Poles find America a Bargin

Reports of Poles using their zloty to buy US goods at bargain prices over the Internet isn't anything new. But US Ambassador to Poland Victor Ashe's quote on the embassy's web site of "bringing an extra suitcase so that you can return to Poland with a suitcase full of new items" was quite surprising.

Janusz, a third year University student has taken the US ambassador's invitation to heart: `I actually wanted to buy a digital camera here in Poland but, it was very expensive. So I asked a
friend in the US to get me one because there it's a lot cheaper.'

Marta runs a small business in Warsaw. She's planning to do some shopping in the US: `I'm going to buy a laptop in the United States of America because it is cheaper than to buy it here in Poland.'

The US Embassy in Poland's website says that the average waiting time for a visa appointment in Warsaw and Krakow is just two days, which means you can plan a trip and be on a plane within a week. Though this information seems quite optimistic there is no mention of easing US visa
requirements for Poles.

Warsaw is Washington's most loyal ally in Europe. Poland has been calling for the waiving of US visas for years. Professor Zbignew Lewitski from the American studies center in Warsaw thinks that the invitation to shop `til you drop in the US is a pleasant surprise and a cut above official rhetoric: `To invite Poles to go to the United States to prop up the American economy by buying their goods is a marvelous development, though it should go hand in hand with easing the
requirements for American visas because you can not go to the States unless you get an American visa. So I think that it indicates a change of attitude of the American Ambassador.'

Observers also think that the mere fact that a high level US diplomat has officially stretched out his hand welcoming Poles to visit the US underscores just how affluent Poles have become: 'It clearly indicates that when seen through the eyes of foreigners Poles are doing better and
better economically but, also in their attitude because you only spend money on things that are not necessary if you feel optimistic about the future. I welcome this statement and I think that it is one of the most optimistic evaluations of the Polish economy and society I've heard in a long time.'

The US-zloty exchange rate is pegged at 2.11 zlotys to one dollar. Financial analyst Marcin Bilbin says that due to a relatively strong zloty and Euro it makes plenty of sense to spend zlotys on a shopping spree in the US: `We have a very strong zloty on the financial market especially against the Euro. On the other hand we can see extremely weak dollar on the global market so the dollar zloty rate is a mixture of these two components. The dollar zloty rate is extremely low so the zloty is exceptionally strong against the dollar. This is the strongest level for 15 years. If you earn in Polish zloty and if you spend in the US for example , US product will be even 50% cheaper than in Poland.'

No one knows just how many Poles will apply for visas to the US but, the embassy website notes that the average waiting time has been cut down to 48 hours. That seems like no time at all to take the US ambassador up on his gracious offer.

Source: Polskie Radio