From Tasmania to Zakopane – Marion on her student exchange in Poland

Where do you come from and why did you move to Poland?

I am from Tasmania, an island off the south of Australia. I moved to Poland to complete a semester of my architecture degree. Living in Krakow from February to July in 2019.

Why did you decide to join the Erasmus Student Network?

Before arriving in Poland, I had spoken to students at my university who had been to Poland, they encouraged me to join the Erasmus Student Network to meet Polish students and exchange students from other countries.

Did being part of ESN help you adapt to the new environment? What kind of support did you receive from the organization?

I was lucky enough to come to Poland with a group of students from my university, which helped me adapt to living in Krakow. I was also able to quickly meet people through ESN events and social media platforms. I really enjoyed going to ESN events in orientation week. The energy and excitement from ESN members and Erasmus students made every event memorable and positive.

Did you enjoy living in Poland? What was your first impression of the country?

I really enjoyed living in Poland. My first impression of Poland was brutal and magical. As I first arrived and moved into university accommodation outside the city, I wasn’t used to seeing such large and bold buildings. Very shortly after unpacking, a friend from university and I caught the bus down to Zakopane. I had never been skiing, seen so much snow or such large mountains before Poland. After this experience in Zakopane I knew living in Poland would be an amazing experience.

What kind of ESN activities were you involved in?

I was involved in orientation week social events, like museum visits, rock climbing, paintball and themed gatherings at night. Throughout the semester I went to tandem, ESN night running and parties.

What are your plans for the future?

My plans for the future are to complete my master’s in architecture, travel and work overseas. At the moment I am planning to complete my masters in Australia and hopefully go on exchange again. I am unsure where I would like to live overseas but could very well be in Poland!

Did you make any friends here?

I made quite a few friends from Poland and also other countries who were also on exchange. I met people through ESN events, university trips and classes. One of my friends from Poland came to Tasmania on exchange, which was lovely as we were able to get to know each other better and explore Tasmania.

Do you speak any Polish? If not, is it easy to get by with English only or is there a language barrier?

Nie mówię po polsku. I learnt simple words, greetings and sentences, enough to have a very short and simple conversation. I found it easy to get by with English as many people knew basic English or we could communicate through gestures. I was never in a situation where I couldn’t communicate with someone who spoke Polish.

Did you travel around Poland? What places would you recommend to our readers?

During my semester on exchange I was able to travel around Poland. One of my favourite places was Zakopane. I went there when I first arrived in Poland and then again a couple of weeks later. I had never skied or been in a town like Zakopane before. I loved learning to ski and spending the whole day on the slopes. The mountains, town and snow were magical. I also loved travelling up to the north of Poland to Gdańsk, Sopot and Malbork. I enjoyed seeing the Baltic sea and places that are important in Poland’s history. I loved the bus rides, seeing familiar views of towns, fields and buildings, but with a European element reminded me that I was in a different place to Australia.

What advice would you give to future expats in Poland?

I would encourage future expats in Poland to take advantage of how easy it is to travel around Poland. Buses and trains run frequently between cities and towns in Poland. Every city and town brought something different to my experience living in Poland. I would also explore the cities more, walking around the Jewish quarter, watching the sunset on one of the mounds in Krakow or visiting a nearby lake for a swim. If I was to live in Poland again, I would also take advantage of local markets and shops. They are great for learning about Polish food and customs. You also meet some lovely people, get to eat amazing food and practice your Polish! Take advantage of the amazing restaurant and café scene in Krakow. There is a diverse range of cuisines with high quality food. I enjoyed going to small local Polish restaurants to eat Polish food.

Thank you for sharing, Marion!

For more information about Erasmus Student Network in Poland, visit esn.pl