Food / POLISH "CHEMICALISED" CONVENIENCE FOODS [23]

No food diet plan, sounds good. It makes a change from the seafood diet where I see food and eat it. My weight gain program got ahead of itself :(

Food / POLISH "CHEMICALISED" CONVENIENCE FOODS [23]

Big Mac and fries just sit on me so I can't eat that stuff. I need to get my weight down a wee bittie to make room. A long bike ride tomorrow will kickstart that process.

News / Should Poles become a minority in Poland? [150]

I agree with that and that comes with an open mind. It's as Voltaire said, maybe I don't necessarily agree with your way of thinking, I'll respect it.

I know I always harp on about Japan but adaptation there is as poignant as anywhere. Cultural awareness is an evolving state and takes a while to master.

News / Should Poles become a minority in Poland? [150]

Poland witnessed an influx of temporary workers when times were good 2 or 3 years ago. Many investors came on short-term contracts but that's about the extent of contact with foreigners here.

News / Should Poles become a minority in Poland? [150]

Very true that, SwedishPole. Even the Japanese would be proud of that statistic. A minority, what paranoia.

Food / POLISH "CHEMICALISED" CONVENIENCE FOODS [23]

True enough, Wildrover. We tend to consume things with more sodium benzoate, sodium metabisulphite and MSG. With the number of foods with E numbers, we'd be as well taking E itself ;)

Poland does enjoy these Knorr noodles and pot cups which are full of gunk. I love them though so I'd be a hypocrite to speak out against them :)

Work / Interview at a Callan School [204]

Which 2 words were they, do you remember?

News / Poland..wake up to a multicultural world [1059]

Yeah, village life sure does cloud the bigger picture.

Work / Interview at a Callan School [204]

Exactly, I have a student here who doesn't even know that tak is yes. She is easily intermediate and she says jest instead of yes. Holy smoke!! Passing the exam with their friends too.

I don't give a hang about feedback. I judge my own life and how I'm doing and I'm more than aware of my current failings. I don't need some other git to get involved.

Food / MARMITE IN POLAND? [96]

I didn't like it as a kid. It was like mushrooms (normal ones), I grew a liking for it/them. Come to think of it, keep the butteries for Lurpak.

Food / MARMITE IN POLAND? [96]

Oh yeah, or bacon butties. Yeah, PD, it's off topic but it's breakfast talk for many's the hungover Scot. Rowies/butteries with Marmite and marg, superb!!

Food / MARMITE IN POLAND? [96]

Even us Scots balk at the excessive use of lard. We have deep-fried Mars bars in batter which is surely sacrilege. I never tried one and never would.

It's what's called an acquired taste. Bacon grease over dumplings is good but in small doses.

I like Marmite but many don't.

Food / MARMITE IN POLAND? [96]

It's a yeast extract, sledz. Full of riboflavin which calms you down. Apparently, they gave it to LSD casualties to chill them out. Sounds like baloney to me but it's apparently true. It's a stone's throw away but so is Google ;)

Lard is eaten in mountaineers restaurants. I have it when I go to Gazdówka, the local highlanders' restaurant.

I don't use much though. There's something in it that Poles like. Skwarka or sth like that. Bacon gristle.

I didn't recommend Marmite with lard, sledz. I'm not that sadistic, fella ;) :)

Food / MARMITE IN POLAND? [96]

With spreadable cheese or margerine is best.

Love / Gay Interracial Polish Dating [36]

LOL. Please sweep this off to the joke thread, Mods. You may be, pawian, but most aren't and that's according to most Poles I speak to.

Me, I don't notice intolerance in class tbh. I find students to be balanced for the most part.

Work / Interview at a Callan School [204]

Yeah, I knew a teacher like that. She gabbled away in Polish and was eventually caught out. What's the sense in paying for English if you are not gonna use it in the classroom? It's just a selfish thing to do.

UK, Ireland / Poles claim UK benefits after working only one year instead of going home [156]

True enough, VV. I don't use public services either but the point is that we still have access to them. I don't mind paying for the upkeep of some others who need it. It's a question of balance :)

UK, Ireland / Poles claim UK benefits after working only one year instead of going home [156]

People will spend as they see fit but I hope that the crisis has taught people to be more circumspect and responsible. Again, I don't blame people for claiming benefits. They serve a useful function as an interim measure when times get rough. We shouldn't lose sight of this fact. Life costs, period!!

UK, Ireland / Poles claim UK benefits after working only one year instead of going home [156]

Exactly, it's all about information and educating ourselves. I've missed out on a couple of things from being a bit slow off the mark. I put that down to my own folly and nobody elses.

UK, Ireland / Poles claim UK benefits after working only one year instead of going home [156]

Plus, there were those who russled up the funds to go home and were met with a wall of disappointment. They needed help from their families to look afresh in the UK.

Life / ahhhh the lovely Urzad Miasta [7]

Registration is not strictly enforced anyway. I was supposed to get it within 90 days of setting foot in Poland. I waited 3 years, not 3 months.

UK, Ireland / Poles claim UK benefits after working only one year instead of going home [156]

It's rather sad to see as they get free education in Poland. It's this over-exaggerated sense of self-worth that compounds the problem. I see Brits paying back course fees, usually English due to the system there, over a number of years. They have an excuse but some Poles? Many brag about their education but it gets shallow when nothing follows. Many of my Polish friends say the same. Western prices but Polish wages :(

UK, Ireland / Poles claim UK benefits after working only one year instead of going home [156]

Exactly, Mister H. There are horror stories about unpaid returns on years of NI contributory payments. The British government has stuffed up quite a few cases where legitimate claims were made a hash of. This is why I was loathe to give them anything, I see no tangible gains.

About the allowance, quite right too. I was made to furnish newspaper clippings and websites of places I had contacted. I felt quite silly being 3 times as qualified as the clerk. To hell with begging! Nothing is given on a plate these days (well, only to top brass schysters).

On the third point, very true. The expression of the century was 'voodoo economics' by plk123. Superb!! Many Poles are up-to-their-eyeballs in debt. On the dole? Well, I don't know about that but you seem to be privy to that kind of info, Mister H, so I'll bow down to that.

Finally, proportionality is a fine idea but it doesn't always work in practice.

Life / ahhhh the lovely Urzad Miasta [7]

Yeah, the wind is blowing west today btw ;) If that helps, you know.

I got lucky. My landlord is a somebody here, most people know him. He told them in no uncertain terms not to faff about as he was summoned back once again. Needless to say, it was dealt with expeditiously and no further questions were asked.

They need to slow down, reflect and stop gulping away.

UK, Ireland / Poles claim UK benefits after working only one year instead of going home [156]

I think, to be honest, that it was the initial wave in the immediate aftermath of May 2004's accession to the EU that lured the turnips to the UK. Thereafter, a more diverse crowd flocked across and occupied different positions.

Life / Is it possible to have a NIP without PESEL? [16]

They are not essential but you should have your KP. I did without one for way too long. Nothing like breaking the law :)

Work / Interview at a Callan School [204]

I saw the best of both worlds in Gliwice. As many as 4 teachers were more or less fully bilingual. The lead singer of Papilla was a teacher there. Marcin Pasek, check out his group. They have played on national tv and did well. The Walkiewicz brothers were schooled in Poland but hail from America with a Thai mother, nice huh? What a world we live in. Gosia wasn't quite as good but her Polish is right up there with the best non-native speakers of it.

The thing is, they didn't score that well as some groups liked the fact that they were bilingual but others were clearly jealous and marked them down. I wouldn't describe any of them as natural born teachers but they were more than good enough for Callan.

Life / Is it possible to have a NIP without PESEL? [16]

Wouldn't we all, Sir, wouldn't we all? ;)

Oh, bison, I mean, PESEL. Quite redundant for the most part. It just gives more logistical certainty for certain authorities.

Life / Is it possible to have a NIP without PESEL? [16]

PESEL is just further confirmation of who you are. It is necessary to have it in order to get a chipped card for the doctor (NFZ).

News / Polish minority abroad and minorities in Poland [71]

Come on, he's not Norman Finkelstein for crying out loud ;) ;)