Study / The quality of study in Warsaw University of Technology (Politechnika Warszawska) / Polish in one year [20]

@Polsyr: the problem with interacting with Poles who are studying foreign languages is that they always want to practice their language skills so it's difficult to learn Polish with them ;)

@Gr: learning Polish won't give you right to live and to work in Poland ;)

Love / Wedding witnesses in Rzeszow, Poland [24]

Sorry but it shall not be possible as there is no way I can be at 12 at Rzeszów. I live in Warsaw and need to take train. If it had been in Warsaw or even in late afternoon in Rzeszów I could and would have done it.

I think there are a few Polish guys living in your area, check on the forum and you'll be able to locate them. At worst, maybe you can find English people there from language schools.

Sorry, it is too far for me and with public transportation, it'll be an ordeal to go and back.

Like I said, try to find English speakers like I say.

Good luck and all the best! :)

News / If Poland were in the Eurozone... [39]

@Jolly: It was some 10/12 years ago so most probably you don't know of it. My friend is Australian and was at the time in Germany (Berlin) with her German husband (from Frankurt/Oder). She could not speak German in those days, was not on welfare (they were just arriving from Moscow and then moved to Warsaw as they didn't like/make it in Germany) and all she was offered was 1 euro jobs. Of course she did not accept and so didn't her husband who prefered her to stay at home. Everybody knows about those jobs.

News / If Poland were in the Eurozone... [39]

@Lyszko: sorry, I forgot about Léon Blum. And to Mendès-France, who was at the time and still nowadays very much appreciated, he was "only" prime minister ...

Study / I got accepted into a university in Gliwice, Poland! [38]

@Smurf: in fact, it depends on where you are from and what you are used to.

I've lived in a several cities around the world each counting several million inhabitants and Warsaw is no more than a big village for me. If I had (under torture) to go to places such a Gliwice, Radom, Lublin, Kielce and the like, I would turn into an alcooholic. On top of that, people in such places are as closed as oysters so they don't accept newcomers. Province life is so narrow. I even know people from Warsaw who had moved to Krakow for work, they did not stay long.

Riga is a village too but at least it's a capital so probably more things and maybe also more open.

Gliwice sounds a punishment :)

Love / Wedding witnesses in Rzeszow, Poland [24]

@Beaumont! I have not really thought of it. In fact, whenever I can help, I do (normal since I like when people help me).
Do send me pm with all explanation and also we can get to know each other a bit more.

Study / I got accepted into a university in Gliwice, Poland! [38]

@Smurf: Riga (and also Tallinn) seem to have a ... hot reputation ;). Gliwice even as per Polish standards is a one-horse sleepy town and OP would be bored there as much as a dead rat...

Law / Can I leave Poland with my children without my husbands written permission or not? [17]

@El-Easy: right! We did not hear the husband's point of view

@Harry: why August 7?

Work / How to find work in Warsaw "if u don't speak Polish" ! [176]

@Shahru: I suppose you need a work permit since you are not from EU. In such a case, it'll be very difficult to find employer who'll accept to go through the hassle of applying for a work permit when he can hire Poles and EU citizens with no formalities.

I'm not saying that you have 0% chance, I'm just saying it'll be very difficult ;)

News / If Poland were in the Eurozone... [39]

@Marsupial: As to Germany, people should realize that they have built their power alot on low salaries. How many Germans have worked and still work on "mini jobs"? An Australian friend of mine, married to a German, experienced the 1 euro/hour job in Germany some years ago and she preferred to quit and stay home. A minimum wage was introduced only this year and still it's much lower than in a lot of western European countries. It is not rare that some Germans rather than earning 400 euros a month in Germany prefer to commute every day to Poland to make more money.

If Germany is rich, a lot of Germans are very poor and according to statistics, the % in poverty is much higher than in countries like UK or France.

News / If Poland were in the Eurozone... [39]

@Lyszko: when the h.... was Mendès-France president? He was Premier in 1954-1955 (8 months) but nevertheless still remembered ("Mendès-lait" because of his milk distributing program to schoolkids) (probably the first Jewish premier France ever had). The president at the time was René Coty but I doubt he had dealt with Adenauer. Most probably you are talking re Charles de Gaulle.

Love / Wedding witnesses in Rzeszow, Poland [24]

@Beaumont: where shall it be and what do witnesses really have to do? Do they also need to do paperwork ahead of time? If not too demanding, maybe I could be one of them ;).

Law / Can I leave Poland with my children without my husbands written permission or not? [17]

Unfortunately very difficult to win a court case against a local in a foreign country and it's particularly so in Poland ;).

To the OP: I am sorry for you and I hope you'll solve your problem somehow satisfactory to both.

As you know now, it's not the best option to live with Polish in-law family ;) (I know)

News / Does democratic Poland guarantee it's LGBT citizens respect for human and civil rights? [1169]

I read Pol too quickly. My goodness! That's what a catholic paper says about a girl who died at the age of 29 in an awful matter!!!! I bet they say it's a punishement ..... How cruel!

News / Does democratic Poland guarantee it's LGBT citizens respect for human and civil rights? [1169]

I read the news last night in GW and I was shocked. It is terrible to die this way. The girl was only 29.
May she rest in peace and my condoleances to her family and friends!

Genealogy / I don't know what my Polish birth name was as we were never given spelling [9]

so if not "czuk", it'll be "czyk" if Polish.

Genealogy / I don't know what my Polish birth name was as we were never given spelling [9]

@Ryouga: when ending in "czuk" (or for instance "ko"), it is Ukrainian. Of course they are a lot of Poles from East of Poland with Ukrainian names. So if Ukrainian, it cannot have the "ą" letter.

News / Dunkin Donuts to come to Poland [46]

@The Other: I don't know how it is roasted but if I drink more than 2 cups, I have a strong head and stomach ache. I can drink 3 or 4 cups of Turkish coffee for instance and I feel good.

When in college in the US, I had a friend from Costa Rica and her mother regularly sent her coffee from there and believe me, it had another taste! ;)

News / Dunkin Donuts to come to Poland [46]

@Polonius: unfortunately no! I'm shocked at the quantity of crap Polish kids/youth eat. Kids also eat huge amounts of sweets and the result is that a lot of them when barely 8 or 9 years old have their adult teeth already rotten. They are also used to sweet at an early age. I have friends whose kid went to a public nursery in Wawa and they were mad to see how much sugar the staff put into the kids' tea. Of course they complained all the more as at home they tried to train the kid to eat without sugar.

Polish kids are among the fattest (if not no. 1 or 2) kids in Europe.

Dunkin Donuts = more crap available and since they'll advertize heavily, kids shall drag parents

News / Dunkin Donuts to come to Poland [46]

In general Europeans (including Poles) like stronger coffee. Although I have a hard time to drink Italian coffee (too strong and too bitter for me), American type of coffee is too weak and gives me head and stomach aches.

My best coffees were from Costa Rica and from Brazil (2 different occasions) - directly from there; not treated to fit European taste) and also Turkish coffee in Turkey and cardamon coffee in Egypt.

News / Dunkin Donuts to come to Poland [46]

The origin of "doughnout" comes back to ... ancient Rome. They are in all cookings including in Madagascar, Tunisia, Turkey... under hundreds of different names but the same fried dough crap. They can be plain, with jam Inside or more 'exotic" with banana like in China, shrimp, "accras" in French Antilles ....

There were "doughnouts" or whatever they are called around the world long before Dunkin Donuts started ;)

Real Estate / Landlord in Poland wants me to pay 4500 zl for cancellation of contract [16]

@Doug: I understand! She could say if asked that she had lost her keys so had to change lock. Yes, we "poor" women sure do need men;). Renting in Poland most often follow the jungle law and it can be most unpleasant when landlord/lady not decent.

News / Dunkin Donuts to come to Poland [46]

@Polonius: do you like fried dough? ;)

News / Dunkin Donuts to come to Poland [46]

Not matter how they call them, "donuts" exist in all cookings (with different names) but such dough fried in grease is terrible healthwise. Ok if once in a while but not more! I don't even eat 2 per year.

Real Estate / Landlord in Poland wants me to pay 4500 zl for cancellation of contract [16]

@Dougpol: since the guy is dishonest and screwed up, he could invent anything to get the girl in trouble.

You know, it's difficult when a foreigner to win against a local and it's even more so against a Pole in Poland.

Real Estate / Landlord in Poland wants me to pay 4500 zl for cancellation of contract [16]

@Doupol: probably the guy has not even reported the flat renting to the authorities and if she changes the lock he could get her in trouble.

Tough situation !

Real Estate / Landlord in Poland wants me to pay 4500 zl for cancellation of contract [16]

If contract cancelled with notice period, the deposit cannot be returned (in full)????? Where has he seen such a thing? On top of that he has the guts to claim advertizing his castle shall cost him 1,500 ZL/month!!!! There are dozens of sites in Poland he can use to advertize for free.

The guy is a genuine petty crook. Such landlords take advantage of young foreigners who don't know Polish and Poland. Disgusting!

If I were the OP, I would leave place with telling him and leave the keys in mailbox and the hell with him.

@Agnie: start looking for new place as of now and once you have found something suitable, just move without telling him! You'll leave his keys in mailbox and will send him sms (once moved out). Of course, he will NOT reimburse you so don't be stupid!

Do you know whether he pays tax (and on total amount?). He may have given you a paper to sign but authorities don't know nothing about it. Have you obtained a zameldowanie? If not, most probably; authorities don't know about him renting flats. Maybe once you are out, you could report him to tax office ;)

Real Estate / Landlord in Poland wants me to pay 4500 zl for cancellation of contract [16]

I have lived in 7 different countries and I have never heard something of the kind. What kind of contract have you signed? Has he reported it to tax authorities and if so in full amount of the rent? I know of a case in Poland when the tenant paid 2,000 ZL in hand but had to sign a lease according to which the rent was 800 ZL and therefore the landlord only paid tax on 800 ZL ;).

Unfortunately most landlords in Poland are dishonest. Have you tried to see a lawyer? I doubt a lawyer can do anything as your landlord must be smart and has written the lease in such a way you cannot do anything.

When are you supposed to move? How much is your rent, how much is your deposit? He wants 4,500 from you but how can he force you to pay? I don't think he can...

I am sure you are most uncomfortable now but unfortunately I cannot give you any advise because I don't know. Do you talk around you? What do people say?

Study / I got accepted into a university in Gliwice, Poland! [38]

@Majkel; first he needs to find a country issuing visa and not easy.

Study / I got accepted into a university in Gliwice, Poland! [38]

@Nazwat: as I put a "?" re Turkey, I don't know about studying in Turkey. It is going to be hard everywhere but Poland is not a good choice. 1. according to Polsyr (who knows about topic), unlikely to have visa and imagine you have visa 2. Polish diplomas are useless elsewhere 3. Poland is not tolerant and open and 4. Gliwice is a one-horse sh####t hole town.

I don't know re studying in Croatia (only went there on vacation) but what about visas, what about their diplomas ? What's the use of having a diploma not recognized anywhere? Do you speak Croatian?

Like I sais, you need to first of all find out what countries issue visas easily and then you'll check about possibilities. Also what languages do you speak?

Maybe you could try in the US! I know it's very expensive but you may qualify for financial support. If Dominic reads post, he's answer you.