Life / Any traditional barber shops in Poznan or Wroclaw? [3]

See, I would help you here...but I go for 12zl haircuts in the nearest hairdresser (two seconds walk...) and don't have any problems - in fact, it's much better than the same haircut in the UK.

I think there might be a barber in the Novotel, though don't quote me on this - I have a vague memory of such a thing. It might be worth asking in the hotels in question though - and for some reason, I wouldn't be surprised if there was a proper barber in Stary Browar.

But...what's a pompadour? :s

Law / "Texas style" steakhouse in Poznan. Worthy investment? [35]

Be careful, there's not as many foreigners here as you might think. I thought so too, but I'm finding that I'm going weeks at a time without hearing any native English speakers - in fact, the last one I heard was a rather wasted Scottish guy during the climate conference.

However, a proper, American owned and operated burger grill could do a trick. If you think about it, there's all those places around Stary Rynek offering American style food - but most of it appears to be overpriced rubbish designed to attract stupid tourists and idiotic Poles. I'd certainly visit a proper American-run place - especially if it was proudly so. Such a thing might just take the trick in Poznan, as it's a business city and therefore more travelled.

Actually, do a proper burgers and ribs style bar/restaurant and I'll be one of your best customers :)

Law / Bank interest rates and deposits in Poland [14]

If you're thinking on depositing in Złoty to try and make more money out of interest, then you're an absolute idiot to say the least. It's fine and well for those of us living and working in Złoty - but for outsiders, particularly from the UK - it's quite simply a ridiculously foolish bet. The Zł/Pound rate is bouncing around the place like wild at the minute - the 3% you might make could easily be wiped out if the Złoty does end up crashing like predicted.

As for a Northern Rock experience - what exactly is wrong with NR, bearing in mind that no bank will be safer than one owned by the UK government?

History / The only successful Polish Rising - 1918/19, Wielkopolska [13]

So that's why there's lots of flags in Poznań flying...and why there's candles/flags/etc on Wrocławska.

News / ENGLISH STILL PROFITABLE IN POLAND? [78]

Many arguments in my school revolve round whether or not I have a strong Scottish accent..but bearing in mind that I've got the generic Bridge of Don/Cults/Westhill Aberdeen accent, you probably can guess that I don't either :P

Having said this, I do talk ridiculously quickly if I'm not thinking :s

Oi, Seanus...reckon we could sell a few rowies/butteries/rolls/whatever the hell they're called here? :P

Travel / Anyone know a pub in Poznan that shows English football matches? [13]

Christ, you'd think I would know this, but...I don't :(

Might be worth asking in Brogan's? They certainly show sport, I was watching a rather dire Golota fight there recently...

News / Why is Tusk still Polish PM? [67]


This is still the object of much amusement for me...how on earth did he end up with such a Scottish name?!

I'm tempted to write him a letter, asking where his trousers are ;)

Life / Brits moving to live in Poland [88]

I can tell you for an almost categorical fact that you're speaking nonsense. Why would we move to a foreign country if we hated foreigners?

'Real English families'? I don't know many real English families, although the fact that I'm from Scotland might be something to do with that. But of course, you're making the same old mistake of saying that England = UK.

And no, the UK isn't 'flooded' with foreigners - yes, they're becoming more common, and some decisions made by councils are absolutely bizzare concerning them - but the country is hardly flooded. For a start, it's not like there's brand new New Towns springing up in the Highlands, full of economic migrants from the EU-10.

But anyway, it was the Scots 200 years ago that the English complained about, then it became the Irish about 100 years ago, then it was people from the Indian sub-continent and now it's Poles. Same old, same old.

As for why most people leaving are whites - probably some social research would point at whites being generally more in a situation from which they can leave. Do you really think that poor black kids in Tower Hamlets will really have the opportunity to move to Poland? They should have the chance - but alas, they don't :(

Work / Advice on WHEN to go to Poland to teach English [30]

The word 'method' alone brings me out in cold sweats, as it makes me think of pyramid schemes...hmm, some of these schools could definitely be called 'schemes', I think ;)

Have you seen/heard anything about this SITA method? It's an interesting development, but only in terms of how much money they can get for it.

Work / Advice on WHEN to go to Poland to teach English [30]

Avalon is hilariously bad - I don't actually think it was written by native speakers at all, or even advanced English speakers.

Money and power, I would say. It's quite funny how many of these directors are either fantastic teachers who can't manage, or good managers who have no idea what it's like to teach a class.

Work / Advice on WHEN to go to Poland to teach English [30]

One thing that's notable - are you registered unemployed in the UK? If not, then do so! now! - the reason is that you can continue to be paid Jobseekers Allowance at the UK rate for up to 3 months if you decide to jobseek abroad. Considering 45 quid a week is about 200zl, it's well worth doing.


The trick, as I've found (and this is speaking without CELTA...yet) is to gain the support of the boss in introducing new things to Callan classes every once in a while - mine is perfectly happy and trusts me to teach them something relevant, which usually involves photocopying worksheets or playing a game to make them think quickly. Not entirely teaching - but it does make things far more interesting.

Another thing is the ability to change the questions when being revised - if a school expects you to stick rigidly to the books, then you know it's a money machine and not a school with the students interests at heart. One of the most effective ways (in Callan) to scare people senseless is to change a question :)


Depends on the school really - but 35zl-45zl an hour seems to be the going rate in Poznan for Callan teachers. If you find a school in a small town willing to hire you as a Callan teacher, I'd even negotiate conditions - you might be able to blag a few traditional lessons a week out of them if you show interest.


Goes without saying that you should never work in such a place ;)

But crucially, don't jump at the first job you get offered - make sure you're happy with the place first. Be very cynical as Seanus suggests - and even little things like looking to see how happy the secretaries are will say a lot.

If you're not sure - then ask to observe a lesson before making up your mind. A good school that genuinely wants you will be happy to do this, but a bad school will refuse the request. Again, this gives you the opportunity to speak to the teachers, and their attitude will tell you a lot.

News / Poland will take half a century to catch up with the West [240]


mbank is your friend :) Remarkably hassle free.

Work / Advice on WHEN to go to Poland to teach English [30]


Shouldn't be hard, I don't think - just go out and get your CV out there. It might be that you end up getting a few hours here, a few hours there - but that's no bad thing in terms of variety of work.

The only question - will you have to pay rent in Poland?

The other thing - take Seanus's advice about 'Polish Business' as being gospel. But don't worry too much - you'll know a good school when you come across it.

Particularly so, the worst Callan schools are the ones that expect you to teach rigidly to the Callan format - but again, you can find these things out simply by asking the right questions. The directors that don't let you answer questions and want you to start there and then are the worst kind - it's a tell-tale sign with Poles that they expect to get their way and will thus be a nightmare to work for.

But most of all, don't worry :)

Work / Advice on WHEN to go to Poland to teach English [30]



One thing to consider is the actual amount of work put in - for example, I can turn up to teach Callan 5 minutes before the lesson and have no problem, but teaching an FCE/higher class needs a decent amount of prior preparing. So when you look at it - it depends what you value more, time or money. You might be happier, for instance, doing 20 hours a week in a nearby Callan school where you turn up, teach and leave. Equally so, you might be happier to get 50zl per hour, but then be faced with having to prepare work too.

The other thing - don't discount doing a year of Callan if it's mixed in with other stuff. Callan does give you a nice easy introduction to teaching if it's at a good school - though a bad school can put you off teaching for life.

As for salaries - don't believe anyone or anything until you see it for yourself. It's certainly possible to make not bad money teaching Callan - though a school that offers decent money for that will more than likely expect you to be very flexible and proactive.

Edit : as for when, go in August without a doubt. April will be the dead season - and although it's probably nice to live here in summer, you would be much better off going over in late August.

News / Poland will take half a century to catch up with the West [240]


They would've more than likely been refunded by the Polish system.

It's pretty dreadful when people are travelling to the UK for abortions - but then again, people from the island of Ireland have been doing it ever since abortion was legalised in Great Britain.

News / Poland will take half a century to catch up with the West [240]


No way, look at some of the nonsense involved with the ZUS system. Wroclaw Boy's outlined one case, but there's plenty more.

The system of requiring people to get stamps *monthly* in a booklet just to prove that they're entitled to health care is one example of absolute stupidity - what's the point in giving 90%+ of the country free health care and not the small minority who aren't entitled because they're not unemployed and not working?

Of course, you then get the nonsense where if you don't have the stamp that month, you won't be covered - so if you get ill at the start of the month, need a doctor and don't have a stamp, forget about it. Again, compared to the UK system, it's just dreadful.

And then of course, people like students are covered by their parents ZUS coverage - which again, just creates paperwork for someone to push around. But the minute they cease to be a student, that coverage stops.

Of course the UK system isn't perfect - paying for prescriptions in some parts of the UK is an example. But the basic ability to get a doctor when you need one, irrespective of who you are is a good one.

In relation to ZUS - what's the deal if you aren't insured and need to be taken to hospital in an emergency?

(min...what a great word :D)

News / What you think about the Polish President, Kaczynski? [53]


Whatever he falls out with Tusk over next, clearly ;)

Having said this - Poland really does need to elect some leaders with some charisma. Tusk has absolutely no charisma and is safely one of the most boring PM's in Europe. Meanwhile Kaczynski just appears to be a lost little old man who needs taken back to the care home.

Come on, elect some personalities!

News / Poland will take half a century to catch up with the West [240]


If you use the UK for example, the universal health care system is far more logical in the UK than in Poland. My head hurts just trying to understand exactly who and who isn't entitled to coverage from ZUS, for one.

(something is very wrong about the fact that you can be left with no health care in this country if you're a newly graduated student who can't find a job).

News / Polish architects [9]

Stary Browar never fails to amaze me, just because of the sheer magnitude of the project. I know quite a few Poznań people aren't too happy with the circumstances in which it came about, but..pah, it's worth it :)

Life / Polish views towards the Brits and all other "natives" [26]


Funnily enough, they deny such accusations here and instead level them towards people from Kraków. No, I don't understand it :/

Life / Can I apply for unemployment benefits in European Union if i havent work [9]

I'm pretty sure the answer is no - at least in Poland, the law is that you have to have paid 12 months of contributions before being entitled to claim any. There's also a question of residence - although they can't discriminate against EU citizens, they may very well apply a test of residency within the EU before allowing you to claim any.

For the UK, again, you'd have to be working there for 12 months before you could get the EEA residence permit which entitles you to benefits.

The law may be different elsewhere - but it would seem very unlikely that anywhere would give you unemployment benefits without any history in the country in question.

Be warned that with a Polish passport, you still need a work permit for certain countries/activities.

News / Tusk's Proposal to Change Poland Constitution [27]


True, but his meddling with the system caused the current imbalance. Part of the problem, at least as I understand it, was his realisation that Poland needed a strong Presidency at the time - but of course, he only realised it after it was too late. I'm sure part of the reason for his loss in 1995 was his indecision over this.

Either the Prime Minister has to give up some powers, or the Presidency has to become a figurehead like the Irish or German ones. I don't think PO will want a strong presidency, yet it seems unlikely that PO plus allied parties who might vote for a change in the constitution to weaken the President's powers will have the majority to do so.

Having said this, it's better to have the checks and balances of the current system than placing too much power in the hands of one man.

I think Tusk wisely realises that bringing Russia, and especially Belarus in from the cold might do wonders for Poland - imagine what opportunities would lie for the Eastern Poles if Belarus opened up?

Life / Polish views towards the Brits and all other "natives" [26]


Oh yes. The amount of times, even in Poznan that I've had people say 'English?'...to be met with a swift 'No, Scottish', followed by them smiling and mentioning Boruc is absolutely ridiculous. It does seem to be true though - people here generally don't look too fondly towards the English, but have no issues with Scots.

I'm not arguing :D

News / Tusk's Proposal to Change Poland Constitution [27]


Not really a bad thing, when you look at some of the previous people in power in Poland. I'd rather have a dull, mundane prime minister who actually got something done than some of the previous chimps.

Having said this, something desperately needs to be done with the ridiculous situation in Poland where the Prime Minister has some powers and the President others - *someone* has to be the boss, not no-one.

Wałęsa has a lot to answer for.

UK, Ireland / What is the cheapest way to move house contents from Dublin to Warsaw? [6]

Jesus, if I could find a quote for less than 800 pounds from Aberdeen to Poland, I'd be exceptionally happy...

UK, Ireland / Aberdeen's Polish Community [15]

Look at his posts, you lazy git :P

Aberdeen's community? The fish market is your best bet :)

(either that, or there's quite a few to be found around the Bedford area)

Life / Wage - Expenses = It Doesn't Add Up!!! [33]


Oh, of course, I assumed so though :)

Crazy though, 1800zl-ish isn't exactly a bad salary.

Life / Prepaid Sim Cards in Poland [17]

Plus are hilarious - they allegedly have an option for 'English' when they send you information/threats/etc, but they seem to send English and Polish texts in equal measures. But they are quite usable if you don't speak Polish :)

Life / Wage - Expenses = It Doesn't Add Up!!! [33]

Excellent, thank you for that...I can now win the argument :)

Life / Wage - Expenses = It Doesn't Add Up!!! [33]


Have you got a source for this? I was telling someone about this and they couldn't believe that Tesco was offering so much...