Life / You are Polish if... [433]

Seanus you well know that everyone in Poland will have downloaded most films before they are released. ;)

Life / What is it with the Polish love of antibiotics? And Why do Poles get ill more? [40]

Clearly there are exceptions in both countries. :)

Decent schools (in whichever country) are concerned with educating children and their welfare, not ticking boxes on pieces of paper.

For something like strep throat a decent doctor would prescribe antibiotics. Did you even go to a doctor? I'm not against antibiotics at all, but they should be used within their intended guidelines, not for colds and minor flu bugs which will go away by themselves.

You may not be a typical Pole. I am certainly not a typical Brit (I wear a thick coat and hat when it's cold). But that doesn't change the fact that even the Polish health service acknowledges that antibiotics are being overprescribed. That's a fact. I may have the reasons wrong because I've only seen how it works in one area of Poland.

As to the commie thing, I was under the impression that the day of lost production was worth more than the person's health and the commies used any chemical means available to keep people productive. Total and utter short-termism. I'm sure we were taught in science class that the communist countries were abusing antibiotics in this way. (maybe it wasn't truw, but maybe it was?) How else do you account for the different prescribing habits of doctors?

You've obviously been in the UK quite a while, your English is impeccable. I salute you. :)

fampra.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/13/5/445.pdf

Interesting link here to a research paper on prescribing habits. (I note it also talks about recommendations for bed rest for tonsilitis - so it doesn't fully support all my points. But it is 14 years old).

Life / You are Polish if... [433]

That's your pre-menstrual anxiety. (PMA)

Life / What is it with the Polish love of antibiotics? And Why do Poles get ill more? [40]

Magdalena,

I agree that Brits often don't dress well for the temperature. But you may have noticed most houses don't have thermometers on the outside either (ours does though). And people don't obsess about the weather forecast either. There's no need, it's always raining. ;)

Seriously though, I do believe part of it is climate related and there is a lot of coal smoke in the air in Poland in winter. When I was heating our house with coal and wood, I found exposure to the smoke and dust gave me a rough throat most of the winter.

It's true that the weather can sometimes kill you in Poland, and that's rarely true in the UK. But why, when Poles often overheat their houses to 25 degrees +, do they wear more clothes inside in winter?

I think the attitude to healthcare is just different. In the UK, parents are encouraged to keep children home if they are ill (and they do), to prevent things passing through the whole class. When my son went to pre-school in Poland, the Polish parents were advised the same thing, but they ignore it (perhaps they don't have an alternative? I'm not judging, just observing).

I read an article in the £ódź newspaper (in Polish, the one owned by the Times. Is it Wyborcza?) a couple of years ago which said that the Polish health system was massively over-prescribing antibiotics. Poles even slagging off English doctors who won't give them antibiotics and tell them to go to bed and rest for a few days. Instead they hop on the next ryanair flight, passing all their germs to everyone else on the plane (nice closed system virus incubation unit) go see their own irresponsible GP who gives them a supply, back to UK (infect more people on plane) and back to work to earn dużo funtów.

The thing is when you don't let your body fight these infections you don't build up natural resistance and you will get ill more often. (A chicken and egg situation).

That, is why Poles get ill more often because they do not take the responsible action of rest and recuperation when they are ill. They look for the quick fix instead so they can be more productive. (I blame the commies for instilling this mentality).

There you go.

Thanks for reviving this thread. I thought it had died without any proper debate. ;)

Life / Why Do You Love Poland? [907]

That makes four of us who thought so then. :)

Life / You are Polish if... [433]


They never used to until cheap airlines made air travel accessible to "a different class of person". ;) Most of the scumbags used to take the bus, but now it's cheap to fly.

I've never seen a Pole misbehave on BA, LOT or Sabena. The pushing and shoving comes from no allocated seating. If you have a seat number, there's no hurry is there?

I'm not a snob though. I like cheaper tickets too, so I fly budget airlines, but think of it more as a fast bus, than the "luxury travel" flying used to be.

So to answer the question, it's because they have not been trained in the proper procedures. Ryanair always has their announcements in English first and often no Polish speaking flight attendants.

Life / You are Polish if... [433]

You win 10,000 Euro and eat the scratchcard coz they can't give you the money straight away.
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/8539560.stm

Life / Do you think a smoking ban would be a good thing in Polish restaurants and Bars? [217]


I would like it if you p1ssed over his head. :)

Life / You are Polish if... [433]


I'm surprised it hasn't been banned (but glad it hasn't - I'm all for free speech).

Life / You are Polish if... [433]

Yeah. First thing you do in the morning is look at the outdoor thermometer, shake, and proclaim "zimno" unless it's above 30 Celcius. ;)

"zimno jak cholera" if it's below 15 C.

Life / You are Polish if... [433]

Well in context of come and have a bath it's rather a dirty implication don'tcha think? ;)

Mind you I'm sure Tuwim didn't mean any harm by it and it's only the modern PC way of thinking that could ever really find it offensive. It's supposed to be innocent kid's poetry FFS. :)

So to remind others why this is still on topic, you are Polish if...

You think it's funny that Bambo might get white after a bath and there's no possible way anybody could find that offensive. ;)

Life / You are Polish if... [433]


I wasn't saying it's not true, but we all know the truth hurts - particularly since there aren't many Pakistanis or blacks in Poland, so they do tend to look down on them. can you imagine Murzynek Bambo being allowed to be read in UK schools? I can't.

"Mama powiada: „Chodź do kąpieli”,

A on się boi, że się wybieli."

First time my wife read that I was quite surprised - I'm not a PC type, but it made me laugh and tut.

Life / You are Polish if... [433]


Oooh, that one's gonna hurt a few. Some friends of mine hired a Polish au pair. I'd love to have seen her face when she met them first time - they're Nigerian.

It didn't work out. :)

Genealogy / What are common Polish character traits? [417]

Rather depends doesn't it? Generally I find it a bit intrusive, but while they're watching our house if we're away, it's helpful. ;)

Genealogy / What are common Polish character traits? [417]


Traits out for the lads.

OK, what about unashamedly nosey/curious? Neighbours always in each others' business.

And balance that with a good one. Always lending things to each other, so each street only needs one ladder etc. instead of everyone having to buy one.

News / What the Polish government do to bring back home Polish immigrants? [116]


I would disagree with you, but seeing as I live in the UK I can't afford it. ;)

I think people everywhere are increasingly ruled by money, and it sucks. But Poles talk about money all the time. They go to extreme lengths to save money. Maybe not all of them, but most of the ones I've met are pretty bloomin' oszczętny.

News / What the Polish government do to bring back home Polish immigrants? [116]

Well you have to get a feel for the situation before you can propose such major cutbacks. ;)
Anyway, without the bush, the joke wouldn't work.

I still think a large number of the people who came to UK to "work for a few years and then go back to Poland and retire/start a business/build a house" will stay for good. If you make it, life is a lot easier in the UK. It's also easier to make it.

Got a friend who is a nurse who "can't afford" to move back to Poland. She got used to a different level of lifestyle. Although her long-term "pension fund" is an apartment in Polska.

Life / Getting ripped off in Poland! Is it normal? or should it be tolerated? [97]


Poles never tip. It's rude to tip. ;)

I can remember when I went to Rhodes I hired a moped. Went into the rental place saying "kalispera" good afternoon in Greek. Told them I'd spent some time in Thessaloniki a few years ago. Got me a moped for something like 3000 drax/day.

Went back the the accomodation and told my neighbour about this great moped hire place. He was your typical Brit - not a word of Greek. He was charged a lot more. Something like 4500 drax/day.

This is perfectly normal. What's the problem. If they think you're a foreigner and not savvy they'll take you. You just have to appear more savvy. It ain't rocket science. ;)

News / What the Polish government do to bring back home Polish immigrants? [116]


Very true. Since it is possible to run a household on one good salary in the UK, once the immigrants who think they're here for the short-term get decent positions worthy of their education, there will be no going back - plain and simple. Life is easier elsewhere - for now.


I always think a hand in the bush is worth more than either of the other two options. ;)

Law / The 'Secret' of Poland's Economic Success [83]


All we need to do is package up those loans, securitise them into a structured investment vehicle and sell them several times to other people (banks) and we can have our very own sub-prime crisis po-polsku. ;)

UK, Ireland / WHAT IS SO SPECIAL LIVING IN U.K [90]

It's kind of hard to lament the closing of pubs to be honest. Yes I enjoyed going to them when I was a teenager (from 14-24) but the booze is overpriced compared to elsewhere.

They won't all close. But anyway, pubs were all about drinking and smoking and playing darts and pool. They're trying to stop people drinking and smoking now because they're bad for you.

Playing pool and darts isn't, but I bet some smartarse will try to ban that next. :)

If you've got time and money to have any fun, you can't be working hard enough to fill Gordon's coffers with tax money. :(

Life / Fat People in Poland? [161]


Generally, members of the opposite sex. But if you are past reproductive age, then nobody really.

You're right though - it shouldn't matter (but it does).

Life / Why Do You Love Poland? [907]

But he was wisiting. ;)

Life / Fat People in Poland? [161]


Up to there you were doing OK. The rest was pure blubber. ;)

Life / Fat People in Poland? [161]

I first went to Poland in 1993. One of the most striking things I noticed was "no fatties". Where do they put them all? I thought.

Eating habits, wealth level, social conditioning, more natural exercise and other factors combined into a more active lifestyle all contribute to this.

Unfortunately, these days you see the youngsters (10-15 year olds) on their mountain bikes sitting outside the local shops chugging down bottles of coke and eating packets of crisps (chips if you do US English). When you go to the beach or the swimming pool, you see the curse of the modern "up and coming wealthy" nation, which is...

FAT CHILDREN.

Makes you want to cry. When this generation has children of their own, the difference will have been eliminated by big businesses like Coca Cola, Lays and all the other multinationals - including the computer and video games makers.

It's so sad. It's one of the few things I used to think that Poland had got right. If they were to immediately ban advertising to children (as Sweden) it might not yet be too late. But I fear it is.

UK, Ireland / How to get a British phone chipped in Poland. [5]

If you're lucky you might find it works without bothering.

Just for kicks, last summer I put a "Tak Tak" card in my British O2 phone and it worked fine. Give it a try. :)

In the same way that when roaming you can select whichever network you like (or auto strongest signal) a UK phone might accept all Polish networks for PAY&GO.

Life / You are Polish if... [433]


I think he means if you pay the lowest price for something you expect to get the extras included when they've not been paid for. But doubtless he will be along in a minute to correct me if I'm wrong. ;)

Life / You are Polish if... [433]

you think it's more important to close the shop/school/office door behind you than hold it open for the person who is only two steps behind.

you will waste a whole day to avoid spending 5zl

you will ask for outrageously enormous favours without ever expecting any payback

you like Ptasie Mleczko (yuck)

you think Polish food is the best in the world

you have a good sense of humour as long as the joke is not about you or your country

you buy children birthday and christmas presents from a supermarket

you have to live with your parents and grandparents but you pretend you like it

Life / You are Polish if... [433]

Load of crap if you ask me. ;)

Life / Lack of Spacial Acuity in Poland [69]

Ah. Just because they drive on the right incontinental Europe, they think it's right?

The reason for driving on the left is so that you can draw your sword with your right hand and fight your enemy to the right. Well that's allegedly how is started anyway.

Mind you, if you try that these days you get in all sorts of trouble. ;)