History / Should Poland be given ANY credit for ALLOWING Jews into Poland for 1000 years? [195]

Number one is true. Number two is sadly not.

Real Estate / Is Srodmiescie a good neighbourhood to live in? Lodz. [9]

It's hit and miss. Downtown is so chaotic that good parts and bad parts are adjacent. Better to have a look when you get there.

Real Estate / Is Srodmiescie a good neighbourhood to live in? Lodz. [9]

I wouldn't really recommend anywhere outside the centre (which is large) in £ódź. Especially if you don't have kids etc.

Real Estate / Is Srodmiescie a good neighbourhood to live in? Lodz. [9]

Śródmieście just means downtown. Because £ódź is the sort of place that it is, downtown covers a large area. Some of it is good to live in, some of it isn't. Most looks run-down but atmospheric. There are decent places in śródmieście however most of the buildings aren't modernised and those that are will probably be more expensive. Still, I'd personally prefer Śródmieście to the suburbs.

Genealogy / My Grandfather was born in Poland and migrated abroad - Can I get a Polish Passport? [68]


You never know. The presidents of those two countries might be reading this thread and decide to give you passports. Diplomatic passports if you're really lucky. Or just turn up to their embassies, they might believe you even without "birth certificates and all of that stuff".

Life / Polish names beginning with the "Koo" or "Ku" [6]

First names or surnames?

Poland's most famous living architect was called Kuryłowicz. But he died a year or so ago. Plenty of surnames begin with Ku. Not many first names.

Why are you asking?

Travel / Poland in photo riddles [3134]

I was in Kurozwęki last year. They have Ostriches too. But the best thing is the castle.

Life / Poland needs more immigrants and their children - which nationalities are the best? [518]


Certain nationalities more than others....

Life / The name "Mitchell" in Polish [13]

No. There are two theories about the name. One is that it is a diminutive of Mieczyslaw (miecz = sword sława = glory). The other is that it rives from an old Slavonic word meaning 'blind'. Both are potentially true in different ways. One website has the 'like God' thing, however it is wrong. In any case, the name Mieczo is not in common use now and even Mieczyslaw tends to be an old mans' name and usually shortened to Mietek; and this name is not Mitchell.

Out of interest, why are you asking?

Work / Is salary of 3000 Euros gross enough to live decently in Lodz, Poland? [53]


Not quite. The amount is gross, so quite a lot of tax and insurance will be taken off before he gets the money. He'll take home less than 8 or 9k

Remember, a job in Poland that pays that amount will probably involve a certain quality of life. Certainly not turning up to work in the same cheap suit day in day out, skimping on taxis, living in a tatty flat, skimping on vacations etc. If someone's on a good wage, they usually expect to live well. I'm on much more than his gross amount even after taxes and certainly don't feel either rich or that I could live like a student or a miser just for the sake of skimping. There have been times in my life when I've had not much more than 150zl to spend on food each week and I certainly don't intend to do that again just for the sake of it.

Nevertheless, €3000 gross in £ódź isn't bad at all, and the OP should be able to have a decent lifestyle and save some money, especially if he is single.

By the way, I eat out (at moderate restaurants) several times a week and can still cook very, very well indeed ;-)

Language / Occupational first name in Polish? [7]

The question doesn't make sense. It's fine in English to use a surname as a first name, but not in Poland where names (in most cases) have to be chosen from a list. Bednarz isn't a first name in Polish, people don't translate their names into Polish if they come here and a foreigner with the first name Bednarz would be exposed to ridicule.

Or do you mean something quite different?

Life / The name "Mitchell" in Polish [13]

Double no. Mitchell as a given name is a alternative form of Michael. Therefore Sofjufka is right.

@Rudy - there are several names in Polish that mean blessed by God, given by God etc, although 'like God' might cause theologians a few worries. Except of course that Christians believe humans (but evidently not any other form of life) are made in the image of their god.

Try here: babynamesworld.parentsconnect.com/polish-names.html. The ones you want mostly start with the three letters 'Bog'.

History / The story about German- Polish reconciliation [194]


Do Merkel and Tusk have to actually consummate the relationship as representatives of the government or does President Komorowski have to do it with 72 year old President Joachim Gauck?

Either way, I hope they don't televise it.

USA, Canada / Golota facing deportation back to Poland [30]

A shame. He sounds like a total jerk.

USA, Canada / Golota facing deportation back to Poland [30]

Given that he fled Poland, I wonder if the reasons he fled are beyond the statute of limitations?

If not, he could be in trouble here too.

Law / How long takes a bank transfer in Poland? [12]

Large sums are liable to be checked in case of criminal activity. Worth mentioning that the OP's other thread smells distinctly fishy.

Law / Virtual Polish Mobile Number [12]

Why would you want one?

Travel / Why do people say that Poland is so unsafe? [60]


Utter nonsense. The violent crime statistics, even in inner cities, show the opposite. And most of the violence that happens is Polish drunks bashing each other.

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


I finally remembered to check. It comes in 2 kilo blocks, cut at the counter, the label is purple and it's called Mlekovita Cheddar dojrzewały (matured). The texture isn't quite right - like most Polish cheeses it isn't ideal for grating and it obviously comes from a factory rather than a traditional producer, however the taste is OK - better than a normal ser żółty.

My local shop has it for 23zl a kilogram and as far as I can see, I'm the only person who buys it.

Language / Learn Polish or Russian [86]


I think we can take it as read that the post referred to adults whose neural speech centres are ship shape and in Bristol fashion.

The Polish language is so inextricably bound to Polish culture, that without it someone simply isn't Polish: no matter where their great granny once lived. That is why Polish communities abroad place so much importance on Saturday schools.

The OP is right in many ways. there are only around 40 million speakers of Polish, whereas Russian reaches many more.

USA, Canada / How do I find my 2nd cousin in IL possibly Chicago? [15]

Or maybe they're survivalists with guns and long beards.

USA, Canada / How do I find my 2nd cousin in IL possibly Chicago? [15]


Why not?

Work / 4-5,000 gross enough to live off for 1 person in Poznan? [13]

No. The average gross salary in the Poznan region (which includes some small, out of town places) is 4015.37 złoty. In the city it is obviously higher. The deductions vary according to the type of contract. I'm not sure what flat rental prices in Liverpool have to do with it.

Some locals, especially without much bargaining power in the jobs market would be happy with that amount. For an expat it is too low.

Life / Freelance English teacher - Are Polish people unreliable? They continually cancel lessons... [22]

You need to set the rules right at the start - they won't respect you as a professional if they think you're desperate.

Love / Are Polish Girls scared of English Guys [124]

You still haven't said what you think a 'real man' is.

Love / Are Polish Girls scared of English Guys [124]


So what's a 'real man' then? Do tell...

Work / 4-5,000 gross enough to live off for 1 person in Poznan? [13]

Hi Russ,

You don't say what type of contract they're offering - whether it's umowa o pracy, umowa o dzieło or any of the other variants. This has quite an impact on how you're taxed (and therefore what your take home pay would be).

5000 gross is around the average wage, and Poznań isn't a cheap city. I was getting a little over that ten years ago there and found it very difficult. What type of work is it, by the way?

News / Roman Polanski accused of unlawful sex with a minor [403]

And that somehow justifies him drugging and anally raping the child?

Hard to think of that guy without remembering he's on the lam for bumming a 13 year old.

Food / Your favourite Polish foods! [180]

And we have more types of cheese than France!

News / Roman Polanski accused of unlawful sex with a minor [403]

Statutory rape is rape. And as a friend of the child's family, he knew how old she was.


And 13 is well below the age of consent in both the country he committed the crime in and the country he came from.