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Posts by paulinska  

Joined: 19 May 2010 / Male ♂
Last Post: 22 Aug 2016
Threads: Total: 9 / In This Archive: 9
Posts: Total: 86 / In This Archive: 74

Displayed posts: 83 / page 2 of 3
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paulinska   
5 Sep 2011
Life / 'Turkish' Conmen on the A4/E40 Krakow-Wrocław stretch.... [25]

There I was, foot flat on the gas, enjoying the lovely sunny afternoon on the A4/E40 stretch. It must have been about 40/50 km before Wrocław, when suddenly a rather shubbily dressed bloke in a sleek C320 Mercedes (with tinted rear windows) flagged me quite desperately. I thought i had been nicked for speeding, so foot off the gas and pulled over on the hard shoulder. The missus immediately demanded for an answer as to why i had pulled over, I think it's the Police, i answered. Her next 5 words were sandwiched with 3 k****as (She's a very nervous woman!). Anyhow, here's the guy's story - he introduced himself as Mustafa, a Turkish-German businessman who is in the Exports and Imports car industry dealing mainly in German cars (amateurish business card in hand). Apparently he had run out of petrol, lost all his credit cards and being a Sunday, his offices in Berlin were closed, so he couldn't get any immediate help. I then signals to his car and all hell broke loose. A woman with a kid (the bait) jumped out of the car and started being too dramatic, shouting and arguing in Kurdish. My wife, was now getting sucked into the con, she started feeling sorry for the woman and the kid, obviously putting herself in their shoes....'Be cool woman, this is a con' i said to her. Then, Mr Mustafa turns back to us with 3 big FAKE gold coated rings and he said, Listen, i have these 3 carat gold rings, i can give them to you as bond, just give me any money you've got, there's my details, i'll give your money back in exchange for my rings! That was it, i had had enough, i detaste people who insult my intelligence plus the missus was becoming hyptonised by the whole episode. I told him to f off to the cash converters.

And guess what, 20km down the road, yes u guessed it - another flag. This time a black A8 audi (where do they get these cars from?!). I gave him the meanest of looks accompanied by a 'nice' hand gesture! So i asked myself, why us?! there's hundreds of cars on the road...and the missus wisely pointed out that we were marked because we had a foreign car with GB license plates. Is this some kind of organised criminal gang? Are the Woman and kid part of the scam or forced to do it? Has it happened to anyone before?, i'm keen to hear your story.
paulinska   
12 Aug 2011
Travel / Whats your favourite Polish city and why? [132]

I have Krakow at heart......I just love it there & i've been to quite a few other major cities in Poland. they just don't compare.

Cities aside, 2 weeks ago i visited family relatives in a small village called Bierna (£odygowice). Beautiful, doesn't do this place any justice. Mountains, lakes, ponds, forests, you name it, this place has it all. I'm a city lad born & bred, but life in villages can be so fulfilling sometimes. People are so calm, polite & humble.

I asked babcia, how come you don't lock doors at night?! well, because there's no need to...she replied! Is this common in Polish small villages?!
paulinska   
12 Jun 2011
UK, Ireland / 4 teenage boys held in UK - murder of chef stabbed to death as he celebrated his 30th bday [24]

This knife culture is taking over the UK, London notably. It is 'cool' for these kids to have knives on them.
They know when caught with one, worst scenario is they're served with an asbo. The kids have no role models...95% of these kids have no fathers to look upto, hence they turn to gangs. I don't think the government is doing enough, however, we all know charity starts at home. So, i blame the parents.
paulinska   
17 Mar 2011
UK, Ireland / Bath City offers 80% discount to Polish people [18]

I dont think this is about Brits Vs Poles. Bath City's PR strategy is to have poles come to the game in numbers as part of their 'Campaign 3000' scheme. They know the kind of atmosphere the poles would create and this would most certainly help the team's performance.

Did you guys read comments under this news???

Grubas, dont get sucked into this war of words....you know everyone is entitled to their own opinion and obviously some people take offence at the slightest of issues. I've been to hundreds of games where discounted tickets are issued, not because people cant afford them but because they need hundreds of supporters through the gates - it kinda of raises the club's profile.

It seems Bath City fans aren't too loyal to their club, and i understand especially if the club is not playing that well. However, i dont think they should pick on the Polish simply because the club has decided to bring them in to boost home support.

Who can ever be tired of Bath

Brilliant city....have you been to the spas??

If it were a Polish team pulling this PR stunt? would Polish people take offence?
paulinska   
16 Mar 2011
UK, Ireland / Bath City offers 80% discount to Polish people [18]

This is an interesting story....Some people have argued it's discriminatory. I personally can't see anything wrong with it especially as it's for a one off cause! What do you think?

uk.eurosport.yahoo/15032011/58/world-football-bath-city-off er-discount-polish-people.html
paulinska   
3 Mar 2011
Life / An example of what is wrong with Poland (fatal traffic accident and a tram) [55]

just hit and killed an old woman who tried to get off

I've spent a good few minutes trying to permutate the above possibilities. Is it possible to be hit by a tram as you come off it? was she dragged across the tram track because something got stuck as the doors closed?

Surely, any fatal accident requires a thorough investigation, so i can't see why the tram would be moved. This is protocol, everywhere, otherwise where's the evidence gonna come from? This is why the hit & run traffic offences are severely punished over here.

Everton fc played the first half of their FA cup game on Tuesday without 5 of their first teamers, why? They were stuck on a closed M62, because of a nearly fatal four car carnage. Needless to say they lost the game......This is just an example of how such incidents affect everyday life, People just have to get on with it. In the meantime, lets all reserve some thoughts for the deceased's family, it's always tough to lose a beloved one!
paulinska   
2 Mar 2011
UK, Ireland / POLISH PARTY NORTH LONDON UK [28]

Fortis Green

I remember all the after school Jewish Kosher in Golders green & the ASBOs in Muswell Hill, where have all these youthful days of my life gone? Talking about Polish parties, there used to be a Polish Club in Golders Golden on Finchley Road underneath the bridge. Was it closed down too?

East Finchley is superb

Alot posher than North Finchley....especially towards Highgate & Hampstead!

first the pubs...

There's 2 pubs that have closed down in my area just this year....and i know another that only opens when Wales is playing home Rugby, i wonder how they off set their operational costs.
paulinska   
2 Mar 2011
UK, Ireland / POLISH PARTY NORTH LONDON UK [28]

North Finchley

I grew up in Finchley......(ohh those were the days) unfortunately i'm well off the party radar these days, i wouldn't have a clue what makes a good Polish party. The all time party classic is girls..loads of them, isn't it?
paulinska   
22 Feb 2011
Work / Process and Resources to find a job in Poland for an IT professional [15]

Once I get a job offer, I can apply for the work VISA and can work.

These two statements don't mix very well with the current EU employment law.
The employer will have to prove that they cannot find a suitable candidate within the EU before you're issued with work permit.
I honestly don't know where you should start, i think this route is highly unlikely to get you a) a job & b) a work permit.

Two possible options;
1. Enroll into a University and do a Polish based IT degere/Diploma. It's easier to get a student visa than a work permit. I think if you stay in Poland for a certain period, then you might be eligible for a residence permit. Ask some lads on here, they know better than i do.

2. Start a small scale software house company. If your financial expertise is solid as indicated, you should be able implement high end application products (both front end and back end). The major problem here is you'll need thorough knowledge of the Polish financial industry. It's a regulated industry hence you need to be upto scratch with industry procedures and i've not mentioned the language barrier yet.

Jro, i'm a very optimistic fella however, my optimism is really wearing thin here.
Your biggest problem is the work permit. if you can find another way to acquire residence (temporary/permanent) in Poland then you could stand a chance employment wise.

Good Luck!
paulinska   
15 Feb 2011
Polonia / Moving to Dubai [13]

Hi Iwona,
There's 2 sides to your story....a fortunate one and unfortunate one!
Fortunate one:
Dubai is one of best places to live & work, especially within the Gulf (more liberal). I was in Dubai last year albeit for only a week but my Polka loved it and she would definitely love to live out there..only if (big IF)!. My advice is, all factors considered, if the move favours you, then please go out there and enjoy your life - you'll not regret it.

Unfortunate one:
Dubai is unfortunately governed by the Sharia law. Whatever you do, please familiarise yourself with the law before you move. Ignorance is not an excuse in the Arab courts. I would recommend you marry your boyfriend before you move, as this would make your life much easier. Ofcos there are unmarried couples but it's a huge risk that could easily ruin your life - (jail sentences). So play it safe!

Work
Another advantage of marrying your boyfriend, you'll be able to get a work visa courtesy of your husband(to be) being employed in the UAE. You'll not require a sponsor for this.

There's alot of work in Dubai for foreigners. 83% of the country's population are foreigners, so i'm sure with your NVQ qualification, you'll find some work - not to mention the unrivalled tax free salaries.

University
This is a tricky one. Education is free to ONLY UAE nationals. University education can be very expensive unless ofcos you have a bounty saved somewhere. Arabic is the national language, so you're guaranteed that all courses in major government owned Universities are Arabic based. You'll need to enroll on a year long Arabic language course & this is not an easy language though not as hard as Polish - i can speak Arabic & hardly any Polish!. That said, i've heard there's a few private Universities that have English based courses - Private = Expesive!

Take some time out and weigh all the possibilities, moving to Dubai is awesome but it could also mean a change of life style. You'll definitely be out of your comfort zone as the culture is completely different from the European culture, but what a heck? go give it a try, if it don't work, you can always come back to the Old Lady - Viva Polska!

Out of curiosity, you mentioned your boydfriend is Welsh, Have you been to Wales? Do u live in Wales at the moment?
paulinska   
9 Feb 2011
Work / SAP jobs in POLAND (SAP HR/Payroll experience) [13]

Hi South African,
I've got some experience with SAP applications (CM, CRM, BW etc) - mainly consultancy.
SAP is a very rare speciality in Poland. I remember when i was looking for work then, Most companies that implemented SAP had offshelf products or outsourced a consultancy firm to implement the applications. The main problem with IT work in Poland is blue chip companies have a huge European clientele hence its essential that their employees have fluency in 2/3 European languages.

Your best bet is a consultancy firm like Accenture Poland, Delloite Poland etc. Like i mentioned earlier, most of the SAP work is outsourced to them.

SAP is huge in Germany, on a spin, you could find a Germany IT company with some presence in Poland. It's all options mate. Hope it all works for you - Good Luck!
paulinska   
4 Feb 2011
Work / Moving Back to Poland after living in Canada for 24 years. IT jobs market? [26]

HCL, IBM, Capgemini.....all offer IT consultancy work. Salaries are much lower as compared to what you've been earning in Canada. Seeing you've been living in Canada for a long time, are you familiar with French? Some IT consultancy jobs will require fluency in another European language on top of English and/or Polish.

What is a realistic pay that someone with my type of experience (IS deparment management, Windows /Linux Client/Server Admin and support, ITIL and governance/security compliance, Virtualization etc) can expect?

It's an employer's market, this. The rates are highly negotiable depending on your experience and skill set.
2 yrs ago, with a somewhat similar skill set - SDLC driven, I was offered about 4000 PLN Gross by a krakow based consultancy firm.
At the end of the day, it's a personal preference. For whatever reasons you've decided to finally move back to the old lady - finding work is always going to be a challenge. Best of wishes....
paulinska   
20 Jan 2011
UK, Ireland / ENGLISHMAN JAILED FOR MURDER OF POLISH GIRLFRIEND [47]

I really feel sorry for Weronika's family. People with no respect for human life don't deserve to be treated alike. Funny enough in 15yrs this bloke will be released on parole and will go ahead and kill someone else. Why we have paroles in the judicial system is beyond me. How can you justify this idiot's parole??! You live by the sword, you die by the sword - simple as!
paulinska   
17 Jan 2011
Travel / Are there any African or Carribean restaurants in Warsaw? [15]

Irish Mbaassy in Krakow

Thats my chill out spot! The food is awesome in there, i didn't know the chef bloke was South African. I have to say, they have some of the fittest waitresses there is in krakow...the jury is OUT!
paulinska   
17 Jan 2011
Life / The rising costs of food and fuel in Poland and the effects on disposable income/economy [177]

Unless you live in the Gulf, where a litre of water is much more expensive than a litre of petrol, Petrol prices are a global issue - not just Poland!

I bet all the country folk use red diesel at a fraction of the official price. They do in the UK in some of the more isolated communities...

Customs has vigorously cracked down the usage of red diesel - U get a hefty fine, confiscated car and ordered to pay taxes on the fuel you've used.

As people are finding out, red diesel is not that cheap, afterall!
paulinska   
11 Jan 2011
Work / How to get to job at Krakow Business Park? [5]

You can also catch buses to KBP although, i don't seem to remember the bus numbers.
The tram route to Bronowice should pass closer to KBP, i would have thought. I'm not entirely sure but may be someone on here is more informed than i am, my info could be entirely outdated (last used MPK krakow in 2008).
paulinska   
5 Jan 2011
UK, Ireland / THE BIGGEST POLISH COMMUNITY IN U.K? [40]

/wiki/Polish_migration_to_the_United_King dom#Population_distribution

Top link this is, Convex. Now there's a surprise, Ed & David Milliband have Polish roots, i'm totally gobsmacked. Chances are in 4yrs time we'll have a Polish PM!

city/Place in the U.k has the most Polish People

London - Ealing, Hammersmith, Acton, Balham & possibly Slough!

It's tough to know the exact numbers but hopefully after the Census2011 in March you'll get a somewhat legit figure!.
paulinska   
31 Dec 2010
News / POLISH CHILD ABUSING A CAT.. [74]

Well, this made prime time news here in the UK: bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11576354

If you don't like animals/pets, then why bother having them? simple as!
paulinska   
9 Dec 2010
News / Krystian Legierski - First openly gay Polish elected official [20]

Such a rosy place Europe is, isn't it? There's much more to life than all that! The key word is Hapiness. If you're happy with your life, then it don't matter where in world you're. That's why some people come to Europe to look for a better, happier life and likewise, others leave Europe for exactly the same reasons. I find your reasoning quite weak on this issue, i suggest we don't side track the OP's thread.
paulinska   
9 Dec 2010
News / Krystian Legierski - First openly gay Polish elected official [20]

To be honest though the only racist homophobic Pole i know is me

I can't possibly counteract that, fair play!

Personally i view blacks as a race as inferiors

Personally i view human race as equal...some people are better at doing certain things than others simple as. Your doctor won't regard you as inferior b'se he earns more than you.

sh*tpit black Africa is

Every continent is a sh*thole these days, depending on what your argument is.
paulinska   
9 Dec 2010
News / Krystian Legierski - First openly gay Polish elected official [20]

Is he Polish? Tick, Competent? Tick. Sexuality and Race shouldn't come into play at all!
That said, i wonder how Jarnowa feels about this one - afterall he's gay and therefore won't affect his chances of marrying a Polish woman. Good luck Krystian!
paulinska   
7 Dec 2010
News / John Godson, born in Nigeria, might become Poland Sejm's first black deputy! [313]

Zbigniew Brzeziński, - political scientist, advisor to US President Jimmy Carter.
Marian P. Opala, - Justice of the Oklahoma Supreme Court (RIP)

These are 2 very prominent, competent American Polish politicians who were born in Poland but went on to have successful political careers in the US. There are naturalised citizens all over the world that have had successful careers in different disciplines with great service to their new home (Teachers, footballers, entrepreneurs... etc).

Mr Godson is a Polish citizen (he lives & pays his taxes in PL), he therefore has every right to join the sejm. The guy has acquired this status on merit rather than PC BS, just like any other naturalised citizens.

Have faith people, give the guy a chance and then after that you can say all you want.

Just wait until you have an influx of lowlife blacks and all the issues they bring and then get back to us.

Yeah right, like Mr Godson runs Polish embassies outside the EU!. A simple fact about EU visa applications, You either qualify to get it or you don't.

Good Luck, Mr Godson!
paulinska   
30 Nov 2010
UK, Ireland / Polish people in Wales - some questions about living in the UK [19]

so not too big like for a city...

No, not at all.

I agree but it's all about employment opportunities, isn't it? Cardiff being a Capital city has a higher resource pulling power, and with that comes competition for jobs. It could be that the Poles find it much easier to get work in lesser populated towns.

To be honest, i thought 1000 was a significant number!
paulinska   
18 Nov 2010
Love / Polish relationships (race and religion) [140]

by chosing

And this is the definition of choosing....as described by the online dictionary.
1. To select from a number of possible alternatives; decide on and pick out.
2. To prefer above others: chooses the supermarket over the neighborhood grocery store.
3. To determine or decide: chose to fly rather than drive.

Moral of the post - It's in everyone's right to choose how they live their lives. Just as you chose to be a moron, we don't question that, it's your choice!
paulinska   
10 Nov 2010
Travel / A week in Krakow (February) - info about weather, hotels, and traffic [28]

Krakow rocks!

Best statement on this thread. I couldn't agree more. Funnily enough, i've seen women wear normal boots during winter.....it's the salt residue on the boots you should be worried about.

Apparently it causes extensive tear & wear! i always wear my Timbs, now thats a boot when in need.
paulinska   
9 Nov 2010
Travel / Very dangerous defrauding trend started in some hotels in Krakow [49]

Not just clones a credit card and buys stuff until you notice, cancel the card, get your money back and they move onto someone else

Thats pretty much it really, save for the distress and inconvenience that comes with it. Most of these debts are written off by the banks if the victims can prove beyond reasonable doubt that they weren't at fault. Still, it's a horrible experience to go through.