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Posts by SzenkUK88  

Joined: 10 Mar 2010 / Male ♂ 		Last Post: 7 Jul 2014
Threads: 1
Posts: 19 		From: Sheffield
Speaks Polish?: Troche
Interests: Football

Displayed posts: 20
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SzenkUK88   
7 Jul 2014
Language / Need advice on how to improve Polish language skills [134]

The best way I have managed to pick up my Polish quickly in a short space of time is to combine the ways in which you learn.

For example; I currently use the Rosetta Stone language pack, my Polish textbook and speaking as much Polish to my wife as possible. Rosetta Stone allows me to associate words to things visually, the textbook allows me to read, write and repeat, and then by speaking Polish (albeit very badly) to the wife allows me to improve my accent and just use Polish in an everyday manner.

To be fluent you need to completely immerse yourself into what you are learning. Try and cut out other languages as much as possible, but not to the point where you're putting yourself at a disadvantage.
SzenkUK88   
7 Jul 2014
Genealogy / Does your last name end in CKI not SKI [60]

I know that they struggle with that but it get's ridiculous. For example if I give someone my name over the phone, 9 times out of 10 they will still repeat it back to me in a completely different way to how I said it to them.
SzenkUK88   
7 Jul 2014
Genealogy / Does your last name end in CKI not SKI [60]

You'd be surprised that they just don't make the connection.

The names I usually get called are; s-zenk, sa-zenk, zenk, s-zank, zank, s-cze-znik (that last one is my favourite)
SzenkUK88   
4 Jul 2014
Genealogy / Does your last name end in CKI not SKI [60]

I like having the name Szenk, I think it's quite unique (as in the Polish version of the name). People in England can't pronounce it for love nor money. Germans manage to tell what it is quite quickly though.
SzenkUK88   
4 Jul 2014
Travel / Holidaying with a 9 and 8 year old in Southern Poland August 2014 [10]

When in fact what Serranax said was

the idea is to travel around and see as many of the sights in Southern Poland and enjoy the countryside. I would like to may be have a couple of days in Krakow, and then perhaps stay in 2 other places - preferably next to a lake, where the children can relax and swim.

They want to see some sights in Southern Poland, I've listed 3. I've not recommended places for them to stay because I can't think of any. Instead of acting like a douche why don't you help Serranax out and actually offer advice on places to see and things to do.
SzenkUK88   
4 Jul 2014
Travel / Holidaying with a 9 and 8 year old in Southern Poland August 2014 [10]

3 that spring to mind instantly with Krakow are Wieliczka (massive salt mine), Oswiecim (Auschwitz) and if you don't mind driving a couple of hours, Kasprowy Wierch in Zakopane.

Admittedly Auschwitz/Birkenau might be a little bit too heavy for 8-9 year olds but my little brother wasn't much older when he went and managed to understand the terrible things that had happened there and the lessons to be learnt from it.

Zakopane is just a gorgeous place all year round and if you fancy going for a wander then catch the kolejka linowa na Kasprowy Wierch and soak in the summer sun and enjoy the sights!

The salt mines are absolutely epic in my opinion, whatever I type on here really doesn't do them justice. I've never seen the like before, structures that have been carved into the mines.

Hope that helps :)
SzenkUK88   
19 May 2010
Language / Is it too late for me to learn Polish..? [65]

I started to learn Polish properly at 20, my dziadek taught me very little as Italian and English were the dominant languages in our house.

Once you get a grasp of the fact that there are a million different ways of saying one word, (was at church the other day and didn't realise there were at least 3 different ways to say Cross.) Everything starts to fall into place.

If you have someone to help you along it helps a lot as well, as I tend to translate literally and then my fiance shows me where I go wrong. Soon as I learn Polish enough to read and write I'll be back in Poland.
SzenkUK88   
30 Mar 2010
Language / Polish was chosen the HARDEST LANGUAGE in the world to learn... :D [1558]

I can get the verbs and what not I'm just not grammatically correct. My girlfriend gets annoyed with me because she thinks I'm being lazy and not trying hard enough, then tries say that English is harder.

POLISH IS SOLID TO LEARN! Good job I had a basic grounding in it when I was little by the grandparents, seems to have stood me in semi-good stead.
SzenkUK88   
30 Mar 2010
Genealogy / The typical Polish look, or all Eastern Europeans [656]

I'm a mix of Slav and Mediterranean (would that be Latin then?)

If it's possible my facial features are a spitting image of my dziadek and all the males that came before him.

However my eyes are deep brown as is my hair, and I go as dark as a loaf of wholemeal in the Summer, my hair also lightens and I get blonde streaks.
SzenkUK88   
30 Mar 2010
News / Can Poland expect similar bomb attacks as in Moscow? [85]

There are hardly any Muslims in Poland anyway (to the best of my knowledge), so a massive influx of burqa wearing folk with a different skin colour would be met with a certain degree of suspicion. Can't have a terrorist attack if the Muslims aren't there in the first place.

And compared to nations such as Britain who just suffered the 7/7 bombings without doing anything to stop it happening again, Poland wouldn't take that ****, there would be a bloody witch hunt, in my humble opinion of course :)
SzenkUK88   
30 Mar 2010
History / The heroic jump of the 1st Polish Independent Paratrooper Brigade [81]

I think it's fair to say that everybody gets on with their lives, it would be ridiculous to suggest that the Polish people are pre-occupied with their hatred of the Germans/Russians + whoever else gave them the once over.

BUT

It is always important to remember the pain and suffering that was caused by one set of people to another, because if we forget, then there is always the possibility that our forgetfulness will come back to haunt us.
SzenkUK88   
11 Mar 2010
Language / Polish Swear Words [1242]

I found that cholera completely threw me off every time the fiance used the term, I tend to say skurwysn in general conversation and when I first heard someone who wasn't my grandparent speaking Polish and using the term I wondered why the heck they were talking about a disease.
SzenkUK88   
11 Mar 2010
UK, Ireland / Help Renouncing UK Citizenship and gaining Polish one [24]

Tbh I had an idea of how hard it was to get a Polish passport, if I had children I would want them to have a Polish passport as the British government will hand passport to any Tom, Dick or Harry.

I want to have both to be honest but up until now I wasn't aware that I was able to.
SzenkUK88   
10 Mar 2010
UK, Ireland / Help Renouncing UK Citizenship and gaining Polish one [24]

Matowy

Yes, I didn't think I was able to hold dual nationality so I wanted to have a Polish passport.

Now I know that I can have both, I'll have both.

Problem solved, happy days :)
SzenkUK88   
10 Mar 2010
UK, Ireland / Help Renouncing UK Citizenship and gaining Polish one [24]

I may be getting my wires crossed here then, are citizenship/passport the same thing? As I didn't believe that it was possible to have dual nationality.

I thought being Polish by blood stood me in good stead, apparently not :(
SzenkUK88   
10 Mar 2010
UK, Ireland / Help Renouncing UK Citizenship and gaining Polish one [24]

Hey everyone, first time poster and in need of help, I've tried to find an answer to my question on other threads similar to this but to no avail.

So here goes...

My dziadek was born in Lomza in 1923 and moved to England in 1946-47 as a displaced person. He married and settled in England and RENOUNCED HIS CITIZENSHIP.

I am now looking to move to Poland, (England has gone to the dogs) and I want to renounce my British citizenship, however due to the fact that my dziadek renounced his citizenship I am worried that I won't be able to gain a Polish passport. I know that I can gain one after living and working in Poland for 5 years but I'd rather have one sooner rather than later.

So, does his renouncement of Polish citizenship effectively end my ability to gain a Polish passport relatively easily. I still have a large family still residing in Poland.

Any input is welcome.

Dziekuje :)