Moved back from Canada to Poland:). Here are the reasons why.

I thought we were fed makowiec was so we will pass out quicker while waiting for Mikołaj

ah,I am always open to new experience although I don't think my father would approve. I am afraid he is stuck in his childhood tastes when it comes to Wigilia.


good idea, I love salatka:)


never had them, but I am willing to try.

Anyways,

I am already stressed out because this will be the first time I will be cooking for Wigilia alone since my mother passed away. It will be difficult to measure up to her cooking skills, but I will do my best:).

I already broke the family tradition but not spending x-mas with my sister's family and they are offended.

It doesn't matter that travelling in the winter with such messy road is a hazard. Anyways, I am sticking to my guts and cooking at home.

Slavic comfort is more spiritual.

All the best to all of my readers and other members of PF.

I am too stuffed to write more then a couple of sentences.

It is a good X-mas since it is white.

The fridge is well stock up, so it the bar, not to mention I managed to get the fire going in the old German tile piec.

My father is fed, the house is warm, the X-mas tree is still looking nice, the snow is swept, so I am going back to rest.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year :)

PS. found a wireless internet connection in the kitchen: D NICE!!!!!!!!!!!

Same to you =) MERRY CHRISTMAS!

thank you, the same to you:)

cold and snow

there is no problem where I am, but I hear on the news that some parts of Poland didn't have electricity during X-mas time. I really feel sorry for all those people, or anybody really who during this time had less then I did.

In general Poles are coping well from what I see. Maybe they should clear more snow during this time, but I can see that some are not really keen on working too hard. I am not sure why that is, but perhaps cold, long and snowy winers in Canada prepared me for managing during this time quite well.

Another important thing, which makes me feel very comfortable is a pair of Yak Tracks I used for hiking in Canada and during this snowy and slippery time in Poland they came really handy.

cozywinters.com/shop/yk-walk.html?utm_source=base&utm_medium=cse&utm_campaign=merchantadv&zmam=61752597&zmas=1&zmac=2&zmap=YK-WALK

as people say, the devils is in the details;)

I can say that Yak Tracks made the winter in Poland much more pleasant.

Until next time!!!!!!!!

aphrodisiac wrote:


i couldn't pass up an opportunity to discuss weather with you aphro....after all, it's been what...over a week? ;)

Were winters worse in Canada than in Poland? Were they longer, snowier, colder?

LETS HEAR IT FOR THE YAKS...!

That comes to no surprise:)


They have a nice fleet of plows in Toronto, Chicago etc... what about in Poland?
You should buy a snowmobile it will be springtime by the time the guys with the shovels get finished, or they could hire the Chinese to clear the roads that they built?

Good luck to you M, but I have a feeling youre going to miss living the lifestyle the West offers:)

Canada and Chicago are used to the snow conditions, Poland isn't, or is, but every time there is a problem with snow - people are not as much in control of the situation as they would be in Canada or the US - I blame it on the lack of thinking and planning ahead, which I see here on the daily basis - something, which I find very frustrating.


thank you:) . All the best in the Near Year . I miss parts of the life style, but more then anything I miss the relaxed attitude of Canadians. I find Poles too intense. Everything is blown out of proportion at times.

EG. I go to the store during the freezing rain and thank God I have my Yak Tracks on, otherwise I would be in trouble in order to look for a shovel. I pick one up and it falls apart, I pick another one and it is probably a bit more expensive, but I really don't care. I am still driving on the summer tires because my father thinks that winter tires are useless.

I come home after clearing up the snow (with the new shovel) and all he thinks about is the fact the the old one was still good - even though it was cracked because it was some cheap plastic thing.

I am happy that I bought one available before X-mas and a heavy snow fall, he is not happy because I spend money on something, which according to him was still good.

I was proud to deal with the situation asap and solving a problem, he was cranky because I spent money on something that was not needed. Two different views, two different ways of dealing with it. I dealt with it by investing money in a new shovel and using it asap - therefore getting rid of the problem - he was dealing with it in a silly way.

One point for me. ;). I will use the shovel all winter long and be a happy camper, he will be complaining about spending too much money, because he would rather use an old shovel and save money, instead of getting the job done asap. He is just an example of some of the Polish people attitude to solving problems. Have I mentioned that the shovel was cheap??????

Another example is me using the Yak Tracks. For those who know what it is, it is a blessing during the winter- my friend saw me in them and told me that I must be crazy to wear them, but many people said that they would love to get it, since there is a lot of ICE under the snow and many people have slipped.

I just don't understand the logic of not thinking ahead of time when it comes to solving problems - so typical of some Polish people.

Well, that's it for now:)

Until next time my dear readers:)

My sister-in-law's sister lives in Szczecin and they were pretty snowed in during last few days. I hope you cleaned up you sidewalk well aphro!.It sounds like you are coping well with with winter in Poland. After all, it's gotta be a breeze after Toronto! It's pretty nice in Chicago so far. Some snow..rain and about 50F tomorrow, 30's next week. Nothing to fret about.

Szczecin was snowed in for sure:(.
actually I am at my father's at the moment, so outside of Sz-n;( and I didn't have to clear the sidewalk in Sz-n since the management of my apartment takes care of that.

I only had to clean the driveway to the garage, otherwise I would not be able to do the x-mas shopping:).


It is for sure:)


sounds nice, but you guys get hit with snow as bad as Toronto I suppose?

Yep... its a yard deep on my farm 90 kms from Szczecin..

If i did not have a 4 x 4 i would be digging for hours just to get the car from the garage to the main road...

Funny Aphro, I've been reading your posts here for the best part of a month and i've got to laugh at the similarity of our experiences...

I moved to Europe eight years ago and returned back home here to Oz on 23rd September as well...

I've been doing some adjusting but sh1t, it seems having to dig your way to your car would just add difficulty to a big move...

I prey that you get through this winter and enjoy a lovely spring cause I think you're going to find it a lot easier once you have a nice warm period to immerse yourself in. I can see you're resilient and have a sense of humour and know you'll get through these difficult changes...

Just imagine all the nice places in Europe you will visit in a few months. :)

Happy New Year.

Sounds exactly like my father :)

Happy New Year!

lucky you, it must be even worse living in the country. Keep warm.

I am keeping myself warm with a bottle of burbon I purchased during the X-mas and it is a nice addition after having a relaxing time after clearing up the snow. I must have shoveled quite a bit since I have not gained any weight even though I was eating a LOT. I actually don't mind clearing up the snow because it is a good exercise, but the comments from my neighbours made me think that I must have overdone it since they said that I made a highway;). My snow action must have made their X-mas more amusing I think. Oh well, there is nothing better then to put a smile on the Pole's face, isn't there? (I don't care really).

Guess who was having an exercise with the shovel in the First Day of X-mas? Me and y nieces German finance. I wonder if he was trying to impress his future in - laws or was just warming up for his daily run - who knows;) - maybe both - those Germans are very practical people after all;).


I am glad somebody understands me;).


what a great date for both of us;) lol


a bit and it was pretty intense experience, too bad the snow has melted by now, but I DID the shopping and cooking yey;)


I have been imaging them, especially after traveling back home on the train this afternoon - the train was late, the people were pushing and I pushed too, then somebody said that she was keeping the seat for her partner and I gave her a piece of my mind. she was pretty timid, but the boyfriend called me names when he finally walked into the compartment. What can I say - he turned out to be a man, but I still kept giving him and evil eye just to make sure that he got my message.


thank you and the same to you:)


I am glad I am not the only one who has to deal with it. However I managed to negotiate the winter tires. We will see.


thank you, all the best to you too!!!!

I am hoping there will be less snow in the coming month;(

Here's a number of evil eyes you can use next time you see matey on the train...

(Or you could just take some fart gas and give it a little spray...?) ;D

• 
  evil_eyes1.jpg
  
• 
  hungry_evil.jpg
  
• 
  eyeball.gif
  
• 
  or_just_plainly.jpg
  

ha,that is very handy indeedL) Thank you very much.I will print them all for my next train ride - one never knows what is ahead of me in Poland and travelling by PKP always makes my hair stand up on my back - well, provided I had any;).


I jut had in idea: I would rent Wildrover for my train trip and the problem with seats will be solved

I jut lost my reading glasses and I cannot see very well, so I am typing from memory.

I went to the Vision Express and begged them to get me new ones.

So they set the doctor's appointment up for me and in a meantime I was sipose to pick the frames. The problem was that I did not ee very well, so I am going to see what kind of frames I picked when I will be picking my ready glasses up.

I had to fill some form out, but I couldn't, so the lady helped me and still asked me to sign them - for goodness sake: I was not able to see, so she marked the spots with little birds. Thank god I can still hear, so I chose one of the cheapest version - I think.

Until later my dear readers - it seems that Poland gives me a lot to write about.

Those who have settled in Poland will probably understand that there are certain stages of moving to a new place. I don't remember them all but I think that I am in the stage of acceptance, but also I am beginning to get bored since I seem to have most of the things under control.

Today I was talking to my boss and she told me that she used to run a Jazz club and 6 year ago she was looking after one of my fav guitar jazz player when he was performing iSzczecin. To make the story short I will be going to that jazz clib since it has some intereting music. I wish the winter was over, but we have a long way to go.

I would like to contribute more to other threads, but that has to wait until tommorrow, when I can see what I am typing.

Asios !!!!!

weather

not snowing anymore, so clearing up the snow is off my list for the time being, however it is very slippery due to the freezing rain last night. I am considering switching from wearing the Yaktracks to skates - it is THAT bad

According to GW the the sidewalks are very dangerous so that means that there will be more falls, bruises, broken legs and so on.

The main streets are clear, but the sidewalks and many other streets are full of ice.

Looks like the part of the city I am in is becoming a big skating ring.

Be careful out there. We have devastating floods... wanna swap?

It all makes us tougher.

Aphro gradually transforms into a real Polka having escaped from the corrupt West.

you too, no, I prefer ice, although there is a possibility of floods if the temps remain close to zero.


I guess so:)

Polish tendencies.

It appears that many young professionals are living larger and medium Polish cities to resettle in Warszawa, Tri_City, Wroclaw and Poznan. Since I returned to Szczecin I keep hearing the the city if getting older and less attractive to young and not so young graduates. At first I didn't pay that much attention to it, but after reading this morning RZ article, I am beginning to wonder if I made a good decision by moving to Sz-n. The city offers less then it did years ago, the wages are frozen at the moment and I keep hearing that many of my students are planing to move out and make their home elsewhere.

here is the article for the Polish readers:

Ten most desirable professions today in Poland are: civil engineers ( can rely on earnings to 15 thousand . Zł per month) , site managers (up to 20 thousand . Zł ) , machine builders (up to 16 thousand . Zł ) , experts from advertising and online sales ( to 6 thousand . zł ) , moderators of online discussion (up to 10 thousand . zł ) , programmers (up to 12 thousand . zł ) , the IT staff (up to 6 thousand . zł ) , construction workers with vocational education (up to 6 thousand . zł ) , cashiers (up to 3 thousand . zł ) , accountants and financiers (up to 10 thousand . zł ) .

Only during the first two days of January to the base Pracuj.pl - the largest job portal in Poland - received more than 1,600 listings , by 50 percent . more than a year ago. A similar dynamic record all the major recruitment agencies . The recovery in the labor market is confirmed by research conducted by Millward Brown SMG / KRC . 14 percent . of more than 500 surveyed companies adopt more employees than last year and half wants to maintain employment at the level of 2010 .

just an update on what is happening in the job market.
\whether that is true, time will tell.

the text from Rzeczpospolita about the play in Wroclaw.

lets hope that Fuzzy has left for the US and Darius is burried in snow, so I can calmly continue my my thread without silly interruptions;)

Polish trains

If one has been following the news, then one knows that recently Polish PKP (especially during the X-mas time) has proven to be an organization that has a lot to desire. In the past and in other countries I had never given so much though to travelling on the train. In seems to be different in Poland:

- the trains are often not up to the standards, they are dirty, the famous washrooms are not really suitable to be used - lack of toilet paper, dirty floors, doors don't close etc. I don't remember the last time I used toilet on the train for those reasons alone.

People on the train are often rude:
-the young guy told me not to sit in their compartment, although there was room
- another young guy called me names after I had an argument with his girlfriend who apparently was holding a sit for him
- last weekend I was travelling again and it was time to check the tickets, the PKP guy walked in and after realizing that the young girl has an expired PKP ID - started yelling at her. I told him to stop and he withdrew, so the girl - who was so scared and upset got away with the whole thing. All was good until the passenger in my compartment told me that I was making too much out of the whole thing. I told him off to and decided to buy a car asap. I have had enough of the Polish PKP.

I think some Polish people, especially the young ones are really rude.

Mobile phones are often used on the train and I would understand if they were used purposely - most often though young people - students phone their friends to chat, because they are bored - then I have to listen to their live stories etc and I am not able to read.

Did I tell you that I spent some time in Canada and I have never encounter so much rudeness as I did over the years I spent there as I did on one train ride on Polish PKP.

So if you are looking for a peaceful ride on PKP - you might not be lucky most of the time.

Ah, bring your own toilet paper too, some water and earplugs.

aphrodisiac wrote:


i have, but it's nice to know you're still including me in weather discussions.

and yeah, PKP is pure hell. quite possibly my worst memory of poland.

Hey boy. Where did you beat it to, Florida?

Yes,when Polki see a man with toilet paper,water and earplugs they know they found the prince.

Chicago Pollack wrote:


no. although I hear there's a Polish community in Orlando.

languages changes

I am sure it happens all over the world. The newest word (well, maybe not so new) is

MASAKRA
Masakra this and masakra that.
"No mowie Ci, to byla masakra" . " No cos Ty, to przeciez masakra". No zobacz, ona wyglada masakrycznie". And on and on.

When something negative happens, it is MASAKRA.

eg.

the weather: masakra
the winter: masakra
the exam: masakra
the driver: masakra.
It seems that this word can be used anywhere and could be related to anything.

I hear that it is being replaced with another one, a bit less tragic.

Anyways, I have to finish the loundry,otherwise I would end up wearing dirty clothes to work and that would be MASAKRA:)

Polki na wyspach:Massakra.

I can tell that you my avid reader southern;).

I am happy to report to FUZZY that the weather inPoland lately is indeed masakra;)

Did you see that now in Poland your views have changed and gradually you move towards more european mindset?

do tell:)
eat or not to eat

ha, you must get hungry in Poland while visiting or living here, so where do you go?
I went to Pasibrzuch - a bar, but I stopped going there once they served me a bad quality soup. At the moment I am occupying Pierogarnia, where all they serve is pierogies.

The service is fast, the food is great and the prices are reasonable. Home cooking at its best. I wish the place was bigger, but hey, I am not complaining.

drink, or not to drink
hmmmmmm......to be honest, I have been to busy to check the bar/club scene, but I am hoping to change this soon. I have been eyeing the Irish Pub down the road, so perhaps next time I will report after Guiness;)

Brama Jazz Cafe is a place to go too, as been in Sz-n for years and has great food and an interesting interior, while the exterior is old and well preserved - a little gem in the middle of the city.