Jones, you're just a foreigner, used to different standards, but even if Poland is slower than e.g. US, it's got other qualities you should learn to notice... before you leave. :)
I have to agree that if you think Poland's slow (which, I have to say, drives me crazy a lot of times as well), you should move to some of the southern European countries..
People sometimes underestimate the power of the ability to takes things easy.. ;-)
Smiles are not allowed in Poland...nor is efficiency. Must be in the constitution.
And yeah it is no big deal to accept a crappy shop girl's service once in a while...but some things in life can't just be blown off as the 'charm' of a place. That is an excuse Poles use often.
Not all shops are like that jones101, they are pretty efficient at supermarkets. The checkout attendant who was scanning the barcodes looked like she was on amphetamines, super quick. Earning their money, wouldn't u feel apathetic?
Osioł, good touch sir!!
Jones101, I hear ya but u can win people round with a smile. Certain shop workers expect it from me now. It seems to raise their mood. I don't want to be negative tonight but I take ur point.
Haha...ok...I have lived here for years and that is my experience...and no Albert's and such are not much better. If the bar code doesn't work they get paralyzed...I guess typing in the number is something the customer is required to suggest. And god forbid you don't have the exact change.
Hehehe, I had to laugh when this bellend at the counter was asked to press the green button, enter his PIN, and press the green button again. Talk about SLOW, he fitted every meaning of that word. He got a bit stroppy with the attendant, I thought I was gonna have to step in and sort him out. I hate bully boys like him
Every transaction here for me goes something like this The total is 43.87 do you have 87 grosz? No...54? No...17? No...3? No I only have this 50 and I would like to leave before my ice cream melts please.
I operate on the assumption that if one HAS the change they will give it. The Kasa girls operate on the assumption that you are hiding it from them and they must search it out grosz by grosz.
Every transaction here for me goes something like this The total is 43.87 do you have 87 grosz? No...54? No...17? No...3? No I only have this 50 and I would like to leave before my ice cream melts please.
LOL! My ice cream will be well and truly just cream then! By the time I have translated all the numbers with my handy phrase book.... :-( Then sorted through the selection of coins in my possession (three different currencies as I'm too lazy to sort them!), then dropped them all on the floor.... Ha ha!
I just cannot believe someone is saying this!!! I don't think I have ever had one smooth transaction in a Polish supermarket. Without fail something doesn't scan, someone doesn't know what an avocado is, you suddenly realise someone has eaten half the frankfurters out of the pack you picked up, the salad is 5 days past its sell by date, the drunk in front of you who smells of pee is struggling to find any money although he insists on taking the can of Debowe Mocne out the door with him, the alarm goes off and off course no one has any change to give you and it's ALL your f#@kin' fault! Apart from that yep it's pretty efficient!!!!!!!!!! By the way, ALBERT sucks the most
Eh, I smell BS finT. Avocado is awokado in Polish so they are gonna know it. If sth doesn't scan, it is the fault of the machine, not the attendant. I saw this more in Scotland than here.
The salad is 5 days past its sell by date, well, don't buy it, buy another one. Or, better still, buy fresh lettuce and tomatoes and make ur own.
The drunk who smells of pee is a social issue, not the fault of the supermarket.
You've never heard of ALBERT! Which planet are you living on man? Although they are all slowly changing the name as the chain has been taken over by Carrefour.
The salad is 5 days past its sell by date, well, don't buy it,
I've only learned to REALLY CAREFULLY study the sell by dates on products since moving to Poland
Avocado is awokado in Polish so they are gonna know it.
Just because YOU know the name doesn't mean the dumbass at the checkout knows what the pear shaped hard knobbly green thing you present to them from your basket actually is called!
Oh yes, the non-scanning items, a woman at the checkout told me last week that it is fault of the management who insist on changing the scan codes on many products every week to avoid some form of fraud ( I didn't actually understand that bit)
AHAHA...I had the avocado problem just last week. I buy them regularly at the same shop and was a bit confused when she asked me if it was a "gruszka" (pear).
Hmmm...well I guess it is kind of shaped like a pear. MAYBE A F@$!ING PETRIFIED, BUMPY, DARK GREEN GUACAMOLE PEAR you tool! (I didn't say that but thought it with my most furious thought voice since I am such a bad a$$)
But...as we often do when reflecting I thought hmmmm..."pears ARE cheaper so I should just start saying it is a pear"
Sometimes you have to take the "charm" (I think it is Latin for "moronicstupidness") of Poland and make it work for you.
Well, well, whaddyaknow! I think we may need to start a counselling group for foreigners affected by the 'avocado problem' in Polska Now you know it ain't no BS Seanus!
I'm always prepared to admit that I could be wrong. I used to get fazed by the dilly-dallying and fannying about in shops but much less now. What got me was when I asked 4 sth and they looked at me like I was speaking Chinese. My Polish pron is pretty decent, sth most Poles tell me honestly. Then my girl steps up and pronounces it in the same way and everything's A OK. My friend is a little less restrained when they get under his skin that way.
The worst case of the snail syndrome was in Katowice. I looked on happily as I opened the door and saw only 4 people in the queue. Little did I know that I'd still be there 90 mins later, WAITING. One guy was there for 50 mins. The gutting thing was that I needed this document from the regional hall. What made it worse was the fact that they screwed up my middle name. They had to retype it and that took another 15 mins. I barely made it back to Gliwice in time to teach my classes.
lmfao....... most of you are right .......why the f*ck must i have the correct change? they get so ***** off when you dont, like you just stole a chocolate bar and stuck your finger up at them during the process..... and dont get me started on ALBERT this is one of the most smelly chain of shops i have ever been in it reminds me of the happyshopper shops we had in england when i was young "anyone remember them" :)
i would be surprised if it was the basTard brother of happyshoper himself.........
o yea and why is there allways a pee staind person in the que
In my experience that 'pee satined' person is the only one that ever HAS the right change and they count it out groszy by groszy for about 5 minutes to buy their one Mocne Piwo.
But honestly that doesn't bother me as I would hate to be in such a position in life. I say if a beer makes their day a little better than great.
