Travel / Share Your Travel Experiences in Poland [16]

bimber94

In Poland we drive on the right side of the road, but I'm not going to open this can of worms again.

Do you realize how offensive your description of Eminem was? And no, I don't like his "music".

UK, Ireland / Common pitfalls for Poles learning English [187]

True Seanus. BTW, I would have said the same thing you did-both of them-except that I would have sain "in Fife". Oh, I'm also an American. Go figure.

UK, Ireland / Common pitfalls for Poles learning English [187]


Yes, at least in my classes.

UK, Ireland / Common pitfalls for Poles learning English [187]


You could have fooled me. I'm American, I teach English, and I know when to use both tenses, believe it or not.


Not exactly true, but I won't quibble about it.

UK, Ireland / Common pitfalls for Poles learning English [187]


Oh yes it is.

The three most common mistakes mad by Poles learning English are articles, verb tenses, and vocabulary. I won't give you any examples because I could write all night, but I think you-especially teachers-know what I mean.

I start emphasizing articles at the pre-intermediate level. With a lot of use, most students get pretty good at using them, but they're difficult because they don't exist in Polish. I had a post FCE student tell me he didn't use articles because they weren't important. He changed his mind when I asked him if these two sentences meant the same without an article: I speak little Polish. I speak a little Polish. His response? Hmmmm. I see what you mean.

OK, I understand that people are going to make mistakes with verbs, but the two that make me crazy are: I going (and any other continuous form), and he speak. The latter is so easy to learn that I just don't understand why they make that mistake. When I hear these, I insist that they say I'mmmmmmmm going and he speakssssssssss until they use them properly. I seldom have to resort to violence to get the point across. :)

When I say vocabulary I mean either not knowing the word or using the wrong one. False friends are classes. My friend is very sympathetic (nice), etc ad nauseum.

But it's all good. The point of learning another language is to communicate, and we're all going to make mistakes in a language that's not our mother tongue. If people can understand what you want or mean, even if you say it imperfectly, you're communicating, and it only gets better with time.

Food / I have a Polish couple coming over for afew days and would like to cook for them. [93]

I'm cooking chicken Kiev for 18 people tomorrow. Easy, inexpensive, and delicious. Do a Google search for chicken Kiev recipes. I've cooked lamb curry for them before and they ate every last drop, but I wouldn't spring a leg of lamb on them unless I knew that they liked them. I've also sauteed shrimp in butter and garlic. When they're done-it doesn't take long-I add about a cup of white wine or sherry to the pan, reduce it, and pour it over the shrimp. Serve over rice.

Life / Cold winter in Poland this year - Gas Shortages as of Late October [32]


She didn't lie to you. I'm from California and I assure you, the winter in Moscow will be exactly like San Diego in the summer. Nothing but sunshine and palm trees in both places. :)

Life / Cold winter in Poland this year - Gas Shortages as of Late October [32]

There is no bad weather, only bad clothes.

Life / Cold winter in Poland this year - Gas Shortages as of Late October [32]

Yes, and it isn't gas.

Language / Are the context of these Polish sentences correct? [101]


I'm an American living in Poland and SLOWLY learning Polish, but even I could see that this wasn't right. Czy is used when you ask a question and expect a yes or no answer. Czy ma piwo? Nie ma. :). Is there any beer? No, there isn't. It's not literal.

Where is gdzie. Gdzie jest xxx? Where is xxx. Gdzie ona jest? Where is she? Gdzie mieszkasz? Where do you live?

Life / Cold winter in Poland this year - Gas Shortages as of Late October [32]

My heat comes from a radiator which is neither gas or electric. The only gas I use is for cooking, so I really don't care if this winter is cold. I already know how to cope with the cold.

Food / Supermarket or small corner shop for grocery shopping in Poland? [23]

I prefer local shops most of the time because they're much more personal and a lot friendlier. If they don't have exact change, they'll give me what they have on hand and I'll bring them a zl or two later. Sometimes it works the other way. And sometimes I don't have to say anything other than hello (in Polish, of course) and they smile and give me my regular purchase. That ain't gonna happen at BOMI.

In addition, I live 100m from Hala Targowa in Gdansk Old Town, so convenience is a factor. The meat and poultry shops I frequent will also order things for me if they don't have them, or don't have them in the quantity I want, as in a large leg of lamb or 16 chicken breasts for a dinner party I'm having on Saturday.

I know that people complain about customer service in Poland, but because I've been going to the same shops for years, that hasn't been my experience, at least with them.

And I get to improve my Polish by chatting with the small shop owners.

Food / Supermarket or small corner shop for grocery shopping in Poland? [23]


There are no trolleys in America. They're called shopping carts. And are you talking about shopping in the US, UK, or Poland?

News / RHD cars in Poland - my campaign to change the rules in Poland [128]


I agree with that. However, driving is a privilege. They're not the same thing.

I think the OP is pi$$ing up a rope in his attempt to mobilizen PF members to write a letter, and I doubt that Poland will change its laws to accommodate him, but I wish him luck.

Years ago, my family had a large American LHD car in Japan, which I drove. Trying to pass (overtake) a large truck (lorry) on narrow roads was an often frightening experience. I wouldn't want to drive an RHD car in Europe, let alone Poland, yet I know it can be done safely. I just choose not to.

Travel / Going to Tricity (Trojmiasto) soon. What to see, where to go - not so obvious but interesting places [14]

Here's a website for you: inyourpocket.com/poland. Look for Gdansk. When you get here, get a free copy available at reception in most hotels, and you'll have a pocket guide to almost everything worth seeing and doing in trojmiasto, plus it has good maps. Have fun.

Travel / Going to Tricity (Trojmiasto) soon. What to see, where to go - not so obvious but interesting places [14]

If you manage to do that, you'll be very, very busy! Have fun. As for shopping, are you looking for clothes or something else?

Language / which 'if' (jeśli, gdyż or gdyby) use in conversation? [13]

Interesting, and that's what I love about Polish. Ask two people, get three different answers. :) Two of the English teachers at my school are Polish with CPE (Certificate of Proficiency in English, which means that their English is almost as good as mine). Both of them said jeśli. Go figure!

Genealogy / Labia: IS THIS A COMMON GIRLS NAME...in Poland..? [19]


lama

Travel / Going to Tricity (Trojmiasto) soon. What to see, where to go - not so obvious but interesting places [14]

Oliaw Park is beautiful and the church there is stunning.The zoo is also in Oliwa. You can get to Oliwa by SKM. It's only a few stops from Sopot.

BarPrzystan on Wojske Polskiego (walk down Monte Cassino to the molo and turn right on the street that runs parralel to the beach, walk about a kilometer and it's on the left) has good fish at reasonable prices and it's right on the beach so you'll have a nice view of the Baltic.

For traditional Polish food, I like Harnas (ul.Moniuszki 9). Find it on a map (get one from the information center near the train station in Sopot) and go by car or taxi unless you don't mind a bit of a hike.

You might also try Josef K (ul.Koscluski 4/1b-entrance from ul. Dworcowa). Just a minute away from the train station, it's a cafe/pub. Funky.

I know Gdansk much better. Two low cost but excellent choices are Jadalnia Pod Zielonym Smokiem) (it means diner under the green dragon)) at ul. Szeroka 125 (entrance is around the corner on ul.Panska). Good food, cheap prices, and they have Zywe beer on tap. Mostly locals there.

A real hole in the wall is Pub Duszek (little ghost, on ul.Sw.Duha 119/121). If you're not put off by the scruffy atmosphere (you asked for holes in the wall-this place is one) and the tiny upstairs-there is a larger basement-you'll find very good food ay very low prices. The menu is on the wall and it varies from day to day, but it's always good. Only locals. You'll never see a tourist there.

There's also Swojski Smak (ul. Hewellusza 25/27 near Madison, the mall. Great food, low prices, and not really a hole in the wall at all.

All these places are in the Old Town. None will dissapoint.

In Sopot try Immersion (Monte Cassino 36/5. It's in a courtyard just off Monte Cassino, so you'll have to look for it. If you go there and meet Tom, the owner, and Mike, the barman -both Americans-tell them Scott recommended it. If you're lucky, maybe they'll let you stay.:)

It's going to rain while you're here., so be prepared for that. Can't really help you with shopping. It's not my thing, and I have no idea what you're looking for. If you can be more specific, I might be able to recommend a place in Gdansk, but I know nothing about shopping in Sopot.

Food / Is Polish food still more natural than in the West? [142]


Almost, but not quite nonexistent. There's a market about 50m from my flat. When I want a leg of lamb I order it and usually have in a few days. Otherwise it's only there on rare occasions.

And beef in Poland leaves a lot to be desired.

I like flaki.

Travel / Hospitality, Scenery, Food, Clean Streets: My POSITIVE experiences in Poland (!) [39]

Carp, which is just a misspelling of crap, and panga are disgusting. I won't eat them. I'll stick with salmon, cod, flounder, halibut, herring and trout.

Polish food is OK but it's usually pretty bland. My three favorite Polish dishes are bigos, golonka and golabki.

History / Today is the 1st of September (WWII start in Poland) [138]

There's a ceremony every year at Westerplatte. It begins at 04.47 when the first shots were fired. I attended it two years ago.

Language / I teach English to some Polish people - how to explain them tenses? [33]


In this case, running isn't a gerund. It's an adjective. But "running with my dog" makes it a gerund.

Language / I teach English to some Polish people - how to explain them tenses? [33]

Are you familiar with using time lines to illustrate verb tenses? They make things very clear and are easy to understand.

Life / My first impressions of Poland, long time ago [37]

pep-energy, excitement, wigor, werwa

Life / Joanna (Asia) Name days? [9]

It wasn't today. My calendar lists Jerzego and Bart£omieja as having name days today. Oh well.

Food / Traditional Polish meal for my Polish boyfriend in the US? [71]


Yes, if you order it and pay for it. You know that smalec is lard?


I agree. Once every 40 years is often enough for me. :)

Food / Traditional Polish meal for my Polish boyfriend in the US? [71]

Eat enough of it and you'll be on your way sooner than later. :)

Food / Traditional Polish meal for my Polish boyfriend in the US? [71]


Because it's not possible. Mind you, I like bigos (especially with a little white wine added to cut the sauerkraut taste, a la choucroute garnie), golambki (with a little spice or tobasco added to the filling to give it some flavor), and golonka with horse radish and Dijon mustard, but on the whole Polish food is pretty bland. I won't even go into smalec.

Travel / Holiday in Poland - do I need to learn Polish? [26]


You're proud of that? How long have you lived here?