Love thy neighbors
By : Greg Goodale
Keep it down: Generations of families are often cramped in Warsaw's older tower blocks.
The couple lives in a 30 square-meter rented flat on Warsaw's ulica Grzybowska. "It's claustrophobic, unwelcoming and feels like a hotel or student digs," said Zdzislaw, a 35-year-old warehouse manager.
But importantly for the couple, the building is well maintained. "The block itself is clean and tidy, the stairs are regularly painted and there's a security guard," Danuta said. "The cooperative takes care of the residents. They've fixed the lifts and the windows. There's a repairman available all the time."
The couple chose the building because they both work in central Warsaw and the location helps to cut down on the time spent in traffic jams. The price of renting the flat was also a key factor when they moved in two years ago. At $300 a month, it's relatively cheap.
"We'll leave it as soon as we can with no regrets."
"We don't have much choice about where we live at the moment," Zdzislaw said. "We'll leave it as soon as we can with no regrets. The most serious option we're considering is to move out of Warsaw altogether, but this isn't very realistic." He said the ideal situation would be to live in Magdalenka, Konstancin or Milanowek, but the prices are too high. For the moment, their flat will have to do.
"The building is not soundproofed so you can hear your neighbors," Zdzislaw said. "It isn't hard to imagine exactly what they're doing and who they're doing it to."
