I have a scholarship for Warsaw university and would like to know about living in Poland

Hello, i am an student from third-country ( under-developed country ) i received scholarship to Study in university of Warsaw during 1 year . that is my first time to live in Europe and with European people, culture and society. so what i want please suggest me about living in Poland in particular and Europe in general.

Hi,

Which country are you from? No one chooses the country they're born or grow up in so you shouldn't feel embarrassed about saying where you are from just because it's under-developed :)

If this is your first time in Europe, you will be in for a major shock. The people will look different than what you are used to. The smells in the air will be different than what you are used to. The weather, food, music etc etc etc will all be different. Poland is a great country and Warsaw is a beautiful city. The people in Poland are friendly for the most part and since you will be around students, you will have an easier time integrating. The food is very satisfying (though if you are Muslim you may have a hard time finding halal shops). Luckily Poland is still cheap compared to its neighbors so you will save money by not spending a lot on food or entertainment. Traveling in Europe from Poland is also very cheap and with that scholarship money you should be able to budget a short trip to Prague, Budapest, Berlin etc. I certainly don't think you would regret the experience.

I'm not great at giving general advice but if you have specific questions about student life in Poland I would be happy to answer.

Let me guess...not the University of Warsaw? Maybe one of the private ones?

I am going from South America.. it is also my first time in Europe. Where are u from?

Canada but I was born in Poland therefore have Polish/EU citizenship and I studied in Poland for 4 years (in Krakow).

Oh! I see.. so u speak Polish.. I was said it is too difficult so I dont have to waste time trying to learn it.. However, I would like to.. will I need Polish there? Or is only English ok?

Polish is a difficult language and you definitely wouldn't master it just being in Poland for one year, but you should make an effort to learn as much as you can! The university students should all speak English so no problems there. The older generations and those who are less educated will not speak English and for that reason you will need to learn some conversational basics. At most places where you are served you will probably be approached in English but if you're at a random mini-shop it will be unlikely the lady behind the counter will speak English so you'll have to learn how to ask for things etc but I wouldn't worry about it too much.

Yes I didnt mean to master it, but some baaaasic for communication. I understand and I will see if I can learn some phrases at the university.

What about the weather? Is it that cold? In my country the temperature is around 20 most of the year. (Min 10 and max 38)

use wikipedia to learn such basics as weather

Summers are nice and warm with lots of sun. The nicer weather usually starts about late March and goes until September-ish. You will have days that will go to 30 C. Winters are cold with gray skies, though this is common to central Europe and not just an issue in Poland. You may not see the sun for a week or two at a time. Being from south america this may take more getting used to than the temperature to be honest. However the temperatures during winter below freezing and usually feel much colder with the wind. -10 or -20 is not uncommon. You would need to buy a warm winter jacket here.

I have read wikipedia and maaaany other sites! But anyway, it is not the same than commenting it with sb who lives or has lived there!

Thanks!!!! I am going in September, if I get my visa! So I will experience the cold months, I hope I get used to it because I would like to travel as much as I can.

September shouldn't be too cold, could even be pleasantly warm, but winters here can be very harsh. Wait until you get here before buying winter clothes. There's no need to use your baggage allowance on bulky coats, etc. Coming from S. America you'll probably find temperatures of minus 25 or lower a bit of a shock, but with the right clothing and face cream you'll survive.

No problem. I would suggest you apply as soon as possible for your visa as the level of pedantic bureaucracy in Poland is infamous. You may have to wait a couple months for processing. Good luck!