My student life in Poland – Tanvi

It was a sweltering September afternoon as I dragged my suitcases across the cobblestones to get to my dormitory. That afternoon in 2019, when I first landed at the Copernicus Airport in Wroclaw, is branded into my memory like it was yesterday. 

I remember a University appointed taxi driver meeting me outside the airport; a slightly older gentleman with grey hair who spoke little to no English. I had made a friend in the airplane, Hanna from Indonesia, who had no means to get to her accommodation. I pointed to Hanna, shook my head and said ‘no taxi’. He nodded and went straight to our many massive suitcases and began loading them into the boot one by one, refusing any help from either of us; ‘Nie nie nie, I man, I do’.  And off we went, with grateful hearts and big smiles, to our respective new homes in beautiful Wroclaw. 

The months flew by. University was exciting. The Journalism and Social Communication group was small in number but certainly not in worldliness; we came from all around the globe; Poland, Mexico, Nigeria, India, Pakistan, China, and Ukraine. As foreigners in Poland, most of us were asked the same question, ‘Why Poland?’ 

The Polish were truly baffled as to why foreigners chose Poland as a study destination. My friends and family were equally baffled at my choice to study in Poland. That cursed question still hangs heavy in the air, just waiting to be asked, when I tell people where I studied. Or, some say, ‘Poland’ with an upward inflection that suggests surprise or confusion or pure bewilderment. I resist the urge to roll my eyes as I write this. Sigh.

My answer to ‘Why Poland’ hasn’t changed significantly since the early days. I initially chose Poland, and University of Wroclaw in particular, because:

1. The tuition was a fraction of the cost compared to tuition in other countries.
2. The Masters in Journalism programme at UW was open to accepting students from all disciplines given a solid motivation and set of achievements.
3. I spoke to two UW alumni, also fellow Indians, and they had great things to say about the course and University.

And sure enough, my student life in Wroclaw gave me plenty of experiences to cherish. 

My university gave me the opportunity to go on exchanges to Britain and the Netherlands. 

Both my exchanges were facilitated by the university under the Erasmus Agreement. My Erasmus exchange to the UK formed one semester of my studies. Whereas my exchange to the Netherlands was an Erasmus Traineeship after I graduated. 

But I’d be remiss not to talk about certain less than savoury bits about studying in Poland. As a foreigner, the most challenging part is navigating the legal system without help. The residence card that non-EU students, graduates, and employees need to apply for, takes quite a long time to be processed. To put it briefly, it can take anywhere between 6-24 months to be issued (in certain cases, it takes even longer). 

But before you recoil and put a lid on your decision to come to Poland, stay with me. This story has a happy ending; with some detours of course. 

It was summer 2020. And, as the world was reeling from COVID, there was something else that was plaguing me. As advised by my peers, I applied for the temporary residence card some months before my visa expired. But as my Erasmus exchange to England was nearing, I felt uneasy about the timeline. I was afraid my residence card wouldn’t arrive in time for me to go to the UK. After some research, I found BeRelocated and handed over my case to them. 

Marta and Monika took over and were able to jolt my case awake and coax a response out of my case inspector after weeks and weeks of dead silence. I had to defer my exchange to the next semester because of the delay but I was happy about my case being in good hands. Finally, after 6 months, my Christmas miracle arrived in the form of a positive decision on my application. Shortly after the holidays I picked up my karta pobytu, followed by my visa to the UK and set off on another student adventure. 

A year later, I once again entrusted Marta and Monika with my graduate karta pobytu. They took care of the proceedings while I was in the Netherlands for an internship. Owing to the Russia-Ukraine war and inundated officials at the provincial office in Wroclaw, my case was delayed for a long while. It took a gruelling 27 months for the card to arrive. Call it unfortunate circumstances or an unlucky bout, I’m happy to have carted over the bureaucratic hurdles. 

My student life in Poland was wrought with lots of excitement and some roadblocks which I could not have navigated without Marta and Monika’s unwavering support. 

Now the question remains, ‘Why Poland?’

Especially, as a Non-EU expat who faces undue delays in the residence card process, why Poland?

My honest answer to that would be, because Poland is so much more than its bureaucratic procedures. Every country has its pluses and minuses. ‘Why Poland?’ is a loaded question because the answer is subjective to each and every foreign expat’s experience in this country. 

As for me, the people I have met here, the experiences I’ve had here, and the support I’ve received here, far outweighs the challenges I’ve faced here. 

Relocation to Poland comes with its own quirks and no guaranties except for two; a lovely, ever helpful expat community and honest, reliable Poles who’ll help you reach your goals.

Do zobaczenia!