Travel / Weekend trips from Olsztyn [5]

Driving in winter in Warmia and Mazury district is not the best experience. Most of the less important roads are covered with ice. I mean in Mazury, Warmia is better.

You can go to Malbork (the teutonic knigts castle-the biggest in Europe) and Toruń (one weekend), Gdańsk, Suwalszczyzna (as all region) - there are many orthodox churches and it is very rural part of Poland. After the winter you should see Biebrzański National Park and Białowieski National Park (you can make it one trip with Suwalszczyzna). Going to £yna river source close to £yna village is good for one day trip. Also visiting the great lakes district is nice idea, Mikołajki, Ryn, Giżycko-maybe rent a yacht? You can go to Gierłoż with its bunkers, it's very popular and worth seeing. From Gierłoż is very close to Święta Lipka, very important place for Polish catholics, so you can make it at one time. You can go canoeing on Krutyń river, one of the most beautiful, but it is better to go in May, early June ore September because it is very crowded in summer. Also Czarna Hańcza river and Wigry Lake are not far from Olsztyn, and they are well known from its beauty. You can also go on boat trip by the Elbląg Channel, it's very unique, one of few like that in the world. There is much more to see and go, but I can't remember now everything :P

Oh, if you ski, there is a not too big slope in Mrągowo open probably from December. And there is nice aqua park in Hotel Gołębiewski in Mikołajki.

If you have any questions I will be very happy to help :)
Take care!

Study / Student experiences with housing/finances in Wroclaw [11]

why is it that rents are so high?

In my opinion, there are few cities in Poland known as a "student cities", because they have many different universities, like Wrocław, Poznań or Warszawa. And as there are so many students in one place, they have to live somewhere, and there are no enough dorms. (For example in Olsztyn, there is population of 170 000 people + over 40 000 students - it DOES make difference for a small town) So people got smart, and if they have a flat to rent, they want as much money as they can get, because students will rent it anyway. I was living in dorms back in high school, 4 people in small room :P it was fun, but... NO MORE! Maybe single room is an option, but dorms are always so loud. The choice is yours! Good luck!

Study / Student experiences with housing/finances in Wroclaw [11]

That is why flat-sharing is the best option. In Poznań rent prices are getting up too :(

Study / Student experiences with housing/finances in Wroclaw [11]

With such budget you won't be able to rent whole flat, but if you don't want to live in a dormitory you can just rent a single room in shared apartament with other syudents. If you do so, you will have enough money to live a good STUDENT life :) I mean enough for food and a lot of partying.

I think Wrocław is one of the best cities to live in, much going on there. Lot of events and the city itself is very beautifull.

Life / How important is it to have a car in Poland? [37]

If you will be in Jaroty than I don't think you nead a car. You will have few busses running quite often and it takes 15-20 minutes to get to the centre. Also, Olsztyn is considered as one of the safest cities in Poland so walking at night is no problem. At least it never was for me. There are also private small buses called OKejka. And night buses goes to Jaroty too. I wish nice staying in Olsztyn!

Life / How important is it to have a car in Poland? [37]

Where exactly are you going to live?
I lived in Olsztyn for seven years (mostly Jaroty) so at night it took 1 hour of walk to get there from the city center. But if you will live somewhere furthere there are only two night buses in Olsztyn and they don't get everywhere. But the taxis should not be very expensive. During day time public transport is quite good, but still depending on the quarter, as in some there might be only one bus running every half hour. If you give me the exact place of staying I could tell you more details of the public transport in this quarter. btw I envy you :( I want to go back to Olsztyn!

Language / Female endings in surnames~ what should I think about this? [6]

I've never heard of any case like this, and actually I don't think it's even possible. In Polish law names must predetermine the gender, that is why all female names finish with -a. I think it is the same with surnames ending with -ski/-ska.

Travel / Dzialdowo train station at night [5]

uuups, the time of departures are different in September. Sorry.. :)

Travel / Good Place near Gdansk for weekend get-a-way? [8]

I don't agree. People from small towns, especially from regions where people live from tourism, care about tourist, even more for foreigners, as they are much more polite than for example people from Wawa. I usued to work in tourist information in Mazurian district and we always treated our customers the same, that means the best we could. There always will be an exception, but does it mean that people in Mazury are all mean? I was treaten badly in Germany and Austria just because I'm Polish, but I don't blame all Germans and Austrians. Uhhh, I've got angry!

Travel / Good Place near Gdansk for weekend get-a-way? [8]

I absolutely love this place.
It's right by the Śniardwy lake, and it's very quiet.
But it is not luxury, it is for someone who likes sitting by the fireplace with no tv.
It definitely has a vibe. (not sure if it's a right word) :P

mazury.com.pl/domki/niedzw/

Also people from Gdańsk go for weekends to Bory Tucholskie.
I hope you will find something interesting.

Travel / Dzialdowo train station at night [5]

The train is at 19.38, not 19.10, so I guess half hour more is enough.
Taxi should not be very expensive.
I used to stay at night at few small stations, it's ok, though not the most comfortable situation.

Study / I am going to Wroclaw University. How to reserve a dormitory? [4]

Is'n it a little too late?
You should call as soon as possible, but I would be surprised if there were any free.

Language / Numbers in Polish - two different ways? [44]

Or maybe it was "siedmiorgiem". I can't explain grammar in English so I give you an example:
Rodzice z siedmiorgiem dzieci.
Parents with 7 children.

Life / Level of English among the Poles? [64]

My English isn't perfect, it is actually far from good. But as long as people understand me, I'm fine with it. And I really like speaking English. It has started when my teacher in school was changed and we were learning less grammar but we had more conversations. After that my teachers were always native speakers and I loved it. Now I am not scared of speaking English, even if I make mistakes. But I know lot of people who were taught that if they don't speak grammaticly correct they should not speak at all. In my opinion Polish teachers care only about grammar. So, GodandBrown, I know I should like your lessons :) Keep it that way! :)

Oh, and I think Callan Methon gave me a lot, I mean the grammar part.

Life / Need help finding a Polish song I saw on TV.... [14]

It was Ramona Rey! Song "Skarb"

youtube.com/watch?v=tl-9OVBZTJg

Have I won something??? :P

Travel / I miss Kraków... What do You miss...? [95]

I miss Mazury :( all the time...

Life / My girlfriend wants to go back to Poland as she thinks lifes better there [36]


Do you think that people need an excuse to live in their own country?
If they can have the same standard of living in Poland there is no need to stay abroad, isn't it? Accountant is probably one of the best job these days in Poland.

I understand your girlfriend, midgeure, very well.

Life / Polish Dinner Guest - should I bring vodka or wine? [15]

In my opinion wine is better as a gift. If you bring vodka your host may think that you think about Poles stereotypical.

Life / Must See Movies in Polish? [65]

I personally don't like Polish movies, especially the kind of "Psy" or "Sara" where is not one sentence without some swearing.

But there are some good movies not mentioned before:
- Dług (true story)
- Bandyta (with wonderful soundtrack by Michał Lorenc)
- Podwójne życie Weroniki (by Kieślowski)
- Wrota do Europy
and quite good comedy "Nigdy w życiu".
I've also heard many good stuff about "Testosteron" and "Rezerwat".

Life / Poles in Poland: How did you learn your English? [60]

I started when I was about 5 or 6 through tv, but I really started learning at high school. In primary school I was learning Russian, so I wouldn't say that only older generation used to lern that language. It was probably because I lived in Eastern Poland. We also learnt German as it is Mazury, lot of Germans come there.

As for older generations, my mother used to learn French and English, but she says they did not believed that they will ever use English language so she did not learn it hard. And French at that times was still more popular than English.

Life / The "Ski" surname in American Movies [21]

"Hack" - tv series - main character named Mike Olshansky played by David Morse

Life / Banks in Poland - Any good recommendations [30]

I use Inteligo (part of PKO BP) for about 4 years and I've never been to a bank during that time. I have no problems with my account doing everything through internet. I recomend it.

Life / Why is Poland so slow; it takes a lot of time to arrange anything here [53]

Hi.
Maybe I'm a bit out of toppic, but I find it offencive to write Poland with little p. I don't care much about the rest, I don't always use big letter as well, but this is a country name, ok? Thanks...

History / Potoccy Magnate Family in Politics and History [23]

I will share my knowlegde with you Julie, if you want to know more about our family, but in private, ok? Give me some time... There is lot to write about. And as for Szczesny - we will have to agree that we have a totally different points of view.

History / Potoccy Magnate Family in Politics and History [23]

I am not belittling all family, only Szczęsny. Maybe if you will read some books or biographies about other GREAT family members, you will know, what they were thinking about, what Szczęsny did, and maybe you will change your mind. I really wish you that, maybe we will talk then. Until then I have nothing to say. But I must say, that non of Potockis I know is so presuming. Take care, hope you'll find those books in English.

Language / The only polish word a foreigner won't ever say correctly :P [113]

pl.wikiquote.org/wiki/%C5%81ama%C5%84ce_j%C4%99zykowe

Language / The only polish word a foreigner won't ever say correctly :P [113]

What about "chrząszcz" ? :P

Life / Animosity between Poland vrs. Polonia? [98]


That is the funniest thing I've heard for a very long time!! !! They didn't even get to the Parliament!

Life / Animosity between Poland vrs. Polonia? [98]

I think that if someone seels Polish, than he is Polish. I admire people whe search for their roots. But being Polish doesn't meen you know how it is to live here. even if you visit Polans every fer years. Last elections showed the difference between Polish people who emigrated to work in last few years and Poles who were born abroad or emigrated long time ago. UK Polonia voted on PO because they realised the situation ander PiS rule. USA Polonia voted on PiS, and that made me shocked!

I think that making general opinions in such toppic is not good. I don't know all Polonia in the world, and Polonia doesn't know all Poles living in Poland.

Life / Does anyone know what means this "melanz" in Warsaw [7]

it's just another word for "party". no hidden meaning.