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Some final advice on moving to Krakow please and thank you.
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JMarcher



Joined: 08 Aug 2011
Posts: 4
Location: Dublin, Ireland

PostPosted: Thu Aug 25, 2011 2:16 pm    Post subject: Some final advice on moving to Krakow please and thank you. Reply with quote

Hello,

I've pretty much decided that I'm moving to Krakow. Probably by the end of September. I'm currently working for an English college in Ireland (my home country); however work is drying up as the summer ends.

I've learnt almost everything I've needed to know from trawling this forum. I'm 23 and have a BA and a MA in English lit., a CELT (Irish CELTA equivalent), and some good teaching experience here in Ireland; so my plan is to start sending e mails to schools (a list of which I got from this forum) and just move over there in the mean time, with job or not, and start going door to door.

What I wanted to inquire about is how to go about getting an apartment. Is it possible to do this before I leave; or will I have to stay in a hostel for awhile before I have it sorted? I fear that sites advertising apartments in English will be significantly inflated...

I'm not looking for anything fancy at all, just the basics, so how much should one expect to be paying in Krakow for a relatively central apart.?

I'll probably be going over with about 1600 euro, so I'd prefer to have work and home settled pretty soon. Also, I'm pretty good at not spending money (*cough* cheap-skate *cough*).

Ah yes, I don't know ANY Polish... This is obviously a problem and I'm investing in a 'teach yourself' thing this week. Hardly enough to supply me with rent negotiating skills, I presume...

Also, one more question (I can't resist!). Can I get enough hours from schools to support myself, or will private one-to-ones be a must? I've plenty of experience doing them, but I'd rather hold off for a few months if I could.

If anyone as anything in the way of advice I would be most grateful.

(Apologies for rambling)

P.S. Anyone looking to get an apartment end of sept. or need a flatmate PM me!
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hrvatski



Joined: 16 Nov 2008
Posts: 270

PostPosted: Thu Aug 25, 2011 7:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

School starts mid-October, best time to be looking for a job is now, late September is cutting it fine.

Remember to dress smart going door to door, and if you are half way normal looking put a photo on your CV.

A relatively central studio apartment which is not a hovel will set you back 1100-1500zł a month. If you find a friend(s) and search for an apartment together you might end up paying 800-1100zł a month if you're lucky. If this doesn't succeed you can get a room in the 'burbs for 400-600zł a month. Use www.gumtree.pl and google.com/translate. This would be easiest done with a Polish student who could easily be convinced by 15zł/hour (put up a notice at a University). I'm sure there would be no shortage of people willing to help for free, so if you're that way inclined give it a go.

If an ok school gives you around 20 contact hours a week you can support yourself, depending on your rent. Won't have much change left at the end of the month though, but who does in Poland.
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dynow



Joined: 07 Nov 2006
Posts: 1080

PostPosted: Thu Aug 25, 2011 8:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

you sound pretty hireable. educated, young and motivated, good stuff. Wroclaw is a good choice, that was my hood for 4 years.

JMarcher wrote:



Quote:
Is it possible to do this before I leave


i wouldn't recommend it. go there and see the places for yourself.

JMarcher wrote:

Quote:
Can I get enough hours from schools to support myself, or will private one-to-ones be a must?


that is sometimes the luck of the draw, i mean, you could go there, present yourself well and have 30 lessons a week lined up right away. you never know. you seem competent, i think you'll be OK.

hrvatski wrote:

Quote:
A relatively central studio apartment which is not a hovel will set you back 1100-1500zł a month. If you find a friend(s) and search for an apartment together you might end up paying 800-1100zł a month if you're lucky.


those numbers are pretty solid. i was paying 1280zl/month for 35 sq. meters, a 10 minute walk south of the rynek, in 2007.

hrvatski wrote:

Quote:
If an ok school gives you around 20 contact hours a week you can support yourself, depending on your rent. Won't have much change left at the end of the month though, but who does in Poland.


oooh don't worry mods....i won't go there Very Happy
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JMarcher



Joined: 08 Aug 2011
Posts: 4
Location: Dublin, Ireland

PostPosted: Thu Aug 25, 2011 8:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the replies guys; I really appreciate it.

Yeah I know I'm cutting it fine, but I reckon I'll get enough work somewhere, at least to begin with.

Thanks hrvatski, there seems to be loads of stuff on gumtree for me to dig through in the mean time. I think I'd rather share a flat, starting out anyway, until I get some Polish (language) down.

Dynow, where would you recommend I stay while a view places? I hostel I suppose?

Thanks again for the info guys; it's now seeming to come together![/quote]
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dynow



Joined: 07 Nov 2006
Posts: 1080

PostPosted: Thu Aug 25, 2011 11:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

JMarcher wrote:

Quote:
Dynow, where would you recommend I stay while a view places? I hostel I suppose?


yeah, that's a small complication for you. well.....whereever you decide to stay when you first get there, do your best to see as much of the city as possible. you gotta stay near the center. without a car and with all the work there, you want convenience. pay the extra money.

the northeast of Wroclaw, towards the zoo, has some nice suburbs but it's mostly houses so you may strike out there.

i'd recommend going south of the center. if you want exact street names and such, PM me. i know plenty of people that live down there and i used to run up and down those streets.

OR, if you don't want the hassle of freezing your tail off in the winter waiting for trams and buses....or if you simply prefer the convenience, live in the center. I knew a guy who lived maybe 300M north of the rynek who was paying 1800 so if you can find a roommate, 800-900zl a month with that kind of convenience, assuming the living conditions are acceptable, may be a good idea. if anything, it will help you out considerably during the first few months when you have no idea where anything is. you can always go someplace else after a year when you got the city figured out.
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hrvatski



Joined: 16 Nov 2008
Posts: 270

PostPosted: Fri Aug 26, 2011 10:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

First time I visited Krakow in 2004 I stayed at Schronisko Młodzieżowy 'Oleandry' cause it was pretty much the cheapest.

Don't know if that's still the case, but probably. Reasonably central.

http://g.co/maps/32be

http://www.smkrakow.pl/eng/


Last edited by hrvatski on Sat Aug 27, 2011 9:43 am; edited 1 time in total
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sharter



Joined: 25 Jun 2008
Posts: 878
Location: All over the place

PostPosted: Fri Aug 26, 2011 11:22 am    Post subject: erm Reply with quote

You'll easily find digs on Polish Gumtree, other than that just go to an estate agents or look on oferty.net.

Don't think 1600 Euros is much, cos it ain't.

Don't work for IH, they pay you nothing.

Good luck, you'll have a great time and have a super hot girlfriend very soon.
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dynow



Joined: 07 Nov 2006
Posts: 1080

PostPosted: Fri Aug 26, 2011 2:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

i'm i smokin' something or was this thread about moving to wroclaw yesterday? maybe i misread?

in that case, disregard what I said about wroclaw, obviously.

tgif.
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JMarcher



Joined: 08 Aug 2011
Posts: 4
Location: Dublin, Ireland

PostPosted: Fri Aug 26, 2011 3:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks guys,

That hostel works out as 6 euro a night if you share a dorm, so at least I know I won't be stuck for a place to sleep... I know Poland isn't supposed to be that cheap anymore but compared to Dublin it really is!

I'm currently digging through sites like gumtree, and I joined a group on couchsurfing.org called 'looking for a flat in Krakow'; I've already gotten two e mails from people looking for someone to fill a room, so I should have some viewings set up for when I arrive... Thank you everyone!

Now, the barrage of job requesting emails begins!
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JMarcher



Joined: 08 Aug 2011
Posts: 4
Location: Dublin, Ireland

PostPosted: Fri Aug 26, 2011 3:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Oh, and dynow. Don't put it out on my account Cool ; I think your advice translates across cities!
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delphian-domine



Joined: 11 Mar 2011
Posts: 674

PostPosted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 9:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'd reconsider Krakow if I were you - it's full of natives trying to live there. I know a girl who owns a school there, and she's managed this year to hire 3 natives on 34zl/hour - there's just too many and not enough demand.

Wroclaw is going the same way, too.
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sharter



Joined: 25 Jun 2008
Posts: 878
Location: All over the place

PostPosted: Fri Sep 02, 2011 11:42 am    Post subject: yep Reply with quote

It's the same in Poznan; teaching work is harder to find. Why is this?

-Lower demand in the current climate.
-Very good non-native teachers.
-Loads of young Poles actually going to live in the UK.
-Better English teaching in Polish secondary schools.
-Drunk, scruffy native speakers giving employers 'bad experiences'.

Be careful with some schools as the contracts are explicit about you not working for anyone else. Charge your privates a Zloty a minute. Get in touch with some translation agencies and proof read. Offer Cambridge exam class prep. Stick your services and phone number on lamp posts as this seems to be what they do in Poland. Shop in Biedronka because it's the cheapest super market and buy your winter jacket in Ireland as it will be cheaper. Go and see my mate Maurice in the Irish Arms and he'll set you straight and introduce you to the right people.
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simon_porter00



Joined: 09 Nov 2005
Posts: 505
Location: Warsaw, Poland

PostPosted: Fri Sep 02, 2011 7:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Or ...
Come to Warsaw, work for 2/3 years and start earning over 8k a month.

Even working for a school you could still pull in 6k.
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dynow



Joined: 07 Nov 2006
Posts: 1080

PostPosted: Tue Sep 06, 2011 9:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

net?

if you're working 25 lessons per week, 45 minutes per lesson, 1zl NET per minute, you're at 1125 per week or 4500 per month.

i've never worked in Warsaw but i can say that by my third year in Wroclaw, i landed a gig in a small school that paid me 50zl per 45 minute lesson but that was brutto. after good ole' ZUS was paid along with taxes.....well.....you know.

with ZUS at around 900/month and taxes at what.....geeze....i'm forgetting now......19%?........lemme see:

60zl for a 45 minute lesson, 25 lessons per week is 6000 so if you're freelancing, taxes knock you down to 4860, minus ZUS gives you 3960. in order to net 6000 in a month working for a school, with taxes at 19% and ZUS at 900, you'd have to be getting paid 85zl brutto per 45 minute lesson, nearly 2zl per minute.

if you're on a work permit and the school is paying for your ZUS and your taxes, they'd still have to be paying you 60zl NET per 45 minute lesson to hit 6K based on a 25 lesson week.

i've never worked in warsaw so who knows......but 6K working for a school in Wroclaw seems impossible.
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sparks



Joined: 20 Feb 2008
Posts: 632

PostPosted: Tue Sep 06, 2011 11:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It's quite possible to get 100 zl. for 60 min. in Warsaw--obviously not through a school but under the table. If you like to do paperwork and pay taxes you can probably charge more by invoicing companies. Finding them and dealing with them may be more hassle. Easiest is to work for a school for a year or two and then just offer your one-to-ones (the ones that pay for lessons themselves) private classes. It may be against school policy but who cares. I've had countless students from schools come to me with this idea. This works better than gumtree and other sites because the students on those will probably want to pay around 50-60 zl max. for an hour. If you get the ones from schools, they're used to paying more. Just keep it on the DL.
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