Love / I like this Polish girl, but she doesn't get my... English sense of humor [124]

Brits have a lot of pressure to be dryly funny as the myth goes. Most are not. Forced is DEFINITELY not funny, or clever, or charming. I want to smack smarmy little tw@ts who can't complete a sentence without trying to be a comedian.

Love / Why english men like polish women ? [126]

How do you know a Finnish girl is excited?

She looks at your feet instead of hers. ;)

Love / I like this Polish girl, but she doesn't get my... English sense of humor [124]

Hah...well my "compassionate" gene tries not to laugh at another's expense. I am a ball of conflicted emotions.

Food / Polish food secret recipes [11]

That is 99% MSG and horrible for you...same stuff that's in Vegeta and all other 'flavour enhancers". It does add flavor but it is poison.

Travel / My 3 weeks in Poland.... I didn't want to leave. [33]

BLS...I never said all were. I said more are that way than are not. And it is a fact. 9 months??? Ok. Just wait. And if it works out I am happy for you.

But to say "don't listen to the warnings" is irresponsible. I never said don't date them. I said be careful and lose the "they are perfect and it will be wonderful" fantasy and remember they are as human s the next.

Lodz the Boat says is simply here :

polishforums.com/true_love_timeless-44_28162_2.html

Travel / My 3 weeks in Poland.... I didn't want to leave. [33]

Atheism???

While communism may have promoted it it made Poles cling to Catholicism even harder if anything.

Life / How well is English spoken in Poland? [27]

What???

Most stuff in Warsaw is only in Polish. With the exception of famous tourist sites etc.

Sometimes they announce trains in English and Russian as well but not always plus the speakers are so bad you can't make out what they are saying normally.

And in shops there are a LOT of people who don't speak English. I have even noticed an increase in young people who don't. But you can manage with bad Polish and pointing.

You can normally find someone in the street that does if you try hard enough..might take you a few people though.

I would not assume it will be no problem to sort trains etc unless you know some Polish. Ironically even the "international" windows at train stations etc rarely if ever speak English. The airports are much better.

Life / How well is English spoken in Poland? [27]

Some...most is not...as I said.

Are you going to tell me that Bus and Train lists...info in shops...banks, business offices and government offices have English signs commonly? If you do I will all you a liar outright.

Life / Stupid question i know - is post delivered in Poland on a Saturday? [17]

Can't speak for all Polish cities but in Warsaw at least they have a hard enough time managing to get anything to you during the week. They just leave the little "you have mail" paper rather than even trying to see if you are home.

I have caught them a few times doing it and asked why they didn't ring me. "Oh I tried the domofon was broken"....yeah right. If you need something urgently or guaranteed pay more for UPS etc. I lost a couple important things using EMS and Priority Post before I learned my lesson and they did nothing to help reclaim it...didn't care at all and just shrugged their shoulders.

Life / How well is English spoken in Poland? [27]

You....and I see I misunderstood so my apologies :)

I didn't mean it in some screaming violent way Miranda ;)

Just that it is incorrect that most things are available in English....some...and not consistently are. Someone coming here expecting more is going to be disappointed and it goes back to my point of giving valid information to people. And people here often don't try to work with you and understand when you have language problems. Just today a girl was asking me for a ticket office and for the life of me I could not figure out how to say "underground" in Polish when giving her directions. I had all the rest of it fine and was making 'down' gestures with my hand and she was standing there like I had a willy growing out of my forehead. I have no idea how she couldn't get it out of context as well.

Communication is not always as simple as people think...lots if misinformation out there.

History / Where did the stereotype of Polish people being stupid come from? [131]


That is ironic coming from a Polish guy.

History / Where did the stereotype of Polish people being stupid come from? [131]

OK...I think Poles have a huge superiority complex. I have mentioned before they love to tell you how smart they are and how much better they are at things. That is what I mean by your comment being ironic.

History / Where did the stereotype of Polish people being stupid come from? [131]

Nope...Polska

History / Where did the stereotype of Polish people being stupid come from? [131]

Grzeg you wear those little rectangular glasses and gel your hair up into one of those quasi mohawks don't you? You can admit it here....it's ok.

Law / Resident Permit/NIP? [8]

No on the working until you are approved...so I was told in labor and immigration offices..but you know how that goes.

They (offices) also said you DO need the NIP first as it is your tax identifier and figures into your paychecks etc....though I have had people tell me they did work while waiting for the NIP. You get it at the Urzad Skarbowy (Tax Office) for your area. Google maps usually brings these up if you type that name plus the district. They told me it takes 2 weeks and people are saying between that and three is how long it took them to get it. I have to wait on some other stuff to apply for mine so can't say for sure.

Again...I am relaying what I was told most recently...but they tend to change their minds. I am trying to go it solo so don't have colleagues to ask but do you work for a school?

Law / Resident Permit/NIP? [8]

As they have told me in the offices: You don't need the residence permit to apply for the NIP...just a legal right to be here (which as an Aussie is probably a visa free travel stamp at this point yeah?)

On the time I can't say for a non-EU foreigner as the people I know that have gotten them are EU. But they did tell me at the offices that it takes 2 weeks (which always means at least 4) for us non EU folks.

The Polish way is that there is no way. It changes with the wind and it is incredibly frustrating.

I agree a job wouldn't wait so I am sure people are working somehow legally or just ignoring the rules. It takes about half the year each year for a non EU person to get everything you need for the next year.

Another issue is that anyone teaching English for a private school or any agency NOT registered with the Ministry of Education as a school (like High Schools etc) are supposed to have a Work Permit. You get this at the Urzad Pracy (Work Office) This is one of the documents needed to get a Residence Permit for working. This document takes a couple months usually and is a pain in the arse. Many times people with jobs at private schools have someone at the school handle all this and may not be aware of the details.

Law / Resident Permit/NIP? [8]

Tell me about it...I have had many a head exploding moment and I am not even half way there.

I would frankly not even bother if I didn't have to for now. It is not worth the trouble if you have the option.

But if you have already turned in your app you must know everything you need as if something was missing they would tell you and request it. So you must be on track.

Law / Resident Permit/NIP? [8]

Your work permit info is "sort of" incorrect. I have been around and around with this and was finally shown the law in a book in the Urzad Pracy (Work Office) and since they are the one's who give the permits they are the authority on this part of the game.

Being a native speaker is only part of it. A native speaker doesn't need a work permit if he works for a school that is approved by the government as an educational institution like a High School or University. Private schools are registered as businesses not educational institutions normally (there may be some big ones that are but most are not I have been informed)

So if you work for a private school you need the permit. The schools often handle that but may not.

Now none of that means you might not slip through if someone is not worried about it...but generally when things don't go according to the rules it is NOT when that would help you but rather the opposite.

USA, Canada / No US Visa Waiver for Poles - 8/9/07 [96]

Ok fine...would it make you all happy if I said it is a conspiracy to keep dirty poles, their fake designer clothes, cabbage, smuggled cigarettes and bad customer service out of the US because America hates you? That we are just using you for a place to put missiles and some soldiers?

I know that is what so many want to believe. So believe it. :)

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

If you look Asian that's the big issue. Poles don't want to admit it but they are a fairly racist bunch...especially the older ones.

And yeah the not being Catholic thing just compunds your problems.

Just be yourself...as long as your bf loves you that's the important thing. You cannot change people you can only hope they will be mature enough to see you are a good person and not some 'gasp' asian foreigner.

I have an asian friend who is with a Polish girl and he gets loads of dirty stares and comments. It's just the nature of living in a mostly white conservative country.

News / US DOLLAR = 2.47 on 2 Oct 2008? [54]

Keep climbing baby!!!!

Daddy needs a new pair of shoes!

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

You will always be an outsider as you are not Polish. It's not to say you cant have a great relationship but they will never accept you 100% (most likely) and Mom will always blame you for anything her 'baby' does wrong.

It's life. Just try to enjoy the time with him and get through family meetings.

Life / Burlesque in Poland? [8]

No its not the same.

It is sexy kabaret. Girls stripping and singing but not nasty like a strip club.

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

Agreed...I did say most likely. But its the same all over...people accept their own more than outsiders. It's just more pronounced in some cultures.

Go take your polish self to Saudi and see how well they accept you ;)

Hey I have never even made a nun cry...that is AWESOME!!

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

Christ....she must have been one thin skinned nun as you hardly seem the nasty type.

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

Drinking is a skill that becomes less and less admirable the older you get.

It is overrated. How many people over 25 do you know that are impressed by boozing hard? Not saying people shouldn't drink or anything (so that the the below comments are not hypocritical)...I am not a prude...just saying it is only 'cool' to kids to get hammered...kids and klochards (sp?)

Re the nun thing...I hate people that project their values onto you in such arcane ways. Sleeping in the same building while not married???? The shame!! How can the devil resist that debauchery??

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

Yeah...I just pictured you snogging a babcia in the hall or something.

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

It's insane! I mean it is like some ridiculous witch hunt. Those kind of people drive me batty. Leave me the hell alone zealots!!

Thats what happens to you when you spend you whole life without getting some at least once.

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

My experience living in Poland for several years.

I know you are looking for a fight man...it's your M.O.

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

Nope but great try pidgeon-holing me.

I will clarify for your simplistic view:

I think Islam is a mess...as I do all religion...but at this time in history Islam is causing more trouble than any other.

I am not 'pro-israel' I am pro freedom and think Israel does some nasty stuff too.

I do not think Poles are racist...I KNOW it. All races are racist and some more than others. Poland is a homogenous culture (look it up it doesn't mean gay before you get excited) and mostly white. I have seen much racism here and it is a fact not me hating on Poland. I have also seen racism in every place I have been...but again Poland more than many.

I know you will have something to say about it but I guess I am not interested :)