Moving to Poland

[WszystekPoTrochu]

I can't even write "Wroclaw" correctly because my keyboard doesn't have the "l-with-a-diagonal-slash-through-it" character, which sounds like a "W"--as in "wish"--as far as I can tell. So, l-with-slash = W; got it!

Install polish (programmers) keyboard layout, it's ANSI based - 100% compatible with your American computer keyboard. Ąćęłńóśźż are accessible via alt gr + letter, with ź being typed via alt gr + x (since z is already taken by ż). Unlike German, French, Swedish or English(uk), there are no key changes its location between Polish and 'standard international'.


Breslau on a screen in Munich isn't surprising at all, major cities have often changed names in different languages.
Wrocław (PL) - Breslau (DE)
München (DE) - Monachium (PL)
Praha (CZ) - Prague (EN)
Szczecin (PL) - Stettin (DE)
Moskva (RU) - Moscow (EN)
Gent (BE) - Gandawa (PL)
Cottbus (DE) - Chociebuż (PL)
Aachen (DE) - Akwizgran (PL)
etc etc

[dutchpp]

Congratulations with your first steps in Poland.
I wish you both a pleasant time in Wroclaw, I'm looking forward to your new thread.

[WI-Tom]

Install polish (programmers) keyboard layout, it's ANSI based - 100% compatible with your American computer keyboard. Ąćęłńóśźż are accessible via alt gr + letter, with ź being typed via alt gr + x (since z is already taken by ż). Unlike German, French, Swedish or English(uk), there are no key changes its location between Polish and 'standard international'.

Thanks--that will be helpful. At some point... (I haven't even unpacked yet).

Breslau on a screen in Munich isn't surprising at all, major cities have often changed names in different languages.
Wrocław (PL) - Breslau (DE)

I thought maybe it was a sign of lingering resentment that Breslau was given to Poland (becoming Wroclaw in the process) after WWII. But what do I know? I only got here on Monday afternoon!

Tom

[WI-Tom]

Congratulations with your first steps in Poland.
I wish you both a pleasant time in Wroclaw, I'm looking forward to your new thread.

Thanks--it may seem odd that everyone's interest on the WBF makes things more friendly with the move, but (for me), that does seem to be the case. I appreciate all the posts, and will start the new thread soon.

Tom

[RFNK]

Hey, good luck Tom! Working overseas is great - a real adventure! I did it for a bit more than 6 years, in 3 different countries, also in education. I've known quite a few people working in international schools and their experiences have generally been very positive. Good on you for making this move and I hope and trust it'll all go really well!

[WI-Tom]

Hey, good luck Tom! Working overseas is great - a real adventure! I did it for a bit more than 6 years, in 3 different countries, also in education. I've known quite a few people working in international schools and their experiences have generally been very positive. Good on you for making this move and I hope and trust it'll all go really well!

Thanks, Rick. I've taught overseas twice before, so not a total novice at the game. The best things about this gig are:

1. The chance to live in Europe, with great travel opportunities (arifare to Venice, maybe $11 Euro?)

2. Unlike my other gigs, my wife is joining me full time for this one. That never worked out before, and it's going to make me a LOT happier having her here with me all year.

Tom

[WI-Tom]

Install polish (programmers) keyboard layout, it's ANSI based - 100% compatible with your American computer keyboard. Ąćęłńóśźż are accessible via alt gr + letter, with ź being typed via alt gr + x (since z is already taken by ż). Unlike German, French, Swedish or English(uk), there are no key changes its location between Polish and 'standard international'.

This is great! Took me about 2 minutes to figure out how to add Polish language characters to my keyboard, and now I can type "Wrocław" properly!

(I think it says something about the U.S. that I didn't already know how to type other languages properly...)

Tom

[LeeG]

Excited for you Tom.

[amish rob]

Wait. You mean everyone doesn’t speak English?!

My buddy went to Taiwan after our theatrical tour to teach English for a year. Then he married a girl and had babies and he never came back. I haven’t seen him since 2000.

I hope you guys have the best time. If you do travel, you definitely need to post pictures. You take great photos, man.

[WI-Tom]

Wait. You mean everyone doesn’t speak English?!

Not quite everyone--but they all understand it if you speak loudly enough.

Tom

[RFNK]

NOW you're sounding like an expat!

[StevenBauer]

Glad it’s been smooth so far. Looking forward to the new thread.

[amish rob]

Not quite everyone--but they all understand it if you speak loudly enough.

Tom

Okay, this is super funny.

[Canoeyawl]

Are you going to bring any hash oil with you?

[epoxyboy]

Hey Tom, would you give your opinion on the following video?



It would be especially interesting to compare your opinion today and after living, say, half a year in Wrocław

Houston is unquestionably the worst city I've ever spent time in, for all the reasons noted in the video - and I was staying in the Galleria district, a "nice" part of town. It did at least have footpaths, and even a few trees, but they felt very much like after thoughts.
The flipside is that the heat and humidity were absolutely diabolical, and even if good pedestrian infrastructure had been in place walking would still have been really unpleasant. My hotel was about 500m and a ten lane road away from a large shopping mall, walking just that short distance left me a hot, sticky ball of sweat.

Pete

[WI-Tom]

Are you going to bring any hash oil with you?

I'm gonna start with a trip to Paris so I can have a Royale with Cheese.

Tom

[WI-Tom]

Hey Tom, would you give your opinion on the following video?



It would be especially interesting to compare your opinion today and after living, say, half a year in Wrocław

OK, finally getting around to responding to this. My opinion is, the video gets it right. All of it.

Here's a few of things I've noticed after just 5 days in Wrocław:

1. Bike lanes that are separated from the streets. And people actually riding bikes--I mean, ordinary everyday people, in ordinary everyday street clothes, just out using a bike because it's practical (5x walking speed, maybe?) and pleasant to do so.
2. Wide sidewalks that run alongside the bike paths.
3. People do not cross the street when the pedestrian light is red. Even if there is no traffic in sight and you could easily cross safely. This is definitely different from the U.S., but I kind of like it. It just seems to show a culture where the pace of life is more human. Wait your turn. It takes the time it takes.
4. Lots of parks and plazas scattered around (granted, I'm right in the city center, so I'm sure it's not like this everywhere).
5. Wide sidewalks on bridges (or even separate foot bridges).
6. Shops right on the sidewalk--no hiding businesses behind a big asphalt parking lot here.
7. Public transit--buses and trams--that make it easy to cover miles from one walkable location to another one far away.
8. At least some streets--some big popular streets with lots of attractions (e.g. Swidnicka) are closed off to all traffic except pedestrians and bicycles for a big part of their length.

My biggest impression so far is right in line with what my wife and I expected: there will be absolutely no reason for us to own a car.

I had my first meeting at school this week--about 2 miles away. Almost no one in the U.S. would walk 2 miles, for all the reasons mentioned in the video: cities make it unpleasant or dangerous to walk, or even impossible.

Here, it was a pleasant stroll down wide sidewalks. Very noticeably not car-dependent.

Oh, yeah. I'm going to enjoy living here!

(And... I live above a bike shop. I didn't end up shipping my nice commuter bike here, but I imagine it won't be long before I get one).

Tom

[WI-Tom]

OK, seeing as how the "moving" is mostly done with, the action surrounding this topic should probably move to my new thread about life in Poland. Here it is:

Letters from Wrocław

I'll plan to update it about as often as I feel like it. Probably more these first few weeks before school starts, and while everything is still new to me.

Cheers,

Tom