Hello PolishForums,
I am so glad that I found this place. I hope that some of the expatriates here can give me some information about my move to Warsaw, Poland that can give me some insider information that I am not able to get through the internet search engines.
First, my name is Robert, I'm an American, 34 years old and my wife is Polish, we have two children a boy 5 and a girl 3. My wifes view is from that of a native Polish person, she is from Lublin, and has not lived in Poland for almost a decade and therefore not much insight from an expatriates point of view. We have lived in Zurich, Switzerland for the last 8 years. My business is focused in Central and Southern Europe, which is how my wife and I met, but I didn't see the necessity to live there at the time as the company I started was still small. Not only am I going to be relocating there, but my staff of 11 people will be moving, we are officially moving our headquarters there due to the amount of business we do with Poland. I can speak Polish at the B2 level, and I will work to improve once we move. All of the legalities are being handled by our counsel, so most of my questions are related to lifestyle and the little important tips you can only learn from the people on the ground.
1. My kids currently attend ZIS, which used to be called the American School of Zurich. I want them to continue on in a similar school, what are the options like in Warsaw from an expatriates perspective? I've read about the schools in Warsaw, but would enjoy hearing any first hand accounts from people who have sent their children there?
2. Other than AirBnb, what are the options for short-term rentals? I am paying to have my employees put up for 6-months so that they can find their own accommodation that they prefer.
3. Language schools. Can you give some recommendations for language schools that would allow both me, and my 11 employees to enroll in a large group course for learning Polish? several of them also speak at the B2 level, since we are so often in Poland for business anyway.
Any other tips for life in Warsaw?
With three languages, German, Polish, and English, you should do just fine in Poland.
@Robert511
Congrats on the move. You will absolutely love it in Poland. I'm a bit younger than you and am actually in the process of moving my assets over to Poland as well from the U.S. The costs of living are far lower than in the U.S. (where I'm currently living) and the lifestyle is totally different.
There are many people (including on this forum) that live in Warsaw and would probably be more than willing to teach a group Polish. I don't think there's really any US to PL expats but there are a few UK to PL expats. You'll probably want to hire at least 1 person though that knows the city well, knows the bureaucracy and how to navigate institutions. Although Poland is a modern country, the courts/bureaucracy are a bit backwards and foreign people generally don't get the same treatment as locals. Oftentimes legal matters are decided based on the most arbitrary things...
Honestly though you'll probably want to send the kids to a college abroad once they get to that age unless they plan to stay in Poland as well also. There are several reputable business schools in Warsaw but they're generally not too well known outside of the country.
