Law / How to Create Computerized Invoices in Poland? [5]

Calculations - nie ma problemu. I need something to print the invoice (rachunek) to give to my school once a month in order to get paid...

Food / Where to buy whole turkey in Kraków [5]

Are they fresh or frozen in Bomi and Tesco? If frozen, I'd better get it fast!!!

Life / Postal Customs in Poland [17]

I seem to remember that a package from America to Poland was exempt from customs if the declared value was below $20 or $25 - does anyone know if this is true?

I am about to have a small computer part delivered from Austria - are there any such customs' limits in regards to packages within the EU/Schengen? Thank you...

Law / Where to sell MacBook Pro in Warsaw? [5]

I don't think the keyboards are different here than in the states.

Anyway, because of the added VAT you paid (22%?), you likely won't get anything near what you paid for it if you sell it in America.

Law / Where to sell MacBook Pro in Warsaw? [5]

There don't seem to be too many Mac users in Poland - not like in the States. I have heard that Macs are about twice the price of PC's over here, so that'll eliminate a lot of customers right there...

I too am unable to navigate Allegro because of the language. I have some RAM to sell, but I don't know even how to start. I guess finding a computer-savvy Polish-speaking buddy might be a start.

Also - check out Gumtree (warszawa.gumtree.pl) - you'll face the same language issues as you do with Allegro, but it's another avenue. Good luck!

Law / Tax Guidelines in English for Small Business Owners in Poland? [11]

I don't consider paying my fair share of taxes as wasteful - in fact, I am proud to pay taxes to the country that allows me to stay and earn a living. I choose to view the bigger picture and not solely concentrate on what is best for me...

Law / Tax Guidelines in English for Small Business Owners in Poland? [11]

You're absolutely right - I'll bite the bullet and hire an accountant. I never thought about the language aspect if/when it comes to an audit - thanks for the eye-opener!

Food / Foreign foods in Krakow - where to buy kangaroo meat, Vegemite? [28]

I think I saw Old El Paso Refried Beans in Carrefour - pretty pricey, if I remember correctly...

Life / Expats in Poland: Are you going to live in Poland long or short term? [65]

I've been in Kraków for over a year. During that time, there hasn't been one day that I have wanted to go back to the states. I feel great here...in America, not so much.

I have been a teacher my whole adult life, so maybe it's about the students: in America, they are generally uninspired and unappreciative; however, in Poland, they seem genuinely interested in learning and grateful for guidance. Are there any other life-long teachers on this forum who agree with this sentiment?

Life / Allergies in Poland [7]


From Chicago - I know moving to a new place (esp. a new continent) can present some health challenges, but this kinda surprised me (esp. this time of year). The sun comment makes sense - it hasn't rained recently, so perhaps the air is full of pollen.

Sorry to hear that others are affected, but I'm happy to hear that I'm not alone...

Life / Allergies in Poland [7]

Stuffy nose, sneezing, scratchy throat, generally feeling run down - you know...like a cold, but without the severity of a cold. I have never experienced allergies before, but I am aware of the symptoms.

Food / Is it just me, or is the Polish diet rather unhealthy? [119]

Almost all nutritionists finger high fructose corn syrup consumption as a major culprit in the nation's obesity crisis. The inexpensive sweetener flooded the American food supply in the early 1980s, just about the time the nation's obesity rate started its unprecedented climb.

Read more:
sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2004/02/18/FDGS24VKMH1.DTL#ixzz0ROJJtGYk

Other articles (probably a waste of time posting them for you, but perhaps others are interested):

wellnessresources.com/weight/articles/how_high_fructose_corn_syrup_causes_obesity

ajcn.org/cgi/content/short/79/4/537

seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/health/2002658491_healthsyrup04.html

Food / Is it just me, or is the Polish diet rather unhealthy? [119]


Simple? Sure, except for one small fact - I didn't drive in Chicago (I didn't even own a car there). You continue to make blanket statements about my American lifestyle without knowing a damned thing about me - that strikes me as rather foolish.

I'll go one better - I use public transportation much more in Kraków than I ever did in Chicago. So it's entirely possible (if not probable) that I walked more there than I do here.

I feel I am being pretty objective about my lifestyles in America and Europe, yet you seem dead certain that I am somehow deluding myself - why is that?

Food / Is it just me, or is the Polish diet rather unhealthy? [119]

Yeah, poverty correlates directly with the obesity epidemic in America.

It seems processed food is cheaper than healthy food in America, but I get the sense that processed food in Poland is the more-expensive option - can this be correct?

BTW, the only time I ever go to McD's is when I am sick - for some reason, a Big Mac tastes so good then :)

Food / Is it just me, or is the Polish diet rather unhealthy? [119]


Preaching to the choir, baby! This is one of my primary reasons for wanting to live in Europe - my weight loss while living in Berlin 4 years ago was a real eye-opener...

A few years back, I learned of a study comparing the nutritional value of french fries from McDonald's restaurants around the world. In it, I remember reading that Denmark's french fries were healthier because their government puts limits on the amount of saturated fat that such establishments can include in their food. The US, of course, has no such limitations. I am all for freedom of choice so loudly espoused by my fellow countrymen, but perhaps the government should act in a similar fashion if it is serious about stemming the tide of obesity in America.

On another note, it is nice to see some retribution here - thanks! Few people on this site have the maturity to take back words they later regret...

Food / Is it just me, or is the Polish diet rather unhealthy? [119]

If I am such a lazy Americano who imbibes only processed foods and sodas, then shouldn't I stay at about the same weight wherever I live? All that crap is available in Poland - why aren't I the same weight here, PP? I've counted at least a dozen McDonald's in Kraków...the store aisles here are full of chips, cookies, and Coca Cola...yet I somehow manage to live a healthier life here without a significantly altered lifestyle.

I weigh less when I live in Europe than I do when I live in America - it's a fact, and it has happened twice. Comment on that, why not? And please reread the part of my previous post where I mentioned walking 5-7 km a day every day over the past 8 years before pontificating about exercise...

Food / Is it just me, or is the Polish diet rather unhealthy? [119]

Being one of the 'lard-ass' Americans on this site, I'll throw in my two cents: my impression is that American society is fat primarily because the meat suppliers taint their products with growth hormones, antibiotics, and the like. Also, obesity rates began to spike at roughly the same time that soft drink companies introduced high-fructose corn syrup to their products (cheaper than sugar). Fast foot, sedentary lifestyles, and bad eating habits all contribute, of course - but when when chemicals and other artificial ingredients are introduced in the food supply, it makes sense that they could very well affect the humans who ingest them.

Since 2001, I have habitually walked 5-7 km a day while limiting fast food intake to maybe 1-2 times a month - however, I always struggled with my weight in the states. But after moving to Germany in 2005, I lost 12 kg in three months with essentially the same dietary approach and exercise regimen! And after a few years back in the states (when the extra weight returned), I dropped 8 kg within the first two months of moving to Poland. I think these numbers speak volumes.

Forget semi-automatic weapons on the street, skyrocketing health insurance premiums, and neo-conservative talk shows - the biggest scourge on American soil could be the corporate takeover of the nation's food supply...

Life / Most overpriced things in Poland? [72]

Tennis balls - a can of 3 Wilson's goes for $2.50 in the states, 28 zł in Poland.

Travel / Kraków to Stockholm, Riga, and Helsinki - any suggestions? [19]

We encountered only one of the things you mentioned - the market in Helsinki harbor. We ate salmon paella at one of the stalls, but it was overpriced and not very tasty. One thing I did discover on my journey was pear cider - wow. I wish it was available in Kraków...

Comparing the cities, Vilnius actually seemed more attractive to me than Tallinn or Riga. However, the people seemed a bit too aggressive for a soft American such as myself - I was never quite comfortable in Vilnius.

I too noticed the women in Riga and heartedly concur - I actually expected Vilnius to 'win' in this department, but Riga gets my vote. Nothing close to Kraków, however (it's good to be home... :)

Related: Krakow - Stockholm (the cheapest way?)


Fly with Ryanair to Skavsta (Nyköping), and from there a 1 hour bus to Stockholm. It's the cheapest option. Flight (oneway) should be around 60-80 zl (plus luggage and other fees) or more depending on day and date. The bus (oneway) is about 50-70 zl.

I do this route all the time.

Travel / Kraków to Stockholm, Riga, and Helsinki - any suggestions? [19]

I was on the LindaLine that left Helsinki at 19:00. I can't believe they allowed her to sail - terrible waves...

I didn't get sick (surprisingly), but my girlfriend sure did. Never again, my friend!

Which was your favorite city? I liked Riga the best, but Tallinn was wonderful too.

Travel / Kraków to Stockholm, Riga, and Helsinki - any suggestions? [19]

FH - During our cruise to Turku, we saw many older women on the ship dressed in fairly elaborate black dresses that looked like some sort of traditional wear. The skirts flared out at the waist, almost resembling a bell (I wish I had taken a picture...sorry I didn't).

The women seemed to be speaking Russian, but I can't be sure - any ideas about which country they might hail from? Thanks!

Life / What to bring, ship, pack for our move to Warsaw [67]

I would suggest packing large bottles of rubbing alcohol and hydrogen peroxide if you have the room - both are expensive in Poland but incredibly cheap in America.

Some spices are difficult to find here - fennel, for instance...and I can't find onion powder anywhere...

And one thing I am struggling mightily to find in Poland - those corn-on-the-cob boats that hold an ear of corn plus all the butter that drips off it. A small thing, granted, but I miss 'em!

Travel / Winter in Poland - but no skiing [8]

I live in Kraków - I once visited Lwow and absolutely hated it. The city smelled terrible, the infrastructure was crumbling, and there was precious little English to be had (even in the train station). Upon my return, Kraków seemed as cosmopolitan as San Francisco by comparison!

If you have some time and don't mind leaving Poland, I would actually recommend Budapest - it is a 10-hour bus ride from Kraków, but the trip is inexpensive (55 PLN one-way if I remember correctly) and the bus is very comfortable. Plus, the scenery through the mountains is quite nice.

If you like European capitals, Budapest will not disappoint (Kraków seems like a small village by comparison). And an added bonus - you won't have to deal with the Ukrainian border patrol!!!