Living Abroad - Year One

 It’s been nearly a year since I arrived in Poland. I thought to teach English to foreign language students, but the Universe apparently had other plans. And I can finally say I have firm footing here living abroad.

Krakow, Poland - Wawel Castle

A lot has happened over the last year, which seems to have flown by. I came here through the sponsorship of a TEFL business. I wasn’t all that impressed with the support, and low and behold, that business lost its ability to sponsor work permits in Poland. The announcement came in late December with an end date of June 30, 2022. So, I had some time to figure out what was next. In the meantime, I have been working as a content writer for several businesses in Poland. 

Some of my other colleagues attached to the English TEFL business were severely impacted. There were over 400 teachers from all over the world, from Africa to Canada, that came here to Poland under this business sponsorship. Since the US had an agreement with Poland, I was able to file for sole trader status. However, no such agreement exists for many other countries. And those teachers have to leave Poland by the end of June or find other sponsorships.

Friends at The Bull Pub in Krakow - Rynek Square

Even though my work permit would end in June, my immigration attorney said to attend my Foreign Office appointment (which just happened to be days after the business failure announcement) to file for Polish residency. You need a work permit or become a sole trader to file for residency in Poland. He said we could amend the paperwork later after I filed for sole trader status in Poland. Sole Trader status allows you to work as an independent contractor in Poland.

Thank God I was making enough money to file for sole trader status as you need to prove you earn a certain amount. So, this business’s downfall was merely a hiccup in the process for me, luckily. Although quite stressful, I filed for sole trader and was accepted.

The first year abroad is getting accustomed to the country, its language, currency and processes -- like making a doctor’s appointment, grocery shopping, getting around the city and learning the language basics.

However, much like other English speakers, I have realised that I will never learn Polish. Besides the few words I know, such as hello, yes, no and thank you, it ain’t going to happen this lifetime.

With the business sponsorship failure and my inability to learn Polish, I thought, why not? Why not follow my dream of living in France? I had to be realistic with my budget. Although Paris and the South of France would be amazing places to live, realistically, I would not be able to swing that with my income.

So, I started researching other areas of France. And Toulouse just stood out. It’s the fourth largest city in France, the headquarters of Airbus and many other businesses, has 27 universities and lots to do. Plus, it’s ideally located close to Spain, the Pyrenees, just over two hours to the Mediterranean. It has an international airport with daily flights to major cities all over Europe. Unlike the US, flying is cheap in Europe. So, I can literally hop a flight to Dublin for the weekend, or Paris, London, Barcelona or wherever I want to go. 

Toulouse, France

Why did I still file for Polish residency if I knew I was moving to France. One, I didn’t know that at the time, I filed for residency, for it was only four days after the announcement. Two, and here’s a caveat I didn’t know until just last month. As a foreign national, you cannot file for a Visa to another EU country unless you have a residency in the country in which you are applying. So, I would have had to go back to the US to file for a French Visa. Once I get my residency card in Poland, I can apply for a French Visa, which is required if you want to stay beyond 90 days in any EU country.

I was supposed to be in Poland for three years under the contract I signed. But as I said, the Universe has other plans. Just this week, my main client announced they are going to a remote-first work model. I was going to the office one to two days a week. Now, I can work anywhere there is internet access. My other clients are already remote.

Plus, last weekend my landlord agreed to buy all my household items. So, that means I don’t have to pack or ship major boxes. I am just leaving Poland with what I came here with -- personal items and clothes. 

I plan on renting an Airbnb for the first couple of months until I check out the city of Toulouse. I will ship the few boxes I have, and voilà, I will hop on a plane and start my new life in France this summer. And yes, I speak a little French and am taking classes online. Having lived in French Louisiana has helped a lot too. 

OMG…I can’t believe it…I will be living in France this summer. Thank you, God!!!!