Life / Bad opinion about Polish people - rumour or the truth? [90]

Hello everybody :)
I am a French student and I have a story to tell about Poles to show how people can be wrong to judge a whole nation from what they know about several people.

I know 2 Polish women (and the funny thing is that they are both blond with blue eyes, same age and both called Bozena, but anyway).

The first woman I have known (about 8 years ago) was a friend of my mother who turned out to be a lier, a thief and who slept with a lot of men (she was married).

At that time I was quite young and I have had a very bad opinion of Poles in general since she was the only one I knew.

Unfortunately I remained with the impression for a long time.

Three years ago, I started university.
It happened that the dean was a 38 year old Polish woman called Bozena... ok no problem, I did not really care, just still had that bad opinion.

She finally happened to be one of the most wonderful person I have ever met.
She is extremely kind, tactful, calm, close to students, she speaks perfectly French, even better that some of us. With motivation and hard work, she managed to be the head of a university, she is also a teacher of French for foreigners.

She is the most human person I've ever known, she is highly respected for that, she is very accessible for students even if we are a lot, she listens to us, she helps us, she has sympathy and she is very smart.

This enabled me to change radically my opinion about Polish but also about the fact that it is a great mistake to consider a whole nation through few people.

Life / Bad opinion about Polish people - rumour or the truth? [90]


Yes it is great, have the opportunity to meet such wonderful people is one of the most pleasant thing in the world.
And you can say yourself that people are finally not that bad, as daily terrible events could make think.
It gives hope regarding human beings :)


It's a bit different, I would say:

1 wonderful Pole + 1 bad Pole= a nation of very good Poles :)

Life / Living In Poland For The Expat [67]

Hi
I am French and I speak (well try to speak) English and Spanish which are, quite easy languages to learn, I think.
I've recently decided to start to learn Polish and at the beginning I was scared and discouraged when I looked at some books and when I listened to Poles talking. It sounds so different from what I already knew that I thought it would take me ages to be able to have even a simple conversation in Polish.

But it was not the case, now that I had several classes, it does not sounds alien anymore! Ok it has nothing to do with your language but never make a comparison with it and just try to learn as a child, by imitating what the others do, their accent, their way of talking, the words that come often etc.

If you are really motivated, that you get involved and of course that you live with Poles with no other choice than speaking their language to be understood, you will have no problem learning the language.

And this is your girlfriend's mother tongue so she will help you and you will soon discover that it is a very beautiful language :)

Language / Learning to speak Polish options. [17]

Definitely take lessons, this is the best way to learn a language.
With only books you can't talk neither hear Polish, which is the most important for a language.

If you really can't attend classes, I would also recommand "Hurra po polsku", the teachers use it in my course and it's a good one, easy to use, and full of colours and pictures that help understanding. You'll also find a book of exercises and a lot of recordings with it.

Good luck ;)

Travel / Visiting Krakow in December, what do you think? [24]

Thank you very much for your replies :)

Scottie, I know what weather to expect in December, it's just the way the Polish student recommended me not to go during that specific period of the year that made me doubt.

Sean, you are right, I just need to take the right clothes!

We have planned to do all the unmissible visits, just like tourists since we will only spend 4 full days there (but we don't know exactly what, right now).

And if it's raining less than in the UK, that's perfect, after 3 months in Nottingham, I might really enjoy Polish weather ;)

Travel / Visiting Krakow in December, what do you think? [24]

Yes, I would prefer too. Unfortunately I have exams in January and for Christmas I'll be back in France.

So it was the only possible moment when I could go there.
I've already booked the tickets (really cheap!) but I wanted to make sure it was not a mistake.

Travel / Visiting Krakow in December, what do you think? [24]

Of course! And if Krakow is as amazing as it is supposed to be, weather won't change anything :)

Travel / Visiting Krakow in December, what do you think? [24]

Hey Polson!

Of course I remember you :)
It's good to have a French point of you!
There might not be snow in December yet but if you liked the city in summer and winter as well, then I should not worry :)

Travel / Visiting Krakow in December, what do you think? [24]

Yeah, I just want this trip to be perfect :)
But I already know it will, we are talking about Krakow, I don't think I could be disappointed!

Travel / Visiting Krakow in December, what do you think? [24]

Thanks for the advice :)

Yeah I was thinking there would probably be that Christmas atmosphere you're both talking about! That's actually a very good point :)

Travel / Visiting Krakow in December, what do you think? [24]

Hey cmndrlg!
The nativity festival sounds really cool :D, we'll certainly go and see it!
If you have other recommendations of that kind, I would be very glad to read it.
Thanks :)

Language / How do little children know that they should say "mamo" rather than "mama"? [23]

Why is the form "Dzień dobry profesor" offensive?
It's interesting, could you explain?

Life / BEING POLISH MEANS....? [18]

Being Polish means being lucky enough to have polish as mother tongue so that any other language seems easy to learn ;)

I know about 6 Polish people and they all speak at least 2 foreign languages and they speak it perfectly, I'm always very impressed how gifted they can be when it comes to learn a new language :)

Study / How to practice french in Warsaw? [7]

Hello Khalida,

I'm a French student, currently doing a Master to become a teacher of French as a foreign language.
If you want to talk via mails and/or Skype, I would be glad to help you with French, whatever your level :)

Study / How to practice french in Warsaw? [7]

Ok, I'm gonna do that right away :)