Life / Move to Poland or UK? (Advice needed) [51]

If the OP is worried about multi-culturalism, maybe Saudi would be a good move...it's very mono-cultured.
[edit:and wages are good]

Work / 100,000 PLN (per year) in Krakow - Is it enough for a couple to survive on? [18]

Looking at is as 5500PLN per month after tax, I can relate, my wife and I are taking in about that much together. We stay outside the city. Eat in all through the week then go out at the weekend. When we go out for dinner we don't eat in super fancy places (do you have to eat in a fancy restaurant every week?). We manage to save, on average, 250PLN per month. If the OP seriously thinks he can save here better than the US, he's in for a shock!

Life / Pepper Spray in Poland? [36]

Keep in mind, you need to learn how to use it first or else you might end up blinding yourself. It does work, but it's unreliable because it's at the whim of the wind, unlike CS. I think it's fine to carry, as long as you know how to use it, but keep in mind, if the person you use it on does not have bad intentions...JAIL!

Travel / Mobile internet for tourists in Poland? [35]

If you go with play you can put in a code and get unlimited internet for 10zl for 30 days. I don't have the leaflet any more but you should be able to get it done in any Play shop. I do that for my iPhone each month, this is for 3G though, might cost a bit more for 4G but there's certainly a way of getting what you need, in major cities the staff in any of the mall outlets will speak English and you can ask there. Provided you can get from the airport into town without internet you should have no problem comparing offers between suppliers in any mall.

Depending where you are landing, the train from KRK airport goes straight to a shopping mall and there's a big one next to Warszawa Centralna train station.

Life / How do the Polish feel about air pollution in their cities? [35]

It's not really remote villiages that are the problem. 10-20 families burning some rubbish in the middle of nowhere isn't ideal, but it's not a major issue. The issue, and the thread title, is people doing the same in cities. When you have tens or hundreds of thousands of people burning rubbish in a concentrated area you have a pretty major problem. There is no excuse for this in the city where there is plenty of rubbish collections.

I find breathing here in Kraków is a struggle in winter with all the pollution, it's quite terrible, but until the fines for burning things in the city cost more than modernising then no-one will bother with it.

Just as an aside, there is seriously no rubbish collection? Or just no-one wants to pay for it?

Law / Any good business ideas - what Poland needs? [114]


I am curious, what is the percentage of home owners in Poland? And is it going down?

I would have thought in the past lots of people built/bought houses for the whole family to live in (my Wife's family still do this to a certain extent but they are not in a big city). So when kids grow up, they almost get a floor to themselves and never leave home, except for studies.

Looking at young people nowadays it seems more common for them not to stay at home with the family and are looking for more freedom, but I doubt many of them will be in a buyers market somewhere like Kraków where the property prices are ridiculous compared to income.

Law / In Poland on residence card (married to Polish girl) want travel to UK for 2 weeks! [16]


Boom, Visa marriage...

Language / IS "MURZYN" word RACIST? [686]


Just like saying Nig*er is fine if you know some black people. I have black friends here in Kraków and I can tell you Murzyn is never used positively. It's fine whn moderates are saying it, but the racists ruin it for everyone.

For UK people, think of your grandparents saying "negro"

Work / About taxes ("Umowa o dzielo") and minimum wage in Poland [30]

Hey All, just thought this would be more relevant to discusse the below quote:


Since when was 8PLN per hour minimum wage. A few years ago I was on 7PLN per hour in a bar and waitresses were between 4 and 5PLN. I heard up to last year waitresses were still on 5-6PLN per hour in a famour Kraków place.

Is 8PLN per hour a new development? If so it's a great thing! Maybe now people in hospitality will be able to make ends meet.

Life / Whats with going to sauna naked in Poland? [41]


In Saunas it doesn't make a huge difference, being very dry and very hot makes it not a nice place for fungus and bacteria. Steam rooms on the other hand, they are basically petri dishes!

Food / What Polish foods and brands do you miss when you go to other countries? [216]

Exactly, if I wanted something similar to Polish bread that you buy in Poland then I would be more likely to go to a decent baker and get a nice sourdough rye. No point spending more money going to a Polish shop and buying mass produced Polish bread that's been stuffed in the back of a van for the better part of a couple of days.

Love / Civil Cermony Details in Poland - music, vows? [10]

Merged: Civil Cermony Details in Poland - music, vows?

As far as I've heard from friends, a civil ceremony in the Polish equivalent to a registry office has no music and the vows are pretty much what's set down in law. Most Polish people will do both, a legal one first to make it legally official and then, once the money has been saved a full church wedding with a big party.

I don't think you will have much of a choice of adding your own music or your own vows in a civil wedding in Poland. Maybe in Warsaw it's different, but, where I got married, there was very little choice and it was down to church/legal tradition...I liked that though :)

Love / Civil Cermony Details in Poland - music, vows? [10]

Weirdest thing I found was that the office took my birth certificate and wont give it back. I can get copies...but surely they can't keep a legal document that's my property from me.

Work / Typical Post - A good salary in Rybnik - 3000 for part time in finance? [16]

My wife and I earn similar to that in Kraków working full time and still afford to go out regularly, save money each month and live a very confortable life. We are also paying rent. I wouldn't think it'd be hard to live on that in Rybnik. Maybe some of you people are too much into your expat life and don't fine any comfort in sitting at home a few nights a week just chilling out. I don't do it because I have to, but I like to spend a bit of time at home chilling.

News / IPLA.TV / Polsat S.A. - POLAND ONLINE TV SCAM WARNING [7]

Hola Better Internet app for Google Chrome, always works for me and BBC iPlayer.

Food / Where can I buy lamb in Poland? [89]

At only 15zl for 4 chops or two steaks it's a real bargain and I really enjoyed mine just grilled. Missed the mint sauce though!

You wouldn't believe it in Poland were lamb is not popular, but they are selling out really fast, so get to them quick!

News / Surprising ranking of Polish supermarkets (Biedronka expensive?) Living expenses in Poland. [35]

I agree with the OP, I know Auchan is cheap but I really didn't think that Biedronka would be so much more expensive...it is marketed as a discount supermarket after all.

I would say that Biedronka is super value for wine and beer (there's always a really good dry white for the 10-13zl mark and beers, provided you're not so fussy, are pretty cheap and in bigger cans than most places). I have also found that Biedronka's deals are sometimes beyond compare anywhere else. I generally get my normal weekly shop online from Tesco and then anything else I need at the last minute from Biedronka.

News / Surprising ranking of Polish supermarkets (Biedronka expensive?) Living expenses in Poland. [35]


I noticed the basket of shopping they were judging on had a few specific brand names in there, in those cases your biggest supermarkets are going to be able to outprice smaller discount supermarkets. In which case I would say if you bought Biedronka oil instead of Kujawski or Biedronka water instead of Zywiec you can make a pretty fine saving there alone.

Plus, what size of amily shopping are they testing for...1kg of yellow cheese...that would do my sandwiches for a month!!

Life / Medical Trials in Poland? How much do you get? [4]


Depends how you classify free...you can get a paid day off work for donating blood, and free ham!

Law / Public holidays: Good Friday / January 2 / Sundays - do companies work in Poland? [9]

Merged: Public holidays in Poland and work. Days In Lieu - Sundays.

I have just been informed that, if a public holiday falls on a Saturday then you can still take a day in lieu from your work so you still get a day off for the holiday, however if it's on a Sunday then that's not possible. Can anyone confirm if this is true, and, if so, shed some light on this strange (and highly upsetting this year with 03/05 and 01/11 on Sundays) rule?

Language / "Cup of coffee" translated in Poland as Kubek kawy. Why not a mug? [70]

In English I think of a tea-cup and coffee mug. But then, when I have a cup of tea/coffee, I normally drink it in a mug. I think mugs get more and more popular because they are a bit more substancial and easier to take care of, whereas a cup is a bit more fragile, but I still think of any vessel that holds hot beverages as a cup: "cup of coffee", "cup of hot chocolate", "cup of Grzaniec", etc. Language is funny :)

Language / "-ska" Polish last name different from "-ski"? [15]

As far as I know, when changing your name after marriage in the UK, your name can be changed to what's on the certificate. As long as the certificate is translated and legally confirmed then you won't have a problem. Just like with deed poll, you can really change your name to whatever you want...

UK, Ireland / Polish prince challenges Nigel Farage to 18th Century-style duel [6]


Is it ok if they are old or teenagers?? ;)

Law / Right Hand Drive cars in Poland 'indefinitely' but not registered - doable? [21]

I have to ask, as just an occaisional driver, is it really neccesary to keep a RHD car here in Poland. Can you not sell it and get something LHD. For me personally I would not want to be driving in a foreign country with different rules with the bigger blind spot on the wrong side. Just like I wouldn't be keen driving a LHD car in the UK, are roundabouts not a nightmare?

Life / Funeral Traditions in Poland [66]


I think that's the same most places. I know once I was on a single carriage way in a bit of a hurry and there was a bit of a queue. There was plenty of space in the other lane so I buzzed past, almost died (pun intended) when I realised there was a hearse at the front. Put my hurry to the side and pulled in at the next lay by and got out the car to let them pass. Never felt so bad as a driver.

Life / Is this your Polish mamusia (mum)? [4]

Exactly what I was going to say, although to add to point 7, if you do get dragged outside, make sure you are fully wrapped up and with a scarf...28C will get you a cold!

Life / Little-known facts about Poland [45]


Maybe not Poland-centric...but this was also common in pre/early post war flats in the UK. Flats were like rooms with a washbasin and you shared a bathrooom. You can still see it in cheaper B&Bs in Blackpool. Rising Damp was a great British sitcom set in one of these.

I have no issue with no bathroom window, provided there is ventilation. But I really don't get the frosted door glass panel on pretty much every flat bathroom I have been to. While you can't see clearly through, I still don't want to see the outline of someone sitting on the toilet!

News / Poland have the 3rd best Education System of Europe [49]


Religious classes have only recently become optional in Poland, and if you don't take that you have to an Ethics class instead. Religious education in the UK is not some Catholic Church mandated curriculum, but instead a study of many religions. It should be mandatory to learn about all religions.

Work / What kind of CV for a job in a multinational company in Poland; Europass or traditional one? Address problems. [19]

Agreed regarding the address, also I would include information about not speaking Polish. Don't make someone do the digging, they won't appreciate it. My CV is pretty honest and concise. All personal information is there, brief descriptions of previous jobs, education info and a quick 2 liner about interests (I always liked reading what people were interested in.

I had never heard of a Europass CV before and quickly googled it, from a recruiters point of view, avoid this like the plague. I always wondered why so many people had identical CVs that I would pass over. You want to stand out, use the Europass as a starter template and then make it your own.

Also, I have noticed in Poland people always put a picture on their CV but in the UK we don't. Is there a particular reason for the picture? If I was keen I would check LinkedIn/GoldenLine. Always thought there was little point in a picture on a CV, what is the PF consensus?

Life / Living Expenses in Krakow [42]


That seems a bit excessive. I generally spend 130zl per week on the Tesco delivery and eat in most days. I most certainly don't stick to potatoes and cabbage, in fact I would say I have far too much meat in my diet and keep meaning to drop it down a bit (terrible willpower me).

I earn quite a bit less than 4500zl net, generally eat out at least once a week and am out pretty much every weekend (and the odd night during the week). I don't know what your lifestyle is like, but if you are saying you can only live like a monk on less than 4500zl you must only every drink straight in the centre and shop in Alma for all imported goods. Spending less doesn't mean living less...