PolishForums LIVE  /  Archives [3]    
   
Posts by Foreigner4  

Joined: 18 Nov 2007 / Male ♂ 		Last Post: 5 Sep 2013
Threads: Total: 12 / In This Archive: 8
Posts: Total: 1768 / In This Archive: 944 		From: tychy
Speaks Polish?: yes and no
Interests: sports, politics, the economy, history, writing, yadayadayada

Displayed posts: 952 / page 22 of 32
sort: Latest first   Oldest first   |
Foreigner4   
2 Oct 2011
Work / The demand for English language learning in Poland is at an all time low [41]

These can be valid within the context of the class, just as explaining grammar can be.

The operative word is "can."

Is this all there is? Grammar lecturers or clowns? Really?

That is mostly what I've come across- teachers who try to get by on just making friends with every student or those who basically just drill grammar or do questions in "the book." I'm not saying that's all there is, I'm saying that's mostly what I've seen.

I have always had this view of teaching here and even with the pressure to give all my time to one particular school this year, I have stood firm and said no.

That is the smart move.
Foreigner4   
2 Oct 2011
Work / The demand for English language learning in Poland is at an all time low [41]

I've been following this discussion for a bit so I guess I'll chime in regarding the whole notion of grammar and native speakers:

Having listened in on many an English lesson run by a Polish teacher I can say that all except 3 were conducted in Polish with a few English lexical items thrown in but largely they were conducted overwhelmingly in Polish. Most of what I heard/saw was grammar explanation.

I find it slightly irritating that so many Polish learners of English want grammar explained. This is because it's a question of a lot of time invested vs. low learning gains. It's easy and it is interesting for ME but it simply does not aid in the acquisition of spoken grammar for the student. They most always understand the explanation but haven't learned a thing. There is a whole process to revealing grammar that goes waaaaaay beyond explaining grammar that many teachers just don't understand how to do nor its existence. Most of the Polish teachers that I've seen just focus on explaining grammar in L1 and then pretend that they've taught grammar and students think they've learned grammar when really it was all due to a well laid out course book.

Conversely, there's the "look at me I'm a fcuking clown" entertainer type teachers, sometimes Polish but largely Native Speakers- don't get me started on those people- they're whole shtick is to be nice, correct as little as possible and play silly games without rhyme or reason so long as the students remain entertained.

I used to work at language schools and in 10 years there have been 4 Polish teachers of whom I can say the students looked forward to their lessons and one of those is purely an entertainer whose students don't realize how badly a job she is doing. Sadly, in that time I have met only 2 Native Speakers in Poland who imo are worth the money they charge. I've met a few in other countries (the majority in UK) as well but that's been my experience.

There is A LOT of dead weight in ESL teaching in Poland from both Polish teachers and Native speakers.
Foreigner4   
30 Sep 2011
Love / Your feedback on office sex (situation from Poland) [37]

He was informed this morning at 11 am (CET) we are not prepared to reimburse costs for relocation or rent in his package, as we consider him a self employed consultant.

I guess that's as diplomatic a reprimand as you can give. It is a smart move to distance yourself from such behaviour.

PWEI, what's your suggestion to the OP on how to handle this?

Tell his wife? Maybe, that is a good idea, if he betrays his wife and child, who else will he betray?
Foreigner4   
30 Sep 2011
Life / Do Polish parents let/encourage their kids to **** outdoors? [40]

It is the mentality that needs to change. why is this ok?

It's the same mentality that sees nothing wrong with littering in the streets or in nature but insists on keeping one's private back yard pristine. Poles, as a collective group, really get a big failing mark on this. People here don't seem to see the forest for the trees on this and realize that it's the little things, accumulated, which make the big differences in how a places looks.

When I cross from the south into czech rep. these accumulated little differences become more apparent.

At least somebody is taking the 'law' into their own hands youtube.com/watch?v=bJQHyxCjB2k

That is awesome!
Foreigner4   
30 Sep 2011
Love / Your feedback on office sex (situation from Poland) [37]

Read the rest of the post and stand closer to the screen this time, maybe then it'll sink in. Do me a favour and ignore any of my posts, I find your comments and attempts at debate as inspiring as haggling over getting my money back for goods delivered damaged. To make that clear to you, all your rebuttals towards me in any and all threads have been as useful as a broken toilette in a sh*tting contest.
Foreigner4   
30 Sep 2011
Life / Do Polish parents let/encourage their kids to **** outdoors? [40]

their little ones to p*ss any where when they are out doors? Do other European parents do the whole routine where they whip down their child's trousers and such then prop their little legs up and let them fire off what ever they have to?

I find it rather, ummm, filthy, provincial, classless, etc. But maybe I'm a minority on this, maybe it's just where I live that this goes on. I've even seen parents that take their kids a few paces off the pavement for a crap on the grass- "oh s/he's just a child" they said while looking at me in disbelief that anyone would object.

Anyhow before I get carried away:
Is this common where you live in Poland?
Is this common where you live in Europe?
Is this common where you live in the world?
How do you feel about that kind of behaviour (experiential or hypothetical)?
Foreigner4   
30 Sep 2011
Love / Your feedback on office sex (situation from Poland) [37]

I'm with the OP on this one- it's important to hold you and your people to a higher standard than simply doing your collective job. How these people have behaved gives great insight into how honest and honorable they are or are not in other facets of life. It's a certainty with some of them that given the opportunity they'd behave with as much or little ethics in business.
Foreigner4   
27 Sep 2011
USA, Canada / Polish man's visit a nightmare - Welcome To Canada [65]

F u c k Canada!

Yeah, Canada did this! Who exactly is Canada, is it a he or a she?

Polish immigration should do the same to innocent Canadian tourist

That would definitely teach those border guards in Canada a lesson, eh?

5 Canadians in Poland need to be picked up at random,locked up for ten days without being allowed contact with anybody and then deported to Canada.

This would also teach those at the Canadian border who's boss, right?

It has to be repeated until canadian scum learn the lesson.

Yeah, it's all our collective fault as we clearly ALL participated in this. I mean I was asked what to do and I was one of the 35 million that gave these guys the green light to treat this innocent man like complete dog sh*t

*sarcasm off*
God damn it there are some dumb mother f*ckers in this world.
Foreigner4   
27 Sep 2011
USA, Canada / Polish man's visit a nightmare - Welcome To Canada [65]

The only reason I can think of is the fact that there are many illegal Polish immigrants in Canada and they immigration is a bit oversensitive- part of their job- it seems?

that and it's ok to do that to white men in Canada, if it had been any other combination then it would likely not have happened.
Foreigner4   
27 Sep 2011
USA, Canada / Polish man's visit a nightmare - Welcome To Canada [65]

Many of The RCMP and whatever police they have in western Canada are just scum. Not much better in the rest of Canada either.

many are complete scum but you wouldn't know what the "rest" are like in Canada so don't pretend to know.

The fact is that even today many "Canadians" look down on many Slavic people.

You are officially full of sh*t on this one.

Its been a long time since and they arent in jail yet. Like I have said the only thing they got so far was a deskjob. Thats hardly a punchment... more like a joke

Overlooking your spelling, you are correct on this imo.

analyzing crime is a bit more complicated then you are trying to portray:).

unfortunately, he is correct when it comes to street crime in Canada but how that has become a topic is due more to his personal agenda imo.
Foreigner4   
27 Sep 2011
Work / Looking for accommodation & teaching job in KATOWICE [78]

People, let's just take a moment here to consider what's going on: 19 and here with his own vehicle with hopes to "find some polish students on a 1-1 basis."

There's a good chance he's got Polish roots i.e. his name is Jack and at 19 why the heck would he be here if it weren't for that? He's got someone funding him on his year off before Uni. He's just looking to meet and shag as many young women as he can with this particular venture.

The last one I'm sure of and it'll really only be those people that might "warm up to him." He'll have his fun and hopefully not make a mess of anyone's life or waste too many people's money.
Foreigner4   
23 Sep 2011
Travel / Poland in photo riddles [3134]

Which place in Poland hosts such hotels?

Ustron, I think.
Foreigner4   
22 Sep 2011
Law / Is having private students in Poland legal? Or a registration as self-employed is required [30]

You've made you point that you choose not to pay your income tax,

that is incorrect. that is not the point i've laboured to make. If that is the message received then I should have been more clear.

Would you evade those other taxes if you could?

We'd really be talking about a completely different economic model than what exists in our society. To try and weigh what the consequences might be without any proposed solutions to the funding required is a speculative endeavor that is beyond what I have time or energy to do at the moment.

I do see where you're going with your point but ultimately it leads into a wilderness of speculation neither of us are likely capable of navigating.

Sure, politicians are useless and sometimes corrupt, but two wrongs don't make a right.

It isn't a matter if they are sometimes corrupt, one either is or isn't corrupt. It is a matter of the financial repercussions of their corruption which must be quantified imo.
Foreigner4   
22 Sep 2011
Law / Is having private students in Poland legal? Or a registration as self-employed is required [30]

We pay taxes on all the products we buy.
In the situation we were arguing, at least in Canada, income tax did not exist prior to the war, it was introduced as a temporary measure. The country was functioning before that and I suspect so were a few others. Like I said, I'm open to debate on the matter but we do in fact pay plenty of taxes outside of income based taxes already. What he most convinced of though is the revenue not earned by way of giving tax breaks to the mega wealthy entities or lost through government waste and/or corruption is an ocean compared to a drop in the ocean that is non-declared personal earnings, which incidentally surrounds the island you mentioned (desert or deserted?).
Foreigner4   
22 Sep 2011
News / Multi-culti (in Poland) -- roadmap to disaster? [344]

We have soo many more blacks, indians, muslims, chinese etc. here than the UK.

That is false.

I guess this is a better place for it:

The Downside of diversity
(by a liberal Harvard professor)

boston.com/news/globe/ideas/articles/2007/08/05/the_downside_of_diversity
Foreigner4   
22 Sep 2011
Law / Is having private students in Poland legal? Or a registration as self-employed is required [30]

Bear in mind that the tax law in Poland allows them to make assumptions as to your income

Let me guess, they make conservative assumptions, right?

If Poland does not want to follow the path of Greece( right into the wall!) where cheating on taxes are a national sport and pride then Black economy should be erased and everyone should declare his/her income and pay taxes like in Northern Europe (Finland ,Norway, etc) because one day or another, citizens from countries which cheated for ages are on the edge of bankrupcy.Don't you think?

No, this is the kind of thinking I used to subscribe to.
I am open to change on this but when I went into a debate with a close friend of mine on this, he absolutely floored me. We were discussing First Nations (in Canada) Peoples being tax exempt and how I believed it to be a major strain on the economy. He completely burned that notion to the ground and any other notion that personal income tax losses are the major strain on an economy- until someone proves otherwise, then I do contend it's a naive fallacy.

Big tax breaks in big business, big kickbacks in the political-business world and wasteful government expenditures are much more of burden on the economy. The amount of taxes being paid on everything you buy and consume is already extremely high- you, I and everyone else who is a consumer is already doing their fair share by virtue of consumption. When the elected leaders hold themselves to the standard of doing the right thing then so should the people. And, unless the people go about ensuring their "leaders" do that then all bets are off.
Foreigner4   
14 Sep 2011
Work / Advice on Teaching English in Poland [709]

^excellent post and excellent points.
Those who do understand and can do what a teacher is supposed to be able to do suffer as the native speaker you described lowers the quality and lowers the wages.

In my opinion this makes the market less attractive for the capable and qualified.
Now my question for you molat is who do you think employs those "teachers?" Is it other Aussies or Poles?