Life / Polish culture versus rotten West [279]

The probem, Delph, is that when sex is taboo, when nobody is able/willing to talk about it, we end up with a lot of screwed up kids and adults.

Life / Polish culture versus rotten West [279]

@Johnny: do you have personal experiences or do you just copy-paste what you have found in the net? I have personally never heard a teacher telling kids that homosexuality was normal or even talking about it. Do you personally know some teachers who do or some kids who have/had such teachers? If you consider the real meaning of the word "normal", homosexuality is (obviously) not but however some people for some reasons of which they are not responsible are homosexuals and they should have the right to live.

Can you give us concrete examples?

Life / Polish culture versus rotten West [279]

@Delph: where? on tv? (I admit I don't watch Polish tv ;)). I have never seen posters in the streets. As you expect, in a religious society, it is not so easy to talk about sex ;)). I can't imagine a poor Polish kid returning home in and telling his/her parents that a priest has molested him/her ;)). In school, I don't think it happens as often as it does in the Church but wherever it happens, it must be condemned and punished.

Does the Ministry of Education feel concerned about it? Or is it ... taboo? I know that in our "goldless" countries, officials are really concerned about issue and deal with it but in Poland? Is it another thing to hide under the carpet?

Life / Polish culture versus rotten West [279]

@Pol3: they sure know how to talk to kids, to brainwash them, to threaten them if they dare talking.... Parents and society (through school and through official campaigns) should make kids aware that no one is to "touch" certains parts of their bodies. Since I have been in Poland, I have never seen any such official campaign.

Law / Internet provider in Poland - signing a contract with my foreign passport [9]

Based upon my experience (tel + several Internet/Cable tv providers) they expect residence status in Poland and it makes sense. I remember that until I had permanent residence status, I could not get tel "abonament". Such companies will not sign contracts with people likely not to remain in Poland long (logical).

Classifieds / Interpreting (Polish-English) in Krakow [5]

Since English is obviously not your native language, I would be suprised if officials don't require translation into your own language in order not to risk any misunderstandings. I also suppose that you may need someone sworn in.

Although I have no problem understanding English, when I sold/bought property in Poland, I had to have (sworn in) translators specialized in my native language as per Polish law. I had several meetings with lawyers and with notaries and each time, I had to have a sworn in translator in my native language (it was ... 600 ZL/hour ;)).

What is your native language? If need to have a sworn-in translator, no problem to find any (at least for the most common languages). You just need to ask list from court houses, police stations, your consulate...

... of course "DID not..." ;)

Real Estate / Real Estate current condition in Sopot area (checking the market) [21]

@PolAtt: even in "moderate" climates, there are much better resorts (for instance in Western France, Belgium, the UK, the Netherlands, Germany....). Personally I would not call Polish northern climate "moderate" but "cold and humid". When temperature of the sea is something like 15° in the middle of the "summer" sorry, it IS cold and on top of that water is highly polluted. Do compare the number of tourists on the Baltic Coast vs. ANY other coast in Europe! ;) and you'll draw your conclusion.

Real Estate / Real Estate current condition in Sopot area (checking the market) [21]

Yes, Jon, Sopot and area are within easy reach from Warsaw so no big deal to go there and stay for a few days. All the Poles I know (middle-middle and upper-middle class) go to Southern Europe, Turkey and the richest to France (Côte d'Azur, Corsica, Atlantic coast). Not only because of climate, sceney, food but also more and more Poles want to see other things and now a lot of them can. Among the affluent, they'll go for instance to Sopot and area for a few days but will spend their MAIN vacations abroad. Same about me (although I am not one among the richest ;)), if only 2 or 3 days, ok to stay in Poland but if for 1 week of more, only abroad.

For Poles who don't have great financial means (most of them), a last minute deal to Southern Europe and to Turkey/Tunisia will always be better than staying in Poland. On Saturday, a client of mine (expat from Romania) was telling me same re Romanian coast, cheaper for Romanians to go to Greece.

No matter what, Sopot will never be no.1 touristic destination in Europe (or in the ... world)! lol! First of all, the climate is not attractive and there is nothing to do about it.

Real Estate / Real Estate current condition in Sopot area (checking the market) [21]

@Jon: yes, thousands do but (hundreds of) millions go elsewhere ;). For what it is, far TOO expensive. Croatia and Greece are cheaper (and of course million times better)...

Real Estate / Real Estate current condition in Sopot area (checking the market) [21]

@Roger: Hi! Yes, they do and they are right ;). There is no much fish up there and they are all tiny. Just imagine all the crap from the numerous ships sailing back and forth up there, with all those (Russian but not only) ships cleaning their tanks for instance. Also since closed sea, the crap does not go away and basically the Baltic Sea is not much better than a ... sewer. Better to stick to ... frozen fish! ;)

Real Estate / Real Estate current condition in Sopot area (checking the market) [21]

PS: when we think that Batic Sea restaurants serve ..... . frozen fish bought from Carrefour, Tesco, Auchan, itd... it says alot about area. "lol". What I mean is that people moving to some sea coast expect to eat fresh fish, and even to buy it directly from local fishermen.

@Looker! do compare with other places! Who goes to Sopot? some Poles (including a few celebrities to be recognized because abroad nobody would recognize them ;) ) and a few East Germans.

Real Estate / Real Estate current condition in Sopot area (checking the market) [21]

@Dougpol: Absolutely! :). It is not worth it. Except to Polonia only for sentimental reasons and SOME very old folks from former East Germany nobody would go to to Baltic Sea. It is alright for 2 or 3 day visits when already in Poland and no time to go further and that's it. I know several persons (not related to each other) from Gydnia and they all say that they never go swimming there as sea too cold and too dirty.

Yes, there are a lot of other places much better and if not cheaper at least at same prices. I don't personally know about it but often I have seen reports about ... Albania, which is very likely to develop into a (not expensive) summer resort: good climate, nice coastline, including nice beaches, good mediterranean food and it may very well be one of the places to invest in Europe right now (before it gets too expensive). There may also be some Croatian islands not too expensive that still need to be developed.

And yes, like you say, it is very expensive and maybe probably more so than in Croatia, some parts of Spain, Greece and Portugal.

PS: let's compare number of tourists on Baltic Coast and number of tourists in any of the country on Mediterranean Coast, for instance! ;);)

Real Estate / Real Estate current condition in Sopot area (checking the market) [21]

Also need to consider the extremely short season up there! It is cold, grey, the sea is polluted and cold. And as to German tourists, most of them of course prefer better climates and places. For same money invested, there are a lot of places in Europe more attractive and where tourists go almost the whole year round.

Life / Polish culture versus rotten West [279]

@The Other: of course as in terms of consumption (and I am saying it) but trust me, if you visit any (not only) European country in provinces, you'll see that there are tons of traditions that are still well alive. Maybe in countries such as France, Spain, Italy, Portugal (where each region is really different from others, often with different dialects or even languages, architecture, cooking...) it is more visible. Outside of Europe, Japan is another example and there are more examples..

News / PiS to impose blanket retail tax in Poland [291]

Of course, like Pol3 always says, foreign supermarkets and corporations do exploit Poland (otherwise they would not have come) but let's face it, has Poland not benefitted from them? If they have come to Poland, it was only at Polish government's invitation. They employ several hundreds of thousands of Poles on much higher salaries and on much better conditions, they pay tax and they provide Polish consumers with a wide range of goods and services Polish companies cannot and could not..

Without them, Poland would be at Albania's level so yes, Poland needs them. However, they should not do all they want ;)

Classifieds / ANY FOREIGNER (NOT POLISH) FAMILY ADVOCATE IN WARSAW [39]

Most of European (including Polish) languages do use similar words since of Latin origin. Obviously the "English" word "advocate" has same origin as word brought to English language by French.

Law / Questions regarding providing a paper proving place of stay in Poland for work permit process [12]

@Rola: yes, it is weird since of course authorities always demand ID papers. Your boss most probably has copies of your passport but administration always wants original docs (normal). As to NIP number, be aware that it is a number for tax authorities only, other administrations deal with PESEL number (based upon date of birth).

Just ask your boss how he did apply for work permit without your passport!

Classifieds / ANY FOREIGNER (NOT POLISH) FAMILY ADVOCATE IN WARSAW [39]

You guys, get some culture and give OP a break! He uses "advocate" because in a lot of languages, the word "lawyer" comes from latin "advocatus", "vocare" (to call someone for help), which itself comes from "vox" (voice). So anyone with a minimum of culture will understand what OP means ;)

Law / Questions regarding providing a paper proving place of stay in Poland for work permit process [12]

@Rola: to conclude, if you talk about WORK permit, your potential employer is to apply for it, NOT you. Are you talking about WORK permit or RESIDENCE permit?

Life / Polish culture versus rotten West [279]

@Atch: 1. why should I live in Ireland (first of all, I'd hate climate and it is also too small)? 2. do you think that other countries do NOT have traditions and values ? Even tiniest countries do and 3. Have you ever LIVED elsewhere? I suppose you have not ;)

Have a good day) (I have to go)

Law / Questions regarding providing a paper proving place of stay in Poland for work permit process [12]

So listen to your boss instead of seeking "help" from random "clowns" in random site! Be informed that most people in PF don't even live in Poland and the very few who do are not necessarily aware of current (= my case) Polish legislation and of your company's and your case ;)

Good luck and listen to your boss!

Life / Polish culture versus rotten West [279]

@Atch: "lol"! 99.8% of your posts should be in IRISH and not POLISH fora ;) as they are OFF topic (since not related to Poland). Mods once more show double standards. You are following ... Crow's path (I now feel nausea every time I read 'Serbia", "Serb" and I have stopped reading his messages).

Why don't you concentrate on Poland and on Polish things since it is a forum about Poland?

Miłego dnia!

Law / Questions regarding providing a paper proving place of stay in Poland for work permit process [12]

@Rola: don't you think the only ones to tell you are your company???? Why don't you ask your boss?

Life / Polish culture versus rotten West [279]

"Geez"!!!!!!!!! ALL countries preserve their cultures, languages, traditions, at least in Europe and Poland (or ... Ireland) have NOTHING special. Poland is as westernized now as any other western country. Just walking around Poland will confirm this: almost 99% of brands are from the West, Poles dress, eat, watch, listen to ... western products. The Poles who can afford it spend their vacations abroad. Unless in small horse sh@@t holes, Poland has become most westernized and Poles do live exactly like their western counterparts.

You guys, instead of writing non sense, come to Poland (for those who have never set a foot therein and whose only knowledge of Poland is what grandpa and grandma tell about their childhood in pre-war Poland) or for those who don't know other countries, do travel and live abroad.

Poland is no ... North Korea! ;)

This is what globalization is all about

@Atch: you make me laugh with your propaganda and your so called high moral code ;) if we consider all the RCC's (now aknowledged) misdeeds against kids and women in Ireland (no doubt much worse than in Poland, for instance, since we are in POLISH and not IRISH fora).

ps: inspite of globalization (we all buy same western products) what I'm saying in first 2 lines, is that ALL countries have nevertheless kept (most of) their traditions, languages, "values". In order to find out, need to get informed and best to live among other nationalities.

Genealogy / Chmielewski - INFO ON MY POLISH SURNAME [11]

Ah, so ok! :). I thought so...

Genealogy / Chmielewski - INFO ON MY POLISH SURNAME [11]

I have often heard that names ending in "wicz" are ... Jewish? Is it so?

Life / What is meant by 'dochody' (monthly earnings per child) in Poland - are they GROSS or NET? [8]

Several of people around me are concerned that it won't help some of the kids as their parents will use said money for drinking .... Well, it can happen in some families. Why not for instance giving money directly to schools? It would then pay for books, meals.... Why not issuing nominative vouchers for special purchases (shoes, clothes, enrolment in sports clubs, discounts in some restaurants/hotels...) to make sure that kids will get their 500 bonus?

Life / What is meant by 'dochody' (monthly earnings per child) in Poland - are they GROSS or NET? [8]

In Poland, it is not difficult not to report one's whole income ;). For instance, a guy is paid let's say 3,000, of which 2,000 will be legal and reported to Tax Authorities and the remaining 1,000 in hand ..... A lot of people work in such situatitons, of course not when working for big international corporations but quite often with small (Polish) private entities. I have heard that it is widely done in post communist countries and that in Russia, it is almost normal ;).

Absolutely, Delph! I personally know several very wealthy families who will benefit from measure because they have 3 kids. You can trust me, that they don't need and don't count on that to raise their kids. Why not giving (more) money to people who really need it?

Food / A recipe for hootch? Bimber taste in Poland. [42]

Most likely but when we see the % of Polish men completely destroyed by hard booze, we can wonder ;). It's very sad......

Food / A recipe for hootch? Bimber taste in Poland. [42]

Absolutely, Delph; they sell 96% stuff in Polish stores. First time I saw some was at a Carrefour Express in my street and I was really amazed as I was unaware it could even exist. Who drinks that? However, for me no difference, since without being a teatotaller, I only (occasionally) drink (mostly red) wine and hate stronger stuff.