Stanislaw grew up in a sporty family and as a child was already exploring the mountains of southern Poland. His passion for sport brought him to Tirol, where he found the ideal base for hikes, rides, competitions and excursions.
I graduated from hotel management school in Poland and came to Tirol in 2016 to work as a waiter at Lake Achensee. I had already lived in Salzburg for three years, but an old school friend of mine was already working here, so I followed him. My employer at the time provided me with board and lodging and even a ski pass. Nevertheless, I changed careers and now live in the Ötztal Valley.
I come from a mountainous region in southern Poland and grew up in a sporty family. My father and I always went skiing in winter and cycling in summer. That’s why I wanted to come here. Tirol is a good base – I can go ski touring, mountaineering and road cycling here. In the summer, there are lots of road cycling events and races that I can take part in. That’s great. I recently rode the Ötztal Bike Marathon, which was an unforgettable experience.
During the pandemic I decided to change career. The restaurant was closed during that time. But I wanted to do something, so I trained to become a bus driver. At first, I worked on regular routes, but now I drive coaches. It's ideal because I get to see new places. The working hours suit me better too: I can do sports before work and be back home with my wife in the evening.
I like being alone in the mountains – it's very meditative for me, just being away from all the noise. I can enjoy nature here. And when I reach a destination, I'm proud that I've made it. I often set off very early on my road bike towards the Timmelsjoch mountain pass, but the Ötztal Valley also has bike parks for downhill riding and wild rivers for rafting. I still really like Lake Achensee. It looks like a fjord and is a place that gives me a lot of peace and strength. There are so many possibilities in Tirol. If someone is as sporty as I am, then I simply have to recommend Tirol.
About Stanislaw
Stanislaw Semik comes from southern Poland and moved to Austria in 2013. He has been living in Tirol since 2016. After originally working hospitality industry, he trained in 2020 to become a bus driver. He particularly appreciates the career change because it allows him to get to know so many new places.
Local public transport in Tirol
The people of Tirol travel an incredible 67 million kilometres per year on local and regional public transport. Almost three quarters of these journeys are covered by regional buses. With the continuous expansion of the public transport network, the demand for bus drivers is increasing. Becoming a bus driver is easy and inexpensive, as companies often cover the costs of completing the requisite driver’s licence. Anyone who has a standard B driving licence needs 12 hours of theory and 8 hours of driving lessons to complete the D bus driving licence and the D95 basic qualification in order to be allowed to carry people on public transport.
The qualified health care nurse from Germany has been working and living in Tirol since 2013.
Learn moreThe electrician from Bremervöde, Germany, moved to Tirol because of the many opportunities for paragliding.
Learn moreThe quality manager from Czech Republic is an enthusiastic skier and enjoys Tirol especially in winter.
Learn moreThe hospitality worker from Latvia has been in Tirol since 2016 and enjoys spending her free time in the mountains in both winter and summer.
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