Genealogy / Was George Peppard Polish?? [2]

No, he was't Polish, and George Peppard is his real birth name. He did play several Polish-American characters though, and received an award from the Polish-American Congress for that. Somebody must have interpreted that as meaning he was Polish-American himself.

Study / I want to move Poland from Chicago area and study.. Job prospects, cost of food, healthcare, other expenses [24]


1,500 PLN a month on top of fixed expenses like rent, untilities, and school costs would enable you to lead a very frugal, monastic existence. You might satisfy your basic needs, but not very much beyond that.

IF you don't drink, don't smoke and are young, single-and-not-looking, in excellent health and exceedingly self-disciplined, yes, you can do it. But it's going to be tiring and frustrating.

Eating out in a mid-range restaurant is going to be a special event. Same with going to the movies, or buying a book. God forbid if you have to go to the dentist or doctor, especially if it means losing time at work or having to buy expensive medications. Saving up money will be impossible, and you'll be living without a rainy-day fund. Travelling is out, as even a cheap day jaunt to a nearby city will be a major item on your limited budget. Buying clothes is going to require a lot of restraint. Food is going to be very basic, and you'll have to be a wise and frugal shopper.

Sure, it can be done, and lots of people do it. Doesn't mean it's going to be fun, though, because you'll be constantly worried that unexpected expenses will arise.

Life / Cost of Living in Lodz [50]


Thriving is the last word I'd use to describe £ódź. While all of the other major cities in Poland have improved over the last ten years, £ódź has gotten worse. When I first came to Poland 11 years ago, I lived nearby in Skierniewice. I used to reallay enjoy spending time in £ódź, and even prefered it to Warsaw. The main street, Piotrkowska, was pulsing with life, and there were a lot of interesting shops, restaurants, cafes and hangouts, all pretty much thriving. That all changed when they build the shopping centers, Galeria £ódzka first, and then Manufactura. That sucked all the money, and life, out of the city center. Another big problem was that it suffered at the hand of the absolute worst mayor in Poland, Jerzy Kropiwnicki, who did a lot of damage to the city's economy and image.

When I go back now, it's depressing to see the decay. Lots of establishments shut down, and to those who remember what it used to be like, walking down Piotrkowska now is like walking through a post-apocalyptic landscape, or through an empty hall after the party is over. It's like watching a puppy slowly die. The city is just a shadow of its former self, and there's no sign that it will get better.


That's quite an exaggeration. It's a little cheaper, but not that much.



Not all that much cheaper than Warsaw, Kraków and Wrocław. And probably about the same as Poznań, Gdańsk and Katowice. So much for "low" rents.


Not very much besides it, though. Wrocław is definitely a better city for film buffs, thanks to Roman Gutek. The number and quality of film festivals here is mushrooming.

Genealogy / Turkiewicz, Czajkowski - Looking to connect with people with ties to Dobropole [13]


The Czajkowski's were a Polonized Ukrainian nobel family, some of which were later Russified, including the branch that gave rise to the famed Russian composer Peter Tschaikovski, who was Orthodox. Religion was not a constant then. People converted to the religion that gave them the best political opportunities: Roman Catholic to curry favor with the Poles, and Russian Orthodoxy to curry favor with the Russians. It would not have been unusual at the time to have three siblings who were Roman Catholic, Latin Rite, Roman Catholic, Byzantine Rite (or "Greek Catholic") and Russian Orthodox.

According to Wikipedia, the founder of the Czajkowski family was a Cossack named Fyodor Chaika, who distinguished himself under Peter the Great at the Battle of Poltava in 1709.

Life / Cost of Living in Lodz [50]

For a single non-smoking, non-drinking young male who is willing to slum it and do without any frills, it's adequate to survive. Forget about any small luxuries, forget about travelling, and really forget about saving any money up. Eating in a mid-range restaurant is going to be a special event. You'll be living like a monk. The cost of living is a little lower than in other larger cities in Poland, while the wages are a lot lower than in Warsaw, Cracow or Wrocław.

£ódź ain't a pretty city by any stretch of the imagination, but it has a sort of sad, dirty charm, if you're the type of guy that likes to pet dying puppies. It's population is skewed toward older and poorer people because the young and talented have left in droves because of lack of opportunity.

You could stretch your money a bit by living in one of the nearby small towns and commuting to £ódź.

All in all, not a particlular attractive job offer. Depends how desperate you are.

Food / Can you buy Absinthe in Poland? [13]


Probably not. More likely due to suggestion. No good evidence has ever been found that wormwood is halucinogenic or has any significant psychopharmalogical effects at the doses found in absinthe, even in the old days. It's basically an urban legend.

Study / I want to move Poland from Chicago area and study.. Job prospects, cost of food, healthcare, other expenses [24]


Not at all if you have to pay for school.

Work / Medical tests before working in Poland [23]


Nobody here can answer that. Ask your future employer.

Study / I want to move Poland from Chicago area and study.. Job prospects, cost of food, healthcare, other expenses [24]

@fiveforthedive

Nobody is going to be able to give you a useful answer because you have left out a lot of important information from your post, like:

1) are you a Polish citizen?

2) what do you intend to study?

3) where do you intend to study?

4) What are your grades like and what were your SAT scores?

5) you say you have family here. Will you be living with them? How much do you expect that to cost?

6) how much do you have to spend on your education? If the only source of money you have is $500 a month from your parents, then living and studying in Poland is probably not an option.

7) what kind of carrer do you expect to persue when you finish your education?

Now, some general observations. University course in English at Polish unviersities tend to be of poor quality.

Without exception, there is no university in Poland that could compare with the best universities in Chicago. If you think you are going to get an education as good as one at, say, the University of Chicago or Loyola, you are sorely mistaken.

You've created a false dichotomy. You're choice is not only between expensive universities in Chicago and universities in Poland. There are a lot of options open to you in the US that provide excellent education for very little money. It would be best to explore those options.

Getting a job in Poland is difficult, and the wages are very low, especially for jobs an unexperienced 18-year-old can do. It's incredibly difficult if you are not a Polish or EU citizen or resident (which doesn't mean just that you live here. It involves getting a residence permit, usually after having lived here for five years).

There are no school loans in Poland. At least none that you could possibly qualify for.

A degree from Poland is generally worth a lot less on the US job market than one from the States. A lot depends on the university and the program you study, of course, but this is generally true.

Poland, or at least some cities in Poland, is a great place to live if you do not have a job that pays well. Those are off limits to you until you get a good education.

Your information deficit is so great that studying in Poland starting this fall is out of the question. You have A LOT of research to do, and you will not be able to make an well-informed decision on time for this academic year. Go to school in the States this year, even if it means attending community college.

Last of all, the differences between American English and British English are minor. Furthermore, the differences are way too small to make any difference when studying in Poland. Most Poles who speak English cannot tell the difference between the two.

Food / Can you buy Absinthe in Poland? [13]


There are no laws barring the sale and purchase of absinthe in Poland. Whether a particular store stocks it and whether suppliers import it is thus a matter of supply and demand. If you are interested in a particular brand, you may be able to order it from a retailer, provided they can find a supplier that serves the Polish market.

Study / Polish graduate to stay in country & find a job? [14]

Your best option then is to find a SERIOUS program at a SERIOUS university in the EU. Poland would be a poor choice. If your really serious about studying IT and really want to make a comfortable living, serious programs at serious universities in Germany, Holland, Scandinavia and the UK are where you should be looking.

Study / Polish graduate to stay in country & find a job? [14]


That's correct. Most of these programs are a joke and diplomas from them will not help much on the job market, in Poland, in the EU and elsewhere.


Having a diploma does not guarantee a job. Not by a long shot. The quality and reputation of the program are important to employers, and they can reject you because you diploma is not good enough, even if it is from Poland.


As I said above, this is a very unwise plan. Make your plans assuming that you will NOT get work in Poland.


Chances of finding a job in Poland are poor. Don't count on it. Salaries are also poor, especially for entry level jobs.


Yes, if they are highly educated, highly qualified and very experienced, especially at higher level jobs. Not so much if they are not and applying for entry-level jobs that Poles can do. Generally, you're going to be fiercely competing with masses of unemployed recent graduates from Poland. Unless you're really outstanding, they are going to get hired before you.


Graduating from an English language program in Poland is probably no better than graduating from a university in the Ukraine. Graduating from a serious program at a serious university in the Ukraine would be worth more on the job market in any EU country. If you want to study anywhere in the EU, make sure it is in a serious program at a serious university. If you study in an inferior program at a low-ranking university, your diploma will probably be worth a lot less than a diploma from a serious program at a serious university in the Ukraine.

So far, you haven't said anything to indicate that studying in your own country is the best option available to you. Without good reasons to study in the EU and a good plan for doing so, it would be unwise to do so. It seems as if you think that any old diploma from any old university in any old EU country is some sort of "magic key". It isn't.

Law / A non eu national married to a Polish woman - the custody of the little boy. [3]


The ONLY mature advice that you can receive here is to consult a lawyer. Nothing of value can be added by anyone here.

Work / Salary for Engineer with 3 years Experience in Poland. 7500 PLN gross good enough? [11]


Probably at lot less. That's about the pay that a project manager would get.

Of course, it depends on what kind of engineer you are, what kind of job you get, and which company you end up working for. But 7500 seems a bit optimistic.

Study / Polish graduate to stay in country & find a job? [14]

@jock3r37: The most likely scenario is that you are NOT going to find work in Poland after you graduate, and you will NOT be able to get a residence permit. Make you plans based on that assumption, and you'll be safe. If you make them based on the assumption that you WILL get work and a residence permit, you are very likely to waste three or four valuable years of your life that you could have spent productively doing something more realistic.

Study / Review of the Poznan University of Economics? [18]

I'm going to have to agree with delphiadomine and Harry. The vast majority of programs taught in English at Polish universities are a joke. Like Harry said, the universites run these programs to make cold cash from gullible rich foreigners. In a field like economics and international business, where the reputation of the program is a major factor determining the worth of your degree when looking for work, it's best to apply to the best programs you possibly can. I wouldn't waste time on these programs.

Genealogy / THE MEANING AND RESEARCH OF MY POLISH LAST NAME, SURNAME? [4501]

Pretty much impossible unless you have an EXACT location where they came from, and names and approximate dates of birth. Without that, there's very little you can do. Surname searches are just about worthless unless the surname is unique to a single family, which yours probably isn't.

Work / Salary and cost of living information - Krakow [257]

No. Not at all. That's even more than what I would expect for that type of job and your experience.

Again, unless you're willing to live very basically and on a tight budget, there is no point in taking the job. If you're willing to rent a room instead of your own apartment, you can live more comfortably, but still won't be able to save up much. The only reason to take the job would be to get work experience, and there are better options for doing so in your case.

Law / Visa interview next month and I was rejected before; Accepted at the Jagiellonian university [13]

It almost certainly wasn't that. But something you said or did did send up some red flags. It might have even been something you DIDN'T say or do.

Basically, they want to be sure of five things: 1) you have enough money to support yourself; 2) you're going to leave when studies end and your visa/ residency permit runs out; 3) the invitation you received from the university is genuine and was applied for and issued with good faith; 4) you're going to stick to the purpose for the visa, which, in your case, is education and nothing else like work or finding a wife, etc.; and 5) you aren't going to cause problems once you're in the country (which is why the official asked you about cultural adaptation).

If they have any reason to doubt any of the five things above, they will err on the side of caution and deny your visa.

If you have money in the bank, great. If you own property or a business back home, even better. A very well thought out and PLAUSIBLE explanation for why would want to study in Poland is necessary, too. Poland is not exactly a popular study destination for well-off foreigners. Whether you think it's fair or not, they are, of course, going to have in the back of their minds the idea that you are trying to get into the EU through Poland for some ulterior motive. And for good reason, as many of your compatriots have been caught doing exactly that. If your story sounds implausible or not completely plausible, they will deny the visa. Be honest, open, and friendly, even if the officials you are dealing with are rude, and you should have no problem.

Life / Changing groszy coins into real money in Poland [16]

Yep. No problem with that. They have a machine for counting coins. You don't even have to sort them or anything. They just pur the whole mess into the hopper and the machine sorts and counts them. It takes only a few minutes.

Like I said, they are going to be more friendly about it if you have an account at that bank. If you do not have a bank account, have a Polish friend take the coins to their bank for you.

Life / Changing groszy coins into real money in Poland [16]


Take them to your bank and deposit them in your account. That's what I do, and I've never had a problem with it.

Work / Salary and cost of living information - Krakow [257]


I have to agree with Zetkom. Your lodging together with utilities and internet are going to set you back some 2000 to 2500 PLN. Public transportation another 100 PLN. You'll spend about 1000 to 1500 PLN on food. That leaves little, if anything, left over for other expenses with a net salary of only 3500 PLN.

The move is not worth it. You'll be struggling to make ends meet.

Work / Job opportunities for experienced US Civil Engineer in Poland - any hope? [30]


That would be high for a non-managing engineer.


Not in Poland. Physicians are poorly paid unless they own their own practice. That requires substantial capital to invest, and might not pay off for several years. She could, as I mentioned before, work in Germany, where she would receive higher pay. But without a good knowledge of the language and a specialty, her options and pay would be limited.

Forget about the agencies and find your own work. There's plenty out there for both you and your wife, and you can charge 60 PLN or more per page. Low startup costs and ease of finding work make this the most realistic option for both of you in Poland, especially since you both have specialist degrees. You won't have much competition. (I'm assuming, of course, that both you and your wife have near-native proficiency in English). You're going to hear the words "spadł z nieba" A LOT. Both of you can earn a lot more than as an engineer or physician in Poland. You just have to be persistent with your marketing, and carpet bomb every potential client by email and by knocking on doors until you build up a clientele, which shouldn't take long for either of you. However, you're going to have to be a rather disciplined self-starter and go-getter with plenty of business wits to make a go of it.


That's going to be tough to do on Polish wages. Perhaps with the translating and/or working in Germany option.


The States is a huge and diverse country. If you're not satisfied with the lifestyle where you currently are, check out other parts of the country. I'm guessing, though, that either you or your wife wants to be near family in Poland. That's a tough order to fill, especially in the short term.


For medical professionals, yes. Don't really know about engineering. Warrants further research on your part.


There were a lot of physicians and engineers among them. You're going to have to think outside the box to make a go of it in Poland, especially with debts to pay off in the States.

Like I said, your situation isn't completely hopeless. It's just that you have defined your dream so narrowly that it's affecting your perception of your options, which are manifold in the long run, and not bad for the time being. Also, like I said before, neither of you is getting any younger, and self-improvement is going to be harder, and pay off less, the longer you delay it. A bit of creative thinking together with draconian self-sacrifice and financial management now can put you both in a truly enviable position five years from now. At your age, self-improvement should be your HIGHEST priority. To the point of selling the house and buying a smaller one, if necessary.

Another priority is getting your kids the best education they can get, and, frankly, in spite of your experience, a degree from an American university opens up a lot more doors than one from a Polish university. Make sure they are working their asses off in school right now so they can get into the best universities possible, and get scholarships. They should eat, breath and dream math and sciences. If your kids are slackers, probably the worst place for them is a Polish university, where nobody is going to care at all about them. Also, if you kids are slackers, get out the belt and unslack their sweet little behinds before the sun goes down. They will be eternally grateful.

Life / Moving from India to Wroclaw [53]


With a wife and kid that needs to be placed in a private school, you are looking at expenses of at least 6000 to 7000 a month.

The appartment, together with utilities and internet, will cost you between 2500 and 3500 PLN, depending on quality and location.

Food is going to cost you about 50 PLN for three people per day. Slightly less if you are eating simple vegetarian, and more if you are going to want to cook and eat Indian meals. That's 1500 PLN for the three of you. That's just basic, no-frills eating at home.

The school is going to cost about 500 PLN a month.

That's from 4500 to 5500 PLN just for housing and basic food. Add another 1000 or more for sundry expenses like entertainment, public transport, clothes and toys.

So if your NET income is going to be less than 7000 PLN a month, it will be hardly worth you while to move here, unless you want to live at a very low standard (one bedroom apartment far from the city center, cheaper preschool for child, watching every penny).

Things can get a little cheaper once you settle in and learn to live in Poland. But not all that much in your case.

The area around ul. Wyścigowa is a residential area, generally good and expensive, although there are some cheaper, poor quality places nearby, like along the railroad tracks on ul. Warsztowa. Frankly, though, with a wife and kid who don't blend in and are likely to be perceived as Gypsies, I would stick to the better parts of the neighborhood.

Work / Krakow: possible job offer: 6.500 PLN [20]


That will save you about 400 PLN.


That will save you from 200 to 500 PLN.


Poland is not a beef and good fish country. They eat mainly pork and chicken. For most Poles, fish means herring, smoked mackarel, and frozen filets, mostly of pollock and Vietnamese catfish (panga). Salmon and trout are upscale. What you as a Dutchman would consider "nice fish" is largely unavailable here, or very expensive when it is available. Even more so for seafood. Trying to maintain a beef and good fish diet in Poland is going to cost you.


The cost for internet is about 75 PLN, with or without the landline phone.



Trying to figure out how those two quotes don't contradict each other. In my opinion, someone who drinks 12 to 18 beers on the weekend is definitely a heavy drinker, and probably has a drinking problem.


Probably one of the worst ways of meeting quality people who can help you adjust and help you advance socially and professionally, who are going to avoid you if you are three sheets to the wind. One of the best ways to meet drunk losers who will drag you down. You really have to think this one out.


The ZUS is taken out of the 6500. The net pay is what's left after ZUS, taxes and insurance are taken out.

Sorry, but I'm still detecting a distinct odor of immaturity here in your part. If you consider your stay in Poland an opportunity to become responsible, disciplined and mature, go for it. If you don't want to leave your cocoon of comfort, try to find a job at home.

Another thing. Poland is not a bicycle country, either, and bicycle theft is a MAJOR problem. Actually, it's the national sport. If you come here with a nice bike, it will be stolen within days.

Work / Krakow: possible job offer: 6.500 PLN [20]

2000 is about the lowest you're going to find for a two-bedroom apartment, furnished or unfurnished. You're going to need a lot of luck finding anything cheaper, at least at the standard that you seem to expect. Add about 300 to 500 for building maintanance fees (generally not included in the rent), and about 300 to 500 for utilities, not including internet/phone. So the apartment will cost you between 2600 to 3000 a month. Internet and phone will cost you about 75 a month. A monthly bus/tram ticket about 100. So fixed expenses range from about 2700 to 3200 a month for an apartment of that size. That leaves you about 1300 to 1800 disposable income.

For the type of lifestyle you mention, budget at least 50 OR MORE a day for food and cigarettes, more on weekends. Probably a lot more. That will take up all of your disposable income, and probably more. You won't have much left to buy clothes, little luxuries, or to do much travelling. Saving up is pretty much out of the question, and I wouldn't be surpised if you end up in the red until you learn how to live within your means, which I expect to take more than six months, at least.

Like it or not, you're not going to be making enough to be living the high-life existence you desire, which by Polish standards is extravagant: huge apartment, alcohol and tobacco, nightlife, steak etc.

You either have to lower your living requirements by taking a smaller apartment, quitting smoking, adjusting your diet, spending your free time in a less expensive manner. Or you have to find a much higher paying job.

Sorry, but you come across as incredibly pampered and prodigal by Polish standards. Air conditioning? That's something beyond the imagination of most people here. Steak? A very special treat for most Poles. Definitely not an element of the daily diet. Nice fish? You must be joking.

I think you will have a very difficult time adjusting to living on 4500 a month, even though most Poles would be living quite comfortably at that salary for a single person. Frankly, your going to learn some pretty tough lessons here and you will have to do a lot of growing up. From your post, I don't think you have it in you. Sorry.

Genealogy / OLD POLISH CHURCHES (Catholic Church in Krostkowo in 1875) [9]

The nearest church is two or three miles away in Białośliwie:

Parafia p.w. Najświętszego Serca Pana Jezusa (Most Sacred Heart of Jesus)
ul. Kościelna 14, 89-430 Białośliwie

According to Polish Wikipedia, it is one of the most beautiful churches in the diocese.

Work / Job opportunities for experienced US Civil Engineer in Poland - any hope? [30]


I know quite a few engineers here in Wrocław, and the only ones that make more than 5000 PLN a month are managers. Even then, I'm not sure the best paid of them earns 10,000 PLN. Actually, the civil engineers I know, from Skanska and the municipal engineering office, seem to be a sadder lot than the IT and telecommunications engineers I know. I hear a lot more griping from them. So I'm going to say that earning 10,000 PLN as a non-managerial engineer is unrealistic, especially working onnly 40 hours a week.

You say your wife is in healthcare. Wages in that field are abysmally low here. So low, that she would probably be better off teaching English. That would consume her afternoon and evening hours, though, which would probably not fit in with the lifestyle you had in mind.

Your English is pretty good. You might consider becoming a translator. If your wife's English is just as good and she has a good command of medicine, she might as well. Together, you could earn more than 10,000 PLN a month with a very flexible lifestyle. That would be about 25 hours a week for each of you, plus the time spent on maintaining old customers and finding new ones. It will take you some time to buid up a customer base, but with specialties in engineering and medicine and near-native proficiency, that won't be difficult to do. You will have basically no competition. I don't here in Wrocław (native clinical biologist).

Of course, that all depends on what you mean by "healthcare". If you mean your wife is a BSN or MT, she will be familiar enough with medicine as a whole to make a go of it. If she's in imaging or direct patient care, she might not have a wide enough medical background.

As for the gulf, never a day goes by that I don't kick myself for not doing it when I was younger. Like I said, it's like going to jail for five years, but you come out with a very comfortable nest egg, plus some extremely useful and salable experience. You won't have to worry about your kids' college costs. If I were you, I would look more deeply into that option.

Another option you have is to stay in the States and get an MEM or MBA or similar degree (from serious schools). That will open up the higher paying engineering jobs to you, including those for western companies working in Poland. And/or have your wife beef up her qualifications. If she's an RN, for example, she can work on becoming a BSN, nurse practictioner or nurse anesthetist. Also have her learn or beef up on her German. Living in Poznań, she will have the option of working in Germany at much higher wages than she can earn in Poland. I have a few friends in the medical field here in Wrocław that work in Germany during the weekends, and make a lot more than they do in Poland during the whole week.

If you both beef up your qualifications, moving to Poznan and earning western wages can be a realistic option in a few years time for both of you. Remember, reschooling gets harder and harder as the years go by, so don't put it off.

You're not at all in a hopeless situation, and you have lots of options to make life better for yourself and your family. Your problem is that you have a very specific dream that you would like to come true RIGHT NOW now, and you know that it won't. With patience and lots of hard work for the next few years on both your parts, you can make that dream, and many others, come true. Compared to most people, you and your wife are in a very enviable position, so there is nothing to be negative about. You have the options of reschooling in the States or of earning a big nest egg in the Gulf or the orient. Explore these options, get down to work, and you can well be living out your dream in Poznan in five years, having the best of both worlds.

Work / Job opportunities for experienced US Civil Engineer in Poland - any hope? [30]


Read the thread. I think the OP would be extremely unwise to pursue a career in academics in Poland, or to pursue any career in Poland at all, except at American rates. This has to do with the OP's question. He's a qualified civil engineer considering moving to Poland and making a career here. I was just pointing out that he's going to take a HUGE cut in pay (and his wife even more so), and that a career elsewhere would be a far better option with his qualifications. I was also pointing out that he is responsible for his children's upbringing and education, something that will be very hard to do on Polish wages.

Bottom line, unless he gets a job in Poland for a western company at western pay rates, the OP is going to have a very difficult time justifying his move to Poland to himself and his family. The opportunities elsewhere are numerous and far more attractive.

Work / Job opportunities for experienced US Civil Engineer in Poland - any hope? [30]


I earned more than that as a graduate student teaching assistant 28 years ago in the States, and I make more than that now working with a very light load for the university here in Poland, without all the hassles that a full professor has to put up with. It's less than a fifth of what an American professor makes. Fortunately, I don't have any kids to take care of, and my retirement is already saved up for.

The low cost of living doesn't help much when what you have available for savings is peanuts.

Also, the OP is very far from landing a job as a full professor. He has to finish a doctorate, then habilitation, and THEN he might stand a chance at getting a lower professorial position. That will take about 10 to 15 years at least. The stages along the way pay very poorly.

If the OP wants to work in Poland, by far the best option, and indeed the only viable option, is to get a job for a foreign company that does work in Poland and pays at western rates. Otherwise, he's screwed when it comes time to send the kids off to college, never mind when he wants to retire.