Life / Expats` opinion on alien immigration to Poland - for or against? [87]


Nice try.

Twenty years ago I would have listened with an open mind.

The peaceful spread of Islam in Europe and America has lost it's advantage of surprise as there are many countries that have witnessed first hand how this will all play out.

Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Belgium, England, France have all seen how muslims first arrive and settle and actually integrate pretty well during the first generation of settlers. It's only subsequent generations that become more hardline and more orthodox-burkas are only a recent development here in the UK.

You can try to soften up your target countries by extolling the virtues of Islam in relevant forums and Facebook pages but the rest of us know all we need to know.

Life / Expats` opinion on alien immigration to Poland - for or against? [87]


There are very many indeed but how many of them raise funds for non-muslims ? good luck trying to find them

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


I can never understand why some people think it is "customary" to tip. If someone delivers a service over and above what is expected then yes but a postman ? Would you tip a bus driver ?

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

Merged: Corruption in every day life in Poland

We have many good friends in Poland. Today, one lady was telling us that it is customary that when the postman delivers her pension then he gets a tip, in fact, it's expected. She said something along the lines of if she gets 105PLN then he gets the scraps i.e. 5 PLN (as an example). So I'm not sure if that means she tips him or he just takes it himself (which I'd find hard to believe).

She also said that she recently bought a brand new cooker but within a few days some of the burners stopped working. She reported the fault and an engineer was called out but he insisted on charging her 100PLN when he arrived claiming that he doesn't work for the store so therefore she had to pay him for his time. Are consumer laws weak in Poland or is there still a strong tendency to give back handers out ?

Life / Poles close to grandparents [32]

Grandparents looking after their grandchildren (and I don't mean babysitting) seems to be very common in Poland

History / WWII - who really was the first to help Poland? [901]


"....the truth" ? Listen Douglas old chap. History is not a science and 2+2 do not always make 4 in the context of history. It can be interpreted many different ways.


A fact I agree on but completely unnecessary for you to mention in relation to my point. If Britain and the US were resigned to leaving Poland to Stalin then why did they not just let Hitler keep Poland and thereby save so many servicemen's lives. This is why I say that Poland's freedom was not the motive although I admit it was the trigger point.


Well...if we're judging Allied success on their primary goal of "liberating" Poland then it was a failure.

History / WWII - who really was the first to help Poland? [901]


I'm bored so I'll take the bait.

Poland should be grateful for what exactly ? Declaring war on Germany but not actually taking any action until a year later ? For Britain fighting to defend Poland's freedom and allowing the Poles to be part of the war effort against the Germans but then effectively signing away Polish freedom to Stalin ? Gee......dziekuje bardzo !

The German invasion of Poland just happened to be the line in the sand that Britain and France had drawn. Hitler had to be stopped and Poland was our ultimatum.

The Poles weren't even invited to the VE parade in London in 1945.

UK, Ireland / City management - differences between Poland and UK [20]


I beg to differ. They are not very similar at all. Straza Miejska seem to be a fully developed police department with their own fleet of vehicles and have high visibility in practically every Polish town I have ever visited. PCSO's on the other hand are lucky if they get a bicycle (literally-I'm not being sarcastic) and you are having a lucky day if you spot one walking the streets.


How does that work in apartment blocks ? In theory, residents in apartment blocks could arguably produce the same amount of waste (sometimes more) than someone in a small house but apartment blocks have a communal bin. How does the city know who is recycling and who isn't ?

UK, Ireland / City management - differences between Poland and UK [20]

Yes-I'm not expecting a definitive "Poland is better than the UK" conclusion but I'm just curious as to what things work better and which things are worse.

Straza Miejska is a good idea I think. A police force that deals with secondary crime.
Grafitti is indeed a problem in Poland although there are some real works of art out there too ! I find Polish towns generally cleaner than their UK counterparts specifically in terms of litter and fly tipping (which is becoming a real problem here in the UK).

Does anyone know if waste collection is provided by the city and paid for by local taxes or whether it is privatised ?

Regarding your comment about local councillors I think it mostly depends on the constituent being interested in wanting to know the name of their local constituent rather than the councillor making an effort for their name to be known. I really like the idea of having city presidents/mayors who appear to be more accountable than faceless councils here in the UK.

Travel / Flights from Warsaw, Poland to the Northern UK are getting expensive - alternative suggestions? [13]

Wizzair removed the Liverpool to Katowice route last year despite the plane being full every time I flew. I think routes are being scaled back not increased.

Travel / Monuments, statues, memorials of Poland [25]

Merged: Bronze statues all over Poland

I am trying to add content to a website of mine showcasing attractions around Poland and along my travels I have come across a number of bronze (or are they bronze ?) statues which seem to be very popular in the country.

Does anyone have any other examples of them and ideally what they may be called in Polish ?

The image below was taken in Czestochowa.

UK, Ireland / Why English do not like Polish? [417]

No, it's a fair point. Most other papers take a much more balanced approach to Poles in the UK.

What bothers me about the Daily Mail isn't so much the editorial itself but the feelings it stirs up in people which can be clearly seen from many of the comments.......maybe it isn't even "stirring" up ANY feelings but instead reflecting the thoughts of many Britons.

UK, Ireland / Why English do not like Polish? [417]

The Daily Mail is the worst culprit but not the only one.

dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2017817/Poles-sending-home-3bn-year--pay-4-5m-week-benefits.html
Scroll to the bottom of this page and view the comments but first select the most popular (or best) for a snapshot as to popular reaction to the story.

express.co.uk/news/uk/412968/No-benefits-here-for-you-Poles-tell-jobless-Briton
dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2309885/Shocking-survey-reveals-Polish-high-school-pupils-anti-Semitic.html


I wish that were true. It may apply to people who have any semblance of intelligence but in my experience they lump all "Eastern Europeans" together :(

UK, Ireland / Why English do not like Polish? [417]


Like I said, it is not a "wild" statement.

Care to answer my earlier question ?

UK, Ireland / Why English do not like Polish? [417]


You must have your head stuck in the sand then.

A few years back the Federation of Poles in London felt compelled to file a formal complaint against one national newspaper. Some of these papers then fuel the bigoted minds of their readers who express their views via comments and letters.

Local papers echo the same theme.

Do you really believe that there is not an element of Pole-bashing in the UK ?

There is nothing "wild" about my assertion.

UK, Ireland / Why English do not like Polish? [417]

Not really. I can't be bothered but if you read certain British newspapers then you will know what I am talking about.

UK, Ireland / Why English do not like Polish? [417]

Pole-bashing is common in the UK media. They're an easy target. They are here in numbers and are probably in a town near you.

Because they are white and European it is easier for people to express bigoted views about Poles whereas many people feel restricted about making comments about muslims in the UK because of fear of racism.

In a nutshell....Poles are a safe lightning rod for bigoted views.

Genealogy / Displaced Persons Camp / Work camp and concentration camp difference [86]

I find this chapter of history fascinating.

My mother spent over ten years in DP camps around Germany.

Many of the place names that people mention on this thread I recognise from my conversations with her.

She said the conditions were not always that comfortable i.e. having to share a barracks with dozens of other strangers. To create an air of privacy some families would drape blankets on a string across their area.

Food was strictly rationed and some people felt they were given less food then during the wartime.

But she also said the social aspect was great. People from all walks of life living in the same camp many people with fascinating stories to tell.

She told me that the Poles were one of the last nationalities to be offered the chance to return back to their homeland-Russians were one of the first.

Due to this delay, a lot of Poles in DP camps started to receive letters from relatives back home in Poland telling them that life under the Communists was no better than Nazi rule and as a result many Poles (my family included) decided not to go back to Poland.

Related:

Difference in work camp and concentration camp.


The Red Cross maintained files of DPs (displaced persons of all nationalities) from the war years.
Start here to see if they can help you: redcross.org/services/intl/holotrace/index.html

UK, Ireland / Do people in Poland live "better" than here in the UK? [150]


I wasn't suggesting it was.

UK, Ireland / Do people in Poland live "better" than here in the UK? [150]

Sorry-I thought poverty levels were worse in Poland than in the UK. Perhaps I am mistaken ?

Not sure what your second post is trying to show. People beg in the United States, UK and Germany, some of the richest countries in the world.

UK, Ireland / Do people in Poland live "better" than here in the UK? [150]


Lol-sorry. Had quite a stressful morning and my brain wasn't working properly. Apologies for the confusion :)

The begging situation has improved a lot in Poland. I recall many pleasant encounters with Romanians some years ago where one actually grabbed hold of my trouser leg and I had to drag my leg half way down the street with this urchin stubbornly clinging to me.

Another time, a couple of kids approached every table in an ice cream parlour begging money for "food" but was happily scoffing on an ice cream.

In some ways I would expect the begging to be worse in Poland as the levels of poverty in Poland and the UK are not comparative.

Grafitti is a big problem in Poland although some frustrated artists have taken it to a new level creating rather impressive works of graffiti art. I can't decide would I rather live with the graffiti in Poland or the litter in the UK..........

UK, Ireland / Do people in Poland live "better" than here in the UK? [150]


I did not say that Poland is a more popular tourist destination than the UK (some people like to make stuff up).

I said I believe it has a better tourism infrastructure than the UK (not necessarily a physical infrastructure). It is possible for a country to have a well developed tourism infrastructure without being particularly popular to British tourists...hard to believe eh ?

UK, Ireland / Do people in Poland live "better" than here in the UK? [150]


this is true.

The Polish tourist board have a lot to answer for.

I have been bordering on evangelical explaining to my fellow Brits how great Poland is but now I'm starting to change. Maybe Poland is so great because it isn't overwhelmed with tourists ?

UK, Ireland / Do people in Poland live "better" than here in the UK? [150]


Good question.

Without a doubt, life is easier in the UK. Less bureaucracy, easier to get a better paid job but at the expense of what ?

I find Poland to be far cleaner than in the UK. Poland does have a bad graffiti problem but where litter is concerned I genuinely get depressed walking to work here in the UK.

UK, Ireland / Do people in Poland live "better" than here in the UK? [150]

Debate is healthy :)

So it's my turn ? ;)

1/ The term, "better weather" is subjective. Some people hate hot summers...I don't. It's not uncommon to have a heatwave in April or in September in Poland. Here in the UK.....pretty much forget about Summer after July.

2/ Living in a major town 20 mins away from Manchester I dispute that the range of good restaurants in the UK even in small towns is "phenomenal". I concede that the UK generally has a better choice but your choices are limited if you don't like curry or Chinese. There is more choice of ethnic restaurants here in the UK due to a multi-cultural society (but that brings other problems).

3/ I have to disagree with your point that much of the best scenery in Poland is restricted to tourists, in fact, that is an accusation I can aim at the UK. If someone asked me here "where is the nearest forest" then I wouldn't have a clue unless I wanted to drive over an hour to reach one of the few national parks we have. If someone wants to go swimming in a lake where the heck do they go in the UK ? I bet you can find some examples but nowhere near the amount you can find in Poland.

4/ I don't think I'm explaining myself clearly regarding tourism infrastructure so I surrender :)

5/ Are we talking about the same "UK" ? "Major free concerts, festivals and performances all over the country" ?? I am not saying there are not any in the UK but do not appear to be AS many as in Poland.

How on earth can you gauge engagement with the public by what programmes are on TV ? Wimbledon is one of the most watched events of the year on British TV but how many Brits play tennis ? This argument also applies to your point about cookery programmes on TV.....

UK, Ireland / Polish people in the UK using the English version of their name? [56]

I get your point and it is upto each individual but a person's name is part of their identity. I was born in the UK with a Polish name and refuse to change my name to make it easier for people. Ok-I am called Marek so it's not THAT difficult but you'd be surprised how people still get it wrong e.g. Merrick and even Maverick ! I just make the other person feel stupid when they get it so wrong.

Funnily enough I was going to give an example of Grzegorz being used correctly. Last year I was in Lytham St Annes and was talking to a Polish chef at the hotel. All the staff called him Grzegorz.

UK, Ireland / Polish people in the UK using the English version of their name? [56]

They can at least make an attempt.

UK, Ireland / Do people in Poland live "better" than here in the UK? [150]


Ha. Actually I wasn't but you know how it is on these internet forums. You need to create a mildly provocative headline to drum up any interest :)

I was about to contribute to this thread until I noticed that it was me who started it ! How time flies (and my memory).

I still stand by my original points so let's revisit them....

1/ Better weather
Evidently I am NOT talking about Winter but Poland generally has better weather in the other three seasons than the UK. And to be honest, a bad Polish winter doesn't seem as bad as a bad English one. Over here (in the UK) when snow stays on the ground for more than a few days the country grinds to a halt whereas in Poland it's only an inconvenience. There is a beauty to a Polish winter landscape.

One thing that constantly irritates me is when I look at mean (average) temperatures around the world. Poland's average temperature in summer is typically recorded as between 16-19 C....really ?

2/ More emphasis on good food
I have to confess that fast food is creeping into the Polish lifestyle and on reflection my point was rather glib. I think it is true to say that there is more emphasis in Poland on cooking "from scratch" instead of buying processed food from the supermarket.

More attention is paid to cooking in Poland as the flame is passed from Babcia to Mum to grandchild.

Cooking seems to be a constant source of conversation in Polish women when they get above a certain age or maybe it's just the ones I know ?

3/ Diverse and rich natural scenery in Poland
I stand by this point. That's not to say the UK isn't diverse but I think in Poland it is simply MORE diverse with more areas of unspoilt beauty.

4/ A more comprehensive tourism infrastructure
I am not claiming that Poland is more popular to foreign tourists than the UK only that the tourism infrastructure appears to me to be better in Poland than in the UK. I agree that it might be more focused towards Polish tourists but the same can be said of tourist attractions in the UK. Other than in London I don't recall seeing tourist information in Japanese, French or Spanish.

Poland has geographical pockets of tourism that have created their own macro-culture e.g. Zakopane, Mazury not to mention forests and agro-tourism. Summer camps for kids is a Polish rite of passage and although not strictly classed as "tourism" it introduces children to the beauty of their own country something which the UK has not equal comparison.

5/ More culturally engaged than in the UK i.e. free city centre concerts, kaberets etc
I strongly believe I am right with this one. As someone else has also commented free city centre concerts, kabarets (although the ones I have seen are mainly crap), open air theatre. Culture is brought to the people in a way we do not have here in the UK.

Plus, other than London and Edinburgh, try finding a major English city that lays on a free New Year's Eve party for it's people.

This one's up in the air. But Poles seem to know about their history and seem to know more about other European countries than your average European.

Of course, wages are higher in the UK but at what cost ?