News / Demographic twilight of Poland and Europe [14]

Is the answer not that we should just have more sex?

Pull the plug on the electricity supply and there'll be a baby boom.

(No PF though)ha ha ha...

I am not quite sure but if I remember correctly Ireland has the youngest population and Poland was next in E.U., so may be the Irish and Poles are getting jiggy with it?

Travel / BIKING in POLAND [75]


It is I recommend it to anyone. I will try to get more comprehendable information and maps (in English).


Come over it is a free world, if you can afford it but things are cheap here in comparison to America.
I don't know about paths in Gorlice but there ought to be in that neck of the woods.

UK, Ireland / The Polish experience in Ireland [15]

The poor Poles in all that rain.... it breaks my heart

UK, Ireland / Integrating Polish people into the British society [150]

I worked on a farm in Ross-on-Wye in England one summer for a couple of months many years ago well about 13.
Peeling onions was the main job, for cobery farms, John Chin. We got 3:50 pound an hour, no over time, it was a 7 day week for 9 hours a day (sometimes 12 but that was by chose).

We even had to buy our own knives to cut them.
All 50 of us were put into a house in completely cramped conditions.
I claimed farm house rights (something like squatting) and refused to work weekends.
The locals were well angry at us, we got paid 50p an hour more than they did.
This John Chin guy was a right so and so, his Uncle was on the town council and this made him some how untouchable.
I tell you the things that used to go on, on that farm. Chemicals in the potatoes, bags of onions came in from Egypt and we would put them into Cobrey Farms bags, underpaying etc...

Apart from that I do think people live up their own bums, super markets are cheap because they drive down prices, the factory workers get lower wages in the end, so that you can have cheap goods.

The problem is with the customer and the Employer.
I rang up various agencies and reported what was going on in John Chin's farms.

---

We did cry from the onions every morning for the first half hour and then again after our one fifteen minute brake a day.

I still love onions and met some great people there, one guy in particular that is a very good friend even now.
I still like onions and Ross-on-Wye is a very beautiful town and the people are great and musical. But the sh*ts I worked for hated Irish, I was the only one mind you, i still hate being called "Paddy" by an English man.

Anyway I worked and went trekking in Nepal for a month with the money I had saved up.

I kinda lost my point there....something about if you by cheap goods it usually means cheap labour and how people blame the foreigners instead of the employers.

Love / Who makes a good Polish wife? [75]


We used to call them match makers. Arranged marriage used to be common place here in Europe. I am happy it is gone.


This is good advice, I think you will frighten a lot of women talking about marriage so quickly.

Love / Who makes a good Polish wife? [75]


ha ha ha, my mother could burn water ha ha ha.


I see, that is tricky, why don't you come up here and travel around but come in summer because I think the winters would be too cold for you.


I think he fancies white Catholics, he is Catholic. Not a bad criteria.

Love / Who makes a good Polish wife? [75]

Ha ha ha, roynelson you are really trying.
The way it reads is funny.
I think most people will tell you it is not down to the nationality but the two people in the relationship.
Are you worried or is there pressure on you to marry?

News / Polish skin - why pink; would it survive in hot countries? [30]

Hello again roynelson,

I was not happy with my previous answer to you question and I would like to explain it better.
There is a chemical in skin called melanin, this chemical protects the skin from the sun (UVB-radiation), people who live in hotter countries have more melanin in their skin which gives them a darker complexion and people who live in countries with less sun have less melanin (e.g. Poland), so basically the less sun there is the less melanin is in your skin.(Albinos have very little to no melanin).


If you do find love and bring a Polish woman to U.A.B, just make sure she has sunblock on and is not exposed to direct sun light for long periods of time (especially between 12:00 and 15:00 p.m. the hottest part of the day). She will know herself.

Do you know the expression "putting the cart before the horse" it means to do the second thing first. First you should find a woman that is compatible and fall in love and don't worry too much.

Good luck.

Travel / BIKING in POLAND [75]

Definitely, all kinds of bikes in shops here, no problem.
There is a place called "Chełm" that has a ski lift and it runs all year round so in summer people throw their bikes on get a lift up the mountain (about 20 minutes) through the forest and cycle back down, there are ramps in the forest too. And cushions on some of the trees just in case. more importantly there is a bar restaurant at the top with great views. There's no place like Chełm, (pronounced like home)

Travel / BIKING in POLAND [75]

All around the Beskid mountains, there are treks and cycle paths on the way from Krakow to Zakopane. I'd be well up for something like that.

Life / Fingerprint Information - where to get it done in Warsaw? [11]

Perhaps try the Embassy in Warsaw to which country you need to send the information?
Good luck

News / Venezuela is voted happiest place to live ,Poland? [33]


Ah ha! good point.
Cycling is a fantastic was to see a country. Come up with a rough plan and maybe PF could point out liitle diamonds in the rough, I recommend Krakow and south to the mountains and forrest. I can be much more discriptive, if you like?

---

Back on topic, I have notice that Americans and Irish will brag about how great we are doing (even if it is not entirly true). Were Poles will brag about how difficult their life is (even if it is not entirly true) ha ha, it is the same thing, except exactly opposite.

Also About Happy Poland, I have this to add.
I have to talk about Ireland in relation to Poland because since joining the E.U. both thier economies have shot up, unemployment is down, things are going very well for the majority of people in both countries.

So it annoys me when people talk about how Ireland or Poland has lost it's true character and how people were happier, friendlier and things were better when foreigners came to visit.

The truth is they were visiting and things were shite, unemployment in both countries, Dublin in 1989 was the Heroin capital of Europe (per capita) it was a very bad state of affairs altogether.

Now things are going well foreigners complain, as if we should be poor and not have toilets and dance around them. HHhhmmm

Travel / Driving from Faro, Portugal to Krakow, any advice? [21]


I never knew you could dislike it. Is is too busy or something, I will of course see for myself but I am curious.


AAhhh... that is not cheap :], is wine not the local drink? You probably know how good polish/Lithuanian/Czech beer is, can you compare it or better off sticking to wine? how much is a bottle or glass of good wine? Any suggestions?.

I know Spanish people like good food, I'll have to swim it all off :0)


I will try to cheak it out


I had to read this twice, ha ha, I plan driving along the coast as much as possible, I do miss the sea. Here in Poland in the mountains south of Krakow I live right beside a river which is perfect for having a swim, it is not the ocean but it is very enjoyable.


I have never been to Czech either.

---

I have spend my whole life travelling.
I was brought up travelling with my parents bringing me to Israel, (former) Yugoslavia, America, Mexico etc .. etc.. I used to speak Mexican when I was growing up and English with a Spanish accent.

When i became old enough, I have always tried to travel outside of Europe, thinking that because i am young I can do things that I will not be able for when I become older e.g. 21 hours on a bus, sleeping in ditches ha ha ha (it was not all like that).

And that when I was older I would travel more around Europe and Ireland but I am very happy to have this opportunity of going through Europe from South west to North East (blah blah blah Poland is in North East from Portugal ha ha).

Cheers for all the tips.
I am well excited and I'll post pics.

Matbe I ought to ask people what they think of Poland and put it on the speaking thread like Osiol suggested once, would be interesting, we'll see.

News / Venezuela is voted happiest place to live ,Poland? [33]


Zero, I have never even heard of that.
Would the driver not be afraid that if the bicyclist caught up with him in a petrol/gas station, that the cyclist would knock three lumps of shtuff out of him? That would drive me bonkers. Do they do that just for "fun"? and what kind of stuff do they throw? beer cans of bottles?.


I like America a lot but would the same farmers invite you in the homes, if you were black or Arab Muslim?. I do not want to turn this in to a black/Mulim/white thing but my point is that Polish farmers would see you as a foreigner, know what I mean? Times they are a changing.

I would say this, in Ireland I have many "friends" and some good friends. In Poland they seem to cut out the jokers and just have fewer friends but good friends.

It is too easy to look at the negatives of life, come over scratch the surface and I am sure you will be delighted!.

Travel / Driving from Faro, Portugal to Krakow, any advice? [21]


Wow, I never even thought of that, cheers.


Cool, My Bro lived there for three years, I never got the chance I have now, Yyyyeeepppyyy!!!


How much are we talkin here? 5 euro 50 times?
I have just come back from Norway, it was 9 Euro for a pint of beer. I think I'll be stickin to the wine around spain and itlay, any recommendations on cheap delicious wines?


It just makes it all the better ;0)

---

Wow, sounds magikal. I will check it out, swim in it and take a photo for you!


Again just adding to my pleasure.

---

Sure youz are all invited to meet up, be it in a tapas bar, hitch hiking just for the drive, corniche d'or, a swim in the Limmat on any given Saturday before seeing the boats and the Bentleys of Cannes then out to stay the night in one of the smaller towns then Strasbourg Across Germany, Czech Republic, Krakow, and then up the mountains to the south.

What about the Alps? anyone got any pointers on the other mountain range in Europe, ha ha ha.

Thanks for all your advise.

News / Venezuela is voted happiest place to live ,Poland? [33]

Ok, I don't know why but I have been thinking about this thread, I am not Polish at all but I live here and I find the questions flawed, I felt somehow defensive about these cultural misunderstanding as if it were my own culture, just an observation, I must be "fitting in".

1. Are polish people rude?
It is difficult to answer this, I am serious, different cultures put different emphases on what politeness is. I will attempt an explanation, In Poland it is considered rude to speak a laud (unless among friends), so when someone (Irish or American) talk loud it would be considered rude to a pole and if someone is rude, you'll be rude back. Know what I mean?

(I used American and Irish because I think we are the loudest).

2. Do Polish smile often?
Again I would have to say there is a cultural difference. Polish people do not smile with their mouths much but they smile with their eyes, if you can pick up this subtle difference you will see they smile a lot.

3. Are Polish people less compasionate?
I am not a 100% on what you mean here, are Cambodians any more or less compassionate than Ecuadorians? Maybe you mean passionate? and again who do you compare them to? Latinos? Japanese?.

4. Are polish people forgiving?
Masks98 put it best.


5. Are Polish people too serious?
About certain things, I think so but I would say that Irish people are too serious about certain issues and not serious enough about others.

A very good article I read recently was about the breaking away from communism and how the older generation had to fight so hard for their freedoms that now all they know is how to fight. In comparison to Ireland politics is not too serious and in comparison to America (where it seems to be 'just another' talk show) yes.

6. Do you feel honesty and trust when meeting them?
Is this a silly question? I understand that some of the second generation Poles in America hear bad things from their Grandparents but these are different times, desperate people do desperate things, now Poland is doing better as regards to work, economically and even politically.

I will put it this way I have never felt under threat here. I know there are some threads about being attacked but even they say it could've happened anywhere, no?.

These questions were very loaded, almost expecting a negative answer. It could of course just be me. But they read to me like Poland is a rude, unforgiving, miserable, dangerous place, isn't it? (expecting an agreeable answer). Again it could just be me taking offence for some strange reason or more than likely I am loosing the plot.

Although I found these questions interesting.
I do find cultural differences and misunderstandings and they should be discussed more, so good post!.

News / Polish skin - why pink; would it survive in hot countries? [30]

Hello roynelson,


I think people from north Europe have pail skin because it is colder, look at any world map. I am from Ireland and Polish people are a little darker skinned than in Ireland because our summers are not as hot as they are in Poland i.e. Polish people can handle the sun better than Irish people. I hope this explains your question.


Thinking of getting a pink skinned wife?

Love / Tricky situation, should I refuse or accept? Forced to be an English teacher in Poland. [23]


HA HA HA HA, I love it!

Travel / Driving from Faro, Portugal to Krakow, any advice? [21]


I swear, half the enjoyment is making others jealous, I am a bastard at heart. ha ha ha.


A few Euro, nothing crazy?

One of the worst things about living in Poland is that everything jumps up in price once you leave, I'll have to fill the suitcase with Vodka and... well more vodka.

---

Super Barney.

I will be driving a Subaru Forrester, with all the bells and whistles.
This is fantastic, loads of info already, tell us more, please.

Love / Tricky situation, should I refuse or accept? Forced to be an English teacher in Poland. [23]


dare I ask...... yeah go on then, what happened? i am so nosy sometimes.

Travel / Driving from Faro, Portugal to Krakow, any advice? [21]

Wahldo fantastic, I am there!

I love to swim! It is amazing that Zurich is a bog city, yet the water is clear and people swim in it.

And PF modifiers remember that the end result is Krakow, Poland. So it is a kind of Europe leading to Poland thread.

Noted by "Modifier" ;)

Travel / Driving from Faro, Portugal to Krakow, any advice? [21]


Thanks, You know the way you have a picture in your head about a place , well in my head Monaco looks the Beez Kneez!
Actually the annes brings up another great point any festivals? I could do a good festival or two, I know it is late in the year but party people never sleep, do they?

---

I have noticed here in Poland and in Ireland and Norway...actually all over the place that the motorways are great for getting from A to B but you miss out on the villages and getting lost part.

Love / Tricky situation, should I refuse or accept? Forced to be an English teacher in Poland. [23]


Swap her for Polish lessons? (hey, isn't your month of learning Polish up?)
2. Don't worry, you'll be grand. I hope...
3. I do not know the exact circumstances but from reading your post it sounds like you know the answer?

Oh, don't take guidance from me, is my advise :)

Travel / Driving from Faro, Portugal to Krakow, any advice? [21]


I do this quite often, as I work here in Poland and in Lithuania, actually I am driving (about 13 hours one way) to Lithuania this week and back.

I don't know anything about these places really, have you been to any of them?.
Any time I see Zurich I think it says Zurek, so you see i need all the advice i can get , ha ha ha

Travel / Driving from Poznan to Croatia. Best way? [23]

Nice one Zgubiony,
i was in Dubrovnik before it was Croatia, for three months.
I loved it I had an amazing summer with friends.
Then the war broke out and I have not been back since.
I see the bullet holes in some of the walls.
I hope that was the last war in Europe, I can dream can;t I?

---

You might be just the man to ask, I am going to drive from Portugal to Krakow, I know it is a different route but I do not want the quickest way possibly, any suggestions?

Life / Religions in Poland. [64]

Well another way of looking at it is, can you trust people who:
A). Don't believe in your imaginary God(s)? (not you Seanus)
B). Believe in their own?

Funny, if it were just one man, this would be a totally different discussion about a nutter.

Life / Religions in Poland. [64]

I would not think that just because people read something they are aligned to it either, well in most cases.
Religion comes with geography and specific times.
Most Polish are Catholic because they were not born and raised in Nepal or because they were born in Poland at THIS TIME.
I do not think blind faith means that a member of a said religion attacks another religion because "it suffices that they are different so they can attack" all the time.

Catholics and Protestants in Ireland do not hate people of the Baha'i faith, get it?

Life / Religions in Poland. [64]

AGAIN I understood you are not aligned with any particular faith. laddy
History for me is ALL about understanding, that's why it can and does change.
It is curious as an observer not when you have "blind" faith.
Simple
Silly people killing each other over their imaginary Gods is pathetic.

Life / Religions in Poland. [64]

Seanus, just to get it straight are you not talking about history? I am not trying to label you, I am just trying to understand your point, i am also curious but religion is not really for the curious, not asking certain questions is the back bone of any religion, I think you know what I mean? is it not religion and it's history you are curious about and how they came about?

I don't think anyone needs religion or God.