News / Local elections - anyone care to comment? [75]

Would you care to comment on that? Is that something you would have expected or do you feel it was time to give someone else a chance?

News / Local elections - anyone care to comment? [75]

Yes, I quite agree, indeed! Thank you Cardno, & thank you Looker.

News / Local elections - anyone care to comment? [75]


Is that 'the share of the vote' overall across the country? Because, of course, in many cities including here, PO have swept to victory by a massive percentage. The turnout of 46.4% is surely quite low too, isn't it?

History / The Two Saddest Nations on Earth... Poles and Jews [243]

Merged: 3 Minutes in Poland - a home movie of Nasielsk's Jewish community 1 year before WWII

ushmm.org/online/film/display/detail.php?file_num=5221 (video scenes indoors are dark, but most scenes outside are light and clear)

npr.org/2014/11/16/364051174/family-film-offers-glimpse-of-three-minutes-in-poland-before-holocaust


I found these images from this footage moving. It's been made possible by the technical expertise in restoring it from a solid lump of fused film. (I have no personal connection to the film.)

Work / Chances of working in Poland as an IT System / Server Administrator? ( I have 3 years experience ) [17]

I might be wrong, but I don't recall that skill being in that much advertised demand here. However, there's nothing to stop you trying. As a starting point, see hays.pl/kariera-zawodowa/praca-it-telekomunikacja/

Life / Life in Poland for American who likes women, beer, hates Tories and is concerned about the weather [19]


It is good and great variety. I am seldom disappointed with that. It's one of the main reasons I'm still here!

Life / Life in Poland for American who likes women, beer, hates Tories and is concerned about the weather [19]


I think you'll find they marry sooner. If you're in your 20s or early 30s, perhaps great. Otherwise, it may not be as great as you imagine.

You also need to consider income potential, or not, in your circumstances. Without a speciality, earnings will be very low or zero. Teaching English can pay poorly and competition has intensified in many places leading to more of a scrum for students.

Life / Is there a public swimming pool in Katowice? [5]

u r welcome :)

Life / Is there a public swimming pool in Katowice? [5]

Here's a choice of a few infobasen.pl/baseny/Katowice.html

Work / Are there any jobs for Americans in Poland? [46]


Doesn't that pay like just US$500 or 600 a month, when as rent alone is that much?

USA, Canada / The proper behavior an American should show when visiting Poland [115]

I'm not so sure a visitor needs to worry, at least not in major cities. They can just simply chill and be natural. Not litter the street, not be surprised if they open a door for an older person or woman who doesn't say thanks, not be surprised if they give way on the road and the beneficiary fails to say thanks, not be surprised at speeding drivers. Poles hardly pay any attention to visitors or foreigners these days, it's no longer a novelty. Wro has people from India, Korea, Spain, the States and more. Just basic good manners, as you'd display anywhere, is appreciate by everyone. Knowing a few courtesy words in Polish would be more useful than knowing etiquette, as such.

Law / Where can I check in Poland my company formation status and tax number NIP and REGON? [95]

Why do some NIP numbers when checked not come back with any company details but instead with something like this

Work / Teaching English in Poland? I am American and I have the CELTA certification. [42]

See https://polishforums.com/work/poland-teaching-english-american-celta-69474/#msg1421039

Thread merged

History / The memory about the Invasion of Poland 1939 - today's events [25]

Poland commemorates 75 years since invasion - dawn ceremony

bbc.com/news/world-europe-29009120

Work / What are the chances of getting a part-time job for an Egyptian who's coming to study and live in Poland? [37]


+1 to both of those, especially what's in bold.

Life / Vasectomy in Poland is illegal? Why? [123]

Knob not noob, surely?

Love / My Polish wife's family hate me. Maybe it is because I'm black. Advice needed. [87]

There's a multiracial [black] couple near me and the other day I saw a white Polish lady cuddling a mixed race young child. I assume this is a grandmother and grandchild. Anyway, I have seen 2 or 3 such unions here in Wrocław now, and everyone seems to be getting along fine.

Work / Can I find a job in Poland that requires speaking in English? [82]


That just about sums it up, along with a bit of teaching if you're lucky. Although some teachers have currently upped their fees, it's because they are trying to make up lost ground for the work that's dried up. Those who are earning regularly are taking 40-50zł per hour in these parts, from what I can gather. Odd exceptions doing better perhaps, but generally it's not a good living. (Good to see you post again, Dom, btw.)

As for other jobs, here I speak with personal experience for sure, from past efforts. You need an in demand specialism, it's usually IT and it's usually not as well paid here as it'd be somewhere else. If it's just working as a native of English, teaching is all there is (see above) with very occasional alternatives quite possibly filled by the company manager's friend after a pretend recruitment process (for paperwork and officialdom reasons) wasting external candidates' time and effort. Native Eng speakers who have good jobs here usually get them from a friend or are posted by their home country to Poland. If that blessed scenario is bestowed upon you, you're going to love it, because you'll get UK or US money here or near enough.

In the real world though, it's have a good self employment idea and try to get enough money in to cover the mandatory ZUS, or teach to just about scrape by if you're lucky.

Food / Polish & US heat & eat foods? [16]


Don't want to p on your parade or anything, but: dailymail.co.uk/health/article-205708/New-salmon-cancer-scare.html

Work / Language Teachers - do you feel respected in Poland? [86]


I take it from that you mean that he should adhere to professional standards and act accordingly?
Otherwise it sounds as if you're saying a professional English teacher is of higher status etc. That would surely not be what you meant. I like to think that these days we all see each other as equals, and it's only a small section of the political community who have the cheek to look down on anyone else.

Work / Language Teachers - do you feel respected in Poland? [86]


And when they cancel, suddenly no money if working as a private tutor. It sounds very unappealing to me, and glancing at the ads on Gumtree the pay is getting worse.


No, 'fraid you weren't.

Work / Language Teachers - do you feel respected in Poland? [86]

Sorry BLS, but you were at fault. Just as pretty much everyone else has said, you should have been ready. Nevermind, you'll know for next time. BTW I salute you and all teachers 'cause it's not a job I could do week in week out, it would drive me nuts starting all over again with new students, listening to the same mistakes and so on. On that score, you all have my huge, mega huge in fact, admiration.

Life / Sending SMS / text message online from/to Poland? [22]


Not working all day today so far, red error message saying "temporarily...no messages outside of the US". But, thanks for the info, it might work tomorrow maybe.


Text messages that I sent via this weren't received. Tried a good few times. Another temporary glitch? The site's screen didn't report any problems.

Law / SELLING CAR IN POLAND AND THE LAWS ? [16]


In the UK, all vehicle and driver licensing is done in Swansea by the often of poor reputation DVLA
(see laticsdrivertraining.com/blog/2009/04/28/bbc-watchdog-investigates-dvla-licence-blunder)

When a person buys a secondhand car in the UK, they merely send a small part of the V5C in to 'DVLA Swansea' with their name and address on it. That's it. A new V5 then arrives at the new keeper's address. The keeper is not necessarily the owner, but usually is. An owner should really have a Bill of Sale somewhere to show if necessary but I can't ever recall anyone asking for one. From the moment a person buys a new car, they need to insure it in their own name. That means most buyers should return to collect the car after they have obtained insurance because the seller's insurance no longer covers the car once they sell it and title passes to the new buyer (as soon as the full money is paid to the seller). A seller with an insurance policy allowing any licenced driver to drive the car cannot reassure a buyer that all is OK, because officially the car is no longer his and the policy is void.

But apart from this insurance complication, buying is much easier in the UK and registering the car does not involve changing numberplates unless you want to do so for some reason. You just send in a form and insure the car in your name, job done. :)

Law / SELLING CAR IN POLAND AND THE LAWS ? [16]


Thanks Peter, I did realise that but "V10" got stuck in my head because in the UK all the vehicle licensing documents begin with "V", indeed the document for car registration and sale is a V5 or more recently V5C. There are lots of them all beginning with V. Here in Polska, things seem very old fashioned. The reg doc at the office looks like any simple laser printed form you might fill in for a day's membership at a UK gym, it doesn't look like the professional documents the UK govt gives people to fill in, it all seems rather quaint, despite the fact that both the look of Poland's offices and internal office work systems and methodology are very much up to date and possibly ahead of Britain's.

a UK V10

As you can see, the UK vehicle licence reg doc is called a V10. Coincidence? ;o)

Life / Being a Jew in modern-day Poland; Israeli Jew who is of Polish descent [269]


Even if that's true, and it probably isn't as they've psychologically moved on from what I understand, it's not exactly hard to understand is it. The truth that many Poles helped Jews escape Nazism is recognised by a memorial and list called Righteous Among The Nations with more Poles on it than any other nation, but the fact a lot of the Holocaust happened in Poland (because of the Nazi occupation forcing it on Poland) is an infinitely tragic fact that cannot be deleted from those who have no choice but to remember.

Law / SELLING CAR IN POLAND AND THE LAWS ? [16]

You're welcome, and just in case you don't know what I meant by the 2% tax, it is basically some sort of stamp duty or VAT levied on used cars (and maybe new ones). So, on that V10 you have to write down how much the car was sold for, and then the buyer (not you!) has to pay it when they get their permanent registration document about a month after registering the car and getting the temp one. When registering, at least 81PLN has to be paid by the buyer at the office where they take the plates. The plates then get a new sticker with a serial number and the buyer then puts the plates back on the car. During this time, the buyer should arrange new insurance (of which OC is the cheapest and equivalent to basic Third Party). There are time limits for registration and new insurance, I am not sure about them, but I think regitstration is 14 days and insurance 28 or 30. However, best to check with the official office.

Law / SELLING CAR IN POLAND AND THE LAWS ? [16]

You need to provide the registration card document or karta pojazdu, annual technical check stamps should be on the reg document. You will also need to complete in duplicate a formal sale agreement called a V10, here's one to download

v10.pl/prawo/Umowa,kupna,sprzedazy,samochodu,12.html

The form includes a declaration that the buyer knows the mechanical state of the car when buying and other things like that. It also shows the price agreed. This document will be inspected later by officials.

You will need to give the new owner the small slip of the insurance document in your name, and then notify the insurance co you have sold the car.

The new owner has to get new car insurance within (I think) 28 days. The new owner should go to their local city vehicle office to register the car in their name using the completed V10, reg document or KP, taking off and presenting the front and rear plates from the car, and then complete a 'Wniosek' form at the city office. A temp reg doc is issued, the permanent one takes a month. The reg fee probably varies but is from 81PLN, plus 2% tax paid when getting the permanent reg doc from either the same office or another office (it varies I think). You get the plates back with the temp reg doc within an hour or so depending on the queue. As seller, you should I think also go to the city office to hand in the sales form and get a receipt for the notification of ownership change (a printed page usually).

You may or may not get an insurance refund for any unused time.

All parties must take suitable ID to the city office - for foreigners they ask for a passport and address registration card.

If a buyer buys a car from a region other than his or her own area of Poland, the registration fee is (I am told) higher, perhaps 100-300 or more.

If buying from abroad, it's even higher than that, perhaps 1000-1500 or more.