Health in Polish

What is your name and where are you from?
My name is Jakub Bednarek and I come from Silesia, Zabrze to be exact.

What made you decide to move to Spain?
When I first came here I was captivated by the Spanish culture, people, language and of course the weather. At that time I dreamed of living in this beautiful country.

Where did you learn Spanish and how long did the process take?
I learn Spanish all the time, it is a difficult language in spite of appearances. I started learning it a few years ago but with many interruptions. I sucked at it more two years ago, while still in Poland. Nevertheless, the thing that gave me the most was working here, among people who speak the language.

What challenges did you face at the beginning, trying to settle in a new country?
I was fortunate that I already had a job in Quironsalud, being in Poland, nevertheless there were many challenges. The biggest one was missing my immediate family, well, and the pierogi :)

What made you decide to work as a Polish-speaking interpreter at a private hospital in Torrevieja?
Honestly to say it was a total coincidence. Out of curiosity, I started to enter job offers in Spain, just in the region where we had blazed a trail. I applied, but didn't think until the very end that I would be hired. Initially I was responsible for hospital promotion and translation, but over time I was assigned to other duties. Nevertheless, I continue to provide assistance during visits to Quironsalud Torrevieja all the time.

What difficulties did you encounter in your career path and how did you solve them?
The difficulties were immense, the biggest being those of language. The language I learned in classes was a bit different from the jargon used in the hospital and medical vocabulary. A lot has been given to me simply by practice - it slowly got better and better from visit to visit, although I'm still surprised by medical terms all the time.

What are the biggest benefits of working in a medical environment abroad?
This job broadens your horizons a lot, you can learn a lot in terms of just the disposition or mentality, working in such an environment, not to mention the language aspect itself, which is such an added value.

Do you have any advice for other people who are also considering moving to Spain and taking a job as a translator?
The best although hardest thing to do is to find a job even before you go abroad. It's worth looking around the market to see if there's a need in your region when it comes to Polish. And if someone knows other languages it's only better - it's always at a premium.

Would you recommend other people to move to Spain?
Everyone needs to know what they like. It's worth coming here for a bit and finding out for yourself. Although it is a beautiful country, with wonderful views, pleasant climate and friendly people, it is not free of problems and downsides. Personally, I can't imagine living anywhere else.

What does the Quironsalud private hospital in Torrevieja offer?
The Quironsalud Torrevieja hospital offers first and foremost a 24H emergency room all days of the week, so anyone with additional international travel insurance as well as national Spanish insurance can take advantage of it. In addition, we have a number of doctors in every possible specialty, and I am always available to help with such visits.