Genealogy / THE MEANING AND RESEARCH OF MY POLISH LAST NAME, SURNAME? [4500]

Budziński is an alternate spelling of Budzyński, which comes from the name of any of several villages in Poland called Budzyń. Which particular one is hard to determine, and it's quite possible that the name was invented more than once in different places. The place name POSSIBLY derives from the Polish word budzić, which means to wake up. Or it might be derived from the name of a person, like the founder of the village. It almost certainly does not derive from "buda", which is the word you've been told translates as "huts".

Genealogy / THE MEANING AND RESEARCH OF MY POLISH LAST NAME, SURNAME? [4500]

Gurske is a German transliteration of the Polish surname Górski, from góra, mountain or hill.

Aberle is a Swabian surname derived from Albrecht (Albert). There is also, coincidentally, an unrelated English surname Aberley, derive from Apple plus -ley (a field or meadow).

Language / What does "ya zha smadia" mean in English? [20]

Polish "r" can sound a lot like an English "d", so "Maria" can sound like "Madia". The same with Spanish "r". I used to be a dorm daddy and one on the girls in the dorm was a Mexican called "Maria". The other students used to call her "Muddy" because that's what they think they heard when she said her name, and it sorta stuck.

Work / English teachers in Poland - why are they so unhappy? [89]


Yes. Several things.


That's one. It can take up more time than actual classroom time. Especially if you have lessons scattered all over the city, or beyond.

And then you are missing that you are paid for only 30 weeks out of the year. Nothing for holidays and often half pay during the summer, or more often nothing at all. That 22 weeks with no or little pay. And, of course, you have to deduct the cost of getting a certificate like CELTA, the cost of getting a residency permit, and the cost of travel to or from Poland.

If your giving private lessons, you have to deduct the cost to you of cancelled lessons. With many students, that reduces your earnings in half. And of course, travel time and cost.

So actually, calculated per hour per year for a full year, it comes out to substantially less that 50 PLN.

Work / English teachers in Poland - why are they so unhappy? [89]


Durian is an Asian fruit that looks like an American football covered with spikes and stinks horrible to the uninitiated but tastes orgasmic. Like nothing you have ever tasted before. Even the best things you have eaten in your life pale in comparison. It's like a whole philharmonic symphony of discordant tastes exploding in your mouth in perfect harmony in a way that makes Beethoven seem like Justin Bieber.

Google it.


That's exactly where I got my data. Figure 4 in this WHO report:

euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/190430/Status-Report-on-Alcohol-and-Health-in-35-European-Countries.pdf

Work / English teachers in Poland - why are they so unhappy? [89]


Apparently, a lot of young people that come to Poland to teach have had considerable difficulty finding suitable work at home, and think that Poland is their lucky break. Alcoholics are over-represented in this group (who wants to hire a drunk), as are people without an education that enables them to be competitive on the job market (including some who have masters degrees in useless fields).

My advice to them has been to stay at home and resolve their personal problems, which is a lot easier to do at home than in Poland, and to reschool to acquire more salable qualifications. Like you imply, coming to Poland doesn't really help with either. At best, it postpones the inevitable. At worst, it hastens it.



Now that is a racial stereotype. The numbers for alcohol-attributable liver cirrhosis, cancer and injury deaths per 100 000 people is approximately the same in Norway and Sweden as in Greece, the lowest in the EU. It is substantially higher in Lithuania, Hungary and Romania, and is probably connected to poverty in multiple ways.

Work / English teachers in Poland - why are they so unhappy? [89]


Can't imagine why you would think that. I'm having the best time of my life, like I died and went to heaven. My biggest, and possibly only problem is that I cannot get durian where I live at the moment, and if you think alcohol is addictive, then you haven't tried durian.


Which agrees exactly with what I said. The alcoholics end up having a lousy time in Poland. You had a great time precisely because you were not an alcoholic.

Work / English teachers in Poland - why are they so unhappy? [89]


No stereotyping or racism involved at all. Unfortunately, the profession does draw more than its fair share of alcoholics, from all countries, but especially from Ireland, for whatever reason. Definitely not saying that alcoholism is more prevalent among the Irish than among citizens of other countries, which it isn't. Just that it is more prevalent in the pool of English teachers from Ireland than in English teachers from other countries, although Brits come in a very close second. Much less common in English teachers from outside the EU (the US, Canada and Australia), who are far less likely to be attracted by the promise of cheap beer.

Work / English teachers in Poland - why are they so unhappy? [89]

None of the above. Not even close. Those are just aggravating circumstances.

The main reason is that they come either with unrealistic expectations, financial or romantic, or they come already loaded with social or psychological problems to start with, especially alcoholism.

A lot of the teachers teachers come with the expectation that they are going to strike it rich and that teaching in Poland is a viable career option, which it practically never is, especially for people in their twenties. Reality sets in and they are unhappy because they have to face returning to their home countries with nothing substantial to show for their time in Poland, either in their pockets or on their resumes. Even those more established teachers who have been here a while and often own their own businesses are having trouble making a go of it because of stagnating fees due to fierce competition.

A lot come expecting to find easy girls (or boys, to be fair, but it's usually boys coming for "easy pickings"), usually because they haven't been successful in their home countries. A good number come because they met a Polish "girlfriend"/"boyfriend" either in their home country or even on-line, and that they will be able to make a life together in Poland. Both end up disappointed when it turns out that there were usually very good reasons why they were so unsuccessful in love at home, and those reasons cannot be escaped simply by packing up and moving to a foreign country, or finding a supposedly naive partner.

Then there's the ones that are lured by the promise of cheap beer. Surprisingly, this is a pretty large group. Sadly, of the dozens of teachers from Ireland I met in my years in Poland, every single one was an alcoholic, in the clinical sense. They think they will make enough money to finance a party lifestyle, and will be able to get drunk practically every night without consequences. They don't last long, and give other teachers a bad reputation.

Of course, these three groups are not distinct and largely overlap.

Of course, there are those who come expecting nothing more than an interesting extended vacation or charity project, and they are generally quite happy, as long as they are not coming for escapist reasons and are able to adjust to the demands of the job.

Then there are the very few, generally older, teachers who came with viable business plans, and were able to set up their own successful businesses, often learning the language and marrying a local. They are a mixed bag. Some were wiped out or almost so by the increased competition for dwindling demand during the financial crisis. Some moved on to more lucrative fields. Some are clinging on to what little they have and trying to make a go of it, with varying degrees of success. But most have packed up and gone home after redoing the math. Those who were able to retool their business models to the new economy are generally doing well and are quite happy, though.

Genealogy / My theory about my family history - thoughts? Piatek surname. [7]

Basically, any speculation that is not backed up with firm documentation remains vain speculation. And without firm evidence to the contrary, there is no good reason to suppose that your family was originally Jewish or Gypsy rather than ethnically Polish. Piątek is a rather common Polish surname.

Records become scarcer as you go back in time, and, in Poland, many did not survive the wars and the ravages of time. Paper is rather perishable even under the best of circumstances. For many, if not most people from 19th century Poland, the only records that would have been kept are church and civil records of birth, baptism, marriage and death, and of military service, tax assessment or land transactions if you are lucky. No documentation remains at all of many, if not most people from 1800 or earlier. It's not at all surprising that your paper trail ends in the mid to late 19th century.

Also, most Poles did not use surnames until about the time of the partitions, and even then, some families didn't until the early 19th century, and sometimes later, until they were imposed on them by the authorities.

This is even more true of ethnic minorities, not only Jews and Gypsies, but also of Ruthenian mountaineers who lived in the "very south of Poland, almost to Slovakia".

While it's conceivable that the name Piątek was given to or adopted by Jewish converts, it is also a name commonly used by ethnic Poles, and probably a lot more so than by Jews. Like I said, there is no particular reason to speculate on possible Jewish origins in the absence of compelling documentation to the contrary, which very likely may no longer exist, especially for the area you describe, which was forcibly depopulated after WWII. Many of the churches where records may have been kept were abandoned to decay, records and all.


PIĄTEK: Friday, the day someone was born or maybe converted to Christianity. Quite common in Poland with some 19,000 users.

Food / Is there a Indian store in Wroclaw? [20]

Generally, yes. A vegetarian diet cooked at home would be possible, though the range of fruits and vegetables available is not very large, especially in winter. The staples of Polish cooking are potatoes and white cabbage, with carrots and onions following close behind. Southern vegetables like tomatoes, peppers and eggplants can be quite costly out of season.

The main polish fruit is apples, and most stores will sell four or five different varieties. The range of other fruits is limited, and quality can be a lot lower than you are used to. Oranges especially can be tasteless to someone from warmer climes. You can find higher quality fruit and even some exotic fruits in Hala Targowa, though you will pay more, even a lot more, especially out of season.

For me, a huge problem that I had in Wrocław was finding decent potatoes. The varieties that the locals prefer (Denara and Wineta) are just plain awful: extremely bland, pappy and watery. I never did find a source for decent potatoes in Wrocław, and had to rely on a friend whose family had a farm in the countryside.

Food / Is there a Indian store in Wroclaw? [20]

No. There are a few shops that offer some Indian spices and a very limited range of Indian items (they are mentioned above in this thread (the spice shop on Wita Stwosza in the Old Town, and two international specialty shops in Renoma and Magnolia), but there is nothing like an full-range Indian grocery in Wrocław, and a lot of the ingredients you take for granted are completely unavailable in Poland at any cost. Expect to pay a lot more for Indian items than for local Polish items.

You are going to have to radically alter your diet and cooking habits to conform with what is available in Polish stores, with the addition of whatever few Indian ingredients you can find. The biggest problem would be lamb, which is very expensive and hard to find in Poland. Goatmeat even more so. You might be able to find some in Hala targowa, but you will probably have to order it. There is a meat stand in the northwest corner that can order meat for your, but it will cost you. They are very helpful people, though.

Poles eat a lot of pork and chicken, some turkey and cheaper, bland fish, very little beef, and practically no lamb, goat or seafood. Poles also use spices very, very sparingly in their food. The amount of chili pepper you use in one meal would equal or exceed what the average Polish family would use in a year, and maybe in a lifetime. However, with inventiveness and a bit of ingenuity, you should be able to adapt local ingredients to your taste.

Work / Expected costs for students work in Poland [2]

How long is a piece of string? Do you really expect a useful answer to your vague, ambiguous and even evasive question?

Life / Moving from India to Wroclaw [53]


That's far too little for an apartment in Wrocław. A modest one-bedroom apartment will cost you between 1800 and 2500 PLN a month all inclusive (rent, administration fees, and utilities except for phone, television and internet. If you find an apartment for less than that, chances are that it has big problems: substandard or run construction, not conveniently located in terms of transportation, bad windows (which can dramatically increase your heating bill), or a kitchen that is very small and very inconvenient.

Life / Unique medical treatments/practices/remedies from Poland [21]

Żywokost lekarski, or Symphytum officinale, in Latin. In English, it's called true comfrey or common comfrey.

Here's the Wikipedia article: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphytum_officinale

Law / Plans for starting a company in Poland / cost, types, registration [12]


That's far too little experience, and far to little capital to even start thinking about starting your won business in Poland.


There are scads of businesses doing that in Poland already, all with significantly more experience and capital than you have at your disposal. Breaking into this sector would be impossible for you.

Also, without advanced knowledge of Polish, you would be severely crippled compared to the competition.

Starting your business in your homeland makes infinitely more sense. If you can't do it there, then you certainly won't be able to do it in Poland.

Genealogy / THE MEANING AND RESEARCH OF MY POLISH LAST NAME, SURNAME? [4500]

You have the incredible luck to have an extremely easy surname to work with, genealogically speaking. Cynar is a rare name in Poland, and almost certainly unique and of recent provenance (the protoplast probably created and adopted the name in the early or mid 1800s). This makes you and all the Cynars in Poland related.

It's also a fortunate name geographically speaking. Of the 450 odd Cynars in Poland, a quarter live in the village of Strzyżów near Rzeszów, and most of the rest in its near vicinity. The others in other parts of Poland, like Wrocław, undoubtedly migrated from there after WWII.

moikrewni.pl/mapa/kompletny/cynar.html

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strzy%C5%BC%C3%B3w

By the way, I was in graduate school with a kid named Francis Cynar, so you have relatives in the States, too. I think he came from Connecticut, and he's a scientist now.

Its rare that a given surname is unique to a single family and a given small village. This will make your research and finding relatives much easier.

Good luck.

Genealogy / THE MEANING AND RESEARCH OF MY POLISH LAST NAME, SURNAME? [4500]


You're not mixing it up. Your father, however, probably did. There was a romantic-era ethnic myth among some Rusyns that they were actually a group of ethnic Great Russians that somehow got cut off from the rest of the herd. I remember waiting for a friend in the narthex of a Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Church and reading some of the literature they had put out. One was a long, and very fanciful, treatment of the origin of the Carpatho-Russians. It was hilarious, with references to Novgorod, Pskov, Muscovy and Alexander Nevski, and with a sort of unflattering view of Ukrainians and Poles. Kiev was portrayed as a Great Russian city from time immemorial. And Kievan Ruś as the Golden Age of the Great Russian people. Quite entertaining, as most romantic-era ethnic mythologies go.

Law / Karta Polaka - is it possible to obtain by a Polish-American citizen? [15]

Read it again. It quite clearly says that the karta can be granted EXCLUSIVELY to citizens of the former soviet republics.

No offense taken, and no offense intended. I'm just terse and direct, Sorry, but I'm not good at sugar-coating. Don't take it personally.

By the way, I am Polish American myself, and during my twelve years in Poland, the treatment I received from Polish authorities was no different than had I been a Nigerian or Filipino. I was impressed by their fairness.

Law / Karta Polaka - is it possible to obtain by a Polish-American citizen? [15]

It doesn't change anything. You are ineligible for the karta Polaka. You would have to apply for an investor visa, and being "Polonia" would grant you no special privileges or advantages except, perhaps, being able to speak the local language, which I gather you don't.

Sorry, but your post revels clearly that you are nowhere near making any concrete plans are are simply engaging in idle fantasy. Your knowledge gap is enormous, and you have to do your research. Also, "Polonia" publications are packed with bs, most of which is pure and total fabrication. They are useless for your research purposes.


No. It's exclusively for former soviet republics, per art. 2. ust. 2 ustawy z dnia 7 września 2007 r. o Karcie Polaka.

Law / Karta Polaka - is it possible to obtain by a Polish-American citizen? [15]

The karta polaka is for people of Polish ancestry who are citizens of the former Soviet republics, not for Americans.

Language / Polish slang phrases - most popular. [606]


Most likely a horribly mangled mishearing of "job twoju mać", which is Russian for "fcuk your mother", a very common vulgarity among Polish immigrants to the US a century ago. My own grandparents used it.

Life / Moving from India to Wroclaw [53]


A one-bedroom apartment is going to cost you about 500 Euro, rent, fees and utilities included. On your budget, you will not be able to afford your won apartment. You can only afford a room in a shared apartment.

Study / Studying in University of Lower Silesia in Wroclaw (3d animation and visual effects) [6]


It's not a real university, and any "degree" you get there will be worthless, so save your money. It's such a worthless school that I've never even heard of it, and I spent eight years in Wrocław associated with real universities there.

And don't waste your time studying a silly major like 3d animation and visual effects. That won't help you get a job anywhere, so you'd just be flushing money down the toilet. Study IT engineering. Or get an engineering degree in a more lucrative field like petroleum, geological or biomedical engineering. And study it at a real university, not some fly-by-night operation in Poland.

Math is money.

News / There is no Poland without the Church! [178]


He seems to be totally unknown outside of Poland.

News / There is no Poland without the Church! [178]


Indeed. Even by traditionalist Catholic standards, he's way out there.


That's actually a pretty high number for a fringe religious figure. He must be either rather charismatic, or have superb PR, or both. I highly doubt that even Rydzyk could draw a crowd of 40,000 these days. And no other religious figure in Poland could even come close.

News / There is no Poland without the Church! [178]


Exactly. Who wants to be associated with bigots and a$$holes? Conservative Catholics have done and excellent job of skunking their own brand, and the stink ain't gonna wear off any time soon.

News / There is no Poland without the Church! [178]

I was actually surprised that you thought we disagreed, at least on the general scheme of things.

You asked for articles. This is one that I have found very informative.

natemat.pl/78625,nie-chodzimy-do-kosciola-bo-jest-w-nim-nudno

News / There is no Poland without the Church! [178]


Of course, I am generalizing, but on a much greater basis than merely the few Polish young people I know. The rise and fall of the Catholic church has long been an interest of mine, and I am well read in the field, including events in Poland.


While rural and eastern areas may lag some years behind the richer western Polish urban centers in this respect, there are no regions in Poland that are not experiencing a major loss of religiosity among young people.


I never claimed anything of the sort. I claimed that that influence has declined substantially in recent years, especially among young people, who no longer interpret cultural events in terms of the Catholic faith. For example, patently and overtly religious artworks such as Mozart's requiem are approached as secular works of art, and events in Polish history are extremely likely to be interpreted as expressions of the "Christ of Nations" mythology. Few young people look to the church to help them determine the significance of events in their lives or public events in general. Contrast that with the moherowy berety generation, who interpret practically every event from sour milk to cancer in terms of a Catholic cosmology, especially divine retribution.


The transmission of religious beliefs and practices has also markedly decreased.


True, but there is no evidence that today's young people will return to religious practice as they get older. Quite the opposite. Evidence from more advanced countries indicates that religiosity will continue to decrease during the lifespan of those currently under thirty years old.


While I have little sympathy for the Catholic church, I do bemoan the loss of the cultural knowledge base that makes interpretation of older works of art possible. "Biblical literacy" (in the cultural, not religious, sense) is shockingly low among younger people. Fewer and fewer of them are familiar with themes such as Joseph and his coat of many colors, Jonah and the whale, or even references to things like thirty pieces of silver or the cock crowing thrice. For example, I watched the Russian film "The Return" with a group of college students. The film is jam packed with references to events and symbols in the Bible, and they are not subtly presented. Quite the opposite. Most escaped the attention of the students, though, including a whole sequence of events that was essentially a retelling of Abraham's sacrifice of Isaac. I found it funny that they said they "appreciated" the film even though practically all of it sailed way over their heads.

I don't think we disagree, unless you are somehow maintaining that the situation in Poland is unique and essentially different from that of the Western countries that preceded it in the process of dechristianization. I see the same series of events occurring that occurred decades earlier in the West. Or rather, a variation of a well-known them with results that are largely predictable and unsurprising. I'm also guessing that you underestimate the vast inter-generational divide regarding matters of religiosity. It's much more stark than in the US, for example.


Yes, I speak Polish fluently, and have read more books in Polish than most educated Poles. I lived in Poland for twelve years.


Also, I was an avid reader of the Polish religious press for years: everything from Tygodnik Powszechny to Nasz Dziennik.

News / There is no Poland without the Church! [178]


Some of the young people I mentored became atheists or agnostics. Probably most. Others were "spiritual, but not religious", but with a greater affinity to Buddhism or Taoism, if anything, rather than Christianity, for which few young people harbor any sentimental attachment. Few, if any, remained "Christians", practicing or otherwise. Younger people generally reject the concept of "cultural Catholicism". Catholicism plays very little role in their lives, least of all as an element of their culture (other than a few culinary traditions during Christmas and Easter).

So yes, some young people remain "spiritual", but not in a Christian, or Catholic, context. The exception being adherents of neofascist nationalist movements who basically scare everyone else away and skunk the brand of Catholicism.

One potentially misleading statistic is the popularity of pilgrimages in August, which are seen as a cheap form of vacation than as anything related to spirituality.

It's only a matter of time before Poland goes the way of Spain and Ireland. And, like in those countries, the transition to a post-Catholic mentality will almost certainly occur rapidly, almost overnight.