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


Pretty much doesn't matter where their father wants them to live. All that matters is where they will want to live, and a degree from Poland closes a lot of doors, whereas an American degree opens a lot more. The only problem they will have if if they want to work in a few closed fields in Poland, like civil engineering and law. Otherwise, they are far better off with a degree from a good American university, even if they want to live and work in Poland.


That would make Saudi Arabia or Dubai a lot more attractive. Pay for academics is frustrating low in Poland. I was really ****** off when I was offered an academic position at the university here in Wrocław. The interview went splendidly, and everything was looking like peaches and cream, until we got to the issue of pay. Their initial offer was soooooooo low that there was no point in even negotiating, and that was the end of the interview. I now make three times that working on contract for the university. Most of the academics I know have to have second careers as consultants and the like. Especially if they have kids to support.

Life / What gifts to take? Presents customs in Poland. [148]

Running for Mr. Obnoxious of the year? Well, you've got my vote.

Life / What gifts to take? Presents customs in Poland. [148]

If you like circus peanuts, you're one of a select few. Read this:

straightdope.com/columns/read/1159/does-anybody-actually-like-circus-peanuts

Kids don't seem to mind Hershey's kisses. My mom always sends a bunch and I have no problem getting rid of them with my teenage students. Never heard any complaints.

I'd be very wary of getting a kid an expensive gift unless I knew darn well sure that it will be appreciated. I've been burnt too many times on this. I, too, considered a coonskin hat or cowboy hat for the teenage boy, but had second thoughts about it. An American football seems more likely to be appreciated, though I would go with a cheap nerf one unless I was very sure that a real one would be appreciated. The mood ring is likely to be appreciated, too.

Sometimes, the best gifts don't cost anything at all, or very little. A great gift for a teen boy is an old US licence plate. I used my old Indiana plate to bind some papers together for shipping, and later gave it to a teen student. He was thrilled, and it's still hanging front and center over his bed. Another student was thrilled with a stupid four-color ink pen.

Punk sticks are a great idea, too. The practice is totally unknown in Poland, and kids are fascinated by it.

I've learned that a good experience is appreciated more by kids than an expensive gift. Marshmallow roasting is a good example. Making typical American foods like pancakes (extremely different from the Polish version), sweet yellow cornbread, baked beans, chili, REAL hamburgers (Poles don't have the slightest clue what these are, and are always pleasantly surprised when they actually see and eat one), chocolate chip cookies, carrot cake, brownies, AMERICAN cheesecake (very different from the Polish version), American pies, even rivel soup; I've cooked all of these together with my friends and students here in Poland, and we all had a great time. Ingredients for all of these are readily available in Poland except for maple syrup, which is prohibitively expensive here. Oh, and mollases, which is completely unavailable. So you don't really have to bring anything much; just buy the ingredients here. Make sure to leave detailed instructions so that they can make them again whenever they want.

Bringing the boy a simple deck of cards (with bikini models or cars or dinosaurs or something like that) and teaching him how to play poker is a great gift, too. I've had a lot of fun teaching this to my young students.

Teaching them some stupid trick like the dairy farmer's handshake can be a fun experience. (First person interlocks fingers and turns palms outward, thumbs pointing to the floor. Second person tugs on the thumbs as if milking a cow). There's lot of stupid little things like that that kids are amused by and get a lot of milage from.

Had tons of fun with my friends' young kids pitching pennies. Bring some American and Canadian pennies along for "authenticity".

Be careful with hot sauces and jalepenos and such. They MAY be a big hit, but more likely they will be way to spicy for Polish tastes, which tend strongly toward the VERY, VERY bland. Besides, they are readily available in Poland, although I often wonder who buys them.

Same with clothing. There's nothing that you can get in America that you can't easily get here. Period. That includes Mickie Mouse shirts and such. Kids are notoriously difficult to predict when it comes to clothes, and even more difficult to impress.

This is especially true for toys. There is a wide selection of just about everything here, including such iconic American toys like slinkies, hula hoops and board games. Lincoln logs are a rare exception, although they may not be right for the ages of the kids mentioned. The green army men will be appreciated, too.

Life / What gifts to take? Presents customs in Poland. [148]

Also, I read the talk page to the Wikipedia article on circus peanuts. Someone commented: "should the article include a mention of how universaly hated these things are?" Never a truer word has been spoken. I suspect that the main buyers are elderly women who want to not-so-subtily show their grandchildren, nieces and nephews how much they really despise them.

Life / What gifts to take? Presents customs in Poland. [148]


Yes, they do taste of something else. Something that I don't expect or want when I bite into a marshmallow. And the texture was all wrong, too. I rarely throw food away, but those ended up in the can pdq. They tasted like my LEAST favorite candy in the whole world, circus peanuts (I get sick just looking at them): en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circus_peanuts

Sorry, but you're never going to figure out what a real American marshmallow tastes and feels like without actually trying one. You'll just have to take my word for it that the difference is enormous.

Life / What gifts to take? Presents customs in Poland. [148]


Yes, really. There's no comparison. Like a Rolex and a fake "Rolex". The ones I had in Poland were just plain awful. The taste and texture were completely off, and it's obvious that whoever designed them had never seen, held or tasted a real marshmallow in their life, and was working solely off of a written description. They weren't even good enough to put in cocoa. If you have a friend in the States or Canada, ask them to send you some, and you'll see the difference for yourself.

Life / What gifts to take? Presents customs in Poland. [148]


The ones you can get in Poland are far inferior to the American ones. Bought a pack once out of curiosity and the ended up in the trash. I don't think they would be suitable for roasting.


Baloney.

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

As Monitor says, the construction industry is in poor shape in Poland at the moment, and things aren't going to improve any time soon. You're best bets are to get a job with an American company working in Poland at American pay rates, or do something else entirely different.

By entirely different, I mean getting a job as a civil engineer working in Suadi Arabia, Dubai, Abi Dabi or similar location. The pay is fantastic, and even though you won't be able to take your family, after a five year contract, you will be able to retire quite comfortably in Poland, and earn enough to send your kids to the best schools. You have to think of their future, and Polish universities are a poor educational option for them.

Yes, it's like going to jail for five years, and being away from the family will be difficult. But financially, it's a smart move. One that I deeply regret not having made myself.

Life / What gifts to take? Presents customs in Poland. [148]

The cost of the gift isn't that significant for children. Uniqueness is. Had a wonderful time with my teen students roasting marshmallows that my mom sent me from the States. A new and strange experience for Poles. Strike-anywhere kitchen matches also made a huge impression; they don't exist in Europe. They've seen them used in films, though, and they are curious about them. I gave maple syrup to a teen that I was mentoring for Christmas, and he was super thrilled. We made AMERICAN pancakes together (also totally unknown in Poland) and had a great time. For the little boy, try a propeller beanie. Totally unknown in Poland. Root beer is something that's totally unavailable here, and a new experience for Poles. Beef jerky is also something novel, as is black licorice (but this gets a very mixed response). Macadamia nuts and nigger toes are totally unknown here, too. Hershey's kisses are great for the kids.

Law / Investing money in Poland - what are the best areas / ways to invest private money? [23]

If you're misguided enough to ask for investment advice on an internet forum, I can save you a lot of time and trouble. Just deposit the cash you have in my bank account for my personal use. You won't get anything back, but that's a lot better than what would happen to you if you invest without taking the time to do some serious research and consult with real experts. You'll be happier in the end, and so will I.

Second option is to spend the money on professional psychiatric evaluation and treatment. You're dilusional. Seriously.

Life / Planning a first time leave towards Poland soon,need advice! [10]

I have to agree with delphiandomine. There is nothing in your post that indicates that you will be able to find work and make a career in Poland. A lot of the things you write are way off-base, and you have clearly not thought this out or done your research. You very obviously don't have the slightest clue about the realities of the job market in Poland. Poland is definitely not a job market open to bunglers, and you're never going to "figure it out". You will need real qualifications, proven skills and experience to survive. Sorry, but your plans seem totally unrealistic. The only hope you [/b]might[b] have is landing a job in a call center, and the pay there is lousy, and probably not enough to you to even survive on, never mind live at some level of comfort. Even then, I think your chances of finding work are practically non-existant, especially without a good command of the Polish language. You'll have a very difficult time getting a work permit, and I highly doubt that you will at all.

Get some vocational counselling and see what options are open to you in the States. You'll probably need some additional education, but at least you will have a chance of finding a job that pays half-way decent. That won't be an option for you in Poland.

PS: I'm from the East Coast (Scranton) and I've made a good career for myself here. BUT I have a doctorate, tons of experience, am fluent in Polish and am anything but a bungler. Most of all, my skills are so unique that I have virtually no competition. I hate to sound trute, but this is by far the best advice that anyone will ever give you: Don't be a fool. Go back to school.

Study / How hard is it to get accepted to Wroclaw University of Technology? / Unis in general? [37]


It is. I would have given the same advice if he were going to any university in the world, good or bad.

Study / How hard is it to get accepted to Wroclaw University of Technology? / Unis in general? [37]


Oops. My typo. I mean "disadvantage".

Study / How hard is it to get accepted to Wroclaw University of Technology? / Unis in general? [37]


No. It isn't. Most of the people I know in Wrocław graduated in IT and related fields from WUT, and/or work in the IT industry in Wrocław. They find themselves at a distinct advantage vis a vis engineers trained in Western countries, especially in terms of practical training. Like I said above, if schools like Imperial College, Stanford, MIT and ETH Zürich score a 10 on a scale from 0 to 10, WUT scores about a 3.

Study / How hard is it to get accepted to Wroclaw University of Technology? / Unis in general? [37]

Keep hitting the math books hard until October. If you haven't done formal logic yet, try to get it in now. Brush up on rhetorical logic as well. Learn the list of logical fallacies inside and out, and you'll be living on a whole different plane of existence than the overwhelming majority of your classmates.

When you get to Poland, find a tutor to keep you moving. There are plenty of grad students who would gladly help for about 6 Pounds an hour. It's a lot easier to keep moving if someone is constantly kicking you in the pants, and is available to help you if you get stuck. Line up a place to live in May. June at the latest. The best, and most affordable, places are gone after that.

As for neighborhoods, I would go with Szczepin/Mikołajów (Tram stops Młodych Techników, Plac Strzegomski and Zachodnia). Yes, you'll be living in a block, but the meighborhood is really clean and safe. Mostly retired engineers live here. The most important thing, though, is the trams. It take about twenty minutes to get from there to WUT, and there is a tram every four or five minutes (lines 10 and 33). Prices tend to be lower than the trendier areas like Biskupin, Ołbin, Sępolno or Krzyki, and the value is about the same as far as a student is concerned, so the value is good. Access to downtown and to stores is great.

Avoid Śródmieście and the Trójkąt Bermudzki areas unless you are experienced living in rougher neighborhoods. Their generally safe during the day, but at night drunks, both young and old, can make life unpleasant.

Stay about a month or two ahead of the curriculum, and always know the subject matter to be discussed BEFORE a lecture. The more you go in with, the more you come out with, and if you go in with nothing, you'll probably come out with nothing. Keeping ahead is also important just in case you get sick and have to miss lectures. Once you fall behind, it's incredibly difficult to catch back up again. Treat lectures as a SUPPLEMENT to your own self-guided studies.


Not exactly cynical, at least in my case. Just experienced. I did my own studies in the States, with graduate school at top-knotch schools in Germany, the States and Denmark, and six-month research stints in Israel, Greece and the UK. I've been in Poland for ten years, and work closely with all of the universities in Wrocław. On top of that, I mentor students, and know the situation very well. The Polish higher educational system in far inferior those I experienced during my own studies (even Greece). After ten years, I'm still in shock. The level of the practical courses is especially shocking.

Study / How hard is it to get accepted to Wroclaw University of Technology? / Unis in general? [37]


By Polish standards, WUT is near the top. By world standards, though, it's third rate. SGH and UW are among the few schools in Poland to be second-rate on a world scale, and, even then, that applies only to certain elite programs there.


I see. The choice you have is to go to a sub-par university in the UK and pay a lot, or to go to an equally sub-par university in Poland and pay less because you are a native Pole.

Have you thought about spending a year or two and beefing up your sciences and math so that you can get into a better university in the UK? Can you retake your A levels in a year or two? If so, get some remedial education and try to get into a better school. I have a student that didn't make the cut at WUT, and now he's taking math, science, German and English lessons with me so that he can get into a much better school in Germany. Like you, he had personal problems when he was in Liceum and his final grades were poor. But he's working his ass off now and he'll do great.

My brother did something simiar in the States. He did poorly in high school, but went to community college for two years, and then got accepted to Brown, and ivy-league school, where he did great.

As for the treatment you'll get as an undergraduate at a Polish university, I'm afraid that what I said above is true. It's not an environment that's conducive to learning.

Study / How hard is it to get accepted to Wroclaw University of Technology? / Unis in general? [37]


That's right. The way first year students are treated (or, rather, ignored) in Poland is scandalous. About half of the students will be rejected after the first semester, more or less depending on the major and university in question. Up to 100% in one case I know. Because of some quirk in the Polish constitution, universities are required by law to be less selective. They also receive government funding based on the number of students they accept, so there is a huge incentive to accept just about anyone. Once you're there, you'll receive little if any attention or help (unless you stand out above the crowd). The first year is little more than a weeding-out process.

Another problem you're going to encounter is primitive and insufficient practical instruction in inadequate, poorly equipped facilities, and primitive, rote-based theoretical instruction in areas that have little revelvance nowadays. I mentor a first-year biochemistry student at WUT, and am horrified at the atrocious level of instruction he is receiving. I got him through the first semester, though, and it looks like he will do fine. But that's only because his folks are rich enough to afford a tutor like me to spend six hours a week on private lessons so that he can do well in biology, chemistry, math and English.

To put things in perspective, if Imperial College is a 10 among engineering schools, WUT is a 3 , and no Polish university scores much higher.

Law / Here's an idea... I have multiple last names after marriage! [5]

Shorthairthug is right. For all official purposes here in Poland, the only name you are allowed to use is the name on your passport. You won't be able to change it here in Poland until you become a Polish citizen. or you change it on your passport.

For non-official purposes, you can go by whatever name you like.

Work / Advice on Teaching English in Poland [709]


I'm sure they would, but are they going to pay her enough to make it worthwhile to relocate to Poland? At best, she'd still make less in Poland than she could make now in Australia.


Montessori teachers are required to have at least a bachelors degree, with additional Montessori training. The lass in question does not have a degree. But a Montessori course would be a good idea if she gets a bachelors.

There are courses for Montessori teacher's aids, though, and she might want to consider taking one to improve her chances of finding a better paying job in Australia. I doubt that it will be of any use in Poland, though. There are only a handful of Montessori schools in the country, all in big cities. And she would have to work as a teacher's assistant, which is unlikely to pay enough to survive in a big city. She might earn more for being a native speaker, but she would still earn less than she could in Australia.

Work / Advice on Teaching English in Poland [709]

@Rozumienic: Sorry, my misunderstanding.

Life / Famous Polish people (that we have actually heard of) [224]


Neustettin, which is now in Poland and called Szczecinek. His family immigrated before it became Polish, so it would be deceptive to say that he has any connection with Poland.

Travel / Things to do in KROSCIENKO [7]

Lots of outdoor activities, hiking, mountain climbing, and the raft ride she linked to is spectacular. A must do. I was there eight years ago, and though things may have improved since then, I would describe the tourist infrastructure at that time as underdeveloped, which was fine by me. Fortunately, I was with friends who had a car, which helped a lot. You might consider renting one as well.

If you're not a nature lover and enthusiast of outdoor activities, you're screwed. Almost. The nearest "city" is Zakopane (30 miles away, about an hour or two by bus, about half that by car), and depending how much time you have, it's worth the visit. It a MAJOR tourist destination in Poland (and crowded) and there are lots of activities there of the type you describe. Tacky as all hell, but fun if you accept it for what it is. With a car, you could make a day trip to Kraków, which is about two hours away.

Work / Advice on Teaching English in Poland [709]


I agree with that. It's really the only option open to her. However, who said she has to move to Poland? There was nothing in her posts that indicated such.


I was going to mention that myself, but I figured my pessimism scale was already too far in the red zone. If the poor suckers had any idea what they were in for ... But that's another thread. And a very long one at that.

But really, the willingness to slum and deal with insecurity it is an important factor.


I'm not being negative. I'm being realistic. She's obviously disatisfied with her job as a teacher's aid in Australia, almost certainly because of the low pay. She's not going to make any more as an English teacher in Poland (and probably less). She'd simply be jumping out of the frying pan into the fire.

Her time and effort would be better spent looking for a better job in Australia, and/or enhancing her qualifications there. The cost of taking a CELTA exam is a considerable investment for someone on a teacher's aid's wages. It's a poor investment in my opinion, for a job that's going to pay so little without any realistic hope of advancement.

Remember, even if she does land a job, she's only going to be making about $9000 a year, a little more if she's lucky and there's work for her during the summer, a little less if she's not. And out of that, she has to pay the cost of the CELTA course, her airfare, her residence permit and her relocation expenses. She's going to be in the red for a while, with no safety cushion, and when she finally does emerge, she's going to find that saving up significant amounts of money is not an option, and that self-improvement is extremely difficult. In Australia, she can at least further her education. That won't be an option in Poland.

If, after five years, she manages to get her permanent residency card and wants to start up her own business so that she could be a freelance teacher, she will probably not have enough start-up money, and certainly not enough saved up to weather the start-up period. Even flying home to visit mom and dad will be a rare occurence, at best, unless they are paying.

If I may ask you a question, why are you painting such a rosy picture of the life of ESL teachers here in Poland? It's a lousy, low-paid job that's fine for a few years for fun and diversion. A good stepping stone and foot in the door if you have real qualifications, as it was in my case, but a poor dead-end choice if you don't.

Work / Advice on Teaching English in Poland [709]


Not to move to Poland. Opportunities for finding gainful emlployment that provides adequate income are much higher in Australia than in Poland, as are opportunities for improving her qualifications. Moving to Poland would be expensive, risky and counterproductive. I would even advise against your suggestion of sending CV's around. As I said, the job doesn't pay well enough to justify the costs of the certificate and plane ticket, so it would just be a waste of time that could be better spent on looking for a better paying job in Australia.


Sorry, but native-speaking female EU-national applicants for teaching jobs in Poland are dime a dozen. Absolutely no pressing need to resort to non-EU citizens for female teachers. And there's a reason that you see more male teachers even though there are probably more female applicants. Non-Polish female teachers are high-maintainence and unreliable. Few stay for a second year, and a lot don't even come back from the Christmas break. Males are much more satisfied with "slumming it". Frankly, I wouldn't even consider hiring a female non-Pole, unless, perhaps, she was already established here in Poland.

Nor is there any dire need for anyone who likes to work with kids. Especially for somebody with no relevant qualifications or experience.

You're being overly optimistic.


You took my quote out of context. I advised her forget about getting a CELTA because teaching English in Poland is not a viable carreer option for her. In her case, a CELTA isn't going to open any doors, either now or in the future.

Love / What's a premarital medical check up in Poland? [15]

@abu3issa: The thing your talking about is called "genetic counseling". Check out the Wikipedia article on the topic. Pre-marital blood testing is something entirely different and unrelated.

It's wise to do if there is a history of serious inborn disorders in your or your spouses family. Sickle-cell anemia or cycstic fibrosis, for example. You meet with a specialist, who decides which tests might be necessary. Tests take no more than a week to perform, and then you meet with a specialist who discusses the results with you.

It's also a good idea for both partners to get tested for STI's, including HIV and HBV, and get appropriate treatment before a pregnancy occurs. Any physician can arrange the testing for you.

Work / Advice on Teaching English in Poland [709]


I still strongly disagree. She would be best advised, as I have already done so, to forget about doing a CELTA and pursuing employment as an English teacher in Poland, and spend her time, effort and resources exploring and preparing for more realistic job options.

We all know cases of "some guy" who was lucky and managed to fool the system and get away with it, or who got a lucky break in spite of the fact that they had no qualifications or experience. Sound advice is not based on such exceptional cases, though. Telling someone to spend a valuable time and a significant amount of money on what is, at best, a crap-shoot borders on being irresponsible, and even a tad cruel, especially considering that, as a teacher's aid, she doesn't earn very much and has to spend what little she earns wisely.

Work / Considering doing a PhD in Poland: ECTS doctoral studies [10]

You would have to discuss it with the professor you would like to study under, who would have to discuss it with their department head, who would have to discuss it with the university rector, who would probably have to discuss it with the Ministry of Education. What answer comes back is anyone's guess. Things like this are handled on a case by case basis, and the results vary widely from case to case.

Work / Advice on Teaching English in Poland [709]


If "ifs" and "buts" were candy and nuts, it would be Christmas every day.

The chances that she will find a school that is interested in her to the point that they take on the hassle and expense of getting her a work and residence permit is vanishlingly small. For God's sake, she's only a teacher's aid (again, not a teacher), with no relevant qualifications and no relevant classroom experience beyond passing out crayons and wiping snotty noses.

I can't for the life of me imagine why you imagine that a potential employer would find her at all a tempting job candidate, especially when there is no shortage of equally unqualified and innexperienced UK and Irish nationals willing to take a job in even the most remote and unattractive village in Poland. The days of schools having to choose between totally unqualified non-EU nationals or nobody at all are long gone.

And getting a work permit for a non-EU national is indeed a veritable *****. I would certainly not want to go through that again, and I have tons of well-documented experience and qualifications. If you think it's a cake-walk and a matter of "no one answering the ad", you're sorely mistaken.

Bottom line (literally, because the OP is essentially asking for advice on money), is it worth investing time and money in getting a CELTA certificate on the extremely off chance that some school somewhere in Poland might someday be desperate enough to be interested in someone of Laurie's qualifications and experience, the answer is "Hell, no!".

Even in the best of circumstances, it would take her a great deal of time to offset the cost of the certificate, her flight and relocation expenses to Poland with a job that will, at most, bring in $1000 a month for only nine months out of the year. Holding out false hope is doing her no service. Her time, effort and resources would be better spent exploring and preparing for more realistic job options.

(And no, no Polish employer is going to reimburse her for her course or flight costs from Australia, no matter how desperate they are).

Work / Advice on Teaching English in Poland [709]

Harry: Experience as a teacher's aid (not as a teacher) in a primary school wouldn't mean much to someone hiring a teacher for a language school, and would fall far short of the Work Office's requirements. All in all, she still has ZERO actual teaching experience.

No degree, no work permit. Even when I was applying for a work permit, they insisted on seeing my B.S. diploma, even though I gave them the diploma for my advanced degree. I had to send back to the States for a transcript, which the work office gave me a hard time over because they had no concept of what an American transcript was and meant.

I agree with you in principle that she may be "more qualified" than most recent grads, especially those with non-relevant degrees. But the Work Office isn't going to agree, and to them, a degree is a degree, regardless of what it is in. Your objection is a red herring that has nothing to do with the case at hand, which is that Laurie does not have sufficient qualifications and experience to land a job in Poland. Whether you or I consider it "fair" is immaterial.

I do stand by my statement that her certificate and experience will mean little, if anything, to a prospective employer. And nothing at all to the Work Office. A CELTA or TESOL isn't going to change much if she doesn't have a degree. Like you said, it's much less of a hassle to hire a Brit, and Laurie's certificate and experience as a teacher's aid is not enough by a long shot to make her worth the hassle.

Work / Advice on Teaching English in Poland [709]

@Laurie.123: Since you are a non-EU citizen, you would have to find an employer who is willing to take upon themselves the time-consuming and costly task of getting a work permit for you, which involves convincing the Work Office that you have qualifications that enable you to fill a position that a non-EU person could not, at a time when there are more than enough EU citizens with degrees from the UK and Ireland eager to work as English teachers in Poland.

Basically, a degree is indispensible. Your certificate as a teacher's aid would mean little, if anything, to a perspective employer. Your experience working as a teachers aid would probably not count for much, either. Without a bachelors degree, a TEFL certificate would be of little, if any, value, so don't even bother trying to get one. It would be a waste of money.

Frankly, the chances that a private language school would be interested in you are astronomically remote, and the chance that the Work Office will grant you a work permit without a degree is practically nil. Your chances of getting a job in the public school system are non-existant.

Sorry, but teaching English in Poland is not a career option that is open to someone of your background and qualifications.