What should be done to make life in Poland better and more enjoyable?

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

EVERYBODY should be taught how to smile, say hello, thank you, welcome, - just the usual pleasantries.
I was at a well-known shop recently and when the young man on the till smiled at me - I was all fingers and thumbs - didn't know how to behave - this is such an unusual sight.

And another thing adn this really is a bugbare of mine - why is it that in English, when you are in a shop and they tell you the price, they always say 'please' - e.g. Two pounds please. In Poland they just shout the price at you without a please, thank you or kiss my ar.... This really angers me. Same in pubs, restaurants - why can't they say PLEASE.

I sure promise that next time someone does this - I will point this out and create a racket and some of my Polish expressions are awesome.

Because it would be inappropriate in that context? Different languages and cultures have different rules about politeness, people aren't being rude when they follow their own cultural rules (in their own culture).

You say please (proszę) when you're asking for something or you're giving or granting something (or as a substitute for 'yes'). Answering a simple factual question doesn't really any of those.

Technically they could add 'proszę pani' afterwards as in "dwanaście złotych, proszę pani" but that sounds a little .... obsequious.

Mafketis has a point, the culture is different. Only in the hoity-toity places in Britain do we say 'Sir and Madam'. What would Sir like? LOL Here, they use those titles in shops. If they say the price nicely, why do they need a please?

>>>>Technically they could add 'proszę pani' afterwards as in "dwanaście złotych, proszę pani" but that sounds a little .... obsequious.

...but technically, I would like to be addressed as 'Pani' in a shop, but I take your point that saying 'prosze' would be culturally inappropriate when a non-interested youngster sitting at the till murmours the price under their nose without even looking up at the shopper.

Next time anyone does that I will simply say: "Przepraszam, pani cos murknela pod nosem, nie doslyszalam dokladnie ile to ma byc" - maybe then I will be able to make them say the price clearly.

>>>Only in the hoity-toity places in Britain do we say 'Sir and Madam'.
Yes, I agree with this too. Generally I would not expect to be called a 'Madam', when I am paying for goods at the till.

That's more to the point, terri. Muttering and mumbling under their breath is rude. To say please then would just be an insincere joke, you are right. I don't encounter this too often though, some foreigners exaggerate this.

and another thing, whilst I'm thinking....

McDonalds ' the equivalent of 'Have a nice day' - is this culturally and linguistically acceptable in the Polish language... I only go to McDo for coffee- and I swear they put something 'very unusual' in that - (one day I will have the coffee analysed, as soon as I can find somebody to do this), but the insincerity of 'have a nice day' really gets me.

I know what you mean, terri. I hate that tone too. Firstly because it isn't meant and, secondly, because it's just a parroted phrase.

In Poland, they just get on with it. I hardly ever go to McD's here as I prefer healthy food but I like their approach.

Edible food would be a good start......

How about making it easier to by a car!
I've got 25000zl but this goverment wants extra for this, extra for that plus a bit more for the other, jesus, tax upon tax upon tax upon tax, oh and of course extra to have number plates too!

It's quite a taxing experience ;)

Count yourself lucky you don't live in the UK - the Government tells us we should buy more cars to help the economy, then tells us to "leave them at home" to save the environment... then "encourages" us to take the "choice" of either leaving the car at home and using public transport, or paying £30 a day for parking! some choice! lol

Got a lovely UK registered 7 series BMW for sale, No hassle with registration etc, yours for a very good price :)

Does it come set up for Poland already? I mean missing the BMW logos...industrial steering wheel lock...and taxi fare for when it gets stolen?

:) it can do, Always wondered why people steal the badges off it on a regular basis. Has got a very good immobilisers though, anti tow system. Still not secure enough to stop the local pikey scumbags from siphoning my petrol out through the tank venting system but the rat poison should see to that.

What would improve life in Poland?
Simple answer: SEX!

I just wish Polish girls would relax more and have a less puritanical attitude to sex!

To my mind this is at the heart of the problem in Poland. There simply is not enough sex. The girls are all far too up tight.

Do you know how many porn stars of international stature Poland has? – 2!!! (have a look on Wikipedia!)
(One of them is Teresa Orlowska (or is it Orlowski – she had to emigrate to Germany to express her sexual freedom), and that was many years back, in the 1990s or was it 80s? The other emigrated to North America.

Now how many are there in Hungary and Czech? (Both countries that are 1/4 of the size of Poland?)
– answer: Literally HUNDREDS!!!
Now don't tell me that Hungarian and Czech lasses are more attractive than Polish girls...

Now why is this?? Perhaps the Church? Perhaps over-strong family ties (OK, so not always a bad thing.)

IMHO Recreational sex is good for everyone, and will bring a smile to everyone's face. It would bring a significant improvement to life in Poland (mine in particular, hnnrrr, hnrrrr...).

all the suggestions are crap, i still think the prostitute idea is the best :) lol

All buraki should be given a passport, a ticket abroad and £1000 spending money and be told that they WILL be shot on re-entry to Poland if they bring any money or valuable goods back with them.

This should show them that other countries have a lot to offer and hopefully teach them a bit about the perils of excessive oszczędność. ;)

Oh yeah. They need a 14 day time limit too, or some will manage to last 6 months and miss the point of the lesson. :)

Shops should stay open till late like England. On Sabota/Saturday in England ALL shops are open and its the busiest day for shoping, i was confused when i was ready to shop in the centrum and found it was empty as MOST shops had closed between 1-3pm MAX. Maybe theyd make more money if they left shops open on Sabota. Just a suggestion :) Oh and move out the way when people are walking towards you, its just common sense

Good ones April...and how about not starting to pack up the shops an hour before they close so they can bolt out right when the clock strikes closing hour. They also drive those big cleaning machines around all the time being noisy and in the way...in the West they do that kind of thing after they close rather than bothering the public.

The last point is one I despise too. I come from a polite society where people don't shove each other around rudely. I just started shoving back...harder. Funny how they take exception to it when they are the one getting pushed.

>>>>>>The last point is one I despise too. I come from a polite society where people don't shove each other around rudely. I just started shoving back...harder. Funny how they take exception to it when they are the one getting pushed.

...small suggestion. Go to a gym, get super fit and then PUSH. If anyone does object, just look at them with a vicious stir in the eye as if to say 'you're talking to me?' - they'll not do it again.

Which one ?

get rid of the confusing coins...!

Hahah...the coins confuse you? How ever do you make it through a day?

there was some strange denominations of coins, too many..

Improve internal transport, was a bit hard to get to/from airports etc

Yes, there is the ever elusive 3.3 zloty coin.

cant recall that one :P

How about we get back to the old days when all business was handled with a half liter of vodka.It sure kept everybody in good spirits !!!!!! I remember those days very well when I was in Poland.

Really? How about a business handled with a handshake like it was...even here in America. Now we have to hop through lots of hoops to get anything accomplished. :)

Sep 7, 09, 18:49 - Thread attached on merging:
What must happen to make life better in Poland?

Please feel welcome to pour in your ideas, dreams, frustrations, creations.etc etc

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