PolishForums LIVE  /  Archives [3]    
 
Posts by MrBubbles  

Joined: 13 Nov 2007 / Male ♂ 		Last Post: 27 Dec 2010
Threads: Total: 10 / In This Archive: 6
Posts: Total: 613 / In This Archive: 457

Displayed posts: 463 / page 1 of 16
sort: Oldest first   Latest first   |
MrBubbles   
13 Nov 2007
UK, Ireland / Experiences of Irish people who moved to Poland [27]

If you are part of a good family here (ie dating or married to their daughter) then hey will go out of their way to help you, but do not expect any stranger to life a finger.

True. Once you're in the family, you're in. Until then, they are very unfriendly if you can't offer them anything. Friends are measured by what they can offer.
MrBubbles   
13 Nov 2007
Travel / Im Visiting Lodz. Is it BIG mistake? [13]

Some say it's not the architecture that makes a country. Or the language. Not even the food. It's the people.

Unfortunately, most of the people in Lodz are c**ts
MrBubbles   
13 Nov 2007
Love / friendhship with polish girl [63]

I feel sad that the girl whom i cared a lot as friend is completely different person.

So what exactly did you expect from her? That she'd follow you around and be your special friendy or something?
MrBubbles   
18 Nov 2007
Real Estate / property in Lodz - anyone any experience [102]

Breeding new life to a run down area with new offices, restaurants, sport facilities, shops, park areas and of course work must be good. I accept that in the immediate area newly built property may be too expensive for many people but this is progress and every city in every country that has experienced progress has gone through this transition. Investment and development on balance will be a good thing.

Of course it's a wonderful thing when everyone has money and the economy's thriving but Poland simply isn't ready for get rich quick property speculation schemes from Western carpetbaggers. There is already a huge disparity between the lower and higher earners in Lodz, far more so than most other parts of Poland (and Eastern Europe in general) and distorting the property market will only serve to increase commercial pressures on low earning blue collar workers,

I've bought property in Lodz but I'm living here and I'm hoping to keep the property until well into my retirement rather than flogging it off in 5 years' time. I sure as Hell don't want the other flats in my area bought up and filled with foreign workers who contribute nothing other than (some) money to the local community.

Look at what property speculation has done to the UK market. Property is so overpriced now that the main groups investing buy to let are French and Russian entrepreneurs. I can't wait until the market crashes in the UK. A really big one. I'll be laughing my head off when it happens.
MrBubbles   
18 Nov 2007
Real Estate / property in Lodz - anyone any experience [102]

Read the post Deano - I'm complaining about short term property speculation. I've got nothing against people buying a flat to live in (with their other half) and perhaps sell sometime in the future when they move. Good luck to them.
MrBubbles   
21 Nov 2007
Love / My sweet Polish girlfriend's family doesn't want us together [17]

my dad is a bit of a argumentative person and as well as a lobbyist

Don't take this the wrong way, Rocky, but maybe your Dad's a dick? Just keep a low profile and the parents will forget about ou being the son of Satan when they realize what a nice guy you are. If your dad wants to hang out with your girlfriend's family, he'll have to learn to moderate his views - which is only common courtesy. If your 'inlaws' still act stupidly then screw them but remember that the Poles are much closer to their families - if you make her choose between you and them it might be difficult...
MrBubbles   
23 Nov 2007
Life / Health care in Poland for ex-pats [26]

I'm an English ex-pat - I spend most of my time in Poland (at least 8 months a year).

The question is, am I entitled to medical care in a public hospital in Poland? I pay voluntary NI contributions to the UK system and I'm up to date with them.

If not, what the heck should I do? Private medical insurance?

Grateful for any advice!!!!!
MrBubbles   
23 Nov 2007
Life / Health care in Poland for ex-pats [26]

Thanks for the advice Lukasz, Avalon.

Hope you don't mind but I decided to check the National Insurance helpline just to be double certain. The Inland Revenue seem fairly unanimous that since I'm currently resident in Poland, my British contributions unfortunately don't cover me for hospital treatment. The E111 is really only for tourists.

If I weren't working, I could fill in an 'E106' and I would be covered, although this is really for people who are going abroad to retire.

So - looks like I have to start paying ZUS contributions. Bleedin racket or what?
MrBubbles   
27 Nov 2007
Real Estate / property in Lodz - anyone any experience [102]

I have bought these properties partly because I need somewhere to live because I am there for one week in every four, and partly for long term investment - but I don't have to justify that to anyone.

Good for you. So why are you telling me this?

Regarding the property market in the UK. You are wrong. The market is driven by supply and demand, we have greater demand than supply, driven by more people living by themselves, people living longer, divorces and net influx of people to this country.

So you're saying that the property market is responding naturally to free market rules? Why is it then that most potential housebuyers in England cannot afford a starter home? My brother and his girlfriend both earn a little over minimum wage but they cannot put a deposit down an anything more than a 1- bedroom studio in Hull. Shouldn't the free hand of the market move to allow equal access to the market?

Yes. But in this case the government artificially inflated the market by keeping interest rates low for far too long to encourage property speculation and boost the economy. The laws of supply and demand no longer apply.

And then the ethics of applying the free market to an essential commodity such as housing should be considered...

Mass property acquisitions by French is unheard of and the Russian's - will yes there are some high profile billionaires that have bought here but really I don't think that will effect me.

Well, a property speculator from Saudi told me that so let's agree to disagree ;)

Good luck to your and your woman by the way! Drop me a line if you're around
MrBubbles   
27 Nov 2007
UK, Ireland / Are polish pupils harming native british childrens education? [280]

""Teachers want support, both in terms of knowledge and immediate support in terms of teaching materials," said Mr Sinnott."

Teachers are losers who can't do anything else. Pfah!

He was in bed and was shot in the groin.

Well.. when you got guns you gots to use 'em
MrBubbles   
28 Nov 2007
Travel / Gay bars in Warsaw [16]

a mate of mine has to spend a bit of time in Warsaw with work. He's been asking me about gay bars and clubs,

Well, send 'your friend' to this site - warsaw.gayguide.net/Gay_Guide/Bars_Clubs

There's all sorts there
MrBubbles   
29 Nov 2007
UK, Ireland / Polish Restaurant - Polski Kuchnia in the Greater Manchester area [48]

4. Are there any traditions that the Polish follow when sitting down to eat?

It's common for the Poles to stand before a meal and sing the national anthem. They then thank God for the meal by slaughtering a hen and throwing their beer glasses in the fire.

It's also considered good manners to burp loudly at the end of a meal.
MrBubbles   
10 Dec 2007
Language / 'w' - difference between accusative+locative [18]

I know you can use the preposition 'w' with accusative or location(ex. w życie, w życiu)
What's the difference?

Check the phrases on google. There'll be some verbs that use the accusative and some that use the locative.
MrBubbles   
17 Dec 2007
Law / Under contract to teach and fraud, is there a fine to leave Poland? [35]

Write this down to that famous learning curve – you have learnt in the best way, through your own errors.

So you're saying that his employers are without blame here an it's his fault he got ripped off? Typical attitude I've come to expect from the Poles.
MrBubbles   
17 Dec 2007
Life / Whats gay life in Poland? [140]

a soluatio to get rid of the polish peple who are distroying our lovely buitful IRELAND.

The self-hating Pole speaks.
MrBubbles   
19 Dec 2007
Law / Under contract to teach and fraud, is there a fine to leave Poland? [35]

Should I regard the employers' frauds an expression of 'the typical attitude I've come to expect from the British and Americans'?

No, read my post again. I'm talking about the attitude of Poles that 'oh it's your fault you got ripped off and now I'm going to get back to the TV or whatever.'. The employer's a shark and they should be made accountable.

PS It's rude to call people 'pal'
MrBubbles   
6 Apr 2008
Study / anyone with CELTA? [73]

DELTA is really for aspiring trainers.

DELTA is only really a money earner for Cambridge, certain language schools who run (often substandard) courses and long term TEFLers who can't face going back to the UK. However, it is useful as a potential ticket back to the UK for people who are prepared to work in FE / HE
MrBubbles   
6 Apr 2008
Study / anyone with CELTA? [73]

I've known great teachers without any certification and horrible ones with it.

True. The only thing a qualification really tells you about a teacher is how committed they are to the job; A foreigner who is willing to fork out a few hundred quid on what is effectively a one month guide to operating a tape recorder is a better bet to a potential employer than one who jumps into teaching tot try it out but then might find a better job a month later.

Generally speaking, the worst EFL teachers I've met are ones with Polish MAs in Pedagogy. Most are truely dreadful...
MrBubbles   
6 Apr 2008
Study / anyone with CELTA? [73]

CELTA can be done by non-natives which is also a bit controversial in a sense. When I watched the French and Austrian teachers teach, I could hear many mistakes which could be problematic. What if they entered a school which required them to teach 'a' and 'the'?

Well, I suppose it could be argued that the main aim of the CELTA is to familiarise a complete beginner with the principles of planning lessons / entertaining children rather than being a language assessment per se but yes, you do wonder what exactly your role in the classroom is when being a competent user of the language isn't really important...

Go to an IATEFL conference and see all the middle-aged Polish women who teach English and try to talk to them

I try not to {shudders] but to be fair to them they are usually the victims of pretty bad teaching courses from possibly 30 years ago. Things have possibly moved on a little since they got their qualifications but they usually haven't continued their training since they graduated - apart from sitting at the back of a sweaty IATEFL lecture theatre once a year, waiting for the handouts at the end. IATEFL's just a marketing exercise for the publishes anyway...
MrBubbles   
6 Apr 2008
Study / anyone with CELTA? [73]

the things are also an opportunity for the 'stars' of the TEFL world to get drunk and shag impressionable young teachers.

And not just the young! In Torun the other year I got to the end of one particularly boring session with a rather famous author, got up to leave but had to wait until the crowd, yes crowd, of middle aged groupies had got their complimentary coursebooks signed. I shudder to think of any 'apres conference' antics that went on with that lot.