The BEST Guide to POLAND
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Posts by Paulina  

Joined: 31 Jan 2008 / Female ♀
Warnings: 1 - Q		 Last Post: 1 day ago
Threads: Total: 19 / Live: 13 / Archived: 6
Posts: Total: 4840 / Live: 3831 / Archived: 1009 		From: Poland
Speaks Polish?: yes

Displayed posts: 3844 / page 126 of 129
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Paulina   
2 Jan 2013
History / POLAND: EASTERN or CENTRAL European country? [1090]

We could go into details of the Polish Commonwealth, Polish lands in the east etc., but its late and im tired.

We could, but that was only a part of Polish history - Poland is around 1000 years old. And those lands in the East aren't "Polish" anymore anyway.

im tired and i will take that:

And you'll ingore the rest of the sentence? :):

However, we share the same alphabet (Latin) and religion (Catholic) with the West, as opposed to Eastern Slavs whose alphabet (Cyrillic script) and religion (Orthodox Christianity) stem from the Byzantine culture, not the Latin one.

The division between the East and the West came into being long ago, at the time of the East-West Schism: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East%E2%80%93West_Schism

I dont know whats not to understand. I was stating that i dont mean the political terms of Eastern and Western Europe but

OK, sorry, I've misunderstood.

You are drifting off again.

No, I'm not, actually. You're not answering my questions.
I've asked where would you put Hungary?
Or Romania? Or Estonia? Lithuania? Latvia?

Ethnically, linguistically and culturally - what are those countries? After all, ethnically and linguistically Poles have pretty much nothing to do with them. So?
Paulina   
2 Jan 2013
History / POLAND: EASTERN or CENTRAL European country? [1090]

What does religion, architecture

Alphabet, religion, art - it's something of which culture consists of. In this case Latin vs Byzantine.

the political system

Well, you were hinting at the political division after WW2, weren't you? So maybe you'll explain it to me?

to do with the language and ethnicity?

Wait a minute, so you divide Europe into the East and the West solely on the basis of language and ethnicity? o_O
If so, then where do you put Hungary?

Since we are quoting wiki:

Well, I see that in one article Wiki puts Poland in Central Europe and in another in Eastern (or, at least, the West Slavic languages) :)

OK then, Sorbian is a West Slavic language - does it make Eastern Germany... Eastern Europe?

Depends what you compare it to.

True, but Poland joining the EU is definitely more recent than Poland being on "the wrong side of the Iron Curtain" :)
Paulina   
2 Jan 2013
History / POLAND: EASTERN or CENTRAL European country? [1090]

Poland is and was culturally much closer to its eastern neighbors then its western

Actually, even this statement isn't quite correct, I think... As far as spoken language and ethnicity are concerned we're closer to Slavs in the East than Romance and Germanic nations in the West, North and South or Hungarians and Greeks.

However, we share the same alphabet (Latin) and religion (Catholic) with the West, as opposed to Eastern Slavs whose alphabet (Cyrillic script) and religion (Orthodox Christianity) stem from the Byzantine culture, not the Latin one.

You've heard about the Great Schism?:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East%E2%80%93West_Schism

Take a look at Polish architecture, for example. It always embraced Western styles while adding some minor local details. There was no Gothic style in Russia, for example. Russia didn't embrace the dramatic style of Baroque architecture either, because why would it do that? There was no Counter-Reformation there.

Polish church:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Kosciol_mariacki_krakow.jpg
Russian church:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Moscow_July_2011-4a.jpg

And where would you put the poor Hungarians? ;) They're not Slavic, so...?

No, i meant the political division after WW2.

No that "recent", is it?
And not correct anymore, either. If the Cold War division put Poland in the minds of Westerners in Eastern Europe (or rather outside of Europe, as at the time of joining the EU we were told by the Western media, that we were coming back to EUROPE, as if the EU was Europe lol :)))) then where are we now? Politically we're in the EU. So what does it make us? lol (no that I care, to be honest)
Paulina   
1 Jan 2013
History / POLAND: EASTERN or CENTRAL European country? [1090]

Again although cartographically correct nowadays, Poland is and was culturally much closer to its eastern neighbors then its western

Yet it's different enough to not be considered Eastern European. Poland is neither West nor East. It's in between, not only geographically.

and if one would divide Europe into regions based on that Poland would belong to Eastern Europe.

Yes, an ignorant would that, I imagine ;)

I was indeed hinting at that,

You see, there you go.

but specifically didnt mention recent political divisions.

What "recent political divisions"? You mean Poland being in the EU?
Paulina   
1 Jan 2013
History / POLAND: EASTERN or CENTRAL European country? [1090]

I am not surprised, British people know very little about countries East of Germany :)
Perhaps this is the place to get them educated a bit? ;) If they are willing, that is...
Paulina   
1 Jan 2013
History / POLAND: EASTERN or CENTRAL European country? [1090]

Ethnically, linguistically and culturally Poland is still Eastern Europe. ;)

Actually, linguistically and culturally Poland never was Eastern European. It seems you're confused by the Cold War division of Europe. I guess that's why you wrote "still" :)
Paulina   
1 Jan 2013
History / POLAND: EASTERN or CENTRAL European country? [1090]

I don't feel offended :) There's nothing offensive about being Eastern European.
Although I guess it would be probably more precise to call it Central European language as Poland is located in Central Europe:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Europe
britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/466681/Poland

And Polish is West Slavic language:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polish_language
britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/467443/Polish-language

But impressive post altogether, kcharlie :)
Paulina   
25 Jan 2011
Language / Terms of endearment in Polish [222]

What does "boy- sheek" mean in Polish? Is this a term of endearment for a baby?

The only thing that comes to my mind is "boysik" or "bojsik". There's no such word in Polish - it's a diminutive of the English word "boy" and I suppose it can be used among young people as they like to play with English words and "polonize" them.

hip-hop.pl/ustawki/projektor.php?usr=12293747955334
bojs.bloog.pl/id,5972411,title,Najlepszy-w-V-kolejce-Bojsik-to,index.html?ticaid=6baa5
boysik.wrzuta.pl
Paulina   
25 Jan 2011
Genealogy / ROMANOWSKI HISTORY [24]

Well, there was/is a noble family of this name in Poland. It originally came from Red Ruthenia (Ruś Czerwona).

pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romanowscy
pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrzej_Romanowski_%28szlachcic%29
pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomasz_Jan_Romanowski
pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filip_Romanowski

I know that they left Russian controlled Poland,

Do you know what city/town/village exactly?

whereas, my mother's parents immigrated from Austrian controlled Poland (Sarna, Cichon).

Sarna and Cichon were their surnames?
Paulina   
17 Jan 2011
UK, Ireland / Polish and Irish people are related? [137]

Here the greek women refer to russian and polish ones as ho's,sluts non-stop.

Can I quote you on that?
Paulina   
16 Jan 2011
UK, Ireland / Polish and Irish people are related? [137]

drank too much wine

"Naprutych winem" is more like "wasted with wine", I think ;)

Btw, it's funny though, I've just remembered that Doda sued one hip-hop singer for calling her "blachara" lol
Paulina   
16 Jan 2011
UK, Ireland / Polish and Irish people are related? [137]

I am just shocked with the Doda charges, that's all.

To be honest I doubt they'll convict her, but we'll see ;)

According to this article in 2009 the prosecutor refused to start an investigation about this:

Metropolitan prosecutors accused Doda, a pop-singer from Poland, for offending religious feelings of others. The point is to identify the authors of the Bible as " naprutych wine and smoking some herbs ." The popular singer threatens it to two years in prison.

- April 30 indictment against Dorothy R. was referred to the District Court for Warsaw -Mokotów - said deputy head of the Prosecutor's Office Warsaw - Mokotów Anna Accardo . The prosecutor added that for pressing charges and the prosecution appealed the content of the opinion of experts appointed by the prosecution - a linguist and two experts ( secular and religious ) .

But Ryszard Nowak complained to the court and the court ordered the prosecutor office to start the investigation.
Paulina   
16 Jan 2011
UK, Ireland / Polish and Irish people are related? [137]

I don't know - it's restricted ; )

lol ;)

Yes there is a law in Ireland but I doubt if anyone could ever get in to trouble for it..

OK, but the law exists. So Reporters Without Borders evaluate not the law but it's practical use?

What about expressing blasphemous opinions like Doda is being charged with?

It was a television interview, I think hague1cmaeron meant press articles ;)

So, I guess you SeanBM also have no idea what those restrictions of the freedom of press in Ireland could be?
Paulina   
16 Jan 2011
UK, Ireland / Polish and Irish people are related? [137]

Well if you can't express such a simple opinion, it kinda puts it into perspective.
That'd be laughed at if it had happened in today's Ireland.

But you wrote that Ireland has a blasphemy law too? Yet it's higher on the ranking. So I guess there must be something more?

Although 'The life of Brian' by Monthy Python was banned in Ireland for being blasphemous years ago.

lol I've seen it on TVP1 quite a long time ago ;)
But Poles are quite fond of Monthy Python in general, as far as I've noticed :)
Paulina   
16 Jan 2011
UK, Ireland / Polish and Irish people are related? [137]

No we don't know the exact reasons but since the ranking concerns "press freedom" I think we can all take a wild guess that it just might involve how free (or not) the press is - what do you think?

Well, to be honest the press would be actually my last guess ;)
I don't know, but I'd like to know :) I wonder if it's available somewhere on the internet.

I don't know why you are making this more complicated when it is very simple.

I think it may be more complicated as I described with the women equality ranking.

Btw, do you have any idea what may be the restrictions of freedom of press in Ireland? I'm curious.
Paulina   
16 Jan 2011
UK, Ireland / Polish and Irish people are related? [137]

And? So what?

So... we don't know the reasons exactly, do we?

It's not even relevant.

What is not relevant? That I found what you wrote funny? xD

Of course - so what's your guess as to why Poland has less press freedom than the countries that are ranked higher? How can it possibly be anything other than they are less free to print what they want?

They could, for example, publish whatever they want, but some politicians could sue the newspaper for that, or something. Or it could be only about TVP1. I have no idea...

I remember that in some ranking about women equality Poland dropped a few places or more because in some country in Africa or somewhere else a woman was chosen for a president in that particular year.

So, Teffle, why do you think there is less freedom of press/speech in Ireland than in Finland, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Austria and New Zealand? Have you noticed any restrictions of the freedom of press/speech in your country?

You have a strange attitude.

What do you mean?
Paulina   
16 Jan 2011
UK, Ireland / Polish and Irish people are related? [137]

I'm not saying the Polish press cannot criticize at all and that their lips are sealed or something but there are obviously things that they cannot say - hence the ranking.

Well, I don't know what are the reasons for such a place and no other of Poland in this ranking because they are not given. There are reasons given for France and Italy:

There has been no progress in several countries where Reporters Without Borders pointed out problems.

... but not for Poland.

Maybe this is why you said:

No, I wrote this because your "expert tone" seemed to me a bit arrogant and funny, because I was pretty sure you have no idea how Polish press and TV looks like :)

I am not entirely sure where you got that idea from.

He's mainly guessing based on the ranking.
Paulina   
16 Jan 2011
UK, Ireland / Polish and Irish people are related? [137]

Negative things to say about anything? Are you sure? On what do you base your opinion? Do you read Polish press or watch Polish TV?

But yes, there is an upward trend in press freedom in Poland.

LOL

Sorry, I couldn't help it for some reason ;)
Paulina   
16 Jan 2011
UK, Ireland / Polish and Irish people are related? [137]

hague1cmaeron

Polish girls like ułani ;)

youtube.com/watch?v=QGJprWPh3AM

youtube.com/watch?v=lpBhBxazKmg

youtube.com/watch?v=H-y2Ts8vjuQ

xD

As regards church/state, don't forget, Irish media is one of the most free in the world.

You may be right (I don't know though, I'm just guessing), on the other hand in Poland it rather depends on the TV station and the newspaper. TVP1 is not the same as Superstacja, and "Nasz Dziennik" is not the same as "Gazeta Wyborcza" or newspapers closer to the left.

Can you elaborate maybe?

en.rsf.org/press-freedom-index-2010,1034.html

"As regards church/state, don't forget, Irish media is one of the most free in the world"

Um, this ranking of Reporters Without Borders is general, I really doubt it's only about church/state thing. I think it's more about state/press. Poland is 32nd in this ranking, and France is 44th lol Does this mean that France is more Catholic than Poland? O_O ;)
Paulina   
14 Jan 2011
UK, Ireland / Polish and Irish people are related? [137]

some Polish horses (for certain events) are seen as among the best in the world.

I think it's probably about Polish Arabian horses?

Will at this year's auction in Janow, Poland be beaten the previous record - one million U.S. dollars for a horse ?

Today in Janow Podlaski begins with the world-famous Arabian horse show . Auction every year visit the world's most serious breeder. With Janow Podlaski derives many of the most respected bloodlines.

Janowskie auctions are events such prestigious and profitable .
Paulina   
12 Jan 2011
Life / Walking on other people's property in Poland - cultural difference? [51]

Like I said, a kind of 'folia' under the grass to keep the weeds away.

OK, right, thanks :)

Many estates in UK have open front lawns.

I meant gardens, not lawns ;)

It's a kind of cultural thing that people just know not to go on them.

Well, in the Polish countryside it's not a "cultural" thing, rather practical :) A fence is to keep the chickens, ducks and geese and dogs from straying away from the yard. And gives some privacy from the people walking down the street when you're sunbathing, for example :)

The typical Polish fence is exceptionally ugly and brings down the area - why would anyone want to allow this?

o_O
Could you post some pictures with examples of those "exceptionally ugly" fences?
But you can always put a nice-looking fence, you know ;)

The garden in question, however, is in the UK, where you can't always put a fence round a garden.

OK, I didn't know it's in the UK, I thought it's in Poland ;)
Paulina   
11 Jan 2011
Life / Walking on other people's property in Poland - cultural difference? [51]

You'd be surprised!

I know there are some rude people in this world but I don't usually consider myself one of them ;D

Unlikely gived the details of post #1

Well, I'm not sure yet...

Sometimes on housing estates that isn't allowed.

?
I don't think I've ever seen a private garden in Poland without a fence... If she/he has a garden and a yard it means she/he lives in a house so why wouldn't she/he be allowed to fence something on her/his property?

Sorry, I got it wrong, it was "membrane".

Yes, I've read about this "membrane" in white_lilly's post but to be honest I have no idea what it is :P
Paulina   
11 Jan 2011
Life / Walking on other people's property in Poland - cultural difference? [51]

It isn't considered polite to use an unfenced garden as a short cut though.

Wow, really? It's good you've enlightened me about this, I wouldn't have guessed... lol

Why on earth should it be?

It was just... a question, you know :) Maybe they don't realise that it's his property as people in Poland are used to the fact that gardens are fenced. Perhaps his "garden" is just a bunch of grass and weeds and they think it belongs to nobody, I don't know. Or maybe his neighbours are simply rude people :) If they don't listen to him maybe it would be a good idea to fence it after all ;)
Paulina   
11 Jan 2011
Life / Walking on other people's property in Poland - cultural difference? [51]

I would like to know if it is normal in Poland to walk over other people's property, such as front yards and gardents.

What do you mean by "walk over"? Do they come to visit you or ask you about something? If you live in the countryside it's normal when your neighbours or people you know (or complete strangers) walk into your yard to say hello or have a chat without asking for permission (at least in my region). But not into your garden o_O

I have some Polish neighbours, who I don't know well. They seem like nice people, but they constantly walk over my front garden.

Well, that's weird... Where do they go that they have to pass through your garden? o_O
Your garden isn't fenced?
Paulina   
18 Nov 2010
Off-Topic / Simple Things One Guy Wants.. (Parody.) [23]

About opening my heart and opening my mind instead of joking all the time. Well, there's my heart and my mind I guess

:)