Law / Poland - Temporary Residence card - Karta pobytu - required documents [142]

you'll have a hard time getting any kind of insurance unless you're a resident: https://polishforums.com/archives/2005-2009/law/experience-getting-karta-pobytu-20179/

Food / What is your favorite Polish Vodka? [653]


Want to have some fun with snobby friends? Do a vodka tasting party. Try this, get a couple of bottles of the usual stuff, belvedere, chopin, sobieski, that horrible finnish stuff, that even worse swedish stuff, grey goose, russian standard platinum, and some bottom shelf stuff. Do blind taste tasting and watch with joy as people drink different vodkas and think they're the same one, people drinking 10zl vodka and swearing that it's grey goose. Ah, good times. I can tell chopin and russian standard platinum out of the crowd. Everything else just kind tastes the same (and of course, zubrowka...but that falls into the flavored category..).

USA, Canada / How can I get a local US grocer or liquor store to carry Polish beer? [10]

Ah, the budweiser of poland

Work / Salary expectations in Poland [373]

My girlfriend makes about 2200 after taxes doing accountancy work for a big company, and teaches on the side for extra income. We pay 2800 a month in rent for a large prewar apartment, and about 500 a month for bills and internet/cable. A friend of mine is a software developer (doesn't speak Polish) and makes 3500 after taxes, pays 1500 a month all in for his newly built place.

edit: we live in wroclaw

Law / Do I need to have an invoice to deduct expenses? [11]

Signature isn't important, tax id on the invoice is. You shouldn't pay any kind of sales tax on a product that is delivered form the US, you'll pay VAT (and eventually claim it back) at customs. For services performed, it varies based on the state, but normally you shouldn't be charged sales tax for labor (services). You just submit your invoice to the accountant and call it a day.

Law / LOOKING FOR HELP AND INFORMATION TO OPEN INDIAN RESTAURANT IN POLAND..... [80]

send a message to "Sarul Islam" here on the forums, his restaurant should be a model for all Indian restaurants in Poland :)

Life / Beggers namely Kurwa boys in Poland [70]

I remember a while back in rynek, there was a punk that asked me if I had spare money for beer. I rewarded honesty that day.

Work / Teaching English in Zakopane, is it safe? [45]

The "Graffiti everywhere" picture is awesome

Classifieds / Motorcycle trip from Poland to South Africa in the fall [25]

That sounds like amazing trip. I was planning on riding down the West coast...and one day going back to South Africa and going up the East coast. Unfortunately I won't be able do it in time for the World Cup.

Horizonsunlimited is terribly addictive. Too much useful information and not enough petty bickering though, I always find myself back here.

Mongolia is amazing, I drove there from the UK with a friend in a €200 Fiat Panda on a charity rally. Everything was fairly straightforward until crossing over into Mongolia, day and night. The road went from oil funded brand new highways in Siberia, to literally tracks just leading off in all directions. Had a compass and a worthless map, the Mongolians refer to their roads as streams, they're changing all the time. They have neat system called "GPS", the Ger Positioning System. Basically you drive up to closest Ger, the big half rabid dogs come out and surround your car, then the dogs are called of and the kids come out and swarm your car, you get invited inside, drink obscene amounts of vodka, eat until you're stuffed, pass out chocolate to the kids, little bottles of whiskey for the adults, and then you get directions to the next group of buildings. Repeat that 30 times, and you make it to Ulan Bator. I really want to go back and do it in a car that isn't breaking down every 5 minutes...sometimes it's nice to be able to rely on your vehicle. It's completely pristine, there is nothing at all except you and the steppe...Occasional herds of camels, horses, and lots of eagles and falcons.

I've traveled a lot for work, but this was completely different. I think doing it in a crappy car made it that much more enjoyable. Mongolia has been the most impressive place that I've been to so far. Absolutely no kitsch, everything was brutally honest. The Mongolians have really managed to keep their culture while bringing in some bits and pieces. Most are still herders, living in gers. The gers have satellite dishes and solar panels and Mongolians are just as up on world events as anyone else in the world.

Good stuff

Classifieds / Motorcycle trip from Poland to South Africa in the fall [25]

Mercy Corps. Raised close to €1500 from friends and sponsors. Going to setup the same deal for the Africa trip, stickers for donations, it'll probably be doctors without borders this year.

Work / Salary expectations in Poland [373]


You could be as well talking about any large city in Poland.

Work / Salary expectations in Poland [373]


Just out of curiosity, are Poles working good jobs in the UK? I know the pay in Germany is crap for the service and labor jobs that most Poles are doing there.

Food / Polish culinary dislikes [83]

There is decent kvas? It really must be an acquired taste. I've given it a try every time hoping that something might have changed, but alas...

News / Should Poland Remove Visa Restrictions? [285]

I was under the impression that Poland outsourced this decision making to Brussels when it signed up for Schengen...

USA, Canada / Moving back from Canada to Poland, yes or no? [39]


what is the big difference in cost of living? housing is a bit more expensive. anything with labor costs included (dining out, drinking in bars, etc) is much more expensive. buying food is marginally more expensive. If you just go over to bunker away some money for 6 months, seems like a deal.

USA, Canada / Moving back from Canada to Poland, yes or no? [39]


Depends on where I suppose, a couple of grand goes a long way in some places.

Life / Fat People in Poland? [161]


Just an interesting tidbit from back in 2006

There are now more overweight people across the world than hungry ones
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4793455.stm

USA, Canada / Moving back from Canada to Poland, yes or no? [39]


housing is expensive (that's correcting itself at the moment). Rooms aren't really that expensive, and supermarket shopping is a bit more than over here.

Work / Salary expectations in Poland [373]

back (slightly) on topic...

Glassdoor has 80 something salaries for jobs in Poland
glassdoor.com/index.htm

News / Should Poland Remove Visa Restrictions? [285]


I think he's referring to people like Theo van Gogh, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Geert Wilders, Kurt Westergaard...

News / Should Poland Remove Visa Restrictions? [285]


Open those borders up, I'd much rather pay an Indian 1000zl a month to work construction than the overpriced polish labor that one has to employ around here.

News / Should Poland Remove Visa Restrictions? [285]

I associate Polish labor with a lot of things; honest, hardworking, cheap. I've never managed to attach "quality" to that list.

News / Should Poland Remove Visa Restrictions? [285]


I look at the terrible locally built roads, the substandard craftsmanship of the new developments, the fact that most every large construction project is handled by a foreign company (hey, I just read that Monostal is getting the boot in Wroclaw and is being replaced by Max Boegl...), almost all program and project managers that I know in Poland are foreigners, software coming out of Poland is terrible... I see the difference in quality at the dealership when my car gets worked on, all the Polish aircraft owners take their planes to German or Czech shops to get work done... I think there is a huge difference between "It's a good job for the price" and "It's a good job". It's getting better, but lets be serious, Poland is competitive because the government is throwing in everything but the kitchen sink in order to keep the zloty (and labor) low and keep the FDI coming in through special economic zones and huge tax breaks for creating cheap labor jobs.

News / Should Poland Remove Visa Restrictions? [285]


What lack of money? Those projects are running at the same costs as equivalent construction in Germany. Are substandard materials being used? Enough money to rebuild the roads every couple of years, but not enough to do it right the first time?


I was talking about realestate developments, and yes, I've got some first hand examples of cracks magically appearing in walls, the apparent lack of skills with a level when creating balconies, the magic "disco lights" in rooms across the nation... As for non skilled labor, you're right.


How's that skyscraper working out by the way?

Right, you mean like Dominikanska which was built by Hochtief, managed by ECE? 100% Polish financing

Or do you mean like the airport where JSK has the project? Also, 100% Polish financing, the Germans are just building it.

Or Pasaz Grunwaldzki....nevermind

Maybe it's Plac Grunwaldzki, the round about that you're talking about? The one that took twice as long to build as the shopping center and seems to have stonework done by a drunken autistic kid?


I've worked with three large banks and a construction company here and not once have I come across a Polish program manager. But that's just my experience.


I'm not saying that Poles suck at everything. I just think that it is difficult to find good quality work in Poland. Cheap is abundant, quality isn't. It is getting better, but right now there is still a very prevalent "promise everything and under deliver" thing going on. Hell, Lot even takes their planes to Germany for their C checks.


Yea, it's really wise actually. I've praised NBP on this before. By keeping the zloty low, it keeps wages and investment costs for foreign investors low. That way, managed to ride out the "crisis" with a devalued zloty. It was a great move. Business won't have any interest having the value of the zloty move any...hopefully the lack in purchasing power will be made up with the new jobs.


I must have misread.
paiz.gov.pl/index/?id=cfbc6c5cfb8a3e10fab12aa3512153df
The corporate tax rate has also dropped down to 19% for 2009.

News / Should Poland Remove Visa Restrictions? [285]


The why the hell do they keep rebuilding the road to the A4 in Wroclaw? How about the yearly "fix the massive gaps that have developed"?


What is being done with those €68 billion in structural funds other than to control the zloty?


That's interesting as I understand that the project has been put on hold. Not much going on when you look out the window..


We were talking about construction. It's always been Polish owned.


Again, it's 100% Polish financed, and German built.


Didn't really care to comment on the concrete examples? Fine, here's a one for you. MB in Wroclaw, I don't mind shaming them. I had to get the rear end on my SLK replaced (shock loading), took it to MB in Wroclaw, a new rear diff was sent over from Germany. Managed to install it and I picked up the car. A couple days later, notice there is oil on the trunk lid. Took it back in, and MB says they have no clue. They tear it down and stick by their guns and try to tell me that it wasn't broken in properly, and that I needed to get a new rear end. I'm livid, I pack up the rear end and fly to Germany to meet with the AMG area rep that I bought the car from. He manages to see it right away, MB PL failed to fill the rear end with enough oil. Metal ended up grinding on metal, and the gears got a bit hot. He makes a call, three days later my car is good to go with full apologies. That's one, I have one about aircraft maintenance too if you want to hear that.


Sure, the apartments built on Reja in Wroclaw are horrible, the ones that were built by Odra in Biskupin could use a level. The PZL SW-4 is a junk, and the gliders that PZL are known for, ahem, build quality issues.


You do know that RPP is part of the NBP right? I'm sure that you also know the role that interest rates and bond sales have on currency.


You do realize that we're talking about tax rates relating to FDI, we're talking about corporate tax rates, right?

News / Should Poland Remove Visa Restrictions? [285]


Fraczak across from Korona. I think the one in Fabryczna is only for trucks.

History / Have Poles blood on their hands? :) [496]


commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=File%3AA-Hitler-08-22-1939-at-Obersalzberg-on-extermination-of-the-Armenians.pdf&page=2

Work / What jobs pay 10,000 zlotych per month? and Where can i find one? :o) [101]


Considering that they're paying more for their expenses than you are in the USA, it's nice to compare. It shouldn't be threatening, your social standing isn't defined by how much money you make.


Yes, but money can buy you a house. I think most Poles are asking themselves why they can't afford to buy their own property on what everyone is telling them is a decent salary.

Transparency is really important right now, especially as salaries are volatile. It allows people the information to be diligent and prevent themselves from being taken advantage of.

Work / What jobs pay 10,000 zlotych per month? and Where can i find one? :o) [101]

you don't have to watch zeitgeist to realize that credit is slavery.

Food / Burgers, why not in Poland? [54]


This is what your burger should look like.