I’ve been reading this sub a bit and found a lot of discussion/frustration around how Polish citizens who left many years ago still vote in local elections. But is that different from any other country where someone who has a passport can vote for the rest of their life from abroad in consulates or embassies? I don’t know of any countries that prohibit citizens from voting based on residency status.

Or am I misunderstanding something and there are people without a Polish passport voting in local elections?

Edit: Actually it looks like Ireland doesn’t allow nonresident voting

Hello and Cześć everyone!

I am seeking recommendations for a photo mailing service that is either inside Poland, or operates within the EU to avoid future tarrifs.

I am based in Canada, and my Babcia and Dziadek live in Poland. I have produced the first grandchild in the family (making my babcia a PRAbabcia, something she wryly noted "that makes me old"), and I use one of those photo sharing apps that you can invite via link and all your family can look at the photos instead of managing thirty different WhatsApp groups.

This app gives me 11 free photos a month that I can send internationally with a flat fee of $3.99 USD, and i've been using it happily to send physical photos to my grandparents, as they are not super high tech.

However, this app is based and prints/mails from Japan, so it has run afoul of some new EU regulations about mailing photos to Poland. The tarrif my grandparents must pay to recieve the photos is about 20 złoty, which is not terrible, but given than I'm already paying $3.99 USD for shipping, I would prefer to have something that prints and mails photos either within Poland, or within the EU.

Does anyone have recommendations for such a service that could be easily accessed with a Canadian credit card?

Much appreciated and Dziękuję!

I have spent the last few weeks doing genealogical research, and discovered that my great grandfather was polish, and changed his name from Zuby or Suby sometime after arriving in the states in the late 1800s. (I have grown up my whole life believing he was Scotch-Irish). Thats where the research has reached a dead-end for me. I have not found Zuby or Suby to be a popular or even heard-of surname. I'm not sure where else to turn at this point (it may be hopeless).

I have discovered there is a place in Poland called Zuby, and that the word is somehow connected to teeth or dentistry. Other than that, any advice? Any Polish folks here heard of this as a surname, know what region it might be from or any other ancestry knowledge? Would going to Zuby, Poland be a reasonable thing to do? Any help or advice appreciated.

If an Irish recruitment company wanted to advertise roles.

Just asking

I don’t know much about Lech Wałęsa, other than that he won a Nobel Prize and has a rather peculiar personality. I also don’t know much about Solidarity, but its history reminds me a great deal of the Christian Democracy party in Italy, a party that began with anti-fascist partisans but eventually became a hub for failed economic policies and religious intolerance. Is this accurate, or should I stop believing everything I read on the web?

Hi everyone!

I'm a university student currently studying Business Administration, and I'm considering continuing my studies at an English-taught university in Poland.

However, I have some concerns about whether I'll be able to succeed academically, since English isn't my native language. My current English level is B2, but I'm still worried about understanding lectures, keeping up with coursework, and adapting to university life in English.

Has anyone here studied at an English-taught university in Poland, especially as an international student whose first language isn't English? I'd really appreciate hearing about your experiences. Was it difficult to adapt at first, and how long did it take you to feel comfortable studying in English?

Any advice or personal experiences would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

(ChatGPT helped me write this post)

I'm Belarusian and I'm curious about ethnonyms. In Belarusian we historically call Poles «ляхі»(lyakhi), and Lithuanians «жмудзіны/жейматы» (zhmudziny/zheymaty). Is there an equivalent old/folk exonym that Poles historically used for Belarusians? I know «Białorusini» is the modern standard, but I'm wondering about older or colloquial terms. No negativity intended just genuinely interested in the linguistic history. (I don't mind jokes in the replies too)

Hello everyone, this is essentially my first post here, and I’m writing it for a reason. I would like to know how difficult it will be for me to adapt to Poland as a person of Slavic descent who grew up in Kazakhstan but is currently studying in Germany. Even though my nationality is listed as German because I was born in Germany and inherited a German surname, I am actually a Slavic according to my family tree. I am a native Russian speaker, but I also speak English and German to some extent and have started learning Spanish, and I don't think it would be as difficult for me to learn Polish to a decent level. I really don't like the politics in Germany and the way of life in general, even though I'm a citizen here. I would like to know the opinion of Poles on this matter.

One of my childhood friends was a second or third generation Polish immigrant to the UK, and I have a distinct memory of being served pasta with eggs scrambled through it while visiting her house. I've never come across this again. Is this a common/ classic Polish childhood dish, or something unique to her family?

Cześć! Jesteśmy czwórką znajomych i zbieramy restauracje z całej Polski w aplikacji o nazwie Vota.

Pomysł jest prosty: widzicie dwie restauracje i wybieracie, w której wolelibyście zjeść. Na przykład spośród dwóch lokali w okolicy, w których już jedliście, który byście wybrali? Głosy tworzą ranking, który, mamy nadzieję, lepiej pokaże, gdzie ludzie naprawdę lubią jeść.

Staramy się uwzględnić jak najwięcej restauracji i usuwać zduplikowane lub nieaktualne wpisy, ale mieszkańcy na pewno zauważą coś, co nam umknęło.

iPhone:
https://apps.apple.com/app/vota/id6744969212

Android:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.vota.app

Żeby było jasne: nie jesteśmy z Polski. Dwoje z nas mieszka w Kopenhadze, a dwoje w Göteborgu. Tworzymy Votę niezależnie, we czwórkę. Nie zbieramy ani nie sprzedajemy danych osobowych, w aplikacji nie ma reklam i nie używamy opisów restauracji wygenerowanych przez AI.

Chętnie poznamy każdą szczerą opinię, szczególnie jeśli brakuje jakiejś restauracji albo coś jest błędnie opisane. Gdzie lubicie jeść w swoim mieście?

Wassup, so I will be coming to Poland and I tried to do some research about where you can smoke but it seems that there isn't such a place?

I have contradicting info about smoking at the parks, I heard you can smoke at the pavement but I want to make sure cause I do not want to pay a fine on my trip.

So can you tell me where to smoke except for smoking zones? Are there a lot of those if I can't smoke in public?

Hi, I’m currently working remotly, type of contract is UoP

I was looking for some additional work and got an offer from another employer, also remote, also UoP type of contract.

Them knowing about each other is not a problem, but I am more worried that ZUS see working hours partially (3-4 hours) are the same.

Maybe some of you had such experience in the past/present? How real is the problem with ZUS?

Thanks!

Hey everyone, I’m currently studying medicine here in Poland. I’m a Black international student, and I’m already learning Polish because I genuinely want to integrate into Polish society and, hopefully, build my medical career here after graduation.
I’d love to hear honest experiences from Polish people, particularly regarding how Black doctors are treated by patients and colleagues, especially those who graduated from Polish medical universities themselves. Do patients generally trust and accept you, or do you encounter racism or discrimination?
I’d also really appreciate hearing from other international doctors who studied and qualified in Poland. What has your experience been like finding work, integrating into the healthcare system, and building your career?
I’m also considering Ireland or the UK after graduation, as I have the opportunity to pursue those options. For those familiar with these countries, would you recommend staying in Poland and building a life here, or moving to Ireland or the UK for medical training and career development?
I know everyone’s experience is different, but I’d really appreciate honest advice, both positive and negative, to help me make an informed decision. Thank you!

Hejka! Szukam kogoś fajnego do wspólnej nauki do matury z języka polskiego. Zarówno na poziomie podstawowym, jak i rozszerzonym, we Wrocławiu. Chciałabym poznać rówieśniczkę lub rówieśnika, z którym mogłabym regularnie spotykać się na dłuższe sesje nauki, najlepiej przynajmniej raz w tygodniu.

Zależy mi na wzajemnej motywacji, wspólnym omawianiu lektur, robieniu zadań i dzieleniu się wiedzą 😛

Mam 19 lat, super 2 psiaki i trochę owadów (PLANOWANYCH) w domku.

Mieszkam na Klecinie, więc mam nadzieję, że dojazd nie będzie problemem 😅💞

Jeśli też przygotowujesz się do matury w 2027 i masz ochotę połączyć naukę z poznaniem kogoś nowego, to pisz!

​

Hi everyone!

I'm from Egypt, and I'm considering moving to Poland to study Computer Science or IT at a university. Before making such a big decision, I'd like to hear from Polish people and international students who actually live in Poland.

I'm particularly interested in the following questions:

Finding a job: How easy or difficult is it for an international student to find a part-time job in Poland nowadays? Is there a reasonable number of job opportunities for students?

Working without speaking Polish: I speak English but don't speak Polish yet. How realistic is it to find a job with English only? What kinds of jobs could I apply for, such as warehouse work, delivery, restaurants, customer support, or anything else?

Average salary: How much can an international student realistically earn per month working part-time? I'd appreciate actual take-home pay estimates rather than gross salaries.

Living expenses: Could a student realistically cover rent, food, transportation, and other basic living expenses through part-time work? Would the answer change significantly depending on the city?

University tuition: This is my biggest concern. Is it realistic to earn enough to cover both living expenses and university tuition while studying, or would I need substantial financial support from home? I'm especially interested in affordable cities and universities.

Finding a job after arrival: How long does it usually take international students who speak English but not Polish to find their first job? Is it common to spend several months looking?

Your personal experience: If you're an international student in Poland, I'd really appreciate hearing how you manage your finances, how many hours you work per week, and whether you think moving to Poland to study without knowing Polish is financially realistic.

I'm not expecting to get rich or live a luxurious life. I just want to understand whether I could realistically support myself, continue my studies, and gradually become financially independent.

I'd appreciate honest answers, including the downsides. Thanks in advance!

Heeey, so I read about the option to get the access to trainings on multisport, during vacation (which sounds pretty amazing) but none of the countries I have been planning the holidays is on a u/Multisport List.

That's pretty annoying, as it's not the first app, that divide the access for the European countries as the country would be still in soviet union - u/Vinted is doing the same.

Can someone explain to me why companies are doing that ?

As a person who lives in Poland, i saw so many takes that Poland is „second America” or „America of Europe” and i don’t really get where it’s coming from. There’s only thing that reminds me of American culture is the influencer stuff,but isn’t it all over Europe? I’d like to hear some opinions on this,whether why you agree or disagree and it’s an interesting topic to discuss. Probably it has been asked before on this subreddit, but i didn’t search it up here

UPD. I’m searching for elaboration on the takes if it’s possible

Planning my exchange semester in Poznan university of business and economics, and I need some advice and recommendations regarding the monthly budget, dormitory or maybe it is better to rent the apartment, traveling across the Europe. please share with your experience and approximate money that you spent per month🙏🏻

Hello all! I was wondering which documentaries, books/articles/papers, videos, and or podcasts you would recommend for me learn about my ancestral home.

The friend said if you look at UK, Germany you will meet many non white but in Eastern EU it is different.

Cześć, mam kategorię A, mam 27 lat i jestem całkowicie zdrowy, może mam depresję a to by musiał stwierdzić lekarz. W jaki sposób mogę uzyskać najprościej i najszybciej kategorie E? Nie chce mi się strzelać.

Dzięki