Moving to Poland solo

Is it safe for a woman? Most definitely. That is not a concern here. You can walk or jog alone in the dark. Of course there are always some areas to avoid; I would not walk alone in the forest at night, even as a male (Because a bear or boar might tangle with you!)

Would I recommend coming here alone? For a holiday, sure. To live here, most definitely not. Unless you can speak Polish, or you are using an interpreter -which technically means you are not coming alone. My experience was that although many people are very willing to help you, it is difficult for them to, if they cannot speak English and you don't know their language.

I think the numbers here are 23% of the population can speak English. The official language at all government departments is Polish. And there is a lot of paperwork to do if you do come here. So there is really no way of getting around that.

Making friends here if you don't speak the language is also difficult. Poles are a little wary of foreigners. This was my perception, in any case.

I would conclude by saying it is possible, but will be very hard if you don't know Polish or use an interpreter. But once all the paperwork is done, you can solo. And this is not a fact, just my opinion.

Perhaps someone else had a different experience?

Do you have any tips for people who are about to move to Poland on their own? Is the country suitable, for instance, for a single woman?

I ended up living in Warsaw after a full year of solo travel.  I had never been to Poland before and the flight was cheap so I went.  Warsaw is one of the safest cities I have ever been to.  I always told my parents I could walk naked down the street at 3 am and besides a few stares...no one would bother me:).

What was your state of mind when you arrived in Poland?

I planned on just visiting but ended up falling in love with Warsaw and ended up living there for a year.

What type of accommodation did you choose: house-share, self-contained accommodation, or apartment complex?

I rented an Airbnb for my arrival and ended up finding a flat within days.  I went directly through an owner and rented a lovely studio in Zbawiciela square.  In under a week, I had my own flat to move into that was fully furnished.  Everything was walkable...grocery, cafes, cinema, etc.

How did your integration go once settled? Do you think that being alone made it easier to make friends?

It was definitely difficult at first.  I only speak English so I had the usual trouble one has when starting in a foreign country until you become immersed in it.  You learn....but that is what I love as you learn something new every day.  Facebook groups are good for meeting people.  Girl Gone International: Warsaw helped me make local friends who I still speak to today! 

Did you encounter any particular difficulties, being alone when you arrived? If you had to do it all over again, would you take a chance?

The biggest difficulty I had was getting employment.  I feel that you need at least some Polish language skills.  I was unable to find a job and that was the only reason I left.  I would go back in a second if I could secure employment!

Thank you for your answer