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Posts by VaFunkoolo  

Joined: 24 Mar 2008 / Male ♂
Last Post: 28 Mar 2009
Threads: Total: 6 / Live: 2 / Archived: 4
Posts: Total: 654 / Live: 116 / Archived: 538

Displayed posts: 118 / page 1 of 4
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VaFunkoolo   
26 Mar 2009
News / US to deploy Patriot missiles to Poland [404]

I dont think you understand what people are actually saying at least half the time

What you quoted me on above had nothing to do with violence - it had to do with being sold a dogma which was a reference to the stupidity of many Americans

dogma is not a type of animal, wolf, sheep or even a dog
VaFunkoolo   
25 Mar 2009
News / US to deploy Patriot missiles to Poland [404]

No, we just know we have the most nukes on earth so who needs violence?

Thats a strange comment to make when discussing one of the most violent nations on earth

Are you confusing America with somewhere else?

McDonalds is not actually a country

someone actually sat down planned and carried out a process of making the nation into a bunch of sheep for a better part of a century.

Well, theres no better way to control a people than to sell them a dogma... and many Americans seem to have fallen for it...
VaFunkoolo   
25 Mar 2009
News / US to deploy Patriot missiles to Poland [404]

True but its a temporary state caused by losses in Polish elites due to WW2

I admire your perception of temporary - it's actually not often I have met a Pole who has been able to take such a long term view of things
VaFunkoolo   
25 Mar 2009
News / US to deploy Patriot missiles to Poland [404]

create an educated self aware society rather than militarize a nation.

Many Poles are unable to appreciate the advantages of this and look to violence as the answer to their problem

You just have to look at the frequency of 'crush them' posted on the forum to realise this
VaFunkoolo   
16 Mar 2009
Real Estate / House prices in Poland to drop more or rise again? [228]

Yes Poles are very stubborn and have no honor when involved in a business agreement, they have probably learnt there bad habits from the western business friends.

But thats not how we do business in the west bolek, despite what your country men may think.

We would rather create a business situation that is beneficial for all involved, rather than just ourselves. The purpose of this, which many Poles have yet to grasp, is that if business goes well today then this increases the chance of us doing business again tomorrow.

In business Poles tend to think about how much they can make today. And give very little though to tomorrow

And this isnt a bad habit they have picked up from the west
VaFunkoolo   
16 Mar 2009
Real Estate / House prices in Poland to drop more or rise again? [228]

but isnt everyone in the west too?

Not to the same extent, and you already know that

Or are you telling me that Poles are stupid cos they dont want to make a profit?

It certainly appears like that at times.

I am thinking specifically of the rental market and how frequently I see properties sitting empty becuse the landlord wont drop his rents to an affordable level.

Especially true with commercial properties - dropping the rent to a level that would allow somebody to lease the property and still run a profitable business at the same time

But it seems landlords would rather have their property sitting empty, with no income or people looking after it, than to drop their rent to what is in fact a sensible level.

So I guess what I am telling you is that Poles are stupid cos they all to frequently let personal greed get in the way of creating a win-win situation for both parties

Are you telling me you have never come across such practices in Poland...?
VaFunkoolo   
15 Mar 2009
Genealogy / The typical Polish look, or all Eastern Europeans [656]

They are of Germanic descent.

Categorical proof that Poles are just a bunch of Germans who went on a day trip to Russia, drunk too much wodka and couldn't find their way home.
VaFunkoolo   
12 Jan 2009
Life / 3 reasons why you hate Poland. [1049]

Can you explain?

Simple - being a tossy little teacher isn't so much about ability but attitude.

Youre quite right - in theory, hiring qualified and more experienced teachers should potentially mean delivering a better service, increasing reputation and eventually profit - on paper it makes sense, in practice it's not always so straight forward.

Gross margins for many smaller, private language schools are invariably tight and what appears to be a relatively small difference in hourly pay between teacher A and teacher B can, in terms of hours over the course of the month multiplied by number of teachers, become a significant sum.

I recently oversaw the recruitment of teaching staff for a language school - I didn't play a role in the interview process but was asked for my input with decision making and this involved meeting the candidates informally.

With 1 more position to fill, the choice was between a well qualified teacher with experience in the skill-sets needed by the school (IELTS) and somebody fresh off the CELTA but with a couple of years previous experience.

After a short chat with each, the choice was clear - the recent CELTA grad was enthusiastic and full of motivation, the teacher who looked better on paper had an attitude which would only cause problems in the staffroom. Hiring the recent grad would obviously cost the school less, but this wasn't the reason the choice was made.
VaFunkoolo   
7 Jan 2009
Life / 3 reasons why you hate Poland. [1049]

Harry If you're sick of dealing with "tossy little teachers", perhaps you should stop hiring "tossy little teachers". Although hiring decent teachers would cost more than hiring the dross, which would eat into your profit margin and we can't have that, can we?!

So true. Well said!

Are you sure?

Think about what youre actually saying
VaFunkoolo   
25 Dec 2008
Real Estate / House prices in Poland to drop more or rise again? [228]

The truth remains that making a quick buck in Poland ceased some 10 years ago

I wouldn't say thats entirely true, there were quick bucks to be made more recently than that if you knew the market and knew people that could make things happen quickly
VaFunkoolo   
20 Dec 2008
Love / Do Polish Women age well? [153]

get a someone in their prime whose sex drive still works ;)

Older men dont have problems with sex drives, its just that they stop fancying whats on offer
VaFunkoolo   
18 Dec 2008
Life / 3 reasons why you hate Poland. [1049]

Thank you for your input.

Youre welcome. I'm not going to disagree or comment further on what you have said other than to suggest you sell yourself a little higher and stop working with mickey mouse organisations.

become extremely happy and content :)

Well thats the important thing :)
VaFunkoolo   
17 Dec 2008
Life / 3 reasons why you hate Poland. [1049]

Ooh, amongst many other things... it's not so much about cleverness, more about ambition, drive, taking opportunities and creating luck

What have you achieved ukp?
VaFunkoolo   
17 Dec 2008
Life / 3 reasons why you hate Poland. [1049]

I've heard many similar stories from the TEFL world, so many 'schools' realyl ripping the teachers off. They don't seems to realise that if they have happy teachers, they have happy students who come back.

With all due respect tonyk, when you have actually had to run a school, as a business that makes money, and had to deal with tossy little teachers full of naive ideals, constant moaning about being over-worked on 25 contact and how much better everything would be if only they were in charge, then perhaps you would understand a little more about why so many schools are 'ripping' teachers off

The only way to make a living is to own a school

See above about naive ideals. Happy students dont make a school viable. Unfortunately. Business essentails make a school viable
VaFunkoolo   
8 Aug 2008
Off-Topic / PF - The Omnibus Edition [1502]

Well done M. Wonder what happened to the pie ?

Wasn't he muttering something about another gin fizz and getting that German off his sun lounger?

good uncles are hard to come by:)

So it would seem. But eveyone needs at least an honorary uncle to sort out the ice creams
VaFunkoolo   
8 Aug 2008
Work / Are you teaching English in Poland? [120]

What can I expect?

A lot of people say it's an intensive course. Some people can't hack it. Don't plan on an overly active social life for a month

ezinearticles.com/?12-Helpful-Tips-to-Pass-the-CELTA-or-TEFL-Teaching-Preparation-Course&id=206334

12 tips to pass the CELTA
VaFunkoolo   
8 Aug 2008
Off-Topic / PF - The Omnibus Edition [1502]

I had an uncle Bob from scotland. Is that you uncle Bob?
VaFunkoolo   
29 Jul 2008
Travel / Jazz in Poland [26]

Do these guys ever do anything outside of Poland

Both Leszek and Pink Freud play outside of Poland - Leszek just came back from China - but I dont think Mank jazz bars could afford him ;)

That said, there is no shortage of extremely good Polish jazz musicians who I am sure would jump at the chance to play in the UK for a reasonable price
VaFunkoolo   
29 Jul 2008
Travel / Jazz in Poland [26]

Polish jazz is fantastic, especially the more experimental stuff.

At the latter end of the 20thC Polish musicians started their own style of jazz they named Yass. One of the musicians at the forefront of this movement is Tymon TymaƄski who now plays with a band called Pink Freud - they are touring at the moment but I cant find dates. Look out for their posters and catch them if you can.

youtube.com/watch?v=_oSTno1bKl0

Another guy to check out if you get the chance is Leszek Mozdzer - one of Poland's leading pianists. I was at this small concert last summer when he jammed outside Sfinks in Sopot - a great evening!
VaFunkoolo   
29 Jul 2008
Life / I'm British in Poland and I think that it's time to go back to the UK! [240]

I'm not sure if this is referring to me

LOL. Nope :)

Whether or not someone lives there is irrelevant to this forum

Perhaps. But I prefer giving credence to someone who is actually living the experience than someone who just has an opinion based on, well, not a great deal.

Just because someone moves to Poland and lives there <either long or short term> doesn't make them the only people who can comment.

Of course not. But if I want an opinion about a book then I will ask someone who has read it rather than someone who once walked passed it in a bookshop.

So who is actually trying to achieve worthwhile things in Poland and what is considered 'worthwhile'

I think in this context 'worthwhile' is getting a job, starting a business, making a family, building a life...
VaFunkoolo   
29 Jul 2008
Life / I'm British in Poland and I think that it's time to go back to the UK! [240]

The reasons you left are the reasons I wont move there permanently

Before I get a barrage of abuse

The barrage of abuse tends to come from the same people who dont actually live or try to achieve anything worthwhile in Poland. As with most people who talk loaud and say nothing, it's best ignored