Varsovian
23 Feb 2012
News / EU Predicts Poland's Economy Will Expand at Bloc's Fastest Pace This Year [37]
Well that's nice to know.
Well that's nice to know.
Varsovian
16 Feb 2012
Life / Is Poland a poor country? [578]
Slavia - running a farm can be a very ambitious thing indeed, involving lots of high level thinking, financial ability and physical skill. I presume you eat - so you should be thankful for farmers! My point is that people can get left behind and forgotten, and can suffer poverty away from any publicity, or in your case, sympathy. Change has always happened, and it's always tough - but you shouldn't be heartless.
Slavia - running a farm can be a very ambitious thing indeed, involving lots of high level thinking, financial ability and physical skill. I presume you eat - so you should be thankful for farmers! My point is that people can get left behind and forgotten, and can suffer poverty away from any publicity, or in your case, sympathy. Change has always happened, and it's always tough - but you shouldn't be heartless.
Varsovian
16 Feb 2012
Life / Is Poland a poor country? [578]
The villages are experiencing depopulation, which means some old people especially simply get left behind and can't manage the farm. In some areas (like my wife's home village for example) you get vulnerable people without electricity. Benefits aren't great and if you can't work the farm through mental or physical infirmity - or alcohol abuse - it's really tough. Girls don't want to marry farmers, so sex also acts as a motivator - and when the young men don't stay round to run the place it quickly deteriorates - roofs fall in on the barn for example. That's poverty. Not the sort of poverty you see in Croydon, S. London, which is a poverty of expectations.
The villages are experiencing depopulation, which means some old people especially simply get left behind and can't manage the farm. In some areas (like my wife's home village for example) you get vulnerable people without electricity. Benefits aren't great and if you can't work the farm through mental or physical infirmity - or alcohol abuse - it's really tough. Girls don't want to marry farmers, so sex also acts as a motivator - and when the young men don't stay round to run the place it quickly deteriorates - roofs fall in on the barn for example. That's poverty. Not the sort of poverty you see in Croydon, S. London, which is a poverty of expectations.
Varsovian
16 Feb 2012
Varsovian
21 Dec 2011
Study / Looking to study at Warsaw university of technology - should i apply as a Polish or American citizen? [20]
Sorry - "your"
I shouldn't write so fast ...
Sorry - "your"
I shouldn't write so fast ...
Varsovian
20 Dec 2011
Law / Poland - some visa queries; admission cancellation (been studying in a Warsaw university) and school change [5]
If the official told you that, you just have to trust him. I find them helpful people, on the whole.
If the official told you that, you just have to trust him. I find them helpful people, on the whole.
Varsovian
20 Dec 2011
Study / Looking to study at Warsaw university of technology - should i apply as a Polish or American citizen? [20]
I would like to warn you that the dropout rate is really high - the students in some faculties find it especially tough. Add to that the fact that you have not been through the Polish school system, so you're Polish probably isn't what it should be. Have you thought of studying in Holland? Just an idea. They have good places, fairly cheap and you could study in English.
I would like to warn you that the dropout rate is really high - the students in some faculties find it especially tough. Add to that the fact that you have not been through the Polish school system, so you're Polish probably isn't what it should be. Have you thought of studying in Holland? Just an idea. They have good places, fairly cheap and you could study in English.
Varsovian
15 Dec 2011
UK, Ireland / Polish is an official language in the UK? [68]
I knew the Gare du Midi very well - I used to live in les Marolles and I knew a lot of people who'd hit hard times. I don't see the same sort around Warsaw much, but there again I don't move in the same circles as I did in Belgium. In warsaw they tend to group around soup kitchens - there's one (or was until recently) on the south side of the Palace of Culture (almost called it the Palais de Justice!).
I knew the Gare du Midi very well - I used to live in les Marolles and I knew a lot of people who'd hit hard times. I don't see the same sort around Warsaw much, but there again I don't move in the same circles as I did in Belgium. In warsaw they tend to group around soup kitchens - there's one (or was until recently) on the south side of the Palace of Culture (almost called it the Palais de Justice!).
Varsovian
12 Dec 2011
Polonia / Looking for Poles in Brussels, Belgium. [19]
I hated the druggies - I tried to help one as best I could. He did himself a favour getting imprisoned - he was refused professional help so he smashed a shop window and distributed the goods to passers-by and waited for the police to come. I did have a great time - but was happy to leave my eclectic friends in the end.
I hated the druggies - I tried to help one as best I could. He did himself a favour getting imprisoned - he was refused professional help so he smashed a shop window and distributed the goods to passers-by and waited for the police to come. I did have a great time - but was happy to leave my eclectic friends in the end.
Varsovian
12 Dec 2011
Work / Greek Speaking Jobs in Poland [25]
And then there's people like me just outside Warsaw who are desperate to learn Greek and would buy you a season ticket for the train and a fistful of cash if you could make me speak Greek like your English. . !
And then there's people like me just outside Warsaw who are desperate to learn Greek and would buy you a season ticket for the train and a fistful of cash if you could make me speak Greek like your English. . !
Varsovian
12 Dec 2011
Polonia / Looking for Poles in Brussels, Belgium. [19]
I met loads of "foreigners" during my year in Brussels. Illegal Turks, illegal Kossovars (truly scary people! guns, drugs and prostitutes), illegal North Africans, illegal Africans and asylum seeking Armenians. My best mate had done time for rape, which led him to lose his contacts as a pimp. Another bloke I knew well did time for manslaughter. I asked him what it was like to kill someone, and he answered chillingly, "Depends who." I had a great time.
I met loads of "foreigners" during my year in Brussels. Illegal Turks, illegal Kossovars (truly scary people! guns, drugs and prostitutes), illegal North Africans, illegal Africans and asylum seeking Armenians. My best mate had done time for rape, which led him to lose his contacts as a pimp. Another bloke I knew well did time for manslaughter. I asked him what it was like to kill someone, and he answered chillingly, "Depends who." I had a great time.
Varsovian
12 Dec 2011
Travel / What to do in Warsaw at Christmas? [21]
Christmas is a sort of metaphor for life. The best friends to make are children. Literally "make". Life is fragile and precious, so you need to play the game with confidence. You're going to lose anyway, but best not go with a whimper. Get hitched and start procreating - stop ************ around! Then life becomes, simultaneously, more complicated and simpler.
Christmas is a sort of metaphor for life. The best friends to make are children. Literally "make". Life is fragile and precious, so you need to play the game with confidence. You're going to lose anyway, but best not go with a whimper. Get hitched and start procreating - stop ************ around! Then life becomes, simultaneously, more complicated and simpler.
Varsovian
9 Dec 2011
News / Y Shaped high speed rail line Poland [78]
Well, I'm happy Gazeta Wyborcza supported the govt on this decision. Poles don't need to travel far or fast. It's more than a touch ironic, though, cos Michnik was free to travel far and fast throughout Europe under Communism. And he got free consular accommodation as he was "one of us".
Well, I'm happy Gazeta Wyborcza supported the govt on this decision. Poles don't need to travel far or fast. It's more than a touch ironic, though, cos Michnik was free to travel far and fast throughout Europe under Communism. And he got free consular accommodation as he was "one of us".
Varsovian
9 Dec 2011
UK, Ireland / Do you think ED Miliband looks Polish? [21]
I personally know that Miliband acted to help a Polish constituent. In contrast I once contacted Bronisław Komorowski, "my" then poseł, for help on a local issue. His total and utter silence was enlightening in terms of how Polish democracy works. They have a list system, get elected and then completely forget their constituents. Miliband's family was a bunch of traitors, and half of them ended up in the KGB family of services (the other half stirring up revolution in the West), but as an MP he is zillions of times superior to our bumptious Polish President from the party of crooks.
I personally know that Miliband acted to help a Polish constituent. In contrast I once contacted Bronisław Komorowski, "my" then poseł, for help on a local issue. His total and utter silence was enlightening in terms of how Polish democracy works. They have a list system, get elected and then completely forget their constituents. Miliband's family was a bunch of traitors, and half of them ended up in the KGB family of services (the other half stirring up revolution in the West), but as an MP he is zillions of times superior to our bumptious Polish President from the party of crooks.
Varsovian
10 Nov 2011
Life / Academic competitions - Poland schools. It's open to abuse. [4]
The regional education authorities run competitions in various subjects for children in various age groups. The prizes can be worthwhile having - for example, free choice of high school (there's competitive entry based on internal school marks and an external exam at age 16).
Unfortunately, it's open to abuse. Often, the central figure behind the competition is a teacher of children who take part in the competition - and guess what? Those kids seem to do better!
I'm sorry, but for commonsense reasons I can't be more specific ... I have teenage kids!
The regional education authorities run competitions in various subjects for children in various age groups. The prizes can be worthwhile having - for example, free choice of high school (there's competitive entry based on internal school marks and an external exam at age 16).
Unfortunately, it's open to abuse. Often, the central figure behind the competition is a teacher of children who take part in the competition - and guess what? Those kids seem to do better!
I'm sorry, but for commonsense reasons I can't be more specific ... I have teenage kids!
Varsovian
24 Oct 2011
Genealogy / Powązki Cemetery, Warsaw Poland [11]
Thanks for trying.
Hmmm - no luck.
Probably because he was cremated and his remains placed in an urn. I'll just have to contact his widow (in England) again and see if she can be more precise than "in the airmen's section".
Thanks for trying.
Hmmm - no luck.
Probably because he was cremated and his remains placed in an urn. I'll just have to contact his widow (in England) again and see if she can be more precise than "in the airmen's section".
Varsovian
23 Oct 2011
Genealogy / Powązki Cemetery, Warsaw Poland [11]
I'm trying to find the grave of airman Stanisław Płachcinski. His body was repatriated from England on his death a few years ago.
Can anyone help?
I'm trying to find the grave of airman Stanisław Płachcinski. His body was repatriated from England on his death a few years ago.
Can anyone help?
Varsovian
8 Sep 2011
Law / Why is US $ getting so high or Polish zloty falling? [60]
Doesn't work that way.
The currency markets have gone mad as the major currencies are all racing to devalue. This affects the zloty, which is dependent to a great extent on the currency dealers' attitude to risk. For perspective, the Swiss economy isn't booming, but their currency is.
Doesn't work that way.
The currency markets have gone mad as the major currencies are all racing to devalue. This affects the zloty, which is dependent to a great extent on the currency dealers' attitude to risk. For perspective, the Swiss economy isn't booming, but their currency is.
Varsovian
5 Sep 2011
News / Polish publicly-funded pre-schools have put up their prices [7]
So, the cost for a typical 4 year-old is about PLN 400. [Private pre-schools (often poor quality) charge PLN 1000.]
What's worse is that to hide this large rise (last year you could count on about PLN 200), the government announced that parents have the right to 5 free hours a day at pre-school. Think about it for a moment - those 5 free hours are perfect if you need to go out and have your hair done and perhaps have a little coffee with a girlfriend. In reality, teachers are faced with a nightmare of bureaucracy as each kid has to be timed in and out - each hour is charged you see - and parents have to declare their requested hours of 'childcare' for the month ahead.
Aghhh!!
I could get really angry with the cretins who thought this one up ...
Nobody agrees with anything this government (or previous governments) is doing with education.
Under Communism, you paid for pre-school depending on your level of income. It was a much fairer system. Now you need to be well-off to be able to afford it and have connections to get into a publicly-funded pre-school.
So, the cost for a typical 4 year-old is about PLN 400. [Private pre-schools (often poor quality) charge PLN 1000.]
What's worse is that to hide this large rise (last year you could count on about PLN 200), the government announced that parents have the right to 5 free hours a day at pre-school. Think about it for a moment - those 5 free hours are perfect if you need to go out and have your hair done and perhaps have a little coffee with a girlfriend. In reality, teachers are faced with a nightmare of bureaucracy as each kid has to be timed in and out - each hour is charged you see - and parents have to declare their requested hours of 'childcare' for the month ahead.
Aghhh!!
I could get really angry with the cretins who thought this one up ...
Nobody agrees with anything this government (or previous governments) is doing with education.
Under Communism, you paid for pre-school depending on your level of income. It was a much fairer system. Now you need to be well-off to be able to afford it and have connections to get into a publicly-funded pre-school.
Varsovian
2 Sep 2011
Life / People living in Warsaw are rootless peasants! [41]
The problem is that denizens of Warsaw are so derogatory about so much of their peasant heritage, and yet there is nothing to sneer at. What's so bad about working the land and living in small communities? I'm sick of all the guff about "Polska A" and "Polska B" that comes from people whose roots are in "Polska B". I hear the sneering comments at work when we're in larger groups. Individually, people speak quite normally about country folk - then either go quiet or go all "Polska A" when the subject is brought up in the presence of others.
The problem is that denizens of Warsaw are so derogatory about so much of their peasant heritage, and yet there is nothing to sneer at. What's so bad about working the land and living in small communities? I'm sick of all the guff about "Polska A" and "Polska B" that comes from people whose roots are in "Polska B". I hear the sneering comments at work when we're in larger groups. Individually, people speak quite normally about country folk - then either go quiet or go all "Polska A" when the subject is brought up in the presence of others.
Varsovian
2 Sep 2011
Life / People living in Warsaw are rootless peasants! [41]
It's a commonly-held view of people living outside of Warsaw that Varsovians are peasants (in terms of culture) who pretend they are something better. Certainly, the city empties for Christmas and especially All Saints as all the peasants go home.
If posting an answer to this thread, please say whether you live in a big city - as you too might have a rootless peasant "compleks".
I come from a post-industrial town in northern England. No peasantry in my English background for time out of mind.
It's a commonly-held view of people living outside of Warsaw that Varsovians are peasants (in terms of culture) who pretend they are something better. Certainly, the city empties for Christmas and especially All Saints as all the peasants go home.
If posting an answer to this thread, please say whether you live in a big city - as you too might have a rootless peasant "compleks".
I come from a post-industrial town in northern England. No peasantry in my English background for time out of mind.
Varsovian
2 Sep 2011
UK, Ireland / Market Research in Leeds - Native Polish Speakers Needed - Earn £40 [4]
Polish Catholic centre in Leeds
0113-262 8019
Might be worth a try.
Polish Catholic centre in Leeds
0113-262 8019
Might be worth a try.
Varsovian
26 Aug 2011
Law / Foreign bank interest and Poland taxt office - ensure you declare gross interest accounts [3]
One silly non-English bank failed to inform me they had given me a special non-resident account (it's written clearly in Greek!) - the upshot being that I have lost some EUR 250 in interest, which I have to pay to the Polish tax office. Undeclared gross interest is reclaimed by the tax office at the rate of 90% of the interest received.
Oh yes, and the hassle involved ...
UK bank accounts: I chose to be taxed at source on my bank account interest (such as it is), but you still need a letter from the bank saying this is being done.
One silly non-English bank failed to inform me they had given me a special non-resident account (it's written clearly in Greek!) - the upshot being that I have lost some EUR 250 in interest, which I have to pay to the Polish tax office. Undeclared gross interest is reclaimed by the tax office at the rate of 90% of the interest received.
Oh yes, and the hassle involved ...
UK bank accounts: I chose to be taxed at source on my bank account interest (such as it is), but you still need a letter from the bank saying this is being done.
Varsovian
22 Aug 2011
Travel / Driving Time: Calais to Warsaw [7]
Calais - Antwerp - Venlo - Hannover
One other thing - the stretch of motorway from the Polish-German border seems to be at an advanced stage of completion, so hopefully it won't be too long to wait now.
Calais - Antwerp - Venlo - Hannover
One other thing - the stretch of motorway from the Polish-German border seems to be at an advanced stage of completion, so hopefully it won't be too long to wait now.
Varsovian
22 Aug 2011
Travel / Driving Time: Calais to Warsaw [7]
It took my wife and I 15 hours on our recent home run to England and back.
There were no hold-ups along the way, other than thanks to the combined incompetence of a generation of Polish governments :)
It's such a pain struggling along at 80kmh from the German border to the A2 motorway (starts at Nowy Tomyśł) and from Stryków to Warsaw.
It took my wife and I 15 hours on our recent home run to England and back.
There were no hold-ups along the way, other than thanks to the combined incompetence of a generation of Polish governments :)
It's such a pain struggling along at 80kmh from the German border to the A2 motorway (starts at Nowy Tomyśł) and from Stryków to Warsaw.
Varsovian
24 Jun 2011
UK, Ireland / Poles top the UK's EU crime figures [78]
Overall Polish crime figures started declining in 1999 - long before EU accession.
Overall Polish crime figures started declining in 1999 - long before EU accession.
Varsovian
14 Jun 2011
Varsovian
30 May 2011
Genealogy / Popular Polish Names during the 1920s through the 40s? [16]
People weren't interested in moving to the cities at that time - life was safer in the country and there was generally more food than in the towns.
People weren't interested in moving to the cities at that time - life was safer in the country and there was generally more food than in the towns.
Varsovian
27 May 2011
History / Climate, weather event and Polish history [23]
Uważam Rze just printed an article on the effect of climate change on Polish history. As I said, an underexplored area of history in Poland - my original point and real agenda before the thread got sidetracked onto climate change belief/denial etc.
Uważam Rze just printed an article on the effect of climate change on Polish history. As I said, an underexplored area of history in Poland - my original point and real agenda before the thread got sidetracked onto climate change belief/denial etc.
Varsovian
20 May 2011
Life / An idea about Polish Literature [32]
Why is it that every discussion about Polish literature has to be about dead people?
Why is it that every discussion about Polish literature has to be about dead people?