Information about Poland

Choose Lodz Academy of International Studies and come to study in Poland !!!

Poland offers things to see that are not found anywhere else. Major attractons include: Warsaw's Royal Castle and Old Town , totally destroyed in the war and meticulously rebuilt to look as good as old; Baltic cruises to Sweden and Finland featuring all the shipboard amenities of a bygone era; the Wolf's Lair in Kętrzyn - the forested East Prussian underground headquarters from which Hitler directed his (luckily unsuccessful) plans for world conquest, Old Royal Krakow with its royal art treasures and crown jewels in Wawel Castle and Cathedral, the hauntingly majestic Shrine of the Black Madonna at Czestochowa's Jasna Gora Monastery; the Wieliczka Saltmine, a subterranean wonderland (chapels, chambers, ballrooms, statuary, chandeliers - all carved from salt) which Ripley's "Believe It Or Not" ranks among the man-made wonders of the world; the raft ride down the Dunajec River rapids amid the cliffs of the Pieniny Mountains; the gruesome former Nazi death camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau (better plan on skipping lunch that day!), the beautiful Tatra Mountains featuring cable-car rides amid breath- taking scenery, rich Goral folklore and distinctive architecture; Bialowieza, Europe's last virgin forest where wild ponies and bison still roam in their native habitat. These are but a few tourist highlights, but there are a great many more.

Poland is an ancient nation that was conceived near the middle of the 10th century. Its golden age occurred in the 16th century. During the following century, the strengthening of the gentry and internal disorders weakened the nation. In a series of agreements between 1772 and 1795, Russia, Prussia, and Austria partitioned Poland amongst themselves. Poland regained its independence in 1918 only to be overrun by Germany and the Soviet Union in World War II. It became a Soviet satellite state following the war, but its government was comparatively tolerant and progressive. Labor turmoil in 1980 led to the formation of the independent trade union "Solidarity" that over time became a political force and by 1990 had swept parliamentary elections and the presidency. A "shock therapy" program during the early 1990s enabled the country to transform its economy into one of the most robust in Central Europe, but Poland still faces the lingering challenges of high unemployment, underdeveloped and dilapidated infrastructure, and a poor rural underclass. Solidarity suffered a major defeat in the 2001 parliamentary elections when it failed to elect a single deputy to the lower house of Parliament, and the new leaders of the Solidarity Trade Union subsequently pledged to reduce the Trade Union's political role. Poland joined NATO in 1999 and the European Union in 2004. With its transformation to a democratic, market-oriented country largely completed, Poland is an increasingly active member of Euro-Atlantic organizations.

GROWING PROSPERITY IN FREE POLAND:

Poland is no longer the dirt-cheap place to visit it was under the communist rule when the 'almighty dollar' reigned supreme and four people could enjoy a good meal with drinks for $10. Now a similar meal may run $40 - $50 in Poland , but an equivalent dinner for four could run $70-$80. Those in the market for traditional Polish goods - crystal, amber, wood carvings, tapestries and assorted folk-crafts (regional costumes, cut-out, straw decorations, Easter eggs, folk dolls, etc.) will find a wide selection to choose from at prices much lower than those charged by import places in the US. Krakow 's Sukiennice (medieval drapers' hall) is the world's largest Polish folk-craft emporium.

RELATIVE SAFETY:

Although the collapse of communist rule and the rise of democracy have brought an increase in crime, Poland still is a far safer place to visit than Western Europe and most parts of the USA , not to mention Mexico . In all of Poland , (population 39 million), around 900 murders a year are committed, which is less than in Chicago alone.

FEWER LANGUAGE BARRIERS:

One of the major changes that have taken place over the past decade is the shift towards English as a second language. Prior to 1989 all Poles were required to study seven years of Russian in school. Now, English is the No. 1 foreign language. Not only in hotels, restaurants and taxis, but more and more a visitor can converse in English with ordinary pedestrians. In bigger cities, nearly all people in their teens and 20s speak some English.

Climate and clothing:

Poland has a moderate climate with both maritime and continental elements. In general; summers warm and winters are cool. The weather, however, tends to be capricious and the seasons may look quite different in consecutive years with winters becoming increasingly severe and summers? hot and dry. Thus, the best advice we can give you is to be prepared for anything. The crucial clothing items warm jumper or sweater; in winter you will also need gloves, a scarf and a cap.

Money and exchange currency:

Poland's official currency is the zloty (PLN), divided into 100 groszy. The currency comes In coins (from 1 grosz to 5 zlotys) and bills (from 10 to 200 zlotys). The Polish zloty Is fully convertible, so you ca it everywhere- Please note that most banks will not have the zlotys immediately available, Order them on time or just exchange In Poland, The Polish zloty holds a relatively stable course of dollar and euro (approx. 1USD=3,24 PLN and 1 EUR=3.90 PLN).

Prices of studies in LAIS and abroad:

 Average prices of groceries and other goods in Lodz:

The most safe places to exchange currencies are banks, although they offer lower prices than other points, and some of them collect manipulative charges (about 2-3% per transaction). Banks are open from Monday to Friday (average 9,00 to 17,00), and some of them on Saturdays (till 13,00), Better courses are offered in currency exchange offices.
You can cilso extract money from your own bank or credit account using cash points now dotting the streets of Warsaw, You'll know you're near one when you see a blue Bankomat (cash machine) sign Most major debit and credit cards are accepted: VISA, American Express, Diner's Club, MasterCard Eurocarct You can use your card to get tickets for an event, reserve or pay for your hotel or dinner restaurant, purchase in shops and supermarkets.

If cash and credit cards do not appeal to you, then traveller's cheques are another option. The traveller's cheques can be exchanged in authorized sale offices (ex, American Express), as well as in some banks. Unfortunately, they cannot be exchanged In exchange offices as their popularity in Polish weakens year after year.

Universal currency converter: http://www.xe.com/ucc/

More information and photos at: http://en.poland.gov.pl/

Currency in Poland: http://www.ilovepoland.co.uk/currency_in_poland.htm