Genealogy / Wladyslaw and the English equivalent [22]

I've known people called Wladyslaw - who were called Walter. Also people with the Polish name of Wlodzimierz were also called Walter.

Genealogy / How to Find Birth Records in Poland? [16]

Warsaw will direct you to Lubelski. This is probably not the name of a town, but the region. If you have any paperwork whatsoever, take it with you.

The main town in Lubelski region is Lublin. They may be able to help you.

Genealogy / How to Find Birth Records in Poland? [16]

You have to have the date of birth, the town of birth. The names of his parents would help. Then go to the nearest Urzad Stanu Cywilnego.

Life / Are Poles suspicious of Facebook? [50]

Through supposed 'news items' on Facebook I have had my computer infected with threats of viruses and scams with 'please ring this number as your computer is infected.' The number is to some individual who wanted access to my i/d and passwords. Do not click on any items of news or adverts on Facebook.

Work / Gross Salary 20000 PLN in Poland [9]

You cannot blame people for claiming benefits if they are officially entitled to them, and your kebab-worker must be entitled to them. Good job it is only 5 children, if he had 10 children, there would be no point in working (officially) at all.

But what is worse, is that many people do not have the right to vote, so their votes are not being bought by the 500+ benefit. This is what happens when new laws/regulations are written on the back of a fag packet without consultation.

It would be extremely difficult now to re-write the 500+ entitlement. PiS know that if they cut this entitlement there would be an uproar and they would lose the next election. No party can now take these entitlements away.

Work / Gross Salary 20000 PLN in Poland [9]

Far too complicated a question. It all depends on whether your wife will work, whether you will submit tax returns jointly, whether you will get 500+ for children.

As for savings it is a piece of string. How are we to know if you expect to eat out in the most expensive restaurants every day, once a week, never, or if your wife is a good cook and can make a meal out of nothing. What about schooling for your children? Where will they go? if to an English establishment then you will pay a high price.

Do your research well before you decide.
Salary of 20K pln gross per month sounds good,. but out of that you need to factor in accommodation, car usage, bills for gas/electricity/telephone, private medical insurance, clothing and everything else. No one can tell you these costs, some like heat at a higher level than others. Winters are terrifically cold.

This is not the same as if a Polish person was getting this salary, they have a family network who can invite them for dinner, help them with things. You will have no one.

Language / Short Polish<->English translations [1040]

You could always attach it here and someone might help.

Law / How do I verify a Polish company's existence? [240]

You could have done this yourself by putting their name into google. But NIP is 7582313567 and Regon 142257973, business started 01-04-2010

Love / Just started dating Polish guy - what is typical of a man from Poland? Cultural differences. [78]

Some pop the question on the first date, it all depends on the question. If you mean that he wants to marry you - then it is you that have to be sure. No one can tell you.

Law / DUAL CITIZEN (POL/AUS) WITH AUSTRALIAN PARTNER: IS IT POSSIBLE FOR HIM TO RELOCATE TO POLAND? [7]

You would have to be married for Poland to recognise her as your wife so that any privileges or responsibilities fall on both shoulders, say if you ever have children or a business together or property. If you have a Polish passport, you are welcome in Poland (with or without a job). Your partner has no such status at present.

Law / How does a US & Polish citizen obtain a Polish bank account? (Without residency in Poland) [4]

You would need to open the bank account in person. I am British, live in UK and have an account with Alior bank, with a UK address and I do not have a Pesel. I would find a bank and send them an email.

News / Polish final report on Smoleńsk aircrash [859]

Yes, that person is still alive. He is called Andrzej Duda.

Law / Opening a Mini Market Store in Poland. Starting cost / Expected monthly income? [22]

Hello mehdi,
You have absolutely no chance.
1. I assume that you do not speak Polish sufficiently to be able to communicate with anyone and to handle officials in government departments..
2. This is hardly enough to start anything - you would be competing with well established companies.
3. You could survive, but you would have to have paperwork to even stay for longer. The paperwork would kill you.

Real Estate / Websites to find an apartment for rent in Poland? [30]

There is always gumtree.

Genealogy / Want to find a person [762]

This is probably a scam, when you called back, it would have cost you a packet.

Travel / American Visiting Polish Military Base. Issues? [13]

I think that there is a new Law coming in that all Americans will have to have visas to get into Poland. If they ever scanned your passport or ID at a military base, you may have problems.

Genealogy / Want to find a person [762]

Try 'gumtree'

Law / Custody Issue and Travel Abroad of my Girlfriend from Poland [28]

I believe now, that the girlfriend (with a child) saw a meal ticket.

Law / Custody Issue and Travel Abroad of my Girlfriend from Poland [28]

So the bottom line to all this...is NO CHANCE.

I have often thought of hiring Mec. R. Giertych myself.

Law / Custody Issue and Travel Abroad of my Girlfriend from Poland [28]

A mother cannot take a child outside of Poland without the other parent's permission. That you already know.
The fact that you marry her in Poland (you American, she Polish) will not alter this fact. That you already know.
The mother of the child herself can travel all over the world, but the child must remain in Poland. This you already know.
There is another way and this is the most sensible. Go to Court and try to get the parental rights of the father annulled due to his minimal contact with the child. Once the Court is satisfied and withdraws his parental rights, the mother will have full rights. For this to happen, you will need to speak to a good solicitor who will advise you how to go about this. It is vital that you have documentation to prove that he doesn't pay child support, visit times or anything else that you can prove to the Court that his parental rights should be withdrawn. This is the only way. You must do this quickly, as the father knowing that the mother of his child wants to go to USA may do the same to you and try and prove that the mother's rights should be withdrawn.

You personally must never ever have any contact with the father, do not speak or write or telephone him. He will use that against you.

Study / SGH Warsaw School of Economics vs Kozminski University vs Warsaw University [18]

SGH - better reputation.

Language / Short Polish<->English translations [1040]

I was writing to you just as a bit of fun, and you took everything so seriously. I certainly did not mean everything that I wrote.

Genealogy / What are common Polish character traits? [417]

There is a big difference between the mind-set of a truly Polish person and say a English one. Poles who have come to work in England after 2004 say that they can 'relax' and live 'normally' in England. I spend 6 months in Poland and could go through examples of things which to me seem very strange behaviour, but there are good and bad people everywhere. It does not mean that one is right and the other wrong, just different.

I have never met a Polish person who understood what 'irony' was. Once, while watching a football match, I said that the 'player was obviously too tired, as he had been on the pitch for 30 minutes' and I got a mouthful of someone who said 'he gets paid for it' - but I meant it in a completely different way. They simply don't get it.

Life / Showing respect and appreciation by Polish people, forms of greetings in Poland. [31]

I spend almost 6 months in Poland (few trips throughout the year) and extend my hand to men over 40 who still 'blow kiss' it. These are men that I know very well who still call me 'pani'. I would not expect a young man to kiss my hand but rather to shake it upon meeting me.

Language / Game - guess Polish idioms/sayings in direct English translation [1756]

The snake in your pocket reminded me of a very famous saying, said by Mae West, 'is that a gun in your pocket or are you just pleased to see me?'

Language / Game - guess Polish idioms/sayings in direct English translation [1756]

In English we have something:
Written on the back of a fag packet...(fag-cigarette).

News / Goodbye Sunday Shopping in Poland - Hello Electoral Reform [246]

I've thought about this some more. The whole 'Sunday closing' was a knee-jerk reaction to the previous plan. The plan was to tax very heavily all supermarkets or hypermarkets based on the usable occupied space (i.e. square meters of the shop). The present Government counted on the fact that they would get a lot of money in taxes for this, however, the EU forbade this (or said 'no' to this plan). Something else had to be done and in order to save face, the Government believed that if they 'closed the big shops' on Sunday then this action in turn would result in lower profits for the stores as they would lose the Sunday trading. This has not happened.

News / Goodbye Sunday Shopping in Poland - Hello Electoral Reform [246]

There are shops open on a Sunday in which you can buy essentials. They appear to offer 'postal services' which allows them to do that.

Love / Polish men are complete doormats (especially after they get married) [125]

Everyone is entitled to their own view on things.

Love / Polish men are complete doormats (especially after they get married) [125]

That may be so, but everyone (men and women) knows which side their bread is buttered on. Women chase a man until he catches them in order to have a family and therefore security for life. A man needs someone to look after him. When you walk down the street in Poland you will see for yourself how couples speak to each other. It's all about self-survival and what would the neighbours say. Recently a married man, a family friend told me that he would give up everything just to have a wife who loved him and not see him as a cash-cow.