Travel / Only in Poland - about unique things and customs [9]

Hahaha part of the first video was in the Polish news on TV. I thought they showed it because the picture was distroyed by dancing people who kidnapped the picture and wanted to do funny things with it. So I thought people were offended when they saw it :)

Life / Cult videos on Polish youtube [17]

That's why i hate winter. It is always so dangerous when streets and pavements are covered with ice and snow.

Life / Planning to relocate to Wroclaw, Poland [17]

If you look at ads, a room to rent costs around 600-1000 PLN, usually bills are included, just a room not an apartment. If you want a studio for yourself I think you should prepare around 1500 PLN

1 month ticket for all buses, trams and even trains in the city is 90 PLN urbancard.pl/en/article/show/category,1,id,63-.html

The cost of food really depends how much you eat and what you eat. Polish food is cheaper than food not very common in Poland like for example crabs or shrimps. You will manage with 600 PLN for food per month, if you desperatelly want to save you will manage even with 300PLN but you will really have to count like crazy and travel to different supermarkets to get food in promotons. You can check some supermarkets websites to compare prices. The cheapests are lidl lidl.pl , biedronka biedronka.pl there are also big supermarkets like tesco tesco.pl and many others.

Entertainment can be expensive, but depends what entertainment you like, a swimming pool ticket can be around 10 PLN per hour, cinema around 15-25 PLN, opera 100PLN

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


You can keep it at home, if you have a big lift in the building or you will carry it on your back when you walk on the stairs. However nobody knows if there is a safe place near your office to keep it. Even at a parking somebody can come and take it without asking :)

And your question about ZUS, it is just part of the tax, everything you get after the tax means the rest of your money is taxes, insurance and everything that is requited by the law.

Life / ID card for Child in Poland - requirements? [7]


Children don't have ID cards. ID means you are 18 years old or over. For a child the mother can write the name of the child in her passport or get a separate passport for the child. I think both parents need to sign for the child to obtain any documents so that the child can travel outside the country of living.


what do you mean?

Work / study employment opportunities in poland [8]

In my opinion a chance to get a job for you after you finish the university is extramely small. I'm Polish with very good degrees from foreign universities and no job. So for you, as a foreigner without a work permission and basic Polish, I think you will have a very small chance. I read about some people from Spain who got a job in Poland after studying in Poland, they speak only English, but they work for computer companies and they are from European Union, so no need to get a work permit or visa.

Work / International Schools in Poland - the average high school teacher salary? [11]


You are incrediby lucky with such salary and the cost of living in Bangkok is so much lower than in Poland. If I had such salary I would stay there forever. I have never heard of such salaries in Poland and free school for your child, wow. When I checked salaries at schools in Bangkok they were usually 500$ per month and no insurance, no ticket, no accomodation. I think you will have easier and better life if you continue with your work there.

Work / Poland work conditions (what kinds of different health coverages are there?) [5]

1. If you work legally in Poland from the first day you have the insurance. It is obligatory and the employer will take a part of your salary. All money that will be cut from your salary is around 30-40% (depending how much you earn). It will include the tax, insurance and money for the future pension. You don't have to do anything. Everything will be cut automatically from your salary.

2. If you don't work how can you get insurance?? Polish people who are jobless go to the local job office and get registered, then the goverment will pay for the insurance. But for you, as a foreigner, I don't think you can do it. If you go to a private doctor it will cost you certainly much less than in USA. I don't know exectly, but I saw prices starting from 50zl per visit. I don't know about costs in a hospital.

3. Work conditions should be similar. About a relocation package I really doubt. Nobody wants to pay for you to help you to move to Poland. If you were invited here to work, as a businessman or another important person, then probably they will pay for it, but if you just come to Poland and say I need a job, I don't think anybody will give you extra help.

Work / Job Conditions and Monthly Expenses for students in Poland [16]

Poland is not a country where you can support yourself as a working student. Salaries for people working in supermarkets are 4zl/h I think for a student a bit more, because of the taxes. I don't think somebody will encourage you to hope for a decent job in Poland. You can always try to work as a cook in some restaurants, but I guess they already have cooks. Honestly even for Polish students it is really difficult to get a job. It is always necessary to speak Polish. Even if you work in a supermarket cleaning in the evening all people will speak Polish. They will not give you a job if you cannot communicate with them.

Travel / Whats the cheapest way to get around Poland... train or bus? [25]

this is a British website, they show prices in British pounds and they are more expensive than when you use the Polish national train company. Go to pkp.pl

Life / Poland's Environment, recycling [79]

hi, the translation is good, but few words I will correct. Also Tatra pack I think is not recyclable, because they said don't throw paper with foil attached, so I guess it is what Tetra pack is all about. So here are few things that I corrected:

- pojemniki i naczynia z tworzy sztucznych
There is a mistake in Polish, should be TWORZYW
Translation:
- containter and utensils made from plastic

- zgnieć opakowanie, zakręć nakrętkę przed wrzuceniem wrzucaj czyste opakowania
Translation:
- squize packagings and then tighten the cap, clean packagings before disposing them

- szeleszczących woreczków i reklamówek
Translation:
Rustling bags and plastic bags from supermarkets

- szyb okiennych i samochodowych
Translation:
Window panes and windscreens

gazety, czasopisma, kolo-rowe magazyny, papieru z presroczystą folią
There is a mistake in Polish, should be KOLOROWE and PRZEZROCZYSTĄ
Translation:
Newspapers, magazines, colour magazines, paper with attached transparent foil

Language / Collection of learning resources for learning the Polish language [129]

Do you know books from Assimil company? I think they are the best, but it is a French company, some languages have English translation but I think Polish only has French translation. On one page there are Polish sentences and on the oposite page there is translation, no grammar, no vocabulary, only full sentences. All is recorded on CDs that come with the book. I used this book to learn Dutch and Vietnamese, I can highly recomend it, but of course if you don't speak any French then it would not be for you. You can also try: polish.study-time.org/polish-software.htm there are reviews of books to learn Polish.

A website with mp3s teaching Polish slang and basic Polish vocabulary, alphabet and some info about Poland and Polish language: polish.study-time.org

Life / (Kosi kosi łapci) - Polish folk song my grandmother sung to me [3]

ooooooh it sounds like a language of another planet :) I read it so many times trying to figure out if it sounds at least 10% similar to any Polish words, but I'm afraid it is not even 1% similar. It could be some informal pronunciation, like uneducated people speak in very poor and remote vilages. As you mentioned it is a folk song, this could be the reason. It is a pity you didn't ask your gramdma when you still could. I will ask my grandma if she can figure out any of the words, but I'm not sure she will manage to understand it.

Study / Medicine school Fees in Poland [8]

All public universities are free ( out constitution says that), but only for Polish and EU nationals. Other people have to pay quite a lot even for courses tought in Polish.

Work / After Masters in Management, Job Opportunities in Poland ? [34]

In my opinion you should not think that you can earn your living in Poland while working. No matter what some people sometimes say in this forum, Poland still has very low salaries. Have you asked yourself why so many Polish people want to work abroad? So many of them in the UK, they have Master, sometimes even two Master degrees and work in restaurants, because the salary is still better than in Poland. It is sad, but true.

Let me give you another example. I am Polish educated in 4 different countries, speaking few languages. I have a Master degree in science from a good Swedish university and bachelor from a British university. After studying abroad I thought now it is time to go back to Poland. I thought pople would beg me to work for them after they see my qualifications and knowledge. And what actually happened? Already 2,5 years after my graduation I cannot find any job in Poland in my field. So many Polish people are in such situation. Also remember that it is a Polish speaking country. It is soooo rare to find a job for people who don't speak Polish. Why the boss should bother to speak English at work to a foreigner and also make for the foreigner a work permit? It is easier to give this job to a Polish person. I don't want to discourage you. It is a great experience for you to study in Poland, but just don't expect to earn enough to live and certainly not enough to pay back your study loans.

Ah one more thing about salaries. As I mentied I have very good education, but because there are no jobs in my field for a short time I was working in a supermarket (the end of 2011) and after the tax the salary was 4zl / h. Believe me, nobody can live with such salary and the work is very hard. I also have a study loan and I have no idea how to repay it. So please, don't put yourself into trouble, hoping that because Poland is in EU the salary will be good and without speaking Polish you can get it. Before you decide to study in Poland check if the university can help you to find a job, or search online, contact the person offering a job and ask if they can employ you when you come to Poland.

Good luck

Law / Sell my books as private person? Tax question [8]

I think if somebody pays for your books to your Polish account one day somebody can knoock your door and ask from where the money came from. Tax rules are so complicated. I also plan to sell ebooks online, but I'm not really sure how to do it legally. I think even as a foreigner you will have to proof from where the money comes to your account. If it is 2 or 3 people who pay maybe nobody will notice, you can always say your friend gave you money back, but if you plan to sell many books then I think you should register your business.

Maybe people can pay you in Bitcoins? Then there is no tax, but it is not very lagal I guess. I haven't tried it yet.

Law / UK connected flights and Karta Pobytu (non-EU country) [7]

As far as I know documents that allow you to stay in Poland will allow you to go to any country within Schengen. UK is not in Schengen. So if your nationality needs a visa to the UK then no matter if you have documents to stay in Poland, or you will only stay at the airport, they don't care. When you enter the UK the first question will be where is your UK visa.

Even if you have a transfer flight, they don't care. They just check your nationality. If you need a visa to enter the UK, then for transfer you also need it. My Chinese friend with Schengen student visa had the same problem. We went to China together and had few hours transfer in London. One ticket bought directly to China but we had to change planes in London and she had to have a transfer visa.

Transfer visa is different than a visa to visit UK. It is easy to get it. You need to show your ticket in the UK consulate or embassy and maybe also some proof that you have enough money to travel.

Or other option:
Why not take Ryanair plane? They have direct connection between Poland and Spain.

Don't make your life difficult. People in the UK are quite strict, and you will also have to spend your time to go to the embassy and pay for the transfer visa.