Beach and surfing: a Costa Rican in Wroclaw

35-year-old Marvel Matarrita comes from Costa Rica. He arrived in Wroclaw in February 2010 and currently works in the Wroclaw branch of Google. For a Costa Rican, moving to Wroclaw to work is like a journey to the other end of the world. It was Marvel's first visit to Europe. His first impression when he arrived was how small and old airport the airport was.

'I thought "Gee, what kind of a city was this, if it had such a small airport?" Driving through downtown, I saw what I had seen earlier in European films and what I associated Europe with, which is diverse architecture. What impressed me was the colourful, fairy tale-like Wroclaw Market,' Marvel remembers his first day in Wroclaw.

One glance at the watch shows 10.18 am, and Marvel quickly calculates that it is 2.18 pm in Costa Rica. The eight hour difference is not all that the Latino may have a problem here. What does the Costa Rican miss in Wroclaw?

'I miss the beach and surfing most, laughs Marvel and maybe this is why he a frequent guest in Wake Park in Wroclaw Glinki, where he can enjoy water skiing.

Poles don't beat around the bush

Marvin is a manager in the Wroclaw branch of Google. The 35-year-old leads a team responsible for the contacts with Spanish clients. His colleagues - from Peru, Venezuela, Colombia, Costa Rica - are Spanish speakers. When asked about the Polish colleagues, he admits they are straightforward: - You Poles say what you think openly, which is a little shocking for Hispanics. Also, you need more time to settle in a new place, get accustomed to new people and another cultures, which is somewhat a disadvantage,' enumerates Marvel.

Learning the language at the ticket vending machine

Foreigners who come to Wroclaw to work need to find an apartment, and if they have families, a kindergarten or school for the children. Medical care is also important. In the matters of housing, Marvel got help from the employer, who hired a real estate broker. The company also provided medical insurance in a private clinic. 'Doctors speak English there and there is no problem with communication,' says Marvel.

For a foreigner, the list of problems can include buying public transport tickets, finding a place to shop, a cinema programme, or a good restaurant. Among others, English-language portals with information about Wroclaw may prove helpful.

'At first, I used public transport a lot and the old ticket vending machines were a problem. Now they are modern, with different language versions. I use them to learn Polish a bit, I switch the English version to Polish and check if I understand everything,' Marvel laughs and adds that food is not the problem. 'In restaurants, the menu is usually available in English. And I handled the Polish tax return by photographing the form, translating all the fields and filling them afterwards.

Spanish-English-Polish speaking home

After six years of living in Wroclaw, Marvel understands a lot in Polish. In fact, he had no choice, because he married a Polish woman. He met Zofia in Canada, at a corporate training. They have been married for three years, and have a 2-year-old son, Julian. Their daughter Dorotka will be born at the end of April. At home, the family speaks three languages. - With my wife, I speak English. With the children I speak Spanish, and my wife speaks Polish. My son replies to me in English and interjects Polish words. As you can see, it can be fun sometimes,' adds Marvel.

Knowing the language is essential

For a year, Marvel attended a course of the Polish language, which was organized by the employer. He believes it is important to know even the basics of the Polish language. 'I can communicate in English or Spanish, but sometimes knowing even a few Polish words is necessary. There were plenty of funny situations. I translated the Polish phrase "I'm hot" in the wrong way, as "I'm attractive" instead "I'm feeling hot", which caused smiles, especially among women,' laughs Marvel.

Because of the language, it is difficult for Marvel to understand Polish laws and regulations. He believes there should be more material translated, but says he might consider opening a family business in Poland. He considers the restaurant industry, or tourism: 'Your market has the potential, and this is what matters most.

Favourite places in Wroclaw

Marvel likes Mexican food, especially the one served in Wroclaw Mexico Bar and Masala. Due to Latin music, he likes to hang out in Casa de la Musica. The family frequently visits Wroclaw Aquapark and in the summer, Glinianki. - I like the idea of restoring the Oder boulevards. It's a good place for family walks,' says Marvel. When asked what he would change in the city, he replies he would restore more of the neglected tenements. 'The city centre is nice, but further away from the Market Square are buildings that need refurbishment. There are also places that could be a little cleaner.

Wroclaw: an episode, or a lifetime adventure?

Marvel believes that the city is safe. He hasn't experienced a situation in which he would fear for his safety due to accent or skin colour. There is no doubt that this is his home now. 'I'm not thinking about moving, unless the company tempts me with some interesting project. I had job offers in other European cities, but I didn't take any of them. Wroclaw offers cool living conditions and a high quality of life for a good price. With what I earn here, I can afford more than e.g. in London, where living costs are much higher,' he says.

More foreigners and cranes

Marvel has been watching how the city has changed over the six years. Nowadays, he meets more foreigners and hears different languages on the streets and in public places, various information is often translated into English. 'You can see that the city is growing, there are many new buildings and construction sites.'

The Costa Rican believes that Wroclaw is a good place to start everything from scratch. 'I feel at home here. The city is just right, not too big, not too small. You can make friends with people. I travel around Europe and the world, visiting large cities. There, you feel like a small element in the huge mass of people. Wroclaw is different. For me, it's a home town, where you can settle.

Read more:

Employment for foreign candidates in Wroclaw (procedures).

Foreign residents on rise in Wroclaw

How to relocate foreign employee and their family

Relocating to Wroclaw: guide

How to set up company: guide for foreign residents

Foreigners in Wroclaw: Raghavender Balasubramanian

The feature was prepared in collaboration with RelocateYou and the Wroclaw Metropolitan Area Development Agency