Life / Doctors taking bribes in Poland [76]


How so? You are aware salaries for doctors in Poland are not high like in the West right? Especially those who work in the government system.

Even the private clinics don't charge anything near what the USA does for example so there isn't the money to pay them 150,000usd a year or more as in the USA.

All the doctors I dealt with in Poland drove basic cars and dressed like everyone else. I know from what I paid at the clinics there is no way they could be making a lot of money.

UK, Ireland / Help Renouncing UK Citizenship and gaining Polish one [24]


Yeah right. If you gave up your citizenship then the previous country has zero legal standing to tax you. A lawyer would have a field day with that and it sounds like someone trying to stir up anti American sentiment more than anything.

Law / Residency decision letter vs residency card and Poland Visa D [9]

I had that happen once a year ago and it was a non issue. They looked at my passport and stamped me out even though the passport didn't have any current stamp in it. I had the letter ready had they challenged my status. My thought was that the decision letter stated to what date I was legal in Poland and was on official letter head so while they may argue a bit it IS an official statement of your status.

It really just depends on the guard you get...but in the worst imaginable case I am sure the letter would get you out.

Language / Pimsleur's Polish Lessons [38]

Yeah there is for sure only a 10 day basic and a 30 day Level 1 in Pimsleur Polish.

I find it the best program out there in general and wish they had beyond the 90 days. Rosetta stone didn't work at all for me and is extremely overpriced. I would only even bother with it if you can get a free copy from someone. Pimsleur isn't cheap either but is available on torrents and even if you have to pay you can find companies that will buy them back for a partial refund.

I disagree that reading and writing is that essential in the beginning. It isn't the natural way we learn anyway and Pimsleur focuses on that. Plus they do have written booklets that help you with sounds and those went a long way to helping me understand basic reading in a few languages.

No program is going to take you to fluency and asking of to is about as sensible as expecting your mobile phone to work as well as an SLR or a full sized computer. It is part of a bigger picture.

USA, Canada / Dual citizenship - US doesn't care if you don't give up Polish passport [103]

If you haven't done anything wrong it's not a problem. There is nothing crooked about the process. They just have to verify who you are and what you said you did. It is a very professional and well executed program. They don't "hassle" anyone...they just speak to people that know you and get references etc. I don't see the problem with it. It's not mandatory...you can refuse the job. But if someone is going to be working with sensitive issues they should be vetted. Simple.

Travel / Do I need a visa to visit Poland for 6 weeks? [20]

Yeah that clears it up. Feels like I am text messaging with a 10yo.

Travel / Do I need a visa to visit Poland for 6 weeks? [20]

What?

Travel / Poland from a Persian Tourist's Perspective [269]

And that's why nobody stays here for long...if you don't march lock step with the mob here you get pounced on. No room for differing views here ladies and gentlemen ;)

Travel / Do I need a visa to visit Poland for 6 weeks? [20]

When I first glanced at the post I thought it said GRANDMA passed away and imagined you carrying her ashes across. I felt bad for a second ;)

Travel / Do I need a visa to visit Poland for 6 weeks? [20]

I don't think you can carry a grandma across as proof of residence ;) Her head wouldn't fit in the document scanner :P

Travel / Do I need a visa to visit Poland for 6 weeks? [20]

Ah ok....that would make sense as there are no stamps within the "border" of Schengen. But I can see it causing you a problem when trying to get out as you can't prove how long you had been there unless you had a residence card or something else for DE.

Guess I should have been clear and said you get the 90 day stamp at the first border your cross entering Schengen. If you are flying direct to Warsaw it would be there.

Travel / Do I need a visa to visit Poland for 6 weeks? [20]

When coming from outside the EU? Weird. There would be no way to prove how long you had been in Schengen without it. But I didn't get stamps on the train often in the old days when you had to cross eveery 3 months. Who knows.

Travel / Do I need a visa to visit Poland for 6 weeks? [20]

Assuming you are American you get a 90 day tourist stamp at the border. Only need valid passport.

Life / Which on the list of Polish girl's names do you like the most? [67]


Ah yeah I like this one because of the short name Kasia.....classic and nice sounding.


Isn't Basia a short form of something?

Life / Which on the list of Polish girl's names do you like the most? [67]

I love the names Magdalena, Justyna, and Elzbieta. I am old fashioned like that.

Love / Secret meaning..What does it mean when a polish girl touches her nose? [43]


Fair enough. I am still going to drool however.

Love / How to convince English boyfriend to learn Polish? [39]

I know exactly where they come from...never said I didn't. The thing myself and others like me are annoyed by are:

1. You (polish people) perpetuate those insecurities and use them as "victim status" often.

2. You regularly overcompensate by bragging and taking credit for everything under the sun.

3. You can't admit fault (because they would in your minds validate the "stupid Poles" theme)

Love / How to convince English boyfriend to learn Polish? [39]


Most people intend this....very few actually do it. Reality of life takes over and people communicate in the simplest common denominator. Not saying it is impossible...but I think many people expect too much and assume since they have known a language their whole life that anyone can pick it up.

Love / How to convince English boyfriend to learn Polish? [39]

Of course....us "foreigners" can't possibly notice a self confidence complex when we see it. Only another Pole could possibly know the TRUTH about why we are so sensitive. Please.

Her first reaction was to separate it into "big bad arrogant westerner" and "poor little persecuted easterner".

I feel bad for her that he was not good to her...I have had the same experience. But this innate reaction of accusing him of seeing her as a stupid Pole has nothing to do with the relationship and everything to do with the cultural complex.

Love / How to convince English boyfriend to learn Polish? [39]

I did not attack you...I was also not getting "grief" from Poles...I was just not happy with a lot of the cultural issues that made life complicated for me. I pointed out your automatic default to the "we are seen as lesser and poor us" mentality that Poles exhibit a lot. That has nothing to do with either of our relationships. I don;t disagree people shouldn't try to learn..I do think you have unrealistic expectations when you have been learning English since childhood and he likely never even cared about Polish until he met you.

In any case I was more commenting on your "it was almost like he saw me as a stupid easterner" comment. It is a default attitude amongst Poles and of course you don't want to admit it. The complex is very real. Even a lot of Poles admit it. It is annoying and self perpetuating. If you had just said he was a tw@t because he didn't even try and treated you like cr@p fair enough I would have left it.

Love / How to convince English boyfriend to learn Polish? [39]

Right....Poles do it just as bad as anyone. That's why I commented on your assumption he was the big smart Brit and you were the stupid little Pole. It is a behavior irrelevant to nationality to be a jerk or to default to the simplest language.

My ex got a dose of her own medicine the times we went to the US and she was not in control and couldn't understand the system, customs or all language in certain areas with strong accents and she hated it...gave her a new appreciation for that I went through every day in Poland. It's never easy to be the odd man out.

Love / How to convince English boyfriend to learn Polish? [39]

How can you accuse me of being "hung up" and dismiss what I say when your language makes it obvious you are angry at him still?

Sorry things didn't work out but it doesn't mean someone thinks you are "less" because of where you are from. You clearly have confidence issues because you keep saying things like "people like you make others feel like they don't belong" etc. Do you think I felt like I belonged in Poland? You are never going to fit in a foreign place as well as you can at home. It is always challenging to be an expat in some ways. Maybe you need to go home. It worked wonders for me in a lot of ways.

Love / How to convince English boyfriend to learn Polish? [39]

Yeah right...the "supposed inferiority complex". YOU exhibited it.

You are projecting. Accusing me of making comments because of my relationship experience but it's obvious to all in your last posts that is exactly what YOU are doing. You are angry and called him a twit even.

Travel / Poland from a Persian Tourist's Perspective [269]


You cannot be serious?

Love / How to convince English boyfriend to learn Polish? [39]

No you people as in Poles. You have complexes about how people see you and your statement is a perfect example of it. You made this assumption he thought you were a "silly little easterner"

My ex and those around me always spoke English....made it really hard to gain any proficiency. People will always default to the simplest common option. It takes YEARS to learn Polish fluently. You can't expect someone who visits occasionally to do it. When else would he use it? It's not disrespectful its practical. People have to have a practical motivation to really learn a new language..."Love" isn't going to cut it. Communication needs will always come first and people will do so following the path of least resistance...if you hadn't learned English as a kid and you moved to a place where a lot of people spoke Polish the odds of you learning English would be slim. I see it here in the US all the time....immigrants who don't speak English because they live in communities of their own people and never have to learn it.

Love / How to convince English boyfriend to learn Polish? [39]


Wow what an expression of the victim mentality. You people perpetuate this idea and it is from your minds not ours. He probably felt self conscious since he didn't speak Polish and you spoke really good English. It is easier to fall back on the most common option. It is uncomfortable to not understand.

This "almost as if he is better because he is from the West" nonsense is a figment of your imagination. It is about human nature and communication abilities not where you are from.

When one person already speaks the other's language fluently it becomes the default communication mode. You can't express yourself when you don't know how to speak that well so it's natural to do this. Polish is a tough language and unless there is a real need to it is not likely someone is going to invest in it. I know lots of expats that have lived there for a long time and still speak very little because everyone around them speaks English. It's life.

Love / Secret meaning..What does it mean when a polish girl touches her nose? [43]

Then cover them up. Men are not complicated when it comes to this. Exposing the parts we find luscious and then screaming about it is a bit silly ;)

They know exactly what they are doing.

Life / Mixed race girl in Poland, good idea? [149]

Another Polish expat defending the virtues of Poland while not even living there or having anything to do with life there. How quaint.

Life / Mixed race girl in Poland, good idea? [149]

Nope.....not feeling guilty. Next topic?

Regarding Poland's finances it is well known that without assistance from the EU and international investors Poland would collapse financially. All nations are intertwined now and many could not survive if they were cut out of that circle of funds.

More pride showing.

Life / Mixed race girl in Poland, good idea? [149]


I never give it a thought unless someone like you brings it up. You know why? Because I had no control over where and when I was brought into this life. Zero. Therefore I have no responsibility for anything that occurred before I was old enough to control my own actions. Therefore I feel no guilt about that bad things people did before me. Simple.

What do you want me to do cry daily for all the slaves in history? Should I flog myself, not use indoor plumbing and give everything I earn to the ancestors of said slaves? No thanks.

We all....every one of us...YOU INCLUDED...live on the backs of those who came before us. We live using their architectures, cultures, economies etc. You are not more "wholesome" if you come from a village in Tibet than if you are born to Lenin. You sound like a hippy.