Life / Some Poles have fine houses [68]

hell ya. and a budget. many times people have a budget but forget to include the cost of the works and materials in this--I do mean the interior fittings.

also organize a pay schedule where payment is made according to the schedules time line and completion of stages. I know it is common sense, but don't pay more than you have to. If necessary, you purchase materials yourself and have them delivered to the site so that you don't have any extra charges such as pick up and delivery fees and gas usage fees that your contractor may have made up.

Life / Typical Examples of Polish Parking Entitlement (post yours) [57]

this subject is one of the things I hate most about Poland. People that park in handicapped spots or worse- in the median next to them so they are half on the road. My kids go to private school in Warsaw- the worst are the nouveau riche with their big ass suv's that park directly in front of the school blocking everybody. the first day of school some twat parked blocking the building next to the school and when the security guard asked her to move she said she wasn't because she was in a hurry. for what exactly, I wasn't sure- it was the first day of school.

time and time again the owner and principal of the school ask people to park elsewhere and they never do. I think I am going to start calling the towing company.....oh the satisfaction.

Real Estate / Who designs houses in Poland? [66]


yes, some are good. you are right stary browar in Poznan is super. Unfortunately architects like this are few and far between.

Real Estate / Who designs houses in Poland? [66]

I can see the dome of that church in the video if I look out my window. It is hideous. There is no visionary- it is an ugly tacky display of architecture that doesn't fit with the surroundings- but that is warsaw- nothing works with each other.

I disagree that Polish architects are visionaries. Strongly disagree.

fortis.com.pl/realizacje/obiekty_biurowe/canal_plus/17/

recognize this? it is the canal plus building in warsaw. I have been inside this building. It is even tackier than the outside. My husband is in commercial real estate so I have seen a lot of buildings that the average person hasn't. Some buildings are nice but some are not.

as for interior designers- they are also a joke, unless you want your house or flat finished in chocolate brown and white- then all is good.

I had a client who told me she viewed 40 flats looking for something to rent and they all looked the same.

Real Estate / Who designs houses in Poland? [66]

sea towers are amazing. but they are also in gdynia and make sense in gdynia. if you were to do something like this in krakow or poznan it would stick out like a sore thumb.

the housing in the rest of europe is usually set by standards. for example in france builders all need to have the terra cotta roofs. many may argue that it is too restrictive- i happen to like it, it compliments the existing style of housing.

in poland there is so much mish mash of styles that it is confusing and out of place. i think city planners have made huge mistakes in letting developers build what they want because now it is visual mess.

Love / Why are Varsovian women so uninteresting? [23]

do you really want a woman that is only interested in how much money you have?
perhaps you should keep wearing your humble bumble clothes and the right girl will come along and want to get to know you. Or perhaps you should find some more stimulating conversation that stupid blokersi girls dressed in cheap clothes that look like hookers and only want you for your bank statement--that is who goes to bars.---bleached blonde, botoxed, fake and bake tans wearing too tight clothes.

Law / Would Polish people use a cattery? [17]

I believe so, particularly if the price was good. The kennels that I have looked at were expensive and then I had to bring my own food on top of that and then they were just closets for the dog to stay in--for us it was just easier to have somebody dog sit. I don't particularly think keeping a dog or cat in one small room for a majority of the time is healthy for the animal- they need contact.

If it is a money making idea you are after- then there must be something better. If you genuinely like animals then maybe it is for you.

Real Estate / Who designs houses in Poland? [66]


that is pretty accurate! However, what I have noticed is that those that come from more humble working class back grounds but now have money- are the ones that have quite garish taste. (not always but frequently)

Law / Would Polish people use a cattery? [17]

there are a few around warsaw. some good and some not good. I suggest you visit the place first before you commit to it. When we were looking for a place for our dog we discovered that many of the kennels kept them locked in a cage for most of the day and let them out a few times to run. There was a really great place but it was all booked.

there is a cattery in warsaw in konstancin- if you are close to that.

Real Estate / Who designs houses in Poland? [66]

have you seen some of the houses in Poland? proves to show that money and good taste have nothing in common.

Real Estate / Who designs houses in Poland? [66]

architects in Poland have tunnel vision- they all do the same thing. If they are schooled in Poland it is evident. If they are schooled outside of Poland or work with somebody schooled outside of Poland- these people have clearer vision.

Many people will buy from the pre made plans- there are a few books in empik that have them. the plans all look the same- they are quite basic. nice house but nothing interesting.

where I live in Warsaw there are a few people that have built duplexes but the second side hasn't sold for over two years.

I wouldn't do it. what happens if you get a neighbour that you don't like?

In fact, my idea is to build twins and sell the other 1/2.

I wonder how the 2,250 zł for the plans compares to paying the local Janusz-archi-draughtsman? I'd best ask one of the Mrs' cousins. One of them is actually an enormous moustache with a man attached to it, so he's probably the best one to ask.

Those plans are really quite nice and comparable to many of works that I have seen by architects- maybe that is why they cost more.

as for the dining room in the main room, that is personal preference- I have an open plan in my house- I prefer it. our kitchen, dining and living room are all one open space- this is why they bought the house.

I also put my washing machine in my bedroom. I took out a bathroom that was a useless size, installed wall to wall closets and put my washer and dryer inside so I don't have to lug laundry up and down the stairs- and we have more space in our main bathroom.

Life / Water from wells in Warsaw - Safe to drink? [24]

the water in my area of warsaw is safe to drink, however the problem is not that the water isn't safe- the problem is that by the time the water gets from the the company to the house- the dirty old pipes have tainted the water.

Food / Where can I buy cast iron pans (żeliwne patelnie) in Poland? [19]

there is a shop in fashion house in piaseczno- or there was across from the almi decor. they used to have some- same with the auchan in piaseczno. but I haven't been to fashion house in ages so I don't want to reccommend you there and the shop is gone!

Life / WHY DO POLES USE ENGLISH WORDS IN CONVERSATION? [396]

Personally, I think it sounds low class when I hear Poles using English words in their speech. meeting and lunch, sandwich- whatever -we have a large list. And the funny thing is that those who use English the most- don't even speak it very well- but just like to add an English word or two so that they sound cool. Those who are bilingual, in my experience, keep their languages separate and don't mix the slang.

Somebody posted a link on here of that American/Polish model Joanna Krupa when she hosted Poland's next top model. Her language was horrid and disgusting- but TVN let her talk like that because it is good for ratings. She butchered the language and of course when people see this on tv they think it is acceptable and it isn't.

Life / WHY DO POLES USE ENGLISH WORDS IN CONVERSATION? [396]


not at all like the Polish spoken by the workers building houses in my neighbourhood.

Love / Expecting a baby with Polish partner - "multi-cultural pregnancy/parenting"? [45]

give her a break. Her English is better than many native speakers that use terrible slang and bad grammar.

UK, Ireland / Polish Prams & Baby Travel Systems [12]

check on allegro.pl they usually have good prices.
allegro.pl/wozki-82593 here is a link to start you off.

News / Will you be proud of tranny (transsexual) representing Poland ? [124]

at this moment in time I feel so sorry for my husbands cousins wife. she has the name Anna Grodzka. Her life has just changed.

Life / WHY DO POLES USE ENGLISH WORDS IN CONVERSATION? [396]

my point. There is English in the Polish language. Stupid English. Lunch, Meeting, etc etc and I find that those who use these words don't really even speak English very well but like to use them to get attention.

As for the Johnny Depp thing- doesn't bug me but I think it sounds silly.

I had a professor of Polish language teach me Polish many moons ago and he told me that it is bad Polish to speak like this. Not my opinion but his. He gave me an example about locative case and foreign cities. His example was Toronto. It is not correct to say w Toroncie but w Toronto. However, as our world gets smaller with technology even the most abstract and foreign words become Polish-ized.

Personally I don't give a rats about the changing language- it is human nature to evolve- some words are stupid "fast food" and some make sense "komputer"--but there is no denying the fact that English is making its way into common place Polish language- but they probably want it like this anyway.

Life / WHY DO POLES USE ENGLISH WORDS IN CONVERSATION? [396]


there is your answer right there. There are English words in Polish- some stupid and some not. why argue a point you can't win?

Life / WHY DO POLES USE ENGLISH WORDS IN CONVERSATION? [396]


no, I don't have to. It exists and you can't deny it- just like in the examples that have been used.

It is possible to keep the language but Poles, generally speaking, want what is outside of Poland. This includes language, tv, food, everything. In Iceland they are trying to maintain the language. They have a small population and it is not getting any bigger. Instead of using using words like "computer"- they actually have a word for computer that translates as "box with numbers".

makes my ability to speak Polish that much easier.

Life / Looking to immigrate to Europe. How is life in Poland? [116]

If you speak Afrikaans- is it not logical to move to a country with a similar language like Holland or Belgium? Or perhaps an English speaking country such as Canada or Australia?

I am just asking- not trying to be argumentative.

Life / WHY DO POLES USE ENGLISH WORDS IN CONVERSATION? [396]


lunch, hard drive, meeting, week end, parking, trendy, kool, super......I could go on and on.

Life / Expats/Immigrants in Poland: Needy, Greedy or contributor. Which one are you? [118]


nah, my Polish is good- however, I am the first to admit that idioms baffle me and I don't get reference to something culturally. Probably the same happens to Poles that live abroad.

Life / Expats/Immigrants in Poland: Needy, Greedy or contributor. Which one are you? [118]


by saying that I don't believe god gave me children makes me brainwashed??? seriously, can you even read?

Life / Can many young Poles speak German? [72]

what is young? my husband speaks German because he had to live in Germany a year while waiting for the Canadian gov't to process documents. But I don't believe younger generations are being taught German- it is probably an elective.

Life / Expats/Immigrants in Poland: Needy, Greedy or contributor. Which one are you? [118]


oh I hear ya...I had the biggest battles but then what it comes down to is science and common sense. My kids didn't wear an extra layer of clothes, they drink cold drinks, they don't wear hats all the time---my kids are never sick. oh of course a runny nose is something a child should take a week off school for. you get sick from viruses our bacteria- germs, no matter how many layers of clothes you wear- it won't protect you from a virus if you don't wash your hands. In fact being hot and sweaty is worse. and not to mention living in a smoking household.

and I hate seeing little boys running around in fairy tights. how to emasculate a male before they even reach puberty.

Life / Expats/Immigrants in Poland: Needy, Greedy or contributor. Which one are you? [118]

God didn't reward me with children- I had them deliberately.

I am not talking about taking good care of children. I mean the silly excuses that come with having children and the silly wives tales like "you will catch cold if you drink something cold" or the reason that Polish children always have hats covering their ears so they don't catch cold that way either. Or just the basic fear of "the cold."

Besides, isn't it the mother in law that usually takes care of the kids?

Life / Expats/Immigrants in Poland: Needy, Greedy or contributor. Which one are you? [118]


no, I am not. But I have a good work ethic. Pregnancy in this country is seen as an illness and women become completely helpless. And then once children are born- having young children is the biggest excuse in the book. Something can't be done because "I have young children at home" not to mention all of the ridiculous wives tales that go with having children.

Life / Expats/Immigrants in Poland: Needy, Greedy or contributor. Which one are you? [118]

It comes from the communist work ethic or lack thereof. I worked up until a week before I delivered and no sick leave. ever.