Life / 200zl mandat and 3 points for not wearing seatbelts? [75]


That's true, but from the way he writes I think he's British. Either way, stupidity knows no boundaries.

Food / Anybody in Poland actually eats soup-mix soups? [27]

No. I make my own. Much better, and cheaper in the long run.

Life / 200zl mandat and 3 points for not wearing seatbelts? [75]


That wasn't fair, Pip. He just sounds stupid.

Life / 200zl mandat and 3 points for not wearing seatbelts? [75]

Krakman, it was your fault for not wearing seatbelts. End of dicussion.

Law / Taxes (and national insurance contribution) for self-employment in Poland? [11]

Good question. Taxes of course, although not being British I don't know what the laws are. Health insurance depending on when you're from. Then the usual-rent, electricity, gas and internet unless your employer is going to cover the costs.

I've been living in Gdansk for 4 1/2 years. It's a wonderful city. Feel free to ask me any questions. I might even be able to answer some of them.

Work / I Want to offer a Telesales Job to 5 Brit Expats however... [19]

I have 25 years experience in sales and sales management, all of it on commission. The only downside I see to this position is the work at home aspect. Sales is competitive and people produce more in a shared location.

Getting rid of a cold caller is easy. Just hang up on them. For what it's worth, in all my years on the phone. no one ever hung up on me. I used to teach this in my sales training classes. It's easy and it begins with one simple question followed by another. They resulted in sales from small amounts up to $600,000. Not bad, but none of them happened overnight. Well, one did, and it was worth a $4000 commission and it all began with two questions.

Blocked numbers? Don't answer. It's just that easy. Change your number? Why do that?

Work / How to find a job in Poznań? I have Msc in management and speak English/Hungarian/French [9]

Moving to another country for a girlrfiend is almost always a bad idea. What are you going to do if you break up? Will you still want to live in Poland?

Love / What do I need to know as an American about a Polish man? [15]

His mother was polish and his father was American, yet you say he's Polish. Where was he born, and where has he lived most of his life, in Poland or in the US?

Work / Warsaw or Krakow - what is the better place to work in? [19]

Agreed. It's almost as nice as Gdansk.

Life / Question about hot water in Poland and the use of water heaters? [52]

I don't know either, except that the one I have keeps my flat warm even in the coldest winters.

Law / Help with Salary Packages common in Poland [2]

Register first. Otherwise nobody will take you seriously. I don't, and I can answer your questions.

Work / So I received an offer from a Poland language school - what's your take on this? [59]


How would you suggest doing that? Serious question.

Work / Advice on Teaching English in Poland [709]


Exactly, except for boning up on your Polish. As I've mentioned many times on this forum, Polish is verbotten in my clasroom. It's an English lesson.

Law / Weapons laws in Poland. Carrying a concealed handgun? [918]

There's no need to carry a gun in the US. I never did and I spent 12 years in the Marines, so I know my way around weapons. Very few Americans carry, and although there are a lot of gun related deaths in the US, almost all are in inner cities and are drug and/or gang related.

There's nothing even remotely related to gangs and street crime, say in Washington DC, New York or Los Angeles for example, in Poland. Why would anyone want to carry one on the street? Paranoia or insanity. There are no other reasons that I can think of.

USA, Canada / Can you BE Polish without SPEAKING Polish in the US? [256]


So true. I met a PF member tonight for the first time during his visit here. His parents are Polish and moved to the US and he has a Polish name but doesn't speak Polish. He told me that after a few days in Poland he stopped telling people he was Polish because he realized that he wasn't. And yes, he has a Polish passport through his heritage.

BTW, he's a really cool guy and we'll meet again during his stay here.

Travel / Visiting Gdansk - looking for ex-pat bars... [21]


Ah, I like this place.

Work / Navy Guy seeks help looking for work in Poland! [19]


None. I don't allow Polish to be spoken in my classes by my students and I don't speak Polish either, except to explain some words about fish. For example, how can you describe cod so that someone understands?

Travel / Visiting Gdansk - looking for ex-pat bars... [21]

I wasn't familiar with that hotel so I googled it. It's not really close to the city center but you can take a bus from the hotel. Taxis are reasonably priced and hopefully will remain so during Euro 2012.

You picked a beautiful city to visit. I'm sure you'll enjoy your time here. Feel free to ask me any more questions.

Travel / Visiting Gdansk - looking for ex-pat bars... [21]

Gdansk is a friendly city to tourists as long as they behave themselves. I'm referring to the rowdy stag parties from, well, you know where. No need to wear your nationality on your sleeve. It's unimportant.

You'll be able to watch soccer in a lot of places, believe me. Do you know where you'll stay?

I know nothing about betting on sports in Poland, only about betting on my poker hands. I'll ask my friends.

I usually carry cash because not every place accepts plastic. Check with your bank about using Visa in an ATM. You should be able to do it, but you'll get better exchange rates from a kantor-a place where you exchange dollars for zlotys. They're everywhere, as are cute single girls. When you get closer to your departure date and know where you'll be staying, send me a pm or an email and I'll give you the names of some pubs that are popular. One you should file away is Absinthe in the City Center.

Law / HOW LONG DOES THE APPLICATION FOR KARTA POBYTU TAKE TO PROCESS IN POLAND! [36]

Very true.

Law / HOW LONG DOES THE APPLICATION FOR KARTA POBYTU TAKE TO PROCESS IN POLAND! [36]

The guy who handles my renewals is a certified translator whose English is excellent. However, once the paperwork leaves his office after the final decision for approval, it goes into the system. God only knows what takes so long, but it my case it always takes months after the decision to receive the actual card. I'm not saying it's ;ike this anywhere else, only that it's been true for me in Gdansk.

Law / HOW LONG DOES THE APPLICATION FOR KARTA POBYTU TAKE TO PROCESS IN POLAND! [36]


I have a stamp in my passport saying that I can stay in Poland legally until I get the actual card. They also told me that the next time I apply it can be for 5 years or permanent residency since by then I will have been in Poland for six years.


My first two cards were for one year. The second two were for two years. See what I wrote above for the next one.

Law / HOW LONG DOES THE APPLICATION FOR KARTA POBYTU TAKE TO PROCESS IN POLAND! [36]

It takes a while. Your situation is a little different than mine, but I'll you about my experiences during my four applications, once for my initial card and then three more times to renew it. In every case, the process was similar, although the last time I applied they asked me for a lot more documents than they had before.

I needed to have more than 45 days left on my visa when I came to Poland, and I've always started the renewal process more than 45 days before my card expired. Sometime before my card expired, usually a week or even a few days before the expiration date I received a decision then had to wait for 3-4 months before I actually got my new card. This time I started the process in September, got the decision in October and am still waiting for the new card which I should get either this month or next. Polish bureaucracy does not move swiftly.

Travel / Visiting Gdansk - looking for ex-pat bars... [21]

I'm an American from California who's been living in Gdansk for 4 1/2 years. Register first. Then I'll answer your questions.

Travel / BIG LESSON (I visited and was threatened in Poland) [71]


Ha! And he didn't even know the current exchange rate for his currency? I'm laughing my you know what off reading all your replies to this troll's posts. Keep it up. I need more humor in my life.

Travel / BIG LESSON (I visited and was threatened in Poland) [71]

I love this thread. Started by an unregistered user who posted his incredible stories about his naivety, it as garnered more responses than I would have believed , especially considering his use of CAPS.

Consider me cynical if you will, but I smell troll.

Food / PIZZA & KETCHUP served only in Poland? [159]


I agree with you on Polish pizza, but not about most Polish food. It's usually a little bland, but I can take care of that.

Food / PIZZA & KETCHUP served only in Poland? [159]

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Ketchup on pizza is an abomination, as are many of the other toppings here. Corn doesn't belong on pizza.

Travel / I'm half-Polish and I'm Planning a Trip to Poland - tickets, historical landmarks? [36]


Are you referring to me? I learned manners. I know not to pick my nose at the table and which fork to scratch my ball$ with. I also know where my nearest library is. Websites will give you a Cliff Notes version at best.

Travel / I'm half-Polish and I'm Planning a Trip to Poland - tickets, historical landmarks? [36]


When I was younger they were called libraries and bookstores. Guess what. They still are.

Harry, I'll be here all month. Send me a pm and I'll give you my mobile number.