From Romania to Poland - just do it!

You come from Romania, which is part of the European Union, just like Poland. Was it hard for you as an EU citizen to relocate to another EU country?

The shift was not hard and I had a lot of help from my colleagues here in Poland. Although I was working inside the same corporation, they are seen as two distinct entities, so I had to quit my job in Romania and do another contract in Poland. Thankfully the corporation took care of all the paperwork and I did not have to think about that side. I did not have a relocation package, so that means I had to rely on my friends’ help with getting a host. The first month was a bit hard... but I learned as I went.

What has your career path looked like so far in Poland?

In Romania I was Customer Service Advisor - first line. Since I moved to Poland, I switched inside the help desk division to become Incident Manager. Now I work as Business Analyst in a different corporation. I am satisfied with the path so far - but continuously looking for new windows of opportunity for development.

You mentioned that you decided to switch jobs while in Poland; what was the reason behind this decision?

I decided to switch jobs because I simply needed a challenge. The new position was in Kraków and I had previously visited the city and fell in love with it.

What are the biggest advantages of working for big international companies located in Poland? Do you get to use your native language at work?

You have a lot of room for development inside the company but also of moving abroad. As for my native language – unfortunately I do not. I was hired for my English language skills and I speak Romanian with my friends and my little one.

We can learn from your blog that you are married to a Pole – was if difficult in terms of formalities?

Thankfully enough my husband deals with all the formalities and the bureaucracy. I understand Polish well enough and speak it on a low to middle level... so the technical terms are not my forte. He's an immense help and he understands the law better.

Can you call Poland your second home now? Would you call yourself a true European?

I do call Poland my home constantly. I found Kraków to be the place where I can truly feel I can be myself without having any questions asked or weird comments received. Being a true European... well... that I am not quite sure. I have not (yet) visited all the countries of Europe and saying that I am would generalise too much.

Any advice for your fellow countrymen from Romania or other expats who are thinking about living in Poland for a while?

Do it! Don't think about it! Just jump! Take a leap of faith - you will not regret it. You will learn a lot of things about yourself and your family and friends. You will learn to stand on your own two feet and even though you might be depressed at times as you will not be close to the ones you love, you will still have an overall positive experience. You will also have more stories to tell your children!