History / A view of Poland from far far away [14]

Gallo, your post is like a breath of fresh air on this forum. I am amazed with your knowledge of the polish literature, the medieval movies, HEMA...Very few westerners bother to take any interest in the 'other' half of the world (unless it is business). Most people still rely on the old, obscure propaganda information or whatever they learned from the stale dated, one sided history books.

There is still a lot to be done in the eastern/central european countries as they still struggle with the newly found freedom and free market economy, but nobody can take their rich history away from them. Ever.

Life / Pictures of Poles [Everyday Life in Poland] [100]

Beckski, how did you like Poland? Did I miss any daily journals that you posted? :)

USA, Canada / PolAms -- do you regard yourselves only as 'white Americans'? [187]


Lol. So nowadays it is racist to choose white even when the person is actually white?

"The US Census seems to divides Americans into white, black, Hispanic, orietnal, Pacific Islanders, native Americans and a few other, but lumps all the rest in the 'white American' categoo. There has been a movement in somw quarters of Polonia to have PolAms cross out that term and pen in 'Polish American'. How do you feel about that?"

Polonius3, yes, I know many people who did it. The polish radio was promoting it so 'they', I guess Americans - will know how many PolAms they have! The radio should be taken off the air for messing up with people's minds like that. Apparently the US does not care how many or they would ask. I can only imagine the census employees scraching their heads wondering what to do about that. Some perhaps were thinking, 'jeez, that's dumb...we did not ask for that'. Like somebody said above, 'they' only care to know how many Mex-latinos 'they' have at this time.. :)

Genealogy / Mixed-Blood Poles in America (Do we count?) [118]


Just curious. Why are you asking 'how accepting is the Polish-American community...'
You should know it first hand. Well, you tell us about it, tell us your experience as you live it.
Frankly, I don't quite believe the Jefferson Park/Englewood story but the topic is good.

It was a few years ago when I walked into a store on Michigan Ave in Chicago and the black sales person started to speak polish to me after he detected some accent. I was amazed how well he spoke polish and only with just a hint of foreign accent. At first he said that he studied it but later admitted that he was married to a polish woman for a decade or so.

How well do you speak polish 'Sklodowski" ? :)

Life / My own thoughts about life in Poland (have lived here for two years) [133]

I check into the difference the next time I need to renew, but most people I know don't bother to buy their phones. The pay as you go phones are promoted but not too many people use them yet. Mostly older people for all i know.

The phone I have now has a list price of over $200. I doubt if I bought it instead my monthly service would be let's say only $20-25 monthly but as i said I'll check on it.

My calls allover the states are included in the price and I use it plenty. I'd get ruined if I paid regular long distance prices, even with the cheap WDT at 3.9 cents a minute.

History / Was there sex in Poland during communist regime? [60]

What a funny thread.


Did she explain where the new generations of russkies came from then? Can't blame everything on storks and a cabbage patch!
If anything, people had a great sex life to forget the stinky politics. Even small apartments with three generations living in them could not stop the fun. Couples had 5-10 kids. I had lots of uncles and aunts... you know! And what now - one or two? The stress of protection, expenses, education..eeek :) Watching prn on the net replaced the joy of sex. How healthy is that?

Life / My own thoughts about life in Poland (have lived here for two years) [133]

Well, I don't know what the expense is for you monthly but i don't consider $40.00 or $50.00 monthly such a big deal..and would not call it 'expensive contract'.

Life / My own thoughts about life in Poland (have lived here for two years) [133]

You guys buy mobil phones? Doesn't the provider give you one when you sign up? Of course they don't give anything fancy, but with plenty of features anyway..as long as I get to make calls, text, access the web, 3G then why would i want to pay for the unit in the store? You can get a new unit every 2 years..I have a small collections of phones because I get a new one so the old one (nothing wrong with it) goes in the old shoe box. I know, I should give them to charity...some day. The only benefit I know of is that there is no contract (or one year only?) when you buy your own phone..

Law / Investors/Entrepreneurs.. Steer Clear of Poland. [77]


Most hiring managers will pay a fair market salary range because they want the employee to be happy as well - even in the picky times. A happy employee who enjoys their work will do a much better job than the employee who works just for money alone.

Sure, they can hire someone for less but depending on the type of business the quality still counts. We all know that you get what you paid for.

Law / Investors/Entrepreneurs.. Steer Clear of Poland. [77]


I wouldn't go that far with the description of young graduates in Poland, but if they accepted the job for the money offered they should do the job to the best of their abilities. Granted, it is not enough to live on but it provides extra money for the fancy clothes everybody wants as well as money to go out. The job is easy and you hopefully get to eat the food you prepare...

Lots of American students have restaurant jobs. The money made in a good, fine restaurant can even put you through a college. It worked for me!

Law / Investors/Entrepreneurs.. Steer Clear of Poland. [77]

I wonder if every restaurant in Poland have similar issues and how they deal with that. I noticed a lot of new restaurants in Poland on my last visit. It can't be that bad...

I have to agree with nauczyciel's statement about people not returning calls or not showing up for appointments. Many people bring this kind of behavior with them to USA but they get cured from it quickly.

Love / Polish girls hard in relationships [156]


you're right, unfortunately. I wish more women would stop to give a damn whatever he did or did not do and move on.

UK, Ireland / Why English do not like Polish? [417]

I started to hate the english after joining PF :)
Nah, not really, don't quote me on that. I just think the thread is ridicules. As usual - complements of the primitive thinking trolls.

Travel / Can I use an unlocked US mobile in Poland? [5]

AT&T and T-Mobil have gsm phones. I was with T-Mobil on my last visit to Europe and the phone worked beautifully.

Life / Things we enjoyed as kids in Poland [140]

Oh, wow! Thanks NorthMancP. Tytus, Romek i A'tomek - very funny comics series.
I loved landrynki (hard candy). Every store had a big jar of them on the counter...then they disappeared just like everything also.

History / Pewex and Balaton - do you rememer these Poland shops? [13]


Yes, me too. They were like 8 or 10 dollars, but at that time, right after I finished high school, my salary was about 2000 zloty which was only $20 USA. Meaning, my jeans cost me a half of my monthly salary! :)... but I HAD to have them!

The small Pewex was inside of a hotel - right across from the train station in Kielce.
It smelled beautiful inside and the bath soaps felt like heaven.

Food / I thought Polish beer couldn't compete, but I was wrong [20]

I like Żywiec no matter what anybody also says. Speaking of Zimny Lech sign on Wawel it was (is?) a pretty clever marketing move but a cruel one at the same time. I'm sure it makes some people smile and some very angry. Well, commercials are about stirring emotions and it was accomplished.

I don't think I've ever had Lech but now I'm going to buy it. :)

Heve fun in Poland Beckski!

Food / Polish Eating Habits [87]


Sadly, it might be so. I just hope they will not get as fat and disproportional as here. My family members still keep in shape, a couple of them only slightly plump but far from obese. As long as people keep active the food should not be a problem. Poles still tend to do a lot of home cooking and it beats the ready made so called fat free stuff. I think the fat free food is such a scam, it makes people eat more. It is the little bit of fat in diet that keeps your palate satisfied longer.

News / New cross war in Warsaw [530]

This cross and all other crosses should be where they belong - the church.
Down with the cross! Enough of this nonsense and the mohairs should stop the show. Really. It is embarrassing.

I'm surprised it can not be settled by the elected officials - with the help of the police if necessary.

Life / What is the reason for POLISH jokes ? [486]

If you can't beat them, join them mentality? :)

News / Poland needs four children per family for sustain survivor and development [46]


Don't we have Southern on the loose? That should fix it.

Anyway, it is not only polish problem. White married couples have less and less children. Many do not have children at all, I didn't. I know at least three couples in their W's who don't plan on having any, making their parents unhappy, no grandkids...not to mention people marrying later in life and not able to have children, some chose adoption.

There is an explosion of young singles who can't find a partner (my two nieces in their 30's come to mind).

Language / Word order and swearing in Polish [44]


You got it right, that's exactly what it means. You just can't get rid of the person easily...yada-yada about the same thing over and over again.

Tight-ass is stingy, cheap, not willing to spend any money - even though he/she can afford it.

Life / What is the reason for POLISH jokes ? [486]


Only if by recent you mean the people arriving from Galicia in 1800/19oo century ..the emigration of the 70's and 80's were the educated ones. Unfortunately, some still went for the menial jobs to make a dollar and survive... ask your parents.

Travel / Poland-My 9-day experience [239]

Jeez.. this AussieSheila got so many people excited and she never came back to comment on anything. Purely, a trollish post to spark a conversation and many took the bait. lol.

Yeah, there were some valid points, but mostly trash.
When i arrived in the USA I thought it was ugly and dirty - and that was Chicago!
When i rode on the L from Oak Park to downtown, I thought I'm riding through the ugliest part of the world... Well, 30 years later when i ride from Rosemont to downtown, i still think some of the parts are ugly, abandoned..and I'm wondering, do people live there?

The part that I love most is the train in the middle of the Kennedy expressway, so picturesqe...moving in the middle of bumper to bumper traffic. Sweet.

Love / 'Battered husbands' - still a taboo subject in Poland [387]

Battered husbands..yeah, I know one. He is my brother-in-law. My sister is such a nasty b&tch...lol. But he is a 'dupa' not a man. His problem.

USA, Canada / Polish Citizen, US legal resident, but no Polish Passport... [67]

dear pgtx, I did not know what PESEL was or if it existed until last fall. As I said, all I had was my old passport and some short passport renewal form. If it asked me for a number, I would not put it there because I did not know the number. They figured it out...Geez, I'm glad that you weren't the clerk who accepted my application! lol.

USA, Canada / Polish Citizen, US legal resident, but no Polish Passport... [67]



I most certainly did not fill out any PESEL form.
Delphia's answer makes sense. It would explain that my first, old passport had it assigned already without me even knowing it. So, asia_august's passport has to have it too and the clerks in the consulate in Wash DC should know what to do. I'm glad the consulate in Chicago knew.. :)

USA, Canada / Polish Citizen, US legal resident, but no Polish Passport... [67]

I got my passport even before the solidarity movement and I got my EU passport last year with a PESEL number in it! I have no idea how it was done, but I gave them the old passport, filled out a short form, pictures, paid some fees and Voilà! Got my new passport two month later. Take your old passport to the Polish consulate and let them worry about the PESEL.

News / Poland - the least liked German neighbour. [210]


Exactly, some Poles still do the same living in the USA. The only difference - now they have two countries to either praise or blame. lol.


Yep, some are very hard to have a discussion with. I lost a couple of polish friends because I could not take it. The friendship was to toxic. Luckily, there are the minority but they spoil it for the rest. People tend to remember the negative impressions much longer.

News / Poland - the least liked German neighbour. [210]


Yes, that's the kind of respond which does not help in any situation. Imagine a wife screaming in anger at the husband 'I hate you!' and he would respond ' I hate you even more!" How long would they last together? It would be very damaging to the relationship. But if the husband said "why do you hate me? Can we talk about it?' maybe there would be a chance for them.


Sorry about the disaster, so many young people... Apparently, even smart Germans can make a mistake like that. Life is a constant lesson and you can never think that you know everything.