The BEST Guide to POLAND
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Posts by scottie1113  

Joined: 13 Mar 2007 / Male ♂ 		Last Post: 27 Jan 2016
Threads: Total: 6 / Live: 0 / Archived: 6
Posts: Total: 896 / Live: 157 / Archived: 739 		From: Gdansk, Poland
Speaks Polish?: learning
Interests: sailing, American football, cooking, reading, etc

Displayed posts: 157 / page 1 of 6
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scottie1113   
27 Jan 2016
Language / Polish was chosen the HARDEST LANGUAGE in the world to learn... :D [1558]

My native English is so far superior to that of the average Pole who studied English in school, I find it far, far easier to communicate with Poles in Polish!

As I've said before, your English, while excellent, is rather pedantic and academic.
I'm not suggesting that you dumb down, just speak to Poles in language that they understand. They'll appreciate it. If their English is really full of ghetto blaster slang and obscenities, maybe you should find different people to talk to. I've been in Poland for 8 1/2 years and my experience has been very different than yours when it comes to speaking with Poles.
scottie1113   
7 Jul 2015
Law / Do Poland's taxes apply to foreign pensions? [21]

To answer the OP's question-yes, if you receive your US pension in a Polish bank, as I do. I have to declare that income on my PIT along with income from my school and a company I have skype lessons with. I have an American friend here in Poland who receives his US pension in the US and transfers it to his bank in Poland-no tax on that.
scottie1113   
23 Apr 2015
Work / What is a good monthly salary for an English teacher in Poland? [124]

All the books recommended so far are very good. I'd like to add one more: How English Works, by Michael Swan. To be an efficient teacher, not only do you have to know grammar but you have to know how to teach it so that your Polish students can understand it. That's the trick.
scottie1113   
22 Apr 2015
Work / What is a good monthly salary for an English teacher in Poland? [124]

Direct Method are pure crap, and if you list them on your CV, you'll be laughed out of any reputable school as soon as they read it. If you still plan to move to a larger city, you'll find that only CELTA will open doors for you.
scottie1113   
22 Apr 2015
Work / What is a good monthly salary for an English teacher in Poland? [124]

I don't think you'll ever find a job there that will guarantee you 40 hours a week. 20-25 is more likely. Of course, you can supplement that with private lessons, but those take time to build up. Nonetheless, I wish you good luck if you decide to try it.
scottie1113   
14 Nov 2014
Life / My experience in Poland 15 years ago as an American trying to live and work there. [167]

Everything DominicB said is true and I mean everything. I'm an American and having been living and working in Poland for 7+ years. I teach English and I'm doing better than most people I know here, including my Polish friends and that's because I'm good at what I do and I work hard. Your plan, such as it is, is simply unreasonable.
scottie1113   
9 Oct 2014
Language / "Poles" or "Polish people" - which is better to use? [200]

Pole is an object

A pole is an object. A Pole is a Polish person. It's a basic English rule denoting nationalities, and is in no way demeaning. Interestingly enough, the only word in English which changes its pronunciation when it changes from a small to a capital letter is polish. Polish is pronounced differently. . You did know that, didn't you?
scottie1113   
5 Oct 2014
Life / Brazilian moving to Gdansk and need some help with finding a flat to rent and also a good school for daughters [33]

So what about the answers to rest of the questions, since i'm registered user now :)

Most of your questions have already been answered. There are a few artsy places in the Old Town-Kawiarnia Filmowa on GROBLA I acros the dtreet from Rossmann. Cafe Josef K on Piwna. and another film place on Dluga.

I don't know of any expat hangouts, thank God, but you can usually find the occasional native speaker in Absinthe. The American corner hosts meeings on Monday evenings, but I've never gone to one. Just drop into a few places and you'll probably find people who speak English.

When will you be in Gdansk?
scottie1113   
23 Sep 2014
Language / Why is the Polish language so difficult? [309]

American 'tressle' instead of the English 'trestle' and tire instead of the true English tyre..

Hot news. It's trestle in American English too, True English? I'm laughing my a$$ off at that.
scottie1113   
13 Sep 2014
Work / Language Teachers - do you feel respected in Poland? [86]

I am older then any teacher posting on here and my monthly income most likely is twice plus

You're not older than I am and your monthly income is irrelevant to me. I don't post here very often because of the arguments that seem to flare up in threads over the simplest things. It's not like PF I knew when I joined. Oh well. Life is change.
scottie1113   
5 Feb 2014
Law / I'm interested in opening a small Mexican Restaurant in Poland - looking for information [21]

Make a carne asada burrito, carnitas and huevos racheros, and I'll be a customer for life even though I live in Gdansk. We have Pueblo, a decent Tex-Mex place, but they don't offer any of the above although they serve the best Mexican food I've had in Poland since coming from Southern California 6 1/2 years. Come to think of it, add some fish tacos and good guacamole and you'll rule Poland.
scottie1113   
13 May 2013
Life / Bribery and corruption 'fact of life' in Poland? [152]

I know a few stories about doctors and hospitals being pretty corrupt, but I don't know if it still goes on.

It does. I'll give you some specifics later.
scottie1113   
31 Mar 2013
Travel / Gdansk Easter - open on Sunday / Monday? [9]

Yeah, the trams run, but almost everything else will be closed except maybe some small shops and the occasional pub/cafe. It'll be like that for two days. Poland is a Catholic country and Easter is the holiest of all Christian holidays and it's taken seriously here. A good thing, in my opinion.
scottie1113   
18 Jan 2013
Food / Where can I buy lamb in Poland? [89]

I found a shop in Hala Targowa in Gdansk that sells frozen leg of lamb from New Zealand. Excellent stuff and they sell it to me for the same price as fresh Polish lamb, although it's MUCH better.