Food / Are eggs in Poland refrigerated/not refrigerated? [33]


Didn't we live together in a big detached house in Essex?

:o)

PS Ale jaja.

Work / Information about jobs for Indian students in Poland [286]

@Maybe, that sounds like a good way to do things (pretty ideal really!) and I hope all continues to be happy and well for you.

Speaking to people here over the last year who are local Poles or from the region and speak Polish and some English too, they mostly seemed to recount how tough it is to make a living here and pay rent.

Yet I see lots of new cars on the roads and the developers must expect people to buy their 7500m2PLN Biskupin flats and the other 5-6KPLN m2 new flats around the city, so some people here seem either minted or have a generous line of credit from somewhere (a bank or relative, I presume). For the rest of us, the streets ain't paved with gold, and even those who teach English here report slim pickings and static or falling hourly rates this year and last when we chat.

Food / Are eggs in Poland refrigerated/not refrigerated? [33]


I used to live with a chap who cooked rice in a rice cooker, and left it out for the next day's use and day after that. I used to tell him it was unsafe but he laughed at me. He seemed to never get ill and ate a lot of the stuff.

Food / Are eggs in Poland refrigerated/not refrigerated? [33]

In Poland, it seems most eggs are on sale on ambient shelves in a cool part of the store, such as near refrigeration units or deli counters etc. Some very expensive organic eggs are sometimes in the chiller, however, but not always and not at every store.

In the UK, eggs are sold in the same way, ie an ambient aisle nearest to the cheese or other chilled stuff.

Work / Information about jobs for Indian students in Poland [286]


So you mean just to check what they're offering and not worry about 'friending' them, which is of course different to what you said before, as Monitor also noticed...


Because I honestly don't understand what benefit a person gets from friending on job sites or Linked In unless offering some sort of service as a freelance to the person you friend.

In summary, then, it would seem your advice is to find a company that you want to work for and then check the skills and education of some member of staff already working there in a role you'd like so that you can see if your skills match. This assumes that the person you're checking isn't on the job site because they want to leave the company because it's a load of balls to work there...

Probably what you suggest, Raken, works for some people, somehow, or everyone wouldn't be at it sending Linked In invites and similar job site invites all the time.

Speaking personally as a Briton in Poland -- I found f*** all in the way of work available, and would strongly advise anyone coming over to thoroughly research what skills are in demand before investing time and money. There's a reason Poles piddle off to Eire, Germany and the UK, and it's because jobs aren't remotely easy to find in Poland and the academic bar is much higher to get into companies in Polska than it is, for example, in many Brit firms that I can think of except maybe a few in the City of London. That's because Polish corps have a much bigger choice of candidates with generally a better education than many of us foreigners. And, they generally make do with their own English speakers and don't particularly want natives. The openings are very, very scarce even in cities, sans a fashionable specialism in IT or other very specialist stuff etc.

Before I came to Poland, I had no illusions. And that's just as well.

(But, probably if I was 30 or 25 with a decent IT specialism and reasonable English, I'd be OK if I persevered at recruitment firms.)

Food / Where to buy British mature Cheddar Cheese and salted butter in Poland? [289]


It or something like it (mature-ish) currently on the block at Auchan here, 43zl a kg. They don't always have it, so snap it up now if you want some. They also have mild Irish, 41 a kg.

Food / Where to buy British mature Cheddar Cheese and salted butter in Poland? [289]


There's a chilled eco/organic variety in the cabinet at my local Auchan next to the soya slices etc, in the aisle with the cereals, 2 bags left, not cheap.


I think they have Irish Land and Kerrygold mature, about 13zl a pack. They also have Polish cheddar, if it's anything like Tesco's I won't buy it!

Work / Information about jobs for Indian students in Poland [286]

Can someone please explain to me what positives career-wise come of that? Surely, if you and that person are both in the job market for a particular role, you're competing against each other, so why would you chum up exactly? I don't get it.

Head-hunters may use Linked In or similar to search out candidates whose skills are in demand or who might work for less, but I don't "get" why contact with a fellow job seeker with similar credentials would be a positive unless they were leaving a post that you were interested in, but surely most posts get thrown open to the masses to apply for anyway and HR would be bound to choose someone else unless chummy with the departing staff member?

I had a chat with a girl from a recruitment agency in the summer, I met her off-duty as it were. She told me there's very little open to English native speakers unless they teach (right now, demand for that is diminishing according to many tutors I hear from) or have a skill that's in demand. A very high standard of Polish and yet another language are also advisable. If you don't believe her or me, check the job sites and you'll see a good few ask for Polish, English & German or French etc.

Food / Where to buy British mature Cheddar Cheese and salted butter in Poland? [289]

Genuine Cathedral City is at Polish Tescos from time to time, yes. It's currently 12.90zl for extra mature, 11.90 for mature, and probably 10 or 10.90 for mild. You'll find it at the deli counter at Bielany Wroc. Mag Park doesn't often have it, and I've never seen it even once at the other 2 branches I know of.

Tesco Poland's own mild cheddar is cheap and not too cheerful at all. It does, however, make a good door stop.

I don't think M&S has any cheddar cheese at its Wroc food hall. It has a few ready meals and much its range of popular teas and biscuits, though. Uwaga! You might need a stiff drink after seeing the prices on some lines.

Food / Where to buy British mature Cheddar Cheese and salted butter in Poland? [289]

Their recent Scottish coloured mature is reasonably crumbly and rather strong IMO.

Here's some info on Valley Spire cheese if you have it your local Lidl in PL or the UK:

fwi.co.uk/articles/13/08/2013/140467/misleading-cheese-displays-39disappointing39-says.htm

and here's some fairly pro info on British cheese with some comments about taste and value:

which.co.uk/documents/pdf/british20cheese20r3-212366.pdf

Food / Where to buy British mature Cheddar Cheese and salted butter in Poland? [289]


Yeah, never seen it before here or anywhere.
Thanks for the pic.

Food / Where to buy British mature Cheddar Cheese and salted butter in Poland? [289]

I took you at your word earlier and legged it over to Lidl. There was some "ser cheddar 6.66zł" earlier today it seems, but the shelf is bare now. While there, I saw at least 2 other people prod the shelf and empty box there in the pathetic hope a pack had fallen behind the empty box (the empty box was for another product). I don't know which cheese it was, but it was not the one I want anyway (the Hatherwoods) so I'm not too sore about it. Lidl should take note that a fair few customers were disappointed at the exhausted stock and they should consider buying more up, especially the Hatherwoods ;o)

Food / Where to buy British mature Cheddar Cheese and salted butter in Poland? [289]


A nice wine & cheese party? :o)

Btw apparently you can freeze it although maybe it loses some flavour and texture, or gets crumbly or somethin'.

Food / Where to buy British mature Cheddar Cheese and salted butter in Poland? [289]


You mean at Lidl? But you're nearer to Warsaw than Wrocław aren't you, I think. That cheese you describe is I reckon what I'm after if it is in a black wrapper and says Hatherwoods (or something like that) mature cheddar.

Food / Where to buy British mature Cheddar Cheese and salted butter in Poland? [289]


I think it's too steep (expensive) to have regularly. Of course, with the salt content of cheese, that might be just as well...


Because it isn't that price here for those of us in Wrocław, is how it works out. It's 12.99 for 200g here at every shop you can name that stocks it.

But I think Carrefour or Auchan have it on promo for that price occasionally on a block. I'm hoping Lidl will do the 400g Hatherwood (Adams) Mature for 11zl again next year, but I'd not bet on it.

Food / Where to buy British mature Cheddar Cheese and salted butter in Poland? [289]


There might not have been any since last week's promotion.


That would be double the price though, at around 12PLN for 200g instead of about 6PLN. For people like me, that's quite a lot more to pay on a regular basis and hurts the old pocket.

Language / Frustrated Polish Learner -- people in Poland try to speak to me in English [31]

When I try to speak Polish it makes anyone within earshot get hysterics [uncontrollable laughter] ! I really don't mind at all, in fact it's got me talking to some really nice people, who perhaps felt a little guilty when I jokingly exclaimed I could see them laughing at me out of the corner of my eye. Best result's when it gets me talking to some eye candy, but we'll keep that quiet as they're usually married ;o)

Food / Where to buy British mature Cheddar Cheese and salted butter in Poland? [289]

Yeah, no sign of it here in Wroc, and no response from their customer service to say when it will be on sale here again.

LIDL Cheese Bulletin
================
Currently no, repeat no cheddar in Lidl here and no sign of it having been on sale since last week's promo. Therefore, if they're going to sell them again for a 2nd consecutive week, they will be on sale tomorrow. I have never known them to sell them for a consecutive week, however. I won't have time to go to Lidl tomorrow, but if any cheddarphiles find fresh stock in their local Lidl tomorrow, please post.

Additionally, the local Carrefour has sold out of mature cheddar by weight. Auchan still has a little.

Language / Frustrated Polish Learner -- people in Poland try to speak to me in English [31]

@polishfighter

Strangely, you seem to have picked up some minor errors in your English which are common to Polish people who learn English!

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


Possibly, and I ain't going to be joining in with that I assure you. Agents don't like me in the UK or in Poland because I don't pay what (stupid prices) they ask. Hence they never contact me again and I have to keep renting :D


Maybe, if I wasn't so phobic about driving here. The roads scare me. I know, I know, I am a wimp. I am disgusted with myself on this, I really am.

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


None of 'em would be to my taste, they're square, 'orrible, on busy roads. They'd have to pay me to buy them. And the prices suggest my view is common.


He is and he ain't picking up more than that. He's managing a big team. I asked on a thread here a while ago about typical salaries for his job, because I couldn't believe how little he was getting at that huge firm.

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

No one I know of has that arrangement, or they've not told me if they have.

Of the people I know, one big cheese in IT is picking up 8K a month gross and the others are taking home 2.8K after deductions.

When I talk to people who are working in shops, they're getting peanuts.

I don't know of the flats you mention. There's a new square or open space and car park near GD, no nice flats in the area that I can think of. Dotted around the city centre are flats for sale (many have been for sale for years), they're mostly cheaper than the ones in the suburbs, but I've ruled them out as the city centre doesn't appeal one bit. Someone on here once offered me a city centre rental and even though it was probably a nice one I'd hate to be anywhere in that area -- noise, stinky air, hassle.

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

It might be there somewhere, perhaps it's some sort of calculated average. Anyway, we'll see what happens. I did an evening walk along many new/newish estates here locally (within 2 miles) and most don't even have one tenant yet. Although a smart block that was built last year has about 40pc occupancy maybe less, plus most of its downstairs shops are let. It looks a lot like the devs are happy to play a waiting game. In which case, if I stay in Polska I'll take my cash to a realistic secondary seller (also probably not easy to find). At the mo, not sure I'm staying as prospect of employment is about zero unless I want to teach English (I don't, it bores me and I'm not suitably qualified).

Miłego weekendu :o)

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

But the graph in my post is from that source via KPMG. I can't find a 2013 figure showing such a leap in wages. Please post a link.

Are we sure we can trust any optimistic figures anyway, with an election next year I think?

These are the stats I could find, from stat.gov.pl/gus/5840_14916_ENG_HTML.htm. Only the Warsaw region seems to be significantly over 4K a month. This neck of the woods is about 3850 (notwithstanding the pinch of salt we might need)

No

Voivodship

Average monthly wage and salary (in PLN)

1
dolnośląskie
3 850,52

2
kujawsko-pomorskie
3 385,30

3
lubelskie
3 504,31

4
lubuskie
3 341,57

5
łódzkie
3 558,00

6
małopolskie
3 642,28

7
mazowieckie
4 742,84

8
opolskie
3 514,71

9
podkarpackie
3 342,55

10
podlaskie
3 424,01

11
pomorskie
3 882,14

12
śląskie
4 002,29

13
świętokrzyskie
3 388,98

14
warmińsko-mazurskie
3 259,81

15
wielkopolskie
3 547,93

16
zachodniopomorskie
3 593,65

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

That would be quite a leap then as KPMG report it as 3522 for 2012 and it has never increased by that % before, especially in the face of rising unemployment. What is the source of your figure, please? Some revision since KPMG went to press? See below for an extract from their report.

• 
  KPMG Poland report on average salaries
  

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


Yes, 3500, and yet quite a few 'ordinary' people in some cities would regard even that salary as aspirational. Yet, they're driving quite new cars and might be buyers of these flats that are springing up everywhere. I can only assume they have rich family members gifting or loaning them cash, as otherwise the figures don't stack up -- unless of course lenders are not checking loan applications rigorously (as happened in the UK, we call them 'liar loans'). Other than that, the possible explanations are that couples think it normal to combine their incomes to buy property that costs about double or more than 10 years ago, or that cities really are full of people on very good salaries from jobs at these new global firms and so can afford 5000PLN per square metre for a flat in Wroc without batting an eyelid, plus of course the monthly admin charges which are something like 500 or 600PLN excluding electricity and gas. On the subject of gas, due to building regulations, not that many new apartments have gas, which means electricity has to be used for cooking (electricity being notably more expensive for that purpose at the moment).

Love / Polish guy - (are we ever going to get together if he doesn't understand me or I him?) [5]


I'd normally agree if it wasn't for the fact that in my UK home town I have met Poles who have been in Britain or Eire for 4 or 5 years and they know very little English, barely managing a few words.

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

I was in Ireland in 2007 and was under pressure to buy. I said "no way" and I'm glad I said that as I saw 50% off the prices by last year. Everyone else was buying then, or that's how it looked. But some of us were sitting on our hands.

Here in Poland, it's a bit different and I'm not sure what's going to happen. But looking at wages, I scratch my head, it all doesn't make sense to me. But I will think about buying if ever I "get it" and see it makes some sort of sense, such as depreciation is less than my rent.

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

Purely anecdotal I know, but there are lots of new estates here.

Only one seems to have any meaningful number of new residents (not cheap flats either, mid-range, but slightly unusual in design, more British looking is the way I'd describe it but not executive or anything that interesting at all, and miles out of town).

The others seem to be empty or nearly empty. Probably empty, though, not just nearly empty.

I expect them to get occupied but very slowly. One estate still has empty flats after 4 years. They recently cut prices by 30% to shift a few.

Food / Where to buy British mature Cheddar Cheese and salted butter in Poland? [289]

I'm sure it's at your local one but you're not in Wrocław as far as I remember.

They're defininitely not at about 6 different Biedronkas here. Whenever I go to a Biedronka I always look for it. We have a few big Biedronkas here as well as smaller ones. It wasn't at any of them. Wroc probably has about 3 million branches of Biedronka but the random ones I pop into, as well as the nearer branches, haven't got it as a line any more.