Off-Topic / I am a Pariah: My Horror Story [44]


Why? There's no rule against the length of posts - and let's be honest, it's far more interesting reading about the life of Polonia in the US than the rants of some very boring pretend-Jewish girl.


Ah, PF. The only internet forum where post lengths are restricted, but in your face racism is openly tolerated.

Work / Teaching English in Poland without TESL certificate? [17]


Which is odd, to say the least - surely if someone is able to explain a tricky concept in the mother tongue of the students, it makes life easier for everyone?

Work / Finding work in Warsaw / Poland as an English private tutor [63]


Do you want split shifts, neurotic bosses and bored clients?

History / Forced Polonisation campaign? [16]


As far as I know, there were some problems with them becoming absent landlords - they were supposed to settle the land, but instead chose to rule it from afar, no doubt because the infrastructure in the Kresy was absolutely diabolically poor, as well as the people not having any real concept of ethnicity or nationality.

I don't think it was *very* widespread, but the intent was there.


As far as I have found in reliable sources, apart from incidents in 1919/1920 such as the Lwów pogrom, it only became widespread after Pilsudski's death - and with it, the vision of all those minorities forming an alliance against the outside world. But it was nothing particularly surprising - nationalism was sweeping the continent at the time, and it's no surprise that Poland got caught up in it too.

I still think the failure to get the Ukrainian minority on the II RP's side was one of the causes of it falling so easily. Imagine if the barbaric UPA had been on the Polish side?

History / 75th anniversary of Stalin's 1937-38 anti-Poland genocide [32]


Just like it's rarely mentioned how the first President of the 3rd Republic was a good Catholic schoolboy.

News / Poland's Economy Is Booming! The EU's Success Story? [711]


No harm in it - I think Poland is actually a society in which one can move up (and down...) quickly should they so wish.

I know of one guy in Poznan who started with literally nothing - his parents are alcoholics, they wanted him to leave school to work to pay for their alcohol - you know the story. He scraped a pass in his Matura, studied part time and worked as much as he could Monday-Friday afternoon. He had - just - enough money to survive and no more, by his own admission, he was frequently buying the leftovers from the markets at the end of the day that would be thrown away.

Same guy 14 years later is now driving around a brand new Mercedes, has a big house, a lovely wife and two lovely children. He's easily in the top 5% in the country, too.

If it was such a dreadful country, he never would have managed this.

Life / What's the deal with Polish Piracy? [27]


Scam? Why is it a scam? Why doesn't Poland produce stuff for her citizens at an affordable price?

By your logic, poor people in the West should pay less for their consumption than rich people.

News / Poland's Economy Is Booming! The EU's Success Story? [711]


They are? If they're so poor, why are the shopping centre car parks full of huge cars (bigger and newer than you'll find in Sweden for example)?


It really isn't. Trying to claim that it's a very poor country when it has a very high Human Development Index score is just - please. Poor countries don't have (almost) universal health care and universal free education.

I think you want it to be poor so you can lord it over them, to be honest.

USA, Canada / American marrying Pole, then moving to the UK. Has anyone done this before? [13]

As far as I know, the UK doesn't recognise the "upgrading" of immigration status in that way. You have to enter the UK on the EEA family permit.

USA, Canada / American marrying Pole, then moving to the UK. Has anyone done this before? [13]


It's an exceptionally bad idea. You'll almost certainly be either refused entry - or failing that, you won't be able to obtain the relevant visa from within the UK.


A long time. I don't think you'll even get the visa in the circumstances you describe - it's an EEA family permit, but they very carefully scrutinise applications for this (in violation of EU law, but don't complain - you won't get anywhere).

Work / Teaching English in Wrocław - TEFL, fair pay? [40]


Except we all know that Scottish girls are fat, orange and quite vulgar.

Work / Teaching English in Wrocław - TEFL, fair pay? [40]

Ah yes, the usual. He's discovered great girls and thinks that it might be an easy way to get laid.

Jono, a word of advice. The ship has sailed as far as British guys go - it's all about the latinos now in Poland.

Law / Investment advice - my options in Poland? [50]


That's...well...rubbish.

Could be a sign that they aren't really interested in PLN deposits...

Work / How hard is to find head chef jobs in Poland? [37]


WB - an interesting idea for a thread, what about creating a thread where you could tell us how to create things from these ingredients instead of buying expensive imports?

Work / Teaching English in Wrocław - TEFL, fair pay? [40]


Worthless. Anyone that will hire you with this will also hire someone without it.


Then - consider smaller towns. They are normally in desperate need of native speakers, and will normally pay around 1500-2000zl a month plus accommodation. A list of places to try -

- Gorzow Wlkp.
- Walbrzych
- Zielona Gora
- Radom
- Włocławek
- Grudziądz

for instance. Now is the perfect time to contact them looking for work - e-mail a CV and cover letter, then follow it up with a phone call a few days later.

News / Amber Gold and other Poland's suspicious institutions [139]


As an interesting aside, the WIBOR seems to be creeping up recently. Wonder if this will prompt a interest rate cut, like they've been speculating about for a while?


That's my logic behind having a PLN mortgage - I earn in it, so I know exactly how much I need to earn in it to repay the mortgage. Being at the mercy of the easily-manipulated FX market when earning in a minor currency just seems senseless.

Law / Investment advice - my options in Poland? [50]


I must admit, I'm rather confused as to what relevance the "Polish and Slavic Credit Union" has to someone seeking to invest PLN in Poland. I wonder if this credit union would even accept PLN deposits, let alone offer sensible investments at a sensible return for someone living here?


Why would someone invest PLN in Luxembourg when there are perfectly adequate banks in Poland which will have a far better knowledge of the PLN than some random guys in Luxembourg?

Law / Investment advice - my options in Poland? [50]

Are these products offered on the Polish market in the Polish currency to Polish consumers?


Operating where?

Schengen has nothing to do with financial services.

Law / Investment advice - my options in Poland? [50]

And what makes you think that this is in any way relevant to Poland?

For our Polish members, what is an IRA account and how can they be used in a Polish context?

News / Amber Gold and other Poland's suspicious institutions [139]


I could never understand that as well. My mortgage is in PLN - it just doesn't make sense to borrow in a different currency when you have no real idea of how it could go, especially with a very young currency like the PLN.

News / Amber Gold and other Poland's suspicious institutions [139]

I never thought of that, actually - I imagined idiots in their 30's falling for it!

Pawian, being a man of history - do you know if there was ever a high profile case like this in the past, where a "bank" had acted like this?

News / Amber Gold and other Poland's suspicious institutions [139]


Indeed. My feeling is that this could be one scandal that really does hurt the current Government - especially if people end up losing money as a result.

There's a huge, huge advertisement in Poznan for Amber Gold. Anyone with half a brain would see the 13% returns advertised and run a mile - especially when you can take a loan for as little as 11%.


Doesn't surprise me in the slightest, and that boss of Amber Gold looks to be exactly the same.

Real Estate / Poland's apartment prices continue to fall [1844]


They could start by checking to make sure that no-one is living there permanently.

I also notice that many of the people protesting fail to mention that they only acquired the allotments as a result of being loyal Party members.

Love / Where to meet a foreign guy in Poland outside a club/disco [12]

To be fair Harry, that certain Indian restaurant owner is one that many people have had issues with!

Broomstick - both of those sites - CS and LEC both have real world events. I can vouch for the LEC events as being run by good people!

Love / Where to meet a foreign guy in Poland outside a club/disco [12]


Hahahaha.

And obviously foreign guys on there living in Krakow would never use it as a way to meet Polish girls...

Heck, one of the top guys in Poland is infamous for using it for casual sex encounters.

Love / Where to meet a foreign guy in Poland outside a club/disco [12]

My advice - try registering on [couchsurfing.org] plenty and plenty of foreigners on there in Krakow) and also - [facebook.com/groups/138265834118/] - Language Exchange Club Krakow.

Travel / What Polish Region is LEAST VISTED By Foreign Visitors? [6]


I reckon the same, although there's the issue of the Kielce trade fairs...

Opolskie, perhaps? It doesn't have the same lure as Dolnoslaskie for Germans, there's nothing for Czechs to visit...

News / Amber Gold and other Poland's suspicious institutions [139]

Pawian - can you explain something to me?

Why didn't the relevant authorities stop them much earlier?

Real Estate / Cousin stole my dads home in Poland... [49]


How could you not know, given that Polish law was rather straightforward on inheritance until recently? As I said - I suspect your father couldn't have cared less until he realised how much his share was actually worth.


Sure. I bet you'd fight just as hard for a 2 roomed flat in Walbrzych. The fact that it's in a premium location with a premium value has *nothing* to do with it, really.


Oh boy. Your lack of knowledge about Poland is absolutely hysterical.

Of course they're positive, they're trying to win your business. They're hardly going to say "oh, well, you see, probably you won't win" are they?

Don't come crying on here about Poland when your case gets bogged down for years in trials, appeals, trials and so on.

UK, Ireland / First proper "Polish" School in the UK - The Next Stage of Ghettoisation [283]

Which includes meeting the test for residency (which any recent migrant would fail) and crucially, managing to complete the JSA requirements.

You should know this, having been on the dole for years.