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.

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.

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.

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]


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.

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.

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.

Work / Any Speed School of English in Poland? [54]

There's one in Wrocław, too. It's a Callan method school. Some of my friends have worked there, but they didn't like it. It doesn't have a good reputation among the English schools in the town.

Work / Any Speed School of English in Poland? [54]

Basically, it's not worth coming to Poland to teach English unless you are guaranteed a monthly income of at least 3500 PLN per month after taxes, and you have a genuine full-time contract to work from a school with a good reputation. That would be the absolute minimum to make it worth your while.

Second of all, avoid the big and popular cities like Warsaw, Kraków and Wrocław. The market is way saturated with teachers who are better qualified than you, and with "teachers" who are willing to work for a lot less than you should be considering. Small provincial cities are the best, because your pay goes further due to the lower cost of living. The big, popular sities are fun only if you have plenty of cash to enjoy them.

Third of all, avoid Callan, Avalon and "Direct Method" schools like the plague. They're basically ahady operations.

Last of all, if you're coming to Poland for fun, experience and adventure, fine. If you're coming here to make money, though, forget about it. You'll leave with empty pockets, and probably won't break even for the year, if you take you plane tickets and residencey permit into account.

When calculating monthly income, realize that you are not going to be paid for the Christmas break, the two week winter holiday, and other holidays during the school year. Your hourly rate should be no less than 50 PLN per 60 minutes after taxes. Also, if the school tries to fob off the cost of the work permit on you, run, don't walk away. On the other hand, you are responsible for the cost of the residency permit.

Work / Any Speed School of English in Poland? [54]


You'll end up losing money over the course of the school year at that rate of pay, even if they pay you for thirty hours a week, which is doubtful. Definitely not a tempting offer.

Love / Asking her family for permission to propose to my Polish girlfriend? [28]

@David 91: First of all, asking for permission is rather old-fashioned and quaint. It's not the rule in modern Poland. It's more likely to come off as odd than as "proper". Second of all, if you are planning to move here, make sure you to find gainful employment BEFORE YOU COME. Don't try to play it by ear unless you have abundant savings to burn.

For God's sake, do not move in with her family. Get your own place where you have control over the environment. Whatever your relationship may be like now, it's going to make a major turn for the worse if you have to live in close quarters with your in-laws, especially if you are under-earning or not earning at all. You might be tolerated for a short while, but then they will start to make life EXTREMELY unpleasant for you.

Next, don't be cowed into throwing your money away on a big wedding. Live as frugally as possible until you have a good-sized nest egg built up. If you smoke, drink or like to buy unessential things, stop NOW. The only thing you shouldn't skimp on is education to improve your qualifications. Both of you should be actively improving yourselves now. That won't be possible when baby comes.

If, as your nick suggests, you're only 22 years old, wait another five years. Early marriages rarely succeed, both because the partners are not yet emotionally mature, and because they are not financially stable.

Last of all, never ever propose marriage unless you already have a stable source of income adequate enough to support two people in their own apartment at a reasonable level of comfort. Unless you are determined and able to be the sole breadwinner, never ever propose to anyone who is not in the same financial situation. Never expose yourself to the risk of having a child until you are mature enough and financially stable enough to provide for yourselves and it.

In short, when deciding about marriage, take love out of the equation. If it still makes sense, then fine. But never expect love to make up for material and financial deficits in the relationship. Love doesn't fill an empty belly, or protect you from the rain. Think of marriage as a financial contract that has nothing whatsoever to do with love, and you'll be fine.

Work / Teaching English in Poland (Poznan) with my TEFL Cert degree [14]


If "shortly" means before October, your chances of finding work teaching English in a good school are remote. Work is scarce during the summer vacation, and what few jobs there are have already been taken.


If it isn't a CELTA, it's not going to be worth much on the job market except outside of the the popular cities I list below..


The job market is tight in the larger "civilized" cities like Warsaw, Kraków, Wrocław, Poznań and Gdańsk because there is already an abundant supply of native teachers there, both qualified and unqualified. The best jobs with the best conditions and wages go to the best qualified and most experienced teachers. Other teachers have to fight over the table scraps, and end up working in the worse schools for lower wages and under worse working conditions.

Avoid Callan, Avalon and "Direct Method" schools like the plague. They're basically shady operations that pay very poorly, and sometimes not at all. Avoid any school that will not sign a REAL full time contract with you, or that asks you whether they can fudge your tax information.

Never take a job that pays less than 50 PLN per 60 minutes AFTER TAXES. If they can't guarantee you at least 20 hours a week, keep on looking. When calculating monthly income, realize that you are not going to be paid for the Christmas break, the two week winter holiday, and other holidays during the school year. As I said, work during the summer is going to be scarce. Don't count on it, especially in the popular cities.

If you're coming to Poland for fun, experience and adventure, fine. If you're coming here to make money, though, forget about it. You'll be lucky if you break even from October to June, and will most like lose out overall because of the summer doldrums. Very few English teachers make a real good living here in Poland, and those that do are highly qualified and experienced, are good businessmen and marketers, speak the local language well and operate independently.

Forget about giving private lessons. Until you're experienced, the best, high-paying customers won't even look at you. It takes a lot of time and work to build up a reputation and reliable client base, and a lot of business savvy. Hard to do without having considerable savings to tide you over, or with fluency in Polish. The competition is fierce, and never sleeps.

Lastly, about the girlfriend. She will drop you like a hot potato if you do not earn enough to support at least yourself. Think twice about living together with her family. Polish "in-laws" are fine if you're bringing in enough cash to support yourself and contribute your fair share to household expenses (expect to contribute at least 500 PLN for room, and 1000 PLN for board; if they expect more, they will let you know). After the third day of your stay, they will start counting every penny you cost them. Once you become a financial liability, they will very quickly unite against you and start making life hell for you. The best thing that can happen is that they will kick your sorry ass out on the street. Parasites are dealt with very harshly in Poland. Things will ever improve until your "account" with them is in the black, and promises to stay that way for the forseeable future.

Work / Teaching English in Poland (Poznan) with my TEFL Cert degree [14]


Yes, it is. You missed the word "reliable" in my post. 40 to 50 PLN an hour means 20 to 25 PLN if you're stuck with a flaky student who cancels every other lesson at the last minute (no shortage of those in Poland). Also, I don't advertise anymore, either. All of my students come to me by word of mouth. Fortunately, I work at the university here in Wrocław, and I am well known for helping kids get into foreign universities. Last time I looked, Wrocław Gumtree was loaded with ads from native speakers giving conversation lessons for 30 PLN. (And I bet most of them are Brits and Irishemen who came here to be with their Polish girlfriends). Private lessons are fine as supplemental income, but as a full-time job, it requires a great deal of work.


Absolutely. I said the best jobs go to the best qualified and the most experienced.


The best advice is to forget about it unless you know for sure that you will be making enough to fully support yourself all year round. Or consider working outside of the popular cities with large universities and plenty of competition from established native speakers. Try places in eastern Poland like Augustów, Mielec, Chełm or £omża.

Work / Teaching English in Poland (Poznan) with my TEFL Cert degree [14]


Indeed. Wrocław is literally awash with native speakers desperate for any kind of work.


Seen it dozens of times myself. Anyone dumb enough for the "you can earn a lot as a native speaker" line would probably benefit from an intensive course in the school of hard knocks, though. TANSTAAFL.

USA, Canada / Shipping large quantity of Polish vodka to the US [14]


Definitely not worth the hassle and expense, and cannot be done by post. See
help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/212/~/requirements-for-importing-alcohol-for-personal-use

USA, Canada / Would like to move back to Poland from New York after living in USA for 20 years. [155]


If you're unable to get by on $100 to 170K in Chicago, there is absolutely no way that you will be able to get by at all in Poland, where your earnings will be much, much less. You obviously sorele lack fiscal discipline. You won't last long in Poland.

The rest of your posts are blithering nonsense. Your views on life, earnings and costs in Poland and the US are totally unrealistic. You're doing a lot of comparing apples and oranges.

Work / Teaching English in Poland (Poznan) with my TEFL Cert degree [14]


Not much lower than in the popular cities, if at all. Significantly higher if you are minimally qualified. Advantages are much lower cost of living, especially housing, scant competition, and schools desperate to find native speakers that retention is a serious priority. Country living does have its advantages.

I'm really happy that I spent my first four years in Poland teaching in a provincial city. The friendships I made were far deeper and longer lasting than those I've made in the city.

Work / Teaching English in Poland (Poznan) with my TEFL Cert degree [14]


I wouldn't be surprised in the least. Even with a slightly lower pay, though, the savings in terms of cost of living will be substantial, and equivalent to a hefty pay increase.

Work / Relocating to Poland, looking for a IT job in Krakow/ Katowice / Wroclaw. [13]


Finding a job is one thing. Finding a job that pays well enough to make relocating a realistic option is another.

Your best bet is to get employed by a foreign company at foreign pay rates. This usually isn't a viable option unless you are able to work at least as a project manager, research director, regional sales/marketing manager or very high-level specialist/consultant. Otherwise, you'd be paid the going Polish wage, which is not at all that attractive, especially if you have a family to support. You might be able to leverage your knowledge of languages into a pay increase, but that depends on the particular employer and job in question.

Contact international companies like HP, Nokia and IBM and see if they have any high-paying job opportunities that fit your qualifications and experience in Poland. It's best to land a job BEFORE you come. Competition is tight, especially for well-paying jobs, and you will be at a disadvantage not knowing the local language and having only a bachelors degree, though your experience could count for something.

Study / Vistula University in Poland. Any experience? Any student? [57]

@Researchers: Fake "university" run by some rich Turkish guy. For God's sake, it doesn't even have a Wikipedia article, neither in English nor in Polish. That's a HUGE red flag right there. Students are losers who couldn't get into real schools, and foreign suckers seeking a foot-in-the-door of the EU. Agree with the others that the diplomas issued are worth diddly-squat, even inside Poland. Your classmate will simply waste his time there, and get nothing out of the experience except an empty bank account. Poor little dope!

Law / Jobs and Economic Status in Poland [64]


There are a lot of scams operating now that prey on unsuspecting citizens of developing countries, promising them a good life in the EU using Poland as a back door to the wealthier western European countries.

Apparently, this forum has gotten a reputation as the place to look. This forum is littered with posts from people from India, Nigeria and other third world countries asking about work, study or even paper marriages in Poland, and all seem to have fallen for the BS spread by scam artists, and regurgitate the absolute nonsense they have heard. It's amazing how many third-worlders post here.

Law / Jobs and Economic Status in Poland [64]

You forgot about all the British and Irish boyfriends of Polish girls who moved back to Poland to be close to their families. They're a perennial broken-record on this forum :)

Law / Jobs and Economic Status in Poland [64]


Apples and oranges. Poland was far behind the west 10 years ago, and, in spite of the growth, still has a good deal of catching up to do.

Law / Jobs and Economic Status in Poland [64]


You did. Development in the infrastructure and building industry have slowed down considerably. A lot of my civil engineer friends have lost their jobs, or soon will. Even managers. Granted, it took longer to collapse in Poland than elsewhere, but collapse it did.

Law / Jobs and Economic Status in Poland [64]


Actually, more like the major building firms not getting paid for a lot of the work they did to prepare for EURO 2012. They'll be in court for many years trying to recover a fraction of what they are owed. The city of Wrocław is being sued left and right. A lot of the minor firms and subcontractors were wiped out.

Study / Vistula University in Poland. Any experience? Any student? [57]


Tell your friend that, whatever's he heard, studying at a lousy universtity in Poland is not a backdoor to the EU. Whoever gave him that idea is full of stinky moist brown substance. He's been scammed.

Yes, he should withdraw from Vistula. It's a complete waste of time and money. He should consider studying in his own country. If he's a SERIOUS student, there are far more better places to study than in an English-language program at a Polish university. Those programs are usually very bad, and the diplomas are useless, especially from schools like Vistula and C.C.

Law / trying to leave Poland with a traffic ticket [8]

Delph is right on this one. It's just not worth the worry. Get it sorted out.

Life / Polish way of life? [34]


This is by far the best encapsulation you will find:

youtube.com/watch?v=V2sedTLIRWU

Work / What are the average salaries in Poland for teachers, doctors, engineers? [16]


Average wages are useless figures and don't really provide any real information. Overall, wages are MUCH lower in the States for the same job. VERY MUCH lower. Especially for professionals.

There are only five groups of people who earn high wages (more than 6000 PLN, net) in Poland: 1) entrepreneurs who entered the market at the right time when there was little competition and made themselves into market leaders; 2) very experienced, highly qualified professionals working in high level administrative positions; 3) very experienced, highly qualified professionals and consultants that possess skills and knowledge that are in very short supply on the Polish market; 4) very experienced, highly qualified specialist doctors and lawyers who have their own practice, for which connections, especially family connections, are extremely important; and 5) very experienced, highly qualified professionals in high level management and admistration positions for foreign companies who get paid at foreign rates.

Aside from these positions, you're looking at a ceiling of about 4000-5000 PLN a month, net, and that only after many years of experience and in mid and upper level management and administrative jobs. Entry level jobs pay half that at best, or less, if at all. Many recent grads work in unpaid internships to get experience, and consider themselves lucky that they are working at all, even if for nothing.

As for cost of living, it's not all that much cheaper than the States. Some things, like computers and electronic consumer goods, are even more expensive. Rent ranges from about 700 PLN for a no-frills room in a student apartment in a city, utilities except internet included, to double that for a studio apartment in a city, to triple or more that for a one-bedroom apartment in a city. Many recent grads live with mom and dad if they can. Rents outside of cities are lower, but job opportunities are scarcer and wages are lower, too.

Food for a young male will cost 500-600 PLN for spartan eat-at home potato-and-macaroni-based dining, to double that for a better meat-based diet. Public transport will cost anywhere between 60 to 100 PLN a month. Few recent grads can afford a car.

For a single person, 1000 PLN net would be poverty existence. 2000 PLN would be spartan and no frills in the countryside, and poverty existence in the cities. 3000 PLN would be good in the countryside, but spartan and no-frills in the cities. Very few recent grads earn more than that.

The index you should be looking at is how many DOLLARS you can put away as savings at the end of the month. Few Poles can put away 300 dollars or more, and most can only put a little on the side for a rainy day fund, if that.

If you want to compare Poland to the States, compare it with small-town Walmart-is-the-only-business-in-town Alabama and Mississippi. Opportunities are scarce, and wages are low enough that most Poles have seriously considered working abroad, and many do. It's an extremely hostile and competitive job market that has little to offer American job seekers, unless they are very experienced and highly qualified. And lucky.

Australia / Polish language books for donation in Melbourne [4]

Try:
St Ignatius' Church
326 Church Street
Richmond Vic 3121

(03) 8420 6789

They serve the local Polish community, and would more than likely find a good home for those books.