UK, Ireland / Poles flee N. Irleand homes after World Cup riots [70]

Oh, I don't condone by any stretch what they did. Look at my comments above, doing that to innocent Poles was horrible and blatantly wrong. My sincere hope is that the Polish FA catches these hooligans and bans them from stadiums. They triggered this nonsense.

UK, Ireland / Poles flee N. Irleand homes after World Cup riots [70]

Like always, there are bad buggers on both sides but the Polish hooligans should have known better than to rile them. Revenge is what perpetuates conflicts, Greg. Ask anyone from NI or EIRE or the ME.

Work / 5000$ Gross Salary. Is it good in Poland? [37]

Perhaps, esek. There has been a dip in prices but I don't think to the tune of 500PLN per place.

Yeah, that was a crafty move but it will entice more people into high-end jobs. Poland has lost many investors due to the crisis and high profile people need some bait to lure them back.

Also, the Tories sneakily raised VAT but people didn't look at that, just the flat rates of income tax. It's 22% in Poland, that's higher than our 17.5% was.

Life / Traditional Polish Music - Where can I find some? [25]

Aha, it's working now. The computer at work doesn't have a Flash player. Great stuff, I like this kind of music in this kind of weather especially. Laid back.

Life / Traditional Polish Music - Where can I find some? [25]

No song came up, Matyjasz.

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

Very good point, Bubbles. We are all just humans after all. I don't think there's a good comeback to that. I know how they value meritocracy in Japan and not multiculturalism but, in some societies, there is a symbiotic relationship. When you have a synallagmatic relationship like that, they cannot be mutually exclusive.

News / Poland. Sold for nothing. [341]

And so what? What do you see the German Army doing in the near future?

UK, Ireland / Poles flee N. Irleand homes after World Cup riots [70]

Quite right! Many Poles set up delis abroad and give really tasty options to local communities there. They just want to make a living.

UK, Ireland / Poles flee N. Irleand homes after World Cup riots [70]

Well, it wouldn't have made sense to take revenge. I agree, commendable restraint.

Love / Polish Girlfriend Does Not have my Trust, Please help :( [22]

Not in Obama's case. Just kidding! We never know the full picture online

Love / Polish Girlfriend Does Not have my Trust, Please help :( [22]

They are just random rants from some buffoon. He probably got tanked up on a bottle of vodka and let rip. Words are words, man. Actions are actions.

UK, Ireland / Poles flee N. Irleand homes after World Cup riots [70]

Thanks. It's so tragic why Poles, who probably don't earn that much in Belfast, have to face hefty repair costs and violence when they did nothing wrong. It's the same old story, the idiocy of the few spoils it for the many.

Love / Polish Girlfriend Does Not have my Trust, Please help :( [22]

Then why are you with her? Kick her to the kerb/curb. If my woman did that, there would be serious words and a long discussion. I trust her implicitly, I have a good un but I've already laid down the groundrules.

UK, Ireland / Poles flee N. Irleand homes after World Cup riots [70]

Again, guilty by association, what a sad state of affairs. Some people are still rooted in the tribalist days of Us Vs Them. Those innocent people should have been left alone.

Work / 5000$ Gross Salary. Is it good in Poland? [37]

Maybe 1500zł so around $450. Maybe even more but you should be able to pick up a good 1-bedroom place for that. I pay 750zł, around $225 but Gliwice is cheaper and my landlord was generous.

Life / Traditional Polish Music - Where can I find some? [25]

I was listening to a song and then this one clicked on as the next in line.

It has some of the qualities of the British music of the 60's, a bit like The Byrds.

Sometimes Polish songs sound a bit worse for the lyrics but this has a chirpy melody and has decent lyrics.

Dozwolone do lat osiemnastu.

Love / Polish Girlfriend Does Not have my Trust, Please help :( [22]

Where is the proof that she has cheated on you? Did you catch her in the act?

I know it's hard but women often dwell on their ex-partners. Polish women seem to do it even more so in my observations. If you are a foreigner, you have to be mindful that they may do it. Almost every foreigner I know here has had a GF who has done the dirty on them.

Remember this motto: What I don't know doesn't hurt me

Work / 5000$ Gross Salary. Is it good in Poland? [37]

The good news for you is that, as of 1.1.2009, the rate is down to 32% from 40%.

So, basically 1/3 of your income. 16,700 per month, so right around 5,500 will come off. You'll be earning a little over 11k (11,300 ok) net per month. That's really good, I take in fractionally over 4k net and that's enough.

Life / Where to buy bathroom items in Poland? [8]

All good suggestions. WB suggested another place elsewhere, Leroy Merlin. I have kitted my pad out with a couple of things from there. A cool shower hose for example.

Life / 3 Things I LOVED about Poland [58]

You have a good moan :) Well, you are Scottish, it can be in the blood ;) ;)

I loved the half-cut tops of the girls but I'd be slaughtered for taking that to the present simple tense. Wandering eyes catch things.

They have began stocking Almond Magnums again, perfect for the summer. Only 280 calories, not gonna puff me up too much.

The forest trails. I have to pump my tyres up and clock up some miles on my Mongoose. The weekend will give me that chance.

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

Or march in with armed gunmen ;) ;) My friend needed an escort when he worked there a few years back. One of my students too when he was in Kenya I think.

Work / 5000$ Gross Salary. Is it good in Poland? [37]

5000PLN or $5000? If it's the latter, that's close to 17,000PLN at today's exchange rate. That's a really sizeable wage. In this crisis, I'm happy to creep over 5000PLN which is considered quite good.

The standard tax rate is 19% but if you are way up as high as 17k then you'll be in the higher bracket which is between 30-40% I think. I remember discussing this with a Director of Vattenfall a couple of years back and he showed me how they strip(ped) his income right down through various deductions.

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

In Japan, the notion of career progression is a more linear process, based along the lines of seniority. They'd be surprised if a young Nigerian manager came waltzing into the office. The problem is that, when the labour shortage has been filled, those people have already put down roots. Then you have tremendous amounts of foreign nationals swamping.

Language / is the correct term pol or pollok [14]

True but most males use jestem Polakiem, that's what I hear from being here.

Language / is the correct term pol or pollok [14]

Let's get this straight. Jestem Polakiem is said by Polish males to tell people that they are Polish.

NEVER have I seen this nonsense like Polock or some other derogatory BS like Polack.

A Polak is a Polish male. Jestem Polką is said by a Polish female.

News / Poland. Sold for nothing. [341]

BB is right here, Germany carries many weaker States. Their donations to key projects are quite sizeable.

Law / Paying Tax For The Self-Employed In Poland (Yet more Questions...) [16]

I am based in Gliwice in the Upper Silesia region of Poland.

Law / Paying Tax For The Self-Employed In Poland (Yet more Questions...) [16]

Too much, LOL. I've heard people bandy about the figure of 50PLN per month but that's down in shady territory. I pay 150PLN plus 33PLN VAT so 183zł every month.

I'd be lost without him and it's peace of mind. I can sometimes get close with my own calculations but voodoo economics holds sway in Poland and being 1 groszy out can attract the scorn of the tax authorities.

Law / Paying Tax For The Self-Employed In Poland (Yet more Questions...) [16]

On the first point, Harry is spot on. Be sure to get yourself hooked up with an accountant, seriously. Oh, vipservice is right too.

NIP is your tax number and PESEL is particular to you, only you can use it. An extended form of ID really.

Harry outlined the process well. Remember to go to the Regional Office, the Wojewódstwo. In Silesia, it's in Katowice but I'm not sure about elsewhere.

Yeah, ask your accountant about podatek liniowej (steps as Harry called them). It's technical stuff.

Also, be sure to clarify the matter of status. My school once gave me a VAT invoice faktura VAT) but I can only use bills (rachunki). Nie jestem VATowcą (not registered to use VAT invoices).

If you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to ask. Harry knows his stuff in this regard.

Work / I have a "zero" chance to succeed in Poland - I do not have a degree! [93]

I had a 6-month placement in my Bachelor's which was a vocational course. I collated information on The Times top 1000 companies on behalf of my uni. It was connected with Proctor & Gamble too. That was in 1998. I did grasscutting work in 1996 which really helped my physical condition, that helps too.

Yeah, we have internships, especially in the domain of IT-related courses.