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

You mean Politechnika Warszawska? If not the best then one of the best within Poland.

Depending on a number of factors (like your mother tongue, and what other languages you know) Polish can take from 1 to 2 years to learn (assuming full time dedication to learning the language and plenty of social interaction), to the level where you can conduct advanced academic communications.

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

Even if it does, it can't get vetoed forever - it will pass during the next political cycle, and Poland is no exception to political cycles. The important thing is that the issue is starting to get attention and build momentum.

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

"The Sejm, Poland's lower house of parliament, has passed the country's first ever transgender recognition legislation"

Source:
thenews.pl/1/9/Artykul/214910,Transgender-recognition-voted-into-law

This is a significant step in the right direction for Poland.

Life / Noise pollution over the skies of Gdynia [6]

I don't know what to tell you. Write a letter to minister of defense. He'll probably ask if you'd rather hear (much louder) Russian MiGs flying over your head instead.

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

Very interesting insights. What would you do if you were in my shoes?

Law / Certificate of no impediment to marriage in Poland -- Can't issue in my country. [8]

Yes, get married in Brazil and register your marriage in Poland.

Registering marriage in Poland is faster and easier than asking for a court decision regarding eligibility for marriage without a marriage license from a foreign country (like your case). Plus you can do it through the Polish embassy in the country where you live (takes longer in this case). Just one small piece of advice, do not apply for a visa to Poland (on the basis of being spouse of Polish citizen) until your marriage is registered in Poland and you have the Polish marriage certificate with you.

I don't know what are the marriage formalities in Brazil.

Once your marriage is registered in Poland and you have a marriage certificate issued by an office in Poland you will undisputably have 100% the same "effect" as being married in Poland with regards to everything. I have been there and done that.

Another plausible option might be getting married in Church in Poland. Also been there and done that :)

Law / Certificate of no impediment to marriage in Poland -- Can't issue in my country. [8]

Like Harry said, you don't need a lawyer but you will need a sworn interpreter and you have to be prepared to wait a few months - depending on where you file your case. The clerk at the court might be your best guide in terms of how long it will take.

What about getting married in Brazil instead?

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


Nobody that I know in real life has even heard of this garbage. Not to worry, their clock is ticking.

News / Dunkin Donuts to come to Poland [46]

Totally agree with Polonius above.

News / Dunkin Donuts to come to Poland [46]

Never been a fan of donuts, although my Canadian experience means that I strongly associate them with law enforcement :)

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

I was asking around on your behalf and I heard something interesting for you. The success rate in obtaining visas to study is much higher for university transfer students, yet even higher for graduates going for higher studies. Meaning you can always study 1-2 years in one place then apply to transfer.

Regarding Germany, the success rate is much higher if you already speak German or if you have taken some German language courses. Meaning you can perhaps learn basic German in UAE and then apply to German universities. They assume that if you already speak some German, it shows that you have genuine interest in being a student and real potential to fit in Germany.

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


Not a bad idea if you ask me... But cost of life in places that have good schools is high too.

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

Maybe starts with DĄ? (sounds like don in English)

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

Nawzat is right about the situation in Lebanon. To study in a good university in Beirut would cost as much (if not more) than studying in a top university in the US, plus being Syrian may subject him to prejudice (including a curfew.)

Speaking of continuity, Russia is not a good choice for him because unless he marries a Russian citizen or invests a lot of money, the procedure towards naturalization is long, complicated and not entirely straight forward. Plus prejudice against people with a "caucasus" look can be a problem.

Even if you have to spend 2 extra years in Germany to learn German and sort out your high school diploma, you have a clearer bath to naturalization, and very good career prospects. Plus consider the two extra years a chance to learn and familiarize yourself with the German way of life. Although I have to tell you, a lot of student visa applications by Syrians are being rejected by Germany these days.

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

You being Syrian it is important that you go to a country where your chances of continuity are as high as possible due to the uncertainty associated with having only Syrian citizenship today, especially if you don't have a permanent right of residence in any other country.

May I ask, what do you intend to study?

I will start with a warning, and rather harshly honest advice. I can almost guarantee that you will have problems at the Polish embassy in Abu Dhabi with your visa application when you apply. The consul over there has a tendency to view applications in an exclusively negative mindset. In the case of a Syrian citizen applying for ANY kind of visa through them, he tends to only assume that because they are Syrian they have no intention to ever leave and therefore automatic rejection. Even if you have millions in your bank accounts in UAE, it won't change how he sees that. And this is irrespective of the fact that as a student you are expected to apply for a residence permit upon arrival and may one day become a contributing member of society.

You are likely to face a similar attitude from more or less all the embassies of the EU countries that used to be under communism (meaning Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Czech, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Slovenia, Croatia and Bulgaria).

Therefore, you are better off looking to the West, preferably to an English speaking country (UK, Ireland, Canada, USA etc.) and if not English speaking then go to Germany (although Germany also problematic recently with student visas for Syrian students), Holland or Sweden etc.

If you have absolutely no other choice, then I personally would pick Poland over Latvia.

Polish language is more useful as others have already said, because more people speak it.

Poland is a bigger country with more opportunities and more international companies operating.
Although you might want to try to get into one of the bigger cities (Warsaw, Wroclaw or Krakow for example) instead of Gliwice both for social reasons and for potential career opportunities after graduation.

Regardless of what city in Poland you study in, you need to be prepared financially (meaning income from elsewhere or savings) to pay 100% of your cost of living and studying until you graduate. Assume that you will NOT be able to find meaningful paid work before you graduate.

I cannot comment about comparing laws regarding residence and naturalization of foreigners in the two countries. You need to research this by yourself. I know that Polish laws today are somewhat clear on this and specify several clear paths towards permanent residence and naturalization of foreigners that have resided in Poland for a certain length of time, but I have no idea how it looks like in Latvia.

News / President-Elect of Poland, Duda, rescues Eucharist [45]


It is not unique to any particular faith.

News / President-Elect of Poland, Duda, rescues Eucharist [45]

polska.newsweek.pl/andrzej-duda-rychwald-matka-boska-newsweek-pl,artykuly,367237,1.html

Article in Polish, stating that Duda said something that translates to roughly: "we as believers are better equipped to repair the republic".

This statement appears to undermine democratic principles by associating a citizen's performance with their religious beliefs, not to mention undermining Poland's constitution which guarantees equality to all citizens irrespective of faith.

Like many predicted, only a matter of time before his foot goes in his mouth. We shall look forward to more statements of the same quality from this gentleman.

Law / What is the procedure of immigrating to Poland as a spouse of a Polish citizen? Citizenship through marriage. [11]


Well then I suggest you go as far as permanent residence which gives you almost all the privileges of citizenship. Otherwise, you may have to renounce your American citizenship before you can acquire Polish citizenship.

Law / What is the procedure of immigrating to Poland as a spouse of a Polish citizen? Citizenship through marriage. [11]

It depends on whether you are a citizen of another EU country or not.

I assume you are not. Therefore you must travel with your wife to Poland, and then apply for a temporary residence permit. After living in Poland for 2 years on the basis of temporary residence permit, you may apply for a permanent residence permit. After living in Poland for 2 years on the basis of permanent residence permit, you may apply for recognition as a Polish citizen. You need to actually live in Poland for at least 4 years. This subject has been discussed in detail many times on this forum. Just do a search. Also, extensive online resources in English are available. Again, just google.

Food / Where to buy "yerba mate" in Poland? [20]


Kurczak. Better get my eyes checked. I go there all the time to buy tahini...

News / The wave of designer-drug poisoning (dopalacze) in Poland [48]


You can't have your cake and eat it too.

News / The wave of designer-drug poisoning (dopalacze) in Poland [48]

There are organizations that take care of that in Poland, just not FDA style.

I don't know if you know how the FDA works, but new (and sometimes badly needed) drugs take years longer to get approval in the US in comparison to Europe. That is exactly why the pharmaceutical industry is years ahead in Europe.

Work / IT job offer from Wroclaw - advice on flats needed and other questions about Poland [17]

Ops, I guess I am sleepy and missed the Wroclaw part.

You should do fine. Nothing to worry about. Just avoid pretentious people.

Work / IT job offer from Wroclaw - advice on flats needed and other questions about Poland [17]

In which city in Poland?

News / Have PO (Platforma) operatives in Poland fallen into a panic? [332]


Ehm Ehm. I use it mainly for electronic document transfer (fancy name for FAX, you may judge me in random) And yes pollsters call a LOT but I usually tell them to stuff themselves with hay or let the fax machine answer :)

Can you believe some of them are offering a free dinner if you agree to answer the entire survey?

News / The wave of designer-drug poisoning (dopalacze) in Poland [48]

Collective human experience shows that the higher the risk in providing a banned good or service, the more the benefits are for successful providers. Profitability is directly proportional to risk.

Poland doesn't even have 10% of the United States' ability to "Police". In fact no other country has larger or more capable security agencies. Therefore, the US's failure in the war on drugs should be a good lesson for others.

Matter of fact is, nobody is "God" and nobody has absolute power or intelligence to enforce a ban on ANYTHING successfully. The very best one can do is educate and control. If you can't ban it, tax it and regulate it.

Life / Why are Muslims seen as a deterrent to Poland? [564]


So do I (as well as towards organized religion in general). The decentralization you mentioned earlier is a very important aspect. If you have time, try to research Islamic philosophies and how they evolved. They are really vastly different from one another and many don't recognize or don't acknowledge the others.

Johnny, you are assuming the worst possible behavior. I think it is the duty of everyone involved to make sure that newcomers are correctly integrated in society and not cordoned off in closed ghettos.

News / The wave of designer-drug poisoning (dopalacze) in Poland [48]

@delph and for the drunk votes of course :)

Love / Visiting Polish Girlfriend at her family. How to greet her family members? [7]

@Ayoub87; do they speak English or another language that you can use to talk to them?

Be modest. Don't talk too much. Maintain eye contact with the person who is talking to you.

If you are not sure how to greet someone, offer a handshake and allow them to decide if that is enough or a kiss on the cheek is necessary. It will be either one kiss or three kisses (never two, never more than 3).

"Political correctness" can be lacking amongst older people here in Poland. If you hear questions or comments that sound offensive, rest assured they are NOT meant to be offensive.

If you don't eat pork or don't drink alcohol, then your girlfriend should make her family aware of this in advance to avoid a situation that can embarrassing for both parties.

If you are bringing a present (a bottle of olive oil for example) then you should present it to her mother.

Most people in Poland remove their shoes when they enter their homes. Ask your girlfriend how it is in her home and be prepared to remove your shoes if necessary.

During your first meeting with her parents, do not hold her hand or physically express affection in front of them.

Life / Why are Muslims seen as a deterrent to Poland? [564]

I am sure that those that have lived in Saudi Arabia would say there is more to the country than that. While I agree it can be socially (and literally) dry for expats, some have come back with long lasting friendships (typically with other expats they met there) and many have come back with enough savings to do something with their lives :)