UK, Ireland / Documentary on foreign and local workers in a town in England. [66]


Actually - the way that they dealt with him was scandalous. But I suspect that while he would get away with it (and be applauded) in the UK, Europeans tend to expect their politicians to be more...political?

It was an excellent rant though, and while I don't agree with his politics, he has a damn good point in that no-one had ever heard of him. Such is the nature of compromise, I guess.


England would likely go down the path of America, whereas Scotland would probably move towards the Scandinavian model of cradle-to-grave welfare. I've always thought that this is one of the biggest problems with the UK - what Scottish people fundamentally want from their country is different to what the English want.

UK, Ireland / No job unless you're Polish [201]


The UK parties all supported it in 2001 and 2005. Support for the EU was implicitly a vote in favour of Nice and thus EU expansion. Let's not forget that the UK (and Ireland) could quite easily have prohibited Polish workers from working in the UK - and still could, up until May 2011.

As for Scotland - pretty much all parties recognise that Scotland badly needs more immigrants to pay for an aging population. There was actually quite a big fuss because the UK government attempted to stop a Scottish initiative to attract more talented non-EU citizens.


Quite a few actually - who do you think many Guardian readers are voting for?

It's also worth noting that UK immigration is harder and harder these days for non-EU nationals. Even those from First World countries are finding it difficult.

I don't know what to say to opinion polls - as far as I see it, people will often adopt a more dramatic tone in opinion polls, but then when it comes to the crunch, they won't vote for a party which promises to change things. Just look at the UKIP vote in the EU election vs the UKIP vote in UK elections!

As I see it - 2010 is the perfect change for people to elect a government with a mandate to leave the EU. Will it happen? No chance.

UK, Ireland / Cigarettes in Poland (cost, brands). The situation in the UK? [57]


Gone up now - Poland became a full fiscal member of the EU as of the 1st January last year, and it's now 3200 per person. You can of course take more, but stick to 3200 and you're unlikely to be bothered by Customs. There's no limit as such, but Customs will take the view that if you're carrying more than 3200, you must surely be flogging them.

It's worth noting that if you do get stopped and questioned for carrying more than 3200, make sure that you hassle them to allow you to smoke - they can and will use your lack of needing to smoke against you.

UK, Ireland / No job unless you're Polish [201]


They were. They elected a Labour government in 2001 which ratified Nice, and they were offered a referendum on Polish workers in 2005 - which again returned a Labour government.

Let's not forget that the last election of note, the 2007 Scottish Parliament election saw a clear return for pro-immigration parties.

Travel / Plusbus Poznan-Lodz [8]

That's a really good offer - I might be interested in helping you promote it in Poznan. Give me a shout at office@lindenia - I'd like to talk to you guys :)

UK, Ireland / The Daily Mail - coverage of the Polish people [161]


Same idea though - she (can you really have a man again after how successful Robinson and McAleese have been?) exists as a stable figure that'll refuse to pass anything exceptionally dodgy.

Law / Any good business ideas - what Poland needs? [114]


Piotr i Pawel sells it! I was mystified when I saw it...

UK, Ireland / The Daily Mail - coverage of the Polish people [161]


It actually is, I think - it's a bit like the whole British system as a whole!

I think this is actually why Ireland has 7 year terms for President - same idea, to discourage any nonsense.

Law / Any good business ideas - what Poland needs? [114]

How much capital?

UK, Ireland / The Daily Mail - coverage of the Polish people [161]


Officially, yes. There's no override - if Royal Assent is refused, then that's that. There was an interesting constitutional crisis in Australia about 30 years ago over something similar where the Governor (in the name of the Queen) interfered with their politics.

You could say that the Queen exists to discourage anything threatening democracy - as it would seem unlikely that the Queen (or King) would allow anything to be passed which directly threatened the country.

UK, Ireland / The Daily Mail - coverage of the Polish people [161]

And of course, no-one cared because they wouldn't work on the farms anyway.

I've actually offered quite a few unemployed moaners on forums work in Poland - inclusive of a bed to sleep on at night. Not one person has accepted!

Work / Average monthly salary in Poland is around 1000 PLN (few hundred bucks). [387]


Probably because a worker on minimum wage that does such a thing is not only going to find himself in trouble with the law, but also likely to find a few tougher thugs on his tail. Who are the police going to side with, the minimum wage worker, or the rich businessman?


I think a great deal of the problem is caused by the way that Solidarity (and their ilk) are only interested in their own - if you've got a moustache and work in Ciegelski, of course they'll help you. But if you're just an ordinary worker in an ordinary company, you've got no chance - and this is shameful.

The funny thing to me is that on paper, Polish laws are stronger than UK laws!

Work / Average monthly salary in Poland is around 1000 PLN (few hundred bucks). [387]


And herein lies the problem - why should I subsidise small farms when bigger farms (as even admitted by "Rural Solidarity" at one point) are more efficient?

Let's not forget that Poland should be getting 100% of the CAP money due soon.


This is true. I know quite a few Polish people who won't employ someone who's worked in the UK if they didn't do something relevant to their trade - what use is 3 years washing dishes to someone who wants a plumber?

UK, Ireland / The Daily Mail - coverage of the Polish people [161]


And almost all of them would refuse to pay more for a product produced in Britain. They might give lip service about it - but in reality, none of them want to pay 25-30% more for their British produced goods.

Work / What are my chances in finding work at a callan school in Wroclaw? [22]

Seanus, was it you that said about how Polish teachers often lapse into their "natural" accent when teaching Callan?

I overheard a Polish teacher giving a Callan lesson done "properly" the other day - my, my, my. It was awful - and proves that speed isn't everything!

Life / I'm from Polish descent. CAN YOU GUYS EXPLAIN THE EU TO ME? [115]


Poland certainly is happy to accept UK teaching qualifications - the only clause is that teachers must have a Masters degree as well as a recognised teaching component. The fact that this rules out many UK teachers is simply a failing of the UK system as opposed to it being any fault of Poland's.


Why not? Nothing in EU law stops them from demanding minimum qualifications/abilities in English. And it's the fault of UK law to bother checking Australian doctors!

The UK has always had a weird relationship with the EU - she's bitterly against it at times, yet she always over-interprets EU directives to the point of insanity.

Work / Teaching English in Krakow -- how to find students? [52]

I'm warning you! I once made the mistake of eating chips, gravy and cheese from there after one particular night in the old Union on the Gallowgate. Sick as a dog, would be the appropriate term :(

Work / Teaching English in Krakow -- how to find students? [52]


Yep, especially with in-company teaching. What HR department is going to authorise paying 22% extra (and then a bit more because the school has a building to pay for) when they can get an EU native for much less? It's just not going to happen. Paying 30-40% extra to assure that you'll always have a teacher - fine. But paying 60-70% more? I can't see it happening.


As Harry says - they'll be at a massive disadvantage. You'll also see schools closing down, meaning EU teachers will be seeing work - leaving non-EU citizens at a massive, massive disadvantage. The ones who are savvy enough to start a business here will be fine - but the ones who want something stable will find themselves almost persona non grata.


Oh Seanus, go **** yourself!

(I'd absolutely murder some chips and gravy from there now!)

Work / Teaching English in Krakow -- how to find students? [52]

And interestingly, I think students are starting to realise on a whole that native teachers tend to be quite badly qualified. I actually did a class a while ago on native vs Polish teachers - and the students were stunned to discover that native teachers are (by and far) the product of a 4 week training course - maximum. Obviously, there are exceptions where well qualified people are teaching in Poland - but I think the days of someone being an instant hire just because they have the CELTA combined with any degree are over.

Obviously, those who come to Poland with a good degree from a respected establishment will always find work, especially if it's backed up with real experience (I'm looking at you, Seanus) - but I think many schools in cities are now looking towards building their facilities with established teachers. I even know one very well ran school in Poznan that doesn't actually hire natives.


The problem is, CELTA is no longer the be all and end all. There are hundreds of English philology students being churned out every year in Poland - and while you always need a native or two to keep things relevant, these jobs are much more likely to go to someone local to the city than to an import.


And to be honest - the market is moving away from this kind of teacher. Schools simply don't want to hire someone who isn't settled - why risk your native turning up with a rotten hangover if you can hire someone established in Poland, with a checkable work history and who isn't interested in talking to girls and drinking beer? I've lost count of the amount of natives in Poznan who are settled here - why risk hiring a foreigner who might go back at any moment, when there is a workforce already here?

If the proposal to stick VAT on education comes in, then non-EU citizens might as well forget about it.

UK, Ireland / Help Renouncing UK Citizenship and gaining Polish one [24]


Absolute nonsense, isn't it?

Mind you, I suspect the Polish would do more for their citizens these days than the British. The British have run down their foreign consulate service to the point where they're all but useless to ordinary citizens.

Work / Teaching English in Krakow -- how to find students? [52]

In other words, teaching pays the bills and allows them to drink beer and try the old tried-tested-failed method of "hi girls, I'm from America".

Sorry, but teaching "while you figure out what to do" just cheats everyone - yourself, students and schools. If you can't figure out what to do after 3 months, then...


The problem, I think, is more with the "beer, dreadlocks n English teaching" types - you don't see many of them in Poznan, but Krakow seems absolutely littered with them.

I think it's safe to say that the allure of native speakers has definitely gone - there will always be jobs for those suitably qualified and experienced, but I'm not seeing much of a market for those that don't have the abilities. No wonder wages in Krakow appear to be on a race to the bottom!

I wonder what the chances are of the brother in question here going to a small Polish city and teaching in a public school. Obviously, as he's so passionate about teaching, he'll be happy to accept the bones on offer. Or will he go to Warsaw/Krakow/Wroclaw and live it up like so many others? Hmm.... :)

Law / The 'Secret' of Poland's Economic Success [83]


Depends how you measure it. Poles are much, much more educated in classical things - such as language and science. But they are lacking quite badly in 'soft' skills - and while Poland shouldn't go all the way towards the British system, it wouldn't hurt to introduce things like business classes into schools.

I don't think Poland or Britain is necessarily better educated - just educated differently. The way that they're trying to push everyone into passing the matura is one way in which you can see parallels between the UK and Polish systems.

One thing where the Polish system is vastly inferior is in the choice of education before 19 - it barely exists.

Law / The 'Secret' of Poland's Economic Success [83]


The real problem can be traced back to the way that the "shock therapy" didn't extend to stripping people of any pension entitlements beyond the basic - people nowadays are effectively subsidising pensioners who have never worked a single day under a convertible zloty - and thus have never paid anything 'real' into the system.

And let's not forget all those people on early retirement - ballet dancers, anyone?

USA, Canada / Where can I buy Polish Beer in SC? [26]


And what is imported is usually sold for a small fortune, though things are starting to move in the right direction at last. I actually recommend checking out the beers in Kuchnia Swiata - they were selling Ukranian Obolon for 5zl a bottle, which is a decent price for a decent beer.


Isn't the sugar used completely different to North America?

Sprite in particular tastes awful in Poland, and I can't figure out why for the life of me.

USA, Canada / Where can I buy Polish Beer in SC? [26]


Lech Pils is very good, but it's only available in Wielkopolska.

Incidentally, you do know that "imports" are very often brewed locally in Europe? Just because it pretends to be an import doesn't necessarily make it one. And the difference in taste can be astronomical - anyone who's tasted UK Stella Artois or San Miguel and then tried the "home" version will understand what I mean.

Unless something has changed, Heineken is a great example in Poland of this - it's sold as a premium product, it pretends to be imported - but nope, it's actually produced in Poland by Grupa Zywiec.

Carlsberg as well for that matter.

It's actually very difficult to get something that was genuinely imported into Poland in an ordinary pub.

Law / EU grants to small business in Poland-advice needed [27]

Likewise here - the money just isn't there. There is money getting wasted, but this is in terms of big infrastructure, not small businesses.

Work / Teaching English in Krakow -- how to find students? [52]


My own experience says that it's a double edged sword.

But I had the pleasure to watch a very experienced teacher teach grammar to complete beginners - and without using a word of Polish, he managed to get them all to completely understand what was going on and why it was that way. Quite impressive stuff really, and makes a change from the usual native speaker half assed attempts at teaching this stuff.

Work / Average monthly salary in Poland is around 1000 PLN (few hundred bucks). [387]

Not really, because keyboard warriors wouldn't show up.

But then again, they're all welcome THIS SATURDAY in Poznan - details in the Meetup section :)

Law / EU grants to small business in Poland-advice needed [27]

Can you give me an idea of turnover and number of employees, as well as location?

Work / Teaching English in Krakow -- how to find students? [52]


I used to last year, using whatever I could to teach them. It's difficult, but if you have a group that's willing to learn and which doesn't have the attitude of "your job is to teach me and not my job to put effort in at home" - it's not *that* difficult. But my approach was to take the Callan books and use them as a basis for learning - it wasn't ideal, but with traditionally taught grammar mixed in, it did the job.

I'm sure there were better ways to do it than that, but for someone in their 1st year of teaching, it worked well.