Why Poland?
ABOUT POLAND
Over 38 million people, almost 400 universities and higher education institutions, 1,2 million students enrolled in 2020. One of the oldest academic traditions in Europe.
Poland is a fascinating country as it makes cultural crossroads of Eastern and Western Europe.
Poland is located in the very center of Europe. The country covers an area of 312,679 km² (120,728 sq mi) that makes it the seventh largest country on the European continent.
The Polish population is over 38,5 million.
The capital city of Poland is Warsaw (with around 2 million inhabitants).
Poland borders 7 countries: Germany on the west, Czech Republic and Slovakia on the south, Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania on the east, and Russia on the north.
The national colors of Poland are red and white.
Poland’s capital is Warsaw, Polish people call in Warszawa.
Higher education in Poland is free for Polish citizens. International students usually have to pay a very low tuition to study in Poland.
Jagiellonian University was established in 1364 and is now one of the oldest academic institutions in the world.
Maria Skłodowska-Curie was born in Warsaw. She was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize and the first person to receive it in two different categories twice. Nicolaus Copernicus, the famous mathematician and astronomer, was also born in Toruń.
9 Nobel Prizes were granted to Polish authors, scientists and politicians.
Polish filmmakers were nominated to Oscar Academy Awards 43 times and won 7 prizes.
The first fundamental law in Europe was the Polish Constitution adopted on May 3rd, 1791, four years after the American Constitution.
There are 23 beautiful National Parks in Poland, where you can find rare animals such as: European bison (żubr), bald eagle (orzeł bielik) or lynx (ryś).
In Poland, everyone has a special holiday for their name listed in calendars, it's called Imieniny.
LIFE IN POLAND
Life
As described by the European Commission, Poland is a democratic country with a developed, high-yield economy and a high quality of life index. It is attractive to tourists and active leisure enthusiasts, as evidenced by the fact that approximately 20 million tourists visited Poland annually before the COVID‑19 pandemic, making it one of the most visited countries in the world. The diverse landscape of individual regions of Poland and different forms of recreation to choose from, from sea bathing, through sailing on lakes, to skiing and mountain climbing, bring tourists from distant countries to Poland.
People
The reports show that professionally active Poles work almost the most in the European Union. 'No work, no cake' goes the old Polish saying, and indeed nowadays Poles stand out because of their remarkable work ethic.
After the collapse of communism in Poland in 1989, citizens of Poland gained the freedom to run a private business. That’s when it became clear that we were a highly entrepreneurial nation. Back then, many people founded their own small businesses, taking advantage of the possibilities offered by the new capitalist system. Today, several Polish firms opened after 1989, such as the bus and tram manufacturer Solaris and the video game company CD Projekt ‒ creators of the Witcher series ‒ are among the most respected companies in the world.
What language do we speak?
Polish belongs to the West Slavonic group of Indo-European languages and it is said to be one of the most difficult languages to learn. That is why we love to learn foregin languages. Poland is ranked 16th in the world in the EF English Proficiency Index among 35 European countries and 112 taking part in the ranking in total.
Polish people are rather open, quiet and modest. Don’t be surprised if a perfect English speakers will describe their English level as basic – we don’t like to show off 😊
Our famous hospitality
Polish people are known for their hospitality and passion for delicious foods. If you befriend anyone Polish, you may be immediately invited to a family dinner, Christmas party or the “names day” (imieniny) and fed with loads of pierogi (Polish dumplings), rosół (chicken soup), szarlotka (apple pie).
Don’t forget to try the famous Polish Żubrówka (Bison grass vodka) with apple juice or Żurek (a sour soup).
A spectacular display of Polish hospitality takes place during the Christmas and Easter celebrations when people invite numerous relatives and friends over for meals that often feature a whole array of home-made dishes. Be aware that if your Polish friends offer you a sandwich, you might only receive one slice of bread. Kanapka is the Polish word for most types of snacks that contain bread as a base component. It refers to all types of sandwiches but, above all, to the Poles, it means the beloved open sandwich.
Prices
Poland has its own currency – Polish zloty. 1 EUR = 4,8 PLN (X.2022). Poland is an affordable country to live in. You can check the accommodation costs here.
Average Prices in Polish Cities:
- Coffee at the Cafe: 9-20 PLN (€2 - €4)
- Travel Card per month: 55 PLN (€12) including student discount
- Single ride ticket: 4 PLN (€1)
- Lunch at a Restaurant: 20-40 PLN (€4 - €8)
- Meal at a Mid-Range Restaurant: 30-50 PLN (€6 - €10)
- Meal at a High-Range Restaurant: 80-150 PLN (€15 - €32)
- Local Beer at the Restaurant: 8-15 PLN (€2 - €3,5)
- Local Beer from a Shop: 4-10 PLN (€1 - €2)
- Water (small bottle): 3-4 PLN (€1)
- Bread: 3-8 PLN (€1 - €2)
- Basic Visit to the GP: 100-200 PLN (€20-€40)
Nature
Poland has one of the most diverse environments in Europe. Ancient forests, mountain chains, dazzling lakes, beaches, deserts, sand dunes and wetlands. Poland has almost 800 kilometers of sandy coastline, sand dunes in the Pomerania region, wetlands in Biebrzański National Park, and even the only Central-European desert, Pustynia Błędowska.