History / WARSAW 1939. BETWEEN THE WARS [14]

This is a good site with maps and pictures. You can see the before and after of many buildings, locations, streets, and neighborhoods.

Nice little intro too:

stalus.iq.pl

History / Russian compensation [16]

The Russians will never make any compensations. If russia pays out, then poles will demand compensation from germany next, former soviet republics might want something too, countries in the balkans will demand compensation from each other for the mess that took place in the early 90's, as so on and so on...

Who knows how far the domino effect will go.

Life / Animosity between Poland vrs. Polonia? [98]


Sorry but this is not how my family behaves around my family in Poland. I don't talk about how i live in canada, i never show pictures of my house, i never brag about new purchases, i never discuss pay(even in canada no one talks about this!) i don't wear expensive clothes, drive expensive cars, or anything - i'm not materialistic at all. Many poles (especially wealthy poles in poland) do love to show off and compete with others (i see where you're coming from), i however have been raised in canada and am not like this.

You've missed the point. Nobody in poland needs someone from abroad to rub this stuff in their faces. They only need to turn on the TV or go out to the cinema to watch an american film to see how people live in the west!

Aside from children (ie: a little present for my cousin's kids) we never buy presents when we go to poland. Why? Because no matter what you buy, they're not happy. We stopped doing this many many years ago.

Work / Engineering Opportunities in Poland [7]

Just stay in the USA sweetie, engineering salaries are low in poland. Your only hope is to find an American company in poland that does biomedical engineering...

Life / Indian moved to Poland [532]

I'm not attacking all indians, buddy. Indians are smart. However, the indians coming to study here or live here are giving indians and india a bad name. Maybe my previous post wasn't very clear.


First of all i don't know what a B school is and frankly i don't give a ****. I don't live in a third world country and don't have to worry about graduating from the best school in the world because my "average" canadian university will land me a job that will allow me to live a life style better than most people on this planet.


And that's exactly what they do!


Not just me. You don't live here, you don't study here, you don't work here - you have no idea. You're probably different.

Law / Visitor In Love with a Polish girl, UK marriage/Polish residence question [17]


Hahaha you got that right! Actually a world dumping ground.

Life / Animosity between Poland vrs. Polonia? [98]


It has nothing to do with mistrust. It's all about envy and jealousy. People in poland know how easy life is in canada, for example, compared to poland. An educated or skilled(mechanic, electrician, etc..) canadian can live a very comfortable life in this country. In poland, this is not the case. Doctors(800zl/month), teachers, professors, engineers make next to nothing. This is not limited to poles though, most of the people on this planet would do anything to live like the average canadian.

As for voting in polish elections by poles living abroad, well i think that is completely ridiculous. I only vote in canadian elections, since i live here and follow this countries politics (as best i can, i really don't like politics btw).

Anyone know the official statistics (if they exist) on who the polonia voted for in the last election?

Work / For all English teachers in Poland (who work for only $1000 a month) [102]

^ Only Polish girls in the UK are spoiled and arrogant? You know, many waitresses have bad days, especially when they have to deal with pricks like you. I would know, my girlfriend is a waitress and often has rude customers.

Life / Indian moved to Poland [532]

Only a couple of indian universities are "superior." The rest are terrible where most people acquire their degrees through bribes. I used to study and work with loads of indians who admitted to me that many indians do this, though it seems to me that only the poor, soon-to-be-immigrating indians do this to get well paid government jobs abroad. The stupid canadian government doesn't do background checks on degrees; they prefer to use the honour system.

News / Polish citizens given away to foreign law courts - is this normal? [29]

This kind of stuff happens all the time. A few months ago a canadian was arrested in Thailand for raping/molesting boys - his trial will take place in a Thai court, not a canadian one and he will most likely serve a prison sentence (if found guilty) in a Thai prison(unless canada asks to have him serve his time here). You go to trial/prison in the country you commit the crime in.

Law / How to obtain Polish citizenship for a french [4]

What? You're french and you want polish citizenship? Why? You can live in poland if you're a french citizen.

Life / So whats your opinion on the Polish health care system? [17]

The Polish Health care system is ok, but lately running short on staff. Doctors and specialists are fleeing the country for better pay in the UK and other W.E. countries(where doctors are in huge demand). My aunt (a doctor) was recently selected by the danish to move to denmark to work as a doctor. Other than this the quality is quite good. My aging family never complains about the quality of treatment/surgery. Though, often times they have to give bribes to get "in front of the line," unfortunately.

Sometimes it seems that the polish system is like the american one. If you have the money, you get treatment immediately. Maybe if poland semi-privatizes health care, they'll be able to pay the doctors more money to remain in the country. Or bring doctors in from russia for a few months to help alleviate the backlog of surgeries, like they did in the 90's when boris "pass me a drink" yeltsin was head of russia (but it may not work now with the EU).

Study / The basic requirements for a non-EU foreigner to go to a university in PL [23]

Ditto. Christ i don't get this guy. The Poland of 1956 is different from the poland of 2008! Can i write it any simpler?

Davey, what do you want to study? If it's medicine, then you could study in poland in english and probably find work in western countries. In krakow there are hundreds of med students from west euro countries like norway, so apparently the degree is transferable. Engineering would be ok as well(uni of warsaw, politeknika wroclawska, gdansk), but if its business/economics you're interested in then you would be better off staying in canada (try UWO or crap i forget the name, its a reputable uni out east in nova scotia). Or a good school is the UK.

If it's just the experience you're looking for then why not try going abroad for 1 year? A buddy of mine recently did that and he had a great time.

Life / Polish Military Tattoos [12]

The best Polish military tattoo you could get is Polska Walczy (Poland fights) as mentioned above. It's simple (if simple is what you're looking for) and very meaningful.

News / Have the European media lost interest in Poland? [17]

Yep. Mission accomplished for the media. They helped poles realize how stupid the previous government was.

Life / Polish Train Travel - Scary? [101]

Gas?? LOL i had the same fear when i went to poland last summer. My family told me that thieves would gas cabins (especially on nights trains) to rob you back in the 70's and 80's!! It doesn't happen anymore. Trains IMO are quite a safe mode of transportation and often times they are full of people so thieves wouldn't dare attack you. Even if the train isn't full just make sure you find a cabin with decent looking people (ie: not skin heads or dresiarze).

I only had one problem on a train from wroclaw to prague. A middle aged czech man tried robbing me while i was (alone in a cabin) semi passed out (yes massive hangover). He thought i was sleeping and had entered my cabin and reached for my bags which i mistakenly put in the overhead storage rather than sit/lay down on the bags. I must have thought i was on a canadian train. Luckily i got up and showed him the door. Anyways, my valuables were hidden in a strap on travel pocket between my briefs and pants.

Life / Opinions/experience about the Polish Police [40]

Polish police are much more professional now than in the 90's, but still have a lot to go. Corruption is slowly being eradicated. My cousin (a former cop in the abw) now works in a anti corruption unit aimed at catching corrupt police officers. He has caught hundreds of crooked cops by using hidden cameras and having his fellow officers pose as speeding civilians. Something like 7,000 were fired for taking brides in 1 or 2 years (can't remember the time frame he told me).

Nothing to be proud of, but i did try to bride 2 police officers into not writing me tickets between wroclaw/czestochowa, but unfortunately they did not take the bait:) My other cousins have also been unsuccessful in briding as well...

Life / Compulsory National Service in Poland [26]


Well actually i'm both. When i go to PL in the future i plan on working on my polish passport since it will probably be easier/less paper work.


Not true. I think you should pick up a polish history book at the local library.

Nice username. Did a pole "steal" your job over there in england? lol

USA, Canada / do polish girls like the canadians when they visit? [34]


I rarely see these flags. It used to be very popular before my time (in the 70's) when canadians went backpacking to europe. In many european countries (like holland) these canadians were treated like gods. Today not so much.

Today canada is different. We have people who wear headscarfs and turbans, and dont speak english (or french). THey don't get the same attention nowadays in europe. Besides the new generation is unfamiliar with the war and canadas contribution (like in holland, the dutch liked canadians).


Canadian women are confused.

Life / Compulsory National Service in Poland [26]

If you haven't served before the age of 27, you're exempt from military service, right?

I may be going to poland to work before that age and i don't want to get conscripted (if canada had mandatory military service i would have gladly served though).

USA, Canada / Zubrowka vodka in Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver? Mazowiecka Zytnia? [15]

lcbo.com/lcbo-ear/ProductResultsController

maybe you'll come back cause i don't feel like opening up my email browser atm.

USA, Canada / do polish girls like the canadians when they visit? [34]

Well i do have an accent when speaking polish and sometimes i can't find the right word which immediately gives away the fact that i don't live in poland.

But usually my cousins introduce me to their friends as "moj kuzyn z kanady" (my cousin from canada).

Life / Polish man finds wife working at brothel [43]


It's quite simple. Their sex life is over - probably has been over for a while. He was just looking for sex. Who knows, maybe he was hiding money from her or had a "on the side job" to pay for this.


Shouldn't. But i'm sure many married guys who don't frequent brothels will start popping in once in a while to see if their wives are working there:)

Life / Advice on speed limit in Poland! [12]

Buy a police scanner. You can also spray your license plate with a special chemical that blurs the plate in pictures (this one may not work anymore though).


Some areas have automatic speed cameras. I was driving (speeding) with my cousin from czestochowa to krakow and we saw a small flash from the side of the road. I didn't know what it was until he told me that it was a speed camera. He received a ticket in the mail 3 weeks later.

Life / Legally changing my Polish name to English one? [55]


These names are easier to pronounce/learn than many polish names: grzegorz brzeczyszczykiewicz, wojciech/wojtek, malgorzata, jacek, przemyslaw/przemek etc...

I really hate to disagree with everyone here, but this is not the same. South Asian names are usually easier to pronounce than polish names. Asians write their names in english such that they can be pronounced simply by sounding them out. Doesn't work this way with polish names. Poles with difficult names have to change the spelling (ie: wojtek > voytek). IMO that looks stupid and it's better to

In my classes there are many asians and the profs suffer much less with their names than with european names.

ah that's enough from me. You have to have a foreign name to understand.

USA, Canada / do polish girls like the canadians when they visit? [34]


Lacking in the culture department? Sure it doesn't have it's own culture, rather it's a cosmopolitan of hundreds of cultures. Besides nobody cares about this, people just come here for a better life.

a) They were not just being polite, they really wanted to talk and get me interested in them. I was not looking to establish any relationship beyond friendship with any of these girls, just wanted to spend some time with my cousins.

b) I speak fairly good polish so no these girls were not trying to practice their english. I was actually practicing my polish:)

I'm not the type of guy you think i am. I am a quite guy, not a pimp. But i do go out often with friends and i know very well when a girl is really interested.


Nice theory, however its only true for a small percentage of polish women. Polish women are great (all about education & family life) but they also want to secure a comfortable life (Well, all women do - it's how their biology works). Many women are not happy with life in poland - yes they've admitted this to me. So when a foreigner shows up they focus on him. My (male) cousins have always complained about polish women showing more interest in foreign students/men. If you were polish, you would know this by now.


Haha, I don't get my "ass kicked" here - i have a gf and never had problems with women. It's just a bit more difficult. In canada men go to the women, in poland the women go to the (foreign) men. I'm not saying polish women are promiscuous/desperate, they're (as stated above) just looking for a better life. Nothing wrong here.


I fully agree with you here.

Life / Who's thinking of moving to Poland? [67]

Michal, i really don't want to hear from you at all. Your knowledge of poland specializes in the communist era. To me you're just a wiesniak/prostak.

Life / Legally changing my Polish name to English one? [55]


I'm not trying to ridicule you for liking those names, i'm just a little surprised since those names are old polish names (maybe you already know this). In canada it would be like naming your daughter Golatus, Esther ... can't remember the others i had on my mind. Basically your kids will be prone to teasing.

Life / Who's thinking of moving to Poland? [67]

I'm also considering going to poland (have family there), however i'm only planning on staying for a year or 2 to teach english. I want to come back to canada to become a teacher. I really can't see myself teaching english in poland until retirement (as a teacher in canada benefits, retirement, etc. will be much better) and the pay is too low when compared to living costs. There's really not much else i could do with my degree in poland.

Just curious, for those of you coming to poland, what pay range are you expecting? The national average is btw 2,000 - 3,000 PZN (i think) and after taxes and rent, there's not too much left. It makes matters worse if you have children. Maybe some of you are post university professionals (engineering etc.) and hope to find work with foreign companies...

USA, Canada / do polish girls like the canadians when they visit? [34]


True, but canada/usa are still more appealing to Poles than the UK. People all over the world still crave the "american dream" which the UK doesn't quite have. Supposedly life is better in usa/can - according to my british colleagues here. Not many people in the UK can afford a house with a backyard/driveway, for example. In canada it's often easier (and finanically better) to buy a house than rent a flat. So what if your currency is worth more than ours? The cost of living is much higher in europe than it is here.

When i go to Poland for vacations and to visit my family, i can't keep women away from me. Not trying to show off or sound arrogant or piggish or a "playa" or whatever you're thinking. I'm an average looking guy who gets no more than average attention from girls in canada. When i go out with friends here in canada i can usually chat with 1 girl at the bar (i am a little shy/quiet though) but in poland i get many girls wanting to (at least) talk to me ... not complaining though:). So from my personal experience, polish women love canadians and probably all "westerners."

For some polish women, it's easier to marry a canadian(or westerner). It's like going from rags to riches.