Marekak86
26 Nov 2012
USA, Canada / American wanting to move to Poland from USA - how hard is it? [11]
Merged: Another thinking about moving to Poland post from the USA Looking to do some homework....
Czesc wam!! Hello everybody!!
My name is Marek. Only one out of 5 kids born in the USA. My family were all political refugees from Poland in the 1980's. Though grew up in the USA always lived in a Polish neighborhood in a Polish city in the USA with only Polish speaking parents and I didn't learn English until I went to kindergarten (damn that sucked) but now my English is better then my Polish. Had lived in Hungary for a year in Budapest with my ex-girlfriend whom I met here in the states. Though it was perhaps the best part of my life up until now a beautiful city in a beautiful country with a beautiful girl it didnt work out in the end. But now I am itching to get back out to Europe and was thinking about moving to Poland. A lot of family in and around Warsaw and figure I would move there as a start to find work and somehow survive. I now work with all Poles in a construction job. I can speak Polish almost perfectly though I have an accent and really suck at writing in Polish but I can read fine. I speak more in Polish on a daily basis between work and shopping then I do english which is pretty funny. I was wondering if anyone had any words of advice. I would like to take in any information I possibly can to make up my mind. Warszawa is a big city I am not too familiar with but I have been traveling back and forth to Poland for months at a time since I was a kid. Especially last year when I lived in Budapest i would save all my money to go to Poland.
About me... I am 26. Speak Polish though have an accent. Can read it fine though have big troubles writing it. Am a pretty big guy with a boxing background from a rough city so I am not a gangster by any means but can usually recognize danger before it happens so I am not too terrified about crime though prefer to avoid sketchy neighborhoods. Have been exposed to some crime in Poland quite a few times in the smaller cities so I am not oblivious to the dangers though am interested whether or not it is worse in the bigger cities for foreigners like myself. I'm about to finish college in 2 weeks with a degree in political science (which is useless in Poland I know). I have experience working in a customer service position in Budapest, Hungary with both English and Polish speaking clients though I work now and have for years in construction here in the US.
My concerns... work first and foremost. What kind of pay is expected for entry level jobs in Warsaw if I am lucky enough to find one. Also I am curious as to what neighborhoods are decent to live in on a meager cost? I have done a lot of homework on my own but would love to hear any words of advice or things to look out for figure this is a good place to start. Also sorry for the length of this letter didnt mean to write a book on myself but figure the more information I write the better. Also any people on this website in a similar situation to me? Would love to hear your stories regardless of where you are from. Moving to Poland may not be the brightest idea but for some reason I have always wanted too even though I know the grass will not be greener in the funds department. But I figure this may be one of my last chances to take a risk before I settle down. I am all about risks my father took one escaping from Poland I am willing to take one moving there. If even only for a little while.
Sorry I think this post has been written a million times but any information would be useful. Thanks for your time. -Marek
Merged: Another thinking about moving to Poland post from the USA Looking to do some homework....
Czesc wam!! Hello everybody!!
My name is Marek. Only one out of 5 kids born in the USA. My family were all political refugees from Poland in the 1980's. Though grew up in the USA always lived in a Polish neighborhood in a Polish city in the USA with only Polish speaking parents and I didn't learn English until I went to kindergarten (damn that sucked) but now my English is better then my Polish. Had lived in Hungary for a year in Budapest with my ex-girlfriend whom I met here in the states. Though it was perhaps the best part of my life up until now a beautiful city in a beautiful country with a beautiful girl it didnt work out in the end. But now I am itching to get back out to Europe and was thinking about moving to Poland. A lot of family in and around Warsaw and figure I would move there as a start to find work and somehow survive. I now work with all Poles in a construction job. I can speak Polish almost perfectly though I have an accent and really suck at writing in Polish but I can read fine. I speak more in Polish on a daily basis between work and shopping then I do english which is pretty funny. I was wondering if anyone had any words of advice. I would like to take in any information I possibly can to make up my mind. Warszawa is a big city I am not too familiar with but I have been traveling back and forth to Poland for months at a time since I was a kid. Especially last year when I lived in Budapest i would save all my money to go to Poland.
About me... I am 26. Speak Polish though have an accent. Can read it fine though have big troubles writing it. Am a pretty big guy with a boxing background from a rough city so I am not a gangster by any means but can usually recognize danger before it happens so I am not too terrified about crime though prefer to avoid sketchy neighborhoods. Have been exposed to some crime in Poland quite a few times in the smaller cities so I am not oblivious to the dangers though am interested whether or not it is worse in the bigger cities for foreigners like myself. I'm about to finish college in 2 weeks with a degree in political science (which is useless in Poland I know). I have experience working in a customer service position in Budapest, Hungary with both English and Polish speaking clients though I work now and have for years in construction here in the US.
My concerns... work first and foremost. What kind of pay is expected for entry level jobs in Warsaw if I am lucky enough to find one. Also I am curious as to what neighborhoods are decent to live in on a meager cost? I have done a lot of homework on my own but would love to hear any words of advice or things to look out for figure this is a good place to start. Also sorry for the length of this letter didnt mean to write a book on myself but figure the more information I write the better. Also any people on this website in a similar situation to me? Would love to hear your stories regardless of where you are from. Moving to Poland may not be the brightest idea but for some reason I have always wanted too even though I know the grass will not be greener in the funds department. But I figure this may be one of my last chances to take a risk before I settle down. I am all about risks my father took one escaping from Poland I am willing to take one moving there. If even only for a little while.
Sorry I think this post has been written a million times but any information would be useful. Thanks for your time. -Marek