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Posts by landora  

Joined: 14 Oct 2009 / Female ♀
Last Post: 19 Jan 2016
Threads: -
Posts: Total: 197 / Live: 191 / Archived: 6

Displayed posts: 191 / page 3 of 7
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landora   
19 May 2011
Love / American marrying Polish woman in Poland - Church problems [79]

We know that it clearly was not a Catholic ceremony, which means that in the eyes of the Catholic church he has never been legally married.

Not necessarly so, I'm pretty sure the Catholic church sees people married in a protestant church as married... but it doesn't accept the divorce. It might be that the person who started the thread is a deep trouble if he was married in any Christian church. He should get his wife to call the kuria and ask there.
landora   
27 Apr 2011
Food / Do you call it kiszka or kaszanka? [55]

Definitely "kaszanka". My family from Lublin area called it "kaszanka" as well. "Kiszka" must be Kresy version? Never heard of it!

Polonia use it because most of them came from what is now Ukraine...
landora   
25 Mar 2011
Study / The worst of Polish education. No wonder Polish universities are bottom of the list. [142]

Excuse me? Have you actually studied at a Polish university? And which one, if so? Many who don't feel quite able to obtain a university degree choose lower standard education, so that they can get the degree the easy way, but they choose to do so. It's not like living in Poland you don't know which universities/colleges are good and which aren't

I studied at one of the best public Polish unis - UAM, then on UP. I also studied in the UK and I can tell you, the stuff they were teaching on the 2nd year in the UK was more advanced then on the UP on the 5th year... Polish courses are full of theory, there's more to learn by heart. British ones are far more connected to the real life. We finish pur degrees with heads full of facts that we cannot use. They finish with the knowledge where to look for the facts, but they know how to implement this knowledge. You might think Polish unis are better because there's more sitting and studying from the books involved. I can compare and unfortunately, 2/3 of my subjects at UP were absoultely useless. Not so bad at UAM though, only maybe 10% subjects were useless.

And you're not telling me that people are not cheating in Poland? Of course they do. I don't know anyone who hasn't!

They are better educated in terms of general knowledge, but the British are better prepared to their professional life.
landora   
25 Mar 2011
Study / The worst of Polish education. No wonder Polish universities are bottom of the list. [142]

The Education is better than UK

Sorry, but it's not. The Polish education system is riddled with cheating, grades are commonly awarded on the basis of being known to the professor and not on academic merit, many teachers only become teachers because they weren't good enough to become anything else - the list is endless.

There's also a stigma against non-public education - even though in many cases, the private education is superior to the public one. Of course, part of the problem is that in many other cases - the private education sucks.
landora   
8 Mar 2011
Study / Swedish folks in Poland! (I want to apply for university and live in Poland) [21]

Speaking here purely on my own behalf, Poland has historically had among the best, not to mention, oldest, instititutions of higher learning in Europe, the University of Cracow, to name but one example!

"Historically" being the key word here. It was very long time ago, now our universities unfortunately aren't anywhere near the best ones in Europe.

I've studied both in Poland and in the UK and I can see where the problem lies - widespread cheating (no one dared even try in the UK!), lots of useless subjects, very old and incoherent teaching programs, professors being the almighty ones, too much theory and not enough practice.

Maybe in the UK they don't get such wide knowledge as we do here, but they are far far better in their one, chosen field.

I would never chose a Polish uni over a Western one.
landora   
4 Mar 2011
Life / Top-up Poland mobile phones [11]

I recently tried to acquire a polish 'pay as you go' sim card and was told that the phone
number would only be active for one month.

Depends on the network, but in general, the more you top up, the longer you can make outgoing calls. What happens is that when you buy (for instance) - 50zl of credit, you get 50zl of credit and the ability to make outgoing calls for 180 days.

If you aren't worried about what network you use, get a Play sim card - one top up will give you a year's worth of "ability". Even if you go over the year, you can still receive calls/texts/etc, you just can't do anything "chargable".
landora   
4 Mar 2011
History / "I was more afraid of fellow Poles than Nazi German Officers", says Bartoszewski [130]

Do you think he crossed a boundary by saying this, or do you think he has a point?

I think he has the right to feel this way, whether it's true or not - he was alive back then.
And I think Marta Kaczyńska has no right to accuse him of lying because a) she's faaar to young and b) he's done much more for the country that she and her criminal husband will ever do
landora   
17 Feb 2011
News / Lech Kaczyński statue in Warsaw? [66]

Well, if parliament will vote in favour then you will have to pay for that !

Obviously. Not that I will ever agree with this.
If PO votes in favour of this, I will truly consider voting Palikot next time!
landora   
16 Feb 2011
News / Lech Kaczyński statue in Warsaw? [66]

How about spending taxpayers money to support parties? Or sending soldiers to Afghanistan and all?

We are talking about the statue here. I'ma against all sorts of bureaucracy, also against sending our soldiers to Afghanistan. Parties should found themselves. But the topic of the thread was "should we fund a statue for the late president?".

My answer is "no, we shouldn't". If Marta wants to, she can pay for it herself.
landora   
16 Feb 2011
News / Lech Kaczyński statue in Warsaw? [66]

Seeing as her grandfather was a traitor, her uncle is Poland's biggest hypocrite

You made me laugh :D
Her husband is a complete twat as well, so they all fit together nicely.

As for the statue, Wawel was more then enough for this mediocre president. I strongly object to spending the taxpayers' money on a statue for him!
landora   
14 Feb 2011
Law / The risk of investing in Europe has risen and Poland has suffered accordingly [90]

Nothing new there, they joined the EU on the promise of being given endless funds - and now that it appears that those funds aren't unlimited, Poland is throwing the baby out with the bath water.

Wrong government with inappropriate policies, who have done little if nothing to change Poland for the better since their term in office, other than to line their own pockets. FACT !!

So, what would be the "right" government?
landora   
12 Feb 2011
Genealogy / Polish names derived from peasant animal names / from tools [9]

sikora is perfectly correct.
Worm - robak, there is no such animal as "glizda", it's glista, like "glista ludzka", belonging to "robaki obłe".

Earthworm, however, is "dżdżownica".
Bug is more like "owad".
Kur - an oldfashioned name for a cock.
Bumblebee is trzmiel, bąk is a gadfly.

you're right when it comes to "mysz", also "wiewióra" should be "wiewiórka".
landora   
23 Jan 2011
Life / Some Poles have fine houses [68]

Also the concept of having a living room (one that you don't sleep in) and a dining room are almost unheard of.

People living in houses do have separate living rooms. I haven't seen a modern house without one.
Now, family of 3 living in a 3 room flat doesn't have much chance of having one, do they?
landora   
14 Dec 2010
USA, Canada / Polack/American Polonia/Plastic Pole "culture" [568]

She was brought up in America, as I said, I don't think she considers herself to be Polish.

Also "możesz być one day on a cover of a magazine" - how is this great Polish?

However, I could agree that the first generation of Poles abroad are Polish, but I will never agree that people, whose grandparents emigrated to America are Polish. They've never lived here, they were born abroad and thye use words like "busha" - no, they are not Polish.

what is it polish people.....do you have to live in poland your whole life and "feel the pain" with the rest of the poor shlubs out here in order to be truly polish?

Well, at least try living here before telling us what to do with our country, claiming you're more patriotic or voting in our elections.
landora   
14 Dec 2010
USA, Canada / Polack/American Polonia/Plastic Pole "culture" [568]

Dżoana Krupa is not really Polish, her accent is awful and she introduces English words into Polish sentences. I doubt she considers herself Polish.

And yes, it's Central :P
landora   
14 Dec 2010
Life / The Polish Wedding - What is it Like in Poland? [338]

Every country and culture has some sort of ceremony in their weddings to show the woman has become a wife. In the US they throw their garter. Or do you think it's only the "villagers" there, too? Stop trying to turn helpful threads into negativity.

He's right though, the tradition came from the countryside. I won't have it, as it was never traditional in my family.
landora   
14 Dec 2010
Life / Polish-American Polka Music in Poland [60]

I've known some very smart people who didn't get past high school and some phd's who were so stupid (in everything but their very narrow field) they couldn't pour **** out of a boot with instructions printed on the bottom.

Obviously, it happens, but not as a rule.
By "lower education" I mean rather below high school.

Anyway, the thread is about music, not about my social views :D
landora   
13 Dec 2010
Life / Polish-American Polka Music in Poland [60]

You don't get it. There is similar sounding kind of music in Poland and it's called "piosenka biesiadna". I will be played at some parties or picnics and weddings, especially in small towns or villages. It is very simple and the lyrics are crude. It is usually enjoyed by elderly people from small towns, with rather lower education.

...
landora   
13 Dec 2010
News / "Letter from Poland" (List z Polski) by the Netherlands TV - [9]

Taking into account everything that's happened, president and large part of Polish elite dead, Russians uncooperating, not allowing Polish investigators into Russia and the head of the team conveniently dying in a car accident, knowing what Putin is capable of killing Russian journalists and blowing up a apartment block to have a reason for war, you have to at least suspect this documentary is true.

Just one question: why would they risk so much by killing the president, instead of just patiently waiting till the election, which he had no chance of winning whatsoever. I could believe that Russians are evil, but I don't think they are such idiots!
landora   
12 Dec 2010
Life / What is the reason for POLISH jokes ? [486]

Certainly. Hardly any 'n-sensitive' people in this country. What's the social circle you're referring to? Not the GW spheres, I presume?

I've heard it from Gazeta Wyborcza loyalists, Rzeczpospolita loyalists, anarchists and Radio Maryja fans. Poles are simply not afraid of telling jokes about all sorts of minorities.

Then again, I don't think it's a surprise that it's the Polonia getting upset, not real Poles.
landora   
12 Dec 2010
Work / Education in Poland - system and structure [118]

Our comedians, indeed all comedians, rely on socially-specific topics, i.e 'topic' references, to make their audiences in stiches. Laughs by association, one might say

Exactly, they might refer to things like cartoons or old movies, which a foreigner doesn't know. Enough to see Shrek in Polish and in english. The Polish version is riddled with references to Polish movies and actors ("ciemność widzę"). Polish people will also use quotes from Polish movies or books, which will not make sense to a person who hasn't seen them - "parówkowym skrytożercom mówimy stanowcze "nie!" or "a podejdź no do płota, jak i ja podchodzę"...and many many more.
landora   
12 Dec 2010
Life / Polish-American Polka Music in Poland [60]

In the States, whatever was listened to or danced to by an ancestor was cherished as a tradition from the old country. At least this is my understanding.

Looks like Softsong is absolutely right.

It just amazes me why the Polish Americans are trying to insist that they know better what's Polish and what's not.

Here is Hej Sokoly as a polka, done Polish-American style.

It's a song sung usually by very drunk people by the bonfire. Her singing is not much different from the original drunk version, apart from the pronunciation, which is just awful. In general, ouch.
landora   
11 Dec 2010
Work / Education in Poland - system and structure [118]

I rarely find Polish people to have a genuinely clever sense of humor

Actually, Polish old comedies are simply brilliant - "Sami swoi", "co mi zrobisz jak mnie złapiesz", "Jak rozpętałem II wojnę światową"...

There was this programme on TV in the 90s called KOC (you can find some examples on youtube) - just like MontyPython!

Funnily enough, Polish adverts are very often really good as well - look at Heyah, Biedronka, Simplus ads :)

And haven't you ever heard of Laskowik??

But if you don't speak Polish, you will not benefit from this. Bear in mind, it's also far more difficult to joke in a foreign language. I speak English really well by now and still some "cultural" jokes skip my attention - just because they are based of knowledge I have no chance of having.
landora   
10 Dec 2010
Law / Poland's Online Services for TAX, ZUS, etc. [4]

Not exactly. The accountant submits your declaration on line and she has a proof of that. She can't check if you've paid and if they received it.

You've got a proof of payment from the bank. You can request ZUS to check how much money you have. They send it periodically anyway - they sent it to me a while ago, that was funny :P
landora   
8 Dec 2010
UK, Ireland / Why British men move to Poland [63]

Are you saying that Polish women don't look like that? becuase they do.

Well, I don't know any young Polish women being that grossly overweight. I met several British girls of the size of a young whale. I think it's just far more socially acceptable in the UK. They even had boyfriends, which probably wouldn't have happened here!

The thing is, I have friends who can't find clothes in most shops because the trend is for ridiculously small clothes.

In the UK I had trouble with finding clothes small enough, cause their size 8 would be our 10 and so on - I suppose to make women feel better? I saw plenty of clothes in sizes like 26 or so. Not very common in our shops, so there can't be many people that would need them?