Tell me about the higher education system. What is the cost for tuition? Compare it to American higher education if you can.

Poles take their education very seriously. When leaving high school boys have the choice of joining the army or going to school...most choose school. I do not know anyone here that does not possess a masters degree. They are an extremely well educated society now that they have been given the opprtunity. College is free until you are 25 or so...I am not positive so don't quote me on that. I can tell you that it is not the same as American colleges where kids treat it like a house party with a $100,000 cover charge. I went to UW Madison and it was party central. Kids party here too, just not as heavily.

How regularly do you speak languages other than Polish? Is there a difference between young people and older people?

I only speak English and I have been trying to Learn Polish for a year now...it is tough. I find that almost everyone speaks some sort of English or at least aome other language. Older people tend to speak Russian as well since it used to be mandatory in public schools. German is also very common throughtout Poland and the rest of Europe. I know people that speak all of the above...In conclusion, almost everyone speaks at least one other language other than Polish with English, German and Russian topping the list.

What do you want American students to know about your Poland?

The jokes are all true...just kidding.

Poland is a wonderful country with fabulous people and charming cities. it is a new city and where they may lack in infrastructure, government or western-life experience they make up for in their own way...definitely one of my favorite places on earth.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS??? FEEL FREE TO ASK. I'LL DO MY BEST TO ANSWER HONESTLY

Hi Kimberly,

I am originally from Wisconsin, but don't hold that against me ;) I'm actually from Madison WI which somewhat excludes me from the negative stigma associated with it.

I have been living in Poland for 2 years and I will try my best to answer your questions. Answers from an American living here may be a little different than what you would hear from a Polish national.

First of all I would like to tell you that living in Warsaw, Krakow or the Gdansk tri-city area is much different than living in rural Poland.

Secondly, Poland is very diverse geographically with the Tatras mountains in the south to the Baltic sea in the north. The regions in the middle are very similar to the geography found throughout the Midwest United States with farmlands and lake districts. This makes the population very diverse as well. As different of lifestyles as one would find between living in Colorado vs. San Diego.

Warsaw is the capital and business center for Poland. It is a buzzing metropolis where Poland's "new money culture" is more evident. Although the infrastructure is still poor, changes are taking place and a western standard is evolving here with new progress everyday.

Krakow and the Gdansk tri-city area (Gdansk, Sopot & Gdynia) rely heavily on tourism. Both cities are well maintained and were also preserved during WWII making them both rich in preserved history.

Krakow is a lovely city full of international tourists there to visit the old town, the Wawel castle, the Jewish quarter and of course short excursions to Auschwitz less than 20 minutes away. There is also the Jagiellonian University (Uniwersytet Jagiellonski)which is held as one of the greatest universities in all of Europe. Copernicus himself studied there...

Gdansk is Poland's old shipping port located on the Baltic sea. It is also well preserved as the Germans used this city as a naval port during WWII. It is also home to the beginning of the solidarity movement lead by Lech Wałęsa in 1989.
Sopot is approximately 10 minutes north of Gdansk and is a wonderful beach town. It boasts the largest pier in Europe. There are plenty of restaurants right on the beach and a promenade of cafes and shops running just behind it. This is a very popular place for Poles and Germans alike to vacation during the summer months. It is my favorite place in Poland

The southern portion of Poland is home to the Tatras mountain range. During the Winter months Poles flock to this region for skiing and relaxing in the mountain town of Zakopane. Many other bordering nations also come here during the winter months to enjoy the season.

1)Tell me about housing (cost, style, etc.) and how it differs from that in USA (if you know).

I live in a studio that is approximately 25 sq.m (300 sq.ft) Even though it is located in an old communistic block, it has been renovated to a higher standard. I pay 1,100 zloty ($350) per month. Most single people or couples live in studio apartments due to cost of the limited space here. Many people live in a standard that would be deemed as "ghetto" by American standards. These apartments are around 800 zloty per month. Mine is nicer only because it has fancy fixtures and is loaded with Ikea furniture. Believe me this is considered nice stuff here. 90% of apartments here are fully furnished

My friend from New York recently purchased a brand new 2 bedroom apartment for himself. It is located in a premier neighborhood and he had full control of the design of the apartment. It is approximately 900 square feet and has a small garden since he is on the first floor. It is of the highest standard available in Poland. It would compare to anything in the USA. The only drawback is not having a vent for his dryer. Very few homes in Poland have clothes dryers due to the high cost of electricity.

There is a tremendous growth in real estate in Warsaw at this time due to joining the E.U.. The cost of my friends new apartment 1.5 years ago was 600,000 zloty ($200,000 USD). Today that number has doubled and is still on the rise.

There are homes in the suburbs and rural areas, but at least 75% of Warsaw lives in an apartment of some type or another.

How do the people of Poland feel about tourists? About Americans, in particular?

Tourism is a big part of Poland's economy so they are very warm and welcoming. Regardless of that fact I have seen first hand that Polish natives are very warm and welcoming. It is in their nature. I had a very easy transition moving here and made friends rather quickly. This is one of the reasons I enjoy living in this country. They are less judgmental than most Americans.
I would have to say that Americans get a very warm welcome here as long as they remember that they are not in their own home country. Too many times Americans think they own the world and are disrespectful towards other cultures and ways of life. I have been guilty of this fact myself. It is easy to forget how simple life can be in the states and to put down other people's unavoidable situations. Nowhere in the world enjoys the same standard of living as America...nowhere!!!
And don't forget that Poland is America's largest ally in the war against Iraq with more troops there than any other country.

What kinds of cars do you drive? (In particular, I'm interested in the 18-30 year old population.) How much do they cost new? Used? How much do you pay for gas?

90% of vehicles are purchased for there fuel consumption and retail price on the world market. Fiat, Skoda, Peugeot, Toyota, Honda, BMW, Mercedes and Volkswagen make up the majority of vehicles. I have only seen one Lincoln Navigator, 3 Hummers and 0 Cadillac Escalades since I have moved here. Range rover seems to be the vehicle of choice for the few people that purchase SUVs. Most cars are 4 cylinder and less than 2 liter motors. Gasoline or Petrol as they call it is currently around 4.5 - 5 zloty per liter depending where you live which is about $5.50 - $6 USD per gallon. Considering that the average pole takes home about $700 USD per month, you can see why small cars are the mainstream. I bet you will never complain again about $3 per gallon in Michigan huh?

Tell me about public transportation.
All cities in Poland have good public transportation...relatively. Trams, Buses, Trams and Taxis are commonplace and most lines run every 5-10 minutes. I left my SUV in America when moving here and rarely miss it. I ride a tram back and forth to work and the cost for a monthly pass is 66 zloty ($22). This pass allows me to enter any Metro, bus or tram 24 hours a day. During rush hour, it is the best way to travel although they can be extremely overcrowded...to the point that it is dangerous and uncomfortable. Taxis are also very commonplace. The city of Warsaw (2 million people) actually has more taxis than New York City. This is the means of transportation used when going to the grocery store or an evening out clubbing and pubbing. The public transportation at night in Warsaw has a bad reputation for drunk hooligans and should be avoided if possible.

Trains connect all the major cities within Poland as well as having many international express lines to cities such as Prague, Berlin, Budapest as well as many others. They are somewhat old, but the price is right. I suggest buying a first class ticket otherwise you will most likely ride in a car with 8 people when can comfortably sit 6. Once again at night it is advisable to get a privet sleeping cabin. Many drunkards, thieves and gypsies roam the night trains.

Tell me what is great about living in Poland, and in Warsaw, in particular

For me it is the people, the price, the food and its central European location that make this a great place to live. The people are very approachable, welcoming and generous. They can be sensitive about their inexperience about living in a "western world", but this is only minor.(I would be happy to explain in a private email if you are interested in this)
A low cost of living is also a benefit. While world market goods such as vehicles, clothing and other consumer products are expensive for a Polish budget, food & drink are very reasonable making a night out easier on the pocket. Rent is also reasonable in my opinion although many Poles would argue that point with me.
Poland does not allow genetically engineered food within its boundaries. This makes for some of the best meat and produce I have ever tasted. My only problem is this is not a beef country making it hard to find a good steak. Pork is the mainly consumed with chicken a close second.
The location of Poland in Europe makes it a great launching pad to see the rest of Europe. There are many airline companies that offer excellent rates from Poland to other neighboring countries.

Tell me about Polish fashion.
Fashion is huge in this country. All the latest trends are here as soon as they hit the runways of Milan. Women here take it very seriously. They do not leave the house in low fashion even to walk the dog. It surely isn't as casual as America. It is quite the opposite.
It is no secret that one of Poland's greatest commodities is the beautiful women. I have lived in New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Phoenix as well as have spent a good amount of time throughout the rest of America and nowhere even begins to come close to Poland. It is almost genetically freakish how many supermodel type women are here.
Another reason I love to live here...;)

Tell me about your communication systems. How is television received (via cable or antenna, for example). How many local stations do you have? What are some popular TV shows? Do you trust your local news to be unbiased and factual?

I have international TV. There is cable and satellite both available here. Poland has a few TV stations and I listed a link below. I personally don't like it for they do not dub voices. Instead they use the voice of one lektor who is the voice for all characters on TV. You can here both the original language and the lektor...it is maddening stuff to listen too.

Tell me about what kind of music you enjoy. Do you have a large selection of stations to choose from?

American music is number one with hip hop, r&b and house being the primary music listened to by the youth. Rock and 80 tunes are also popular. there is pop music made by polish artists but you are more likely to hear Beyonce and Jay-Z before you hear that. The older generations listen to older American tunes. Similar to what you would find in the states. NO ONE LISTENS TO COUNTRY...THANK GOD!!!

Tell me about the availability and reliability of internet access.

Well it is 2006 and the internet is as strong and reliable here as anywhere else in the world. We enjoy many wifi hotspots throughout the city. The IT industry is huge here. I may be bisaed cause I work in the IT industry, but I can't imagine anyone here having unreliable or slow service. I pay 120 pln ($40)per month for my home service.

Tell me about the higher education system. What is the cost for tuition? Compare it to American higher education if you can.

Too be continued...sorry gotta go

Jagiellonian University
http://www.uj.edu.pl/index.en.html

Sopot
http://www.sopot.pl/intgmservlets/WWW.Portal?LANG_VERSION=ENGLISH

Zakopane
http://www.staypoland.com/about_zakopane.htm

Warsaw and Krakow accommodations and info
http://www.warsawshotel.com/

Great Polish city guides and accommodation
http://www.staypoland.com/

Warsaw real estate
http://www.real-estate-poland.maxon.pl/

Polish Media / TV
http://www.obs.coe.int/db/persky/pl.html