Language / How to write an email properly in Polish? [49]

Culture goes (far) deeper than language, Rich. Surprised you haven't learned that by this time, what with all your country hopping!

Language / How to write an email properly in Polish? [49]

Never as yet heard/read, "Pan"/Pani" used with "Ty". Interestingly enough in German, "Sie" + first name is actually more common than one might imagine, should both persons wish a guardedly cordial while never intimate or especially close (although completely friendly) relationship.

Language / Czech language sounds like baby talk to most Poles. Similarities? [222]

...not to mention the uncounted false friends between the two languages (as previously posted by yours truly) aka "staly" ("permanent" in Polish, "stale" in CzechLOL) or "szukac" ("to look for, search" in Polish, something rather salacious in Czech) etc...

Life / Jehova's witnesses in Poland - how to deal with them? [110]

Watchtowers are indeed cultists as well, kaprys, I totally agree.

Life / Jehova's witnesses in Poland - how to deal with them? [110]

From the current thread discussion, I suspect that Jehovah's Witnesses are treated in Poland somewhat the way Mormons were historically looked upon a trifle askance here in the States. Same for the Amish as well, not to mention the Quakers:-)

UK, Ireland / No Poles Allowed! - Latest Polonophobic Outrage Out of Britain [660]

Good, since many do not (who'd care to admit it).

UK, Ireland / No Poles Allowed! - Latest Polonophobic Outrage Out of Britain [660]

Roz and Dirk, the mother tongue of the US was almost German, in certain states anyway.
Lost by a vote following the Revolution (....same for Israel 'cuz of all the Yekkis).

UK, Ireland / No Poles Allowed! - Latest Polonophobic Outrage Out of Britain [660]

Dirk, frame that first sentence. It's my life's motto, which is why people think I'm lazyLOL

Guess those billion $$$ fund raisers are ALLLLLLL goin' to his favorite charity, huh?
Keepin' most for himself, proves what I just said.
:-)

UK, Ireland / No Poles Allowed! - Latest Polonophobic Outrage Out of Britain [660]

Sure Dirk, but, at least here in the good ol' US of A, money IS power, always has been, always will be!

UK, Ireland / No Poles Allowed! - Latest Polonophobic Outrage Out of Britain [660]

All right Dirk, but who's dividing and who's conquering, moreoever, WHAT is being divided and what is being conquered?

UK, Ireland / No Poles Allowed! - Latest Polonophobic Outrage Out of Britain [660]

Thanks for the encouragement there, Johnny!
Still not quite certain what I should be focusing on, but, ok.

UK, Ireland / No Poles Allowed! - Latest Polonophobic Outrage Out of Britain [660]

If a man has sex with an animal, could that lead perchance to a mixed marriage?
lol

UK, Ireland / No Poles Allowed! - Latest Polonophobic Outrage Out of Britain [660]

Again, less than positive advertising can scare a boss far more than infantile temper outbursts or threats:-)

UK, Ireland / No Poles Allowed! - Latest Polonophobic Outrage Out of Britain [660]

..which doesn't make it right either, pal.

All's NOT always acceptable in love, war, and business. If it were, there wouldn't have been Dear Abby or the Geneva Convention. Sure, folks don't follow that stuff, but there's always folks around gonna see to it that they do....and succeed in punishing the bastards!!

UK, Ireland / No Poles Allowed! - Latest Polonophobic Outrage Out of Britain [660]

Ever heard of the Better Business Bureau?? It exists here in the States, at least it used to.

UK, Ireland / No Poles Allowed! - Latest Polonophobic Outrage Out of Britain [660]

I don't yet see your point, Dirk! Would you have felt any differently had it been a hippo instead of a dolphin?

UK, Ireland / No Poles Allowed! - Latest Polonophobic Outrage Out of Britain [660]

On the other hand, friends, ya can't haul a man into the slammer for what's in his mind, 'cuz that's dictatorship:-)

News / US expert rejects visa waiver for Poles [51]

You sound a little cynical, Ziemowit, or should I say, skeptical:-) I get a kind of the "Well, guess it's been a slow news day." in your tone.

News / US expert rejects visa waiver for Poles [51]

Merged:

Abolishing visas For Poles coming to the States

Hey,

Merely curious as to how both sides feel re: the proposed agreement between the US and Poland in the future waiving visas for Polish nationals coming to America.

As an American, I honestly couldn't care one way or the other, furthermore, I'm no longer an employer and so needn't worry about taxes or I-20 stuff any more.

Seems though there's a lot of fuss and feathers over the whole thing, and so was just wondering how folks here feel about it.

Work / Are there Job Opportunities for Americans in Poland? [20]

.....unless you speak or understand at least average Polish for basic daily transactions!

Travel / Poland - never again [593]

Like the former Soviet Union round about shortly after the "fall" of Communism, seeing scores of eager young future-capitalist sharks walking around in Armani jeans, wearing Christian Dior and sporting pricey leather briefcases, doesn't necessarily always mean things are going great guns economically! What it instead shows more accurately is a bunch of little mimics, prepared to pounce on anything which smacks of greed and an incompletely registered value system.

Life / Why are Polish people so obsessed with race? [160]

I've yet to meet any Poles of whom it could be said that they look Mongoloid, sorry to disappoint you. Ever so slightly "Asiatic" though, I will admit a great many!

:-)

Travel / Poland - never again [593]

"You can never go home again."

Life / Why are Polish people so obsessed with race? [160]

Nevertheless, many nations such as Albania (non-Slavic however), Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia, boast large Muslim, obviously non-Christian, communities.
Poland doesn't, clearly a positive effect as far as their concerned, as regards issues such as social, above all cultural, cohesion.

Russia considers herself for instance as "Russian Orthodox", a different type of Christianity from Poland's clearly Rome-centered Catholicism:-)
Poland clearly has become, and is fast becoming, more Occidental!

Travel / Poland - never again [593]

When I visited Poland, I was greeted with near incredulity that someone actually came to a fairly bourgeoise-style eatery expecting service:-) The meal was delicious, although when it came time for me to pay the check, the waitress acted as though I the customer were doing her the server a favorLOL

Granted, this was still the '90's, nonetheless, figure things have changed to more Westernized modes.

Life / Why are Polish people so obsessed with race? [160]

You do realize, don't you, that "Mongoloid-looking" can also mean "stupid" aka mentally challenged! Trust you meant "Mongolian-looking".

@CasualObserver,

As you are doubtless aware, Poland shares far more of a Christian, specifically Roman Catholic, heritage than most of her neighbors, except perhaps the Czech Republic, whose citizens often look curiously like Poles at first glance:-)

You seem to be drawing exaggerated conclusions concerning the extent of Asiatic influences in Poland. And while we're on the subject, check out the faces of the Bavarian-GERMAN film director, the late Rainer Werner Fassbinder, and tell me if you don't think he looks more than slightly Oriental:-) His family are dyed-in-the-wool locals from way back when. Makes you wonder then just how far the Mongols' reach actually spread.

Life / Why are Polish people so obsessed with race? [160]

Poles and Germans share a common white, Christian, European heritage which links the two, even if native tongue does not!
The same of course, can't be said for Asians, and the reasons for letting the latter in over the former should be obvious; CHEAP LABOR.

:-)

Work / Are there Job Opportunities for Americans in Poland? [20]

For a position as English instructor, for instance, obviously, a competent and serious employer would hire a native English speaker in a shot!
A construction worker, manager or other such work which a Pole could do with their eyes closed, uh, I don't think so:-)

Work / Native English speaker looking to teach English in the Opole area of Poland. [29]

I thought it was rather petty as well, roz!

Then again, it IS an international rather than an American or other organization.
Heck, they had Waldheim at the helm for so long regardless of his noxious past,
figure the UN feels it can do as it pleases:-)

Work / Native English speaker looking to teach English in the Opole area of Poland. [29]

Definitely, yes!

The UN in New York City recently rejected the writing sample of a young Virginia woman for not conforming to UK spelling and grammar.