STUDY ABROAD in Krakow. What's the area like (and a few more questions).

I attend Western Illinois University in Macolm Illinois and I am looking to study abroad in Krakov Poland. I have a few questions: One what is the area like? How much will it cost me to stay? and will it hurt me that I do not speak fluent Polish? Any advice you can give will be helpful.

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  Me at WIU!
  

Hello Tymon1965,

And welcome to the Polish forums.


I live near Krakow, I am Irish and I think it is a wonderful city.
I don't know what kind of climate you are accustomed to but the summers are hot and the winters are cold.

Recommendations for Krakow and Myślenice and somethng else of note is an hour's drive south Recommendations for Zakopane.


I find that this very much depends on your quality of life and habits.
Rent and entertainment vary in prices depending on location and standard.
So the more information you provide the better we can answer this question.


It is always advisable to learn even the basic polite forms of the language before you stay in any country.
Almost all young people in Krakow speak English and all the menus in restaurants and bars are in English, as Krakow is a tourist destination it has changed a lot over the past few years, regarding language.


It is a really beautiful city and I am sure you will thoroughly enjoy it :)

What are you going to study?

I wonder if the poster came in the end

Very nice. They have dragons and pidgeons and Krakowiacy everywhere. But don`t forget to take your gas mask to protect your lungs from pollution.

They would love you in Poland. You already look like a handsome professor ;;; you'd get students to talk to you as many of them love talking to native English speaker to learn from. You should be able to get by without the knowledge of Polish, especially in a big city like Krakow.

Tymon,

Fluent knowledge of Polish is certainly not required for such a position!
You seem to possess native English from the Midwest, the part of our
country with about the cleanest American English, and so you'd be a
shoe in as well as am asset to teach your mother tongue to enthusiastic Polish learners!

While in some cases, knowing the local lingo would be somewhat
helpful when travelling off the beaten path, all the Poles I met
when I was in Szczecin some years ago, were most eager to practice
their English skills.

It used to be different back when I was a young ESL-teacher during
the mid-'90's, when knowing the basics of the target language was
still considered a must in hiring. However, that was Germany, and
needless to add, things sure have changed:-)

POWODZENIA, dude! Best of luck!
Mark
tarsape@gmail.com