Work / Cost of living in Gdańsk, average salary for experienced software engineer in Poland [64]

That would kill me for sure! You'll need warm clothes and boots, but they are not too expensive here. When are you coming? Bring spices with you. It's not easy to find authentic goods here, e.g. hing.


Yes, that's tough, especially when you go to work in the dark and come home in the dark. You need to keep active and plan lots of things to do in order to keep yourself occupied, and that's not a problem in the Tri-city area. Good luck.

Work / Cost of living in Gdańsk, average salary for experienced software engineer in Poland [64]


True, but it was +32 yesterday here in the east, and one forecast says it will be +35 at the weekend. Horrible. Too hot to eat, too hot to go out, too hot to...do all kinds of things.

Real Estate / SUROWY DOM IN POLAND - UNFINISHED HOMES FOR SALE - COST TO COMPLETE THE BUILD? [16]

We have two chimneys: one for a fire to heat water and the radiators, and one for a fireplace in the living room. It's not actually necessary to use the latter, but we wanted it because it's beautiful. Anyway, a few days ago we had wood delivered for next winter. We bought 3m2 of pine and 1m2 of alder. Ideally, I'd buy birch but we bought what was available. The four metres cost 500 PLN. We use that wood in combination with coal, of which we burn 2.5 tonnes in a hard winter, say 1500PLN. That fuel also keeps us in hot water over the summer months.

Our house is quite small, and also very well insulated. We put 15cm polystyrene all round, and it really makes a difference.

Sorry, that should be m3.

Genealogy / WHERE IS JNEJANOW in Poland? [12]


Then it could be Janów Podlaski or Janów Lubelski, which is at the other end of the province.

Real Estate / SUROWY DOM IN POLAND - UNFINISHED HOMES FOR SALE - COST TO COMPLETE THE BUILD? [16]


No, but we built one, so I know that from the 'raw' state there's still an awful lot to do.
400 m is huge. I'd say you'd need at least 350k to finish it to a reasonable standard. (I don't envy you your fuel bills in a five month Polish heating season)


The builder will already have obtained permission, but you still need a building manager to inspect and sign off each step, e.g. utilities installations, stairs, fireplaces. He/she will usually charge you each time a step is completed.


I don't know the answer to that, but if I were you, I'd get a building manager to do a thorough inspection before you buy.

Our little house (just over 100m) cost about 250K, most of which was spend after the walls and roof were up.

Food / Where to go for the best steak in Warsaw? [77]


A hanging offence if ever there was one.
I agree with Blink. Why risk it in a restaurant when you can cook it just how you like it at home? Anyone can cook beef of this quality.

Food / SURVEY OF THE POLISH CONSUMERS' CONSUMPTION HABITS OF CAFÉS [28]

I've just heard from the online shop that they only sell it in 50g packs, so I'll have to wait until I see it in a cafe. I'm not paying 200PLn for something that might taste like sh1t.

Back to the survey please

Food / SURVEY OF THE POLISH CONSUMERS' CONSUMPTION HABITS OF CAFÉS [28]

They use, I think, Civit cats. The cats eat the beans, which are partially digested, and this gives them, ahem, a certain flavour. I've just e-mailed that coffee shop to ask if they'd sell me 25g. I'm intrigued but I'm not prepared to risk the 195PLN they're asking for 50g.

Food / SURVEY OF THE POLISH CONSUMERS' CONSUMPTION HABITS OF CAFÉS [28]

Or 15g of Kopi Luwak.
pozegnanie.com

Food / SURVEY OF THE POLISH CONSUMERS' CONSUMPTION HABITS OF CAFÉS [28]


There's absolutely no way people would pay that in any numbers. Pozegnanie z afryką, an excellent coffee shop in Białystok, sells cafetieres of all kinds of coffee at reasonable prices, and I don't think even Blue Mountain costs that much. OK, Białystok isn't Warsaw, but most Poles know the value of their money.

History / Poland PRL era shops in pictures [17]

One thing, in fact the only thing, I did like about Russian restaurants was the tradition of getting up to dance right by your table. You'd have a few bites of your herring a la mercure with dill (what else) and a few cold hard peas, shoot your fifty grammes of Stolychnaya, stand up, shuffle about a bit next to your table, then get back to the meal.

History / Poland PRL era shops in pictures [17]


Where? I haven't seen this is fifteen years, and I live in the east.

Food / SURVEY OF THE POLISH CONSUMERS' CONSUMPTION HABITS OF CAFÉS [28]

Yes, Turks would frown on putting coffee straight into a cup and adding water. They put the coffee into a cezve, add water and heat that over gas. I don't know about letting it rise several times, though. Once was enough in my three-year sojourn in Anatolia. I have a cezve but am too lazy to use it. Two spoons of Nescafe Gold and water from the kettle is as exotic as I get, but the wife always has it Polish Turkish style.

Work / Opinion and advice on Foodtruck business in Poland. Permits, renting organization. [8]


A fleet of kebabulances would be very profitable in Kraków on Friday and Saturday nights.

Love / Do Polish men think that Polish girls are materialistic and demanding ? [37]

Oh boy, you've been through the wars, James. Sounds like you were thoroughly used and abused by a selfish cow. I live in Poland and have many female friends, as well as a Polish wife. My experience has been the opposite of yours. Please don't write off all Polish women. Some of them are lovely.

History / Poland PRL era shops in pictures [17]

In mid-90s Russia there were more goods, at a price, but the shops had changed little. You'd go to a meat shop, called "Meat", or a fish shop, called "Fish", and join a scrum of sharp-elbowed b***hes around the counter, behind which customer-hating operatives with downturned lips would slowly serve the alpha-shoppers who succeeded in getting their attention. After being served, the operative would give you a slip of paper with the price on, and you'd join a queue (an orderly queue) for the Kasa. You'd pay, and God help you if you didn't have the odd coins, and then go back to the scrum to try and attract the attention of the assistant. Eventually, your receipt would be taken and you'd get your goods. After all that you'd be a furious gibbering wreck.

News / Poland's President-Elect Duda leads in public trust - CBOS poll [185]


Where would the alternative come from, in your view?


I'm not sure if I'm representative of most Europeans, but the two parties in the USA seem so close under the skin that there's little real difference between them, once the superficial, soundbite stuff is disregarded. Both are in deep hock to vested interests, i.e. money.

btw, Polonius, thanks for putting the coca-cola song in my head as an earworm this morning. I'll probably have it all day now.

Study / Formalities For Studying In Poland - Sponsoring [22]


It's very difficult to prove an intention. If he has made concrete plans, and better still if he has documentary evidence of acceptance at a university outside Poland, this would seem credible. It depends, I suppose, on where he is arriving from.

Study / Formalities For Studying In Poland - Sponsoring [22]

I'd set up an account before he arrives. That way he can show his balance statement to anyone sniffy at the airport.

How about this one? I can't vouch for it, though.
internationalstudentinsurance.com

Study / Formalities For Studying In Poland - Sponsoring [22]


As he'll need a bank account while he's here, you could open one, deposit the money and use that as proof, which, as far as I know is required.


From a reputable insurer in your home country. Alternately, make sure there is 9000 for med cover on top of the other 3200.

Life / Indian Stores In Warsaw [139]

I've still got a couple of sauces I bought in Biedronka some months ago. They are called Sos Aspiro, and come in transparent plastic pouches. Tikka Masala and Korma, both of which are very good. I haven't seen them for a while in the shop, though.

Study / Formalities For Studying In Poland - Sponsoring [22]


Even if that figure is for each month, it's nothing. I spend that on diesel.

Law / Purchasing used car contract in Poland [5]

You can, but I base my recommendation on past experience. Years ago I bought a car and left it to the previous owner to cancel his policy. I simply had my insurer cancel my policy for my previous car and make a new one (the other person's insurer might not recognise your no-claims bonus percentage, e.g.). Anyway, about two-and-a-half years later the old car's insurer phoned demanding money, saying that I hadn't cancelled the policy, so I had been insured by them all that time. The lady was politely told to go away, which she did after she was invited to sue me, but who needs all that crap?

Love / Do Polish men think that Polish girls are materialistic and demanding ? [37]

It depends on which circles you inhabit. For those who spend their lives watching TV and reading trash funded by corporations, life is about the acqusition of ever more stuff, whether they need it or not. On the other hand, there are lots of women who value other things more highly. Much as I admire what the USA has achieved, greed is a virtue there, and this attitude has to some extent been exported to Europe.

Life / Life in Poland - feeling lonely and don't want to socialize much! (anyone feeling same?) [93]

Totti, when were you last in Białystok? It must have been a very long time ago.
Kamaz, thanks. I'll check out the situation in my local Biedronka.
Jardinero. No.

Law / Purchasing used car contract in Poland [5]

No, you don't need a notary to witness the transaction, but you do need to pay 2% tax. Also, make absolutely sure that the previous owner's insurance is cancelled after two weeks (you can drive on his/her policy for that period). Register the car in your name asap. Bring along the contract and your ID.

News / Poland's President-Elect Duda leads in public trust - CBOS poll [185]


Artem (Russian name, right?), you might think spending on roads is stupid, but the vast majority of Polish people are absolutely delighted to have better roads, largely thanks to EU money.

Life / Important: A Good Medical Center with English speaking doctors in Krakow [50]


Why not? They'd take urine, wouldn't they? Go to a private lab and tell them what you want.

News / Secularism = a dying society. How this phenomenon affects birth rate in Poland? [20]


Oh, yes. I wonder how ;-)

Life / Life in Poland - feeling lonely and don't want to socialize much! (anyone feeling same?) [93]


Just about the best zoo I've ever been to, although quite a work out if you cover the whole place (120 ha). I'd forgotten just how hilariously disgusting chimpanzees are in their habits, and how like us they are.