News / 'Bored' Poles build 31ft tall Frosty [16]

They wan't to give that snowman on auction during Wielka Orkiestra Świątecznej Pomocy. Would be fuuny to buy it and give it a name. Something like "Bałwan imienia Jana Kowalskiego", meaning "Jan Kowalski's snowman" :D

Love / Talking to a Polish man on "ty" terms [13]

You can switch from Pani Doroto to Doroto only when she will allow you to do that. She will say then that "it's ok, you can say to me Dorota".

When you start conversation with a stranger, you always have to say to him/her Pan or Pani.
When you are introduced to someone, normally you can skip Pan or Pani and say only name. But again, if you are introduced to someone older than you, you need to have permission from that person to call him/her using only name. Otherwise you woul be consiedered as rude person.

Poles are not very strict with those rules when it comes to foreigners. Even if you would make a faux paux when speaking to them, they wouldn't mind and will always remember that you probably don't know this rules.

News / Sex is patriotic: Poland's birth rate rises [34]

It seems that we are even more patriotic in Great Britain:
dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1366063/Polish-population-growing-faster- UK-Poland.html

Love / Talking to a Polish man on "ty" terms [13]

There is a gradation: First and the most official would be only Pani, then Pani Doroto and the last one would be Doroto. You would say Pani Doroto when for example you know her for some time, you are on friendly relations, but she didn't ask you to say only her name. That relation is especially used between neighbours, shop assistants (if you purchase in small, "corner" shops) etc. Pan/Pani is used when you speak to complete stranger or to someone who you know only formally or officialy e.g. civil servant, doctor.

News / Iwona Wieczorek - one year since her disappearance [8]

Although it might be wishfull thinking, I hope that Iwona will be found safe and sound.
Her disaperance shocked me and my family. We all remember about her and pray for her.

As for


I would say that Rutkowski was only honest about his work. Even if he wouldn't admitt that he work on that case because of the publicity, everyone would know that anyway. Keep your fals modesty for yourself.

Study / Information Needed: Skarbek University, Warsaw. [57]

When it comes to MBA, the best university in Poland is Szkoła Główna Handlowa in Warsaw. It is the biggest and oldest public university of economics and managment in Poland. Every employer here thinks very highly of this school. Leszek Balcerowicz is SGH graduate. If I was in your place I would definetly choose SGH.

Language / móc or umieć [17]

You use nie umiem only in situations where something can't be done solely because of your lack of skills.
Nie mogę can be use when:
-something cant be done because of you
-can't be done because of some objective reasons, independent, unrelated to you.

Law / Question About: PKO Mieszkaniowa Ksiazeczka Oszczednosciowa [4]

There are two options:
First - you can withdraw money from your PKO MKO. It is less profitable, because bank would give you less money comparing to the second option.

Second:) You have to buy an apartment, then you go with deed executed by a notary to bank and bank would transfer money from PKO MKO to account of the apartments owner. Bank have 90 days (I think) to do that.

You have to remember that you also have 90 days to inform bank that you purchased an apartment (house...).
The best idea would be to contact with bank and make sure about procedure.

Law / Question About: PKO Mieszkaniowa Ksiazeczka Oszczednosciowa [4]

I don't know if that woul be possible. This is PKO infoline number: (+48)81 535 65 65
Hope that would help.

Study / Is doing study courses by correspondence popular among Polish people? [5]

Not popular at all. Almost every employer here recognise only qualifications acquired through university (but only normal courses, not correspondence).

Po polsku / Jak wymawiać literę ,,r''? [14]

This guy should be helpful:
youtube.com/watch?v=cPIpTERosZY

Genealogy / Writing to the council (tracing for father's step sister) [14]

In the beginning instead of Dear Sir/Madam you shoul write the name of institution i.e. Urząd Miasta Krakowa and adress.

Zwracam się z prośbą o przekazanie moich danych osobowych przyrodniej siostrze mojego ojca, (here you should write her name and date of birth). Do wniosku załączam dowód uiszczenia opłaty. Z góry dziękuję.

Genealogy / Writing to the council (tracing for father's step sister) [14]

Yes "Than you in advance". It is considered more formal than simply Dziękuję. It seems that in english it's the opposite.

Travel / Trip from Boston, USA to Poland - cost of stay / places to visit? [14]

You should think about buying złote now, because our currency is getting stronger. It is going to be strong in 2012 (at least experts say that)

Study / Go on ERASMUS in Warsawa or Krakow? [6]

Both cities are equaly attractive. Prices would be probably comparable (these are big cities so prices would be higher than in other places in Poland), most students would speak english and you wouldn't have problems with making friends. Nightlife in both cities is very energetic. Main difference is that Cracow have more historical sites (going back to middle ages). Anyway each city is very interesting and you just can't choose wrong:)

Law / Poland driving licence, non EU, non resident (Poland) [20]

It is definitely cheaper, but not so easy (at least for me it wasn't easy) ;)

Food / Looking for Recipe/Info on Cake with Preserves/Jam [3]

Here you have video - how to prepare such cake.
youtube.com/watch?v=GCFFuZf2hx0
You will find ingredients on
Gotuj.Skutecznie.Tv

History / "Young Poles movement" in the 18th century? [4]


I don't think that there was Young Poland then. But in XIX and XX c. there were quite a few "Young Polands". There was "Young Poland" in literature, music, culture etc. in the end of XIXc. and begining of XX c. There was also political organisation "Young Poland" (Młoda Polska) established by emigrants (Poles) in Switzerland in 1834. This organisation was part of Mazzini's "Young Europe". The leader of that organisation was Karol Stolzman, partisan war theoretician. "Young Poles" took part in preparation to european revolution (future Europe Spring in 1846-8).

News / Boom for food exports from Poland [17]

No problem here. I can say with some confidence :) that it is difficult to mistake żubr with cow.
Problems may occur when:
-you have realy bad eyesight
-had too much Polish food e.g. some traditional Polish drinks
-both of the above
My ideas end here.
:D

News / Boom for food exports from Poland [17]


and will end up in jail (up to 5 years imprisonment) and will have to pay at least half million złotych.
Don't fret, there is no happy żubr hunting in Poland

Life / Remember this animated TV series (Polish shows and children's cartoons)? [4]

My guess would be:
-Wyspa Niedźwiedzi, although there was bear with bunny, not penguin;

... and for penguins adorer:
-Pingwin Pik-Pok
- Pingu

Language / WHY IS SATELITA MASCULINE? [25]


I would add:
"Moja kotka miała na imię Katarzyna."


There are two kinds of gender in language: natural and grammatical. Gender of some polish words can be identified immediately, others you just have to learn by heart.

In this case I would agree with Ziemowit, that satelita is considered as male, because of connotation to księżyc.

Life / Polish Film Industry-Popular Polish Movies [7]



...and it is directed by Agnieszka Holland...


"W ciemności" - In darkness and "Róża" ...and in the near future :) "Hans Kloss - Stawka większa niż śmierć" :)

There is no question about best polish movies ever, but I will answer it anyway;)
Putting aside classics like Wajda and Hoffman movies' I would pick "Trzy kolory:Niebieski", "Seksmisja", "Miś", "Boża Podszewka", "Dzień świra" and "Symetria".


I don't consider polish actors as stars, but more like craftsmen. The best ones are: Jerzy Stuhr, Andrzej Chyra, Robert Więckiewicz, Krystyna Janda, Marek Kondrat, Agnieszka Krukówna, Karolina Gruszka.


Krzysztof Zanussi, Wojciech Smarzowski, Andrzej Fidyk (documentaries), Jan Jakub Kolski. Funny thing, my best polish movies were mostly not directed by my best directors :) There are movies I can watch numerous times, and there are directors, whos every movie I watch with pleasure:)

Genealogy / Is Aleska a Polish baby name ? [42]

Valeska? Never heard of.
Believe me, there is no such polish name.

Genealogy / I'm trying to find my old friends who used @poczta.onet.pl email [22]

Firstly it is very possible that anna gebauer lives in Poland, in place which you made public.
Please don't do that again, and just write a letter like any other person in your place would do.

Genealogy / Is Aleska a Polish baby name ? [42]

After I saw that site I started to feel sorry for all those parents who decided to use it and for children who for the rest of their lives would have absurd names.

Genealogy / Is Aleska a Polish baby name ? [42]

There is no such old slavic name like Valeska. Glorious ruler in Polish is Władysława (she), Władysław (he). In other slavic languages name would start with: vlad, volod, włod - ruler (never vale?) and end with slav, sław -glorious (never ska?). The meaning of every old slavic name can be easily recognised (you don't need to use dictionary to tell what name means). They derive from ordinary or adjective words. Moreover if Valeska was suppose to be old Polish name, then it should start with "W" not "V". As a Polish person with very good comand of Russian, Czech and Slovak language, I can tell with confidence that Valesca don't have any meaning in those languages. Valesca - glorious ruler, doesn't exist in those languages, it's definetly not of slavonic origin.

If your goal was to give your child an uncommon name you fully succeded. You probably wont find many people with that name not only in your counry, but also in every slavic one.

Genealogy / Looking for Pontus relatives [10]

diecezjaplocka.pl/index.php?akcja=spis_wyswietlParafie&p_id=357

This is a site of parish to witch belongs Budy Mdzewskie. They have books of baptism, marriage, and deaths certificate dating back to the end of XIXc. You should start your searching from there.

Earlier books were probably taken to Warsaw, because of consolidation of archives in the beginning of XXc. Bad news is that during WWII Germans intentionaly destroied polish archives and libraries (including National Library in Warsaw in 1944).

Good luck Barbaro


Unfortunately their parish have books dating back to 1905.

Genealogy / Looking for Pontus relatives [10]

Pontus is probably the right name. There are 36 people in Mława, who's name is Pontus. (Mława is a powiat - district, to which Ostrów and Budy Mdzewskie belongs.

moikrewni.pl/mapa/kompletny/pontus.html

Genealogy / Is Aleska a Polish baby name ? [42]


and we were talking about slavic name Valesca- great ruler.
Madam Walewska name was Maria...
and Walewska was a surname, as any kid in Poland knows it.