USA, Canada / Black Friday (in American stores) [28]


Not only does it not pay well, I'd say it pays horribly. Who can afford to live at minimum wage? I'm surprised their employees dont steal to even out their wages, lol.

Walmart also cuts peoples hours so they are below 32, and they aren't required to offer health benefits. So the people they have working are poor and cant see a Dr. Cheap bastards.

USA, Canada / Black Friday (in American stores) [28]


I hope so, because the Black Friday deals weren't that great at all. Who the heck wants to wait outside in the cold for 5 hours to get a tv for an "ok" price. I mean if they really were 50-70% off... well maybe.


Did you hear about the walmart employee that got trampled to death when the crowds rushed in at the Long Island Walmart? A guys life seemed meaningless when people wanted to save $3, jeez.

Food / Pierogi with fruit filling? [30]

try going there the week of wigilia, you'll spend more than 5 min looking for parking, let alone the line :)

USA, Canada / Why would someone leave Poland for the US? [120]


I disagree. In Chicago, most of those who immigrated from 1970-1990 were not "educated". Those that were, got their degrees translated and were professionals once again. The masses went to factories, cleaning jobs, and became contractors.

USA, Canada / Why would someone leave Poland for the US? [120]


Well the thread reads "why would someone leave poland for the us", so I wrote why mine left, and a majority of other Poles... for a better financial life.


I do not :)

Food / Pierogi with fruit filling? [30]

Indeed, this place has good pierogi. For the holiday's, the line in the store is huge, and the wait sometimes over 1-2 hours!

USA, Canada / Why would someone leave Poland for the US? [120]

I thank your family for not immigrating also.

USA, Canada / Why would someone leave Poland for the US? [120]

Poland is doing much better now, than it was in the past. Most immigration occurred 10-30 years ago, when a job in poland was tough, or the pay was hilariously low compared to what could be earned in the US.

Most people who immigrated were common folk who lived in villages, and had a choice to do a long commute to a bigger city for low pay, or work in the fields and be a poor hardworking farmer forever. Hence the lines in front of the US Embassy were packed each and every day.

But the Polish economy got better, the zloty appreciated, and all of the sudden the US wasnt as great as it could be. But immigration shifted more so to EU when the borders opened up. If it weren't for Poland being in the EU, the US would still be "gold" and immigrants lining up.

You guys dis the US, but most have not been here, have not seen the Polish communities and all they've aspired & accomplished. Had the same people been stuck in PL, their kids would not be college graduates, they wouldn't have 2-3+ homes, luxury cars, vacations, etc. They made their lives much better by coming here. I thank my parents for immigrating, because I would not be who I am today, if they had remained in Poland.

Although the economy here sucks, as it does mostly everywhere now, you can't judge just the current, the past is what made today.

Love / help dating polish lady [78]


you came on a site asking for opinions from total strangers... you got them. just because their opinions on your situation dont agree with what you wanted to hear, is no reason to be getting all nasty.

Life / WHAT ABOUT THANKSGIVING (ŚWIĘTO DZIĘKCZYNIENIA) IN POLAND? [52]

I wish we had that many days off from work, like they do in Poland. All the religious & non-religious holidays, that people have off from work in PL, are probably more than all my vacation time.

Maybe you can work on recognizing these PL holidays in the US, so we can get a couple extra days off!

Love / help dating polish lady [78]


Are you really English? You are writing like a foreigner, and its hard to understand. Maybe she's not into your ethnicity, or can't understand you either.

Give the girl a rest, all this obsessing over her seems stalkerish.

Life / WHAT ABOUT THANKSGIVING (ŚWIĘTO DZIĘKCZYNIENIA) IN POLAND? [52]

Why should Poland be celebrating US holidays? I think they have plenty of holidays, where everyone is off from work, offices closed, etc.

Life / International Press in Krakow [14]


For that insane price, I'd sit in the store read the paper and leave.

Life / International Press in Krakow [14]

Check out Galeria Krakowska. There is a huge bookstore on the first floor (unfortunately, I can't recall its name), and they have lots of books/magazines in English. I don't remember if they had international newspapers, but definitely worth a shot.

USA, Canada / POLISH AMERICANS UNAWARE of KOSHER FOOD TAX? [19]

Long time ago, I used to work in a place that wanted their food product labeled Kosher. So they went through the whole process, awaited that the Rabbi will come in to inspect everything and then "certify" each product.

What really ended up happening was the Rabbi came in, signed some papers that the food is "kosher" and left. Later on, the company got a bill for $1500 per product line for labeling it kosher. I swear the Rabbi didnt take a whole 5 min to sign the papers. Nice scam indeed.

Love / What would you think if you were me? Having lived with a Polish woman for over a year. [30]


I think he knows its time to part, but he loves her, and is not getting the feeling back, so he's trying to find a reason behind her actions... but there are none.

Love / What would you think if you were me? Having lived with a Polish woman for over a year. [30]

Paul,
I'd say your lady is trying to experiment outside the relationship, and that she doesn't take relationships seriously.



I think this is like emotional cheating. It may be more if the guy were a local.

Unfortunately, what I think happens on chats/skype is that you talk with a person with similar interests, you find enough in common to not even talk about the differences, and then it seems so perfect... like a dream fantasy. And this makes the person want to have more & more contact with this untouchable (distance) fantasy.

Honestly, I dont think its a Polish woman issue, I think its her character. She doesnt seem to be respecting you & your relationship.


More points to her lack of value for a relationship, to be 36 and twice divorced.

I'd lay the cards out in the open, tell her your not happy with this contact with the other guy. If she refuses to break it off, then you have a sign, her heart is not true. How could someone pick an internet relationship over a live in boyfriend.

UK, Ireland / Working as an au-pair in UK and leaving the host family. Is it legal? [60]


You posted a link to the IRS where it states they are required to file & pay income tax. Just because they dont do it, doesn't mean they arent required to do so.

Travel / Wireless Internet connection in Poland [18]

Most of the large cell companies provide wireless cards for laptops(orange, era, plus). The only issue, is that they also require 1 or 2 year contracts like they do for cell phone service.

Also, if you dont have a Polish ID, I think its hard to get the service. Hopefully one of the locals will chime in with specifics.

News / Captain of hijacked tanker is Polish [71]

A well known German cargo liner allows the captain to be armed, my source is a chief on the ship.

UK, Ireland / Working as an au-pair in UK and leaving the host family. Is it legal? [60]

No, its not true. Even in the IRS link that Polishgirl provided it stated that au-pairs must file & pay income taxes.

I think what she may be referring to, is that in every country there are those au-pairs who feel they that since they are paid on the side, they shouldn't pay tax. Which is wrong.

UK, Ireland / Working as an au-pair in UK and leaving the host family. Is it legal? [60]


Did you read what you had posted? Au pairs are required to file income taxes & pay. The only thing is they are not "required" to withhold income on a weekly basis like normal tax payers, and may be exempt from paying SS & medicare tax. But they still must pay Income Tax like everyone else.

"au pair wages are includible in the gross income of the recipients, and au pairs are required to file U.S. individual income tax returns"


They don't pay, only if they are cheating the system.

Au pair is a fancy word for nanny to me. Being paid under the table is just that, tax evasion. Whether the person decides to admit it or not is their problem. But this field is not tax-exempt.

News / Captain of hijacked tanker is Polish [71]


I agree. Most of the ship owners are quite cheap and only think of the economical impact on them. The cargo is insured so they dont care if it get seized, the crew... well they are replaceable. They real only worry would be to get their ship back in the end. I dont know if there is pirate insurance? lol


Because these ships, even though they are labeled as sailing under a particular country flag, arent really from there. So the ones getting caught in their waters are really foreign, and the middle east countries could care less. Lots of cargo companies are set up in africa/middle east for tax shelters.

I know several Polish cargo companies are set up in Liberia, only for tax benefits, while the crew is 75% Polish, rest Philipino.

News / Captain of hijacked tanker is Polish [71]


So what would you call them? Peacekeepers trying to get action?

News / Captain of hijacked tanker is Polish [71]

They should have shooting orders. As soon as a captain spots one, he should shoot the heck out of it. A couple of these sessions and the pirates wouldnt be approaching ships.

The patroling ships are very very few & far between. And they are so large that they can't go help any other ship in need. They are like a scarecrow in the field.

News / Captain of hijacked tanker is Polish [71]

I agree. But you don't see the US sending their army to protect those waters from pirates, now do we ;)

News / Captain of hijacked tanker is Polish [71]

People underestimate these pirates, thinking its something that is read in books. In reality, the captain is armed to protect the ship, and even authorized to give some money to pirates to ensure the safety of the crew & contents. The pirates are becoming more skilled, and demanding enormous amounts.

The Arabian Sea & Gulf of Aden are particular targets, as most ships use the route to the Suez canal.

Genealogy / Help with the name "Littman". [4]


Some jews switched religions not to face persecution, so just because she's roman catholic, the grandparents, or great grandparents could have been jewish. Do your research, try finding baptismal records.

Life / COMAPRING POLAND PRICES WITH PRICES OF OTHER COUNTRIES [10]



I think that's because you are comparing the housing market of Florida. But not everywhere is it cheaper than Poland.

Real Estate / Construction (Poland Vrs where you are from) [66]

My dad is in the process of buidling a home in PL, so I can clearly see the differences between the US.

First of, homes in the US are built much much faster. Within 3 months, you have a whole brick home, with roof and entire interior finished, ready to move in. In Poland the whole process drags, especially if you are shelling out cash to bribe people to get stuff done quicker in terms of paperwork/permits, or just construction wise.

I'm sure some of it is due to the fact that homes built in Poland are built to last a million years, much sturdier, all concrete. It seems they are built to withstand a war, not just time. In the US, most of our homes are built on wood frames, then the outside is either siding, or brick stones for decoration. No stucco or "tynkowanie" like in Poland.

The US homes are easier to change if you want to add a room addition to the house, or change some layout feature. But PL houses have all concrete walls, so you would have to do massive teardowns and likely unrealistic to do, if you want to say add another bathroom. Its like whatever the house is built as, that's the way its to stay. US houses seem more flex in this matter.

As for finishing touches, all US homes have the interior finished (and must by law in order for you to gain an occupancy permit). While in Poland some people finish one level, and the 2nd floor is just the concrete slab. Or they build as they go... they move in and live in 2 rooms while finishing the building of the rest of their home which sometimes lasts 5+ years.