Love / Is she genuine? - I would like some advice please re a Polish girl. [130]

ouch, asik, that's cold. I can't speak for others, but I am hoping this will all turn out as well for wildrover as he's hoping for.

Life / A FILM ABOUT POLISH LIFE...with me as a star in it... [60]

LOL 1jola, you wish!
I'm wayy uglier, older and fatter. Hair like rover's but blond and not as wavy. I'm searching for appropriate photo...

History / Polish historical myths - to break or not to break them? [257]

duct tape (could not help it, it's a personal pet peeve)

History / Polish historical myths - to break or not to break them? [257]


Crap. One less thing to b!tch about.

Life / Are surf/skate clothes popular among Polish kids? [15]

another question I'm sure I'm going to get blasted for somewhere.. sometime.. since I am really ignorant about this process.
How does ordering something in Poland through the internet, from US company work? Is the currency exchange, import taxes, declarations etc... a seamless process? Do you have to pick up the package at customs?

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

About the complaining thing. It's a warped kind of being humble. For example, if someone says "You have a beautiful house", a Polish person will find something wrong with it in reply, like "oh it's too drafty, too expensive, neighbours are a pain...". To this day I can't take a compliment. Even if we're enjoying ourselves, we like to temper it by pointing out anything that is or might be wrong with it. It's a form of politeness. ;) Another side of it is that we are very good at worst case analysis. Half empty kind of people. It keeps down the number of disappointments.

Food / Do Polish people really love cabbage ?? [78]

Yes we love cabbage.
It's easy to grow and has myriads of health benefits.
I like it as a side veg, steamed, lately with ginger and soy sauce.
I also make many different simple salads - cole slaws variations, sans mayo.

Love / Polish guys who have never had girlfriends [71]

Does he live at home? What are his parents like? Maybe his mother still got him in her grip or somthing like that.

Love / How to please Polish women? [216]

a secret to any relationship, not just with a polish woman, is an ability to compromise. Give and take, on both sides, is like a dance. An art. That's assuming both partners love/deeply care for each other. Floripa makes a lot of sense and seems to be happy with his relationship.

Food / Do Polish people really love cabbage ?? [78]

my mother makes her own sauerkraut and eats a spoonful every time she gets an indigestion/ sour stomach. Does not make any sense to me but she swears by it!

Genealogy / Clan Prus I here! [12]

Yes. Technically, we're Prus II as well, but if you listen to my father you'd think that the "merger" did not sit well the original, hence the distinction.

USA, Canada / What do the Poles hate and love about the U.S.? [170]

What I love about US is the ease of everyday life. It's also a reason for a lot of what's wrong with this country.

Saw a bumper sticker last night: "I'm not bossy, I just know what you should be doing". haha ha.

Love / Polish guys who have never had girlfriends [71]


You have to wait your turn, you poor, poor dear.

Genealogy / Clan Prus I here! [12]

I see. Thanks you! Forwarding it to my father.

Food / Do Polish people really love cabbage ?? [78]

When most of fresh food in my refrigerator rotted, there was still a nice head of cabbage and some potatoes left.
LOL Disclaimer: that's a proof of cabbage superior storage capability, not an insight into my current practices.
How about cabbage and mashed potatoes? Colcannon Irish call it, right?

USA, Canada / What do the Poles hate and love about the U.S.? [170]

In my neck of the woods, when cops have nothing to do, they hide around the stop sign intersections and gather revenue for the town.

Somewhat related: a friend of mine told me a story about riding a bike in Daytona last weekend: late at night, no cars in sight, just him at a traffic light and a cop car parked caddy corner from him, the light was weight-controlled and would not turn, so after twenty minutes of my friend rolling the bike back and forth along the sensor, he runs the light. Cop, with a big smile on his face, followed him gave him a ticket.

Genealogy / How hard is it to get a Polish passport? [74]

I keep hearing that Poland does not allow dual citizenship. I assume that means that if you already have another citizenship, you have to give it up if you want to become Polish (I don't think it's true the other way around - you don't loose your Polish citizenship when you get your US one, for example). What, exactly, does Poland require as giving up the other citizenship? Handing in the passport, or official request to be stripped off the other citizenship?

Genealogy / How hard is it to get a Polish passport? [74]

oooh, I see. Thanks.

Genealogy / How hard is it to get a Polish passport? [74]


I have heard that if you make it known that you do not want give up the US citizenship, they'll let you keep it. Especially if the second country is a small, peace loving island. ;)

Travel / Photos from Poland [258]


Wow McCoy! Some incredible shots! Are they yours? Do you have a website?

USA, Canada / My wife wants to return to Poland...but I want to stay in the US [155]

I went back to Poland after 2 years of pining for my homeland, my family and friends... and I got cured! I did appreciate much more what I had in US after that.

Besides the trip back, there were few other factors that changed my mind: moving out of Chicago was a big one, another one was that in two years I've learned enough english to expand my circle of acquaintances beyond Polish expats.

Take from that what you need.

USA, Canada / My wife wants to return to Poland...but I want to stay in the US [155]


OMG... I'm at loss for words.. you are one sick puppy.

USA, Canada / My wife wants to return to Poland...but I want to stay in the US [155]

In case it's not just the Chicago Poles that are getting her down, you might have to step up your game, Jozek. In order to start out at equal footing again, you might have to "do" two years is her country of choice. Wouldn't that be fair? And honestly, if you didn't have a bit of that "I can make it anywhere" insanity, you would have married an american.

USA, Canada / My wife wants to return to Poland...but I want to stay in the US [155]

granted, first he's got to make sure that she's not just trying to get away from him. After that, it really does not matter who's right and who's wrong - but who's going to be less miserable - her in Chicago or him in Poland.

USA, Canada / My wife wants to return to Poland...but I want to stay in the US [155]

Lot of people turn to internet with their problems just so they won't feel all alone. Most of the time it's good to hear a story from someone who was in similar situations, what they did and how did it turn out. Sometimes it's good to hear a wide range of responses.. Might save one from getting totally blindsided, or one may realize that their situation might not be that tragic.

What I missed about Poland the most during my first 2 years in US was people - social life, being able to discuss my experiences, bounce ideas, just share everyday struggle... that was missing in my new life. Sometimes family and friends are more important than creature comforts..

Genealogy / THE MEANING AND RESEARCH OF MY POLISH LAST NAME, SURNAME? [4501]

What about last name Furman, from Świętokrzyskich? Is it a Jewish last name?

USA, Canada / My wife wants to return to Poland...but I want to stay in the US [155]

Has Jozek mentioned his wife's profession? Does she have means of supporting herself and possibly even her family, in Poland?

I'd like to think that we're talking about two people that fell in love and are trying to make it. He admits himself that sees how miserable his wife is. I don't think she planned to have unhappy two years in Chicago in order to "steal" his child and end up where she started from, minus the child's father. Sometimes we try our best and and if we're still unhappy, we're supposed to be able to turn to our partner and ask for reconsideration.

So, unless she has no earning power whatsoever, he should try to see how it is when the shoe is on the other foot, and give her couple of years in Poland.

Genealogy / THE MEANING AND RESEARCH OF MY POLISH LAST NAME, SURNAME? [4501]


Thanks Polonius! I always teased my mother about her maiden name and her thrifty ways - she is staunchly anti Israel but suprisingly pro Jewish - but all she had to do was point at that side of her family; blond, steel blue eyed with little upturned noses.

How about Raś? Any idea where they came from?

USA, Canada / My wife wants to return to Poland...but I want to stay in the US [155]

Go to Poland with her, Jozek.
She had the courage to try US for you, you don't have it in you to at least try and reciprocate?
Look around this board - the few that have the balls to try another country for their love seem to be well adjusted here. The rest seem to blame everything else but themselves.