Love / Dating in Poland not able to speak Polish [24]

I think you are being very harsh on some people. I sense that you are referring to speaking language well, which not many people do (even their mother tongue). What I'm talking about is being able to communicate, make oneself understood. You don't need sophisticated wording and perfect grammar for this. The way I deferentiate this from speaking phrases is that you can make sense if you hear words in different context, and you are able to express yourself beyond the wording context used in language books and cd's, still using limited vocabulary. And yes, I also think it's unfair that people don't make that effort to learn even few words of a local language, but to me it's more to do with respect of your hosts than effective communication.

Love / Dating in Poland not able to speak Polish [24]

I agree, but I wouldn't expect someone to learn language of a country they are visiting on holiday. Speaking phrases and speaking language are two completely different things.

Love / Dating in Poland not able to speak Polish [24]

If you are in Warsaw or any other big town, young girls are likely to speak some English. The level of conversation should show if it's only basic or good English. Some people have flair for making themselves understood without too much of a language in common. It all depends how much effort you and the girl are willing to put into it.

Life / A new Poland's war - the poor vs the rich [81]

If you redistribute everything, there will be nothing to manage. Or if it still happens to exist, new owners will appoint new management. So the new management structure will have to be created. All people would have same chance, but chances are they will create exactly same structure again. Yoes, you right, that's how it works everywhere, and no revolution will change it.

Law / How the hell this Poland's ZUS is calculated? [5]

Milky - this is only one of the options (your value is overestimated anyway, but close enough). This is for people who act as a company.

You can use below and choose various options to calculate nett salary.

Poland salary calculator: gazetapraca.pl/gazetapraca/0,91738.html

Work / Salary and cost of living information - Krakow [257]

Part of that is tax deductible. There are salary calculators available on some Polish websites, I'll find one and send link tomorrow.

Life / A new Poland's war - the poor vs the rich [81]

It is :) some people just forgett what's in human nature.

Life / A new Poland's war - the poor vs the rich [81]

To PlasticPole: wealth redestribution... That's what some people call robbery, car-jackings and hi-jackings in South Aftica. Come here and see if you like it.

Work / Salary and cost of living information - Krakow [257]

Not as much as this. I used to earn this a while ago and was taking home 1500, so at this earning level it's about 25 % . Half of ZUS is covered by company, and there is also small tax free amount, but this is way too little to live normal life in Krakow. Even 2000 nett is too little.

News / Don't go to Poland ... because you could end up coming back in a coffin [313]


Oh, really... I wonder why my English Liverpool fan hubby didn't want to speak about it loud when we happened to walk past Chelsea stadium in London last year just before one of Chelsea matches... Us ladies thought it was such a nice subject to discuss there and then...Was he being overcautious?

News / Polish baby boom, but not in Poland [40]


That's a bit extreme - what about people who happened to be born outside Britain but have the citizenship? Would you exclude them?

Travel / What do you think about hitchhikers in Poland? [33]


I'm sure you can find people like that, bust most hitchhikers I met were students, trying to save a buck where they could. They are generally tidy pleasant people. I think you were unlucky.

News / Polish baby boom, but not in Poland [40]


They don't need to. Inland Revenue will have most updated information - as all Poles would either work or claim some sort of benefits (hoping that the first is more prevalent...). There would be some grey area, but this would be short term workers who can't be bothered to sort out their paperwork, I wouldn't think it's a big number.

Travel / Wroclaw Euro 2012 - how much zloty I should be taking with me? [16]

euromadness
Take your credit/debit card and maybe 500-1000 zl in cash, you will be able to use plastic in most places, rates are not that much different. Remember, there is no black market for currency in Poland so if anyone offers you deal that's too good to be true, it probably is...

Love / Polish girls hard in relationships [156]

Why are you here Wizard? Surely with Poles being so stupid and ignorant you can find a better forum?

Real Estate / Poland's apartment prices continue to fall [1844]

No, Pip, you are not stupid. Some other people here have daft ideas. Good luck with your investment, but be careful, this is not easy market.

Real Estate / Poland's apartment prices continue to fall [1844]

Sure... And there is always plenty of those 'constructed' appartments... This argument is really a sign of deep thinking. I'm also not going to respond to you anymore. As we say sometimes... Z koniem nie bede sie kopac.

Real Estate / Poland's apartment prices continue to fall [1844]

He implied it. If you hate something and think it is bad, it does not exist in your ideal world. He is very passionate about his ideas and I thought he thought them through, so I was just wondering what solution he proposes.

Real Estate / Poland's apartment prices continue to fall [1844]

Ok, Foreigner4, tell me- in your ideal world with no landlords - where do you accommodate people who can't afford or don't want to buy a property? Should they live in tents and trailers?

Or, since you are saying that renting is ok (as long as you are not exploiting anyone, which is pretty much what I wrote), why are you assuming that Pip is going to exploit anyone? If she offers market conditions for market price there is no exploitation. Not everyone has to live in location where property is scarce.

Real Estate / Poland's apartment prices continue to fall [1844]

Foreigner4, I disagree with your statement about how drinking does not promote alcoholism and that you are not benefiting from what stores chose to do. The fact is that we all benefit from this because to certain degree that's how prices on market become competitive (supply excesses demand). But there are also theories stating otherwise. The bottom line is that property market is same as any other, and unless Pip would be charging excessive amounts, there is nothing wrong with buying apartment to rent. Honestly - I wouldn't do that. To much risk and you can make better money elswhere. If anything I would buy apartment in tourist area and rent it to tourist. The reality of property market is that you should be able to make more than on bank investment, and in Poland you are on a borderline of such investment being profitable.

Real Estate / Poland's apartment prices continue to fall [1844]

Foreigner4, I suppose you are one of the people that don't drink, don't smoke, eat only what you catch and what grows in your garden? If you are, far enough, you can preach how you live. But if you are not, bear in mind that through drinking you promote development of drinking industry, therefore alcoholism, if you buy your meat in shop you promote abuse of animals (ever been to farm where animals are bred for meat?) You also contribute to huge waste of food (as supermarkets and food chains prefer to chuck away food rather than give it out for free - and goverment does not make it easies anyway as such hand outs would generate tax). So how is renting apartment to someone worse than all the above?

Love / Mixed Race Relationships (Polish guy married a Filipino/Spanish) [13]

Yes Charity, and alcohol related deaths are surely something passed on with gene pool. Smoke much?

Love / Can Polish men date with Chinese women? [23]

Polish men are attracted to Asians, believe it or not, but he might think that you would never date him! Try to let him know discreetly that you are interested and see what happens.

USA, Canada / Cost of living: New York and St. Peters [10]

Thanks Meathead - you are a mine of information :)

USA, Canada / Cost of living: New York and St. Peters [10]


It's St Peters in Missouri... I think if it was Florida choice would be easier :)
I don't think I will make choice just yet, still waiting for permanent residency in South Africa (need a back up plan if it doesn't work out...) and this could take a while...

In the end I might not have a choice, I might get offer in either of the places... But I can also start "conditioning" my bosses toward what my preference is.


How much should I make in NY to take me as far as 85k in St Peters? I found conflicting info on websites, one saying NY is 28% more expensive, the other one saying 60%... Quite a big range...

USA, Canada / Cost of living: New York and St. Peters [10]

The way my company calculates salary in new place has nothing to do with market (unfortunately). They take current net and ad something on top of this (not much). So basically they should offer around 75-80 after taxes to match my current salary. So realistically I can expect from them around 85-90 net, with pension and medical aid fully paid. Not sure about kids schooling. But then there are costs of living differences, where calculation is done on some strange basket, which does not always represent true expenses, so you either get something or not. And of course my husband will need to find work (here in SA we both have decent salaries, may not be the case in USA). So to sumarise, I see there is a bit of a gap betewen what I expect them to offer and average market salary of manager. This means I can bargain a little. I can also see that propertywise, St Peters is cheaper, but what about jobs there? Will my husband find something in small town? New York seems safer in terms of jobs, but property prices are extraorbitant. So I guess we will have some thinking to do, as living on one salary we will definitely be worse off than in SA...

USA, Canada / Cost of living: New York and St. Peters [10]

That's exactly what I need. Thanks Meathead!

USA, Canada / Living in Poland - prospects for Alabama guy ... need some advice! [146]


Haha - looks like you won't be coming to South Africa then:) I must admit - I also miss being able to walk around so I understand her completely... What about San Francisco, LA, New York? Surely she would like that?

Looking at Colorado...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorado_Springs,_Colorado
does not look bad at all...

USA, Canada / Living in Poland - prospects for Alabama guy ... need some advice! [146]

Jason - what is your line of work? The things to consider is what job prospects she has in USA and what prospects you have in Poland. There a a lot of international companies in Poland that might employ you if you are highly skilled and educated (and believe me, the DON'T pay peanuts...!).

But looks to me that your wife has not tried to find work in her area of expertise either. So I think before you two make final decision, you must both look around at prospects in both countries and then decide.

Your wife seems like an ambitious, successful woman - not the house-wifey type. She is surely not going to enjoy mum's meetings and discussing baby poos (no mater how she enjoys her motherhood). I think she misses her old life (or part of it), not necessarily Poland. She also must realise that it might be difficult to find job and fit back in her "old shoes".

Whatever you guys decide - GOOD LUCK!


Good - but please, do not move in with them. I actually believe SisterAct story - maybe a bit colorized, but as far as Polish mothers-in-law go, not far from the true...