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Posts by teflcat  

Joined: 29 May 2011 / Male ♂
Last Post: 21 Sep 2012
Threads: Total: 5 / In This Archive: 4
Posts: Total: 1024 / In This Archive: 811

Displayed posts: 815 / page 1 of 28
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teflcat   
29 May 2011
Life / Who is poor in Poland? [720]

delphiandomine
Given that you can fill a basket with fresh produce for 10zl a day - there really is no excuse for the vast majority of children to ever go to school hungry.

Where do you go shopping? How could you possibly fill a basket for 10zł a day?
teflcat   
31 May 2011
Feedback / Why PolishForums? Give us your stories! [60]

I only joined this forum a couple of days ago. I was looking forward to discussing Polish life and issues with other intelligent people. Now I know that this is just another way lunatics who "want to rip people's spines out" can have their voices heard without leaving their bedrooms. I'm now going to withdraw my membership and see if I can find somewhere interesting instead. Goodbye.
teflcat   
2 Jun 2011
Work / English Teaching Opportunities in Szczecin [14]

Anybody thinking they can just rock up in Poland and land a job teaching English needs to think carefully before coming. You may speak English but do you know how it works? Can you explain it to people effectively? Are you trained in teaching? Can you offer more to a school than a Polish teacher with an MA in Philology and several years' experience.

I've been teaching English for nearly twenty years and have all the usual bits of paper, but I find out new stuff about English every day.

I sincerely wish you luck but think about it first. My MA students at the local uni are very, very aware of how the language works and are attractive to language schools. Are you?
teflcat   
2 Jun 2011
Work / Some cold, hard facts about teaching in Poland for newbies [101]

but having to focus on one person for an hour with no breathing room took a lot out of me.

On Wednesday I taught five, back-to-back sixty-minute one-to-one lessons in-company. Tomorrow I'll have six (unless someone cancels at the last minute). Preparation is everything.
teflcat   
3 Jun 2011
Work / English Teaching Opportunities in Szczecin [14]

You pompous fool!

I can't remember insulting you but you feel free to insult me and then go off on a rant accusing me of misusing words without any justification on your part whatsoever. For your information: I was born, brought up and educated in London. Oh, and one other thing, your latest rant contains several English language errors. Who's pompous?
teflcat   
3 Jun 2011
Life / Struggling young Polish couple - try to solve their problem [176]

Doing what we did is an option. Tell the crooks at the bank to put their mortgage where the sun doesn't shine, buy a plot of land and build over several years. It's not easy but you can move in and camp once you've got the basic utilities in. Not including the cost of the land we've spent a little over 200k for a 105m2 house.
teflcat   
3 Jun 2011
Life / Struggling young Polish couple - try to solve their problem [176]

these days they will still need credit at some point. or short term loans.

As some posters have already said, these guys need to get their breadheads on. I worked my arse off for years to start building, seven days a week most of the time. There is money to be made in Poland but you have to work work work. Believe me, it ain't easy but if you really want to get away from living with the in-laws, you have to hustle.
teflcat   
4 Jun 2011
Love / Polish dating tips [40]

riki. You have the measure of this poor bastard jarnowa. My advice would be to just be yourself. If you don't, then you are acting, and if so, you will either have to continue to be "in role", or later come clean and admit the fact. Take it slow and easy and, above all, have fun.
teflcat   
8 Jun 2011
USA, Canada / Where to buy Polish National Soccer Team jersey in the US? [9]

Yes, I know what American Football, as it is known in Europe, is. I just wondered why it's called "football". Seems to me that the use of the feet is occasional, whereas, in real football, the ball can only be propelled by the feet, except by the goalkeeper. I think that "American Rugby" would be a more accurate name. Of course British rugby is a much tougher game, played without the body armour. I remember a tour, years ago, by a Welsh rugby team who took "football" teams on at their own game, without the protection. Not quite sure who won. Perhaps someone remembers.
teflcat   
9 Jun 2011
Law / Fees/tax on importing Computer from US to Poland [7]

Bialystok or Radom or somewhere else in Poland B

Do you have to help perpetuate this dreadful Poland B moniker Harry? I work in B.Stok and I reckon you might be surprised if you came and had a look for yourself. There have been big, positive changes in the last few years. I know this is off-topic but I felt the need to stick up for the East.
teflcat   
9 Jun 2011
Law / Fees/tax on importing Computer from US to Poland [7]

However, you must agree that wages are lower there (and life is cheaper).

I wouldn't say that life is very much cheaper here, but wages are certainly lower for most. There's a new block of flats in the centre with places going for 6300PLN per metre. I know you'd pay a lot more in the capital but these places are selling, which shows that there are quite a few people doing quite nicely around these parts. Check out photos of what they've done with the Rynek; nothing B about that.
teflcat   
10 Jun 2011
Travel / THE VIKINGS ARE COMING...what to do and see in Poland....? [30]

łł

any other suggestions....?

I know it's a long way from you but if they want to visit Białowieża, they could visit the biker priest's church in Bielsk Podlaski, about 25 clicks from Hajnówka. Don't know his name but he hosts a big day for Polish bikers every year. His place of business is on the southern edge of town.
teflcat   
10 Jun 2011
Language / Use of A/An/The ...... Articles [186]

Is it referring to one tiger or many tigers here??

It depends. If the discourse is one in which both the speaker/writer and the listener/reader know which particular tiger is being referred to, then you need an article. If we are talking about tigers in general, i.e. as a species, then the article is also needed (in this case you could also say "tigers are orange and black".
teflcat   
10 Jun 2011
Language / Use of A/An/The ...... Articles [186]

Not true. Neil Armstrong has always said that he included the article, and a year or so ago an Australian audio engineer "found" the article on the recording. Native speakers of English are almost "hard wired" for articles, so it would be hard not to use one when it's needed.
teflcat   
10 Jun 2011
Language / Use of A/An/The ...... Articles [186]

Berlin, however using

If you ask nicely, I'll send you my worksheet on uses of "however".
teflcat   
10 Jun 2011
Language / Use of A/An/The ...... Articles [186]

How could one use "however" wrongly?

wtf happened to this thread. If you want the skinny on the word, e-mail me.
teflcat   
11 Jun 2011
Language / Use of A/An/The ...... Articles [186]

it must mean that one seldom speaks Polish without stipulating how fluent one is in Polish

Wrong again. teflhead's explanation is pretty much what I tell students. To be fair, it could (not must) mean what DE says.
teflcat   
12 Jun 2011
News / Jerusalem Post: Poland's good intentions [30]

Lol and believe me its not because whites are racist. There were some damn good reasons to kick them out. And this is just Europe. Think of the rest of the world.

Legend. As a thoroughly modern Nazi what do you suggest would be an appropriate solution to what you see as the problem of Jews?
teflcat   
12 Jun 2011
Food / Expats' Polish food favourites [140]

It's the year 2011. People have cars, heated houses, high quality jackets.......when do you need to eat fatty foods "to survive"? Do you live in a cave?

A couple of winters ago, sitting on the 0630 bus on my way to work, I counted the items of clothing I was wearing. Twenty. I don't know where you live but winters here (Poland) can get extremely cold, and a salad for lunch just ain't enough!
teflcat   
12 Jun 2011
Food / Expats' Polish food favourites [140]

Yet somehow, thousands and thousands of super skinny Polish girls "survive" Polish winters....every year.

They survive by upping their calorie intake. A brother of mine was on exercise with the Royal Marines in Norway and they had to stay outside for three days. Their daily rations were 9000 calories. Nobody got fat.
teflcat   
12 Jun 2011
Food / Expats' Polish food favourites [140]

"Zupa ogórkowa". I don't know if it is typical Polish, but I am a soup fan, And it is already one of my favourite soup.

Soups are undoubtedly the strongest part of Polish cuisine. One restaurant I know has 18 soups on the menu (not all available all the time, of course) and two wines. Red or white.
teflcat   
12 Jun 2011
Life / What is the reason for POLISH jokes ? [486]

Marek: Dad, I'm going to get married.
Tato: That's great son. Who to?
Marek: Jacek.
Tato: Jacek?
Marek: You know. Jacek. We were in the same class. Played volleyball together.
Tato: Jacek? Jacek? You're getting married to Jacek? But he's... but... but he's... but he's Jewish!
teflcat   
13 Jun 2011
USA, Canada / Polish-Americans as seen in the false mirror. Type A and Type B. [141]

I've seen enough to think that it would be a valid option.

It's called having your cake and eating it.
Another common self-deception is that the whole world envies those who live in the US. I, for one chose to come to live in Poland. I didn't have to; I wasn't a hopeless failure elsewhere (just to pre-empt the inevitable comments); I wasn't forced to come. I came because I love the country and (many of) the people. Sure, I could earn more cash in my native UK but my quality of life is much higher here. Poland has a great future and I want to be part of it, regardless of the minor hardships we endure here.