Work / Any english teachers in Poland here with tips to share? [55]

thanks, good luck to you in Zory, I sometimes get caught up in rants about what I don't like about Poland, some Poles get very defensive, others try to change my perspective by painting a broader picture, others join in and bash their country worse then I ever would. I like all that, it's free speech, anyon should be able to complain about whatever bothers them. But its trut that there are many misconceptions about Poland that are unfortunate, one of them is that Poles love Americans and everything america-related. Not true, American arrogance has made them averse to Americans I'd say.

Like you I really enjoy talking to some of the 30-and-above adults who can share their views about what it was like during communism, and how things aree different today. Things like that make for great discussions.

Anyways, that's all, good luck!

News / Polish leftist/radical culture... [38]

Communists were the only group I could think of, but I figured I would be foolish to reduce the entire left to a mere communist cell.

News / Polish leftist/radical culture... [38]


Interesting point. Many American hicks react to the mere mention of the word 'left' in much the same manner. Many of them would love to see all leftists brutally massacred. But wouldn't such a complete, unqualified dismissal of an entire wing of the ideological spectrum serve as a censure upon the intellectual substance of the right? Your complete disinterest in identifying and engaging the ideas of the Left in Poland may not be representative of right wing sentiments, but the human tendency to make quick generalizations can't help but think that it is. That is why it is incumbent upon you to make your case by spelling your opinions out for us, or you'll always find yourself on the losing end of the argument.

Life / English bilingual publications in Poland [9]

I'm waiting until I have a writer's itch, so I can knock of a few submissions to send to various publications, and see what they do with it. If it doesn't bore you write a bit about how you got into it 'by accident', i'd like to know these things happen. At the civil rights organization I worked at we also dealt with gay issues, we were inclusionists so we made a big fuss about this gay only high school that was opening up. Ah I miss those hectic days... thanks for the tips!

Life / English bilingual publications in Poland [9]

Hey thanks LondonChick. I'm not in New York anymore, I'm right here 'on the grind' in Warsaw, glorying in my budding English-teaching career. I don't have a background in Journalism; I had contacts in New York that gave me opportunities, but these have been put hold until my girlfriend finishes her school.

I was very interested in the local political goings-on while I was in New York, and worked at a Civil Rights organization where I drafted newspaper articles for my boss there who wrote for the New York Post and Daily News; but unfortunately I was officially just an intern (who wore many hats) so I can't boast anything related to Journalism on my resume. That's why I've been looking into proofreading, because I can simply correct any publication that needs correcting, and submit that as proof of my competence (or incompetence.)

But I don't know if they are that open-minded here in Poland. In New York anything could happen if you could just impress the right people, that's how I got that job at the civil rights organization, but I have yet to test the waters here. Do you have any tips, pointers? I appreciate the help thanks!

Life / English bilingual publications in Poland [9]

No particular focus, I just discovered the New Warsaw Express today thanks sobieski, I've never heard of Interfax, I'll look it up now. Yeah I'm trying to see if its easier to get your foot in the door at some of these places than in New York, where it's just a constant rat race... My best opportunity would have been with Poland Monthly, they had a good format but obviously no proofreading, as their publications was full of incredible errors. I waited a bit too long to contact them and when I did, I as informed that someone else beat me to it.

Damn.

Work / Any english teachers in Poland here with tips to share? [55]

Well the Poles are our gracious hosts but at the same time we are rendering a service, so no need for either of us to kiss ass, I feel on an equal footing here with my students, I freely tell them what I like, and what I don't like about here, they tell me the same about their views of the US, the whole thing then becomes a stimulating experience for everyone...

Love / BLACK GUYS POLISH WOMEN [809]

That was interesting lightist, my experience is similar, except that I had a really hard time dealing with the stares. In New York if someone stares at you too long it's a fight, so I'o I instictively hate being stared at even though I know it's to be expected. I got used to it now. I had similar festive experiences with Poles here, I hope to have some more, but I'm still wary of going to a nightclub or something. And were I to frequent one it would be in Warsaw, never in a smaller town, I've turned down some opportunities to go partying in Zamosc. It depends on where you go, Zamosc itself is not that bad, although so far that's the only place where I've been taunted, and pointed at. Today I had a strange experience in Warsaw, I was walking with my girlfriend, when we came close to some white polish girl talking to two 'gangsta' black dudes. I can't imagine what she said to them, but they both turned around and grilled me worse than I've ever been grilled in Poland. So maybe it's not just me race, maybe it's me mug, i've just got one of those faces...(John Lennon said something like that once..)

History / Why has Poland been attacked so often by its neighbors? [180]


kind of, Jewish culture is very self-centered, so in a place like the United States where they have gone very far (all credit to them for that,) they get to spread their jew-centric vision of life to the entire nation.

Why do you say the Poles hated the jews as much as the germans?

Life / Poles' tolerance towards other Races [190]

Any of you read "Guns germs and steel" by Jared Diamond? It's a great book explaining some basic reasons why some cultures developed faster than others. It takes the story of how 100 spaniards defeated the Mayan empire, and explains multiple factors leading to this extraordinary event.

One example, the simple shape of continents. A wide geography like the one enjoyed by Europe and Asia means a similar climate across borders, the spread of cattle, as well as people and ideas. The north South spread of the Americas for example, made many cultures isolated from one another, animals also wouldn't travel very far from north to south, and people were less inclined to do so, so cultures didn't interact a much, and share technologies.

Work / Any english teachers in Poland here with tips to share? [55]


I didn't see that post before WTF?? I'm almost angry, here I am, paid for my own ticket, had to fight to get my own flat, earning crappy zloty - What school was this that hooked you up like that????

History / Why has Poland been attacked so often by its neighbors? [180]


I'm not sure what you're saying exactly but, nobody cares about the jews fate? If that's what you mean then you're dead wrong. Maybe here in Poland they don't care (I don't know if that's true) but I was raised in Switzerland, and when they taught us about the Holocaust, it was all about the Jews' massacre, I never even knew that Poland was attacked. I was also raised in New York, and same there, on tv, on the news, or in school, only the Jews suffered during the holocaust. Now I know it's not true, the Poles might have suffered even worse.

History / Why has Poland been attacked so often by its neighbors? [180]

even though Arien is a male, it's hilarious how having a female avatar makes people super nice to you...

Life / Who has moved to Poland in the last year? Swap stories. [115]

I moved from New York to Zamosc in January, and from Zamosc to Warsaw a month later. I would have liked living in a small town like Zamosc just for a change, but it turned out that that wasn't realistic or practical, so we moved to Warsaw, which I'm not too excited about. I love my little flat here in the centrum, which I share with my girlfriend, I love my cats, (our cat gave birth to two kittens, they're just hilarious,) and I like the new routine, waking up early in the morning to give english lessons. I used to do some catering in New York, club promoting, modeling, etc, so this is a pretty interesting change. Otherwise I can't find much to do around here.I haven't really made friends here which I didn't mind until recently, I'm starting to miss socializing. Language is a huge barrier, one I've been lazy to overcome, but the difficulties seem so daunting!

If I find a way to make some more money out of english teaching then I might actually stay here much longer than a year.

The weather is great! My friends are bruning alive in NYC right now! There are some issues with the being black thing, but I've discussed that enough in other topics.

Life / Polish Integration with other Nationalities [150]


No fool I'm talking about people in the streets of Poland making my race an issue. I can't halt them and have a reasoned debate with them. So I come here and vent about it, most ignore it, some respond, and so far I've learned a lot. So it was a rather good idea of mine.

And being stared at is annoying, but I'm getting over it. What's worse were when I was called Czarnuch or somethin glike that. Or another time when I was taunted for no reason. And the frowns when I hold my girlfriend's hand. I can complain

Life / Polish Integration with other Nationalities [150]

I already did in other posts. I mentioned the hospitality of people here, everytime I've been in someone's home it's been a blast, abundant food. I like my students they're cool. I like the weather, my friends are all frying in New York while I'm prancing around in fair weather. I like my girlfriend, she's Polish. I like Zamosc, I like the old town there, I like the nature. I think the cemeteries look cool and scary.

No New Yorker likes being stared at, it's like capital offense number 1 in the street - don't stare, and when you get caught doing it, look away. The shocking thing here is that people continue staring even when you catch them, that's been mentioned by a few people on here, it's pretty funny

Life / Polish Integration with other Nationalities [150]


I don't really think you can 'implement' multiculturalism. But I think the government here is trying to encourage it in some parts, like Warsaw, but mostly amon the business class of course. The Euro2012 is another factor, more foreigners will come through here than ever before! Wonder how that's gonna play out with Polish hooligans...

Life / Polish Integration with other Nationalities [150]

There were more of you, but I can't remember all the names. The whole argument about multiculturalism got messy and incoherent. To make my position clear, if you care to know it, here it is.

1. Poland is mostly polish, and I'm happy about that. I wish it were more Polish. I came here hoping to live something different, only to find the same busy streets, ugly apartment buildings, huge commercial centers that superbound in my memories of home and other cities like Paris. So in a sense I feel robbed of an exciting experience, I wanted true Polish culture, but the streets, the TV, the people, look just like their counterparts in other big cities in the world. (I know there are true-blue polish parts, hopefully I'll have a look before I leave.

2. I get stared at a lot here, that bothers me, but it was to be expected, I'm
already getting over it.

-what wasn't to be expected was the number of mean-spirited bigots here, not
huge, but too much for comfort. And another worrisome trend is the skinhead,
hooligan culture among the youth that should just be dealt with somehow. Not
just for my sake, but for the sake of a peaceful football match for Christ's sake.

3. I support multiculturalism as long as its genuine, and it's not forced. In the US the tension between whites and blacks plays out mostly between whites and African-Americans, whose ancestors were forced there and mistreated up until recently. The black immigrants who migrated to the US during the 20th century are much better off.

4. I don't think Poland should be made into a multicultural haven, but immigration shouldn't be actively resisted. B!tch out your parliamentarians for tighter immigration rules, but don't B!tch out the people for finding your country appealing.

So this was just to make clear that I'm not against Poland being so completely homogenous. Perhaps instead of it being 98% polish, I think it could be 90% polish, 10% foreign, just so as to give a certain degree of representation to the minorities that will always be here no matter what.

Life / Polish Integration with other Nationalities [150]


Well its understandable that if others make my race an issue, then it becommes one for me, one I feel I must discuss. And this has been the case in Poland, where my race has been an issue, and so I raised the issue on these forums here to see hat people would have to say in reasoned debate. It's not an obsession, it's just relevant to me because of the situation here in Poland, that's just obvious. In never had to talk about this, or when I did the tables were turned - I would lecture other black people about their lazy, criminal, ghetto-fabulous lifestyles that made it hard for regular blacks like me to get a job. Or I would argue with them about how there shouldn't be affirmative action, and that we shouldn't get reparations for slavery. So they call me racist too, but against "your own people." But I'm just striking the middle ground of common sense. Intolerance is wrong no matter where you go. When it is present, it must be addressed somehow.


Yeah the aspect that makes some groups among the natives more kind and tolerant.


you posted some blog from some conservative christian, whose ravings I must take witha grain of salt. Multiculturalism isn't Eden, but it isn't Hell, I can well believe that it has become unmanageable in some parts of the world, but it has been successful in others.


No I mean proliferate within Poland. And if there were no other ethnicities in Poland other than Poles, which is almost the truth, racism is still possible, against tourists who come through, or hapless wanderers.


"all looking the same?" I could say the same thing about Warsaw. Anyways, this debate with you and a couple of others has been instructive for me, but I think my point got lost somewhere since I'm getting accused of opinions I don't hold. I think I should post a topic about it

Life / Polish Integration with other Nationalities [150]


Supremacists of any stripe pose a danger, not just muslims. And I'm sure that this Bavarian pub you're talking about was friendly enouugh for you to have a drink there along with many other customers, so what's disgusting about that? Muslim chanting? I hope it's disgusting just for being bad, not for being muslim.


Nice try, but that's just called putting words into someone else's mouth. And my obsession with racial issues wouldn't be so great if there weren't guys like you, Grzegorz_, southern, tomek, noimmigration, etc, to bring it out of me. It's kind of fun for me though I've had a boring week-end.

Life / Polish Integration with other Nationalities [150]


That's not true. [planetaislam.com/poland/report.html]

"Some reports from this time mention a number of 200.000 Muslims and as many as 160 mosques."

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam_in_Poland


Why? Why would you give a crap about that if you could still have a drink and the company of some friends?


Wtf? How could you radically misinterpret that statement I made? I just pointed out that your multicultural tradition was destroyed by the likes of Hitler and Stalin. It doesn't follow that you're with them if your against it. Perhaps, but that's another debate entirely.

Life / Polish Integration with other Nationalities [150]

I don't fancy black women either, but I wouldn't post such a stupid picture to prove my point, it's not funny, it's racist...man...I really was the last person one would expect to turn PC.

Life / Polish Integration with other Nationalities [150]

I wouldn't touch either black woman in that photo, nor would I touch the white woman behind them. Is that woman representative of all white women, no - I would be retarded to use her as an example, and I would be just as retarded to use those black women as an example of black female physical appearance.

Life / Polish Integration with other Nationalities [150]

that's cool, but aren't you pissed off that the country's cultural tradition was destroyed by ******** (hitler, Stalin, etc...)

Work / Any english teachers in Poland here with tips to share? [55]

"Bara Bara" good to know...I once misheard what one of my students said, so I said "Kupa" like five times before they nearly passed out laughing (they were kids.) turned out they were talking about someone named "Kuba".

Michal I'm in Warsaw, I got here in February and have been teaching english since then. I never thought I would be caught dead teaching (I hated all my teachers and always made fun of them,) but turns out it's okay, I like the autonomy. The pay isn't epic, but it isn't bad. The demand is huge so I feel pretty secure doing this. No shortage of work. Sometimes I wonder though if my students are learning anything or not. I have no experience as a teacher, but I'm winging it.

However I'm wondering what else I might do besides teach english here? Of course, it would have to relate to english. I'm trying proofreading, I want to see if its possible to get in on some writing for any of the english publications...

Life / Polish Youth - are they violent? [71]


ah yes that makes a lot of sense it does...

Love / BLACK GUYS POLISH WOMEN [809]

Yeah black girls get super jealous about that crap and have given me hell for it. "what we ain't good enough for you?? you think you better than us???" And it's true that interracial couples will always be kind of taboo, but back home the only people who gave me crap were other eastern europeans. A couple of russian guys started growling at me like dogs on the train once, but overall nobody cares. Big difference here in Warsaw.


I'm black, any white supremacist will vouch for that and hunt my @ss down, not all black people have the same skin tone, same for white people. Anyways my family is mostly haitian, my grandmother is cuban that's about it.

And I have barely seen any africans here, the ones I do see are just walking down the street so no I haven't made any African friends here. But I've known Africans in New York, in France and Switzerland, it's a bit off to say that they're stupid. Some are, somme aren't. Same with Poles isn't it?


Shoudn't it do something about all the stupid and dangerous hooligans first?