Life / Polish Positivity and the Myth Of Middle-Class Pretense, or "Everything Will Be Fine." [27]


I think it's probably one of the least accurate things ever written about Poland.

The stuff about Western products was certainly true in the early to mid 90's, but these days?

Life / Polish Positivity and the Myth Of Middle-Class Pretense, or "Everything Will Be Fine." [27]

Oh my Jason. Your very limited experience of Poland is certainly showing now. Poles may wish their neighbours good luck to their faces, but they are also incredibly suspicious of how people obtained their position / wealth. I'm sure pip can tell you a story or two about people trash talking behind her back.

I really don't believe you understand Poland at all if you think that.

Poles are dreadful for putting on airs. I think you should ask yourself why there are many people out there who are bankrupting themselves through car leases and mortgages if they aren't interested in how things look.

I'll give you a year at the most before you realise how suffocating and ****** Poles can be. It might be cute now that your father-in-law takes such an interest in your daughter, but it won't be so cute once he starts interfering with her upbringing.

Language / Why is the Polish language so difficult? [246]


Given that Poland is a heavyweight in the European Union in terms of voting strength and influence, learning Polish certainly isn't a bad idea for anyone considering a career in Brussels. Then there's the fact that speaking a language spoken by nearly 10% of the European Union, that also offers a gateway into other Slavic languages is no bad idea.

As much as you try, you're not never going to escape the fact that Poland is not some small backwater.


Unfortunately for you, it's already getting taught in high schools.

Life / Grass is always greener? Poland experience. [69]

Much of that culture was destroyed between 1935 and 1989, sadly.

Work / Advice on Teaching English in Poland [709]


There's a reason why international flights connect in Munich and Frankfurt and not Berlin.


No-one goes to Berlin to make their mark unless they already have funding behind them. See also : artists, writers, etc.


I know enough to know that Berlin is not the place to be if you want to do business. It seems that several months on, you still haven't learnt that.

By the way, do you have a valid residence permit for Germany?

Life / Men in Poland in the forest? Just men? [133]


What's with all these foreigners on PF lately telling the most incredible lies about Poland?

Love / My reaction to a thread against foreigners marrying Polish girls [37]

I do love when immigrants to a country complain about other immigrants.

Life / Grass is always greener? Poland experience. [69]


I hope so, my salary is linked to inflation and a 8-14% jump would certainly be welcome, especially as my mortgage costs would tumble too using EUR interest rates rather than PLN.


Seems to be.

Relying on family is certainly one way to end up bitter and jaded here.

Work / Advice on Teaching English in Poland [709]

Are you even legally resident in Europe?

Life / Men in Poland in the forest? Just men? [133]

Agreed.

Perhaps in his head he does.

Life / Grass is always greener? Poland experience. [69]


That seems highly unlikely, given that as a percentage of GDP, the numbers are similar but the UK has a vastly higher GDP. Anyone that's lived in both countries can also point out the differences. Not to mention that Polish teachers in general are unmotivated due to low salaries and low standards required to enter the profession.


First mover? Those days have been and gone, that was the 2001-2005 period. Nowadays, you're looking at significant capital investment and a fight against many German companies who already moved in here.

Life / Grass is always greener? Poland experience. [69]


Where?

Education is massively underfunded in Poland.

Roads are still nowhere near finished and won't be until the end of 2020. There will still be significant gaps in the network, too.

Life / Grass is always greener? Poland experience. [69]


The problem is that competent advisors will cost you the same in Poland as they will cost you in the west, or even more. You can get very lucky of course and find one that's competent and cheap, but these rarely speak English well enough to help you run a business. Remember, there's many things that are just completely different here, such as the way that you're expected to deal with many issues in person at an office rather than via e-mail, fax or letter.


Poland will keep growing, that much is certain. But high quality of life? The healthcare system is effectively bankrupt, the social insurance institution is massively in debt, education is massively underfunded, the list goes on...

What you should ask yourself is one simple question : if you don't have patience to spend six months learning how Poland works, are you sure you can do business here?

History / MICROCOSM: Portrait of a Central European City (history of Wrocław) [9]

I actually found it quite good, especially the chapter about Breslau. It was news to me just how Polish it was for a German city.

However, I like such books. I don't care about the human factor that relies on emotion, I care about hard facts.

Life / Men in Poland in the forest? Just men? [133]


You're proud of paying locals 1 zloty an hour?

Good luck to you when you get controlled by the labour office.

Life / Grass is always greener? Poland experience. [69]

No, Tusk proved that he was a capable lead negotiator.

As for your comments about begging for money, it really does show your contempt towards Poland. If you actually understood Poland, you'd know that Poles feel that they deserve this money.

Life / Grass is always greener? Poland experience. [69]


I imagine you've seen more than your fair share of people who made a mess of themselves here?

I know of at least 3-4 people who lost a significant amount of money here, including one chap who got his assets in the UK seized as a result of a Polish court order.

Language / Why is the Polish language so difficult? [246]


Given that Poland has 38 million people and is a rather good market to export/expand into as it's not fully developed, I'd say that Polish is a good choice to learn for the young learner.


And what about that huge non-English speaking market south of the border? Do you think they speak English at a native level? Naaah.

Life / Grass is always greener? Poland experience. [69]


To make life easier for everyone. Currency exchange risks, especially with currency pairs like the PLN/EUR can really hurt everyone. Quite a few import businesses were finished off by the dramatic slide of the Zloty not so long ago.


Poland was savvy enough to cultivate very good relations with most of the big EU members. Nothing more, nothing less.

Work / 4,000 zl in Piła as a teacher - enough to live? [14]


Oh Jason. If you had ever actually been to Piła, you'd know that almost anyone that can escape does escape. There's nothing there, it's a small city 2 hours away from the provincial capital and feels like it. It's not a bad place for bringing up children, but a terrible place if you want any sort of excitement. It doesn't help that the road connections are pretty poor and that there's no prospect of them improving any time soon.

I don't live far from Piła, so I know a thing or two about it. It's not a place for a foreigner who wants to live his life.

Life / Grass is always greener? Poland experience. [69]


There's your first mistake right there.


Actually, 18/32% for self employed people. If you go into the realm of limited companies with no experience in Poland, you're likely to get yourself into a complete mess. And yes, a good English speaking accountant running a limited company on your behalf could easily charge 1000zl+ a month.

National healthcare is very hit or miss.


Trying to bribe people as a foreigner is almost certainly going to land you in trouble.


There is one thing that you aren't accounting for, which is the human factor.

Anyone that's been in Poland for any length of time can share stories with you about how foreigners got themselves into a complete mess with the powers that be, often unintentionally. The tax offices for instance are known for unpredictable interpretations, such as the latest interpretation that families that receive discounts for having a large family are liable to pay taxation on these gifts. An insane interpretation, but made all the same.

Work / Advice on Teaching English in Poland [709]


Ukraine, or even medium sized towns in Slovakia will be more than hungry enough for native speakers. I can't imagine there are many native speakers in places like Kosice or Nitra, yet these places support quite a lot of life. Even places such as Olomouc or Ostrava in the Czech Republic could be an option.

Work / Advice on Teaching English in Poland [709]


In Europe, there are two papers that matter in the eyes of prospective employers of first level teachers. The CELTA and the Trinity TESOL. If you don't have them and the school is in an area where you're spoiled for choice, like most major cities in Europe, then the CV can go straight in the bin. What's the point in taking a chance on someone who did a Mickey Mouse course when you can have someone with a certificate that means something for the same price?


If you have the resume that proves it, why did you head to Berlin, a city with massive debts, rapidly rising rents and no real business culture except what the federal Government has? Start ups are start ups, they don't have money to waste on business English classes, they need every cent they have.

Why don't you just tell the truth and admit that you went to Berlin because it's fashionable and you'd read about it in some fashion magazine back home?

Work / Advice on Teaching English in Poland [709]


Did you?

What was it?

Work / 4,000 zl in Piła as a teacher - enough to live? [14]


On the other hand, there's absolutely nothing to do in Pila.

Law / Zloty climbs as ratings agency upgrades Poland [34]


You can negotiate with any amount over 100GBP. Anything over 500GBP and you can expect them to move quite a bit on the rate.

Work / 4,000 zl in Piła as a teacher - enough to live? [14]


You're not accounting for social insurance deductions.


Income tax is, yes. But ZUS payments will also take up some of that, to give him an effective tax rate of around 35%.

Food / "Poland - it's the new Provence of food" [56]


Isn't that stuffed laced with vegeta and hence MSG?

Love / Marrying a Polish divorcee - no church wedding? [19]


As far as I'm aware, they're not supposed to refuse baptism to a new born child.

History / Battle of Vienna - history movie about Poland / Commemoration [36]


Not necessarily, as many of the best schools offer full academic scholarships. I know someone who got one to Eton, for instance.