Life / Halloween vs All Saints' Day in Poland [48]

Number 1.
Halloween isn't American!

It's a Celtic festival to celebrate the end of the harvest/end of the year.

2. It was stolen and given a "new" meaning by the Christians.
It was (in Celtic tradition) the day when the border between the world of the living and the dead was at its closest. This is the reason people dress up in scary clothes....if they see an evil spirit they will frighten it back to the land of the dead.


+1

I repeat, it is not American! Really annoys me when Poles say to me "Oh Halloween, sure that's just a commercial thing from America. No it ain't.

Halloween back home is brilliant, a great time of fun and games and having the banter.

All soul's Day is pretty boring in fairness, the only good thing about it is the candlelight in the cemeteries at night time. Other than that it's a borefest, fecking shops are even open.


Whoop!

Love / Best, safe Polish dating sites? [95]

An Irish guy that writes for Gazeta Wyborcza did something similar a couple of years ago

Part 1: tygodnikprudnicki.pl/1,7531,0,5.html
Part 2: tygodnikprudnicki.pl/1,7552,0,5.html


I honestly didn't even know that dating sites charged. Never used one tbh, freak me out a bit. I'm old-skool I think the best way to meet a partner is through a shared interest in something; photography class, volunteering for something.....or just plane old drinking/partying ;)

Language / Should I learn Polish or she learn English? [83]

Without being a smartass, but seeing as you are both living in England then it would probably be more beneficial for her to learn to speak the language of the country she's living in.

If you were living here, then the opposite would be the case.
Trust me though, Polish is extremely difficult to learn, I've been learning for about 3 years and I still sound like a retarded turnip. I'm getting there though, Rome was built....etc.

Real Estate / Can foreigner buy apartment in Warsaw, Poland? [39]


Yep, I know, tried telling them that, but they're so tight they think this is a good option.

Real Estate / Can foreigner buy apartment in Warsaw, Poland? [39]


I don't know Harry. I think it's ludicrous, but I dug a bit deeper last night and asked one of them. He told me that he has 6 mates all living in the city centre who live under the same conditions.


Just a verbal agreement AFAIK.
I wouldn't go anywhere near a deal like this.

The thing I cannot understand is what's going to happen when:
a) someone becomes jobless and cannot afford to pay the rent or
b) God forbid, but what if down the line when parents die and what are the kids left with?

Fools and their money......

Real Estate / Can foreigner buy apartment in Warsaw, Poland? [39]


My mates paid about 10,000 (not sure about the others as I never asked) and their rent is small too. I suppose it was hefty for them, but then again, it's buttons really.

The official 'owner' is still listed as living there, but in reality these new people do and will until the final 'rent' when the owner will transfer ownership to these new peps.

Ah yea, it's pure dodge and I think the 2 pairs of them are clowns for doing it. But it was their choice, they were advised not to go along with it by quiet a few, but then again it seems to be a not so uncommon thing here in Kato.

Real Estate / Can foreigner buy apartment in Warsaw, Poland? [39]

Yea, it can be done.
I've got mates who have 'bought' apartments this way.

Basically someone owns the apartment block/building. Someone moves out and you take over their flat. Pay a large deposit and make monthly/quarterly payments

It's not legal and it's as dodgy as hell, but it can be done.
I wouldn't do it and I wouldn't advise doing it either, the reason being you're at the whim of a landlord who may someday want his flat back (probably sometime before your final payment) and you'll get turfed out with hardly a leg to stand on legally.

Pure dodge, avoid.

News / Poland and Germany should unite, says Lech Walesa [113]


youtube.com/watch?v=XdofmoYcJNE

News / Poland and Germany should unite, says Lech Walesa [113]

If it meant better roads, infrastructure, better football, better beer, more boobalicious ladies then I certainly wouldn't be against the idea.
Easier language to learn too.

Convincing Germany to take on Poland? Now, that's simply never going to happen. They already propped up East Germany after reunification, I severely doubt they'd want to prop up another bottomless cash hole.

Language / Extremely Hard - Polish the hardest language to learn [226]

If you think that the article is serious I'd suggest you read this: goo.gl/wEzQhn

Language / Extremely Hard - Polish the hardest language to learn [226]


hahaha, that's hilarious ;)

Genealogy / I am looking for an African guy in Krakow, I dated [73]

Sorry about your situation Kasia.
Polish Forums is full of a@sholes.
Pay no attention to the racists, you could give birth to the next Phil Lynott or Paul McGrath :)

Best of luck......if I was you I'd go to the Police....or can't you like get a PI to trake him down once the baby is born and he'll have to pay some contribution to its upbringing?

Life / Are Poles suspicious of Facebook? [50]


What a interesting life you must live.

Have a great day brother :)

Food / Hopless beer in Poland? [30]


It certainly was last summer, haven't been up that way since then.
Great spot, free as much smalec as you can gobble too :)

Their weissbier is rocket fuel ;)

Food / Hopless beer in Poland? [30]


Ah, you could prob get to 6 or 8 before that would happen ;)
But yea it's a lot easier to drink and not as sharp, although, I do drink ordinary Tyskie most times. can't stand Zywice, no life in that beer at all.

Red is like a dark beer from home, called Smithwicks, it's difficult to explain unless you've drank red/dark beer before, it's not an ale, but it's like a very old traditional-style beer. It's nice though, those old beers are good as an after dinner beer.

The wheat beer is OK too, it's got a nice after taste, but as with all wheat beers they get you drunk quicker.

The Rice one, I'm not a fan of, it's tastes like an American beer like Budweiser/Miller/Coors, I know Bud use rice in their beer, not sure about the rest. Although tbh, I've only had it once, will prob give it another try.

Food / Hopless beer in Poland? [30]


Very different.

Gronie tasts 'sharper' if I can say that. Far more bubbly, Classic is much smoother and a little too easy to drink. But the calssic has been around for a while, I think it's been around for about 2 years...although maybe it was launched here in Silesia first.

It also has more varieties, Red (like an old red beer,) Rice & Wheat.

Life / New Royal Baby Boy - Recommended Polish Baby Names [21]


huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/07/22/royal-baby-spoof_n_3634135.html

Study / Rumor about racism - will I be fine in Poland as a black International student from Africa? [245]


Jobs are not scarce in Poland. That's simply not true. The real unemployment rate (not the one the govt sprout) is far lower than what they want us to believe.

The unemployment rate is skewed. If you removed the % of people like stay at home mothers/fathers, the people working for cash, but registered as unemployed, you would probably see unemployment closer to 7-8%.

If unemployment stands at 4% a country is said to have full employment.


Ignore Nac, he has a track record of consistent racism & flamming on this forum.

Jon & Dom give the best advise on this thread, as a full time student you prob won't find work I'm afraid, especially if you cannot speak the language.

News / Poland to reject Snowden asylum bid [59]


If we told you dog sh!t was brown you'd say it was white man ;)

News / Poland to reject Snowden asylum bid [59]


In fairness though, Snowden didn't adhere to the procedures that one must go through to obtain asylum in Poland.
If he didn't adhere to them, then he's obviously not going to be given asylum.
It's quite interesting to see what he's doing, how he's playing the game and all. And even more interesting to see how it all unfolds.

News / Poland to reject Snowden asylum bid [59]


Your targeting of me is quite becoming of you.

If you actually knew anything about the Snowden case then you'd know what I'm talking about.
What's hilarous about you is that you linked to a Guardian story, the opening paragraph of which states:


He's a whistleblower, for that he should be commended. Is it really so difficult for you?


I fear it'll end the same way.


A traitor that caught your government in the act of spying on both its own people and foreign allies. Yea, he's the traitor.


As if he'd be given a fair trial in 'Merika.

News / Poland to reject Snowden asylum bid [59]

The man should be commended for what he did......however, he only proved what most of us have already known for a long, long time.

He is unlikely to be given asylum in the EU, as America yields too much power over certain countries, including Poland, UK and Ireland.
I would love to see him given asylum, but I cannot see it happening.
Doubtlessly he'll disappear and will tragically be found death at the bottom of a gorge after a 'terrible car accident' in a few years.

Shame, the world needs more people like him.

Travel / Collection of dress codes in Poland - what to wear? [96]

they sure do, maybe you had some toilet paper stuck to your shoe :P

Food / Bigos Recipe [183]


Oh I wasn't complaining Polson, I love the food here.........excpet cucumber soup, that's just weird. ;)

Food / Bigos Recipe [183]

Like all Polish food, it should be swimming in oil, and not healthy olive oil, yummy, cheap, vegetable oil.

Or you could just buy some in a Polish shop, add extra bacon and she'll never know the diff.

History / Pre-war or today's Poland? [50]

No.
Wasn't Poland ruled by a semi-dictator during that period?


Then again....


Maybe not much has changed at all.

But wait....


Looks like it was a complete and utter failure.

At least this crowd in now are attempting to at least build better roads/train tracks and better city centers.

Life / Bribery and corruption 'fact of life' in Poland? [152]


Naw, don't agree with ya there, people should be allowed to work as much as they want in their desire to make money. Taking bribes shouldn't be allowed, but if someone wants to work then I don't see a problem.

Life / Bribery and corruption 'fact of life' in Poland? [152]


I couldn't tell ya, I'm not Polish, but it seems to be the done thing here.


Why wouldn't the info be accurate? I would presume that he doesn't want to get fired for committing fraud. Beside, if the info wasn't then his client mightn't get the loan, so he'd be shooting himself in the foot.

Life / Bribery and corruption 'fact of life' in Poland? [152]


I wouldn't call it fraud, he's not being deceptive to get a few extra quid.
the person who gets the loan gives it to him as a kind of bonus I suppose.

He told me it's very much common practice where he works, indeed in the industry as a whole. It's not the biggest Polish bank, but it's certainly in the top 5.

I know a few stories about doctors and hospitals being pretty corrupt, but I don't know if it still goes on.
My missus' mother needed an op about 8 or 10 years ago, waiting time was 18months for this operations, a brown envelope was exchanged and she went for the op about 10 days after it.

But like I said, it was a while ago, so I don't know if it still goes on.

Life / Bribery and corruption 'fact of life' in Poland? [152]

I've a mate that works for one of the main banks here. He works in the corporate lending/business dept.
He told me that when a loan in agreed for his clients he gets a golden handshake that's can be between 5-10% of the total loan.

Not bad when you're organizing a short term loan of a few million zl for some large corporate account.

As Barney says though, I agree, I wouldn't put much faith in what Ernst & Young say.

Oh, personally I've 'bribed' tons of train ticket inspectors. Sometimes when travelling from a small station like Gliwice/Ruda and the ticket kiosk isn't open you can buy the ticket on the train. Most of the time, the inspector will split the price of the ticket with you, so a fare that's usually 12zl becomes 6 and goes into his pocket.

Used to 'negotiate' prices for sleeping places on longer trips too.