Travel / What is it like in Jastrzębie-Zdrój? [6]

It is a small city (not by Polish standards but by American). Very "normal" or usual polish community. Not a lot to do there, the closest big city is Katowice about 1 hr. away. Lots of bus transportation available though. It has it own small "town" area but only a few blocks. Don't look for any gourmet markets or haute couteur (SP). Just normal people, most live in apartments which they call "blocks". They do have a McDonalds. Anything else, just ask, my husband is from Jastrzebie.

Life / Customer Service in Poland, what are your experiences? [106]

And what's the funniest to me is that the people who live there just take like it is the normal way to do business.

Life / Customer Service in Poland, what are your experiences? [106]

Actually, we've found that's it gotten better since the first time I was in Poland in 1993! Back then it was a real shock to go shopping in a store or to go to a restaurant. I lost my temper once in a small deli in Zakopane - it was early and I don't drink coffee in Poland as back then it was "turkish coffee" which to me is just grounds and hot water. There was a long list of items to choose from on the sign behind the counter girl. I started at the top and asked for: white cheese - she responded (all the while looking past me at the door behind me) nie ma; yellow cheese - nie ma, kielbase - nie ma, ham - nie ma - and on and on and finally I ordered tea with lemon and was told - nie ma czytryna. I blew my stack and said very not nicely (and much to the shock of my Polish father-in-law and brother in law "kurwa mac - nic nie masz" and stormed out of the store.

Life / To all of you who are Polish - where did you learn English? [64]

I helped my husband learn and in the beginning we found that one of the easiest ways to learn was t watch cartoons on TV. I still correct him after 16 years but only when he gets lazy.

Life / What is there to do in Warsaw?? [37]

At a stand next to the ice cream stand in Stare Miasto.

Life / What is there to do in Warsaw?? [37]

No, I know what zapiekanka are - kind of a Polish pizza boat. These things look like breadsticks and they poke a hole in them with a long stick and put in the most wonderful sauce filled with mushrooms and onions and who knows what else but they are heaven!

Life / What is there to do in Warsaw?? [37]

Learn something about the folk history of the country - take your girl to a Mazowsze or Slask concert at the concert hall. There used to be an awesome flea market in Warsaw but the last time I was there it wasn't anymore. So to the Old Town and eat these great bread rolls that are filled with mushrooms and onions (anyone know what these are called?)

Language / 'przytulic' cannot ever be properly translated into English [33]

Hmm - but cute can be used for an action as well such as a small child licking his ice cream and then giving it to his dog for a lick too. Some people would say "awww, isn't that cute - he's sharing with his puppy!"

Language / 'przytulic' cannot ever be properly translated into English [33]


Where are you from?

Language / 'przytulic' cannot ever be properly translated into English [33]

Yes but that doesn't cover when something really isn't very attractive or pretty but can be "cute". Can't think of a concrete example but it's used all the time in the US - ok - for example - a teeny tiny little frog - we would call that cute but what would you say in Polish? Certainly not cudny, sliczny, slodki, mily, ladny, etc?

Language / 'przytulic' cannot ever be properly translated into English [33]

Right - that's what one most often hears but it doesn't have the same meaning as cute.

Language / 'przytulic' cannot ever be properly translated into English [33]

But you wouldn't say "ale jaki uroczy kotek"???

Language / Common mistakes made by foreigners in Polish [90]

or saying "I will be have" or "no you business" (I love that one :)

Language / Common mistakes made by foreigners in Polish [90]

Oh - the use of the word "must". When I met my husband and all his Polish friends, they would always say "you must this" and "you must that" and I, being an American where you almost never use the word must except when talking about dying or taxes would get bent out of shape about it. I later learned that they were literally translating the word "musi" as must but it doesn't have the same meaning when you use it that way.

For example "musimy isc na zakupy" they would translate to "we must go shopping which meant "you must take me shopping" and I'd say like heck I have to take you anywhere.

Language / Common mistakes made by foreigners in Polish [90]

(You kinda have to have lived in Poland to appreciate this one ) My first visit to Poland my fiancee took me to visit his grandmother who was quite poor and lived in a small village. I knew very little Polish but had tried to learn a little so when they of course asked me if I wanted something to drink I said "filizanka herbata prosze". My fiancee looked kinda shocked but I thought it was because he didn't know that I knew that much in Polish. They went to their china closet and took out their best china cup and gave me tea in it. It was only later that he told me that most people in Poland drink tea in glasses and it was kinda "snooty" to ask for a "filizanka", especially of one's grandmother the first time you met her! I'm sure they thought "Well, that's an American for you"!

Travel / Going to Kraków, Gdańsk, Słupsk, Szczecin... [10]

Krakow is a lovely old city with lots of charm. I don't know anyone that doesn't love Krakow. Oswiecim - it is really an experience, speechless is how I best describe my visit there. Warsaw - is probably best experienced with someone from Poland who knows the ins and outs.

Never been to slupsk or szczecin

Travel / US to Poland - the best place for tickets in July? [10]

Alexx,

Do you know which Amerpol travel? Michigan or Chicago?

Thanks

Love / CZERWIEC (JUNE) -- A POLISH WEDDING MONTH [9]

Hmmm - I don't think that was it :)

Love / CZERWIEC (JUNE) -- A POLISH WEDDING MONTH [9]

Hi,

Quite a nice piece you wrote. Since you seem to know something about this subject, maybe you might have heard of this old custom? I live in the US and my family is Polish. Many many years ago when all of the older aunts were still alive, when someone from the family got married, the older women along with the bride & bridegroom's mother's would take off her veil, and then put a diaper (clean) or incase of no small babies, a pair of little girls underwear on the head of the groom (I swear to god they did - I have pictures of this) and then sing some sort of song which has been long forgotten in my family. If you;ve heard of this custom and may know which song this is (some sort of fertility ritual it seems), please let me know!

Travel / I miss Kraków... What do You miss...? [95]


1986 - Ch Sakes - two decades have passed since then! I hope no one every judges you on how they knew you 22 years past! Someone might say - last time I saw him he was puking and sh -ing in his pants!

Travel / Does a strong Zloty damage Poland's tourism [14]


Hi, I'm in the States - do you mean 107 British Pounds? Yikes, that is the price of some of the best hotels here!

Life / Cool Polish names [133]

My maiden name was Biedrzycka. Talk about not being able to pronounce a name.

Life / Cool Polish names [133]

Wait a minute, wait a minute - you just hit on a VERY sore spot for me. Call me racist but WHY can other people make up names for their children like shayola, raayneesha, vaneesha, etc. (you get what I mean) and if someone DARES mispronounce it, they get a look that kills not to mention DON'T EVER ask Where is that name from! Not to mention that in sports, the announcers will take great pains to get some names right but it seems that if someone has an Eastern European name, it's okay to say it in "American" or give them a nickname! I disagree completely - name you son Andrzej and don't let anyone call him anything but. My husband's name is Radoslaw and he absoutely hates how Americans shorten every name and call him "Rad". Sorry for the ranting but I just had to get this off my chest!

Language / 'przytulic' cannot ever be properly translated into English [33]

How about "cute"? Or the phrase" you sound like" or "it sounds like" or "he/she/they sound like"

Love / My polish g/f can be a nightmare,is it always like this [262]


No, I wasn't using the thread's originator as a basis. My husband if from Poland and it is his family and our friends to whom I am referring.

The differences are too numerous to count -I think in almost every way they are different either from myself (who may not be a good representative of an American woman) but also from most of the women I know.

Love / My polish g/f can be a nightmare,is it always like this [262]


That's all any of us can do when it comes down to it.


Really, I think that there is a world of difference from the way we dress, to the way we treat our men :) I also think that there is a big difference between Polish men and American men.

Love / My polish g/f can be a nightmare,is it always like this [262]

I'm not sure it has anything to do with weak. The tradition in the US used to be one of the woman takes care of the house and husband (every see any of those old TV shows from the 50's and early 60's) and the husband brings home the "bread". Then everything changed and now the woman doesn't want to seem to "cater" to her man and she can provide for herself - thank you very much. So, it's just a different lifestyle.

Love / My polish g/f can be a nightmare,is it always like this [262]

You're right they don't. Don't get me wrong - I think Polish men are great - I have one myself. They are taught by the archetypical Matron of the family to be polite and gentlemanly and but sometimes to people outside of the culture it looks like they are taken advantage of.

Love / My polish g/f can be a nightmare,is it always like this [262]

hmm, are you saying if more men in the us let their women abuse them then the divorce rate wouldn't be so high? :)

Love / My polish g/f can be a nightmare,is it always like this [262]

Yeah, that's the weirdest thing is that the guys attached to these women are totally blind to the dynamics of the relationship and don't think that there is anything wrong whatsoever. That's just the opinion of an American woman.