Job Discussion Forums

[dynow]

[sharter]

I'm sat in my flat on the 10th floor, having been kept up all night by the youngsters having a balcony party next door bah humbug. My flat is 40M2 and has a balcony which is abot 10M2. My flat is fully furnished with a big LCD, DVD player, dishwasher etc and there is a big pool and sauna in the basement along with underground parking and security gates and guards. With the carpark it costs 2,300Zl/month and the only bill I have on top of that is the electricity. It took me a while to find this place. In Poznan you can find flats for 1,000Zl but you won't want to spend any time in them should you choose one. I understand why people share but as an adult I just find that option unacceptable. When you meet a nice girl, the last thing you want is a drunk flatmate bumbling around bringing all sorts of people home. It's a fact that lots of EFL teachers in Poland drink way too much. As for the figures?-Well, I guess you can live frugally but then what's the point in being in Poland if all you do is sit in your flat for the winter watching BBC World, gawking at streamed TV on your laptop. Yep, a language school like Profilingua will pay you a Zloty per minute but you won't get a full month's pay for October, December, January, February and whichever month Easter is in. Language schools then close for July, August and September. There's a lot of private work but what a hassle! Ultimately, we're all here by choice but if you're gonna come here, you should at least do it with open eyes. Poland is not an easy gig and it certainly isn't cheap. How schools like IH can pay 2k a month is beyond me as it's just exploitation pure and simple. Lots of men are here cos it's easy to pull/they've already pulled. Few women stay long. Alcohol is at the centre of much that is fun here......which is a plus by the way . It's a shame getting work in Berlin is so hard because then we're talking about a cool city, cool people and a developed country. One in which 99% of the people aren't looking to get their screw out of you.

[Jack Walker]

[sharter]

I met the neighbour this afternoon; he was still boozing and just getting a call girl delivered. You might be right about the guarded compound. That was at 4pm.

My flat is beautiful-next door is 80m2 and cost a cool million Zloty, or $320,000. Buy that on your 3k a month!!!!!

[delphian-domine]

[sharter]

This isn't a measuring contest. I finish work and go to a beautiful beach, then gym it, then watch sat tv. I work for 42 days then get 21 off on full pay; it suits me very well.

Was out last night and despite managing to find London Pride (bottled) I've still gotta say that the pubs in Poznan are largely tosh these days. 'The Ministry of Brewing' is ok if you want to try lots of different stuff.

Am loving my new flat but I can't help feeling that although it looks nice, everything in it will break sooner rather than later.....bit like Poland really.

[Jack Walker]

[sharter]

Ignore him Jack...if you said the moon was round he'd say it was square. I think he talks tosh but he's welcome to his opinion.

[Jack Walker]

[sharter]

Lovely beer...the Fuller's / Gale's stuff is mostly great.

[Sgt Bilko]

[Master Shake]

[delphian-domine]

Greenway certainly has some very decent food for a decent price. If I lived/worked near one, I'd be tempted to eat lunch every day there - even their half portions are usually of a generous size and very, very filling.

[sparks]

What's with all of the talk of how much it costs to live if you eat out, seemingly every single meal, every day, 365? Being back in the States I've realized that people (i.e. Western people) don't eat out like most people on here talk about eating out. Most people pack their lunches or eat simple food from cafeterias, food that costs not much at all. I don't live in a big city or anything but really, even eating at a milk bar or kebab every day, I don't think it's a Western way of living at all. Apparently EFL teachers in Poland are a special breed indeed, a breed which can't put some meat and cheese between two slices of bread, throw an apple and some chips (crisps) in a bag and take it to work

[sharter]

I do actually live here...I just work away, much like a sailor.

And Shake, 40Zl plus rent, transport, bills, the mobile and this social life at the drop of a hat would be more accurate. That changes your figure to about 80Zl a day plus any going out....that's a minimum of 2,400Zl a month. The fact that most people here are able to list exactly how they can spend or survive on a minimal amount suggests that despite the bluster, money is an issue.

I often cook at home. However, a meal out for me is not a cardboard box of tasteless noodles or a trip to Ali Baba for tortilla kebab. I'm talking a sit down with at least one course and a decent bottle of grog...y'know like we do when we're at home. And before I get the usual 'go home then' rants please remember I've been here longer than nearly everyone on the board.

I'm stunned by the 160Zl shots of Macallum or the 140Zl steaks. My medicine costs double what it costs in the UK. Kids stuff, electronic goods and clothes cost more, like for like, in Poland....it's just a fact. Therefore I think the rose tinted view some have here is a-inaccurate and b-misleading for newbies.

Moreover, we rarely mention the rigmarole that is working for many of the schools here in Poland ie the late pay, no pay, tax dodging, split shifts etc etc.

I still contend that whether we (men) like to admit it or not, we're mostly here because of the nightlife and chicks. If you're a totally average guy, you can still have a beautiful girlfriend and drink beer at the 5zl place if you so wish....ie you can extend YOUR student lifestyle (hence the absence of kids in most of you). The teaching itself is easy that's why it's rarely mentioned.

It would be interesting to do a poll (pardon the pun). Delph, Shake et al- married? kids? male? I bet the answers are; no, no, yes.

There ya go.