Hungarian guy looking for job - planing to become a student at Politechnika Gdanska

Hi everyone,

I am a native Hungarian speaker living in Gdansk Orunia. My life seems to end up here, because of my beautiful Polish girlfriend.

I moved here, now I have a passive semester of my studies. (Technical University of Budapest-Hungary - civil engineering)

I have been to the university of Gdansk to ask about studies, but thez only told me names, whom I still couldn't reach there. They were always away and they don't respond on my e-mails.

I have been living here for a month, but so far I have two ladies, who learn Hungarian and English from me. As a full time, or part time job I couldn't find anything yet. I have received much help, but all the job offers ( even leaflet distribution ) seem to require Polish, even though I know more than basics, and I am learning quickly.

I found this forum today and I am hoping to get some help, information, meet new people, build relationships. :) I am a young guy, open and fresh.

My trust is in our historical friendship! :) Polak, węgier dwa bratanki, ido szabli, ido szklanki!

I wish a nice day to everyone! In Gdansk it is rainy/ish.

you have to be patient and try a couple of times in person - welcome to Polish attitudes btw (the e-mail is a lost cause for you)


don't count on that - only a fraction of Poles are patriotic and informed (and these people will welcome you - they tend to be voters of 'the right' btw) - there is a huge bunch who are actually anty-patriotic and Hungary doesn't have a good image now among them (these people actually have difficulties in telling the difference between Budapest and Bucharest ;) but they hold themselves for highly educated) - the reason is the leader of Polish opposition said he wished for Warsaw to become the next Budapest in the wake of the recent elections (he meant he expects to win the next elections in the manner Fidesz won in Hungary)

certainly learn Polish as soon as possible - be on the lookout for Hungarian + English speaking jobs - there are plenty of branches of multinational companies in Gdańsk or Gdynia many of which are call centres -

Powodzenia. Good luck.

I also heard this quote about Warszawa and Budapest, which I really cannot understand. In the Hungarian capital there are demonstrations every day. The second party in a row, which turns out to make citizens dissatisfied. The jokes I saw on the Polish web are only about paprika, goulash, and mustache.

By the way, I am still under the effects of what I was told in one office, when I went there to apply for leaflet distribution. In fact a job office sent me there telling me that it doesn't require Polish, except for Dzien dobry or prosze barczo. But I was told that they cannot hire me, because I am not Polish. (it wasn't a legal job anyways, paid in hand)

But I like it here, Mostly people are nice and except for the traffic jams, 4-5 times a day, everything is great. Biedronka etc. public transport-they have student tickets for one route!!! 1,40 zl. In Budapest a single ticket (no students fare, only one line, no change) costs 320 Ft~4,50zl :)

And a lot of people speak English and help a lot when I am doing the shopping or whatever and I try to speak Polish.

I hope it is not just the neighborhood where I live.

Poles are generally helpful to foreigners - especially when they look European - you just shouldn't brag about being a Hungarian and expecting an enthusiastic welcome from Poles because of that

- what is more I can tell you that until recently I never actually understood why was there any friendship between Poles and Hungarians on the national level (our languages are so much apart unlike for example Polish and Czech or Slovak) - and I thought of myself as a quite informed person in the historical matters (I only recently learned a couple of facts that shed a light on that issue) - so no - you won't find too many people who are aware of the reasons why there was a warm feeling between our nations - most people won't even be aware of the fact there ever were such warm feelings (even if they heard the saying you quoted)

as for your studies I think you should try to join the Polish university as soon as possible - and try to do it not as a foreign student (not someone who needs to be tutored in English) - I actually seriously doubt there are international courses in civil engineering in Gdańsk Politechnika (but maybe I'm still wrong on this) - a lot of work before you anyway - you need to buy a lot of books (including a good Polish-English dictionary of technical terms) to learn the trade nomenclature in Polish to be able to communicate with your tutors

if you also have decent German try looking for a job in hotels and be ready to accept fairly low salary (English is not enough for the hotel industry in Gdańsk and I pretty much guess also most of Poland - I know cause I have applied once in Gdańsk) - even suggest it yourself (like the minimum wage) - let's face it you are at a serious disadvantage for the most jobs on the Polish job market

Hard to get a job around here without polish. Try in Reuters as sometimes they ask for people who has knowledge in other languages.

Ditto to learning at least solid "Survival Polish", tothferko!

Like back home, English won't get you far in Poland.

Merged:

Working in Poland

Hi,

I'm a guy from Hungary currently living in Bulgaria.
I speak fluent English and upper intermediate Russian.
I have a technical degree from a UK university and almost 1 year of financial work experience.
What are my chances of making it to Poland?
I am very interested about Poland and would like to try living there for some time.

@oquith

You'll probably find some sort of work in a BPO. The pay won't be great, and the job probably not all that interesting. But you'll get by for long enough to get acquainted with the country and satisfy your curiosity. Your Russian will help you pick up a little Polish.

My advice is to secure a job before you come. If you can, try to find one with a Hungarian company doing business in Poland.

Good luck!

@DominicB

Thanks a lot. Probably far fetched, but do you think there might be any companies that might need the languages I speak?

@oquith

Your Hungarian will help you get a job in a BPO, and, obviously, for a Hungarian company doing business in Poland. English will help, too.

Actually, the best opportunity may be to get a job with a Hungarian trucking company hauling goods to and from the many logistics centers around Łódź. You could base yourself in Łódź, which, while not a pretty city by any measure, is conveniently close to Warsaw and is a good centrally located base to explore the rest of the country. It might be worth taking a course and picking up a truck driving license. Probably pays more than a BPO job with your level of experience.

I did meet some Hungarians in Poland who were truck drivers hauling furniture from the Black Red White warehouse in Rawa Mazowiecka. Don't know if they were employees of Black Red White, or of some Hungarian company.

Start networking in the trucker world, and scope out the opportunities that may be available to you.

Merged:

Summer job in Poland for foreign students

I am thinking to go to the south of Poland for about a month in summer. I would really work somewhere, such as a restaurant, children's camp or whatever, in the forest-area of Zakopane. Any idea how and where is it possible? (I am a Europen citzien).

Do you honestly think that you will earn enough to support yourself during those months? Where will you live? Who will look after you?

Zsolt, did you receive my private forum e-mail?
You can always try tarsape@gmail.com if you wish.