Living in Poland - prospects for Alabama guy ... need some advice!

????? Nobody called him a loser because he didn't want to teach English. It wasn't me, anyhow. NMPolak said that we all know what happens when Polki go back to Poland with a loser who is only capable of being a TEFL teacher. You've got that a bit mixed up (loser BECAUSE TEFL teacher, not because not ...).

Of course Jasono isn't a loser. And he isn't going to teach English. But ... it will be different over there, when they are on his wife's home territory, not his. Having said that, she is defiantly not one of the 24/7 slipper-wearing brigade, so she will no doubt be different in other ways as well. She is the other type of Polka, I suspect ... the type I love and among whom I have several really really good friends ... the intellectual Polki. They are usually great people. So we should stop telling him to worry about white handbags and having all his furniture stolen by his in-laws, because he hasn't got that kind of wife, by the sounds of it.

You got it. ;)

I've got a personal beef with him, because he insulted the fact that I dared to have opinions/preferences he doesn't agree with (we're not exactly PC round here - he would probably have a heart attack if I took him to the Embassy Club lmao), but is he is a loser or not? Well, I don't know.

In fact, I have no idea what he does for a living anyway (I'd guess "IT support", judging by his photos :p lol), but that's beside the point. :)

As you have already recognised, an educated and ambitious Polish woman (which his wife appears to be) isn't exactly going to tolerate a partner who may struggle to find work in Poland other than TEFL. Back in the USA, he has the power. Moving to Poland with a Polish wife, who not only has the family, contacts, and most importantly of all, the language - is going to be a very different kettle of fish altogether. He will be on her turf, and she will have the power - and we all know that Polish women love to be in charge.

I've spoken Polish all my life, but even I would need to learn a lot of technical terms in order to be able to work in my profession in Poland; I don't do an "expat" job, unfortunately, so I would have to compete against Polish workers for Polish wages (which aren't great). I've spent a lot of time in Poland, so it doesn't feel "foreign" to me, but for someone who hasn't got a Polish background, and doesn't know the language, it's going to be very difficult. Respect to anyone who manages to make it over there, though - even if they dare to disrespect my (ahem) "sexual preferences" ;)

Theres more chance of me emigrating to Poland than there is of this chap making the switch.

Well, as it appears that your city is full of Poles already, there's probably not much point ;)

now what does that mean? have i missed something? sounds like a rather bold non-sequitur to me ... but pls enlighten me.


so very little chance of you making the switch ... what switch? from men to women? women to men? dogs to horses??

It was on another thread. He has a big problem with the fact that I object to Turk trolls and prefer dating light-skinned women ;)


The switch is from Celtic to Slavic, I believe :D

Fantastic. Now, you all get back to the topic.

ok, ok ; ) ... just important to know who we are talking to :D

Deal with it in PMs.

I teach and the salary is about Warsaw average but the split shifts are a killer, but I really enjoy my job.

Very true

Also, I might add, from the tone of his posts they should both get away from both sets of in-laws.

jasondmzk -, it is always difficult with cross-cutural marriage/relationships seems so exotic in the early days, then reality sets in. The only way I got through my marriage was by putting my priorities in order as follows:

Number 1 - My kids
Number 2 - My wife ( A happy mother for my kids)
Number 3 - Me

After I realised the order life just fell into place.

For me my wife is #1, the rest follows.
"Happy wife. happy life"

I know you've all been biting your nails, perched on the edges of your seats, wondering just where WILL this internet stranger and his wife end up living? We're gonna go to Poland. Well... maybe. Our lease is up in March, and Ola is super dead-set on moving somewhere, anywhere, but here (Alabama). If you take the way-back-machine to my OP you'll note that I have a baby, and that baby (via the way-forward-machine) will be over a year old in March. And we STILL haven't found somewhere suitable to hang our hat. Remember how we were considering Colorado Springs? Well, it basically burnt down and there's nothing there but scorched snowboards and burnt Cinnabons. So, MY idea, MINE, was to extend our lease for another year, save some dough and live like Kings Of Poland, next year. But the wife? She ain't as enthused as you'd think. If you think she'd rather just go to a slightly burnt Colorado in March, well... you'd be more or less on the money. SO. Now we have what we Americans call the 'Ol Switcheroo. I wanna go to Poland, and the wifey wants to stay in the land o' chocolate milk and honey nut Cheerios. What a conundrum, eh? I mean, if I saved up an extra year, by the time we got to Wro, neither one of us would have to work, for like... a long time. Maybe a year, even. If we just throw a dart at a map of America (probably illegal in some states), and drag our sorry butts wherever it lands, we might end up in some cesspool. Like Arkansas. The idea of my baby girl's first memories being of Arkansas makes me wanna hang myself in the shower. But anyways. That's the sitch, as it now stands. Jason: Yay for Poland! Ola: Huzzah for America! Baby: BWEH! The baby's not much of a tie-breaker. So, whatta ya think?

Which is why anyone smart gets into a job that offers this. I have a normal schedule, salary, proper contract, paid vacations and definitely no split shifts.

I'm not teaching anything. As a matter of fact, I so abhor the thought of teaching, that I refuse to even learn anything, so as not to support the concept.

If you don't want to go to a dump like Arkansas......don't go to Arkansas.

Excluding Alabama, that leaves 48 more.


i don't really know how this has anything to do with your decision of where to move. if you had enough money saved to live in California for a year without having to work, would you go there? you don't seem to be moving because your family doesn't have enough time to play Scrabble.

you gotta stop looking at poland like a big long vacation, especially because no matter how much your wife wants to stay in the USA, if you bring her back to her country and her family for a year or two, you just might get stuck there.

it is YOU who is taking all the risk here. stay in the USA, you keep your language, you keep your familiarity, you can still handle business on your own and for your wife, AND your wife wants to be in the USA anyhow. go to Poland, you lose your language, you will be utterly dependent on your wife to do completely basic things every single day and you gotta find a job you don't hate and because you won't teach English, options are limited without being able to speak any Polish.

I get the hunch you - is it Jason? - can do very well in Poland. You seem a nice - gentle and smart at the same time - and honest feller, and, most importantly, seem not to have an adverse attitude towards us but an open and amicable one. Am I right about it, or go over the top? That's the kind of folks we welcome in Poland; we don't welcome Polonophobes and crybabies who, for instance, whine all the time: "Racism! Antisemitism!" where there's none, and arrogantly demand special rights and priviledges for themselves.

You'll do okay in here the way you are, I think.

And don't worry about your not top-notch command of Polish - you can polish it in no time if you want to, I'm sure of it.

I'd say go for it with no fear.

When was the last time you were in Poland?

Try Panama

abcnews.go.com/Travel/story?id=2624274&page=1#.UA_-9Y7qOEU

Merged: Born and rasied in the US (Polish parents). Moving back to Poland.

I was born and raised in the US, my parents are Polish natives. I served my country and even fought for it. But, after visting Poland for the fourth time, just last month, I cannot seem to help to think that perhaps many of us that are living abroad should return to our beautiful country and culture. I still find it remarkable that all these people that immigrated here to the US, that they just do not long for that pure Polish culture. Yeah, we have our Polish neighborhoods here, with our stores and schools, but Poland is so beautiful, I still miss it so much.

I also, after a few visits, am planning to move to Warsaw, Poland, just as soon as I sell my home, here in the U.S.A. This is the land of my grandparents, and a great place to retire to. The people of Poland are the greatest. Cost of living is far less than here. And the people of Poland still care for one onther.

Valpomike

True, most prices are cheaper, but the relative cost is far more expensive when you take into consideration how low the salaries are in Poland.

Good choice i love Poland, just wish i was fluent

Sentimentality is a strong emotion and an enduring virtue tough to deny, though pragmatically speaking, Poland is still a very tough place to exist and endure, especially for those accustomed to certain standards. A brief vacation should never be a pilot to wholesale lifestyle changes. Ponder some more, if your heart and mind still collectively unite, let my words merely be your subconscious afterthought. :)

My girlfriend is Polish and I have been four times (I'm a 7'th generation Australian) and I agree with a couple of point discussed here. I to love Poland, it is cheap, the people are nice and the country seems to be heading in the right direction. Frankly, I would rather live there than here. However, Scottie is correct when saying wages are a lot lower there. To live and work in Poland would soon take the lustre off I think. I still think it would be a great place to retire or perhaps you could use your more valuable foreign currency to set up some sort of business where you may be able to maintain a good standard of living.

The town I saw the most of was Torun and it is magic - especially after escaping our miserable winter and enjoying their summer!

All good points. If I was to move back in the near fute, then it would be to start a business. I am 44, so I still hae to weigh the option of doing that now or perhaps work at my business here in the US and maybe retire early-say around 55 and then move to Poland. Its the 11 years waiting that I have to overcome. I want to move back to the homeland:)

but it doesn't matter if you run out of monthly salary. You still are poor.

I skipped through a bunch of this thread..
As an American working for a very large multi-national company, I will be moving to Poland in two years.
I am a recruiter and I know there are many companies willing to relocate you, however, there are usually language requirements. Mine will be Russian and English (though I know it seems odd they would want Russian and not Polish)so it might be worth checking sites like IBM and other large companies look for strictly English. There are some, very few, but some. If you have a 4 year degree, this is very helpful. The oil and gas industry is always looking for help, but most will not relocate you. But at least you could have something while there.

I also LOVED the idea of you opening a Southern style diner! I was in Russia and Estonia last summer and I will tell you that there is nothing in those countries that even vaguely reminded me of US southern food though a few tried. I'm with whoever suggested the diner - call it Sweet Home Alabama. :))