Life / Womans day in Poland? [242]

Is there a Men's Day? And if no why not? They get a diamond ring we get nothing...they get holidays we get nothing. I don't want to hear about "inequality" from a woman ever again ;)

Work / Learning Polish in Olsztyn... crazy prices for private lessons. [27]

You don't need an instructor to learn the basics. I really doubt people give up all together because they don't have a top level professor from the get go. The BEST solution (contrary to your smart @ss twisting of what I mean) is to make some friends and get them to teach you the basics through exposure and socializing. Of course you are biased because you get PAID to teach Polish.

Far more people get fed up with using a course from the start because they are so pedantic. People learn in my experience much better in a natural way.

The technical stuff is for later when you can actually manage the basics. I know Poles love rules and structures in language but not everyone is like that.

Life / Mixed race girl in Poland, good idea? [149]


The point was...someone mentioned the Swastika was an old Chinese symbol....but in this case since the sign is clearly playing on Hitler and the Nazis it is not simply a Chinese symbol. When I pointed that out you focused on the Korean writing and seemingly were unaware of the fact there was anything else there. Did I misunderstand you?

The OP was asking about Poland, lets not go into anything about China,Korea or Nazis.

Travel / Poland from a Persian Tourist's Perspective [269]


Unlike the pedantic Polish nature I was speaking of the content not the grammatical or technical structure.

Travel / Poland from a Persian Tourist's Perspective [269]


You have this forum down pat. Sad that you felt the need to preface it with that. Well written post.

Life / Polish "Mall Girl" Culture? [125]


Amen. Sadly that won't happen.

Life / Mixed race girl in Poland, good idea? [149]


You cannot dismiss it this way. Poles have seen blacks first of all. Second of all you don't have to have them locally to be racist against them. You can't be serious that the pure innocent Poles in their snowy white world can't be racists because they know nothing of life outside their sphere.

Life / Polish "Mall Girl" Culture? [125]


You can't stop can you? You must thrive on the internet...you would have your face beat in behaving like such a tw@t in the real world.

Work / Learning Polish in Olsztyn... crazy prices for private lessons. [27]

Chat up some people your age at a pub or coffee shop. You can get all kind of free language help or exchange from people who just want to be social or improve their English. I would never pay 100pln an hour even in Warsaw for Polish instruction.

I am sure some linguists will disagree but I would avoid a teacher in the beginning anyway as they will bombard you with rules and you will be too focused on them rather than natural language. Save the teachers for when you get more advanced and need to worry about details.

Life / Mixed race girl in Poland, good idea? [149]

enkidu I don't agree. I think it is more pervasive than you think and just don't like the fact. Do you think the people from a racist town in Alabama will admit it? of course not...nor would anyone else from there want to acknowledge it.

Life / Mixed race girl in Poland, good idea? [149]

Jola you just perpetuate my points about the inability of Poles to admit anything ab out themselves that isn't wonderful. You also have a real problem separating cultural trends from personal attributes.

Life / Mixed race girl in Poland, good idea? [149]

He said and I said Poles because we both live/lived there for ages and that is the topic. She didn't ask about going to China.

Love / They seem nice, but could Polish girls be "gold diggers"? [196]

Wrong...a man who cheats with a married woman, wrecks her marriage then marries her for her fortune would not be admired and that is exactly what she did.

People who work and earn fortunes are ambitious and admired. People who steal them by sex, cheating or lies are scum. Those who are handed them by parents etc are generally resented.

Life / Mixed race girl in Poland, good idea? [149]

That's the think people here accuse me of making up. They say my tales of people hating arabs marrying their women etc are fake and my creations to insult Poland. But I heard those kind of things all the time from people I knew well and their families.

When I was new there they felt me out to see how I though about such things and I was always vague. Inevitably when they felt comfortable they would start being themselves and letting things out about blacks, arabs whatever and how they are glad Poland has tight immigration so it is not "polluted". Believe me I understand them and agree with some aspects but to here people in this forum then turn around and deny adamantly that there is a culture of racism in Poland makes me laugh.

Off-Topic / ANYONE HEAR A STRANGE NOISE IN WARSAW....? [45]

Nothing bubbling but the fireworks every weekend started to give me PTSD. What is it with Warsaw and fireworks?

Life / Mixed race girl in Poland, good idea? [149]

Of course you wouldn't think so...no Pole wants to admit this. I am saying from an outsiders view seeing it objectively you are. There are places in my country that are the same...mostly white..racist. But my country is so varied and mixed that it is not a national trend. Poland is all white and it is pretty consistent.

If you think racism simply means an attack you are mistaken. It manifests itself in how you are treated all around.

Life / Mixed race girl in Poland, good idea? [149]

Read the rest I was editing while you replied. You cannot compare your view because you are not of a skin color that is hated or looked down upon in most places. I have seen how friends of mine who are get different treatment and have myself in a few rare places gotten it as a white man.

Life / Mixed race girl in Poland, good idea? [149]

Jola you haven't been to the middle east yet have you? Then again the kind of attention you get for blonde hair and blue eyes is probably wanted by most women.

I too am white and don't worry generally but there ARE places we are not welcome and it really shows you what some skin colors have to go through in our homes.

Life / Polish "Mall Girl" Culture? [125]

So you mean those cuties that looked at me longingly at Arkadia didn't just think I was dashing and were rather soliciting? Great...my self confidence just took a dive ;)

This quote from the article jumped out at me:

“If you want to be cool and accepted at school, you need to have a good cellphone, designer shoes and a boyfriend. You are judged by how you look,” she said. “For sure, I don’t want to end up with a sweaty ugly guy.”

See how much importance she puts on image and acceptance? I never wanted to be accepted by such shallow and stupid people. I am not sure why anyone would.

Life / Mixed race girl in Poland, good idea? [149]


Let me tell you how. I am white and was mistaken for Polish all the time so as a foreigner until I opened my mouth I wasn't treated any differently than a local. Now here is how it manifests. I have friends from other countries who are not white. When they visit they and I notice people staring in public and occasionally even saying things when they think we can't understand. I have berated more than one person for this and in typical Polish fashion they attack ME rather than saying "you know I am sorry it was rude of me".

So be as offended as you want. If you are not like that you shouldn't defend those that are. Poland is a homogenous, white and often racist nation....it's a fact and not an attack.

Life / Doctors taking bribes in Poland [76]


I agree they get paid very little...the problem is when they start EXPECTING the bribe in order to provide the service. I too have given my doctors whiskey, chocolates etc when they were exceptional to me but it was a reward after the fact rather than a bribe before hand.

Travel / Best place to exchange money in Poland? [98]

Most travelers give stupid advice. About 80% of the stuff people told me I HAD to do when I first went abroad was nonsense. NOBODY uses travelers checks or those lame hidden waist wallets. Just act like you would at home and all will be fine. Sensible is sensible all over.

I spent years living in Warsaw walking around at all hours in all parts of the city and never once had a problem. I still can't figure out what is so dangerous about Praga yet everyone still acts like it is Lebanon.

A hearty "f*ck off" will run most Polish chavs away. They are more talk than action. I am sure they expect an older woman to be an easy target. Just use common sense.

Travel / Best place to exchange money in Poland? [98]

ATM is always the best exchange rate. Banks depend on the brand and branch. Some Millenium branches are open to 7 or 8pm on Weekdays and Saturday but all are closed on Sunday.

Bringing cash dollars is large amounts is stupid since if you lose it or it gets stolen you are screwed.

Life / Doctors taking bribes in Poland [76]


It is not the English way if it is happening in Poland...that makes it a Polish way.

Life / Proper dose of life in Poland... the harsh realities. [64]

"When in trouble, when in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout"

Your "careening through the streets" made me chuckle ;)

Life / Doctors taking bribes in Poland [76]

Anyone who would let another suffer because they didn't get the proper bribe is a **** and I hope they die a miserable, slow and painful death.

That said I saw a lot of compassion and "free" under the table care in Poland. I think the low salaries tend to insure more of the people who become doctors there actually care about the patients. They can't be doing it for the money.

Life / Proper dose of life in Poland... the harsh realities. [64]

Pretty sure I already commented earlier in the thread

Life / Proper dose of life in Poland... the harsh realities. [64]

Settle down nancy. I don't know what you mean. I truly do not get why it is better to rant here to us "not real" people than to real people.

I am not playing games. I say exactly what I mean...unlike you it seems.

Life / Proper dose of life in Poland... the harsh realities. [64]


Why? That makes no sense to me. Better for who? Do you think people here deserve more to be irritated than your neighbor?

Life / Giving tips in Poland [235]

While sometimes service in America can be over the top service in Poland is non existent. Simply trying to dismiss it as a lower key European way is not accurate. There is a difference between low key service and bad or no service.