Travel / Things to do and places to eat in Gdynia [19]

I know this is very late to post this (just joined today) but just in case someone else reads this like I did, I'd just like to say that I've eaten in Santorini on numerous occasions and it's a great little restaurant and good value for money. In the summer it has a nice garden at the rear that works really well at night......try it you might be surprised.

Life / More Polish supermarket griping...this time about customers [29]

Here in Spain it's usual to let people in before you if they only have a few items. I seen it and done it hundreds of times.

I also hate the fact that a lot of people leave their empty baskets on the floor, spread out in any old fashion, so that when I get there I have to pile them up in a neat block.

It's all about education..........shopping like many other things in life is about self conduct, consideration to others, or you know how to conduct yourself with a view to those around you or you couldn't give a toss.

Real Estate / Selling building land - advice needed [9]

The polish people are just as eager to find a bargain as anyone else. Don't worry, if your land is valued correctly and is in a good area you'll find someone who's interested.

Real Estate / 15 reasons why the Polish real estate market will crash soon [258]

At the end of the day the cost of any development is based on land values. This is the same rule for everyone. Usually 30% land, 30% building costs, 30% profit, 10% costs. I've built in many countries and these figures can vary but at the end of the day what you pay for a sq. meter of land will finally decide the end value that is given to general public. In good times prifits can be 40% and above. In the UK they work on 18-20% In spain it's 40% in Brazil no one would do a development for less than 50% profit.

Supply and demand. As prices fall and the housing market fails, used properties flood the market, this reduces everyones value on their property. Building materials are dropping, labour is abundant and cheap, in the end the bottom falls outor the bubble bursts. The only area for speculation is the land. Once funding dries up as is happening, sales are falling and the second hand market is increasing the only way the market will go is down..down and down. If you have funds to buy the next few years in Poland will be very rewarding for investment into the real estate market.

Many companies are now building up land banks now which will only produce huge profits later, unfortunately Fred Bloggs will not see the advantage of this, neither now or in the next 10 years when the properties will be built.

Love / Help-my polish bf doesn't fancy me! [94]

I would say it's time for some drastic measures here. If you try and spice anything up he will just accept it as he is accepting everything else you do now. You need to know whether he is really interested or even ready to carry on.

I would say it's time to play with a little fire and see what happens. By that I mean, to do something out of the ordinary and arouse some curiosity in him. I can't really tell you how to do this but I'm sure there would be a couple of femails on the forum who could give you advice on what to do.......Be careful though, you're playing with fire and it's a dangerous game sometimes and many have been burnt. If you get a positive reaction, usually in the form of jealousy you know he at least cares. Good luck anyhow.

Life / WINTER PREPERATION FOR YOUR CAR IN POLAND [10]

You should change tyres to winter ones. Depends where you are. I use a car in Gdynia and it's a must.

Love / My Polish girlfriend checks my mobile phone all the time [70]

It just happens that with todays technology it is the mobile phone that is used to "spy" on your partner. However this has always existed, but in other ways. Checking pockets of cloths before washing (always a good excuse) smelling clothes after business trips (had a friend who always clean his clothes at the hotel on expenses telling his wife he didn't want to give her more work; and she believed him lol) looking for lip stick marks, checking the floor and glove compartment in ones car, ringing hotels where one should be staying on business at strategic times and the list goes on.

Trust is a very complicated word, it is used far too freely and incompasses a multitude of feelings, reactions, thoughts, instincts and many other emotions I can't remember just now. If you can't trust your partner then there's not much point in bothering to carry on the realtionship. Unfortunately some people are troubled with insecurities and invariably ones trust in ones partner is one of them. Is it a Polish trait? No..it happens everywhere.

Love / My Polish girlfriend checks my mobile phone all the time [70]


Don't be so naive Santander, trust is a false and highly dangerous word. Why do you think we have prenuptual contracts, divorce courts, commercial, civil, labour and mecantile contracts and thousands of other contractual agreements on a daily basis...because nobody can be TRUSTED. How many families have broken apart on trust, marriages, businesses, governments, wars (really serious) etc.

May be the word should be "good faith" and up to a point; "I have good faith in my husband or my wife", that sounds better, no? Trust is as only as good as the person who's prepared to believe in it's consequences and they are few and far between. You would be a fool to trust 100% the reliability of someone you love. Your heart wants to but your head says no. That's why some people look at their partners mobile. Just ask any man who has been taken to the cleaners by his ex....."but she was such a loving wife until she met the window cleaner, I trusted her impecably" Now the window cleaner has a new Mercedes, with who's money??? lol. How many women are left holding the baby while HE is off with a younger one.

Don't get me wrong, trust is extremely important in any relationship but it is not SIMPLISTIC

Life / Me and my Polish girlfriend divorced - Marriage annulment [8]

Seanus
I agree with you on this and to be honest it makes my blood boil a little as the RC church is only looking for financial gain here and nothing else. It's a difficult one for me as I don't want to take this to a point where it becomes an impediment to our happiness. If I look on it from a passive point of view it’s just one more thing that needs to be organized within the scale of things. More than money it’s the time scale and the uncertainty of whether this would be given/approved.

I supposed there should be no problem if they receive their money and seeing as though I have no intention of handing over the total amount on the outset they’ll have to come up trumps if they want the rest.

It stinks, they’re playing on people’s emotions and believes or in this case (and I’m not sure…yet) on what certain people think within my polish GF family circle.

I appreciate your comments.

Life / Consider going back to Poland? [90]

I recently found Poland through the woman that I love. She is from Gdynia. I left England 24 years ago to live in Spain. I married a Spanish girl and have two young daughters. I'm now divorced but still live in Spain. I’ve just bought a property in Gdynia and plan to visit often. My humble view on this thread bears some resemblance with that of Wroclaw Boy when he mentions that most people are living in Poland or are on PF because of personal relationships with poles. I have a business in Brazil but I do not have the same enthusiasm for Brazil as I do for Poland for this very reason (and before any wise guy has a crack at me for being stupid, let me tell you I find my polish GF has more about her than any of the Brazilian women I’ve met) Living as an individual for some years in a foreign country (as I did before marrying) is not comparable to someone who is committed themselves not only to their partner but everything that involves and surrounds a way of life within that country and its culture. Some people can manage it while others can’t. I’ve seen lots of people leave Spain after a few years because they couldn’t integrate, and that’s here on the Costa del Sol….Sun, sand and more Brits than the UK. So I’m sure Poland must have its difficulties.

I have no intention of returning to the UK, but only because I have carved out a way of life that suits me. I love Spain and I am finding my way in Poland little by little. I have a new family and the whole experience is exhilarating. I am very English and nothing will ever change this, I also feel a little Spanish and now I’m learning about Poland. However my perception on how, why, where and when things happen to me has been partly due to the fact that I left England to have this adventure, and that’s what it is. Some people stay all their life’s in the same town where they grew up and they’re happy, others not. To live in any foreign country is difficult but always rewarding whether the stay was long or short. So for those who have experienced the Polish way of life, be grateful, whether good or bad.

Life / Consider going back to Poland? [90]

No Seanus, not at the moment. I got your mail and thanks. It's a touchy subject and will take a little consideration on both of our parts.

UK, Ireland / Its strange that there arent many Poles who live in the UK on this Forum [102]

I didn’t realize that this forum becomes quite lively at this time of night. I understand that PF is for anyone that wants to talk about Poland; the common language is English…OK. If it wasn’t, there’d be 5 cats here and not much else.

It’s not about if we talk English or Polish it’s about a common ground and we need a common language, it just happens that English is it. Polish people in the UK will use another forum because it requires other questions and answers. Polish people here are looking for other things, it doesn't matter what they are.....really it doen't matter.

UK, Ireland / Its strange that there arent many Poles who live in the UK on this Forum [102]

Exactly, it wouldn't make sense. Some people just look for a confrontation, nothing more.

UK, Ireland / Its strange that there arent many Poles who live in the UK on this Forum [102]


Wow.... you know you're generalizing


You've said it all.

UK, Ireland / Its strange that there arent many Poles who live in the UK on this Forum [102]

I realize that Noreenb, but you are still generalizing. “Seemed” and “impression” are exactly that. I understand what you want to say but you cannot generalize over a nation. It’s not done. I know it’s an opinion but you can’t do that. You can mention your experience but you should use your words more precisely, define more your thoughts. It comes across as being very ambiguous.

Poland is no different than anywhere else when it comes to its inhabitants. Sad they are not, but then we all have bad days no?

UK, Ireland / Its strange that there arent many Poles who live in the UK on this Forum [102]


Just because people do it all the time doesn’t make it right. “for me” is not ambiguous but the subject is, You cannot be precise when commenting over the whole population of a nation…it’s ludicrous. I repeat what I said before, I know what Noreenb wants to say, it’s just the way it’s worded, nothing else.

UK, Ireland / Its strange that there arent many Poles who live in the UK on this Forum [102]

I couldn't agree with you more Amathyst. Noreenb has shown in her last post that she a better grasp of the English language, than half of the dim wits that are on this forum. For that reason I didn't want to over emphasis the wording of what she wanted to say, rather the context of the discussion. Which ever way you look at it, those people that have made an effort to learn and understand English to a level were they can hold a debate on a forum deserve all our respect.

Law / New ID 'card' in Poland [19]

This must be be an EU thing as I've just collected my piece of A4 paper here in Spain. Here it's for an indefinite period. I also had an ID card every 5 years. Fortunately my Spanish driving license has the same information so I use that in banks and other places for ID.

By the way my piece of paper is bright green...lol