So...which of you are actually IN Poland?

That's OK Jonny. I think the foreigners add a lot of spice to Poland. I like it and it's about time that other nationalities 'discover' Poland as a great place to live - no matter what the reason is. I never ever in my life expected it to happen.

Absolutely! I went for a one year contract extendable to two and just stayed. It's an easy place to live, the people are OK and there are many more pluses than minuses.

Because of the 'Polski potop' in the UK, there are now Poles returning with husbands/wives/partners, so there will be plenty more newcomers soon. Incidentally, the only foreigners I've seen who truly haven't liked it are a few foreign people of Polish extraction who went there looking for something specific and found a different reality. Most people who've come to Poland grumble a bit, but basically like it and don't want to leave.

I can understand that it is much cheaper for western people to live in Poland, but easier? Wouldn't the everyday bureaucracy kill any entrepreneur spirit? Unless, as a foreigner you make a pretty decent salary and don't need to struggle with any type of business arrangements. The people of Polish extraction come to mind.

I think there are plenty of ways to get over that - after all, Polish people do fine, and the rules of life there aren't hard to learn. The cost of living though isn't particularly cheaper - food and clothes certainly aren't, and real estate in Warsaw is much more expensive than where I am now in the UK.

Well, so what is keeping you in UK then instead of being in Poland? It must be easier in UK then, just like it is easier for me in USA... :)

Then, again, it is easier for many foreigners to live in Poland, go figure.

I'm just here temporarily to sort something out that I have to deal with in person. Thought I'd be here for three weeks which is a lot, then more and more delays, then a work trip to Libya was cancelled due to the war there. Not long now though, and back to PL.

A few things - shopping public transport and driving come to mind - are easier, but really, I'd rather be at home in Warsaw...

We are all in Poland in spirit:)

I am so pleased to read that so many of the transplants like it here. It took me a while to adjust, the first 3 years were really hard. Lack of decent Polish made it so hard. But now after this long my Polish is quite good and I can get by, that opens up a whole new comfort level being here.

I spent the first few years asking when we would be moving home to the states. I was afraid of what would happen when our kids got to school age, how would I help them with homework, how could I check it, how would I go to teacher meetings? Now I am not so worried.

The longer I am here the easier it all becomes. I can now appreciate the great things about this country. Up this way we have great access to traditional all natural meat (yeah it helps that it is produced at our factory), locally grown produce, local cheeses, serek, and general dairy (Piątnica) and other great local food. I love being close to Mazury. I can appreciate the people more now and I have finally figured out how to deal with the over pushiness of Polish hospitality ;), I have stopped pining for things from home, I find myself buying less and les when I make trip stateside. I also have figured out how to deal with the lack of conveniences that we have everywhere in the states.

I have come to love this country as my own and I am proud to be a permanent transplant!

I love living here too. I live in the south, up the mountains surrounded by miles and miles of forest but near to a beautiful market square and not too far from Krakow. I have tried, not very successfully, to post threads about what I love about here, please feel free to add to any of them (in no particular order):

polishforums.com/travel-tourism-5/recommendations-krakow-myslenice-27618/ - Recommendations for Krakow

polishforums.com/travel-tourism-5/polish-wildlife-similar-wild-life-live-31221/ - Poland wildlife

polishforums.com/travel-tourism-5/polish-architecture-31323/ - Poland Architecture

polishforums.com/news-politics-4/polish-plantlife-similar-flora-live-35880/ - Poland plantlife

polishforums.com/archives/2009/travel-tourism-5/recommendations-zakopane-30691/ - Recommendations for Zakopane

polishforums.com/archives/2009/travel-tourism-5/walks-up-beskids-mountains-27420/ - Walks up the Beskids mountains in Poland

:-)

Here are a few pictures from my homeland - Masurian Lake District. Not as well known as the Southern part of Poland or the seaside, largely due to difficult access - there's no proper airport anywhere nearby and to get there from Warsaw one must surmount 200 km of crap roads

But it's worth it. I'd know I'm in Masuria with my eyes shut - just from the smell of the air

Simply gorgeous chichimera. I am so thankful we are fairly close to Mazury. We do short trip all around the lakes area in the summer and Autumn.

I can't wait to start sailing again. I had just started to learn to sail before we had kids and they are just now old enough to take out. I hope we can get on a boat with them this summer!

If you don't mind sharing where are you located? PM if you like!