakow was relatively unknown,most tourists were american.The same in Lvov etc,they seem to be pioneers.

I think you'll find they packed up and came back because they lost their jobs, buinesses and homes - they didnt still around to sponge off their host country.


Most people do, if you look at the statistics.

maybe to you, Krakow has been known for much longer to foreigners then that.

Was thinking more about places like Brazzaville, Tashkent, Samarqand, Kigali... And then outside of the cities, seems every town with more than 20000 people had their own American.

There's one in every town in Mongolia. All over China... I stayed with an American guy in Herat, nothing to do with the military. Just kind of hanging out over there...

why do u leave FUZZY?


welcome to small town pace of life. I would never thought of Gliwice being intresting place to live

For the most part, yes, although when I worked in sales-commission only, not a salary-I took off for four months (not in one stretch, but in total) for several years and still made more during my my working months than I did while working at other jobs. But this is very uncommon. Most Americans would never take this much time off.

Some companies give more holidays the longer you work for them. After a year, you get a week. After two years, you get two weeks. In some cases, after three years, you get three weeks, but this isn't the norm.

While I admire your enthusiasm - after a certain point in life it's just enough with packing and starting over in a new place. I did that three times already and have no more appetite for changes. Even when I had a chance to move to US a few years back I decided against it, even though it would give me more job opportunities. Enough is enough.

Zetigrek wrote:


i have many reasons for leaving, but on this thread, i'd rather not get into it. it will only turn into a pissing contest and will start looking like every other America vs. Poland thread. sorry.

he doesn't like it here ! and isn't very flexible or bright but it doesn't necessary bad thing

Ya better hurry up..."You can't go home again" Thomas Wolfe

When I moved to Poland in 2004, it was with the intention to stay - at least until my retirement :). But I am already coming to Poland since 1989.

I have built a fine professional career here in Logistics, our house is as good as finished...
I like to go home to my native Antwerp but I am equally glad be back here in the city-state of Warsaw.
And after all these years my social network back home has somewhat disappeared but I guess that is logical.

No as for now I do not see myself going back home.

3:2 Humans

I grew up this way, it's more or less an extension of my childhood. Every two or three years, it's time to move on. Next destination is still looking like Liberia.

Thar be a big UN mission to pillage and plunder!