Life / What should I get for a gift for somebody who's never visited Poland? [59]


No worries, I replied early morning before I found my glasses or drank a coffee ;-)

Roger's suggestion of Sękacz is a good one. Most food shops in town should have it (and definitely not a whole one!). Cherries in chocolate and alcohol are good too, as is nalewka, Wiśniówka is a nice one. Tins of goose pate are good (get from Krakowskie Kredens or whatever it's called, at Nowy Swiat 23 rather than the supermarket; they have lots of traditional stuff in fancy boxes which make nice gifts).

A good bottle of vodka always goes down well. Contrary to what people say, there isn't that much difference between them, if you exclude the bottom and top 10% of the price range, so just choose the one with a label that looks good.

Life / What do Poles really think about cats? [470]

At least these Polish cats have now been rescued:
A WOMAN who tried to join together dead and alive cats to create a Frankenstein-style animal has been arrested by police after nearly 100 dead felines were found in freezers her house......The horrifying story was revealed by police after they raided her house in Warsaw, Poland when neighbours complained of a horrid smell and loud high pitched noise nearby.

dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/348388/Woman-arrested-after-trying-to-create-Frankenstein-animal-out-of-dead-and-alive-cats

Life / What should I get for a gift for somebody who's never visited Poland? [59]

They don't usher you into the duty-free shop during a random border check. In my experience they just look at passports and maybe sniff at the baggage in the hold.

It would be useful if you'd mentioned that you're travelling to Switzerland rather than the UK, the only country other than Poland that you mentioned in your original post. Unless you're planning on luxury (doubtful since you're using buses) the 300CHF limit will not be an issue for you.

Life / What should I get for a gift for somebody who's never visited Poland? [59]


There's no duty-fee between Poland and the UK and if you go by coach, the only border you will see is at Dover. Get some chocolates (not, repeat not, Ptasie Mleko) or a nice bottle of flavoured vodka.

Life / Polish people are the most ignorant people in the world! [333]


They were/are American, surely?

Oil was used for millennia before he was born however he did start something called an 'oil distillery' - basically the forerunner of the technique called fractional refining and the basis of how it's still done.


A sweeping generalisation about 40 million people, not that most of your examples are even part of that 40 million.

Work / What is a good monthly salary for an English teacher in Poland? [124]


Not much change in that time

A lot depends on whether you're teaching open groups (i.e. People who've signed up for a course at a language school) or teaching in-company. In Katowice you'd need about 4000 zl to live comfortably, though some would undoubtedly settle for less. I suspect that most private language schools there would struggle to guarantee you that.

Work / What is a good monthly salary for an English teacher in Poland? [124]

It depends whereabouts in Poland and of course how qualified, skilled and experienced you are as a teacher. Plus the type of work you're doing. Plenty of threads here on this already.

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

Delicious stuff.


Siwucha was introduced a few years ago now (at least 15 years back) as a 'retro' vodka, using a pre-war recipe that gives it the delicate grey colour and the slight oleisty-ness. Quite a few people in Poland have told me they don't really rate it, since the taste there is for very clean, crystal-clear vodka but I like it and it makes a great present.

Worth mentioning that a few times I've taken a bottle of Żytnia along to bring a bottle sessions (I like the old-fashioned label) and people have thought it strange that I've taken that one and not Absolwent, Wyborowa, Bols, the usual stuff.

I see a lot of J.A. Baczewski vodka in the shops now. Looks interesting but not cheap.

Love / Am I The Only One Who Doesn't Find Polish Women Attractive? [93]

That or asking to see their passports...

Love / Am I The Only One Who Doesn't Find Polish Women Attractive? [93]

Come on. The kind of person who starts a thread like that would probably be glad if any woman or man under 80 let him use it.

UK, Ireland / Would life in the UK be very hard for a 17 yr old Polish girl? Advice needed please [33]



These are three tiny exceptions to a very big rule.


This is sensible.

Millions more people regret not getting an education or learning a trade than become household names.

Love / Polish Pet Names For Girls. [156]

That word makes me think of the film with Sigourney Weaver ;-)

I can't think of anything else either. Kosmitek is a good one...

Love / Polish Pet Names For Girls. [156]

That was the word i was scratching my head about but couldn't remember? Are there any other possibles?

Love / Polish Pet Names For Girls. [156]

I suspect ufoludek too. Another possibility could be marsjanin :-)

Law / Old Polish money banknotes - what's their value today? [415]

196 Rupees only, unfortunately. That note was issued during a period of hyperinflation. I think you are too late to exchange it, though.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polish_złoty

Life / Help me find this Polish band and song.... [117]

It's an extremely dirty song that might not have been written down very often. There may be something on the internet but nothing shows at a quick look. Maybe your best bet would be to ask someone elderly round Zakopane. There are plenty of such songs in Polish, some better known than others ("Ej po Orawie..." for example). It reminds me if one my granny used to sing (in a different language) which also never made it to the internet age.

Life / Cannabis / Weed in Poland... How much does marijuana cost per gram and how easy is to get it? [355]

Google 'scoring weed in krakow'. One of the results on the first page of google gives the address of a bar. Not so easy for a tourist though - even possessing a little bit is very illegal and you'll find that it's more discreet than most places in Europe.

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


Less of the if only! If we all of us, regardless of politics, nationality etc don't try to make it, who will? There's plenty who are trying to make the world a worse place...

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


I think that's a phrase best avoided. If there wasn't smoke, there wouldn't be fire. Best to avoid both.

Absolutely! We don't really know much about the family at all but from his posts we can figure out that Imano is probably thoroughly decent. A good friend here in PL whose daughter is married to a guy from far, far away was appalled when she saw her grand kids sitting down and eating rice with their hands. But once she got over the superficials, she stopped bothering. And anyway, people love their kids and grandkids unconditionally.

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


Tripe. Do you still think that communities in Pl are "playing the race card".

Respect still has to go both ways, and in this case the parents haven't even met him...

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


Do you have any evidence of that or it it just your own idea.


Respect needs to go both ways. If a family are unpleasant in some way, or obsessed with tradition, nothing he does will be acceptable to them.

Food / Poland's best cheap beers? [72]

Yes. It's a bit cheaper usually than Żywiec etc. I often buy it since I like it, but when I do, people think it's a strange choice. Basically, if any of the main brands of beer here have a flavour other than chemical fizz, they're seen as worse quality.

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

"Otherwise it sounds as if you're saying a professional English teacher is of higher status etc"
A professional teacher has much higher professional (and probably social) status than, as Roger describes them, a backpacking drunk or someone spooling out Headway in the crapper type of private language school or doing so-called conversation classes without any pedagogical basis. And if taking people's money for that procession, then they should certainly adhere to the highest standards. That includes not only making sure they learn but also not leaving them standing outside the building while the teacher takes a shower.

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


If you're a professional (and I'm not convinced the OP is) then yes, you should regard yourself as such. Nevertheless, I can't imagine any doctor or lawyer keeping someone outside the door while they take a shower and not even buzzing them in.

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


With fickle clients and a lot of competition. As well as having a professional relationship you have to get on with them as well, and the key is to be very well prepared.

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

I'd have buzzed him in and if there was a lesson scheduled at 12, been ready before that.

History / England's relations with Poland [20]


His last post was 4 years ago so you might be waiting a while for a reply

Law / Can somebody explain ZUS to me? [40]

Reforming it into something more viable would be such a massive task that no government wants to face it.

Food / Polish polskie pierogi recipe (prepared at home) [74]

You just put the spinach and the ricotta inside. I prefer feta (there's a Polish brand called Favita). You can also use chopped black olives.

Genealogy / THE MEANING AND RESEARCH OF MY POLISH LAST NAME, SURNAME? [4500]

It's usually spelt Kopeć here, with a ć. The word means thick smoke or fumes (it's sometimes used as slang for a cigarette!) so perhaps someone whose job was melting tar, firing bricks or making charcoal. There's also a place called Kopcia if I remember correctly so it could also come from there.