Work / What would be a good salary for an MBA graduate in Poland? [27]

Considering that most Poles earn around 2,500, for sure 14,000 is a "fortune" but I don't think you'll save 6,000 unless you live like a monk or a rat.

I suppose you'll be in higher tax rates, so net you will have much less than 10,000 and if you want to save 6,000, you'll have less than 4,000 left to get by and as a foreigner and as a young single male, it'll be very rough. Why do you want to save 6,000? Why crossing half of the world to end up counting each coin? Besides, I'm not sure you'll feel comfortable in Poland.

Love / Valentines Day & Polish men [130]

@Chem!: the ONE flower thing is not only on Valentine but on other occasions too. However, personally, I'm against all those COMMERCIAL days and I don't need a special day to get flowers or anything else ;).

Love / Valentines Day & Polish men [130]

@Lenka: did you read my whole message? I am saying that it does NOT have to be expensive (for instance 25zl bunches we can buy in front of metro stations in Warsaw for instance). However offering only ONE flower must be something from post communist countries, I have never seen it in the West

Life / Superstitions in Poland [60]

Absolutely, Kaczor! Almost all "superstititons" in Poland can be found almost everywhere in Europe. I have noticed that old sayings are usually the same everywhere (at least in Europe).

Love / Valentines Day & Polish men [130]

@Roger: I have never understood the thing about even or odd numbers for flowers ;). However, the idea of offering ONE flower only coud be a "communist tradition" at times when most everything was a big deal. I've seen it too in "many" Russian films. As a westerner, I would feel insulted to receive ONE flower instead of a whole bunch (does not need to be expensive - in front of (Warsaw) metro stations for instance, we can buy nice little bunches for let's say max 25 ZL and I do it quite often in summer to decorate my flat). Fortunately my husband although Polish born and raised in Poland was extremely generous and a (very) big spender :) and I know quite a few Poles who behave same so not all Poles act "cheap" ;).

Sorry, but when I see a couple walking around with the woman holding ONE flower, I feel ... embarrassed for them.

PS: Absolutely, customers are for sure not "kings" in Poland! Things have sure improved but still far from western situation.

Love / Valentines Day & Polish men [130]

Re flowers, it cracks me up to see Poles offering ONE flower only and not a whole bouquet. I have never seen this custom elsewhere. Whereelse do men act this way? To me, it seems so cheap and embarrassing to both giver and receiver.

Life / What do Polish people think of the Asia and Middle East? [86]

@Ali: + don't forget about being a "catholic" ;)

Genealogy / Do I look Polish? (my picture) [375]

Yes, you look Polish and any other European nationality!

Genealogy / Do I look Polish? (my picture) [375]

The "stupid"(it drives me crazy) look when pictures taken is typical of teenage girls. They all do as they may have seen in teen magazines that they'll look "sexy" ;). Better to be natural and look herself than trying to look "slut####y". Anyway, she could pass for any European nationality (like most Poles do anyway).

Genealogy / Do I look Polish? (my picture) [375]

you look like any other (European) nationality. In your black-white pictures, you even look Southern European (including Romanian and Bulgarian), Jewish or even Middle-Eastern. In your color (middile) picture, you even look like a niece of mine, who has 0% Polish blood ;).

You say you are of Polish origin on one side but what re the other side?

UK, Ireland / British guy refused work because of Polish workers [39]

"a week off for a runny nose"!!!! Bingo!

@Yosemite: yes, genitics! The main reason (+ bad food, poor medical care) why Poles (on the whole) look much older than westerners (at same age). When reaching their 50's, Poles (except for the very rich) look some 20 years older than western European/north Americans/Australians... (of same age).

Life / Whats up with Polish guys getting drunk and looking for a fight? [60]

@Marc: re travelling, I doubt you have and as to your "overall culture", I don't have any doubts;). So you told us that you did not know that Algerians were not all Arabs and that some could be blond with blue eyes and very light skin.

And yes, when we are knowledgeable, we are not suprised that the poster from Algeria could look like a Pole while in Poland ;)

Life / Whats up with Polish guys getting drunk and looking for a fight? [60]

@Marc: do you know that NOT all Algerians are ... Arabs? There are for instance Kabyles (ex Zinedine Zidane) who are NOT Arabs. They have very light skin and a lot of them are even blond with blue eyes (example: French film director Dany Boon). Do get informed and also travel! :)

And yes, a Kabyle can be very easily taken for a European, even a Pole ;)

Language / Polish was chosen the HARDEST LANGUAGE in the world to learn... :D [1558]

@Ziem; for your info, NO need to use shift, control, alt or whatever + numbers to type in French signs if French keyboard é è ù ê à ç î û ô ï ë ü....etc etc ...

Language / Polish was chosen the HARDEST LANGUAGE in the world to learn... :D [1558]

@Atch: sure SOME do but I'm talking about THE English speakers in POLISHFORA who happen to be MONOlingual but nevertheless criticize non English natives ;). What about you, what languages have you learnt and what levels have you reached? Do you have a C1 or C2 level in any foreign language? ;)

Language / Polish was chosen the HARDEST LANGUAGE in the world to learn... :D [1558]

Of course, NON natives of ANY language do always make mistakes NATIVES of ANY language don't do ;) but let's face it, being criticized by MONOlingual speakers is really something else! To talk about myself, I used to speak English much better when I was young and lived in America (and also learnt 2 other languages (German and Italian) while in school but for sure very rusty as it was almost .... centuries ago) but so what? Anyway, I doubt that any English native speaker (in PF or elsewhere) can speak ANY other language the way we non English natives here do speak/write English ;). Let's check (wih no help, no dictionary, no grammar book...)! ;). "lol"

Life / Doughnut [Pączki] Day... in Poland [70]

Thanks, Pol3!). I have never been able to get over the daily ... 12 donuts (in addition to whatever else she ate all day long and every day) ;). Well, rather amazing! ;)

Life / Doughnut [Pączki] Day... in Poland [70]

Thanks Roger! I would prefer not to but no choice ;)
Don't eat too many doughnuts! I won't but for sure will drink Champagne at lunch! ;)

I used to know a girl in the US (of Polish origin so not off topic ;)) who was obese (+ lesbian: info for Pol3 ;)) who among other things ate ... 12 doughtnuts every morning at breakfast (+ of course pancakes/maple syrup, eggs, saussage, home fries). Needless to say the girl was .... HUGE! ;)

Life / Doughnut [Pączki] Day... in Poland [70]

"Jeudi" Gras nie ma! It's "Mardi" Gras ;). They even have it in New Orleans and they sell "beignets" (doughnuts). Netherless, no doughnut for me today (too greasy and too sugary). As it is my birthday, I'll have better stuff ;)

Language / Polish was chosen the HARDEST LANGUAGE in the world to learn... :D [1558]

@Pol3: kids may they be Polish, English, Greek, Finnish, French, Dutch or whatever don't know these words any way. As to "dentist", everybody uses the word. Before coming to Poland, I had never used the word (stomatolog). In French, people say "dentiste" and "chirurgien dentiste" when "more severe" dental surgery and I don't remember having ever heard "'stomatologue" (yes, people who understand "estomac")

Nevertheless Polish language (spelling may be phonetic, once we learn the few "combinations" but grammar for NON slavic speakers can be a genuine ordeal) is far more difficult than ... English and saying the opposite does not make sense ;). A proof: Poles learn English much faster than English speakers learn Polish ;)

Language / Polish was chosen the HARDEST LANGUAGE in the world to learn... :D [1558]

@Chemi: ALL languages are difficult to speak (and write) WELL so English is no exception ;). As to Polish, it is both very difficult and very easy (depending upon learner's native language). I have had quite a few people from Russia, Ukraine, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic or Slovakia around me and ALL could learn Polish within a few months.

Nevertheless, true that English is the least difficult European language mostly due to very simplified grammar.

Language / Polish was chosen the HARDEST LANGUAGE in the world to learn... :D [1558]

@Pol3: the Greek and the Latin (through French) have been used in the English language for ages so no "excuse"! "Dentist" comes from French "dent" but over the centuries English speakers have had the time to figure it out, just like Polish kids know about "dentysta" ;).

Language / Polish was chosen the HARDEST LANGUAGE in the world to learn... :D [1558]

@Levy: right on!

@Atch: how many languages do you know at C1/C2 level? I assume zero otherwise you would know that English is the least difficult. Trust me, Polish students (since we are in Polish fora) have less difficulty in learning English than any other language.

Language / Polish was chosen the HARDEST LANGUAGE in the world to learn... :D [1558]

@Atch: what you are saying IS true about ALL languages although English grammar is the easiest of all European language (no gender, no agreement whatsover, easy conjugation, fixed order of words (for instance adjectives always before nouns) just compare with any European language ;). My first Polish teacher hated teaching English speakers since they had a harder time than other speakers to understand Polish grammar because of English grammar being so simple.. ). By the way, do you know that about half of "English" words including of course words used daily come from ... French?

For once (;) ), I'll agree with Levy, if English is spoken all around the world, it is because it is easier than any other language and that anybody is capable of learning English. I have met quite a few non English speakers in the UK and the US with 0 knowledge of language when arriving who could become fully operational within 6 months. Said non English speakers came from different language groups. I have often heard that even .... apes could learn English. For sure, said foreigners do malke some mistakes when using English but don't English speakers make mistakes when by some chance they dare learning other languages?

Well, have a good day, you'll! (I used to live in .... Georgia ;) )

UK, Ireland / The "Paracetamol Myth" - Polish people hesitate to visit UK doctors. [46]

"lol" ;). Some 25/30 years ago, when I was in London (in school), I had a lot of such experiences with people around me. At least back then (if not now) often patients were told by doctors to drink a lot of water and stay in bed. Even in those days, in my home, doctors were (still do) prescribing tons of medications (paid for by State ;)) so for me, the British way was most amazing. In Poland, I don't know about NFZ doctors because I only go to private facilities, let me tell you that we get huge prescriptions (as much as we do back home so "normal" to me) so British patients in Poland could be shocked ;)

Life / I woke up in Poland's Hilton of Drunks after the Juvenalia party. Must I pay the 300zl fine? [49]

@Roger: I did not say you have ;). I was just once more writing what I'd said ;). @Jimbo: yes, it was silly and you know it but sometimes we all do although we know (I did it too of course)... Unfortunately there is nothing you can do re the money. Of course staff would say that threre was no such money in your wallet. I know it's rough and it's some kind of money but try not to think about that and move ahead! :)

Complaining to one's embassy won't help as they are not allowed to intervene in local affairs. All they can do is to provide a list of lawyers speaking victim's native language and the names and addresses of authorities to go to. However, OP has no material proofs, no witnesses so how in the world can he do anything??? In Europe and similar countries, police and justice work on 100% reliable material proofs.

Life / I woke up in Poland's Hilton of Drunks after the Juvenalia party. Must I pay the 300zl fine? [49]

@Roger: there is NO proof that staff stole money. In order to accuse anybody, it is necessary to have concrete material proofs. Besides, as the guy was drunk, not difficult for staff to claim that he was not very clear ;). The only things for OP to do are: 1. to forget about the money (and who in their right mind would carry 300 euros in their pockets?) and 2. to use the experience as a good lesson.

Law / Police in Poland call me 3 days after i report an lost of Phone in a Bar [6]

@Ravi: based upon my experience, they'll keep on "bothering" you until you show up. Even if all they want is your signature, they won't give up ;).

Life / I woke up in Poland's Hilton of Drunks after the Juvenalia party. Must I pay the 300zl fine? [49]

@Jimbo: this is awful! What a traumatizing experience! However how can you prove that staff stole (300 euros) from you? There is no way. Anyhow, in Poland a foreigner does not stand any chance against a Pole so best to forget about your money and next time (if ever) you are in Poland, stay away from complicated situations!

PS: in Poland or elsewhere you should not carry so much cash.

News / Poland's post-election political scene [4080]

@Pol3: so they finished on 30.1!!!! Well, school winter break starts today in Mazowiecki ;););) (and then later elsewhere) so I suppose that Petru is skiing somewhere in some wealthy ski resort in the Alps ;).

More seriously, although I mingle with mostly PO (and now some Petru's groupies), I can count people I know who feel concerned about all this on my fingers of only one hand. Even the very rich have other priorities (now, skiing in the Alps ;)).

For sure, all this was widely reported by foreign media.

As said many times, I am not for PiS and I am not for PO. However, I simply hate Petru and consorts because they are a real danger for 99.99% Poles. Most Poles would starve and have to move abroad for bread if Petru or consorts were in office but I seriously doubt that 50.01% of Polish voters would be stupid enough to let it be...