POLAND.pdf

POLAND

POLSKA

Poland is a large country of 38 million people. Located between Germany and Russia, the

country has a long and complex history. Poland was once one of the largest and most

progressive states in Europe, stretching from Lithuania to the Black Sea, and produced

Europe’s oldest constitution in 1543. The 20 th century was not kind to the country, but today

Poland is fast becoming one of the most popular destinations in central Europe, and is an

exciting and modern nation. Although popularly known for its stodgy food and harsh winters,

Poland is much more than this. It has some of Europe’s most beautiful cities (such as Kraków

and the port of Gdansk), as well as primeval forests and magnificent mountain ranges.

Attractions include the purpose-built Renaissance city of Zamosc, the Highlands in the south

of the country and the beautiful Baltic coastline. It is still possible to see traditional life in

Poland, especially in the more rural areas, where horse and carts are still used and gold-

topped church spires dot the landscape. The Poles are also a friendly people, and the

country is perfect for exploring, from historic cities to magnificent National Parks.

How to get there:

Travelling to Poland has become much easier now that the country has become an EU

member. The easiest way to get there is to fly. British Airways ( www.british-airways.co.uk )

and LOT ( www.lot.com ), the Polish Airlines, are the biggest airlines that fly there from the UK.

Easyjet ( www.easyjet.co.uk ) now have routes to both Warsaw and Kraków. Other discount

airlines include Wizz ( www.wizzair.com ) and SkyEurope ( www.skyeurope.com ). Most flights

are direct to Warsaw or Kraków, although airlines are increasingly flying to other destinations.

It is also possible to travel to Poland by bus, which can be booked on-line through National

Express ( www.gobycoach.com ) .

Education System:

The university system in Poland is administered by the Ministry of national Education.

Studies normally last between 4 and a half and 6 years, after which students obtain a

Magister degree. It is also possible to study for a professional Licencjat or Inzynier degree,

which normally last for about 3 to 4 years.

Each student must complete basic courses before proceeding to the main part of their

degree. In order to obtain the title of Magister , students must obtain a certain number of

credits, as well as preparing and defending a thesis.

Grades are marked out of 6: 6- Excellent/ Celujacy ; 5- Very Good/ Bardzo Dobry ; 4- Good/

Dobry ; 3- Satisfactory/ Dostateczy ; 2- Unsatisfactory/ Niedostateczy ; 1- Fail/ Mierny

Useful Links:

www.poland.pl – the country of Poland website

www.polandtour.org – Poland’s official tourist website

www.polandonline.com – useful information about Poland and a search engine

www.poland.gov.pl – the website of Poland’s government

www.wp.pl – Polish news website

www.home.btclick.com/polishembassy - the Polish embassy in London

www.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/europe/poland - the Lonely Planet on-line guide to Poland

Practicalities:

Time:

Poland is 1 hour ahead of standard British time

Electricity:

Poland uses 230V, 50Hz. All electric items will need a two-pronged

adaptor so that you can plug them into the sockets.

Currency:

Poland uses the Zloty (1 zloty = 100 groszy).

Dialling Code:

The international dialling code for Poland is +0048

Public Holidays:

1 Jan – New Year’s Day

March/ April – Easter

1 May – Labour Day

3 May – Constitution Day

May/ June – Corpus Christi

15 August – Feast of the Assumption

1 Nov – All Saint’s Day

11 Nov – National Independence Day

25 Dec – Christmas Day

Language:

Polish ( Polski ) is the main language spoken throughout the country.

Some people, especially the younger generation, can speak some

English or German.

Opening Hours:

Most shops open in the morning around 9am, and stay open until late

afternoon or early evening. Smaller shops will probably be closed on

the weekend.

Useful Phrases:

Below are some useful phrases that can be used during your first few days in Poland:

Hello

Dzien Dobry (formal)/ Czeszc (informal)

Goodbye

Do widzenia

Please

Prosze

Thank you (very much)

Dziekuje (bardzo)

Excuse me

Przepraszm

My name is…

Naziwam sie

Do you speak English?

Czy moze mówic po angielsku?

Can you speak more slowly please?

Czy moze wolniej mówic?

I don’t understand

Nie rozumiem

Can I…?

Czy moge…?

Where is…?

Gdzie jest…?

The hotel

Hotel

The toilet

Toaleta

The train station

Dworzec Pociagiem

The bus station

Dworzec Autobusem

How much does it cost?

Ile to kosztuje?

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