Life / Do you know any POLISH radio that actually plays music in POLISH? [11]

Now why would they do that? ;) ;) ;)

Radio Piekary here in Silesia but it's more Silesian Polish :)

News / Poland - the least liked German neighbour. [210]

Why the need for generalisations? I've met bad Germans and good Germans. One called Henrika was a pain as she felt I wasn't smart enough to be doing an LLM like she was. This despite gaining a prestigious scholarship. Such arrogance can be found amongst Germans quite easily.

Then again, I found a couple of Berliners really nice and friendly. A guy called Florian from Hamburg too.

It was funny to hear him and Judit speak. She was from Bavaria and they didn't understand each other sometimes. Both very likable people.

Love / Why do Polish women prefer foreigners for boyfriends and husbands? [418]

Absolutely! Even as a token gesture, SwP. My German is limited but enough to get me around and ask for prices etc. I did this when I was in Vienna and the Austrian girl appreciated it. I no doubt made a little mistake with it but, then again, Germans make mistakes according to Austrians ;) ;) ;) She then tried a bit of English :)

This can lead to instant liking and an understanding that self can be seen in a broader context. Thinking in another language should be seen as a positive and not a chore.

In France? Not a chance! I wouldn't have success and likely wouldn't succeed in Paris either. I've heard they are highly resistant but may be more open to Scots given the Auld Alliance between us :)

News / Poland - the least liked German neighbour. [210]

I think it just depends what kind of Pole and German come together. A certain elitist kind from both sides could only lead to a major tussle with neither backing down.

I guess when you commit ethnic cleansing against them, a nation tends not to like you.

Work / Negotiating a decent contract. Setting boundaries with employers in Poland [7]

A realistic job description is very much an entitlement of yours, Rogalski. Poland follows the dictates of EU Law and such contracts are standard there. It's all regulated and there are not convenient opt-outs for those that want to pull fast ones by being vague and leaving you with no leg to stand on. You know as well as I do how the sharks are out and swimming when blood is leaked. We talked about it. Remember this, the most important is getting it right from the outset. When you have those conditions set, any changes come through discussion and signings on both sides.

Good luck!

Love / Why do Polish women prefer foreigners for boyfriends and husbands? [418]

I think it helps when you try your best to speak the local language, especially in a relatively small city like Gliwice. Besides, please answer me one question without being overly philosophical. What were you born for? I always say that we are born to experience in all manner of forms and part of that process involves learning languages. It gives you a new way of seeing things, of articulating and generally of communicating. I'm really working hard on breaking some of my students out of the mould of thinking in Polish, esp when it comes to things like prepositions. It's a trap that they often fall into. It's a work in progress.

Furthermore, I also see it as being polite. Brits have this reputation (largely deserved) of being lazy with languages. There are so many languages out there so why not give one or two foreign languages a real good crack of the whip? I was made to learn French without really ever intending to go there. I wanted to go to Japan and learned it fairly fluently (to a good conversational level). I lived in a city of 88,500 people (Izumo), then Hiroshima. Those first 9 months (in Izumo) meant I was thrown in at the deep end but I secured the basics before going (functional shop language, greetings etc) and worked my way up from there. If I can learn Japanese, I guess I can learn Polish. A lot comes through patience and not expecting instant results.

Finally, I can't imagine how things would be were my Polish to be basic. My Polish family expect a certain standard and I can't disappoint. They don't speak English well enough to communicate to me. It's all about moving yourself to make the lives of others easier, sth I'm very aware of for those that merit it.

Travel / Poland-My 9-day experience [239]

I really don't see the problem is sb putting out a bad opinion if they can back it up with evidence or exp. I prefer to be positive but a balanced perspective is for choice.

Love / Why do Polish women prefer foreigners for boyfriends and husbands? [418]

Well, I can start with a big ????????? to a certain someone and move on.

I think some Polish women like foreign men who can speak their language too. My wife speaks near perfect English but, for some reason, doesn't like to use it. 99% of the time, she speaks to me in Polish and I either reply in Polish or in English, depending on our company or my energy. I won't speak English to her brother's child (only 1.5) unless he asks me too. He is a pure Pole and will have Polish spoken to him unless his parents deem otherwise. It would make sense for him to learn English but all in good time.

Love / Why do Polish women prefer foreigners for boyfriends and husbands? [418]

Which you are right to do :) :) You can do it by debunking the myth and exposing it as a fraud. Other nations need not be mentioned.

Yes, I can. You did it in other posts but not the one in question.

In Poland

I stand by that. They are not enough to merit court cases.

You are free to do that.

Perhaps I did, yes.

How can you be so sure that he is Jewish and not Polish?

Well, the nastiness won't come from me which kinda leaves one person ;) ;) I didn't address you this time round. You can't play that card either as this is a forum. The Mods are free to suspend me if they wish but I am doing nothing wrong. Please try and stay on track with the thread.

Once, yes. I will respect you wishes and not post your name again. However, the rest is an open book and I will abide by the rules and stick to the thread. I've made points above on the thread.

Travel / Poland-My 9-day experience [239]

Shawny, I wrote 'in this part' for a reason ;)

TM, thanks for that, ma man. Good to see sb is reading my posts :) Vang Stave church indeed. A mighty fine bit of architecture in the Karkonosze.

Love / Why do Polish women prefer foreigners for boyfriends and husbands? [418]

Deflection strategy is where you divert attention away from the thread topic which is about Polish women and not British.

I said by the deflection strategy and didn't specify a name. I didn't say you did it.

There is a defensiveness here and that cannot be denied. It exists!

I didn't quote him on anything, nor did I delve into specific instances of what he mentioned. I just took 2 principles and commented on them (deflection and defensiveness).

Anyone that knows me here knows that I often say 'some do and some don't', 'some are and some aren't' or 'some can and some can't' etc etc. He does seem to have tinges of bias, yes, but isn't he Polish?

Yeah, I don't get that bit either. Maybe it's because I live in a conservative part of the country but I really don't see Polish women as slutty generally. It's largely a myth would be my take on that.

I also don't wish to launch into any personal nonsense at all. I haven't quoted anyone properly in about 2.5 years on the forum, LOL. I was just addressing you as, like it or not, this is a forum where a discussion shouldn't be like leaves blowing in the wind. It should be targetted and civil.

I apologise if you are uncomfortable but I am breaching no etiquette here. You just did comment on my posts ;) ;) Anyways, things will be more on the delicate side and I will go for a balanced perspective at all times.

Oh, thanks for the apology. Gracefully received :) I will also try to keep things on an even keel.

Travel / Poland-My 9-day experience [239]

Sorry, but those 4 are redeeming qualities. It's what I see as balanced commentary in this part. Other parts were inaccurate IMHO but that's just me.

Travel / Poland-My 9-day experience [239]

1) Zakopane

2) Hel, fine beaches and clean

3) People - generally friendly

4) Polish beauty - true to a certain extent

You don't consider those as goodies, Shawny? ;0

Work / Is it normal for companies/schools in Poland to be rude? [116]

Well, I live here and I see it too. It is pervasive. I hate how some older Poles think they are so different, like an island unto themselves.

Work / Is it normal for companies/schools in Poland to be rude? [116]

If you were denied a proper life for 43 years through imposed communism, how would you feel? How would it feel to see the West developing exponentially whilst your country floundered? Poles, rightly or wrongly, feel aggrieved and cheated after WWII and that isn't going to disappear any time soon.

Travel / Poland-My 9-day experience [239]

Pictures of Mostar don't count, Wrocław ;) ;) Let's not forget that there was a war here too ;) ;) ;)

Potholed streets mean that drivers must focus more on the road and that can only be a good thing :) :)

Grime? Cleaning day was the following one :)

No window boxes? They were all stolen ;) ;) The flowers were also pulled out for sale elsewhere :) This was part of the conversion from communism to capitalism, a real manifestation ;) ;)

I see your last point. You can have a really nice building and the surroundings could be ugly. It makes it look like even more of an eyesore. I'm thinking about the Spodek in Katowice.

Travel / Poland-My 9-day experience [239]

Some of the castles are amongst the nicest in the world. There are two here in Gliwice that are breathtaking. I've yet to see Malbork and some of the other more famous ones. Architecture? Oh, come on. Have you seen the Vang castle in Karpacz? Poland excels in architecture in some parts.

It just depends where you find yourself, in what region. When I went from Izumo to Matsue by train (Japan), there were nothing but rice fields, Toyota trucks and houses. No variety whatsoever! However, did that mean that I thought Japan wasn't a beautiful country with worthwhile sights? Of course not! Get used to the regional conditions.

Do you really think that communists were gonna invest heavily in making buildings look better? NOPE! This is one thing that really frustrates me about foreigners and I'll speak as sb with a Polish family now. It was IMPOSED on Poland, no thanks to that fat cnut of a man, Churchill. The Red Army rejoiced with fellow allies outside Berlin, they wouldn't have started a fresh war. Anyway, Poland had to grin and bear it. Now we are seeing roadworks and housing improvements. Come to Gliwice, roadworks are everywhere. I've lost count of the number of students that have told me they are doing renovations and even building a new place (the richer ones).

Polluted air or just bad visibility that day? When I was at the top of Yokohama tower, I couldn't see Mount Fuji (Fuji san/SAMA) due to a mist on the go. Bytom is polluted, but Warsaw??

The commie staff at rail stations and in hospitals are atrocious, that's true. I gave a surgeon a piece of my mind the other day. I'm not sure if the young surgeon translated my last part, which I said in English :)

Travel / Poland-My 9-day experience [239]

Post-commie is better, Borrka. It was a bit of a generalisation, that's true.

Life / HOW MANY CHINESE LIVING IN POLAND? [29]

The question is 'does the average Pole even want to distinguish them?'. In my experience, they are happy to just bunch them all as 'kitajcy'.

News / Poles and rest of us needs strong Poland [49]

Crow, define the Polish national or public interest, please. It's a constitutional law idea, as well as others.

Travel / Poland-My 9-day experience [239]

The architecture is just different. There are some quite nice features of it here in Gliwice, the prettiest town in Upper Silesia.

Utterly disappointed regarding nature? I disagree. Let's not forget that we don't draw cards to decide who gets what species in any given country. Poland has what Poland has and I like the bison here. Many species of birds can be found. What nature do you feel is missing?

What is distinctive about Scottish or Aussie rivers? Do they bend at an angle of 35 degrees rather than 20? Beaches are beaches, they are meant for lying on. I don't think Poles would throw condoms and other rubbish into the sea like Scots do.

Upper Silesia is run down, that's just how it is here. When I walk in some areas, I feel perfectly safe. I can't say the same about similar looking areas back home.

Some are blessed with waves and some aren't. It's not sth that you can work on. It means that they don't get caught by basking sharks like countless bogans do, LOL

Glum and depressed is generally the Slavic demeanour but it doesn't mean that all of them are that way.

Queue jumping is pretty bad, I agree there. Also, old people here have got it into their heads that they are still somebody and I had enough one day. One started ordering while I was in the middle of my order and I told her politely to move back or the next time I wouldn't be so accommodating. She got the message!

Wrocław is right enough, some points were valid. I don't think it was a trolling effort, maybe just that some things were exaggerated but who are we to second guess people, right?

Torq, it's not idiocy. Many Polish adults are getting fatter. I balk at some of the critters on the go here. They are sweathogs, frankly. My wife agrees with me as she hates such fat and lazy people.

Work / Is it normal for companies/schools in Poland to be rude? [116]

They are just exposing the weaknesses in the system and what does that say about the system of checking?

Love / Why do Polish women prefer foreigners for boyfriends and husbands? [418]

Paulina is just living proof of the deflection strategy employed by so many Poles. That's how British women got dragged in. Frd used to do the same but he is now one of my PF buddies (a man who loves cheddar is cool) so I'll say no more.

He's right about the defensive mechanism and you just can't see it, period! Why? The next trait of denial.

If their views are formed from observations, Paulina, how can you deny them the freedom to express them? They fall without the boundaries of reasonableness and are hardly slanderous enough to merit court cases.

The truth is that there aren't enough foreigners here to really say that Polish women target them any more or less than their own. They tend to stick with their own a lot, I'd say.

Language / Are the languages of Russian and Polish similar at all? [94]

I think we should go more to what I might describe as 'understandableness' rather than direct similarities. Mentality plays a part too. Many older Poles can easily access Russian humour. Just 3 days ago, there were jokes in Russian going around the table, being told by Poles. There was one about a train stopover and vodka which I found pretty funny. I needed the Polish translation as I only caught those words which have a closeness to Polish (even then, there are false friends like forget/remember between Russian/Polish).

Work / Is it normal for companies/schools in Poland to be rude? [116]

Worse still is when they make it out to be your fault. I had that at my school when the secretaries tried to blame me for time wasting when preparing materials. They arrived far too late (25 mins), which meant that I had virtually no time to photocopy and look over the notes for my morning classes. Those twisted and sick minds tried to lay the blame on me. Also, many Poles have told me that cliping/dobbing just doesn't exist in their culture, being foreign to their mentality. BS!! They have done it to me 3 times now, all without reasonable cause. Some ill people around who deserve to be used as punchbags.

Work / Is it normal for companies/schools in Poland to be rude? [116]

Many aren't, newbrit. It just depends who you compare them to.

Life / Who's Leaving Poland? [138]

Ah, but you can't tell me that all those Poles who left and came back started their own businesses. So what was the gameplan, just experience?

Life / Who's Leaving Poland? [138]

Sb needs to invent a teleporting machine :)

News / Poles and rest of us needs strong Poland [49]

He's definitely Serbian, no question.

Life / What would YOU do to make life in poland better?? [72]

I most certainly wouldn't. I dunno about other parts of Poland but it's FAR too dry here. There's a storm at the moment which will hopefully sweep it away once and for all.