Love / Wedding and adopting husband's last name in Poland [7]

That's why I asked. She took her ex husband's last name, but hasn't reverted that change.

Her "Dowód Osobisty" says her maiden name in "Family Name", but her name appears as FirstName LastNameOfExHusband.

This is a bit strange since now I've just learnt that is also possible for the man to take his new wife last name... So, I could end up having her ex husband's last name :O

Now, leaving "how it works in Poland" aside, from the human/relation point of view, is it normal that I might be a bit upset because of that? Or it's a bit whimsical on my side? Because in her situation, she says that she kept the name because she didn't want to have a different last name from her daughter and I understand that; but on the other hand she speaks **** about her ex husband and frankly speaking, it would be a bit paradoxical/ironic that his name will be the one in our marriage act.

But she seems not to care about this.

Love / Polish girl confusing me [22]

People, don't fight please :-)

I know more or less how to behave in a relationship, what to expect, etc.

I just asked because I'm aware of "cultural differences" (Although some things are the same everywhere). For example, in Argentina we have a huge feminism movement going on right now and no argentinian women would want to depend on a man. In fact there is this fuzz about for example, men not letting women invite and so son.

That's why I've asked.

This 50/50 thing I mentioned about this girl applies also to basic stuff, like for example, making a budget for going outs. Which, for me, is a bit strange because when I have to spend money for an invitation for example, I'm not constantly thinking about how much I've spent and sharing the bill exactly 50/50. I think it's awful to go to have a coffee with cake and if the bill is 46,52 say "Ok, you owe me 23,26, no more no less". Where is the opportunity to say "I would like to invite you for a nice coffee/dinner" in such budgeting planning 50/50? To me it sounds more like a commercial society.

In my past relations no one questioned how much one of the partners was spending. Or I was never forced to pay for a credit not belonging to me.

And yes, this are stuff to talk and negotiate. But if every time that you want to disagree you hear "Oh, you're a penny pincher" or if sharing the costs 50/50 of a car that I do not own or use everyday but if were to get my own it would be "Ah, is your car", someone is clearly tipping the scale its favour and not willing to negotiate.

Love / Polish girl confusing me [22]

Yes that's what I would normally do. But when I tried so, the answers I got were that I am a penny pincher without class. That I come from another country, but this is the way things work in Poland, etc. And another bunch of diminishing comments.

So I gave reasonable doubt a chance. But I had to ask because it was a hamster wheel inside my head :)

Love / Polish girl confusing me [22]

Thanks, Atch.

I tried to explain the same. Is not that I didn't want to share the costs. But some things seemed completely unfair, like the fact that the house will never be mine. Also, for example, similar thing happened with the costs of the car. I had to pay half of the fuel, half of the OC, only because I was taken to the train station every morning. (Note: I don't drive and I was leaving home at 7 and returning at 20, while she used the car the whole day).

When I cuestioned this, I was accused of being a penny pincher, which I'm not. I even asked this question "If I bought my own car and I use it everyday to go to Lodz, would you pay half of my fuel too? Or in that case the expenses will be like "it's your car". And I was given a speech about cultural differences and polish girls and so on. (I'm from Argentina, not from Mars).

Law / Is there is any Poland's bank which offers credit card to foreigners on work permit and visa [4]

It's a bit old. But I haven't been around here for a while... Actually mBank is strict. I tried to open an account there and they require: PESEL and Karta Pobytu just to open an account with them.

ING requires Karta Pobytu to give you a credit card. And I think this is the case with most banks (Or financial stuff).

Work / Net Salary for comfortable life in Wroclaw [14]

Merged:

Advice on moving to Poland - salary, cost of living, perspectives

Hi,

I'm from Buenos Aires, Argentina and I've been offered a job in Wroclaw. Although I've said yes and the work permit is on its way, I still consider perfectly fine to reverse my decision (Probably they won't call me again if I say no at this stage).

Sometimes I'm really happy to have this opportunity but somedays I woke up thinking "Oh, no! What I've have done!".

First of all, the facts: I've been offered 12600 zloty gross, which if I'm correctly it's about 8846 zloty net for most of the year but less during four months due to income tax (Being 7293 zloty the lowest). Is that a good salary? (I'm single with no kids).

If I compare money amount to money amount, I'm not like those guys who desperately seek to move to Europe or North America to make a difference. In fact, sice last week argentine peso lost value so now the PLN amount is a bit higher, but until last week you could say that the polish offered me the same (or a bit less) money I earn in Argentina. In fact, they offered me less, because in Argentina we have per law the 13th salary.

Also, in Argentina I do not rent (I don't own the house either, is just a family house and they let me live here in exchange for paying taxes and services) in Poland I'd have to rent.

BUT, Argentina living cost is REALLY high. I can save almost 35% of my salary right now more or less. But for example, milk is as twice or three times than in Poland, 1kg of apples in Argentina is about 0,10% of my salary while 1kg of apples in Poland is about 0,034˜0,041% of the salary they offered to me.

EDIT: I save around 750-1000 USD per month.

Security is also a plus, since in Argentina crime rate has risen up in past year and we're facing things like thieves shoting you in the head to stole your car or even your cell phone.

Also I have a kind of 'romantic' motivation to move to Poland, my great-great-great-granparents were polish, they came to Argentina around 1895 and I've always had a fascination with polish history and slavic culture in general. BUT, no, I don't have polish aspect, I have spanish last name and spanic/latin american aparience.

I was in Wroclaw for a week past April and it shocked me that not many people spoke english in the streets. I got excited because I saw yerba mate (You know, that's from Argentina) in a shop and I entered it in the hope of talking with the lady about Argentina, mate, and how weird it was for me to find yerba and mate 12000km away from home. But the lady didn't speak english and wasn't so happy about me trying to chat with her.

(In other hand, coming back to Buenos Aires after that week, I spent 7hs in Prague and Czech people seemed, at least to me, more friendly and open than in Poland). Let's face it, I have a fantasy because I have polish ancestry, but they were from five generations ago and I'm not polish.

Also, now I work for an airline, so I can travel the world on cheaper tickets. I'm trying to convince myself that if I resign from my current job and move to Wroclaw, I won't be working for an airline, but I'd have europe at hand, just a train trip to almost everywhere.

But I'm still afraid.

Is the salary ok for a single? (I'm a unix admin with tertiary education, certification, 10+ years of experience)
Will I be able to save at least 30%?
Why do people say that expenses for foreigners are more expensive that for poles? I can understand that about a first temporary flat rent for example. But after that?

What about traveling to other parts of europe as short weekend travels or one week vacations with that amount of money?
Do you think that I'd be able to visit Argentina once a year? (Providing that after resigning from my current job I'd have to pay the whole price for a ticket)

What about using Poland as a "backdoor" for the rest of Europe? (I've read posts where people recommed going directly to richer countries, but as I've said I'm fond of Poland and also contrary to most argentinian I don't have any european citizenship, so for me this Wroclaw offer sounded like a very good opportunity of inmigration through sponsorship).

Thanks in advance for your answers!