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Posts by LwowskaKrakow  

Joined: 9 Mar 2007 / Female ♀ 		Last Post: 12 Sep 2014
Threads: Total: 28 / Live: 21 / Archived: 7
Posts: Total: 431 / Live: 376 / Archived: 55 		From: Krakow

Displayed posts: 397 / page 2 of 14
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LwowskaKrakow   
25 Apr 2010
Work / No English Speaking Jobs in Poland...At All? [34]

Anything to do with the English Language, except teaching.

The only way you could do that is to be hired with an "expat contract" by an international company with headquarters abroad ,then you would mainly deal with English speaking departements or you may try travel insurances hotlines or any company with English speaking hotlines maybe( Phone companies,It etc)
LwowskaKrakow   
14 Jul 2010
Real Estate / Documents requested from foreigners to rent a flat long term in Poland? Invoicing / Contract. [16]

hello, I have a question for all our real estate specialists on our forum. Your answers could be quite useful !

If I am not Polish and I want to rent a flat in Poland on a long term basis, what are the documents requested by private owners or agencies apart from passport number and signing a lease contract ?

Proof of income ? Company warranty? Bank statements of the last 6 months?

Is there a difference between what is provided by a foreigner in terms of official documents or by local resident ?

Also is it common or legal to ask a tenant to pay the rent for one year upfront?

Many thanks
LwowskaKrakow   
14 Jul 2010
USA, Canada / A Canadian citizen overstayed Visa in Poland [35]

You are a criminal who has broken immigration rules.

Why are you judging this poor chap who is asking for advice ?
He just wants to go back to finish his studies and was not aware of our bureaucratic nightmare, if by any luck he was a European he would not have any problem.

A local school made a lot of money with his application and he is not taking the job of any Pole , on the contrary his application reinforces the reputation of excellence of those Polish medical and Dentistry schools so let's be a bit nicer.

I fear that there are no immigration lawyers in Poland like in Canada but BrownRuffrider you could always try to ask the school for their support and get in touch with the authorities to try to defend your case.
LwowskaKrakow   
14 Jul 2010
Work / Wage and Salary rates in Poland [37]

imagine Poland going to the euro currency.....teachers in public schools in Poland would be earning 300 euro per month :O

You cannot just convert currencies in the absolute, you need to match them with the local prices and standard of living, in Spain i am not sure teachers make much more than that?

Not to mention the millions of people all over Europe recruited as " trainees" and who work full time and many years for peanuts replacing normal employees...
LwowskaKrakow   
14 Jul 2010
Food / WHY IN POLAND PEOPLE DON'T USE ICE? [142]

Man! there's a heat wave in poland, is over 90°F and somebody sell ice, if you go to the store things like waters,beers and juices not even cold and if you go to a friends house they kill you with a hot tea

The Polish way is the best for your body because if you drink cold water when it is very hot you heart needs to pump much more and one should drink lukewarm beverage or hot drinks when it is very hot ( like people living in the desert).

I know it is really unpleasant but we should avoid drinking very cold or icy drinks when it is 90F.
In the US they have air conditionning EVERYWHERE so no problem!
LwowskaKrakow   
26 Nov 2010
News / Why is Poland developing so slowly or in the wrong direction? Who is responsible ? [317]

I read an article on the Wall street journal, no wonder why Poland needs to raise taxes: blogs.wsj.com/new-europe/2010/11/25/poland-gets-new-warning-about-public-finance/

Apart from that the growth is 3.5 % and Polish exports are soaring so compared to Western Europe I find that it is pretty good .

Henceworth I do not understand at all the silly or condescendant title of this thread, where does the author come from ? A really fast growing country i presume, ( from China ?)
LwowskaKrakow   
26 Nov 2010
Work / Moving to Europe from US (hopefully to Poland). IT, Programming, technology market? [13]

There are plenty of people that make the equivalent of 80k USD (or even £)

For this kind of money ( although it does greatly depend on the exchange rate between the $ and the zloty) you will be working like mad in Poland and problably would not even be able to enjoy this great country and everything it has to offer in terms of social encounters, bars, restaurants etc.

i would advise you to accept a big pay cut so that you don't sign a highly paid but still slavery contract.
LwowskaKrakow   
26 Nov 2010
Polonia / Going to Paris for 10 days, any hints? [14]

Make sure you visit the CHEZ CHARTIER restaurant ( metro Station Grand Boulevards) , cheap and an institution dating back from ages, also in the same arrondissement the famous passage Choiseul, passage Verdeau

Take a stroll on the romantic Canal St Martin ( metro station: Gare de l'Est).
For cafés and funky trendy admosphere, go to rue du Faubourg St Denis ( metro Strasbourg st Denis) café le NAPOLEON ( the owner is French from Polish origin) and for the best home made French fries and beer on the same street the restaurant-café : LE CADRAN DU FAUBOURG.

Bon voyage!
LwowskaKrakow   
27 Nov 2010
News / Why is Poland developing so slowly or in the wrong direction? Who is responsible ? [317]

When it comes to roadworks, they are certainly not 'streets' ahead.

I am wondering why because Poles had for decades the reputation of beeing excellent manual workers but also very good urban planners, architects etc.

Isn't it because the skilled labour force emigrated to the US and Western Europe?
The Krakow-Zakopane road took ages to be completed , crazy.

The Polish highways will be built by Chinese companies I heard, so it will be great if you think about Shanghai and Beijing highways and roads.
LwowskaKrakow   
29 Nov 2010
Work / Cost of Living, Average Salaries and Job sites in Poland [263]

You could take a course to learn to teach English as a Foreign Language and get a TEFL diploma in the US prior to your relocation in Poland.

There are many ads looking for English Language teachers in Language schools on Justlanded .com or Website ESL café,Expatsin Poland etc ,I think or once you have the degree you may also post some ads.

Beeing fluent in both English and Polish will surely help !

Also you may offer your services on Gumtree Warsaw to get private students , i think you can charge around 50zl per hour ( not sure about the going rate in Warzsawa) but you should be pretty overwhelmed !

Also make sure you bring in your luggage a LOT of ESL Books because in Poland they are very expensive.

Good luck
LwowskaKrakow   
29 Nov 2010
Work / Cost of Living, Average Salaries and Job sites in Poland [263]

I've only seen it firsthand once with a Pole, this person had a master's from Poland and she told me flat out that the companies she was applying to simply didn't consider her degree to be equivalent to a master's degree in the USA. she was always at a disadvantage when she was one of many in that infamous "pile of resumes".

Depends.I have a Polish friend on a Fulbright finishing her PHD in Psychology at NYU , I don't think she 'd have any problem finding a white collar job such as an HR in the US.

Which means that you can start your studies in Europe and then apply for scholarship in the US.

I had not realized that Klaud was only 18 so I fully agree with Fuzzytickets that teaching polish kids would be the best option.( Still a good idea to bring from the US English language books for kids)
LwowskaKrakow   
29 Nov 2010
Work / Cost of Living, Average Salaries and Job sites in Poland [263]

outside its own field, is equally worthless.

You are right however if we follow this approach, almost everything young people study is worthless:
Philosophy, Art, Sculpture, Literature,psychology ,cinema...

So what do you advise ? To just focuss on Business MBAs or technical Diplomas ?

In my opinion if the young man studied plumbing in Warsaw and go back to the US he would make a lot of money too , but knowing the American society anything works as long as you want to work hard, even psychology.
LwowskaKrakow   
30 Nov 2010
Language / Polish - individual classes or course? [15]

My best experience is with the school [blocated ul. Bronowicka[/b] ,I studied in a mini group (5 students max) the teachers were amazing and the book excellent .

Actually the book+ Cds is called Hurra Po Polsku 1, Hurra Po Polsku 2, Hurra Po Polsku 3 and the school pedagogical team ( sponsored by the European Union!) created those books.

henceforth they follow the " official" 6 language levels established by Europe in 2001 :
A1/A2(Total beginner or False beginner)
-B1/B2( Intermediate)
-C1-C2( autonomy)

The focuss was on speaking skills, grammar but not taught in a boring way, role plays, basic vocabulary etc.
I am not sure they have sessions in Winter but over the Summer they are packed for they also organise accommodation in Krakow if needed.

Anyway it was fun!
LwowskaKrakow   
1 Dec 2010
Real Estate / Any Feed back on PKG real estate Krakow? the site has a red /bad mark from WEB of Trust [4]

Hello All,
Any of you has some feed back on the company PKG Real Estate in Krakow?

On Mozilla , their website has a Red Circle from Web of Trust (an organisation giving evaluation based on users)
Would you share your experience with this real estate company ( selling and renting in Krakow).

Also could any of you recommend good real estate agencies (with reasonable fees, reliable, etc)

Many thanks.
LwowskaKrakow   
4 Dec 2010
Travel / Restaurant reviews in Poland. [86]

U Babci Maliny

Yes this one is quite good however the problem in Krakow is that Polish restaurants are amazingly well decorated and with a great atmosphere however their Polish Cuisine is not great compared to when cooked by the Poles at their home!

Tell me about one single Polish dish which was better prepared and served at a Krakow restaurant than one from a Polish home?

There is no Culinary school in Poland I believe and "Chefs" in Krakow restaurants do not seem inspired by Polish Cuisine, I am even wondering if just anybody can just be hired as a cook at a restaurant serving Polish specialties...

Bars and Pastry shops ( cukernia) are great though...
LwowskaKrakow   
18 Jul 2011
Real Estate / Thinking of buying an offplan Luxury Property Wroclaw [79]

I am looking at buying an offplan luxury apartment.

Stay away from off plan property in Poland! Too risky and stressful.Just browse on PF and you ll see that most developers were either dishonest or the flats are not built in time. Do not forget you are trying to buy in a post communist country where ( thank God not very body) many developers associate capitalism with cheating clients and Polish laws are not protecting real estate clients at all like anywhere in Western Europe.

There are hundreds of great places which are already built in Wroclaw and not too expensive so just look around and avoid stress and risks!
LwowskaKrakow   
24 Jul 2011
Study / Quality of Polish classes for foreigners [7]

I would think that the University of Warsaw has good qualified teachers of Polish.
However:

The most important thing in Language Training Lessons is to know how many students per class because if the class has more than 6 students ,forget it, there is no way you can learn a language let alone Polish which is pretty difficult if you are going to be in a group of over 6 students.

Pick up a school where you can learn in a mini group if you want to be able to pronunce correctly, be corrected and get the teacher's attention.
LwowskaKrakow   
24 Jul 2011
Food / Are there any real kebab shops in Gdansk? [20]

In Krakow kebab shops are absolutely everywhere which is a pity because i would prefer zapiekanki shops .
Moreover they do not serve lamb kebab, as a matter of fact there is no lamb available in Poland at a butcher's or supermarket that i know of.
LwowskaKrakow   
24 Jul 2011
Study / Quality of Polish classes for foreigners [7]

The only problem was that it was me with three Korean guys

Then the best is to have individual Polish lessons. I know of a very good teacher of Polish located in Warsaw who speaks several Languages.

PM me if interested.
LwowskaKrakow   
28 Jul 2011
Real Estate / Question about Czynsz (Building maintenance fees/utilies) in Poland [129]

Hi all,
I have a question concerning the buidling maintenance fees (czynsz) owners pay per month or per year in Poland?

I have a flat and i receive bills with vague details written based on the size of my flat( the square meters) on a Xcell sheet that i pay but i have never received any details on how the whole building is managed /about the buidling management ( name of the owners,what they pay, official bills from Water supplier, works in the building etc).

I ahve never received any meeting papers for some possible boards regarding decisions in the building management each year.

is that normal? Are there any rules regarding this? How do the owners check that they are not beeing overcharged and paying fictitious amounts?
What is the law ? How do we check ?

Thanks for your info .
LwowskaKrakow   
28 Jul 2011
Real Estate / Question about Czynsz (Building maintenance fees/utilies) in Poland [129]

inkrakow
My question was more about who pays what in a building rather than who owns what and my surprise at the fact that people just pay their czynsz /maintenance fees by receiving a bill without any explanation.

In the US and anywhere in Europe, one expects to be able to check the maintenance costs of a building per year and with all details and it is customery to receive a lot of documents and copies of the total cost per year for electricity ,water, cleaning fees of the buidling in which you own a place+ a meeting for the co owners.
LwowskaKrakow   
31 Jul 2011
Life / $3,000-$4,000 a month - would we have enough money to live in Poland? [273]

between $ 3000.00 and 4000.00 Dollars a month in income.

If you are speaking of 3000 $ to 4000$ US DOLLARS a month, yes you have enough and i would even add plenty !

Most Polish household DO NOT HAVE such amounts per month .
Of course we are not speaking about a Deluxe way of life but a fairly good one ,in my opinion.
LwowskaKrakow   
31 Jul 2011
Life / Back from Poland! I belong there! [16]

Oh and I loved Biedronka

Biedronka is you are speaking about the supermarket is not Polish but Portuguese.

nevertheless it must be good to feel back home again.
LwowskaKrakow   
31 Jul 2011
News / Polish final report on Smoleńsk aircrash [853]

Polish mistakes were crushing, though, and directly contributed to the accident.

Is it true that the Polish goverment is denying pension to the flight pilots'widows ?
If so, it is appalling,looks like misplaced revenge and will not help the dead coming back anyway.
LwowskaKrakow   
2 Aug 2011
Life / $3,000-$4,000 a month - would we have enough money to live in Poland? [273]

wielki pan

Well Wielkipan I do not have such tastes but a lot of people do in Poland and i would define a deluxe way of life and a simple cheap standard of living as followed:

Drive and maintain an expensive German car ( gas,insurance, parking)/ drive a second hand lada or Public transportation only
Live in a top end gated community in Warsaw( rent above 5000Pln)/live in a former communist block max size 25 Square meter for2
Eat at Fuckiers every week/ Eat at a bar mleszko
Send your kids to an international private school/send your kids to local state schools
Visit private doctors + hospital( international insurance costs/Bupa style)/visit public hospital
Shop at Alma gourmet supermarket everyday/shop at Lidl and Biedronka

ETC....
SO i would say a deluxe way of life costs 18 000 zl per month and a simple way of life would be 3000 zl to 4000 zl a month. Would you guys agree?