UK, Ireland / Poland v England - charity football match Crystal Palace, Sunday 18 Nov [5]


Polish people give to Polish charities .... as well as non-Poles :o) what's wrong with that ?

Had I not been suffering with a bad cold , I'd have taken my family to this event .... sounds as though it would have been a lot of fun :o)

Life / Who's thinking of moving to Poland? [67]


compared to the national average ..... you'll live like a King !

However, it all depends if you have expensive tastes and lifestyle ..... in Poland you can eat very cheaply or very expensively; shopping in the designer shops in malls can be as expensive , if not more expensive than in UK !

You can choose to have your kids go to a Polish school with locals, or go privately in one of the many international schools - the Polish state schools are free, some Polish schools are private, but still a lot cheaper than international schools. The most expensive are the international schools where one year may cost in the region of £7000-£8000.


My wife is Polish ... and from Wroclaw. Presently we are in London, but we plan to be living in Poland in 2 years time - our kids are 5yrs and 4 yrs and are already bilingual. Still undecided between Warsaw and Krakow, although Warsaw seems to have the edge.

I have many friends who have already made the move to Polska; be careful not to fall into the 'one-upmanship club', or 'keeping up with the Joneses'. Like in any society people like to compare themselves with their neighbours and to outdo them in materialistic terms. I have seen this happen with expats in Poland, with some spending beyond their means in order to keep up with others.

Good luck with your furure plans :o)

Genealogy / strange Polish mixes [116]


one of my best friends lives in US; he was born in UK but has Polish parents so views himself like I do .... a Pole born in the UK.

he now lives in US with his Mexican wife - they have two children , both girls. These girls are like yourself then .... half Polish half Mexican ...... or half Mexican and the rest divided into English/Polish/American !

News / Poland's Growth Fastest in 10 Years [95]

You are totally right Oarman!

I come over to Poland , roughly once a month for about 1-2 weeks at a time - when I bring clients for a viewing trip so they can see what Poland is like , they stare in total amazement stating that Poland is nothing like what they expected !

Everyone who has come over with me has said how impressed they are with Poland, and that all their preconceptions of a 'poor' country had been shattered - they all leave with a view that Poland is a country which is heading in the right direction .... and one that will be a major player in years to come !

Watching these clients walk around Poland can be compared to looking at children let loose in a toy/sweet shop for the first time, especially when they see the beautiful women that Poland has in abundance !

UK, Ireland / british exodus [4]

Official figures from the Office of National Statistics showed that in 2006 591,000 people (this includes returning Britons) entered the country last year as 400,000 left.

It is believed that for the first time ever more than 200,000 British citizens left the country in a single year; the most popular destinations were Australia, New Zealand, France, Spain and US.

The figures confirm that Britain’s population will rise by 10 million over the next 25 years.

Figures show that fewer than one in five newcomers come from the new EU nations in eastern Europe, which includes Poland and the Czech Republic.

Most newcomers, a total of 115,000 were from countries in Asia and Africa, with 92,000 from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

Biggest influx from a single country into Britain last year was from Poland, with a total 68,000

Life / Who's thinking of moving to Poland? [67]


This may be true, but from many English/Irish I have met out in Poland, they have said that although they originally came out to Poland for a couple of years, they like it so much they do not see themselves returning to their homeland.

In addition, those who come out single, invariably fall in love with a Polish girl and decide to make a new life for themselves and their new family in Poland.

UK, Ireland / An Englishman's View on Polish flocking to the UK [53]


so when are you moving to Poland Sapphire ?? :o)

UK, Ireland / Polish and Foreign Drivers in the UK [28]

Having done a considerable amount of driving , in England and in Poland, I have to say that driving in Poland is more hazardous than driving in UK.

I see myself as a Pole, although I've lived in England all my life, but i have to say that Polish drivers are nutters !

They will overtake when going up a hill not knowing what is coming the other way, they will overtake when there is oncoming traffic then flash their headlights expecting the oncoming vehicle to swerve out of their way. I believe Poles are more likely to drink and drive than the English ....

In general I would say that Polish drivers, and especially those aged 18-30 are extremely reckless, compared to English drivers.

I read an article recently that motor vehicle accidents in parts of UK were on the increase and the cause of the accidents were .... i'm sorry to say Polish drivers ....

UK, Ireland / An Englishman's View on Polish flocking to the UK [53]


try and imagine what it would have been like if England had been under communist rule for as long as Poland was ?

Since it broke free from communism, Poland has been making huge strides in the right direction, but it will take time to adjust to this new freedom.


i don't disagree with you on this, but you have to ask the British government about their immigration policies ..... they only have themselves to blame for the mess they are in !


i know there's a lot of Poles ..... but the most spoken language in Britain being Polish ? Are you sure ? What about Pakistanis, Indians, etc ....

Life / The romance of an unknowable country ... Poland - my story [35]


Helena .... sometimes you get some some strange unsavoury characters on the forum, so I try to avoid putting too much personal detail on general view :o)

You can send me an email, by clicking on my profile. I am based in West London, not far from POSK (Polish Cultural Centre).


I grew up learning Polish as my first language , so when I went to nursery I didn't understand a word of English; my mum always tells a funny story from my first days at school -

the teacher had been trying to teach me a few words in English, in particular the word 'house'. The teacher would show me a picture of a house and say the word house whilst pointing to the picture. I was quite obstinate and every time she pointed to the picture I would reply ...'Nie ... DOM'(house in Polish).

When it came to pick me up from school my mum asked how I was getting along, to which the teacher replied that she wasn't sure if I had learnt anything that day, but she had learnt that DOM is the Polish for house!!

Feeling Polish when I was growing up was easy because I had many friends in the neighborhood who were in the same boat as myself - we even arranged Poland v England football matches during break.time in the school playground.

There was the Polish church and many kids were part of Polish cubs/scouts and most attended Polish school on Saturday mornings.
We kept all the Polish traditions going ... celebrating 'Imieniny' (Saints Day) as well as birthdays, and St Nicholas's Day on 6th December and Wigilia (Christmas Eve). The language spoken at home was mainly Polish due to my grandparents looking after my brother and myself whilst my mum worked.

I have never thought of putting pen to paper to write any memoirs, but find flicking through old photo albums very nostalgic. I stopped going to Poland when I was about 12yrs old, and only returned in my thirties.

You can count me in on any book/web site you want to write about AngloPoles' views/experiences/memories of Poland under communist rule.

Life / The romance of an unknowable country ... Poland - my story [35]


I remember going to Poland every summer , in the late sixties and seventies with my older brother and mother and grandmother - we spent many weeks in the Polish countryside playing with other children and getting up to mischief; my grandfather never went back to Poland because under communist rule he feared he would be kept in Poland and put in prison as he had been highly ranked in the Polish Police when war broke out.

I am lucky that I can speak both Polish and English , so getting along with other kids my age was never a problem and my brother and I were always seen as 'celebrities' who had come over from the West !

We usually went to Krzysz, a small country village in Wielkopolska (nearest main city is Poznan), Bydgoszcz, Gliwice, Krakow and Wroclaw. No matter how poor or hard-up the family in Poland was we were always treated like royalty ..... and there was always food in the fridge and beer/vodka on the table for the adults and juice for the kids. I am sure they made sacrifices in order to make our stay as hospitable as possible.

These trips to Poland as a child have moulded me into the person I am today .... and as I have written in posts elsewhere even though I have lived in England all of my life I feel more Polish than English - born in England but having Polish blood flowing through my body ! :o)


I think it would make interesting reading, and I for one enjoyed reading your story, and look forward to your next installment - i always found it fascinating listening to my grandmother/grandfather recalling their unbelievable experiences of WWI and WWII; how they lived through it is truly remarkable and i always felt would make a great book.

Where are you based now ? It would be interesting to share experiences of visiting Polska during the communist era .....

News / Polish "brainbox" comes back to Poland from the UK for a better education [77]


The Polish kid was just stating how poor his education was here in UK compared with his education in Poland ...... which is why he chose to return to finish his studies in Lodz.

The follow-up article in the paper highlighted how the education system in Poland is how it used to be in UK during the fifties ........more respect for teachers, more discipline.

There seems to be a fear of 'failing' children if they are not up to scratch as this may affect their self esteem .... there is little point in surrounding kids in a 'cotton wool' environment as they will be taught the harsh reality of being 'not up to the job' when they get sacked or cannot find a job !

I have lived in England all my life, and have friends who are teachers at primary, secondary schools and also lecturers aT Universities.
According to them, standards in education have definitely dropped in the last few decades.

News / Polish "brainbox" comes back to Poland from the UK for a better education [77]


a)


b)


c)


The correct answer ......

either b or c is acceptable , Liza and Dasla get a Gold Star and go to the top of the class, whereas UKGUY must stay after class and write 100 times Polish education system is better than English system !

Life / St. Nicholas Day (Mikolajki) 6th December [12]

Growing up in London, I know that at school all the English kids were envious that Polish kids got presents twice at Christmas :o) ..... once on 6th December and then again on Wigilia, Christmas Eve :o)

Then again , maybe it's because Polish kids are better behaved throughout the year than English kids :o)))

This is a tradition that I have kept going with my kids, aged 5 yrs and 4 yrs - they are at an age where they still believe in Sw. Mikolaj and the magic of Christmas - on Christmas Eve we (Poles) are told the Christmas Angel delivers the presents we find under the Christmas tree.

Travel / Have you ever been in Poland? [111]


mugging is a daily occurrence in London - only recently a good friend of mine was mugged at knifepoint by three coloured youths aged 16-18 yrs, at 5pm as he was returning home from work.


I feel much safer walking around Warsaw late in the evenings than in London.

As for being 'thrown out of a train window for your wallet', I think you have been watching too many James Bond films !!

I have heard that serious gun and knife crime is on the increase in UK; there is a big problem with gangs and drugs.

Many of my friends have moved over to Poland within the last 5-10 years and none of them regret it .... they all wonder why it's taking me so long to move also !:o)

I know someone selling up in London to come and live in Poland will be in a very comfortable position, in that they may have in the region of £500,000 to start their new life - i know some will come with less, but I know of many who would come with even more.

Travel / Have you ever been in Poland? [111]


have to disagree :o)


I travel to Poland every month and stay there for 1-2 weeks on each visit; i come across many AngloPols (people born in UK /parents Polish) who have made the opposite move because they say the quality of life is better for them in Poland and are disillusioned with what is happening in UK ie. failing NHS, failing education system, high taxes, yob culture on the increase, increase in serious crime, political correctness gone mad, a country which is losing its identity etc..... also look how many UK citizens are looking to make new lives for themselves abroad in places like US, Canada, Spain, France, Australia etc...

I see myself moving my family (wife is Polish born from Wroclaw) to Poland within the next two years.


No country is perfect, but there are some which are heading in the right direction ... like I feel Poland is, whilst England is taking backward steps !

I know that there will be Poles who leave their country and make new lives for themselves in UK, Canada, Germany or wherever, but there are those who are working abroad to make a better life for themselves and plan to return to Poland.


POLAND IS A GREAT COUNTRY .......why does it annoy Polishmaster when people have this view ? If Poles had the opportunity to earn decent wages in Poland they wouldn't have to move abroad .... but unfortunately the reality is that by coming over to UK they can earn several times more than back in Poland.

Life / Why are Poles attracted to animals? [53]



was this search part of your work .... or just a way of entertaining your sick mind !??


exactly .... !!

USA, Canada / Rejecting Polish Heritage - my parents wanted to be completely American [2]

Hi Kirk ...

I am fortunate that my parents/grandparents made a conscious effort to teach myself and my brother the Polish language here in England.

There was the Polish church and many other children like myself, [first generation Poles born in England :o),] which made learning the language easier.

There were Polish cubs/scouts on weekends and there were also Polish schools on Saturday mornings which most children attended, although due to sports committments from my English school I chose not to attend the Polish school - however I had to strike a deal with my parents that I would be home tutored in Polish by my grandparents in return for not attending Polish school.

I still managed to achieve a creditable pass in Polish 'O' level !, and now speak Polish fluently, although i lost out on Polish history and literature, which i am now trying to catch up!

However I see that some of my mums friends , especially those who ended up in Canada or US have not taught their children the Polish language. When I speak to these kids they say they wish their parents had made more effort to teach them the language.

I don't know if it's because Polish communities were more readily formed here in England and were closer together than in US which made things easier to keep traditions and language going !

Life / Have always longed to live abroad, so I'm Moving To Poland [10]


is your wife Polish ?

it's been written about a lot ...... you could always teach .... native speaker etc ?

Good luck with your proposed move :o)

UK, Ireland / WHAT AREAS IN LONDON ARE POPULAR FOR POLISH PEOPLE TO LIVE IN? [33]

Slough seems to be a very popular place for Poles to settle!

Food / What do you eat with Golabki? [37]


that's the way we have ours made ........ which part of Polska are you (or your family) originally from ?

i've got some Golabki .... which I bought in Tesco's a few days ago ... i'll have to eat them now , otherwise i'll never get to sleep. I was planning to save them for the weekend.


just looked on the Golabki jar .... and there's a picture of golabki with ......... potatoes !!

Food / Polish Christmas table [26]


which part of Lwow ? My family also is from there ... a place called Zloczow; we have the following ... barscz with uszka, two types of pierogi one with sourkraut the other with potato/cheese (Ruskie), variety of fish usually carp in jelly, pike in jelly herring etc

i think what is served on Christmas Eve depends on which part of Poland one is from ... eg. my wife is from Wroclaw and they also have mushroom soup.


only recently has the ban on meat been lifted for Wigilia (Xmas Eve), but we still maintain the meat free meal.

Food / What do you eat with Golabki? [37]

thinking of golabki has started me salivating ....... o)))))) ........ wasn't hungry a few minutes ago ... but now !!!


maybe it depends on the region of Polska you come from ?

I have been eating Golabki since i had teeth ..... in Poland and here in England, and never have golabki been served with potatoes :o)

Food / What do you eat with Golabki? [37]


correct answer !

You'd never see a real Pole eating golabki with potatoes ..... maybe bread .... but usually on their own ..... classically with a tomato sauce (not ketchup !)

UK, Ireland / WHAT AREAS IN LONDON ARE POPULAR FOR POLISH PEOPLE TO LIVE IN? [33]

Hammersmith seems to be a mini Poland ..... with a couple of Polish shops and the Polish Cultural Centre (POSK), many shop windows advertising in Polish.

Ealing & Acton have always been a heavily populated Polish area; anywhere there is a Polish church is an indicator of Polish presence.

Hounslow,Willesden, Balham and certain parts of North London ....

I have lived in UK all my life, and it's amazing to see the Polish population grow as it has over the last few years ! Certain banks have opened Polish speaking departments within their branches.

Many Poles have gone into business with the Indians - dual nationality grocers springing up all over London.

Life / Why is the Catholic church allowed to control so much of Polish politics? [8]


mainly by Radio Maryja ..... Father Rydzyk !!

The church has always played a major role in the lives of the Polish people .....especially when under communist rule.

News / British moved to POLAND on BBC tonight [74]


really warmed my heart watching Polska on UK tv, and just makes me more determined to make the move with my family over to Poland in the next two years :o)


I agree with both the above :o) Krakow is such a beautiful city, I wish they had shown a bit more of its history & beauty .... Rynek, Wawel, Kazimierz etc.