Life / Are Polish people so chaotic and disorganized like Germans say? [89]


Well, I don't want to sound pompous but.... 10 milions of Poles in Solidarity movement not so long ago tells something rather positive... At least that Poles are great at organizing clandestine movements. The missing part is probably small local organizations wich are still relatively rare in comparision to WE. But they do exists and last time and checked - growing in number.

Law / How deep is the Gloom in the Poland's Economy [84]

If 3K/M2 PLN is all what that insurance company gives then go to court man...
I'm rather in the camp of those who thinks that property prices will continue to fall but... it all depends where. Land prices in and around big agglomerations are really big factor in overall cost. Besides good specialist team to decor house or flat is also considerably more costly in big agglomeration. I mean, compare apple with apple. What brings me to next point that most analogies with USA or even WE markets are in much extent invalid. Let start with simple thing as such that there is no meaningful land tax in Poland. Investors can hold land much longer without burning their hands with it. Second thing is that people with mortgages are really small percent of population. I saw recently some statistics (unfortunately didn't save that and cann't confirm in different source) which said that percent of households with mortgages is under 6%. Most people either possess their home/flat or (staggering number of about 27%) lives in state/city sponsored to some extent council flats. The second point actually explains nicely the question often asked by foreigners: how many Poles can afford living with minimal wage...

To sum things up with property market, yes it is falling, but slowly, and mostly through inflation. There is just big big inertion of that market due couple of rules wheter it is good or bad.

Travel / The worst months for bike riding in Poland? [8]


Depends on what kind of joy you are looking for...
For standard bike joy I would say season is more or less between march and october.
But on the other hand biking in the winter along the frozen river is quite entertaining too.
There is no bad weather, only bad clothes ;-)

Law / How deep is the Gloom in the Poland's Economy [84]

But IMF says Polish economy will grow around 2.971% (Gross domestic product, constant prices) in 2012.

I mean what is your point?

Law / How deep is the Gloom in the Poland's Economy [84]

You are talking probably about this: imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2011/02/weodata/index.aspx

Taking into account problems of our main trading partners this is not bad forecast. GDP is growing, slowly, but unemployment rate stays more or flat, inflation is low and stable, investments are growing, savings too. It looks like there is a few stable years ahead among the storm. Few things I don't like is current account balance or general government gross debt, though if in 2016 debt would stay below 55% of GDP it would be positive still.

To sum things up, considering the fact that Europe has its "7 thin years period" right now, I like this forecast. But economic forecasts are usually no better than weather forecasts...

Food / Types of CHEESE in Poland [150]

If you are looking for great Polish cheese try "Old Poland". Rubin is nice, Bursztyn is my favourite.

Real Estate / Poland's apartment prices continue to fall [1844]

As a native Pole, I didn't know such nuance exists that bargain is somewhat deregatory term. I meant bargain in terms of hard but still price negociation.


Exactly. Like I said Poles do openly negotiate when the deal is huge enough for them.. Bread, internet and phone are not in such category yet.

Real Estate / Poland's apartment prices continue to fall [1844]

Well, financial blogs like calculatedrisk claimed that one of the very important propeller in the entire process was inflated appraisals. In order to gave inflated mortgage banks needed inflated apraisals to claim they have proper collateral for a mortgage. Because thanks to securitiazation process banks bore no risk and had unlimited amount of cash their goal was to inflate a price. Appraisers were in general dependent on banks and entire process corrupted leading to a bubble. And there was no point to bargain becasue "house prices never fall". Of course there were more propellers, and overall mechanics of this process is quite interesting, but that is probably OT here. It was greed of course, but greed is a constant property of reality. The interesting thing is what was the canals that greed used to get out of the bottle.


Of course, and those offers are the effect of the average prices from transactions in time X in a given area. And it happens that in Poland we do negotiate the price. The only period we didn't were years of property boom in 2005-2008... Offer price is not a market price, especially currently. Look for reports from REAS and other for example. Transaction prices are lower than offer prices at least a few percent, in certain caseses even more. To not bargain/negotiate the price especially when the market is falling is to act unwisely...

To make an example: there is a property in Wroclaw, a flat. In the last tender about half year ago city offered it for about 0,5 mln PLN. Nobody was interested. Now the offer price is under 0,4 mln PLN. (to all who claims that sky is falling, I would add that this flat needs a lot of work).

Real Estate / Poland's apartment prices continue to fall [1844]


And how do you know that the price reflects the market price? By definition market price is set by every transaction including that one which you are a part of. Actually by bargaining you are setting market price at the moment... Big and small companies are doing it by daily basis. Regular folks too when deal is big enough. It is called capitalism ;) Actually lack of proper bargaining is one of the cause of every bubble, ie. latest bubble in US where floor was artificially set by improper appraisals.

History / POLAND: EASTERN or CENTRAL European country? [1080]


My sentence you were reffering to suppose to be a small joke... Oh well, if I have to take an official stand on the issue then for me currently central Europe consists of Germany, Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, Austria and Hungary, maybe Slovenia too. Come on, how come a country which consits of parts from Russian Empire, German Empire and the Austrian-Hungarian Empire is not central? We have it all. Even Atlantic climate zone is ending somewhere in the middle of western Poland...

Heh, but if KingAthelstan says that Poland is in EE then it must be :-)

PS. KingAthelstan, please do not refer to Economist as a credible source regarding CEE geography. In recent years they were notoriously ridiculed by CEE forumers because of their pathetic level of articles about CEE...

History / POLAND: EASTERN or CENTRAL European country? [1080]


Zhirinovsky as an ultimate guru? You must be joking... If you have cited Dostoyevsky or someone of that kind...
Of course Russia is a country that is on the edge of Europe and Asia (or judging by its size it is rather rest of Europe which is on the edge of Russia), but in most terms - population clusters included - it lies in Europe. On the other hand suppossedly Mao said that Europe is a small peninsula of Asia :-)


I guess Polish perception is quite logical, as it is in CE then everything west is WE ;-) Ok, it would be if didn't add to that Sweden and sometimes... Australia ;)

History / POLAND: EASTERN or CENTRAL European country? [1080]

I suspected it will once again become a flamewar, wait, I will catch some popcorn ;)


How come "Third Rome" can be not in Europe?


You are aware that "Europe" in this sentence is a mental leap for European Union? You can also in such context say "Switzerland relations with Europe"...

History / POLAND: EASTERN or CENTRAL European country? [1080]

^^
Malta perphaps? ;-) Anyway, I was a bit ironic...

History / POLAND: EASTERN or CENTRAL European country? [1080]

There were countless internet discussions about it. It all depends on what do you mean by that...
Poles are annoyed when by "Eastern Europe" someone means the "wild east land far far away where white bears eats children for breakfast"...

The problem is that except post-comunist meaning of term "Eastern Europe", Poland is in central Europe (in terms of climate, geoghraphy, culture - yes, strange but mostly true, politics, economy, etc...). So, if someone is using term EE, then one of possible conclusions in the Polish mind is: "hm... it seems that someone is trying to offend me" ;)

btw:


If Serbs are from Eastern Europe, then Greeks too ;-)

Work / Is finding an engineering job in Poland difficult? Do I have to be fluent in Polish? [17]

benny194

I have no knowledge at all about your domain, but just for sport I looked into the net, so for example this site:
praca.money.pl
with "inżynier mechanik" phrase which I hope means more or less "mechanical engineer" gave me this:

"Product manager with English in Automotive field" in Cracov.
It is from grafton recruitment agency:
grafton.pl/oferty-pracy-detail.html?refNum=6017243
another one:
grafton.pl/oferty-pracy-detail.html?refNum=6017242

Why not contact them and apply just for sport? I'm quite sure you'll be able to get info about wage differential in your domain from head hunters.

As for general engineering companies in the region if not Cracov then Upper Silesia area is quite close - which means many possibilities (probably I should mention here Fiat factory in Bielsko-Biała, or other factories in Tychy or Gliwice). Big international companies are located mostly in special economic zones. Here you can see for example list of companies in such zone in Upper Silessia:

ksse.com.pl/lista/dane_list/lista1.php?lang=en

Maybe you will find a company you've always wanted to work for ;)

Work / Planning a move to Wroclaw (a company offers me a Gross salary of 4000 Polish Zloty) [23]


In general various social benefits. I have no idea to which you will be entitled to as a foreigner who pay taxes here, but what I do know is that there are famillies who have less than 4K gross and have to much to get support.

Free stuff like for example kindergartens. If you pay taxes in PL maybe even as a foreigner you could apply for a place for your child there, but because there is not enough of places you will have to wait in line...


The city has some amount of flats which can be given for a very low rent on social basis. But don't bother with that. People waits for years to get that - and usually those are not pretty places.

Work / Planning a move to Wroclaw (a company offers me a Gross salary of 4000 Polish Zloty) [23]

To make things clear 4000 gross is somewhat quite regular money for a young proffesional in Wroclaw in many fields, also it is considered even good pay for not so young in others. Thing is that normally wifes works to, there is a familly support - grandmas, grandpas etc for baby-sitting, very cheap rents in city flats for many, free schools and bunch of other free stuff you will not be able to get as a foreigner.

To sum things up: your employer probably will tell you that "but this is a salary Poles get in Wroclaw branch!", yet you are not a Pole and some shortcuts are closed for you.

History / What do Poles owe to Russians? [193]


Wow... olive branch offering from Nazist Germany in 1939:
"First give us some land to connect with Prussia, let us take Gdansk also on that occassion. Secondly let us in and let us to expel/kill your Jews (about 10% of the population). Thirdly lets together conquer SU and kill all the Jews over there. Last but not least what we don't tell you but it is obvious, when we conquer SU, we will also occupy some more of your territory and use some of Untermenschen to slave work"

What a bargain! Why, oh why Poland didn't comply...

Anyway back to the topic: Poles of course owe a lot to Russian Dmitrij Mendelejew ;)

Work / Planning a move to Wroclaw (a company offers me a Gross salary of 4000 Polish Zloty) [23]

If this is normal "umowa o pracę" deal then 4000 PLN gross ~ 2850 net PLN, here is tax calculator: money.pl/podatki/kalkulatory/plac/

It is not enough for a familly without local support net and state sponsored rent of a flat.
Renting of a 2 room flat will cost you up to 2000 alone...

Here is thread with cost of living: Wroclaw life (cost of living, rent, food, transport)

Life / Feasibility and cost of a bicycle in Krakow? [13]


I do sometimes. From legal point of view winter wheels for bicycles till middle of 2010 were illegal in Poland (those with this metal hobnails), now they are supposedly legal.

I didn't try them but I'm going to...

Life / Poland's population growth problem [44]

From big cities none except Warsaw. But city stats will not tell you much. You should look rather at agglomeration stats or urban areas. Big Polish cities unfortunately are in the process of urban sprawl. So for example city of Poznan is losing citizens but agglomeration is growing, the same more or less goes for Krakow, Wroclaw and others:

here you can find nice stats, I'm not sure how valid they are though...:

markamiasto.home.pl/autoinstalator/joomla7/index.php?option=com_plotalot&view=simple&Itemid=572

£ódź is a different case - it is kind of Polish Detroit + it is to close to Warsaw...

Real Estate / What area to live in Wroclaw? I prefer to spend about 1600-1900 per month on renting. [19]

Good website for renting? I don't know any good site in English. Some Polish sites I look into sometimes are:
dom.gratka.pl/mieszkania-do-wynajecia/lista/dolnoslaskie,wroclaw.html
oferty.net

a few years ago the best one was (the best one because with the biggest amount of offers without a middle man): autogielda.pl

Well, after learning 10 to 50 Polish words you should be able to surf smothly on those sites ;-)

Anyway, if you are going to work on Strzegomska then from the list you gave you should go for Krzyki. I would also add Muchobór to the list - if closenest to the city center is not important to you. Regardless of the fact that brand new and shiny motorring was opened two days ago, getting from Biskupin to Strzegomska can take an hour by car sometimes.

It depends where on Strzegomska also, because it is quite a long street. If close to the center then you have direct tram from Biskupin, if on the other side, then you have relatively easy way by city bus or by car via inner ring road.

One word of warning: you should take notice on the map that middle part of Strzegomska area is kind of industrial and rail zone, so for example Grabiszyńska area can look close to it but you will have go around through the center or inner ring anyway. In fact the closest livable area is Popowice - the only minus is that this is mostly commie blocks area.

Real Estate / What area to live in Wroclaw? I prefer to spend about 1600-1900 per month on renting. [19]

This map of transaction prices should help you. I know you want to rent, but people are voting with their money:



In my opinion:
Biskupin|Sępolno > Krzyki > Grabiszynska...

But it all depends where are your daily destinations.

Real Estate / Poland's apartment prices continue to fall [1844]


Harry the problem with mortgages from "Rodzina na swoim" is that usually bank commission on such mortgage was higher than on 'free market' mortgage. This program is maybe in theory noble but in reality it is nothing more than artificial floor for property prices. This program started when property market in Poland was in shambles, it should be stopped long time ago.

PS, I'm not in property bust camp, but prices are falling - don't forget about inflation. Even if price of flat is not moving the price is dropping...

Travel / Traveling around Poland - our photo stories with very personal commentary [225]


Contrary but true :-) Probably it depends which date after WWII is taken into account. Here is actaully nice info:




Let just say that this statue is not the best example of art ;)

Travel / Traveling around Poland - our photo stories with very personal commentary [225]

Just to straighten one popular misconception:



It is half true. In fact the biggest part of Poles who came to Wroclaw after WWII were from Greater Poland Voivodeship. Those who came from ex-Eastern Poland were smaller in number but it was organized resettlement - with some noticable groups like scientists from Lviw or important institutions like Ossolineum. That is why popular view is that most of Wroclaw citizens are descendants of the settlers from east, when in fact they are mostly decendants of the mix of east and north.

By the way:


Some Wroclawians call it monument of Mirmil (from "Kajko i Kokosz") not Boleslaw ;-)

Travel / Attractions in Wrocław: a Must-See List [117]


I know you asked about Rynek, but you know, Rynek is for tourists...
If you are looking for good selection of Polish beers and some Czech beers try pubs near "nasyp kolejowy" = embankment of rail. It is not grand place but there is a collection of cosy pubs there, for example this one with Czech beer:

wroclaw.tubywam.pl/czeski-raj

Those are mostly pubs so decent food is harder to get but regular stomach can handle food from this place:

wroclaw.tubywam.pl/kuznia-dobrych-klimatow

As I said, it is not grand area (it is planned to became a pedestrian zone in a few years though), there is a construction site of a theater next to it, but it is quite close to the Rynek and somewhat "off the bitean track" place.

One more thing, trains are running under your head there, but this is kind of special feature of the place ;)

Travel / Traveling around Poland - our photo stories with very personal commentary [225]

Anyway it is a shame that you missed Ostrow Tumski. It is kind of like missing Mariacki Church when visiting Krakow.
Good reason to come back one day, when memory of all things you didn't like shades away ;)

Travel / Traveling around Poland - our photo stories with very personal commentary [225]


Oh really? Is there any song about Krakow blue trams? ;) :



"Wroclaw song" by Jerzy Harald (music), Krystyna Wnukowska (lyrics), Maria Koterbska is singing.
Date of song: around 1950.
Goes more or less like this:

"Mkną po szynach niebieskie tramwaje przez wrocławskich ulic sto"
"Blue trams speeds through Wroclaw streets"

But, blue color was introduced by Poles after WWII due to blue color of trams in Lviv. Origin of colour of Krakow trams is mystery to me...

pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tramwaje_we_Wroc%C5%82awiu
pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tramwaje_w_Krakowie

PS. some old trams in the video are red, because there was red period after blue, and then blue again :)

Travel / Attractions in Wrocław: a Must-See List [117]


You really caught the worst few days... I hope you found some nice pubs to hide ;)