Job Discussion Forums

[Within-Temptation]

Hi Everyone,
I am a little curious to see what city in Poland is the most popular in regards to work and lifestyle?
What makes your city super special? What does not?
Any cities to be avoided?
Basically trying to see what your cities have to offer and why you want to stay or want to leave, Thanks.

[dynow]

I would suggest giving atleast some small set of criteria, your own personal likes and dislikes, before asking for people to post.

If you have none at all, Poland's got alot of choices, because every city/town is quite different from the next.

[Will.]

Why limit yourself to cities?

Well, if you believe all the tourists hanging around, it must be Krakow.

Personally I like Chelm and Jelenia Gora. The latter in winter and summer the other in summer only this is for lifestyle, travel and fun,nice places to visit but work there...all year? the reason is that both have remarkable squares in the centre of town and since we spend a lot of time in cafes and 'watching 'people they are great places to be and meet others. This is part of the experience of living and working in another country. In the smaller towns it is easier to maintain the interested and interesting attention of a local than in Krakow or Warsaw. The need to have more than a smattering of Polish is useful and evident also. Who among us is willing to tread the path less travelled for the greater reward? Just what do you want from living and working in another country? To say I 'did' Poland or to meet the people while working alongside them and to appreciate the culture too. if it is only to get a little fun and experience after uni go to Krakow and be part of the expat/ESL/EFL community and get a new stamp in your passport. We all have different reasons for our choices

Best location is such an individual thing that is usually, in the case of newbies, dependent on the first school to give you an offer of long term employment, with accommodation organised and taken care of, and then we all make the best of it, or move on, and believe the stories others tell us about how brilliant their employer's school is and the great accommodation they are given...'Given' (laughs silently in an aside to self in memory of the wonderfully furnished rooms with old and funky clic-clacs that were part of the deal for teachers) For me, location is always near a market and close to public transport. tyhe reason is that no matter how good your employer tells you that your area/town/city/village is you will, at some point, want to get away. So, quick access to the train right after work with a small bag ready to go right after class on Friday evening, back on Monday morning, clean clothes in locker at work.
Where are the best bars/restaurant/nightlife? we all want something different from our location.
It is not such a decision as to which city, but to where the work is best for you, where you feel most at home working and living. Which place gets least grief. how do you find this out? by going there and risking the making of an enormous great blunder...
A good milk bar used to be a reference, one that is open early in the morning or late at night, little things like this make a place more conducive to live in. Good wages and treatment from bosses and DoSes.
Internet and information access, an nternational newstand, it all helps.

[joshsweigart]

Lodz, because both Time Magazine and The Economist just listed it as number 2 on their top ten cities to visit in Europe.

I jest, I like it because it doesn't have a rynek or old town worth seeing and thus very few tourists or other English teachers, although this is changing.

[Within-Temptation]

Many thanks for the replies Dynow, Will and Josh. Yes, Dynow i could of explained a little of what i like and so on but it's your views that i want to hear about etc... Will is exactly right saying why limit yourself to the major cities because of what i have heard and seen that Poland is a very beautiful country. Maybe what i am after is a city or town that has great potential for growth in regards to property because i am looking into buying a flat this year as well. Possibly i will be choosing Wroclaw or Poznan to work and live in?
Maybe you can write about your city or town and explain why you like or dislike it? It's just nice to hear stories about everyone and their adventures thus far and it is nice to hear about a city or town that might be good to explore in the future

[dynow]

well.....

regarding Wroclaw and Poznan, probably two great choices regarding development, but again, it depends on what you like, and of course, how much $$$ you got.

I'm in Wroclaw, just got here not too long ago actually, and I really dig it. Atleast as of now, it's not too big, not to small for me. I came from the NY/NJ area, and wanted something with life, but not overrun by tourists and hustle and bustle, and Wroclaw suits my needs. Also, if you don't go searching for English speakers or ex-pats, you won't find them, which is something I like about my city.

Wroclaw is developing very very quickly, so if an up-and-coming area is what you are looking for, Wroclaw is a great choice, just buy yourself a flat soon, because the price of most flats in the past two years have more than doubled.

If you had the finances and connections to visit a few cities first before settling down, that would be ideal. Take a month to peruse around Poland, check out Wroclaw and Poznan, visit a few small, nice towns, and then make a decision, if in fact Poland is what you want.

For me personally, I considered trying a small town, and very nearly took a job in a town of less than 30,000 people. Now that I am in Wroclaw, I can't imagine living in a town that small, I think I would go completely out of my mind. A big reason for this is I cannot speak Polish well, and did not start out having a set of friends or family to visit on occasion. Being in a tiny town, not knowing the language, and not knowing anyone to boot is a bit rough.

In the bigger cities, you can find enough people who speak english to get by, you will probably make friends quicker, there is much more to do and see in your free time, and it just makes the transition that much easier.

Hope that helps.

[Ivyclub]

[britishempire]

Warsaw is an eye sore. I had the pleasure of just passing through it.

[redsoxfan]

[Henry_Cowell]

Bindair Bin Busted -- once again.

[gregoryfromcali]

I agree with redsoxfan.

I AGREE WITH REDSOXFAN!!!

I agree with redsoxfan, You may also want to get yourself cell phone that way the school can reach you as soon as they decide that they want to talk to you.

Because for the most part the jobs you get offered will have to do with your timing, if you walk in the door just as they realize that their enrollment is higher than last year then at some schools that might be enough to get you hired, at least for part time work and of course after some kind of interview in which they can see that you have some idea of what's going on.

Search around in the archives and you'll find even more tips in a thead entitled "Steps to finding work in Poland."

Good times.

[rjmacks]

I 'pounded the pavement' in Wroclaw and didn't find a great deal of offers...schools didn't seem to really have native speakers, and could offer you 2 or 3 classes here or there. In fact I was offered a job in Empik but didn't take it as the conditions weren't right for me. Krakow seems to offer more of a traditional native speaker route...I think Warsaw is the same.

[gregoryfromcali]

It has a lot to do with timing.

Most schools start their courses in October and you normally want to be there a couple of weeks before they get going so that you can get your resume out.

Outside of that time of the year, I think getting a few classes here and there is the best you can hope for unless you're just plain lucky,

[katsu]

Krakow without a doubt! It's a cornucopia of culture, art, history, tourism and the list goes on and on and on!

I just came back from there and all I'm thinking about now is when will another opportunity pop up so that I can have the chance to go back...

Totally in love with Krakow

[Prospectave]