Kraków being a metropolitan and highly cultured European city, I can't envision much conservatism. I could be in for some disillusioning, though.
Actually - the Krakow that tourists see is different to Krakow as a whole. Look at the recent election results - it's a solid PiS voting area. In terms of being liberal, Poznan and Wroclaw are much, much more Western. For an expat, it's a non-issue - but it's true, they're quite a conservative place. However, the counter-culture is much more developed than in Poznan/Wroclaw - probably because there's not much to rebel against here ;)
Thanks DD. I think I'll do exactly that. I was hoping to find work without spending time and money on certification, but perhaps that's not realistic. Any idea what the cheapest and fastest course available in Krakow might be?
It depends on many things - if you're willing to come to Krakow and just hit the streets without a qualification, you can find work - don't believe that a qualification is absolutely mandatory, because it's frankly not. But it can help you considerably - especially in a place like Krakow where there is competition for work. Really, it all depends on what you want to do - it's perfectly possibly to have a good life without it, just that the better jobs won't want you.
The only course worth considering is the CELTA, which you can do in either Warsaw, Krakow or Wroclaw. The Krakow course has been getting bad reviews online lately, but I don't know anymore than that. The Wroclaw course is highly reputable. Pricewise, you're looking at about 3000PLN or so, and time, 4 weeks.
Really, it's up to you - all I can say is that for the best results, you want to come in August to find work. Don't expect to find a job offer online - it rarely happens, and very often, there turns out to be major problems as a result.