USA, Canada / Need help finding a polish bakery in chicago [10]

Oak Mill is good, but it lacks the "polishness" I guess. Its rather americanized, and quite pricey.

Language / LASKA- CHICK, BABE OR BIRD? [12]

I think either chick or babe, but to me laska seems as a derogative term. My husband calls me babe, and I think its cute. But if he would call me laska, I'd give him a dirty look and remind him we are not part of the crowd hanging around the polish "bloki".

For some reason laska to me seems like a slutty girl.

Life / Buying a Phone in Warsaw - where to get English manual? [11]

Did you go into an Orange salon? check out what phones they have, they will 99% have an english manual included. you can either try getting the same phone elsewhere cheaper, or of course, Ebay is your friend

Work / Finance Capital of Poland??? [9]


Depends on what kind of school you finished abroad, where you worked abroad.

If you have big 4 experience they lust, and pay you quite well to reward foreign experience. But your 1 yr experience is equivalent to almost an internship, so I wouldn't count it as that much.

Have 5-7yrs of big 4 experience in actg, and you'll get 30-35,000pln a month.

Life / Buying a Phone in Warsaw - where to get English manual? [11]

Well if you check out the prices of electronics in reputable stores w/waranties, to say the prices on ebay, there is a dramatic price difference. Sometimes 2 or 3 times the difference.

Personally, i'd buy a new piece online with the manual in English, and on ebay to save. I got a philips phone for $50usd, the same one in Orange salon was well over $120 after currency exchange conversion.

I still can't believe in downtown Warsaw for the Orange salon not to have manuals in english, just weird

Language / LASKA- CHICK, BABE OR BIRD? [12]

That's what I'm referring to "ale laska" started out near polskie bloki, any time a sluttier, skankier dressed girl walked by... not necessarily pretty.

Life / What is your experience about giving birth in Poland? [12]

My sister in law gave birth a couple months ago in Gdansk, and its a lot different than what BeckyinJozefow writes. Either times have changed a lot, or the difference is cause Gdansk is huge & more modern.

The hospital was new or updated, because it looked nicer than some of those in the US. She did have to share a room with other ladies. The weird part was that no one can come visit you to your room to see the baby. They have a big open room/hallway, and they bring out the baby and everyone stands around there. I thought that was akward.

Also, in Poland it still depends how much $$$ you give a dr for your care. If you give some extra cash, you get better care. That's what it boils down to. You want to make sure YOUR doctor is there when you give birth? Then you pay him extra to make sure he'll be there. No excuses of "he has a cold". You want less ladies in your room, you have some special requests, show the $$ and they are taken care of.

Technology is there, computers are hooked up... at least in Gdansk they were to my sis-in-law. She had a complication free birth. Not sure how it would go if problems arose, are they as prepared as US hospitals for all situations.

As for midwifery in Poland. I dont know how that will be viewed to be honest. People there lack medical care, takes a long time for most to get the true medical attention they deserve, so given a chance for problems, I dont know if the average Pole wants to do this at home.

Travel / Krakow going down the toilet! [184]


Boy what 4 years does! That area is now real nice with the Galeria coming in. Real estate prices shot up, and people started finally taking care of some of their buildings. Its getting much better.

Life / Paying bribes in Poland - necessity or a luxury? [41]

A family member too is building a home, and know what you mean. To install the electricity was a 4 month work order. Which after follow up turned to 6 months. But when he went to the office, took the guy out for a beer and bribed him, look at that electricity was installed in 3 weeks.

Stupid TP is one you can't bribe, otherwise you'd have to bribe half the company! So instead of a home line, there will have to be a satellite phone. They said waiting for a phone line could take 9+ months. In the age of technology, I couldn't believe this.

On the inspector bribe, they are pricey. We had a difference from plan by 0.5 meter and they asked 5,000zl for it. Negotiations still under way :/

Life / Paying bribes in Poland - necessity or a luxury? [41]

That's exactly where we are at right now. Determining if the bribe will be less, or paying the architecht to do a revised plan.

It is the exterior wall that is 0.52 meter out. Up to 0.50 they said was "forgiveable". Perhaps that means a lesser amount to bribe.

There was no developer or builder. Every part of the house was organized by someone else. So the murarz is the one that messed up and read the plan wrong. But he's off building with row homes near Warsaw and unreachable. Ahh, poland!

Life / Paying bribes in Poland - necessity or a luxury? [41]


The home is on a rather bigger field/lot. So no issues with neighbors or being to close to the street. The only prob will be to pay off the inspector at the end when the home is complete.


Just cause Poland is in the EU, doesn't mean it will change to be like other western european countries. Lots of professions are paid poorly just because of the perception of how much they will rack in monthly in bribes.

Life / WHAT WILL $1 and $100 BUY IN POLAND? [20]

$6.70 a gallon!! and we are complaining in the US of our prices.

A lot of the food basic necessities are more expensive in PL. But then again most of it is organic and tastes a lot better. You get what you pay for.

Life / Paying bribes in Poland - necessity or a luxury? [41]

Take the example of a celnik. A friend celnik in Gdynia port makes around 2000zl. Which for working 7-10 yrs in the profession is a poor salary. He does however probably rack in 10000zl in bribes to let items go through without being taxed.

Electricians on the other hand make pretty decent money (regardless of what the boss makes).

USA, Canada / No US Visa Waiver for Poles - 8/9/07 [96]


The technicality is that over 3% of those that go to the US on tourist visa's don't return when they are supposed to. That 3% is the benchmark Poland must be under in order for Bush to allow them.


They work on someone else's SS# to get a job, because with out a SS# you cant get some at all. So they do pay taxes, and it goes under the credit of someone else's name.

Paying & filing income taxes is not a reason they would worry about deportation. The IRS & Dept of Homeland Security arent necessarily sync'd and dont share info just to deport people. Illegals dont pay taxes (or file for that matter) because they have a belief they will never be able to remain here legally and choose not to invest in this country. They think short term.

USA, Canada / No US Visa Waiver for Poles - 8/9/07 [96]


Kaczynski gives up a lot to the US cheaply. How about the missle defense interceptor in Poland? Wouldn't that be a great step towards "security"??? And yet, still no vwp.

Life / I am in Poland on a tourist visa and have been here for 2 years.. [53]


Tell this to the thousands of illegal Poles in the US. They are in the same situation as you. They have no family left in Poland, they have invested everything in a country that wont allow them to remain legally. You both break the rules... those are the consequences.


I think lots of countries benefit from their immigrants, but they dont necessarily work with them. The US certainly doesn't do it. Immigrants are usually cheap labor... when Americans come to PL its the other way around, they are expen$ive.

USA, Canada / No US Visa Waiver for Poles - 8/9/07 [96]


Not really true. Greece has been under the 3% threshold in 2006... the threshold has now been raised to 10%, but Greece is still not in the VWP.

USA, Canada / No US Visa Waiver for Poles - 8/9/07 [96]


Do you think Greeks will ever agree to this? Greeks are one of the proudest nationalities, they will never change. Also, I never heard that a "name change" was required for VWP entry.


??

What do you think Poles think about you? white trash?

Life / Paying bribes in Poland - necessity or a luxury? [41]


Nope, I meant current time. Perhaps you don't see how many cars are coming in from the US. Or how many containers from China?

USA, Canada / Question about Polish Social life in Chicago [22]


Isn't there a club called "Czterdziestka" on Central in Chicago? Everyone is 40+

Life / You know you have been living in poland too long when.... [73]


Are you kidding? Polish food is the best!

Genealogy / How to change my Americanized last name to my real (Polish) last name? [23]


When Poles came over back in the day to Ellis Island, a lot of them changed their names, "Americanized" them, shortened them. There were stories of the discrimination they faced with typical Polish last names, and your family may have switched to prevent this.

I would definitely find out what the real last name was, and verify by some documents before you go changing it on just what your uncle said.

Genealogy / How to change my Americanized last name to my real (Polish) last name? [23]

If you know your great grandparents names, there are forums that have listings of everyone that entered via Ellis Island. Is this where your family entered?

Unfortunately, Poland does not have their records online, even if it did, it wouldn't have it that far back. Maybe part of your exploration, can involve a trip to PL.

It seems real odd that no one mentioned the Polish roots until a casual conversation with the uncle. I mean, wouldn't they have spoken it, someone (your parents) would have knowledge of their history too?

News / Polish economy, the US Dollar, the PLN and the Polish real estate bubble. [25]


What is with you, you say you like Poland & Poles, but really I think you are jealous of their success, and now the devaluation of the PLN is getting you all high. Calm down.

Genealogy / How to change my Americanized last name to my real (Polish) last name? [23]


Maybe your uncle can tell you about the family that still resides in Poland. They may carry the same original last names, or at least be able to verify.

USA, Canada / Married a Mexican guy in USA - can I Divorce him from Poland? [16]


I have never heard of any. I always heard it must be done in court, or someone as your representative (if you dont come) like an attorney.

Love / Are (most) Polish unmarried people virgins? [60]


75% of statistics are made up you know.

Life / Moving back to Poland after 20 unhappy years in Canada and USA [70]

Most of the people I know that have left the US to go back to PL forever, have left to treat Poland as the "retirement land", not necessarily to go work there.

After 20 years in Canada & the US, you should be "set" financial, do you HAVE to work, or want to?

Also, those who have returned have complained terribly about the healthcare in Poland. The waiting, the care, the attitudes.

Love / Are (most) Polish unmarried people virgins? [60]


Those virgins have lost their flowers, the statistic shows that, lol.

Life / Moving back to Poland after 20 unhappy years in Canada and USA [70]


Poles? Most likely not those returning from the US. Those in the US, and after a 20 tenure are rather racist, and are happy to be home among their white friends.