Appreciate any remarks on life in Kraków

Jimmyshand:

But it also seems the place has some real serious issues.
For a start they need to learn to smile. life is too short to always walk about like the world is going to end tomorrow.
Manners cost nothing. Be nice to someone and they'll be nice to you. Its been a big culture shock and a big wake up call.

serwinvThreads: 5 Posts: 11 Joined: Aug 3, 08	Sep 4, 08, 09:18 / #
I'm about to move to Kraków in the middle of September. I don't know the city, I haven' found yet appropriate accommodation, and there I will start to look for job. If you have any useful advice, please let me know. I would be really grateful for any remark. Thank you :) Viki from Hungary

PolsonThreads: 15 Posts: 2,812 Joined: May 9, 07	Sep 4, 08, 09:20 / #
Hei Viki, can't help you get a job or find accomodation, but i can tell you that it's a really nice place :) I think you'll enjoy it there. Good luck to you and have fun.

serwinvThreads: 5 Posts: 11 Joined: Aug 3, 08	Sep 6, 08, 08:57 / #
Thanks Polson! I'm expecting to get there :) Anyway, how much is the minimum salary in Poland? I just counted, about 1000 zl could be enough for a month, and as an occasional worker (I don't know how it's said in english), you know: help in a café, in a kitchen or somewhere I can drive myself in english..., how much could I ask for an hour? :) Another question: labour-exchange anyone knows a good labour-exchange in Kraków? mainly for students, or for people with 6-month experience cheers

Grzegorz_Threads: 81 Posts: 6,213 Joined: Nov 16, 06	Sep 6, 08, 09:04 / #
serwinv: I just counted, about 1000 zl could be enough for a month 1000 is enough to survive without costs of accommodation.

McCoyThreads: 46 Posts: 1,756 Joined: Jul 3, 08	Sep 6, 08, 09:10 / #
One hungarian guy said that when he came to Pl he felt like home. I felt the same way when I was in Hungary few years ago. Only barrier should be language. 1000 zl is not enough if it's your only money to you pay for food, accomodation, transport, entertainment, ....

Raficoo	Sep 6, 08, 21:13 / #
don't know about about Salary, but i can and will tell ya, Krakow is a Beautiful City, i visit Poland every Summer so i would know^^

serwinvThreads: 5 Posts: 11 Joined: Aug 3, 08	Sep 7, 08, 03:02 / #
I involved the accommodation costs, maybe you are right... and how about the deposit for an appartment? is it regular in Pl? for how many months do they ask in advance? I hope it's not requested by all... :)

telefonitika	Sep 7, 08, 12:06 / #
look on gumtree this will give you a fair indication on what to pay usually a month rent in advance and the deposit.

serwinvThreads: 5 Posts: 11 Joined: Aug 3, 08	Sep 8, 08, 07:08 / #
telefonitika: look on gumtree this will give you a fair indication on what to pay usually a month rent in advance and the deposit. it is in Polish :*) ... but i'm trying to understand. Thanks!

SeanBMThreads: 41 Posts: 8,726 Joined: Mar 10, 08	Edited by: SeanBM Sep 8, 08, 07:19 / #
Hello serwinv, And welcome to the Polish Forum. I missed your introduction. I am Irish and I used to live in Krakow and now I live just south of Krakow in the mountains. Krakow is a beautiful city, the most beautiful in Poland in my opinion. You will have a great time here. You must get your accommodation very very quickly. Krakow is a student town and they take everything, this time of year. Otherwise you will be overcharged and live far away from the centre. It might be difficult to get a job that pays and accommodation, if you do not speak the language. The sites in English are usually much more expensive, so try to get someone to help you with that. Why do you want to move to Krakow? not that you need a reason but maybe you have one. Best of luck,

Necramancer	Edited by: Necramancer Sep 8, 08, 07:39 / #
One piece of advice, Move to Warsaw instead wages are better and its generally better all round. Also you get more english speaking people. Il get back to you about rental prices. Maybe try and find work as a native speaker. Salary is good. 2500 pln upto bout 4500 pln

serwinvThreads: 5 Posts: 11 Joined: Aug 3, 08	Sep 8, 08, 12:06 / #
Sean! Thanks for your encourage. I know it won't be easy but to learn the polish language the best way is to move there for a while, i think. My father is Polish(living in Budapest), i used to speak native polish, sadly i have forgotten because we never used it at home. Now, it's high time for me to pick up the language in an acceptable level. i just graduated this year, my contract with my previous employer expired, so i thought the time has come to deal with Polish; easy until i have no bounds... Necramancer! I have read some writings about the decreasing culture-level in Kraków, and due to this the locals' unfavourable attitude towards foreigners. because of this i'm worried a bit, but i hope since it's a student city I will find multicultural companies too to entertain and help each other.

dtaylorThreads: 15 Posts: 992 Joined: Sep 15, 07	Sep 8, 08, 12:12 / #
Yup i agree, Warsaw is a boring normal city which can be found in every country, Krakow really is king in Poland. serwinv: I have read some writings about the decreasing culture-level in Kraków Don't believe what you see written, i've been here for many years, never had trouble, and only really here of it rarely. Most locals i meet end up as friends, I lived in Nowa Huta for 6 months, and found the people from there quite friendly, though i am from Glasgow...

serwinvThreads: 5 Posts: 11 Joined: Aug 3, 08	Sep 9, 08, 11:48 / #
dtaylor! I'm gonna take my bike, what do you know about biking routes in Kraków? Which part of the city is the easiest to cycle? I haven't chosen accommodation, yet. which part do you suggest NOT to move to?

SeanBMThreads: 41 Posts: 8,726 Joined: Mar 10, 08	Sep 8, 08, 07:45 / #
Krakow is better! ha ha ha

Grzegorz_Threads: 81 Posts: 6,213 Joined: Nov 16, 06	Sep 9, 08, 11:57 / #
serwinv: unfavourable attitude towards foreigners Not all foreigners, only some...

DazzaThreads: 2 Posts: 33 Joined: Sep 13, 08	Sep 13, 08, 11:05 / #
Krakow is fabulous....... Warsaw is more expensive to reant / eat n drink ....so whatever you earn cancels out. Krakow is a fantastic value for money city...

JimmyshandThreads: - Posts: 5 Joined: Sep 15, 08	Sep 15, 08, 16:51 / #
Just back from Krakow and just don't know what to make of it? It seems a nice place in terms of buildings and looks very nice. Very clean, good kebabs, great shopping malls, good looking chicks and it seems quite a safe place. But it also seems the place has some real serious issues. For a start they need to learn to smile. life is too short to always walk about like the world is going to end tomorrow. Manners cost nothing. Be nice to someone and they'll be nice to you. Its been a big culture shock and a big wake up call. I work with expat poles and they seem to have got with the EU/NATO/WTO program. Work hard, play hard, Be happy :) This is the second time i've been to eastern europe, my first being Prague. The Czechs seemed more friendly. Krakow needs to become more cosmopolitan. But on the plus side it has potential 55% out of 100%

pawianThreads: 90 Posts: 5,387 Joined: May 30, 08	Edited by: pawian Sep 15, 08, 16:59 / #
Jimmyshand: But it also seems the place has some real serious issues. For a start they need to learn to smile. life is too short to always walk about like the world is going to end tomorrow. Manners cost nothing. Be nice to someone and they'll be nice to you. Its been a big culture shock and a big wake up call. I live in Krakow and yes, it was me whom you saw in the street and I didn`t smile... I used to smile a lot, however, with the passage of time, I noticed that I was getting nasty wrinkles on my face, especially around the mouth. So I gave up smiling ... don`t care about foreigners.... I prefer looking sad to old...

MistyThreads: 6 Posts: 196 Joined: Jul 20, 08	Sep 15, 08, 17:00 / #
Jimmyshand: For a start they need to learn to smile. life is too short to always walk about like the world is going to end tomorrow. Fair comments but this one I have to ask you about. Is it normal to see people wandering around with grins plastered across their faces? Not really. Did you smile at people and then they didn't smile back? Or did you just think that not many people smile as they go about their daily lives? :)

JimmyshandThreads: - Posts: 5 Joined: Sep 15, 08	Sep 15, 08, 17:21 / #
hey misty come our tourist areas on a Saturday. You'll know what im on about. If you don't smile when you dance there is something wrong. yes, some poles did but not many. Even using Cześć and Dziękuję had no reponse.

magicmushroom	Sep 15, 08, 17:22 / #
Dear Viki, I am also about to move to Krakow from Hungary this month and though I have a job, and my employer provides me with an accommodation, this service is not forever, so I am going to look for an accommodation as well, maybe we can share experience:) You can contact me on magicmushroom@hush.com (I am writing in English so that everyone can understand, otherwise I am native Hungarian)

Grzegorz_Threads: 81 Posts: 6,213 Joined: Nov 16, 06	Sep 15, 08, 17:25 / #
Jimmyshand: For a start they need to learn to smile. Or else what ? Jimmyshand: The Czechs seemed more friendly. Poles used to be more friendly too.

MistyThreads: 6 Posts: 196 Joined: Jul 20, 08	Sep 15, 08, 17:29 / #
Jimmyshand: hey misty come our tourist areas on a Saturday. You'll know what im on about. If you don't smile when you dance there is something wrong. Yes Edinburgh tourist spots on a Saturday, I have been there recently. I don't know that many people were smiling as they danced. Anyway, the fact is, smiling is relative and doesn't make a city. If you only half enjoyed your trip then at least you didn't completely hate it. ;)

JimmyshandThreads: - Posts: 5 Joined: Sep 15, 08	Edited by: Jimmyshand Sep 15, 08, 17:33 / #
I just don't quite get what the problem is? Less people will visit and spend there hard earned cash and helping the polish economy if you keep up the negative vibe your sending to tourists.

MistyThreads: 6 Posts: 196 Joined: Jul 20, 08	Sep 15, 08, 17:36 / #
Let's put it another way then. People don't visit your Edinburgh because the natives go around smiling all day and it's not the reason they visit Kraków either.

JimmyshandThreads: - Posts: 5 Joined: Sep 15, 08	Edited by: Jimmyshand Sep 15, 08, 17:37 / #
No i didn't hate it far from it honest but ive never had that vibe in any other city i've visited.

pawianThreads: 90 Posts: 5,387 Joined: May 30, 08	Sep 15, 08, 17:59 / #
Look at this woman who resides in Krakow with her ermine. She is a typical Krakowian. She doesn`t smile like crazy as you advocate... She is serious because that suits a real lady. Most Krakowians behave like that.

JimmyshandThreads: - Posts: 5 Joined: Sep 15, 08	Sep 15, 08, 18:06 / #
Whats the deal with John Cleese in Krakow?

Poor EdwardThreads: 11 Posts: 197 Joined: Aug 4, 08	Edited by: Poor Edward Sep 15, 08, 18:08 / #
Jimmyshand: Whats the deal with John Cleese in Krakow I was wondering the same thing, he sold out, and I dont know what for. I have the picture as my wallpaper on my phone :)