Return PolishForums LIVE
  PolishForums Archive :
Posts by BLS  

Joined: 14 Feb 2008 / Male ♂ 		Last Post: 18 Jun 2014
Threads: Total: 65 / In This Archive: 25
Posts: Total: 188 / In This Archive: 74 		From: Poland, Krakow
Speaks Polish?: Mowię trochę po polsku, but I want to learn more

Displayed posts: 99 / page 3 of 4
sort: Oldest first   Latest first   |
BLS   
14 Aug 2009
Life / More Polish supermarket griping...this time about customers [29]

I love living in Poland - it is so much more pleasurable for me than in the good ol' US of A. I have been in Kraków just over a year and have NEVER considered a return to Chicago - not for one minute! However, there are definitely negatives about life in Poland...for me, most involve the Polish markets and supermarkets.

I have seen other ex-pats on this forum complain about the many 'customer service' issues in Poland, but I have never read discussions about the customers themselves. Here are three of my favorite supermarket scenarios:

1) the person in line with a cartful of items who decides to bag everything (while the cashier and customers wait) before finally handing over his credit card! Then, we must wait for the card to clear, papers to be printed, signed, etc... Isn't enough time wasted in these lines without waiting for these multitask-challenged bozos to consider the others behind them??? Give her the card while you are bagging, głupi...

2) the person in line with a cartful of items who does not invite the customer behind him with 3 items to check out ahead of him. I can count on one hand how many times this has happened during my 13+ months in Poland (I seem to remember it happening at least 5-6 times a month in America). This one is easier for me to understand - perhaps the concept is foreign to Poland? Does this courtesy occur in the rest of Europe or is it primarily an American thing?

3) The person with 17 items in the 10-items-or-less aisle. I realize this one is universal, but why don't the otherwise-bellicose cashiers unload on these people? They seem to live for such occasions to belittle us poor customers!

Thanks for letting me vent - does any other customer behavior annoy you?
BLS   
14 Aug 2009
Life / More Polish supermarket griping...this time about customers [29]

It defeats the whole queuing process, you take your position and that is how queues work.

I wholeheartedly agree with allowing someone with a few items in ahead of me - even if I don't have a full cart. It's about simple math: My 30 items could take five minutes to process, whereas a the next person's 3 items could be finished in under a minute. I am more than willing to give up an extra minute of my time to allow someone else to save 5 minutes.

In an otherwise-goofy-ass country like America, this courtesy stands out as one of the niceties I genuinely miss...

it really annoys me when you are waiting in line and the person behind you is almost lying on top of you.

I actually had a guy cough phlegm on the back of my neck while waiting behind me at Carrefour! Definitely too close, IMO...

consideration to others

Well said!
BLS   
17 Aug 2009
Travel / Kraków to Stockholm, Riga, and Helsinki - any suggestions? [19]

You can take a boat from Helsinki to Tallinn very easily, there are ferries about once a hour or so, typically 25-40E one way, but quite often there's some campaign with cheaper prices

Thanks for the information! Regarding the ferry from Helsinki to Tallinn, will we be able to find a last-minute one-way deal across the gulf or are the advertised prices pretty much solid? We have a reservation on LindaLines that departs at 7:00 pm, but we would like to find a walk-up bargain earlier in the afternoon (if possible)...our time is quite flexible, so hopefully this will work in our favor.
BLS   
18 Aug 2009
Travel / Kraków to Stockholm, Riga, and Helsinki - any suggestions? [19]

Thanks for the suggestions, rkb - you're not the first to steer me away from Riga. I would still like to see the city, but Tallinn and Vilnius have slowly risen to the top of our look-forward-to-see list. Does anyone have anything positive to say about Riga?

As of now, our plans are as follows:
...jet to Stockholm...ship to Turku, Finland...train to Helsinki....boat to Tallin...train to Parnu...bus to Riga...bus to Vilnius...bus/train to Krakow (with a likely layover in NE Poland - suggestions, anyone?)

I will consider the Lithuanian coast per your suggestion, but time is not on our side.
BLS   
19 Aug 2009
Travel / Kraków to Stockholm, Riga, and Helsinki - any suggestions? [19]

What day you plan to be here, I could tell if there's something special going on here by that time?

We arrive in Helsinki on 27 August...

The plan was to sail to Turku and then take the train to Helsinki to get a glimpse of the Finnish countryside - will the scenery be boring, breathtaking, or something in between???
BLS   
21 Aug 2009
Travel / Questions about Vilnius [7]

I am interested in information about Vilnius - what to see, what to avoid, where to stay, the best way to travel, etc...

Does anyone have any knowledge of the city? We will travel from Riga to Vilnius near the end of August then return to Poland afterwards.

Also, we are planning to visit Białystok on our way back to Kraków - but if anyone has a better suggestion of a place to see in NE Poland, this part of our itinerary is wide open.

Thanks in advance...
BLS   
22 Aug 2009
Travel / Questions about Vilnius [7]

No driving - just buses and trains. I understand that public transportation between Vilnius and Poland is a bit dodgy - any thoughts?
BLS   
26 Aug 2009
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!!!
BLS   
2 Sep 2009
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!
BLS   
3 Sep 2009
Food / Where to find Pear Cider in Kraków [3]

I recently took a trip through the Baltic states and discovered a wonderful drink I had never experienced before - pear cider (perry, as it apparently called in Britain). Delicious!

It is available in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, but I have never seen it in Poland. Can anyone tell me where to find it in Kraków? Either in the stores or on tap at a local pub. Thanks!
BLS   
4 Sep 2009
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!
BLS   
4 Sep 2009
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.
BLS   
5 Sep 2009
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?)

I'm planning to go from Krakow to Stockholm in early July.
Does anybody know how would be the cheapest to do so?
Would be better to go by train to Warsaw?

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.
BLS   
15 Sep 2009
Work / Salary Expectations for Language Schools in Krakow [6]

I am a native English speaker applying for teaching positions at various language schools in Kraków - what is the going 'hourly' (i.e. 45 minute) rate here for native speakers? Also, what hourly rate should a cat like me request if asked in an interview? Here are my qualifications:

CELTA certificate
MA degree
one year of TEFL experience (outside Kraków)
15 years of teaching experience in the states (another subject).

I am also a ZUS-paying resident of Poland and have established my own business here. Thanks for any and all constructive input!

(Sorry if this has been covered elsewhere on this forum - I searched several combinations of seemingly-appropriate words and couldn't come up with an answer...)
BLS   
17 Sep 2009
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...
BLS   
17 Sep 2009
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...
BLS   
17 Sep 2009
Food / Is it just me, or is the Polish diet rather unhealthy? [119]

I am sorry i said that now , but it is true that Americans are geting bigger and bigger , and we in the UK are not far behind

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...
BLS   
17 Sep 2009
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 :)
BLS   
17 Sep 2009
Food / Is it just me, or is the Polish diet rather unhealthy? [119]

you don't drive everywhere, hence your weigh less and are in better physical shape. Simple.

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?
BLS   
17 Sep 2009
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
BLS   
22 Sep 2009
Life / Allergies in Poland [7]

Is anyone else dealing with allergies in southern Poland these days? I never had a problem until moving to Kraków, so I am not exactly sure that what I am experiencing is allergies. I had all the symptoms in the spring, but they were minor - they seem a bit worse lately.

Allergy sufferers - please enlighten me! Thanks...
BLS   
23 Sep 2009
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.
BLS   
23 Sep 2009
Life / Allergies in Poland [7]

Not sure where you are from, but the differneces in climat might affect it.

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...
BLS   
25 Sep 2009
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?
BLS   
4 Nov 2009
Law / Tax Guidelines in English for Small Business Owners in Poland? [11]

I have a one-man business teaching English in Poland. I would like to find a list in English of what items are deductible and what aren't...maybe some simple instructions for figuring out one's monthly tax liability, where to include each item in the monthly register, etc. Does anyone know if such documentation exists?

I have visited several accountants, but their English left much to desire - I typically left more confused than when I showed up. Thanks!