Life / Poor people / street children in Poland? [34]

The gypsies in Old town, Krakow are the worst. I can't stand their attitude and how the drag those poor kids around.

Once when I was at Maccas, on Szewska two gypsy women came in with babies slung across their backs and came up to me, stabbed my cheeseburger with her finger and said "Daj me"

Then there was the time waiting for a bus and a gypsy women came up waving a cup asking for money with her toddler strapped to her front and being breastfed at the same time. So basically she was walking around with her boob popping out.

Life / I'm an American who lived in Poland for 6 years. I'm not welcome anymore. [169]

I think for any expats who are want to get a residence permit for poland should present 2 reasons for staying - work and studying polish, or volunteering and studying polish

I had applied for both, and after waiting for ages for my work permit, I was unable to get it due to my boss taking a loan from the bank and buying a new location for the school. Due to that, the work permit office said they could only start my application when all the loan was repaid. (Knowing my boss, would take absolutely forever!)

But luckily I still had my polish lessons to fall back on, I had already paid for 2 semesters and was nearly finised with my second when the woman working my case called and asked about my work permit. After explaining the issue she asked to get proof of being enrolled in a polish course for longer than 3 months and all paid in full. Did that, (found a course until the end of dec) and the new week was given a positive decision to stay in poland.

I also heard from my friends who are volunteers in Poland that if you apply for a residence permit, and are a volunteer they will grant you one no problem, althoug my friends also were learning polish.

Lowfunk, i feel sorry for you. Its sad that they deported you, they are getting quite more strict with foriegners. If you can enter after a year, be sure that there isn't also a fine that you must pay when entering.

A friend was banned for 2 years and has to pay apparently a 5,000 euro fine!

Life / Working Holiday Visa Processing Time [4]

I am quite aware that this as nothing to do with te polish Government..
I have checked the website, but sometimes it hasnt been so clear, he is a holder of both polosh and german passports, but i know that on a polish passprt he cannot apply for a working holiday visa like with his german...I just wanted to know he could apply with his german passport at the australian embassy in Poland

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

I came here in September 2007 as a volunteer for five months but decided to stay longer because I wanted to travel around more and know more about the Polish culture. However at the end of this year, I shall be returning home...the pull of an easy going life in Australia is becoming stronger and stronger each day and I want to cotinue my education at uni.

Food / baby food in Poland - culture differences in feeding babies. [23]

They have a huge selection of baby food over here...compared to Australia.
Using my bf nephew has an example, he was being weaned of breast milk just after a year old and I would say that majority of the time he eats bought baby food.

Yogurt seems to be popular too, definitely banana...owever in Poland they always tell me to take the tip of the banana because it carries bacteria, so anyone out there who could tell me if this is true? Vegetable juices too are popular and there is baby water with minerals.

Love / Dating a Polish guy..acceptance in family? [45]


Well I can't exactly have a personal cnversation because my polish isn't too crash hot, and I think I have done my fair share of showing interest in the polish culture. Back home in Australia my babysitter, who i still keep in contact with is Polish so I grew up with the culture around. I go to church on the holidays with his family even though I am not religious, and seriously the church service is extremely tiring and boring when you can't understand lol

But I guess I have it easier than some...

Love / Dating a Polish guy..acceptance in family? [45]

Maybe they don't have respect for me because I'm not into the whole "cooking and seving my man whenever he wants" attitude..oh maybe they are jealous of it lol

Travel / where to get breakfast cereals (Kellogg's, etc) in krakow? [7]

Definietly on Kuchnia Swiat in Galeria Krakowska stock weetbix and oats however not always...so you will need to try your luch.

The international food store in warsaw has plenty though..lots of kellogs especially special k from what I remember..

Love / Dating a Polish guy..acceptance in family? [45]

Meh, I'm so over it now.
In the area where my family comes form, his whole family really think they are something
*rolls eyes*

Now, I don't much care about a relationship with his parents..such a relief!

Life / Cost of health care in Poland [13]

Cost of Private Health Insurance?

So have finally got my decision for my resident permit (and I have been waiting since October!), and my decision says I can stay however, my travel insurance has just expired so I need to get health insurance and bring it to the Office for Foreigners this week.

Does anyone know how much Medicover costs? And for how long it is for?
I'm only looking for about 6 months, untiul the end of this year...

Any help would be much appreciated

Thanks

News / Abortion - how is the Polish government going to deal with this issue? [273]


Well if its not our job to play god and kill then why is the death penalty legal?
Thats still murder isn't it?

And I think you misunderstood *maybe your high?*. I don't think woman would get pregnant if she was going to die, but some women are at risk of death when pregnant which is why abortion becomes an option.

Love / Dating a Polish guy..acceptance in family? [45]

Wish you lck!

hope your boys polish amily is bettr tan mine
My b family is like, soap opera!

Life / International Press in Krakow [14]

Try the american bookstore in Galeria Krakowska

Or just go to massolit book cafe they have newspapers you can read over a coffee and the rest of the store is english books

Travel / Food & drink availability in Krakow [5]

Try the supermarket Alma..there is one in Galeria Kazmiersz
Its more expensive then Tesco and Carrefour but they have fresh lasagne sheets, fresh bean sprouts, snow peas and some other goodies

Also try the International food store in Galeria Krakowska..it sells mainly goods from asia but they also have imports from the Uk and America so they mogth stock what you need

Work / Teaching English without a degree and any experience in Poland. [14]

I teach english in Krakow without a degree, however I teach using the Callan Method which the school trained me in..so maybe try for a school that using the callan method as well as traditioanal, and you can always do conversation

As for experience, I know some native speakers who have had no experience what so ever and they are teaching but maybe try and do like a volunteering in teaching prehaps as I had been a volunteer as an assitant in teaching english here

But the TEFL course would be good to do to help in understanding the grammar and how the language works as many native speakers have problems in explaining how the grammar works

Good luck!

Life / Do some folks have no shame? Krakow experience. [43]

Hahaha

I saw exactly the smae thing..only on the steps leading down to the Wisla River across from Jubilat

I was pretty shocked and thought prehaps my eyes were playing tricks on me but no, my bf noticed too..only he didnt seem as shocked as I was

Love / Dating a Polish guy..acceptance in family? [45]


I too had that thought lol

Love / Dating a Polish guy..acceptance in family? [45]

You should've been there when I was being practically interrogated by the nun!

Nun "Are you parents catholics?"
Me "No"
Nun "But isn't your father Irish?"
Me "He's an athiest"
Nun "So you're not catholic?"
Me "No"
Nun "But you've been blessed yes?"
Me "No"
Nun "Oh..."*alarmed look*

Ah gotta love the traditons that run deep!

Love / Dating a Polish guy..acceptance in family? [45]

Oh im defintely polish on that front!

I can outdrink my bf and his mates

But his family isn't the drinking type...only wine is accepted, and only with sunday lunch

Love / Dating a Polish guy..acceptance in family? [45]

I reckon..the issue was that I stayed the night there..even though my bf asked for permission which was granted (though its not her home), we slept in different rooms and she didn't even see me the first night! But as I was still there te next day..that seemed to be an issue!

Maybe I should've told her "Przepraszam"...

Love / Dating a Polish guy..acceptance in family? [45]

Thats true..its just gets me down as in my family we have chinese, japanese, jewish, and australian and I know if he came to my place he would be accepted with wide open arm but thats coming from a very multicultural country

Not only did I make the nun cry, but I also made her never to want to return to the family home during vacation and she actually moved to another family members home

*secretly makes me laugh*
But I have a straight face when discussing this with my bf

Love / Dating a Polish guy..acceptance in family? [45]

Ah well bless me then with dating a guy whose family comes from a small place and are devout catholics and traditional

I am blessed lol

Love / Dating a Polish guy..acceptance in family? [45]

Yeah thats what I thought

I don't look that asian...people only really notice when I tell them, but you can see that I'm mixed

Don't know about winning their trust lol

Had some situations such as bf not finishing school which they think I should be responsible for but really, I can't tell him what to do!? To goddamn who knows what...I think me just being from another country is a big thing with them

And theres always the fact that I made the ciocia a nun cry with my mere presence
(I swear I didn't do anything..its a long story..but yeah, she cried..in public..Think I will be going straight to hell)

Ah well, maybe I'll get a handle on the language so to argue with them?
That should be alright, all poles like a good argue!

Law / Resident Permit/NIP? [8]

Oh my god...
The thought of it gives me a headache

Law / Resident Permit/NIP? [8]

Yeah I'm at a private language school. so maybe I'll ask around and get some help.
Thanks for the feedback...as I was really wondering about the whole issue of working whilst awaiting for the decision regarding resident permit..but Im confused as to how long it takes to get the card..from some I heard 3-4 weeks but the lady said 2-3 months at the office for foreigners...but seriously, is a job going to wait that long?

I guess its just the polish way...

But can I apply for a NIP even if I haven't got my resident permit or do I still have to wait for that too?

Why are things so unclear and hard to work out!

Life / I am in Poland on a tourist visa and have been here for 2 years.. [53]

I am kind of in the same position...
I came last September as I was a volunteer, and always left Poland before the 90 days as Shengen wasn't in place yet..but after it came in I still never overstayed the 90 days and flew out to non-shengen countries like Ireland/Uk and I have never had any problems...however if you have overstayed the 90 allowed for the shengen zone the UK will refuse entry as they are very strict

Apply for a temporary resident permit (which I did) but you will have to leave the Shengen Area and you need to state the reason for applying either school or work..as you already have a job there should be no problem in getting a work promise/contract

Anyway I suggest flying home and applying at the polish consulate there..that way you are out of europe and you can see you mum, just fly out of non shengen countries as airports are risky

Hope all will work out for you

Life / 90-DAY VISA-FREE STAYS IN POLAND? [19]

God I, going to look really cool begging for a stamp lol
Fun times ahead...although Bulgaria isn't in the shengen area an they didn't even stamp out passports when crossing over. Luckily Serbia stamped otherwise there wouldnt be a record of me even leaving the shengen zone

Maybe Ill catch a bus from serbia to hungary or romania to hungary