There seems to be lots of people on here from all countries, backgrounds and all that. So how did you all find Polish Forums? Was it a search for family, language help, current affairs, etc?
I know I first found it looking for phonetic translations of nice things to say to a girl *cringe* in Polish. But I am glad I did.
Very simply, polishforums is the first (and almost only) result on Google for questions in English about Polish grammar or words. Also if you google specific methods or textbooks for Polish there's a good chance polishforums will appear on the first page of results.
I'm not sure but I think I typed Poland in google to see what sites will appear and that's how I found PF.At first I was just reading and observing and after a while I registered.
I am happy to be among the first batch of members in this forums :) ... at that time I used to come with an anonymous ID, then I made that ID a legal one ... later I chose this ID ... and stick with it. Although everyone (those who were here from before) knows that :D.
I dont know, but perhaps I am the first Pole (from Poland) to have been a member? (Again, this is something I wonder, because at that time I could figure that I was the only).
I came here to learn English. I wanted some place to make me converse (in written or spoken) more and preferably only in ENGLISH! ... I had some friends online with whom I practiced English spoken, but written was a blessing in the guise of Polish Forums.
The very first topic was a thread which ran almost 100 pages, based on "interracial stuff", it was ugly and bloody :D ... and the start of my opposition to stupidity in Polish Forums :P ... later on ofcourse it was a closed thread.
Then I went on and off, left PF for more than a year, many things went on in life ... and now I am back again, but only when having a coffee in home ... or at breaks in work (my work is flexible now, as I concentrate more on a family trade).
Polish forums at the beginning remarkably helped my English, because then I used to make some mistakes which was punished by my greatest opposition :D ... a squirrel from England ;) .. he he....
Yes, I got a closely knit family ... very traditional. While sitting with a coffee, when cousins of sister comes in ... or while sitting with my wife ... or talking with my father... it is never really a bother.
Did show the forum to my sister once, she was horrified with some stuff :D ... but well it has helped me surely. Debates and stuff push you to write better and be more assertive and clear :).
I am addicted to Polish history and I know that if something new comes up about Polish history people are all too well fond of discussing it here. All the spicy stuff makes it even more awesome ;)
I don't even remember how I found this site and why I decided to join...
...I remember starting a limerick contest and arguing with Harry about the Victory Parade (these are my earliest memories of PF, I think).
Why did I stay (and left forever, and came back again :))? Well, it's like Natasa said - very interesting community, consisting of people of all nationalities, races and creeds, but all of them with some connection to Poland. Interacting with this community turned out to be very addictive for me.
I didn't know about forums before this one, I could barely type and only used the internet for emails and to watch stuff. PF has helped me a great deal in my computer abilities believe it or not, how things work.
And it's the witty comments, passionate fighting and wackos that keeps us here.
And it doesn't take much to run this on my dying computer.
I was suffering from a really bad episode of homesickness, and just like anytime I don't know what to do I asked The Internet "Should I move back to Poland?". PF was number one hit with a thread with the same title and the guy who posted it had a very similar situation to mine. All the negative advice he got made me feel a lot better.
I instantly liked the Polish language part, the English speaking was at the beginning a little bit like watching a train wreck: horrible, but you can't take your eyes off it. I got pretty addicted after a while. I like PF :)
I came through another site when someone said what a horrible place this Polish Forum was. So I was curious. I didn't participate much at first as I was intimidated by my limited English writing abilities. Now I don't care as much. I stayed for the wicked humor, started saving some best bits and later opened "Funniest posts thread". Too bad some humorless morons had to kill it.
...I remember starting a limerick contest
I remember that!!! It was hilarious!!! I even saved one or two, and for the first time in my life, I wrote one myself. We should do that again.
arguing with Harry about the Victory Parade (these are my earliest memories of PF, I think).
Oh, yes, Harry against half of the forum. It was my first battle I participated in.
I've met a girl from Racibórz back in 2004 and we got along pretty well, so at some point I wanted to learn Polish. I didn't know this place existed, but unfortunately, Polish Forums was the first thing that crossed my mind when I used Google.
And it's the witty comments, passionate fighting and wackos that keeps us here.
So who's the alpha-wacko here I wonder? (Would that be a reverend with Tourette's Syndrome and a drinking problem?)
I think I searched Google for some forum or website about Poland and it appeared in the results. I registered in 2007 to ask a question about electrical sockets and voltage in Poland because I wanted to take my hairdryer with me on holiday (first trip to Poland). I'm amazed to see that the thread is still active in 2011. ;-) OR maybe my first message was a question about Polish vocabulary or grammar. Can't remember exactly though...
I got a job offer from Poland and found PF in google while searching information about the country. I am living in Poland now almost for 2 years. I can say if you search for general information about the country, PF is not the right place, It creates very negative image which is not realistic. On the other hand it is good if you try to find specific information or has nothing else to do.
Came by looking for a guitar player/DJ for a new jazz/electro band in Poznań in July 2010 - having tried a bunch of other forums to no avail. Wasn't exactly knocked out by the response here either.
Even now, the only guy in all Western Poland who gets the style and has the jaja to take the p1ss out of it instinctively is Greek - but the other guys are slowly getting the vibe 3 months of sporadic rehearsal later.
Anyway, never mind that, stayed because even the more shrill and frankly autistic tenor of many exchanges (in English - the Polish side is a more cultured affair by a country mile) doesn't always disguise the fact that there are good insights to be had from people here.
Kept staying because ... well, I think I said it on the Who do you Like? thread a month or so back. You know who you are.
I found it when I was doing research on my Polish ancestry because I'm from the U.S. Back then there were a lot of people on the forum who were actually from Poland but I think most of them have left.
I came across PF many times when I was looking for various information, but always ignored it for some reason. Maybe I thought I knew the Poles' opinions already from other sources, so wasn't interested in a Polish forum.
Then one time I felt very homesick and decided to check what's going on on PF. ...and discovered it's not so Polish :)
As a Pole in the UK I've found it fascinating to read expats' impressions on Poland - all, the good and the bad ones. Many of the things they say I've never noticed before or viewed them in a completely different way, because I grew up with them.
..and PF makes me laugh :) I even appreciate the presence of haters on here. Without them it wouldn't be so funny and all the fine people wouldn't have the chance to show how fine they really are
the fact that there are good insights to be had from people here.
I wanted to learn few Polish words on my own. I googled for them and I was directed to it. I had been on a reading mode for quite a while. Later I joined to deliver some of my opinions in the meaningful conversations that people hold here about Poland, and also about other things. Without taking names(for now), also it is because of some faggots striding on the forums writing really **** and not even remotely trying to understand others opinion. I am quite a busy person but nevertheless I can take out a little time interacting with people around here. Nice forum. Keep it up!
I wanted to find some specific Historic info, google directed me to the website , kept ignoring it for a bit until I finally joined, and the rest as they say is history(:
The humour and the insightful opinions attract me, and I get the chance to practice my jousting.
I came here to find a Polish bride but then remembered I already had one. Bubbawoo called me a twat and I realised that this was my sort of place and sort of hung around.
