Love / Have you ever been food shopping with a Polish woman ? [5]

nope-Polish women take food shopping to the extreme.

Life / Do people not have "Christmas Dinners" or "Easter Dinners" in Poland ? [9]


It wouldn't be the first time and probably won't be the last ! :)

Let me elaborate. I am well aware that Christmas Eve "dinner" is Wigilia. I am referring to Christmas Day dinner and Easter Day dinner. She tells me Poles don't usually make a big occasion of Christmas/Easter Day dinner. Is this correct ?

Life / Washing machine in the bathroom of Poles [78]


I'm confused. Are you talking about the plumbing or the prn ?

Life / Have you wonder how to recognise a Polish person on the street? [21]

I think his article is a little too provocative but he's right about Poles over-using the word "kur*a". It seems to be a statement of rebellion amongst Poles these days..."look at me, I can swear and I don't give a damn who hears me".

Travel / Rihanna complains about lack of privacy on Polish beach [150]

I have to agree with rozumiemnic.

"Mulatto" is not a common term used in the UK. In fact, I don't believe I have ever heard it being used !

UK, Ireland / Recommendations for Polish shops in Manchester [3]

there's an Eastern European mini-market by the name of "Alina". They used to sell Redds apple beer (very nice it is too)

Travel / Need information about Czestochowa! Hostels / Hotels? [24]

If you want really cheap then try the Polonia hotel but I warn you the place is a bit of a dump.

Type in "noclegi Czestochowa" into google.pl and see what comes up.

UK, Ireland / Living in England - the reality. I am now returning to Poland. [30]

Sounds like another Pole in the UK who has developed "everything is better in Poland" syndrome.

UK, Ireland / Polish TV channels in the UK [95]

It he's talking about multi-room then internet authentication may be an issue.

Two best options are to get someone in Poland to take out a Polish subscription to Cyfrowy Polsat and you bring the box and card to the UK. You then get someone to supply a dish and you're sorted. Monthly fees are not expensive either.

Option 2-find the internet site that streams live Polish TV

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

This has been going on for decades.

Members of my own family have anglicised their names. Personally, I have never agreed with it.

It's easier for English colleagues to remember one name then it is for you to have to remember all of their names.

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 ?

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

They can at least make an attempt.

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 / 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 / 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]


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]


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]


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]

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]


I wasn't suggesting it was.

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 / 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.

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]


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]


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

Care to answer my earlier question ?