News / Polish Parliamentary Elections 2023 [933]


But it isn't. A referendum has to have a legally binding result. This is not a referendum. This is an opinion poll. It's a gimmick, not an example of direct democracy.


Of Poles surveyed in the study. And they're probably opposed because they don't realise that Poland has an opt-out :) Poles generally don't give a flying fiddlers about other nations, only themselves. The EU has already said that Poland has taken so many Ukrainians that they don't have to take any migrants, nor do they have pay anything. Do you think Poles really care about the rest of the EU countries?

Life / Racism in Poland - the future [441]


Follow your own advice.

Fact: 1990 crime in Sweden per 100k people stood at 1.11. In 2021 it stood at 1.08.

Life / Racism in Poland - the future [441]


Yes definitely. Historically many women, especially in small communities in European countries never report being raped.


You're making an assumption without any facts to back it up, that most rapes in Sweden are committed by black men against white women- the interesting thing is that most victims of rape by an 'immigrant' in Sweden are not Swedish but are the women of their own communities.

Travel / Kielce and the area - amazing Polish Pocket Knives live there [105]

I'm sure you'd love it there - it's a shame it's so bloody expensive. But a nice way to visit Ireland which is affordable is to volunteer to help on an organic family farm for a week or two. They provide accommodation and food so you'd just have your travelling expenses. Who knows, maybe one day? :))

wwoof.ie/en/hosts

Life / Racism in Poland - the future [441]


You see, that's an American perspective. Now where I come from, we don't have many black people. But we have an absolute scum bag class of particularly violent, feral white youths. They're pretty easy to spot, so for me, my reaction would be based on what part of town I'm in, what the white guys look like and what the black guys look like. The black guys are quite possibly harmless and the white guys will kick my head in if I look at them in a way they don't like.

Travel / Kielce and the area - amazing Polish Pocket Knives live there [105]

@ Paulina, thanks for sharing all your memories. You can see the real love you have for your region. That's wonderful! Yes, Ireland is hilly, partly because it's a small island and coastal areas always seem to have very steep hills but pretty much everywhere you go in Ireland there are sloping, winding roads. There are a lot of places where the road goes up, down, up, down again over a run of a few hundred metres :) and we have many hump backed bridges. This was one of my local ones when I lived in the Wicklow mountains.The bridge is just about one car wide and when the farmer is driving the cows across you just wait :) If you meet another car one of you reverses. An artist lives in the little cottage with the red door.

youtube.com/watch?v=gYKGGjmCVSQ

UK, Ireland / Voting in October Elections from the UK [17]


The only reason they won't is because they're afraid of Russia. But being in NATO mitigates that threat anyway. Kaczynski is delusional regarding Poland's economic strength, probably feels Poland is sufficiently on her feet now to go it alone. He has a fantasy of a completely independent Poland, free from what he perceives as foreign 'interference' in Polish affairs. I doubt that he'll achieve his aim but he'll keep trying. The EU however has to evolve. It needs an overhaul and needs to reform itself to reflect present circumstances. Europe is changing and the EU has to change with it. They need to look at the fact that they have no means to expel rogue members like Hungary. That has to be addressed.

UK, Ireland / Voting in October Elections from the UK [17]


Dealing with officials in Poland is much better than it used to be but if you're from the UK, you'll find Poles can seem quite rude. They often ignore emails and will generally only answer them if they absolutely must. They're not interested in your feedback. They actually don't care whether you found their service good or not and they won't pretend to care. Nobody does anything in Poland just to be nice or polite. They do things if they must or if they want to.


Yes they are - and they're actually just an opinion poll really. PIS will use them to justify actions they make take in the future. The one about immigrants is ludicrous because Poland has already been told by the EU that in acknowledgement of the number of Ukrainians they've taken, they won't be asked to take any other refugees or asylum seekers nor will they have to pay into the fund in lieu. So the question appears to be pointless. The actual purpose behind the questions is to try to stir up anti EU feeling among a section of the electorate who is not very well informed. They're testing the water for the ultimate aim which is Polexit. Kaczynski would like to see that happen before he dies.

Travel / Kielce and the area - amazing Polish Pocket Knives live there [105]


Lucky you!


A place that nurtured your artistic soul :)

The photos are beautiful, especially the 'shires' one with the curvy roads :)) That's what I miss when I'm in Poland. So many of Poland's roads are straight and I'm used to dangerous bends!

UK, Ireland / Voting in October Elections from the UK [17]


You should have been a journalist, Jon :) You have a way with words. You should consider writing a book about your experiences in Poland, something along the Bill Bryson Notes from a Small Island lines. I'd buy it!

UK, Ireland / Voting in October Elections from the UK [17]


It appears to be a hangover from the old days when settlers first arrived in America and their original homelands continued to allow them to vote. But generations later it's really bizarre. The idea of Americans voting in Polish or Italian elections, voting the government into power, and now deciding questions of national importance in referenda- madness. The other problem is that often these people have a sentimental and completely unrealistic idea of the 'homeland', know very little about real life there in modern times or what the issues are. They frequently vote because they are disillusioned with life in modern America and think they can maintain some kind of Eutopia in their ancestral homelands.

UK, Ireland / Voting in October Elections from the UK [17]


So you should be. You won't have to live with the consequences of your vote. It's not fair to use a vote that will impact the daily lives of people in another country but will not affect yours. An example is the question planned for the referendum which asks about raising the retirement age. This has a direct effect on state pensions in the future.

Law / Is it possible to change visit visa to student or work permit in Poland? [16]


Only if you apply to a university and get accepted. They give you a letter which you present when applying for a student visa. You've probably missed the application deadlines for study this year. Check the website of the university you're interested in. Here is an example from Warsaw University of Technology:

students.pw.edu.pl/Resources/Application-Glossary/Deadlines

Just to be clear, you can't change your tourist visa to a student visa. You get a new one for study.

Life / Poland is something special [9]

It should be pointed out that the poster Avalon sadly died only four months after starting this thread.

Off-Topic / Things We Love [257]

Oh, gosh, yes, I'd forgotten the 'lashings' :) Thanks so much for the recipe! And I'll definitely be trying to get a copy of the cookbook.

Off-Topic / Things We Love [257]


I remember in the Famous Five books they always had ginger beer :) The homemade stuff sounds like a nice idea. I might try that!

News / R. Trzaskowski, current mayor of Warsaw, future President of Poland [285]


Not quite, but of course Hungary has to observe sanctions against Russia, so they could hardly do that and support them at the same time - and there is an EU common defence policy (except for Ireland, we have an opt-out).

Off-Topic / Things We Love [257]


Now I didn't know about ginger wine - how interesting. I think I meant ginger ale, not beer. You see it's not really an Irish thing. Take an Englishman to know the difference :)

News / R. Trzaskowski, current mayor of Warsaw, future President of Poland [285]


Not really. A country must implement EU directives and must abide by EU laws.

Off-Topic / Things We Love [257]


Ah yes, the old 'hot toddy' :) very popular remedy for a cold in Ireland. I heat the whiskey in a ladle over the gas flame and add it to the hot water. Put a bit of sugar or honey and a few cloves in it too. It's best taken at bedtime.


Sounds lovely - I'd give that a try if I could get decent ginger beer.

Travel / Being Transgender and visiting Wroclaw [467]


Where do Americans get the idea that a republic is not a democracy?? Republics are a mixed bag.


Well, my first thought is that it's an international organisation and some countries like Saudi Arabia are pretty strict on segregating men and women, so it means that women from such countries can still compete at international level. Must see if I can find out if that's the case.

Off-Topic / Things We Love [257]


No, that would be Jamesons. Black Bush is actually made by Bushmills.

Off-Topic / Things We Love [257]


Whiskey and soda is perfectly acceptable. A gentleman's drink. Give Bushmills a try if you haven't already. It kills me to say it but it's better than Jamesons. Bushmills is the 'Protestant' whiskey you see :)

Off-Topic / Things We Love [257]


In the Mapp and Lucia books by E F Benson, the Major and Captain Puffin meet in the evenings for whiskey and gossip. The Major takes it neat while Puffin keeps a kettle of warm water in the fender and adds a sugar cube and lemon juice.


Yes, you're right. Apparently it helped a rough whiskey to go down more easily. But Irish whiskey is never that rough. Historically it's much smoother than Scotch.

I prefer to take whiskey in a cup of tea, that's very Irish :) Years ago the lady of the house would always ask the male guests 'Will you take a drop of something in that?' meaning whiskey.

Off-Topic / Things We Love [257]


Certainly not! If anything you'd take it with a drop of water for that purpose. You might hear older people in the UK ordering a Scotch or an Irish 'and a threat' meaning a tiny squirt of water. Mostly though the Scottish and Irish don't add water, let alone ice. It's drunk neat.

Life / Polish fences - complete anthology [72]


I didn't know about it - thank you so much for that Jon :)

Life / Polish fences - complete anthology [72]


Of course in England you also had the idea of common grazing lands, public rights of way through private land etc. which still exist today of course. In Scotland too there was a perception of the land as belonging to all.

Life / Polish fences - complete anthology [72]


The US is a bit different isn't it? I mean those completely open plan gardens with no obvious boundaries at all. You don't see those so much in the UK - or Ireland, though many people in towns demolish the front garden wall to park their car more easily. The front gardens of houses in the British Isles are often about creating something beautiful to be admired and enjoyed by all who pass by. You want to share your lovely flowers and plants.


That's very true.

News / Referendum to decide about exotic immigrants in Poland [549]


So we now have three questions which will be asked within a matter of weeks of a completely uninformed public. Regarding the retirement age for example, voters need to know the consequences of their vote either way. What implications does it have for them and their children if they vote not to raise the retirement age? These decisions by voters need to be made on the basis of knowing all the facts and deciding, based on those facts, what they want to do.

News / Referendum to decide about exotic immigrants in Poland [549]


The whole point of referendums is that people have to make an informed decision. The key thing is that they must understand the question they're being asked. In Ireland the two sides of the question are presented and publicly debated for months beforehand. People can contact the referendum commission directly with questions etc. People must understand the potential consequences of their vote. Unfortunately that won't happen in Poland.