Life / Consider going back to Poland? [90]


home is a state of mind, friend. And just because you came to Poland four or five years ago whilst looking for some notion of home (because of Polish roots or whatever) doesn't mean the place won't drive you bananas after your sixth year. Just some personal perspective for you to mull over.

Love / Are Polish women too controlling? [106]


they are taught from an early age to cunningly control their menfolk through an artful combination of manipulation, witchcraft, and pussiewhipping. Beware of their dark mystetrious power!!

Life / Why are Polish people so ruthless? [87]


because they are taught from an early age that to step over the bodies of the tired and the weary is ok as long as it is to achieve your goals. this is what happens when you go overnight from a creaky defunct socialistic welfare state to a ruthless dog eat dog free market where only the quick and the ruthless survive.

UK, Ireland / Irish view of Poland? [17]


way off, geek.

Life / Wonderful Poland.......but the attitude of Polish people [150]


maybe this is your hint that your Polish friend doesn't want to do anything for you. stop forcing him to do so.

Love / HELP!! Need some advice about Polish guy at work. [26]


I think, madam, you have just answered your own question.

UK, Ireland / Irish view of Poland? [17]


once the money making machinery starts rolling again, they will again be welcoming Poles, Romanians, and Turks with open arms. Fact of life.

News / Does Poland count in Europe or is it ignored? [427]


that is absolute location you are referring to, in terms of relative location it is an eastern country therefore the speaker's perspective has everything to do with it. obviously.

Love / My Polish girlfriend checks my mobile phone all the time [70]


what's important here is the follow through: in the US, for example, you automatically flunk, no questions asked no excuses accepted, and if it's a college classroom and you get busted for plagiarism, you usually get thrown out for good.

In Poland, many teachers look the other way because they don't give a crap ("They don't pay me enough to care.."), or because they are afraid of the extra hassle involved. I have seen this myself - a teacher flunks a kid for cheating, the offender complains to his parents and who in turn complain to the director, and because the parents are "somebody" the director is forced to backpedal and get the teacher to let the offender retake the test. This scenario is typical of Poland, and not just in school settings - I am referring to the principle.

Also notice that there is supposedly a leash law in Poland, but how do you see cops looking the other way? Sometimes they hassle the dog owner, usually they don't, even though the law says they should. No follow-through in this country. And nobody sweats the details.

News / Does Poland count in Europe or is it ignored? [427]


Economically it counts as a potentially lucrative market what with almost 40 million people living there. Politically it is seen as an upstart with major hang ups regarding its neighbors and its past, some countries see it as a useful tool (loyal puppy) as a hedge against the political ambitions of others.

Poland is a good example of a country that needs a strong military for future contingencies, just in case (for only a true fool disregards the lessons of history). Some countries recognize this, some don't.

The whole Is it Eastern Europe or Central debate is silly because it depends on your own perspective and it is funny to see Poles so shocked at being lumped together with Eastern Europeans. True, you don't see the squat toilets that you commonly see farther east, but rural Poland is babushka-wearing bumpkin territory that evokes images of eastern domains. Unsurprisingly, Belarussians and Ukrainians see Poland as "the west." Germans think Poland is essentially "eastern" just as I have heard a Swedish girl once say that she does not want to go to Poland because she does not want to ride around in "stinky Polish east European buses." (direct quote)

Debate this all you want, I'm just repeating what I hear here and there.

Study / School in Poland - "hellish torture? [20]


I have heard similar stories, although I have known a few decent teachers..the old ones can be cranks, the younger ones tend to be cool. the system here is pretty rotten and bureaucratic, dont expect the high standards you are used to unless you go to one of the overpriced private schools for snobs...also be aware that you will be expected to fret over the stupid matura exam, which is hopelessly silly.

Real Estate / Prices of apartments in Krakow are collapsing further down in 2010-2011 [150]


LOL I would have said this ABOUT Warsaw; Krakow is nice but it has the makings of a rather provincial town.

Life / What is there to do in Warsaw?? [37]


pick up a copy of AKTIVIST available at many coffee shops, it lists everything.

Real Estate / 15 reasons why the Polish real estate market will crash soon [258]

Prices in Poland are inflated, that's true. We are counting on the fact that flats in Warsaw near the city center will be in demand one way or another...

I'm sure someone for whatever reason will want to or have to move here, for work, or whatever. As for us, we are outta here...

Real Estate / Prices of apartments in Krakow are collapsing further down in 2010-2011 [150]

interesting issue all the more as I'm selling a flat. In short: don't put too much faith in any one prognosis because you never know where the info is coming from or what the motives are. Over the past year I have heard so many different opinions on the matter that I refuse to believe anyone or anything other than the market itself. Prices have fallen slightly (residential, in the city) but there are no signs of any cataclysms on the market.

Someone will always be looking for flats to buy, especially in Warsaw, so success just depends on the price. Our real estate agent filled us with juicy info about how flats in our neighborhood sell for 9000PLN per square meter, but this is obviously inflated and she is hoping for a nice fat commission. However, when you look at listings for comparable flats in the same hood, sure enough that's what people list them for.

Our neighbourhood grocer told us that her neighbor just sold for 8500 per sq meter...and we treat that as the best source of info.

I would like to believe that tales of 50 percent falls in prices are just uninformed guff.

Work / Is it hard to find a job in Poland? [9]


or two.

..and I just got a call from a Warsaw-based cousin telling me that the employment situation in Canada is sketchy and it might be better to stay in Poland instead of going to Toronto to seek greener pastures. Funny.

Study / School in Poland - "hellish torture? [20]


especially for the teachers

Food / Bad food experiences in Poland [30]


not bad enough to make for an interesting tale. caught the squirts on two seperate occasions in Slovakia though, so I am in no hurry to get back there anytime soon.

Work / Do I need Permission for teach spanish in Poland? [12]

there are two well known Spanish language schools in Warsaw, one is called cervantes and the other is Sin Fronteras. Google them and contact them for info...obviously they are usually staffed by Spaniards, who do not need work visas due to EU membership.

Real Estate / What does 250,000 zl buy in Wroclaw? [30]


maybe because they are keeping their fingers crossed for high commissions. we invited an agent over to discuss the listing and she recommended PLN 9,300 per sq metre for a third floor flat in an old building. Mind you, the flat itself is nice and the location is quite good, and her recommendation was at first pleasing to our ears (she insisted that she knew the market well), but when the masses didn't exactly come knocking we quickly told her to get real and lower the price.

Work / Is it hard to find a job in Poland? [9]


note to LOKI - I am now in Poland and am hoping that by this spring I will be in Canada. Seriously.

Real Estate / What does 250,000 zl buy in Wroclaw? [30]

good point. I am trying to unload a flat in Warsaw for PLN 370,000 so your statement has unusually profound meaning for me. The flat is nice and bunker-like.

Work / Is it hard to find a job in Poland? [9]


It used to be that any English-speaking yokel was practically guaranteed a job, and even the less ambitious (EFL teachers) could get by just fine on inflated "native speaker" salaries. But no more, the times of the free ride for native speakers are over, and Poland continues to be a place where good work is hard to find unless someone sets you up, unless of course you possess some in-demand skill (database wiz, IT expert, etc) but even then you will make less than you would at home. Also, Poland used to be cheaper so that you could get by on that lower Polish salary, but a few years of EU membership have ruined that. Don't be fooled by those nostalgic older generation Polaks in Hamilton, many of those people relocate here only to regret it later...

Food / How often do you have Polish Food? [49]


space cakes?

Food / Why did Taco Bell leave Poland? [82]


because the cheese tastes like plastic and the meat is of questionable origin. Subway is making a big comeback, at least in Warsaw, and there is a new Starbucks on Nowy Swiat...

Law / ZUS questions - maternity issues [7]


true. but the issue is neither here nor there, what we are really after is whether they FORBID THE COLLECTION OF MATERNITY SICK LEAVE MONEY WHILE STAYING ABROAD. That's the heart of the matter. We are not looking to collect money from the other government nor are we looking to wheedle money out of ZUS as any kind of scam. We are simply trying to confirm whether we can geographically be somewhere else while we collect the money the woman would be getting anyway while sitting on her arse in Poland. But do you physically have to be in Poland to continue to get what's due? Zat my dear is the question. Good tip though, we'll try to get a straight answer out of ZUS (which is in itself a challenge)..

Law / ZUS questions - maternity issues [7]


this would be a non eu country on the other side of the pond. and seanus, you are referring to then one time becikowe payment,this question pertains to the monthly sick leave payments allowed under law, although you supposedly (or so we heard) need a doctors not once a month to get the money...?

USA, Canada / Shipping between Poland and Canada [8]


lack of appropriate trained shock troops and lak of faith in the Juche ideal of self-sufficient is the real reason, what?

anyway, any intelligent guesses as to what sending 5 or 6 bulky and somewhat heavy boxes filled with household goods and clothes would cost between Warsaw and Toronto? Just in case the shipping boys take forever to calculate our rate request...

USA, Canada / Shipping between Poland and Canada [8]


I think Toronto has enough tunnels, no?