Real Estate / Purchasing an apartment in Tarnow and relocating [4]

My partner is from Tarnów but lives with me now in the UK. The employment situation, like many other parts of Poland, is not good but this, I figure, keeps the property market there affordable as does the fact it is not really a major spot on the tourist map. For a lot less than $120,000 you should be able to pick up something pretty good. Tarnow is known for being the warmest part of Poland and is well located for getting to Kraków, which is the nearest major airport for getting around Europe etc, or for visiting the Tatras and countries bordering Poland such as Czech Rep, Slovakia, Ukraine. Like another poster suggested it would be wise to spend some time there before diving in to buy something; rents are relatively cheap so why not spend some months getting a feel for it? With Kraków getting a bit overpriced I've read it could be an area on the up and when I was there a few months ago they are well on the way to building a major motorway from Kraków to Tarnów which could boost the economy there and push up property prices. There are some good reasons for considering it as a place to live.

Life / Getting ripped off in Poland! Is it normal? or should it be tolerated? [97]


Mmmm, not many of the ones I've met in the Uk. Even my partner's own brother ripped off her and her other brother several times and I've heard plenty of tales from Poles of how they've been ripped off by their own country folk. Not saying most Poles are like this; but also wouldn't say that generally speaking you can describe them as ' Very straight, loyal, no BS people'.

Life / What do you like about Poland? [100]


Mmm, the first couple of Polish people I worked with in the UK turned out to be the most two-faced people I've ever met! 'Best friends' for as long as they could use you and then they moved on to using someone else. Other Poles I've met also seem to think ******** about people, making racist or bigoted comments about minorities is ok as long as you dress it up as straight talking.

Fortunately I've met plenty of Poles subsequently who aren't like this at all but I think there are plenty of the former to make the idea that Poles are any more straight or honest in their dealings with people than any other nationality untrue. Good and bad in every nation so it just isn't possible to generalise one way or the other.

Life / Legal Graffiti Walls in Poland? [45]


At best it can be slightly amusing; at worst it is no better than you'd expect from a 16 year-old school child. It is to art what McDonald's is to cooking.

Love / What do I do? Children of my Polish lady are depending on me for money. [13]

Something that you might think about too is that you are listed at the same address as the people in debt which might do your own credit rating some damage. Banks and credit reference agencies have huge computer databases which link people and addresses to each other.

Love / Need Advice: I have fallen in love with a Polish woman... [65]

Trevness, stick with it if you believe she is the one for you. I am now living with a Polish woman whom I met while she was still married and living with her violent drunken husband. She had tried for years to find the strength to leave him but had always given in to her family, his family and the local priest who told her it was wrong for a woman to leave her husband regardless of how he behaved. He always promised that he would change; this change only lasted until the next time he got drunk and became violent again.

The thing is, it's easy for people to stand back and take the moral high ground and tell someone to live a life of fear and misery because it is the morally or religiously correct way to behave but they don't have to live that life themselves. For me, to insist that a person should stay in a violent and miserable situation is simply punishing the victim further and to claim that escaping this situation is against God's will is just lazy pre-conditioned thinking.

Forget the ******** about heaven and hell etc; if you love her and she loves you then neither of you will care where you spend eternity as long as it's together.

I helped my partner to escape from her miserable life and she came with her 16 year-old to live here in the UK and they both believe it is the best thing they've ever done. Once her husband realised that she was serious about divorcing him and she told him she'd bring evidence to court of the times she and her daughter had called the police to the house and the times she'd been to the doctor and taken time off work because he'd hit her he didn't contest the divorce.

My partner still believes in God and goes to the Catholic church when she wants to and just accepts that she will not be able to remarry in a Catholic church and that the church doesn't recognise her divorced status is a very, very small price to pay for happiness and freedom.

Follow your heart Trevness; you're the only one who can take responsibility for your life and the decisions you make.

(p.s I'll let you into a little secret: there is no heaven or hell....but don't tell anyone I told you.)

Travel / My friends advise me not to go to Warsaw because people are horrible there? [30]

I'd say go to Warsaw and make your own mind up.

Personally I found it has some capital/big city disadvantages; for example people might seem a bit more brusque than in some other Polish cities I've visited. Don't forget it's a 'new' city, having been rebuilt after the war so the architecture can be a bit grim though they've made a good job of rebuilding the 'old' town even if it doesn't feel quite a genuine living/working place as does somewhere like Krakow's city centre. Although the Palace of Culture is, subjectively speaking, an ugly building it has a great view from the top. Traffic can be a pain when you're trying to get somewhere at the peak periods so take a good book to read while you're stuck on the bus for an hour; take a tram if possible!

All bad? Not at all. if you're with good friends anywhere is good. I just think that perhaps you have to look a bit harder in Warsaw to find the pearls. One of my most memorable days anywhere in Poland was sitting in beautiful Lazienki Park on a warm Sunday afternoon listening to a music student playing Chopin. Also, I remember visiting a modern library (part of university?) that had an amazing rooftop garden open to the public; does anyone know where that would be?

If you know someone who lives in Warsaw maybe they'll tell you where the pearls are hidden. Any takers here on PF?

p.s leave your friend at home or get him to leave his prejudices at home!

Life / Talking over people in conversations; is it a Polish trait? [41]



Thanks for the feedback all ;-)....You're right Amathyst and Becksi, I had that chat with her mum this afternoon and she said her daughter's like that with everyone and always has been and that she probably doesn't even realise she does it. She also said it wouldn't be a problem for me to mention it to her daughter when she does it again, just to point out what she's doing and how some people would see this as rude until she gets the message. Must be tactful though!

I know it's for my immediate benefit but I also think it'll make getting on with people she meets in life a whole lot easier if she gives them a chance to have their say; she might even learn a thing or two from them!

Work / Quiet Place to teach English in Krakow ? [24]

I don't want to appear too negative but in what way are you qualified to teach the language? 'english' should have a capital E; did you mean quiet? helping friends and family to learn a bit of a language is fine, but when you start taking money for it you need to have a pretty good understanding of it to justify it.

UK, Ireland / The Daily Mail - coverage of the Polish people [161]

Nothing has changed: look at the front page of today's Mail on Sunday....

UK, Ireland / The Daily Mail - coverage of the Polish people [161]

I now only ever glance at the headlines of the DM without venturing further as past experience has shown it is a paper which simply focuses on negative portrayals of people: politicians who don't toe the Tory line; workers who have the temerity to stand up for their rights by, for example, taking industrial action; ethnic minorities, which they portray as a threat to 'the British way of life'; sections of society such as single mothers and gays which are easy targets; but there are many more who suffer the wrath of this feeble-minded paper which does nothing to open people's minds but does everything to hang onto a readership which simply looks to have its own existing fears and prejudices confirmed.

To be honest, even if the DM toned down its coverage of Polish people in Britain it would make little difference as the same one-view attitude would still prevail amongst its readers. It's a paper best treated as the joke it is; it has no influence and worse still it has lousy sports coverage. I'd say if the DM is anti something dear to you then it should probably be taken as a compliment.

Life / What can citizens do to make Poland a better place to live? [125]


'..a delivery van was parked outside yesterday and my wife couldn't get past it as it was blocking her access to the road.'

Ha ha, my Polish g/f is amazed that cars park on the road here in the UK. She wonders why they don't park on the pavement to leave the roads clear so cars don't have to drive around these obstructions. A certain logic to both arguments; maybe just a cultural thing.

Travel / Best way to get from Krakow to Katowice for 10.40 am flight.... [9]

Thanks for the advice guys. I've just found out that I can book a Wizzair bus from Krakow on the Wizzair site at the same time as I book my flight. It picks up from a few locations in Krakow and costs less than £15 one-way. Not the cheapest way I suppose but it gets me to the airport for 09.00.

USA, Canada / What do the Poles hate and love about the U.S.? [170]

I love the fact that the US is 3,000 miles from Europe which means the majority of Americans who have made the effort to come here to study or work tend to be the more open-minded and intelligent ones (I'm not including the loud 'see-Europe-in-a-week' American tourists). I can pretend that the idiotic politicians, movie stars, rappers, religious nuts, rednecks et al exist only in a little world inside that TV sitting in the corner of my room....

Oops, just realised that this thread is aimed at Poles, which I'm not (English, actually) but maybe Polish people have a similar view as mine...? I'll post it anyway... ;)

Love / Polish Girls vs Russian Girls [813]


A threesome with a Polish girl and a Russian girl would be pretty steamy then.....

UK, Ireland / Proof of Address (my Polish gf moving to the UK) [14]

When my g/f moved here from Poland we were living with my parents and all that was needed for her NI number was her passport or ID card and a letter from my father confirming she lived at the address and, if I remember rightly, some proof that the address was my father's e.g utility bills, bank statements etc.

As far as the bank goes, she went to HSBC and opened a 'passport account' (an account with a card for withdrawing cash from HSBC atm's only with no overdraft facility; also I think there is a monthly charge on it of about £6; after 12 months you can then apply for a normal current account) which required the same evidence of identity and address. Also, she was able to get work immediately with an employment agency even before she'd got her NI number through. She had to go for an interview with the NI office and I think the first thing you should do is phone them and get the correct information.

USA, Canada / Differences in How Polish People Raise a Child and How Americans Raise a Child [149]


It's an easier decision for a woman in that case. What would a husband do?...what should a husband do? What would I do? Wife or child......tough decision. Mind you, if I knew what a b***h my wife would turn into it would be the kid every time ha ha.

p.s she's my ex-wife now; and she was a truly s**t driver. Just for the record......

USA, Canada / Differences in How Polish People Raise a Child and How Americans Raise a Child [149]

I live in the uk with my Polish g/friend and I've noticed how quick Polish parents here are to take their kids to the doctor for the slightest cough or sneeze; even to A&E for an upset tummy or such things! Still, after a few four-hour waits they usually get the message. I'm sure there's some truth in the belief that such over-protective parents prevent the child developing a strong immune system as some of the kids seem to suffer constantly from minor illnesses. A Polish guy I work with can practically tell you every variation in his kids' temperatures for the previous 24 hours and rushes home during working hours for seemingly harmless ailments they have! But to be honest, without wishing to be provocative, even many of the Polish adults I know seem to be a little obsessive with the state of their health: it's never a cold or a sniffle but always a fever or 'flu and any enquiry into how they are feeling results in a ten-minute detailed analysis of their physical wellbeing! Of course my g/friend is strong as an ox, never sick, and treats illnesses, including those of her children, with a complete lack of sympathy. Is she unique?!

USA, Canada / REFUSED A HOLIDAY VISA TO THE U.S CAUSE IM POLISH [323]


I think you'll find this is done by car dealers all over the world; certainly here in the UK. It isn't just a Polish thing.

From a personal viewpoint, I think that Poles have got themselves a bad reputation for overstaying their visas which spoils things for the genuine applicants. One of my girlfriend's brothers has been living in the US illegally with his family for years and her other brother outstayed his visa by a couple of years, which means if we want to visit the US to see my sister who lives there (or her brother) my girlfriend would possibly be denied a visa on account of her brothers' behaviour if US immigration keeps such records, which I suspect they do.

Real Estate / Renting in Krakow, Poland - the safest district? fairly close to the city centre... [25]


Avoid it at night but you really should make the effort to see it while you are in Krakow. If you have even the slightest interest in history, politics, architecture, or Poland/Krakow in general you should go there just to see a legacy of communism. It certainly isn't pretty when you compare it to Krakow itself but there is something strangely fascinating about it. I went with my Polish g/f by tram on a cold wet winter's day so there weren't many people around but those that were didn't cause us any problems. I understand that there are also organised trips to Nowa Huta including at least one I have seen in Krakow which uses old Eastern bloc cars including a Trabant. Don't be put off by what people say; just don't dress like a flash tourist and if possible go with someone Polish if your language skills are limited. I've been to Krakow loads of times and to be honest it's the drunken Brits in the pubs and on easyJet that are the biggest danger.

Life / If I say POLAND, you say...? [100]

Magdalena

Thanks for the response Magdalena. You could well be correct about me interpreting seriousness as unhappiness. Is seriousness a national trait? I work with a young Polish man whom I am always telling to 'cheer up' and to not be so miserable; perhaps he is just serious though he also seems to be pessimistic and negative. I have a female Polish friend whom I've known for a few years and she seems to have an identical personality. I am willing to accept that maybe I'm looking at things from the wrong perspective.

I go to Poland very frequently, often to Krakow, so tend to use the same shop regularly so if the assistants in that shop are seemingly miserable then my general opinion of Kefirek assistants is perhaps unfairly based on this experience. I will take your advice and try smiling a bit more myself and see if things change.

I'm sure that they are no different to 'friends of any nationality', but perhaps because they were people in a new country they were always asking for help in everything, which is understandable, and so I always did what I could and I thought we had a friendship; but then as soon as they had established themselves the only time they're interested is when they want something. It's quite possible that people of other countries would have behaved the same so again you may well be right Magdalena.

I too have no great liking for London; and to be fair there is beauty to be found in Warsaw: we spent a lovely and memorable Sunday afternoon in £azienki Park listening to a Chopin recital. However, I suppose my negative impression of Warsaw comes from being stuck in rush-hour traffic which seems to extend well past what should be the rush-hour, the beaurocracy involving my g/f obtaining some necessary documents from a government department and the long tram-ride back to the apartment in the suburbs every evening past endless same-looking apartment blocks. Perhaps if I'd been in a different location in the city under different circumstances I would feel a bit more positive about the city.

So, I take your points in the friendly spirit you have offered them Magdalena and I will try harder to see things from a different perspective in future! As I said, the positives of Poland far outweigh the negatives by a large margin and I never tire of visiting your

country. To be honest, I could probably think of an similar number of positive and negative things about my own country, it's people and my city; in fact I'd probably be a lot harder on them than I have been on Poland!

Thank you and have a good day Magdalena :-)

Life / If I say POLAND, you say...? [100]

If I say POLAND, you say...?

....thirty unhappy faces staring from a tram; miserable assistants in Kefirek; Polish 'friends' who are only friends when they need something; Warsaw....

....the country which has given me a wonderful, beautiful, happy, positive, funny partner; walks through the Krakow planty at any time of the year; Wedel chocolate; Polish beer; trams (I like trams); Polish people who think smiles and politeness are not negative personality traits; Polish food; and lots more to outweigh the negatives....

Polonia / Poland and France cultures are similar [112]

I know many Polish people, none of whom speak French; I know many French people, none of whom speak Polish. So how do they communicate? By speaking English of course. So that's one thing the two cultures have in common! (But of course the French pretend to the English that they cannot speak English even though they all can!)

I've been to Poland and France many times but I find it hard to find any real cultural similarities, apart from the bureaucracy; and although I try to avoid the lazy habit of stereotyping people by supposed national character traits, if I do try to make such a comparison between the French and the Poles I can find no real common ground. There is a common love of food and dining but I find some French a bit anal about it whereas the Polish enjoy food for the opportunity of socialising and simply enjoying a good meal.

I think countries which have had empires (in relatively recent history) have a completely different mentality to countries which have not, and of course a lasting legacy of immigration from the countries which were previously under their control which tends to make such countries very multicultural. I think that it is easier to find cultural differences between Poland and France than cultural similarities and I think the biggest difference is in the area of multiculturalism. Although the French and English 'hate' each other (sorry for the stereotyping there) the fact is that they have a great deal in common, including much shared history, and it is interesting that each country accuses the other of the same negative characteristics such as arrogance.

Even though France is essentially a Catholic country, it has managed to pretty much separate the state from the church; what the Revolution started, multiculturalism is rapidly completing. Poles, though strongly Catholic, are gradually adopting a more relaxed (or is it resistant?) attitude to the influence the individual allows the Church to wield as in the case, for example, of divorce, but the culture of the Church is still far more overt in Poland and is still a very strong cultural influence there.

There is also the legacy of communism which I believe still influences how many people in Poland act and think, a political ideology which France has never lived under; ironic given that France gave the world the Communards!

This is of course only a personal view, but I find it hard to think of two more culturally dissimilar countries than Poland and France.....but I'm willing to be convinced otherwise!

Love / Polish Girls negative or positive personality trait? [267]

Jeez JC, every country has it's cesspools...is there a country that doesn't? I think you'll find that often the countries that try and hold themselves up to be somehow better than the rest are simply in denial or utterly hypocritical. And maybe I'm nitpicking a little, but isn't that profile image of yours a little offensive if it is, as it seems to be, 'the finger'?... aren't you worried that some people of the 'Polish and Catholic Culture' might feel that you are making life a little less pleasant by posting this image?....

Love / Berlin vs Poznan - fashion of Polish women [36]


Are you sure they were women? Erections mights suggest they were men. What sort of clubs do you go to?


Are these negative traits to have as a man? Should they preclude a man from attracting a beautiful woman?