Welcome to our FAQ. We hope you find it helpful.

1. Krakow
   Got your friends coming over and they need a cheap place to stay? Try out the Mundo Hostel in Sarego street. www.mundohostel.eu/cennik_english.html "We are perfectly located in the very centre of Krakow attractions, right between the Old Town and Kazimierz. It will only take you 5 minutes to reach Cracow Wawel Castle or to go for a stroll along the Wisla River. We are the highest standard hostel in krakow and we combine it with wonderful atmosphere and nice prices." Their most expensive room is a double room with bathrom at the price of 90 PLN. They have a very high standard. Doesn´t feel like a hostel at all. Try it out!
2. Zakopane
   Cheap cheap cheap? Try out "Rottereiret", close to the bus-station. Room and bathroom separated. Prices vary from 35 to 50 PLN. Remember to ask for the Norwegian Discount (Norweska Promocja) and smile! tlf (+48) 513 437 675 Wanna feel a little more at home in Zakopane? Try out Pensjonat Szarotka www.szarotka.pl +48 18 20 64050 They are very flexible and service minded. Prices are a little steep, about 80 PLN person/night depending on season. I have the impression that it's always high-season. Perfect place to relax after a long day in the slopes. Remember to book in advance. Very popular place.

1. Broken electronics?
   Broken iPod or computer? Need a new battery for you iPod? Someone poured beer all over your keyboard... Need something small welded? This is your guy. He has a small shop in Ul. Lobszowska 52. He'll also restore your harddisk if it's been erased or broken. Can take a long time and can cost a lot of money, but still the cheapest option. If you for some reason want to call him, here's his number (012) 632 4554
   
   
2. Cellphones
   Need a new battery, charger of cellphone? Go to the 3G shop on Plac Szczepanski. It's close to the rynek, or Roosters. ;) They've got a big selection of new, used, and barely used cellphones. They take good care of their customers. Great service. They'll change the operating system to Norwegian if you're into that sort of thing. http://www.3gen.pl/
   
   
3. Need a new adapter to your laptop?
   This guy can get you any adapter to your laptop. Use the contact details below… Przedsiebiorstwo Komputerowo Obliczeniowe Ul. Wadowicka 12, lok 318 www.laptop.net.pl biuro@laptop.net.pl +48 602 801 659 +48 12 398 4557 10:00 - 16:00
   
   
4. Stolen computer?
   Ah that sucks, but good thing they're so cheap nowadays. But if you're still brokenhearted and sad over lost pictures then there's still hope. First, grow some steel-balls and then go to the Polish market mentioned in the shopping section. Somewhere inside the building in one of the corners is a used laptop salesman. They've got a bunch of used computers lined up. Mostly Dell (does it ring a bell?), I was there once and many of the keyboards had the Norwegian letters ÆØÅ. Coincidence? I think not! Now, in the unlikely event that you actually find your laptop here, there are a number of options for you. If you want to avoid confrontation, buy the laptop and consider reporting it to the cops. Or if you have big cahuńas, go get the cops at the market and make a big scene. If you get this far, there's a good chance that the harddrive is already erased. Don't worry, it can be recovered. Go to the section "Broken electronics", this guy can fix anything.

1. Take away - Asian food
   Horai restaurant Japanese, Thai, Kantonese, Sushi Steep prices and long delivery time, but the food is great. Call this number for a treat! (012) 43 00 358 www.horairestaurant.pl Located at Plac Wolnica, so if you're a kazimierz resident it's probably faster to pick up the meal yourself. Lam Kieu Chinese restaurant located close to the library in Lazarza. If you don't already have this number then it's about time! More than a 100 items on their menu, short delivery time. I don't know how they do it… (012) 423 9170
   
2. Take away - Pizza & Pasta
   Garden pizza (a.k.a. Mazzarino Pizza) My favourite (012) 423 2322 www.mazzarino.pl Piccolo Pizza Gigantic pizza's, the biggest in town (012) 292 0076 Invito Pizza & Pasta (and salads) Superfast delivery, prices are a little steep but the food is great. You can even pay with VISA 607 468 486 www.invitopizza.pl/en/cms_id/krakow.start Banolli Not my favourite, but very popular, 24h service… (012) 431 2000 Karmelicka (012) 431 1122 Plac Wolnica (24h) www.banolli.pl

1. Did someone break into your apartment?
   Yes, this unfortunately happens in Krakow. People who live on the top floor are in the target group. Make sure you lock the roof-windows/skyceilings. If this isn't enough and someone breaks in and takes your passport, computer, money, Sex and The City-collection then you've got more hassle coming your way. First of all you can get a new temporary Norwegian passport at the Norwegian consulate. Go to the useful links for contact details. (PS: Limited opening hours.) Secondly, if you have an insurance, you've got to report it to the local police to file your insurance claim. Call the school office and they'll arrange it for you. Stolen computer? Check out the next article.... Honorary Consulate of the Kingdom of Norway Ul. Mazowiecka 25 30-019 Krakow Phone: (+48) 126330376 Fax: (+48) 126330351
   
2. Electrician
   Haven´t paid you electricity bill. No power? No worries, it happens to everyone now and then. Just go to Ul. Dajwór 27 and pay any outstanding bills... It´s in kazimierz, close to Plac Szeroka. It helps if you bring your unpaid bills. Cash only, but there´s also an ATM around the corner.
   
3. Lost your keys?
   Lost your keys? Again? No more spares? First of all, go and check if it´s in the lost and found at Kitch. Ask the big scary guy with no hair. No luck? Aiit, don´t go trippin´ yet. Call this number: 509 858 999 They don´t exactly speak the english, but they open doors. Tell them. "Nie mam Klucz. Prosze pomoz. Mieszkam w (insert your adress)". If that doesn´t work, go to the section about accomodation in Krakow. Oh yes!
   
4. Moving from one apartment to another
   Okay, at the beginning and end of every year it's the same… Most students do the good old switch-a-roo! Sometimes it's enough to lug all your stuff in a taxi or two, but every now and then you´ve got something big. Like a table or a bed. Don't hire an expensive firm to do it for you. Just call Taxi Dwójki (9622) and ask for a bagazniki. You usually have to book an hour or two in advance. A guy will come with a huge lorry to your address. You pay 60 zl for the first hour and 40 zl for every hour after that. They guy won't help carrying your stuff, but prepare everything and have your friends give you a helping hand and you'll pull it off within the first hour. Good luck!
   
5. Plumber
   Looking for a plumber that speaks English? Just call this guy... The price is about 150 zl. Very friendly. :) His name is Reginald Jaworski, and the company is called Plumbing Enterprise, ul Krakowska 44, tel; 12-430-60-74 or 602-322-043.
   
6. Stolen computer
   Ah that sucks, but good thing they're so cheap nowadays. But if you're still brokenhearted and sad over lost pictures then there's still hope. First, grow some steel-balls and then go to the Polish market mentioned in the shopping section. Somewhere inside the building in one of the corners is a used laptop salesman. They've got a bunch of used computers lined up. Mostly Dell (does it ring a bell?), I was there once and many of the keyboards had the Norwegian letters ÆØÅ. Coincidence? I think not! Now, in the unlikely event that you actually find your laptop here, there are a number of options for you. If you want to avoid confrontation, buy the laptop and consider reporting it to the cops. Or if you have big cahuńas, go get the cops at the market and make a big scene. If you get this far, there's a good chance that the harddrive is alre2ady erased. Don't worry, it can be recovered. Go to the section "Broken electronics, this guy can fix anything.

1. Moving from Poland to Norway or the other way around...
   This Norwegian company transports your stuff from door to door on europall. Just stack up your boxes on one of these. The price is 2400 NOK one way. You might wanna split it. Maximum height is 2 meters, or 20 IKEA moving boxes. www.viabaltic.no Dimensions: 800 x 1200 mm

1. PKG - Your friendly local real estate agent
   PKG has long experience in finding suitable apartments for the students of CMUJ. They know what locations and standards we are interested in and try their best to find an apartment that is perfect for you.
2. Gratka - Search for an apartment online
   They have an extensive database of apartments for rent (and sale). You can search and filter by size, price, location, standard, etc... It's all in Polish and might be difficult to handle if you're in Poland for the first time. If you're looking for an easy fix and need a helping hand then PKG is still your best bet.
3. Renting an apartment - the old fashion way
   The daily newspaper Dziennik Polski has an extra section every Wednesday where people post their apartments for sale or rent. It´s a good place to look for a cheap apartment, since it often bypasses the realestate agents and puts you in direct contact with the landlord. A bit more hassle, but could save you more money for beer. Ehm... i mean medical books.
   Oh, you tried clicking the link did you? Sorry about your luck, you have to go out in the real world and find a real newspaper at a newspaper stand.
   
   
   Bon chance!

1. Allegro, everything you'll ever need
   Whenever you wanna buy something expensive in Poland, be sure to check out the prices on allegro first. It's like eBay, only it's polish. Everyone in Poland that wants to buy or sell something uses this marketplace. You won't believe the stuff I've found there. They've got everything, seriously. You want it? They've got it! Now, to register on allegro is a little tricky, but you're still more than welcome to browse through all the articles. Most of the people that post their stuff there has their contact details posted as well (email, cellphone, etc..). Scary to make that phonecall in Polish? Just ask your local polish friend to do it for you. www.allegro.pl
   
2. How to export from Norway to Poland?
   Buying electronics in Poland isn't always cheaper than buying it in Norway or any other place. For all you Norwegians out there, remember that you've got an excellent opportunity to buy anything you want in Norway on "utførsel". It knocks 21% of the original price. Remember to ask for 2utførselsskjema" when you're buying something and drop by the customs office at Gardermoen Airport next time you fly to Krakow. Easy money! You can also print out the "utførselskjema" from this location. Don't forget that you need a stamp from the shop! www.toll.no/upload/Dokumenter/skjema_blanketter/RD-0032B.pdf
   
3. How to export from Poland to Norway?
   It's possible to export from Poland to Norway, but that's before you 2take the P-factor into account. Not every shop can give you a "utførselsskjema. The big ones usually can, like Saturn, etc… Remember to look for a little sticker that looks like the picture below and also remember to ask. If you can manage this and get that form, you've gotten as far as anyone else I know that has ever tried it. Now you have to bring it to the ever-elusive customs office at the airport and the supposedly will give you your money back. Good luck! Let me know how it goes!
   
4. Polish markets
   By now, most of you have heard about the market in Hala Targowa every Saturday and Sunday. Great place to go shopping for antiques, but what if you want more? Get your ass out of bed super-early on a Saturday or Sunday (like 7 am early) and take tram number 8 from Karmelicka to Bronowice. It's the end station. Follow the massive crowd in the direction of the market. They've got everything from, software, hardware, antiques, clothes, perfume, kielbasa, etc… Prices are sometimes negotiable. Cash only. If you're a lazy bum, take a taxi instead. Just say, "Prosze do targ na Bronowice"

1. Car Rental
   Check out www.express.pl Their prices arent half-bad. They usually have pretty good weekend offers on small cars. Free milage, so its great for small weekend-trips to a big city. Berlin, Budapest, Prague.... You choose!
2. How do I buy a car or a motorcycle?
   Choose between the German and the Polish market. The German is more "western", tidier and.. ..safe? The Polish market is wysiwyg all the way. And we have all seen how the Polish cars are driven - and parked (poor rims). Germany: www.mobile.de Poland: www.allegro.pl or www.otomoto.pl
3. How do I get a driver´s licence?
   Taking you drivers license in Poland is cheap, but not easy. Your usual Cat. B course is about 1000 zl in polish, and the english versions run at about 2000 zl.
   A foreigner taking the course in English has a few more obstacles to pass. There's extra administration at the city hall, proof of residency, translators, etc... But don't worry. We've done this a couple of times and have worked out a simple list of things to do (and not to do).
   
   The easiest way is to contact JUMA, they've got plenty of experience with foreign medical student and know what paperwork you need and all the steps along the way.
   
   If you're awesome and not afraid of doing it in polish, then you can give it a go at any other driving school. It costs about 800 and 1100 zl for A and B categories, respectively. The people at OES have good experience and can even help you out with licenses for buses, lorries and TIR!
   
   A course includes, a medical check-up, 30 hrs of theory (20 hrs for cat A) and 20 hours of practice. Most of the time on the road is spent memorizing a set route that you will be driving when taking your exam. For the theoretical exam there's 30 questions from a pool of 550 questions that you need to memorize.
   
   If you're interested in taking a Cat A (motorcycle) and already have Cat B, then the 20 hrs of theory may be reduced to a few hours focusing on safety and motorcycle-theory - omitting the general road rules that you've already mastered.
4. Is my polish license valid in Norway?
   Yes, it is! :)
   There was talk of changing the regulations, due to reasons unknown, that would render foreign driver licenses invalid. But after an inquiry to the Norwegian Public Roads Administration (Vegvesen) on the 22nd of July 2010 they could inform that the regulations set from 1st of July 2010 didn't affect students abroad in EEC-countries (EØS). For more information.
5. How do I register my car or motorcycle?
   Here is a list of what a confused medical student lost in translation needs when trying to register a freshly bought car or motorcycle at Urzad Miasto. 1: Get the following from the seller when you buy your ride: Karta Pojazdu (Registration book) Dowod Rejestracyjne (Registration card) Wniosek (Form, get in the information desk at Urzad Miasto Umowa kupna (Sales contract) Blue insurance papers Licence plate 2: Get yourself to Urzad miasto, ground floor. (Aleja Powstania Warszawskiego 10) Show map. 3: The following is what you need to obtain or fix AT Urzad Miasto Zameldowanie, original + copy (temporary stay/address registration) Apartment lease contract IN POLISH Passport (original + copy) Que ticket (hang on to it. Seriously) 150 Zl in cash. All copies are made in the kiosk, while you buy the umowa kupna form. If you don´t have a zameldowania you need to bring your passport and the lease contract IN POLISH to the second floor and get one there. Good luck!
6. Mechanic - BMW, Audi, VW, Range Rover
   Need service? These guys will take care of you. A little pricey, but better than the other options I´ve explored. Don´t forget. You´ve always got Feuvert. Professionals, but it takes forever to get an appointment... AUTO SERWIC WULKANIZACJA Ul. Balicka 100 - teren mleczarni (012) 626 0126 501 243 435 
7. Mechanic - Feuvert
   Got a car? Is it broken or just needs a tune-up? There are a lot of small shops here and there that can fix your car and brake some other stuff in the process. Cut to the chase, cough up a couple of extra Z´s and bring it to someone who knows their stuff. Feuvert is a professional workshop next to Carrefour on Zakopianka Check out their website www.feuvert.pl
8. Trains
   Go to www.pkp.pl to check the timetables. It's in polish, but a very simple and intuitive webpage. Most students that take the train to go to Warsaw for the weekend or catch a plane home. Every hour from 05:55 to 19:55 there is an express from Krakow to Warsaw. Same thing coming back. Their prices vary, but you'll maximally pay a 100 zl if you remember to bring your student ID. The cheapest I ever paid was something like 40 zl. I took this train many times, it's very reliable and they serve decent food in the restaurant cart. Hell, they even serve beer! Good way to start the weekend!