Life / You are Polish if... [433]

If you can't name a country or city without saying "the" in from it.

"I am from the Warsaw"

What do you say for Holland? The The Netherlands?

UK, Ireland / Bank transfer from Poland to UK - do I need only IBAN number or SWIFT one as well? [8]

Account number
Full name and address of recipient
Swift Code

All I have ever needed however who knows with the way things are done in Polish banks.

Best to take all you can get info wise and then you won't be missing something when you go fill out the form.

UK, Ireland / Bank transfer from Poland to UK - do I need only IBAN number or SWIFT one as well? [8]

The Polish bank should be able to get it but if they WILL is another story. They don't like to go out of their way to help.

Try here:

bankers-telenet.com/?gclid=CKqT2v6M9p8CFQsMDQodsCWwYA

Life / Do expats living in Poland speak Polish? [233]

I know loads of American and Brit expats from Warsaw. Maybe 40 or 50? Of all of those ONE speaks fluent Polish. And most of them have been in the city for 5 or more years and are married to locals. You just don't need to speak Polish and that takes away the motivation. Couple that with the ridiculous grammar and structure (like everything Polish it is WAY harder than it needs to be) and we usually don't bother. I get by with shopping and normal life but I don't care to bother beyond that.

Life / Do expats living in Poland speak Polish? [233]

Question away....everyone he speaks to says so and that's good enough for me. Took him 5 years of serious study.

Most of the others have been there nearly 10 years and can barely manage the shopping terminology ;) We just don't care.

Travel / Credit / Debit Cards to use in Poland [37]

Yep Bank Millennium will take your money as long as you have a passport.

millenet.pl

They are the only ones I found who would do it without Polish papers. They are probably making a killing off of expats.

Travel / Credit / Debit Cards to use in Poland [37]

They are making a killing off of fees and the investment interest they make off of your money. Banks love every zl you give them as that's more interest they earn.

Travel / Credit / Debit Cards to use in Poland [37]

Well I guess you have it all figured out then. I guess this IS a Polish forum so what would it be if people didn't want to argue about everything. After all complaining/arguing is the national sport.

Travel / Credit / Debit Cards to use in Poland [37]

When you get that accomplished report back. We are on the edge of our seats.

Travel / Credit / Debit Cards to use in Poland [37]

I would say you were much too hard on yourself with the first one but a little too complimentary with the second.

Life / Why do you choose to stay in Poland, why not other country? [152]


These two leave me wondering if people say this as a joke or they have not actually been in Poland.

Sure there are some nice people but overall people are rude, dour and suspicious.

The food? Are you kidding? There is no variety at all and everything is based on survival foods from the poor times like cabbage and flour dough stuff. Vegeta is used to add flavor to everything because nothing has it naturally and the bread is the worst in the world. Even slums in India make better bread.

Travel / Credit / Debit Cards to use in Poland [37]

mBank and WBK have refused people that I know of. Thus far Bank Millenium is the only one I know that will. I personally tried several including citibank, ING and BPH back when I was first looking for an account and didn't have a karta pobytu and they all refused.

However knowing how things are done in Poland you might get a different answer if you step to the next window and ask again.

I have not done anything but pay bills and use the bankomat with Millenium but I haven't had any trouble. I don't know how they are when it comes to loans or anything more complicated.

News / What the Polish government do to bring back home Polish immigrants? [116]

Torq I have noticed that Polish or those with Polish blood who live abroad are normally the ones who are going on the most on about "Polish pride". It must be some sort of compensation or homesickness.

Genealogy / If your ancestors were in the "Wehrmacht"... [217]

It's funny how there were tons of collaborators yet nobody has a relative who was one. Everyone's relatives were HEROES. It's probably like most things the ones who go on the most about patriotism are the ones who's family sold others out. I bet you come from a long line of self preservationists Hitman.

News / What the Polish government do to bring back home Polish immigrants? [116]

Orzel expat Poles can't teach the locals anything about what is really going on because they are not living it. I am pretty sure a full time Pole has a much better understanding about life there than you do.

I love these threads about someone being so pumped to go back to Poland because life in the US or Canada or whatever sucks. You never hear from them again. You know why? Because if they do go they quickly realize it's not the paradise they imagined. Bluster and drinking songs can only take you so far before the reality of a lower first world/second world lifestyle sets in and you realize how good you had it before.

And Seanus...there are over a million documented Poles in Chicago alone. Double (or more) that to account for all the illegals and that's 2 million in just ONE US city. You probably have millions more in Candada and other US Polish hubs like New York. I don't see it as a stretch to reach your numbers.

Life / Why do you choose to stay in Poland, why not other country? [152]


HAHAHAHA....can you say with a straight face you never see a Polish guy crying about something? That's what they do half of their waking hours!

Genealogy / If your ancestors were in the "Wehrmacht"... [217]

Those that really did such things don't brag about it. It's clear you and yours had nothing to do with the heroic acts you wish were true.

Life / Why do you choose to stay in Poland, why not other country? [152]


That's the Polish way not mine. I think Polish food is bland and predictable as a whole. They still cook and eat as if all that is available is cheap war era food. If you CAN find a decent place to buy the things the rest of the developed world can the prices are 4X as high. Swiat Kuchnia should be embarrassed to even put the price stickers on.

Genealogy / If your ancestors were in the "Wehrmacht"... [217]

Can you get rid of the poetic literary stuff? Poles love to try to talk that way and it usually just makes their point get lost. I am not sure exactly what you are saying.

USA, Canada / Do many Polish people in America hate Americans? [592]

I did get tired of hearing from Poles how poor education is in the US. I went off on them regularly for this. Europeans in general really want to feel they are smarter than us Yanks and cite some stupid TV piece they saw or something they read online. I can find just as many stupid people in Poland.

Not to mention Poles all saying they have Master's degrees when in reality they do not by our standards. But that doesn't stop them from claiming it. We also have to actually TAKE our exams and not carry in cheat sheets.

Life / Why do you choose to stay in Poland, why not other country? [152]

mira

Fresh fruits and vegetables being number one (In Poland they are half rotten and the shops leave them out to sell). Not to mention the variety is horrible. I guess if all you want Apples, Bananas and grapes with seeds in them you are set. Of course you can buy some berries occasionally for really high prices for a tiny container.

Also any food that is not local to Poland is stupidly marked up....Mexican, French, whatever...they are in special sections with exorbitant prices. Lot's of cheeses that are considered normal everywhere else are marked up "luxury" items in Poland. If you love cheap, white plastic tasting cheese like the Polish version of gouda you are good to go however.

Pretty much everything is substandard there when it comes to food in my experience. But then I don't like white doughy crap, cabbage and pork with everything.

USA, Canada / Do many Polish people in America hate Americans? [592]


See I hear this from Euros all the time but I have seen plenty of people who know where Austria is. I think you like to perpetuate this to feel superior. You keep repeating the same urban myths as fact.

I know you will hate to hear it but we are just as well versed in geography as you are. I don't use Leno and random online 'tests' as my data however.

USA, Canada / Do many Polish people in America hate Americans? [592]


Nonsense. More attempts to feel superior eh?

Genealogy / If your ancestors were in the "Wehrmacht"... [217]


Polish "facts" are often exaggerations. It's another one of those things you need to work on.

Genealogy / If your ancestors were in the "Wehrmacht"... [217]


You project a lot. Look that up.

USA, Canada / Do many Polish people in America hate Americans? [592]

She liked you because she had a romanticized idea of Europeans like people tend to do when they don't know realities. Then they see past the accent and realize they don't have much in common with you. That and they can't get over the weird extra bit of skin you guys have down there ;)

Life / Why do you choose to stay in Poland, why not other country? [152]


I did :) But thanks for your belated recommendation. You can have all the bland overpriced stuff to your lonesome ;)

Life / Why do you choose to stay in Poland, why not other country? [152]


Just wait. They start out great and a slow and subtle change occurs. You will see it for yourself.

God forbid they hit 25 and aren't married. Between their family, friends and TV pressuring them your life will change.

Life / Why do you choose to stay in Poland, why not other country? [152]


So you are Polish but live abroad? Would make more sense as they are the ones who moan the most about all things Poland. If you are not connected at all you must just like to argue about food.

Life / Why do you choose to stay in Poland, why not other country? [152]


I can't eat in Polish restaurants of any brand as they push the tables so close together you can't move the chair to get up and have to deal with your neighbors elbowing you all the time. Couple that with the crappy service and it's not fun at all to go eat out.