Food / What is your favorite Polish Vodka? [653]

Christ, I used to drink cheap shots of Goldschlager from Weatherspoons back in the day..these days, shots kill me :(

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


Standard. You're not going to get a credit card in most EU countries without valid residency.


And Brussels would tell you to obtain the EU residence permit which exists in all EU countries before complaining. If Nordea want you to be legally resident in Poland (which is normal for most finance institutions!) before issuing you with a credit card - then it's fair enough.

And..uh..tried doing anything like banking in France without a residence permit?


They're good if you need access to a branch network, but their offers are pretty dire otherwise.

Life / Do Polish workers have post-Christmas break? [16]


I got a delivery today as well from the UK that was sent on the 22nd December, really can't complain!

Law / What is NIP number? [15]

If you can't work out what a "tax identification number" might be, then....well...

*speechless*

Life / Do Polish workers have post-Christmas break? [16]


Things have got worse - Royal Mail has detoriated to the point where the permanent staff are nothing short of inept, incompetent and useless. The staff are refusing to adapt with the times, and with it, the service is going down the drain.

Poczta Polska are no worse than the Royal Mail - and in some aspects, are vastly better. The integration between the post offices and the delivery is excellent in Poland, whereas in the UK, it's disjointed and useless. The fact that they see Poczta Polska not having post offices in every village as "a disgrace" tells you a lot - most villages in the UK have lost their post offices!

Law / What is NIP number? [15]

It's your tax identification number.

Life / Do Polish workers have post-Christmas break? [16]

Or it might have gone missing in the UK...hardly an uncommon occurance!

Life / Having a baby in Poland as a US citizen [9]

First things first - you do know that having the baby in Poland will not entitle it to Polish citizenship automatically? A few Americans have made this mistake in the past, due to US law having the 'jus soli' clause.

Secondly - I think in your case, the best advice is to have the baby in America. There's the language barrier and an entirely different way of doing things here - while having a gynaecologist look after you is normal, other things might be different. Of course, you can get an English speaking one easily enough - but with everything, you'll have to pay.

Incidentally, it's December now and Autumn (fall) isn't until September...how will you be able to fly so late?

Law / How to register a foreign Non-EU car in Poland? [25]


Hah, can you imagine going to one of those tiny insurance offices and asking them to process the paperwork for a RHD car? They'd have a heart attack!

But...why do people want to register RHD cars here anyway? I could understand in Germany or Spain, but given that you need to overtake constantly to get anywhere here, an RHD would be murder!

Law / How to register a foreign Non-EU car in Poland? [25]


It's possible in Poznan -the official website even says so, and they've told me that there's no problem with it provided all the papers are in order.

Food / "Browar Jabłonowo" beer, A Christmas word of warning [18]


I didn't expect nectar, heck, I didn't even expect the quality of cheap Lidl beer in the UK (Fink Brau...the stuff of student days) - but this stuff is truly, absolutely awful :(

(still drinking it now....!)


Is that the stuff that comes in plastic bottles? I have a British friend that mysteriously loves the stuff :(

Life / 3 reasons why you hate Poland. [1049]


It's just like the UK - and most of the problems are caused by the fact that the old idiots just HAVE to go to the post office at peak times. I'd be hugely in favour of introducing a rule that bans retired people from post offices at peak hours!

Off-Topic / PF members MEETUPS.....everyone welcome! [122]


I don't think he offended anyone, more he caused fits of amusement and laughter :D

(I tagged him on facebook as "fingers") :D

Law / Poland - Temporary Residence card - Karta pobytu - required documents [143]


Give me a shout at lindenia, we can advise you :)

Off-Topic / PF members MEETUPS.....everyone welcome! [122]

tonight!

there will be lots and lots of people if anyone wants to come? :)

Law / Poland - Temporary Residence card - Karta pobytu - required documents [143]

Keep things simple - you would be well advised to get a Phillipine police check because that's what they'll be expecting. The general rule in Poland is no nasty surprises - if they think you're from the Phillipines, then they want a police check from there.

Having said this, getting a UK police check wouldn't be a bad idea in case they decide to be stubborn.

Off-Topic / PF members MEETUPS.....everyone welcome! [122]

Indeed - December 11th at 7pm :)

(Grr, with the old thread deleted, I don't have a ready access of a list of people to send messages to!)

Yoohoo..anyone else? :)

Off-Topic / PF members MEETUPS.....everyone welcome! [122]

Dec 3, 09, 00:17 - Thread attached on merging:
Poznan Meetup Thread - times, dates and details

Apologies for starting a new thread, but it's easier for newbies if they see the first post with location details for where we meet up! Admin - please don't delete this thread, there is something going on in Poznan virtually every week and this thread is invaluable for keeping details of these events in one place.

The location :

Van Gogh Cafe (but it's a pub, a proper boozer!), Zydowska 12, Poznan. It's located on the corner of Zydowska and Mokra, across from the PRL Pub. You'll find us downstairs in Van Gogh - if in doubt, ask at the bar for where the foreigners are!

Directions :

From Stary Rynek, Zydowska is in the corner nearest the town hall and the goats. You have to walk about 100m down Zydowska, and the Van Gogh Cafe is on your left hand side.

From Plac Wielkopolski, tram stop for 4, 8 and 17 - head down 23 Lutego until you reach Kramarska. Keep going down Kramarska until you reach Zydowska, turn left, then Van Gogh should be about 50m on your left hand side.

From Wroclawska, tram stop for 5, 13 and 16. Head down Wroclawska, across from Kupiec Poznanski shopping mall. When you reach Stary Rynek, follow the directions as above.

If anyone needs help finding the place, feel free to ask - we can help!

A map is attached below for your convenience.

1pixelhost.com/images/lud8fbcicgnjhr4tchi5.jpg Van Gogh location

New and old faces are more than welcome - and feel free to bring guests! The more, the merrier, as many people can attest to. All we ask is that you bring a smile - and an interesting story!

Life / 3 reasons why you hate Poland. [1049]


A lot of their problems are caused by national and provincial governments, not by themselves. For example -

'Gifting' Przewozy Regionalne to the provinces when the provinces didn't want it was exceptionally stupid, particularly as the richer provincial governments would rather fund their own services than into the mess of debt that is Przewozy Regionalne. They paid off the debts with the transfer, but did absolutely nothing about the reason *why* PR was in such trouble to begin with.

Allowing PKP Intercity and Przewozy Regionalne to compete is absolutely nonsense at the highest level.

When PKP was split into the thousands of companies, not ensuring a unified ticket system was one of the more interesting disasters - of course PR and Intercity are not going to collaborate if they don't have to!

The transfer of the Posp. trains last winter was another disaster - Intercity didn't want them and pretty quickly cut many of the services. Intercity should've stayed firmly a reservation-only operator - but did the relevant Ministry listen? No!

I could go on - but it's clear to me that weak government, not bad management is the problem.

Incidentally, IC trains are an absolute dream in Poland - uncrowded, comfortable and fairly quick!

Life / 3 reasons why you hate Poland. [1049]


The public transportation here can be described as reliable and functional. It might not be the most luxurious in some cases, but they do generally turn up on time and can be relied upon.


Oh, definitely not. If you can cook from raw ingredients, Poland will be unbelievably cheap for you.


You'll be surprised, I think - if you know German, French and English, there's quite a lot of similarities in there.

Life / 3 reasons why you hate Poland. [1049]


Unfortunately for you, I'm not Polish and don't have any particular tie to the country apart from living here. I'm anything but a Polish patriot - but the fat that you immediately assumed that anyone defending Poland must be Polish is comical.


America is unhealthy, there's no doubt about that. What's not unhealthy about unlimited refills and portions the size of Mars? And there's nothing worse than greasy pierogi!


The problem is that you sound incredibly like someone who doesn't want to be here, but can't leave. I don't understand this mentality pesonally - if the country is so bad, why on earth are you staying?


I think most people here can see you for what you are - an American who wants everything exactly the same way as it is in America.


Most of the post-WW2 emigrants are quite homesick for their country, actually. The amount of post-2004 Poles that have returned from the UK alone is quite considerable - these poeple are nothing but economic migrants. You've never been to the UK, you don't know who actually left - in many cases, these were uneducated idiots who didn't have much chance in Poland, but could do menial work in the UK for very good money (to them).

It's simply lunacy to expect American standards from a country that was devastated by two world wars and then 44 years of communism.

Life / 3 reasons why you hate Poland. [1049]


It amazes me that they don't audit this kind of thing - shouldn't it be pretty clear cut that if someone's working for more than 2-3 months under a succession of those contracts, then it's clearly completely against the spirit and law of them?

There was apparently a crackdown a while ago on the usage of these contracts for schools, but I'm not seeing any evidence of this.

Life / 3 reasons why you hate Poland. [1049]


Which is fine and well if it's exploring legal grey areas (no different to athletes using substances which aren't banned - yet) - but out and out cheating seems to be seen as 'normal'.

One enduring mystery to me is why the tax offices haven't put a stop to 'umowa z dzielo/umowa zlecenia' contracts being used for teachers!

Life / 3 reasons why you hate Poland. [1049]


No way, not brave enough :( I've seen deep fried doner kebab pizza on offer in some random chipper in Glasgow, that was enough to put me off food for a week!

I can give three things I hate here, too -

1) The driving standards are absolutely shocking. Quite why they don't just get unmarked cars to drive round with cameras fitted and fine every single incident of shockingly bad driving is beyond me - it would be very easy money!

2) 'The Incredible Sulk'.

3) People who take their children to shopping centres for Sunday entertainment. A mall is not entertainment for a small child!


Hah, I must be one of the few that knows what you mean ;)

Clear communication is not a skill here, that much is certain.

Life / 3 reasons why you hate Poland. [1049]

Deep fried Mars Bars, clearly! ;)

Life / 3 reasons why you hate Poland. [1049]


Cheers :)

(Hmm, bitter Rangers fan who can't get over the fact that they can't win at Pittodrie to save their lives?)


Yeah, both of them are fascinating - contract law is endlessly interesting because of the way that (in the UK, at least) there's almost certainly loopholes and ways to counter loopholes in virtually every aspect. I'm no fan of legalese though - if you ask me, things should be written plainly.

I find it fascinating in Poland that third party mediators are so relied on too - in the UK, we'd be straight in court to demand money, but I guess that's to do with the pathetic state of the Polish justice system.

Mind you, I find it mindboggling that people sign contracts without reading them properly!

Life / 3 reasons why you hate Poland. [1049]


It's how most of the world works though, unfortunately.


I get the impression that quite a few people were missold mortgages in EUR and CHF - you're right, it is absolutely appalling to do so. The same has gone on in most of the new EU states - look at the hideous mess that Hungary found herself in!

But can you really blame people when the choice was an EUR mortgage or no mortgage?

Real Estate / Where to look on the internet for Poland Real Estate [114]

Be careful with Gumtree though with renting - people seem to have a very nasty habit of putting one thing on there, then the reality is completely different. I'm not sure why - when it's immediately obvious when you visit the property, but hey.

Life / 3 reasons why you hate Poland. [1049]


Have they refurbished the one that goes towards the A2/DK1 junction? That line looks truly the worst thing ever :(

(mind you, the Lodz trams are incredible compared to the ones in Lwow!)