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I’m not gonna lie, when I first thought of my life in Poland, my only thoughts were..
“I’ll just close my eyes for 5,5 years and it will be over with - and I will have my degree”.
All I’ve heard about medicine studies is that the only thing they do is read and take exams. As much as this sometimes feels true - it’s so far from what my life actually looks like. For some reason, when I thought about the “poor” country - Poland, I thought it was an industrial country with a low life standard, and a less developed economy. This could not be further from the truth and the picture I have of Poland today.
So let me tell you all about the country I fell in love with! If you’re looking for reasons to study in Poland, here are some good ones:
1. It’s an absolutely beautiful country
Driving from the airport on my way through Wroclaw - ready to start my student life in a country I had never visited before - I was mopping at the sights; SO far from the pictures I had created in my head. Big green areas and parks, lots of fancy modern buildings, shopping malls bigger than any I had ever seen in Norway, and beautiful,
well maintained old buildings in all colors. Traveling around Poland did not fail to impress - a diversity of different lands and landscapes, all the cute cities full of history and life, within all its charming seasons. Poland got all of it - from deserts, beaches, forests and mountains.
2. Poland has it all
Literally everything. Any type of club or festival you can imagine, all cuisines from every country, massive shopping malls offering anything you could need. Cute parks in all sizes are located all around the big cities, zoos, rivers and bridges everywhere (Wroclaw), and everything from old buildings & museums to fancy restaurants and hotels. The beauty industry in Poland is huge, and any cosmetic intervention can be done locally, professionally and affordable. I’m pretty sure you can find any sport you may desire in most of the big cities. I never feel limited to anything in Poland, and even for being a student alone in a foreign country where I don’t speak the language - I’ve managed to get around and do everything I’ve wanted or needed to do. People are generally helpful, and most speak english. In sudden need of a spa day?? Poland has it. Looking for an integrative doctor over a western medicine one? The big cities’ve got it. I think you get my point.
3. It’s affordable
Depending on where you come from; Poland is a pretty cheap country. Especially if you’re used to Norwegian or UK prices; it’s a very nice transition. I find it cheaper than most nearby European countries; like Spain, Germany, France. You can very much choose the lifestyle you want here: If you want to save money - make cheap food at home and live in a cheap apartment/dormitory. If you want some luxury you can get a pretty decent place - still at an affordable price. You may also try out one of the hundreds of different restaurants that the big cities have to offer; still at an affordable price. You can easily get a decent dinner out for 7 Euros. Public transport in Poland is generally good, and also very cheap. This is a great advantage as a student - when you suddenly crash your bike, but fortunately it’s only about 15 Euros to fix it! Also most activities are very cheap; like going to the cinema, entrances to clubs etc. Not to mention they’ve got student discounts almost everywhere. In fact, the application fee for our uni is only 20 euros! Personally I could not think of anywhere I’d live a better student life!
4. It’s in the ‘travel center’ of Europe!
If you’ve followed me on social media you might have seen that I’ve traveled all over the world during my studies. My solo travels all started when I took a random trip to Krakow alone to discover a new city. Traveling in and around Europe is so easy and affordable, and now I’m living in the middle of it! There’s loads of cheap options for traveling around in Europe; buses, trains (interrail), flights, carpools etc. I’ve been visiting nearby countries with buses (Polski bus - now Flix bus) for only 2-15 Euros (Croatia/Czech/Germany). Not only is the transport around cheap; there’s heaps of options for cheap stays too! There are hostels for the ones that want to meet new people, or airBnbs/hotels for the more private travelers. Poland generally serves great flight connections to anywhere in the world.
5. Has an incredible student life
I believe central Europe offers some of the coolest student environments, maybe in the whole world. The big cities are housing thousands of students from all over the world, creating some pretty awesome cities to live in for students. There is always something going on (pre-pandemic): Festivals, techno events, food trucks, concerts, trips, parties, and lots of other events. I find Poland generally safe, and have walked home from a night out alone several times without any problems. The nightlife is amazing, regardless of where you like to spend it; at bars, clubs, techno clubs, beach bars, or at any of the many other options! I think there is something with the mix of people from everywhere, low prices for events and general easy lifestyles that creates the magical atmosphere. Some things you just have to experience in person.
6. Has a great diversity
Like I mentioned above - the big cities in Poland offer spots for loads of international students, and you will meet people from all over the world! Our class is a mix of people from everywhere, and we have new erasmus from different countries every year! If you go to a club or a festival you might make one friend from Europe, one from America and one from Asia. The different cities also offer a burst of different cultural experiences.
7. THE FOOD!
If you’re a foodie like me - you might appreciate the variety of cuisines that Poland has to offer. You can find all types of food - and at a reasonable price. Personally I love the buffets they have everywhere; pick whatever you want on your plate - and weigh it at the end and pay for what you eat! Fantastic.
8. It’s modernity & public transport
Let’s just say the picture I had of Poland in my head was slightly more underdeveloped. They are very innovative and early out with many things. The Lime (electric) scooters were there from early on - and I’ve taken great advantage of it. Fancy buildings, art and modern technology are all there. The Polish higher education framework is growing quickly: Poland holds 4th place in Europe regarding the quantity of individuals enlisted in higher education!
Personally I find polish cities (esp. Wroclaw) to have the best public transport system I have ever seen on any of my travels. The buses and trams go all the time, it is so easy and so cheap to utilize.
9. Vet schools with an English Division
There’s a lot of good schools around in Europe, but not all of them have English divisions (classes and material in English). Warsaw and Wroclaw offer great education where everything is in English. (I mean, we do have several semesters with polish language education, but it’s a difficult language so I’m happy that the studies are in english!!)
10. Has a number of exchange programs
UPWr is a part of the European “Erasmus+” programme that supports education, training, youth and sports in Europe. This basically means that you can take a semester or two in a different country in Europe!
11. Accredited schools
The vet schools are EAEVE (European Association of Establishments for Veterinary Education) accredited schools. They also utilize the European Credit Transfer System - which means that you can proceed your studies somewhere else in the European Union!
12. A very dog-friendly place
If you’re an animal lover like me; you might find it enjoyable that Poland (at least Wroclaw) is a very dog-friendly place. Most restaurants will accept dogs - even bring them a bowl of water! Even shopping malls will have a water bowl for dogs outside it. In fact, we’re allowed to bring dogs to most of our classes, too!
To sum it up I must admit that my early twenties went way over any expectations; and I’ve got to travel all over the world, learned a lot about myself and other cultures, enjoyed sunny days in the most beautiful city with amazing friends, and lived my student life to its fullest. If I could pick again, I wouldn’t have picked any other place in the whole world!
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