Exchange Program: Warsaw School of Economics (SGH), Poland.

The exchange program (student exchange program) in Warsaw is one filled with fun and learning opportunities. As a student who have been through Erasmus Poland, it has enriched my perspective and shown me the limitless opportunities around the world. Not forgetting the adventures and awesome friends that I met along the way who defined my Erasmus experience.

Before I start off with an overview of my time in Warsaw School of Economics, here are my priorities in choosing my exchange destination.

1. Module mapping/ subject transfer
2. Opportunities
3. Network

Why Warsaw School of Economics?

Warsaw School of economics is not only an academic institution; it is also a place that opens up opportunities for students. The university organized many sharing sessions by experienced companies or business leaders like Andrew Defrancesco. Not forgetting about the opportunities Warsaw has to offer. There are many meetup and events that you can join to further develop your network and skill set. For instance, I attended events at Google campus which covers entrepreneurship, marketing and business development.

Next, I did not have any major administrative issues. The International Exchange Program staff are efficient and would help exchange students settle down easily.

Academic wise, the lecturers are all geared to help students learn and conduct consultation hours for students to seek clarifications. It is easy for students who are majoring in economics or business finance to transfer their modules as most of the modules in this University is economics or business related such as business administration, finance, marketing, human resource and a bit of operation management.

If you are wondering about school activities, the Erasmus team in SGH will NOT disappoint you. The team is always working hard everyday organizing events for us Exchange Students. The frequency can go up till once every week! My most memorable event would be the 28KM kayaking which was a painful yet memorable experience

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Initial thoughts:

To be honest, I was not expecting anything for my exchange program in Poland. I thought that life will be similar to Singapore but will be open to changes. Of course I was also expecting a difference in culture as we are living in a different environment and time zone! But still, I was looking forward to my time in SGH and eager to kick-start my exchange journey.

Challenges faced:

The three main challenges that I faced during my student exchange program in Warsaw are

1. Communication: This only applies to the older folks as most of the younger polish are able to converse in English. Do be aware that most of the signs/menus are still in polish. Also, I had issues making a police report for my pick pocketed incident.
2. Climate: Being from a tropical country with only summer or monsoon season, the four season is a new experience for me. For those who have not experience the four season, be prepared to have clothing for the different seasons
3. To maintain my weight: The food in Warsaw is affordable as compared to other European countries and they taste great too!

Here are some of the activities that I undertook various during my term in Warsaw which might interest some of you. I would recommend all exchange students to step out of their comfort zone and experience things that you never had before (of course in the right manner). People often tell me that I would just slacken off during my exchange program but my opinion differs. Exchange is the best time for us to explore our options, not forgetting traveling around the world as well! There is a list of the stuff that I did during my exchange.

1. Everyday Hustling on @ExchangeBuddy ( YES that is why you are able to read this post here!)
2. Took 9 business modules in SGH
3. Weekly meetup with @dreamandexec,
4. Weekly OSTC trading courses,
5. Weekly marketing and startup courses at Google campus,
6. Traveling
7. Backpacking – 1 month around Europe under 700 Euro

This is definitely a long list but I never regret doing any of these. Not forgetting the friends, you make during your student exchange program!

Accommodation

I stayed in Sabinki, the dormitory of SGH. My time in Sabinki is definitely one of the highlights of my exchange. It is the place where I met my friends and my room was always the hang out room. Every week, we would have an event where we interact with local and other international students. It’s really fun!

Budget

Poland is one of the best place to be in if budget is one of your concerns. A can of beer in the supermarket would cost you around 2-3 zlotys which is around 0.50-0.80 Euro.

Traveling

Traveling is one of the highest priority of every international exchange program student. Located in central Europe, traveling is easy and affordable from Warsaw as many budget airlines operates in Warsaw. Take a look at Wizz Air, Ryan Air etc.

If you want to be even more budget, you can take an overnight bus. Look out for affordable operators Polski bus, Lux express and Eco Lines.

Shopping!

Yes, there are many places to shop in Warsaw and prices are reasonable. Head down to centrum, the town of Warsaw, where you can buy the latest fashion. Or head down to the factory outlets for bargain deals! You can never go wrong with a C&M Tee available at Roar. If you want to buy some jewelry to complement your outfit, jewelry shops such as BadassJewelry.com will allow you to avail them online. LaCkore Couture is the one to visit to find more unique jewelry pieces.

Culture

Polish are very helpful and friendly people! Although I come across some who are more hostile, but that is only a small fraction of the people whom I met.

Love to drink. You can challenge them on drinks and you will get what I mean.

That is all of my sharing during my term in SGH. There are definitely more experiences but I shall save it for another time. Till then, remember to check out ExchangeBuddy for more tips and experiences !