News / British teacher stabbed in Poland [116]

@Portnoy: it is not a matter of "hieararchy" based upon nationalities but of "hierarchy" based upon horrors. The British guy stabbed ended up at hospital and the (Polish) girl ended up cut into pieces and beheaded. Don't you see a difference? Her murderer is hidding somewhere in Western Europe and has Interpol after him. Sorry, quite a scary story! Big difference between a fight among drunk buddies and a dangerous psychopath!

Such a crime (fortunately) does not happen often in Warsaw and in Poland! I am most shocked.....

Life / Do expats living in Poland speak Polish? [233]

@Delph: it is ... ONE ;). Yes most expats (by definition termporary visitors) don't see need to learn Polish or whatever other local language(s).

Law / Sabbatical holidays policy in Poland and employment contract [13]

@Pol Attorney: 100% agreed! No problem to fire anyone on long leaves ;)....

News / British teacher stabbed in Poland [116]

Absolutely, it should not have been merged with the post re Briitsh guy stabbed because completely different and much "worse". I read it first in French news (Le Nouvel Observateur) last night at 6:45 and then swiched to Gazeta Wyborcza which covered news widely. Strange that people living in Poland have not read about it.

Anyway, people will be scarred to have strangers at home..

Law / Sabbatical holidays policy in Poland and employment contract [13]

@Pol: if for medical reason, it is not a sabbatical leave but a medical leave..... Anyway, I agree with you that taking long leaves for whatever reasons can be very risky....

News / British teacher stabbed in Poland [116]

this crime is most probably the worst that has happened in Warsaw for at least ages. The guy is hiding somewhere in Western Europe and might commit more crimes. Sorry, more serious than a "British teacher" being stabbed (but still alive) while at a drinking party.

Well, I suppose some are "more equal" than others. The victim was Polish and she was teaching ... Italian so not too "interesting" for a lot of PF's members. May she rest in peace, my condoleances to her relatives and may the guy be arrested asap!

News / British teacher stabbed in Poland [116]

@Ziem: I had opened a new thread (since completely different and sorry much worse) but mods put it into an already existing thread. Without claiming the British guy being stabbed was "no big deal", what happened a few days ago in Warsaw is thousands times worse. (Polish) girl while giving Italian lesson was killed and beheaded by her "student', who has fled to Western Europe. For sure, there are crimes and agressions on a daily basis but this is rather "particular"

I am surprised that NO ONE has read/heard it in the news as in Poland it is in the main headlines.

Law / Sabbatical holidays policy in Poland and employment contract [13]

maybe so, Delph, in education but among "average" workers, I doubt it is done. I have dealt with dozens of big corporations of various nationalities here in Poland and no employee (= top executives) was familiar with it. I conclude that even if provided for by Polish labor law (since Poland has signed with the International Labor Organization, in Geneva), sabbatical leaves are not common in Poland contrary to what they are in Western Europe for instance.

Life / Do expats living in Poland speak Polish? [233]

@Lyszko: 1. they have other priorities and 2. they do not have time

Life / Do expats living in Poland speak Polish? [233]

@Lyzko: Expats are sent abroad by their employers and stay there only 2, 3 or 4 years (as the case most often for instance in Poland) so how can you expect them to learn local languages? A western executive for instance spends 2 years in Poland then 3 years in Nicaragua and then another 2 years in Finland so the guy should learn Polish, Spanish and Finnish???? Expats are working in a given country only on temporary basis....

Law / Sabbatical holidays policy in Poland and employment contract [13]

Andrzej Duda is "more equal" than "normal" Poles.....

Everybody, please stick to the topic

News / British teacher stabbed in Poland [116]

Come on!!! ;). Today's news is about a Polish girl killed and beheaded....

Law / Sabbatical holidays policy in Poland and employment contract [13]

Yes, Pol, but how long can it be? When I mention that at home it is up to a year, Poles are most amazed.

Law / Sabbatical holidays policy in Poland and employment contract [13]

I doubt it as every time I mention it since at home we are allowed to take up to 12 months, Poles are amazed. You might though "negotiate" some time off with your boss....

News / British teacher stabbed in Poland [116]

Merged: Teaching foreign languages = very dangerous job in Poland ...

warszawa.wyborcza.pl/warszawa/1,34862,19598314,kajetan-poznanski-jednak-uciekl-za-granice-jest-wniosek-o-ena.html

I won't translate it but briefly: one guy from Warszawa killed and beheaded a teacher of Italian while at her place for a lesson.

Nothing to do with British teacher stabbed, (female) teacher was Polish. Was beheaded and the suspect has fled to Western Europe... Obviously there are a lot of nuts too in Poland ....

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

It's incredible the number of posts we read in PF re conflictual mixed Polish (wife)- husband from somewhere else couples and involving Polish wives running away to Poland with their kids. I bet they are much more numerous than in situations where the wife is from a western country. Is there something about Polish women that so many mixed couples fail? If there is, foreign men should think twice before marrying and having kids with Polish women.

To the OP since he lives in England but is not a native thereof, I would suggest to seek help from an organization dealing with poeple of his nationality all the more as he may not have the means to hire a lawyer. Anyway, all this sounds like bad news. If going to court in Poland, no way to win against a Polish citizen. Re rape, let's be realistic, how many women claim rape just to hurt and to destroy men? Women claiming rape when NO rape occurs are very dangerous also to women who were really raped. The OP happens to be lynched because 1. wife is Polish and for most people in PF, being Polish = being perfect ;) and 2. guy is from 3rd world, so not white and most probably muslim so for most people in PF: he is guilty of wrongdoing.

I wish OP, wife and kid all the best but situation does not seem to be easy...

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

is being Polish a .... race? ;) No, so no racism! ;)

News / Adam Michnik awarded for integrity, professionalism and high standards. Poland's No. 1 fascist? [321]

When saying GW is the most sold daily newspaper in Poland, Harry probably means "real" newspapers, not bs such as Fakt or SuperExpress. Very sad that so many Poles read Fakt and SuperExpress!

Life / Moving to Wroclaw - is 10000 ZL a good salary for a family of 3 (Husband, Wife & Infant)? [5]

if 7,500 for 3 persons, it won't be "high life" and forget about savings and about traveling around (good hotels nicely located are not cheap).

Life / Queues in Poland - everyone in line is sandwiched [44]

when each German uses 3 or 4 seats by throwing a towel on each seat and then other hotel (paying) guests cannot use hotel seats, sorry, this is not acceptable. It must be cultural (or genetic?) since Germans do it everywhere.

@Lyszko: I don't care whether they have "excuses" and I am sure other hotel guests don't care either. Tourists pay and they all have the right to use hotel facilities.

Stick to the topic please

Life / Queues in Poland - everyone in line is sandwiched [44]

"lol"! Ah the ....so famous German towels!!! We all have experience with them!!! ;). Just like Germans standing in line in front of door to restaurant (in hotel) and running like mad people to the buffet as soon as the employee opens the door ;). I have never seen Poles doing so ;).

Life / Queues in Poland - everyone in line is sandwiched [44]

..... or they come to sit right with you on the bus/tram/train or at restaurant/café when the whole place is empty or almost empty (I have often seen Germans doing so too). It really bothers me! I don't like to sit with strangers when we don't have to be together ;).

Life / Queues in Poland - everyone in line is sandwiched [44]

This is particularly so with old folks. How many times do I have people litterarly glued to me!!! I make comments and/or show them that I'm not too happy so they move a bit away. It is really unpleasant.

Law / A Polish company have not paid me [13]

Such situations used to be so "normal" in Poland until some years ago. I thought they had stopped. Of course, it is unaceptable to work without being paid but what to do? Unfornatelty nothing can be done! Unless a lot of money is at stake, no sense to hire a lawyer. Also forget about socalled labor inspection! Not only they have very limited powers but also they don't want to "hurt" employers. Furthermore, a foreigner in Poland will always be wrong when facing a Pole.

Disgusting but reality!

PS: I had similar situation some 5 years ago. It was not for 50 usd but for over 1,000 ZL and no way to get my money! Labor inspection, police, komornik or whatever to no avail! Hiring a lawyer would have cost more and going to court would have been useless: woman owing me money did not own anything officially (whenever she bought houseS, carS.... they put them under her mother's or her daughter's names).

Life / Moving to Wroclaw - is 10000 ZL a good salary for a family of 3 (Husband, Wife & Infant)? [5]

Hi! Considering that you'll make some 3 times more than average Polish families, you'll manage without problems. But as to traveling around Europe (for pleasure), you won't be able to do it as much as you wish. (10,000 (I suppose GROSS) is less than 2,500 euros, which is no fortune in western Europe). Don't expect significant savings unless tightening your belts! ;)

Classifieds / Warsaw Pub Quiz in English [9]

@HeyHey: There are other countries in same situation, for instance Andorra and San Marino, just to talk about Europe. I bet I'd get a very high score ;)

Study / Vistula University in Poland. Any experience? Any student? [57]

Vistula is NO university. It is just another of the Mickey Mouse private schools in Poland. It belongs to some very wealthy Turks (I have met some of them) owning a few schools in Poland, in Germany and also in South Africa. They MAY have some decent programs since a high level (Polish) politician whom I personally know gives regular lectures there but generally speaking Vistula is nothing "special" in Warsaw. For Poles, "Vistula" is a brand of shirts ;)

Life / Going to Poland in a hijab - Polish people and Islam [154]

Waleed = Levy and vice versa! Completely obvious!

News / Is Kinga Duda of Poland the most beautiful first-daughter of the world? [50]

"lol" Doug! As a matter of fact, this is very Eastern to bleach one's hair very blond, even white but to keep very thick black eyebrows. It is indeed shocking to westerners (in the west, it does really look trashy and who... ish ;)). Women looking like this are quite common in post-communist countries (+ being overmade up :)). However, in Poland, we don't see that (or may be in some very remote rural areas but I never go there) (I'm talking about women who have very dark hair/eyebrows).

PS: personally I (I am not lesbian though ;))) prefer (among the daughters I have seen (I have not seen many, who has????) by very far the Obama girls. The younger one is still a child but the older one is already a gorgeous young woman, with a lot of charisma (the other fake blondish ones including Miss Duda are very ordinary and totally bland).

Work / About Work permit for Student Visa in Poland [28]

@Wroclaw: if it is the official site, it is terrible and unfair to all those people! Of course, none of them will find any work and 99.99% of them will illegally move westwards and to do what there?????? This is also scary from a European point of vue and EU should get on Poland's case because once more Poland plays AGAINST EU.

As to foreign universities, they demand almost perfect knowledge of local language since very few of them offer programs in "socalled English" like some schools do in Poland (for the sole purpose of getting money from naive 3rd worlders since their diplomas are worth 0") and it is obvious that 3rd worlders at best have some broken English but ZERO French, Dutch, German, Spanish, Italian, Greek, Finnish...... to study in Europe. As to finances, besides UK where it is very expensive, all other EU countries are no more expensive than Poland and also most European countries offer scholarships (based upon incomes so no problem for 3rd worlders to qualify).

Yes, 3rd worlders cannot apply to other EU universities and serious schools because they don't have the academic and the language skills to do so and also most of them not being genuine students ;). While selling worthless diplomas, Poland offers free entrance to richer EU. Nobody (including Polish consular authorities) is stupid enough to believe that 3rd worlders are so interested in Poland ;).

Basically, who is guilty? Poland for misleading those desperate 3rd worlders.