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Who on this forum is actually based in Poland these days?
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dragonpiwo



Joined: 04 Mar 2013
Posts: 1650
Location: Berlin

PostPosted: Mon May 13, 2019 5:29 am    Post subject: Who on this forum is actually based in Poland these days? Reply with quote

I was wondering who is actually in Poland these days from those posters on this forum. Moreover, where are you?

I was there a few weeks ago in Poz, where I have a house. Poznan's changed a lot. There are some really cool bars and restaurants there these days but I'd avoid the rynek for anything more than a convenient meeting point.

Since, I first went to Poland in 95, so much has changed: You can get really decent burgers, craft beer has arrived, like for like restaurants cost what they do in western Europe and even the UAE, where I work. In addition, there are way more non-caucasian people around and people are openly gay, so some sort of liberalism has arrived. One thing that hasn't changed much is the shitty A-road system, which was and is still dangerous. Regarding the teaching, it seems that nothing's changed much. You still have to work your ass off to earn a living, the schools are shady as feck and doing privates is the only way to go unless you have a base job in the uni, which might pay shyte but pays you 12 months of the year and the load allows for privates.
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stasiu of liberty



Joined: 26 Sep 2010
Posts: 31
Location: Krak�w

PostPosted: Mon May 13, 2019 10:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

D. Piwo! or Smok-beer? ...the "STASIU of LIBERTY" shines 'radiantly' in KRK since December 2010, and "...I ain't leavin' mate! (or dude)...
Doin' an English language standup comedy show bit on Sunday here at SZPITALNA 1... everybody is invited! A big happy crowd and a great room. Free drinks for the performers and sometimes free shots for the customers. Be there or be square and share and be fair if you care-and you don't need to shear off yer hair! LOL! (mostly non-native english speakers attend...) pretty cool scene...
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juriusz



Joined: 05 Sep 2011
Posts: 26

PostPosted: Mon May 13, 2019 4:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Warsaw. I would love to say that you are wrong, that things have improved. Well, some places pay a bit more, but generally, life is not getting any cheaper. I wouldn't recommend teaching in Poland to anyone who wants to save money.
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dragonpiwo



Joined: 04 Mar 2013
Posts: 1650
Location: Berlin

PostPosted: Sat May 18, 2019 4:07 pm    Post subject: hmm Reply with quote

I just spent a weekend with my wife at a 5* hotel in Dubai Marina. Just as a price comparison we Googled the Marine Hotel in Kolobrzeg where we stayed 2 years ago. The 5* hotel in Dubai Marina was half the price of the Marine Hotel in Kolobrzeg. Poland's a joke re the cost of living and salaries.
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juriusz



Joined: 05 Sep 2011
Posts: 26

PostPosted: Mon May 20, 2019 8:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Generally I do agree, however bear in mind that most of the Poles don't work for language schools. Starting salary in many corporations is around 3000 PLN (or higher). After a few years most of the people get 5-7K PLN. They can afford Dubai, Egypt or Kolobrzeg for two weeks a year.

Teaching is a different story: starting salary at public schools is ~1900 PLN. After 12 years of hard work and getting promoted you get ~3300 PLN. This salary is a joke for Warsaw, Poznan or Krakow, but it's ok for Siedlce, Pabianice or Tarnów. Language schools in big cities offer 2-5K a month (rather zlecenie or self-employment, not a proper full time contract), work you to death, and offer very little place for promotion. But even with that salary you should be able to save for some time off. Maybe not Marine Hotel, but who goes to Kolobrzeg anyway Wink
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Master Shake



Joined: 03 Nov 2006
Posts: 1202
Location: Colorado, USA

PostPosted: Wed Jun 05, 2019 2:48 am    Post subject: Long Time No Post Reply with quote

Hey Guys,

I haven't been back since Christmas of 2014.

However, I will be visiting Warsaw, where I used to live and teach (4 years), in a week. I'm pretty excited, though I'm sure some things have changed for the worse.

I'm looking forward to reconnecting with my friends (some English teachers) and finding out what state the ESL market is in. I knew a dozen or so teachers that were doing just fine for themselves, thanks in part to their working for the British Council.

One thing that hasn't changed is DP griping about the cost of living in Poland on this forum. Over ten years and still going strong! Almost makes me wax nostalgic for the days when this place was a hub of activity.
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wojbrian



Joined: 13 Aug 2009
Posts: 178

PostPosted: Wed Jun 05, 2019 11:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I am in Detroit working on a masters and working in IT.

My wife is from zielona gora and we went back in 2017 and will probably go next year when I graduate.

I also miss the relaxed pace.
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stasiu of liberty



Joined: 26 Sep 2010
Posts: 31
Location: Krak�w

PostPosted: Thu Jun 06, 2019 5:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

MASTER SHAKE! If you come to KRK, please pm. Would love to meet you.

WOJBRIAN! I earned my MSW at WSU in 99'. Cheers! (BTW, my wife has family in ZG)
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dragonpiwo



Joined: 04 Mar 2013
Posts: 1650
Location: Berlin

PostPosted: Mon Jun 10, 2019 2:56 am    Post subject: ha Reply with quote

10 more years too. Hala Koszyki's a nice night out in Warsaw if you haven't been. Just round the corner there's a great little boozer called Goraczka Zlota.
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Post Mortem



Joined: 01 Apr 2014
Posts: 22

PostPosted: Thu Jul 04, 2019 9:39 pm    Post subject: Re: Long Time No Post Reply with quote

Master Shake wrote:
Hey Guys,

I haven't been back since Christmas of 2014.

However, I will be visiting Warsaw, where I used to live and teach (4 years), in a week. I'm pretty excited, though I'm sure some things have changed for the worse.

I'm looking forward to reconnecting with my friends (some English teachers) and finding out what state the ESL market is in. I knew a dozen or so teachers that were doing just fine for themselves, thanks in part to their working for the British Council.

One thing that hasn't changed is DP griping about the cost of living in Poland on this forum. Over ten years and still going strong! Almost makes me wax nostalgic for the days when this place was a hub of activity.



How was your trip to Warsaw? Any thoughts and/or observations are kindly appreciated.
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Post Mortem



Joined: 01 Apr 2014
Posts: 22

PostPosted: Thu Jul 04, 2019 9:47 pm    Post subject: Re: ha Reply with quote

dragonpiwo wrote:
10 more years too. Hala Koszyki's a nice night out in Warsaw if you haven't been. Just round the corner there's a great little boozer called Goraczka Zlota.


Sharter, I think we may have chatted one time at a pub in Sopot (2013 or so)... I was going to ask, but never bothered to do so.
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dragonpiwo



Joined: 04 Mar 2013
Posts: 1650
Location: Berlin

PostPosted: Sat Jul 13, 2019 4:52 am    Post subject: Hmm Reply with quote

Not me I’m afraid.
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Post Mortem



Joined: 01 Apr 2014
Posts: 22

PostPosted: Sun Jul 14, 2019 8:37 pm    Post subject: Re: Hmm Reply with quote

dragonpiwo wrote:
Not me I’m afraid.

I figured the chances were remote, even though the guy I spoke with was on sojourn from the Middle East at the time.
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dragonpiwo



Joined: 04 Mar 2013
Posts: 1650
Location: Berlin

PostPosted: Wed Jul 17, 2019 4:15 am    Post subject: Hmmm Reply with quote

Loads of Poland vets in the ME. I went to Sopot in 2013 but was with my wife and we didn’t talk to anyone! She’s not a bar person! I was in Gdańsk a few days ago and rented a cottage in Dębina last week, now in Poz. I just don’t know How EFL teachers survive here. 5 nights in a cottage 2500 PLN, hotel in Gdańsk 500+/night, dinner for 2 in Gdańsk 300+! Poland has got to be expensive for all but the basics and I have to say the restaurants are mostly shyte. That IH still pay 2000/month and still hire astonishes me.
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Master Shake



Joined: 03 Nov 2006
Posts: 1202
Location: Colorado, USA

PostPosted: Sat Aug 24, 2019 2:23 pm    Post subject: Re: Long Time No Post Reply with quote

Post Mortem wrote:
How was your trip to Warsaw? Any thoughts and/or observations are kindly appreciated.


Warsaw still really impressed me as being a nice place to live.

I couldn't believe how much development there's been on the Srodmiescie side of the river. It's non-stop beer gardens and restaurants now. When I moved to Warsaw in 2009, there was NOTHING. Praga Polnoc has also sprung up as a trendy place to be.

I did notice that 14zl is the standard price of beer now. 8-9zl was the going rate in 2010.

British Council still seems like the premiere language school to work at. Most of my friends work there. I was surprised to find out they now offer some proper employment contracts, though the vast majority of teachers there are still freelancers with their own companies. I don't think the hourly pay rates have changed much since I left.

I also visited Minsk, Belarus on my trip. That place really stood out. Beautiful, clean city where the people are still very much interested in talking to foreigners and the level of English is low, though most people do speak some. If I were to teach abroad again, I'd set my sights on Minsk. I heard that some native speaker teachers charge 100 USD per hour, though I'm sure that this is the exception rather than the rule.
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