What to Eat in Poland: Trying Local Food on a Student Budget in Warsaw

One of the best ways to jump into a new culture is through the local food. The sheer act of sharing food experiences also gives you instant conversation starter material with locals. At the same time, you’ll be looking for an array of gastronomic pleasures during your time abroad and Warsaw will not disappoint! Below […]

Read more

Kosher Food and Jewish Food Traditions in Warsaw

Jewish food and culture once flourished in Warsaw. When WWII started, the city was nearly 30% Jewish, with everything that a Jewish population would need, from synagogues to kosher delis. WWII destroyed nearly all of this. I am Jewish-American with ancestry from Eastern Europe, including Poland. As I arrived to study abroad in Warsaw, I […]

Krakow: A Trip to Poland’s Cultural Capital

Kraków is Poland’s most visited city and is known as the county’s cultural capital. Krakow’s old town was one of the first UNESCO World Heritage Sites, is a UNESCO City of Literature, and offers amazing architecture, history, and food. Just 2.5-3 hours from Warsaw, you take in many of the major sites in three days […]

Gyms and Jogging in Warsaw: Staying Fit While Abroad!

There are affordable gyms, scenic jogging routes, and other fun ways to stay fit while in Warsaw! Below is some advice on how to take advantage of all that city has to offer. It comes from SRAS staff on the ground in Warsaw as well as graduates of SRAS programs in Poland. This resource is […]

Guide to Shopping in Warsaw

Warsaw boasts a number of massive shopping malls, including the largest shopping center in Central Europe, Arkadia, with some of the most in-demand brands and stores. You’ll find the market quite well developed with most needs easily accessible. Below is some helpful advice from some of the students and staff that have worked on SRAS […]

SRAS Guide to Living in Warsaw

What’s it really like to live in Warsaw for a semester? Staying long-term in a city is much different from just vacationing there. You’ll need to navigate more of the practical, everyday services of the city and budget to include more miscellaneous and long-term expenses. Thus, this guide covers everything from haircuts to pharmacies and […]

Study Abroad Budgets: A Student Guide

Eurasia today is quite affordable. Students are often surprised how far their dollars will go even in major cities like Warsaw – and very surprised at how far they go in places like Bishkek. However, students can also be surprised at how easy it is to run into troubles – like blocked bank cards or […]

Warsaw Housing

SRAS programs in Warsaw are hosted at Collegium Civitas in the downtown area. For summer programs, housing is provided in a nearby hotel, with twin rooms and breakfast (substantial). For spring or fall programs, students find apartments with assistance from Collegium Civitas. See the individual programs linked above for more information. This page is meant […]

Arrival in Warsaw: Student Impressions

Let our Warsaw students let you know what to expect when arriving to Warsaw! Heading abroad is always a big step and can feel exciting or overwhelming – or both. Learn from the experience of others and hit the ground running! How did you feel when you first arrived? Eric Nesbitt (Fall, 2019): Eric Nesbitt: […]

Buying a SIM Card Abroad: Free Russian Lesson

This free Russian MiniLesson will help you learn the vocabulary need to get a SIM card in Russia. If you are on a regular SRAS study abroad program, SRAS will help you to obtain a local SIM card. In many locations, SRAS can also supply you with a “burner” phone for use while on the […]

International Airfare For Study Abroad

SRAS is not in the business of selling plane tickets, with the exception of group educational tours and domestic flights not available for purchase outside of Russia. An economy-class, round-trip ticket from New York to Moscow, as of June, 2020, averages between $500-1000, depending on the time of year, carrier, and other factors. If you are using […]

Packing List for Study Abroad

A semester or year stay abroad requires considerable planning. You will need to consider the season and location as well as what you need to bring and what you should find abroad. If you will be spending winter months in most SRAS locations, luggage can quite easily become unwieldy, which can mean airline charges for […]

Preparing for and Coping with Culture Shock

Some of our students report not feeling culture shock at all. Some are surprised by how much culture shock they experience. Often, those most affected are those who did not expect it. So how can you prepare to live in a new culture and get the most out of the experience? How do you prepare […]

Day Trip from Warsaw to Gdańsk

Travel from Warsaw to Gdańsk A Day of Exploring ~$60 for a day trip (for details on expenses and logistics, head to the end of the article!) With winter finally coming to an end in Poland, I have begun to travel to some places that were long recommended to me by Warsaw. One of the […]

Travel from Warsaw to Auschwitz-Birkenau

Travel from Warsaw to Auschwitz-Birkenau An Eye-opening Experience ~$80 for a day trip While in Poland, I decided to take in one of its most famous tourist sites – which also happens to be the site of one of the 20th century’s most horrific and painful events. In terms of budget, if you are looking […]

Travel from Warsaw to Ustroń Polana

Travel from Warsaw to Ustroń Polana A Spring Break of Quiet Solitude ~$150 for 2-3 days Usually about the time spring break comes around in the US, I am ready for a week off class. I like to spend this time in some remote region where the sound of a car driving by is unlikely […]

Teaching English in Warsaw

Before arriving in Warsaw, I’d opted to take a month-long intensive Polish language course. This option is an add-on to the study abroad program offered by SRAS and arranged by Collegium Civitas, and it’s something I absolutely recommend for future students.  The actual university semester begins in the first week of October, but I arrived on […]

Minorities Abroad: Additional Resources

This site isn’t the only resource for minority students studying in Russia, Eurasia, and Eastern Europe! Below is a collection of interesting and useful sites from around the web, featuring videos, interviews, and much more. (Thanks to the many folks on ADSEEES and SEELANGS who have shared them!) If you’d like to suggest an additional […]

Warsaw Study Abroad Reviews

We asked some SRAS graduates to share their open and honest evaluations of their experiences on SRAS Study Abroad in Warsaw. SRAS actively seeks out feedback from students on all programs so that we can continually improve our offerings.   Benjamin DeYoung (Summer, 2015) Note: this is an evaluation of Crossroads of Empires, SRAS’ inaugural […]

16 Ways Studying Abroad is Just Like Harry Potter

Did you ever stop to think about the fact that, technically, Harry Potter was also studying abroad? Here are 16 ways that Harry’s adventures are likely to be just like yours.   1. When you first decide you’re going abroad, you’re in a state of shock- you can hardly believe it’s real! 2. Getting on […]

7 Ways Study Abroad is a Second Childhood

After settling in with a host family in Ukraine, I’ve looked back on my notes from my first couple of weeks abroad and come to a realization – in a lot of ways, Abroad-Olivia is a child, just a little bit bigger. I’ve compiled these notes to make a list of seven reasons why living […]