UK, Ireland / Tell me about Glasgow [59]

Glasgow can be a very dangerous place especially for males. Gangs of Glaswegian teenagers, mostly armed with knives, roam and are known to attack people at random for no apparent reason.

I am originally from Glasgow and recently lived there between 2003-2006. I didn't feel safe especially in the city centre at the weekend.
However, most Glasgow people are extremely friendly and helpful. They will welcome you into their homes and take great delight in introducing Scottish culture, food and drinks.

Glagow also has some extraordinary architecture, most of which is missed because the majority of people don't look above shop-level.
If you are considering moving to Glasgow go to the west-end and the student areas. Avoid areas like Toryglen and most of the east-end. Don't be frightened to ask Glasgow police for advice, however, housing authorities may well not tell you the complete truth(my experience).

Powodzenia, Murdo.

Life / Things to be afraid of in Poland? [109]

I have lived in Poland for the last two years and have found nothing to be afraid of so far. The majority of Poles are very friendly and I have made many friends, however, if you are going to a small city do not expect many people to speak or understand English, so it's a good idea to learn how to 'do your day' in Polish. Phrase-books are not too helpful as the spoken language differs greatly from how it looks. If you want my advice, buy an audio language cd with an accompanying workbook, make some Polish friends on arrival and get them to help you with pronunciation.

Be aware that the majority of Poles are very religious(Roman catholic) and do not show any disrespect of their beliefs.

Should you require any more advice from an expat Scot living here, don't hesitate to..........

Powidzenia(good luck), Murdo.

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

There's an old Chinese parable about a monk travelling on foot who encounters a fellow traveller coming from the village he is heading to. The traveller asks the monk about how the people in the last village he visited were towards him. The monk replied with a question asking the traveller the same question. The traveller said that the people were unfriendly, inhospitable and downright rude. The monk then told him to expect the same.

Happy trails........ Murdo.