USA, Canada / Can a Canadian Female Drive in Poland?? [30]


What time buffer? It doesn't exist in Polish law. The only foreign licences recognised "as-is" are licenses issued by an EU member state. Everyone else needs an IDP (if their country signed the Gevena/Vienna Convention on road traffic - a nice map is here -

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Countries_that_Recognize_International_Driving_Permit.svg

Of course, if you can point me to anything in Polish law which states that short term visitors, holding non-EU licenses from a country which signed one of the conventions can drive without an IDP legally, then I'll eat my words. I don't think you'll be able to though ;)


It doesn't matter if it's "useless" or not - the point is that they have to obtain it in order to be regarded as having a valid licence. Poland may not bother to enforce the law, but other countries can and will. No IDP means they don't have a valid licence in other countries - end of story.

Good luck with the arrogance - it's pretty obvious that you've never rented a car in Europe. The IDP is an integral part of the license if you want to have it recognized abroad - but really, it seems as if you don't even know what an IDP actually is. It's not an "international driving licence" at all.

Anyway, car hire agencies may check, or may not. But if you have an accident in one of their cars, without possessing the required documentation (an IDP) - then good luck!

(gotta love the old "I'm American, the laws don't apply to me")

USA, Canada / Can a Canadian Female Drive in Poland?? [30]


By carrying an IDP.

In practice, the police don't seem bothered in Poland by the existence of a licence from the USA/Canada - legally, it's not enough, but I think they seem to treat it as being equal to an EU licence. But still, it's not allowed by law - and you always run the risk of running into a police officer who just wants to ruin your day.

Language / Is the term 'Polak' derogatory?? [254]

Because they're Polish-Americans who have no idea of what is used in Poland on a daily basis, except what they read in the newspapers that support the "1920's Babusia" point of view that they love so much.

Law / UK driving license mess in Poland [72]


In the UK, you most certainly can ;)

The DVLA's records are infamously inaccurate.

Law / UK driving license mess in Poland [72]


Probably because they can't put a foreign address on the licence, I guess.

Love / Polish girls and contraceptives [68]


I'm not sure. They can prescribe for 6 months quite legally, so I'd suggest that the doctor is screwing you over. Change the doctor.

Law / Polish EU Drivers Licence - can I get one the easy way (by paying for it)? [185]


It's easy. European law says that you must be resident in the country for 185 days legally. It's rather straightforward to obtain legal residency in the EU. Job done.

I'm not sure why you seem to think that it's unfair that the EU expects people to be resident in the Union!

Law / Opening a Polish Bank Account by a foreigner in Poland. Recommendations. [299]


It's total nonsense. Some ill informed people might say such - but mBank for instance couldn't care less if you are legally resident or not - they just want you to declare that you're residing in Poland.

Makes a mockery of the UK's money laundering laws, really.

Classifieds / Recruitment agencies in Poland to hire workers? [47]

Let me guess - they're over sensitive, over confident and very poorly equipped to deal with working with Western partners?

News / Polish in vitro treatment fully refundable - bonkers! [62]


Yet again, you neglect to post the real facts.

IVF may be funded, it may not be. But it's certain that it will be only funded for the poorest people, and it's unlikely to be funded for more than one attempt. Bear in mind that Poland needs new babies, it's not a bad investment.

Genealogy / Looking for any and all information on Dabrowski/Dombrowski from Poland [88]

Uh...why don't you just type "Dąbrowski/Dąbrowska" into facebook? There's plenty of them around, I know at least 4!

Life / iPhones/iTunes and Apple products market in Poland [47]


Let's see - ukpolska is involved with a company that supplies live streaming of video to handsets. You - a nobody. I wonder who might know more about such things?

Life / iPhones/iTunes and Apple products market in Poland [47]


Funny thing is, it's the same story with people being gassed in trucks in Belgium. Apparently some trucking magazine investigated this and didn't find one confirmed case by any medical authority. I'm pretty sure it's exactly the same with "gas" on trains - the truth is that they got drunk and passed out, or something similar.

Life / iPhones/iTunes and Apple products market in Poland [47]


In general - no problem within the EU, but many bad reports about the service to/from non-EU countries. I suspect Customs and not Poczta Polska are to blame, though it's hard to say.

Work / Black English Teacher going to Wroclaw [247]


Those guys (that genuinely train this stuff) aren't going to bother anyone. Many of them know fine well that they run the real risk of getting a knife pulled on them - and a severed tendon could be bye bye MMA.

The ones who wear the clothes but who don't train - nothing to be afraid of, after all, most of them would be incapable of running after you anyway :)

Life / iPhones/iTunes and Apple products market in Poland [47]


Forget about it - anyone savvy enough to buy Apple in Poland is going to buy from an authorised dealer.

Also - are you really cheaper, once you factor in VAT and import duties?

Law / I'm from Nigeria, but want to be a Poland Citizen [44]


Because a Polish passport means the right to live and work in the UK!

History / Let's talk about the POLISH ARMY [79]


Easier said than done. Poland just didn't have the money - and they had a long, long border with hostile neighbours. Virtually none of her neighbours at the time were on good terms with the Poles, except possibly the Czechoslovaks - so Poland would have had to defend a very, very long border. It just wouldn't have been possible to solidify them, especially given the economic circumstances of 1922.


This might have made sense, but only if the combat plans were to involve guerilla warfare rather than the conventional man-to-man battles of the day.


It wouldn't have done anything to prevent the rapid German advance - WW1 aircraft would have been absolutely useless against blitzkrieg.


But with what? The financial troubles of the 2nd Republic are very well known.


They were numerically outnumbered and psychologically beaten by the realisation that they had to fight Germany alone - sure, they might have lasted a few more days, but in your scenario, the Germans would still have managed to succeed. It also wouldn't have helped a bit against the two pronged attack.

I've said it a thousand times - the only hope for Poland in 1939 would have been to fight a guerilla war where potentially, every man, woman or child could be carrying a gun in which to murder Germans with. The Russians wouldn't have wanted to invade as long as the Polish armed forces were intact - and the Germans may not have had the stomach for a long guerilla war that they couldn't win.

But really, Poland lost the war in the early 20's - by conquering part of Lithuania and refusing to grant autonomy to Galicia - they all but sealed their fate. A smarter move would have been to build alliances with Czechoslovakia and Lithuania, as well as granting Ukrainians a great deal of autonomy in exchange for military cooperation. If they had also enfranchised the Jewish population, then - perhaps she would have survived relatively intact.

Law / I'm from Nigeria, but want to be a Poland Citizen [44]

If you want citizenship of a European country, Ukraine offers citizenship (entirely legally) for $100,000 USD.

Work / Black English Teacher going to Wroclaw [247]


One big tip - make sure that you get the paperwork sorted for your residence permit as soon as possible. I mean it - if you go more than 90 days in the Schengen zone and you haven't started the process of residency, you are liable for deportation at any time.

And don't trust anyone, not even your friend to get it sorted - it's your obligation to get it done.

Incidentally, don't work without a work permit either - if she can't provide you with the (granted) work permit in advance of you coming here, then don't go. I've heard too many horror stories about people who have been promised a work permit, only for it to not materialise.

Work / Black English Teacher going to Wroclaw [247]

One lesson for Poland - never assume anything. Schools are notorious for signing contracts for x amount of hours, only to then turn round at Christmas and say "uh...actually...we don't have enough work for you".

Work / Black English Teacher going to Wroclaw [247]


You might have some issues with people not wanting to be taught by you on the private level - there is an undercurrent of opinion that black teachers are inferior and have inferior accents. Unfortunately, those views are also held by the people who can afford private lessons! But on the school level - the worst you can expect is the occasional idiot making complaints about your teaching ability - but that happens to every native speaker due to some students only wanting to have the teacher with the short skirt/large breasts/whatever.

Really, in Wroclaw, you'll be fine - just use common sense and people won't bat an eyelid.

(and if needs be, just make sure you can beat the crap out of a drunk punk)

Life / Cost of Utilities in Warsaw. [23]

Lindenia, but I've given up with the business for now - teaching is just much, much more profitable in terms of effort vs reward. It's maybe not sustainable in the long run, but for the time being? Might as well do what earns the most ;)

(but I'm still helping people for free where it concerns injustice)

Life / Cost of Utilities in Warsaw. [23]


They are.

Give me an e-mail at office@lindenia - I've had a friend with the exact same circumstance, and funnily enough, they refused to provide copies of the originals too.

My advice in this situation is simple - pay nothing until you receive original documents.

USA, Canada / Poles in America: How do you pronounce your Polish surname? [128]


Yet they claim to be Polish. Riiight.


Just don't claim that it's a Polish name if you pronounce it completely wrongly!

Travel / Hard Candy - Krakow, Poland - reviews? [131]

A touristic bar in a cellar away from the main Rynek? Hahahahaha. Of course you didn't go there because some girls approached you in the street, no, not at all. The fact that they were in relationships makes even more sense - many men in long term relationships like the fact that they appear to be still attractive to girls!

Life / Babcia or Busha - any social class difference? [359]


Sure, you can call her what you want. But it's not the right word for "Grandmother", no matter what you call her. And certainly don't attempt to tell people that it is the right Polish word - because it's not.


It's the dialect of uneducated peasants who had no ability to succeed in the 2nd Polish Republic. It's no surprise that many of the American-Polish words are from people who lived in the Russian part of occupied Poland - essentially, peasants.


It more than likely came from some dialect in the East that was heavily influenced by Russian and somehow "stuck" among the Polish immigrant community in America.

However, if you ask me, shame on the immigrants for not even using their own language correctly. You certainly won't find "Busha" among the works of Mickiewicz!

Travel / Hard Candy - Krakow, Poland - reviews? [131]


Hahahahahaha. No, of course not, it's not like the UK has plenty of clip joints still operating in London!

news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8175510.stm

Hmmmmm... In fact, I'd suggest that they got the idea from London!

Prices shown on the wall? Maybe in old-style boozers, but apart from that? I don't think so sunshine...

And yes, I hope the UK leaves too, just to read all the whining Brits that will only be allowed to take 200 cigarettes and a litre of vodka home after their not-so-cheap flight to Spain.

Life / What is Nowy Sacz like? [26]

It's your average non-descript small Polish town, really. There will be some life there, but I wouldn't bet on finding any other natives around.

The one big advantage is that you'll be close to Bieszczady. It wouldn't be my first choice for a job though - that part of the world is very insular and...well..backwards.

Life / What's the story with Nergal? (Singer from Behemoth) [40]


Well, Varg was very articulate when he stuck that knife into the poor bugger!