Expats, are you happy with your life in Poland?

Some people on this forum grumble all the time on every little aspect of life in Poland (a good latest example is Mr.Welshguy and his "Spodenki Gate") while others are pushing theories how life has changed during recent years and that Poland is not a sh*thole anymore (but they point that only when they trying to prove their better credibility in arguments with Polish Americans). So I inquire and ask you for frank answers on the question in the title. Do you live in Poland just because your spouses/girlfriends/partners wants to live here? Or do you really feel that you "belong to Poland"?

I am:D

It is interesting, yet quite not as Westernized, which I find quite refreshing. There is not so much brainwashing with the media as it is in the West.

Not perfect but any means, but this is why I like it.

I liked Poland before meeting my girlfriend, having visited a couple of times way back when. But yea, she was the primary reason for moving from Prague. Seems like any other place really, not too much of a difference. I could see how it would seem to be night and day if all you've seen is the "rich" countries, but uh, really, comes across as just another address. People are people regardless of where you go. Some of the rituals are different, you have a different proportion of certain types of people...but they're more or less the same regardless of where you go.

I live here because I like it - it's pretty simple :)

I'd be gone tomorrow if I started to hate the place.

Was it ever? Sure, some bits of Poland are toilets (Radom springs to mind) but so are some places in every country. The more I see of Poland, the more I like.


I don't belong to Poland. Now it would be unfair on the kids to interupt their education, but even if we didn't have to, I certainly wouldn't want to leave Poland.

I'm actually of the opinion that some parts are becoming shitholes, rather than being shitholes. Bieszczady comes to mind - I've seen pictures of the place during PRL times, and nowadays, it's just being ruined through excessive development.

As a family we choose to live in Poland bcus of the quality of life, schools for the children and the extended family. Poland still maintains many values that have long been forgotten in other parts of Europe. The family is important, religion and education have a high priority, the chaos is somewhat refreshing and the fact that everything is put together at the last moment, creates the unknown.

There are points I dislike not everything is perfect, but that is for another thread.

Uh yea. Radom toilet? I actually though of Radom as a pretty nice city, you should visit a few towns in Podkarpackie or Lubelskie. But it's still nothing in comparison to the early 90s in my old hometown Stalowa Wola they've built countless new modern apartment buildings all around the city, in the suburbs new developments have sprung up like in the west.

what development? It was the least populated area in Poland during the communist times and I can hardly call it a hole of any kind.

Lets face it expat life is the same every where if you are not prepared to learn the lang...or embrace the food...the little things fall in to place, we get used to not standing in line or giving personal space or waiting longer than usual...

OLD SUBJECT....LET US MOVE ON...6 YEARS AND NOWT CHANGES ON THIS FORUM

Are the two mutually exclusive?

Bottom line: I like it here. Lots. My enthusiasm might or might not be dimmed if I worked in PL (anecdotal evidence I hear from others suggests I would go mad if I had to work for someone here, rather than run my own company) but I haven't done so since 1997 so hardly able to comment.

The rest, though, utterly works for me. Family life - check. People around (Poznan being a university town, you get a fantastic cross-section of youthful, dynamic, intelligent types) - check. Community spirit (we are in one of the historic districts of Poznan, none of your gated estates rubbish) - check.

Not all, perhaps not many of my English peers would agree with me on the above. But sod it, my priorities are mine. Trivial but relevant case in point - just got back from a three-hour band rehearsal in 20 minutes. Try that mid-week when the bassist lives the other side of bloody London...

Since when you're an expat?


I like your comment :)
Many people on this forum forgets that a society is not a consistent mass but is a collection of individuals. That's why they are trying to make analysis that Poles are like that and that... sometimes those analysis are really funny for the natives reading them ;)


So maybe you should look for place you belong? Why not? If I recall well your kids are grown up and will leave the nest soon (or I mistaken you for another user?)


So 6 years ago there was a different reception?

Read what I wrote, not what you clearly think I wrote.

You have mistaken me for another user.

You wrote that you don't belong to Poland. So I assume that you don't feel here like in home but more as a guest/observer who wants to remain a distance from the locals. I looked on your profile and I see you haven't learn Polish yet. Why's that?

Quite right: I am not a possession of Poland. However, I do most certainly feel that I belong in Poland.


I enjoy the peace and quiet.

Wouldn't be easier for you to learn Polish if you decided to live in Poland?

I spent half of my life abroad, so who am I then. Would you care to enlighten me who I am, because I don't know;)

I would say the whole life not half.


She's an immigrant indeed,an Ukrainian.

Are you seventeen ?or rather fourteen ...

The expats I have met from around the world, the West, the East, the South and the North ... all have mostly been cheerful with praises for Poland.

Poland is a country where the general masses welcome people with open arms of friendship! It is a land where if one works hard enough, and is intelligent enough, can find many interesting opportunities.

Poland is a country where there is a rich history, warm traditions and great intellectual talent which can give shape to a beautiful tomorrow... thus, inevitably, the expats who are sane and knowledgeable, find themselves in a position where they can do nothing but be proud on their good fortune to be in Poland!

Yes, it is true that we have our challenges, we have our problems, we have our trouble makers! But these are the elements which test our resolve, our intelligence, and our approach towards solutions! These are the fire which test gold, and Poland always came out as the PUREST GOLD!

Poland is a country with the most beautiful heard in Europe. Its heart is warm and big, it is accepting, but at the same time it learns from its ever advancing civilization :).

I welcome people of all color, creed, language, race, nation or religion ... those who want to own Poland as their country ... to contribute in its prosperity so that they along with their children can prosper with it!

I find business investors and students to be the most attractive group of expats in my country. They are bright, easily integrate, and have great potential for a better future merging which a great land - Poland!

:) ...

Yes, Winter is a bit tough but anyway perfect spring is already here.


Good post, explains exactly what I think about the subject.

[quote=Lodz_The_Boat][/quote]

y'know, even the most hardcore PR stuff should be clever nowadays

Most probably. But if I'd wanted an easy life I'd have gone into the family business in the UK and never come to Poland at all.

;D
The same thought came to me ;)


It sounds like very lame excuse ;)

I moved to Poland not so long ago and live with my boyfriend in his parents house, with quite a few other family members. It has not been easy and my life here is completely different to the one I had in England, in so many ways. No one ever said it would be easy, but I made the decision and things get better as time goes on. Just the only difficulty is finding a job and I don't want to teach English

Short answer:
YES.

It is really beautiful where I live and work, I mean really beautiful, up the mountains in the forest.
I have a small but solid group of friends, these days the people I work with are good, hard working people, even though some are going through some really bad times (death and illness in the family).

Long answer:

The "are you happy with your life" part of the title stands out.
Location is mostly irrelevant compared to happiness.

(I am fully aware my short answer is longer than my long one but the long one is more to meditate on, I guess:)

...................................................................... ...................

I was thinking a rating for posts might be a good idea, like on movie sites.
you could have five stars, 2.5 lit up (being average) and then people could vote on the post, lighting up or down according to the vote.

Then we wouldn't all have to say that convex's post#3 put it nicely or that shelly post 10# has nothing to say but that's never stopped her.

I don't know what you mean "hardcore PR stuff" ... but whatever I said was from the core of my heart, and I think they are true!

I also want to own Poland.Where is my portion?


You don't seem to like Ukrainians and Blacks.

If you don't know what you want, you'll never get it. I'd first start by asking what reasonable expectations expats have of Poland. Also, what makes them happy?

There is one golden word that my second student mentioned this morning and that is 'freedom'. She made the point that salaries here may be small compared to the cost of living but that pales into insignificance when you can experience real freedom. One thing I'm happy about is the free astro-turf pitches scattered across Poland. Orlik is the provider of the service. In Scotland, you have to pay a small fortune to play and I don't think that's right.

Oh, the market square will soon be brimming with beautiful girls. Ever the aesthete, I will be sure to check out looks which are bound to make me happy :)

This sense of freedom strikes you with a blow every time you enter a slavic country.