Erasmus Experience in Krakow, Poland by Javi

Why did you choose to go to Krakow, Poland?

People spoke very positively about the city. What's more, Poland is very cheap and Krakow is very well situated for travelling, so you can make the most of your Erasmus experience that way.

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How long is the scholarship? How much money do you receive to help you with living costs?

For me, it lasted 5 months and I got €400 a month.

What is the student lifestyle like in Krakow?

It's spectacular. I studied at the AGH and the campus is full of people every day, having barbecues, drinking and having a good time with friends.

There are Erasmus parties every day, you can meet a lot of student from all of the world there.

Would you recommend the city and the university of Krakow to other students?

The city, yes, it's amazing to go on Erasmus to. The university is also a good one, they have a list of more than 100 courses for Erasmus students, which are all taught completely in English.

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What is the food like there?

It's pretty good. The most typical dish are Pierogies, the city centre is full of stalls selling them.

Another typical dish is Zapiekanki, especially in Kazimierz (the Jewish quarter).

Was it difficult to find accommodation in Krakow?

No. At first, I rented a room in a university residence, but then I moved to a flat near to the city centre.

There are a lot of flats on offer, but you have to be careful, because the agencies will take advantage of you and they take commissions and deposits that they won't ever give you back.

How much does it cost to live in Krakow?

It costs less than in Spain. If you live at the AGH residence, it'll cost you between €75 and €100 for accommodation (although that residence definitely leaves a lot to be desired). The semester transport pass (bus and tram), with the student discount, costs €40. And the food is cheaper than in Spain, in the restaurants as well as in the supermarkets.

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Is the language easy to get to grips with? Are there language courses available at the university?

It's very difficult. I didn't go on any courses. It was recommended to me, but I think that if you're only going to be there for 5 months, it's not worth forcing yourself to learn the language. It's another matter if you're going to be living in Poland for a couple of years, or if you're coming to work there. So then it might be worth learning Polish.

In general, the young people speak pretty good English (like they do in Spain, maybe they're a bit better here). Although, older people don't generally speak English.

What's the easiest or most economical way to travel to Krakow from your home city?

I live in Valencia, so I took a flight from Alicante to Krakow with Ryanair.

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Where would you recommend for a night out in Krakow?

There's a company called Kakao and they organise parties every day of the week. They're always jam-packed with Erasmus students and the atmosphere is great.

• Monday: Goraczka, it's always full and the atmosphere is great.
• Tuesday: Afera, they have an open bar from 22:00 to 24:00.
• Wednesday: I don't know which club Kakao puts its parties on at, but on Wednesdays Erasmus students usually go out to Huki Muki, especially the Spanish students, it's always full to bursting.
• Thursday: Afera.
• Friday: Baccarat, I think that they also have an open bar from 22:00 to 24:00.
• Saturday: Afera, Afera is my favourite club, especially on Saturdays,

  it's full of people and it's open until 8 a. m.

• Sunday: Goraczka

They are the Kakao parties, but there are a lot of others. There are some bars that serve very cheap beer and students normally go to them to drink before going to clubs. The most well-known are Pijalnia and BaniaLuka.

What's more, the ESN at the universities usually organise themed parties almost every day. To get up to speed, the best thing to do is to follow the ESN pages on Facebook, so you can get the invitations to the events.

And to eat in Krakow? What are some of your favourite places to go?

There are a lot of place and they're pretty cheap:

• Pod Wawelem. There are two, one on the main square and the other next to the castle. The food is great, although it's not the cheapest you can get in Krakow. They have different offers on every day of the week. For example, on Mondays, you can get a litre of beer for 7 zł and they have a really good deal for ribs on Wednesdays.
• Beer House. It's a nice place, the food is good and it's very cheap.
• MoaBurguer. They have huge hamburgers and they're really good.
• Koko. They serve typical Polish food. It's very good and very cheap,

  you can eat there for €2. 50.

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

Krakow is very nice, but you can see it all in a day. In one morning, you'll have time to see the Old Town and the Castle, on Wawel hill. It's also worth visiting Kazimierz (the Jewish quarter).

There are FreeTours on every day (in English and in Spanish), in the Old Town as well as in Kazimierz.

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Do you have any advice for students coming to Krakow in the future?

Get informed about the culture and how Polish people live. They are very different to Spanish people. They are very catholic and very conservative. They're also known for being pretty racist and homophobic.

I didn't have any problems, but I have heard of people have confrontations with Polish people, for different reasons. The Polish people I knew, who I used to go out partying with a lot, are very nice and very good people.

They also have a different perspective on relationship to ours. Meeting someone in the club and you can go back to one of your houses without doing much talking is practically impossible. Polish people (especially the women) don't do that. They're more traditional and are going to want to get to know you very well before going to bed with you. Whether you like it or not, you have to respect it.