Going to Lodz for a year, I have some questions.

Hey! sorry for late reply.

Lodz has become a lot better in recent years, so you will have an easier time than I had when I arrived 8 years ago. I just want to warn you about the mental adjustment more than anything. :)

It's good that you are young, I was 26 when I arrived. Polish language should be easier then, but it is still extremely important to work very hard and seriously on it. Your whole experience of Poland will depend on your language skill. Sure you can get by and survive with just a few words, but you will be a bit socially isolated, and many things will fly over your head. It is one of the most difficult languages in the world, so study hard! Having vocabulary is most important, so get one of those flip card apps, or buy word cards in one of the bookstores on piotrkowska.

I would actually recommend living in the dorm the first half a year or year if possible. It's though, no privacy, sucky standards, but you get invaluable friends and connections, as well as lots of language exposure. Besides, saving money is never bad!

Anyway, one more thing. The most important thing for your happiness, anywhere in eastern europe is to change your mentality. This will sound a bit cynical, but I strongly recommend it:

Notice how Polish people don't often care about abuses, slow, angry people at counters or in bars. It's because that if you let yourself be pissed off, you are expending lots of energy and frustration for nothing. The quicker you can learn to accept, laugh away and ignore comparatively stupid things you will get exposed to, the easier and lighter your life will be. As a justice-type young norwegian I wasted a lot of energy, and many others do the same. Try to just laugh of it, and don't let daily injustices affect you! :D Also honesty is generally not expected, so you can run into a lot of situations where you are honest, then people will assume you are lying and vice versa. People here wear a few different faces depending on situation.

I'm about to graduate in directing from the national film school here, idk if thats your school too, but if thats the case, there's a lot more I can fill you in on.

cheers!

/r/poland Thread Parent