Food / Is Polish food still more natural than in the West? [142]

Not sure Zetigrek - supplied by friends. The outer skin is "orange-brown" and it seemed to be customary to slit it a few times across the width. Looked quite like German wurst - sound familiar?

BTW, it tasted good anyway whatever it was.

Work / Black English Teacher going to Wroclaw [247]

Well said CD.

Food / Is Polish food still more natural than in the West? [142]

Didn't look particularly like either but more so the second one. Can't be sure though.

And by the way:


So is this the same natural and healthy Polish food or food from a differnt Poland in a parallel universe or something? ; )


Sounds like you are talking about what is known in English as "dripping".

Very popular with poorer people (especially in the north of England) up until the early 60s or so. Consumed the same way too. It still exists.

Food / Is Polish food still more natural than in the West? [142]


I love it. It's the best type of blood sausage I've had. But no eggs thanks!


I think so. Looks and sounds familiar.

Food / Is Polish food still more natural than in the West? [142]

Yes, strangely enough I am familiar with this concept of "the market" also. ; )

My local town (approx. 5000 pop.) has two and between them they are open 7 days a week.

Food / Is Polish food still more natural than in the West? [142]


Yeah, a disproportionate amount of them too. The permanent ones that is - not the stalls ; ) And 7 days a week? practically 24 hrs a day in some cases.

Serious question: cheese.

What is the Polish attitude or habits here?

My Polish friends seem to eat only (what I would regard as) very bland mild cheeses and when in Ireland seem to go out of their way to get stuff like e.g. Edam as opposed to a lovely mature cheese, farmhouse cheese or God forbid, a blue cheese.

I don't really remember having cheese at all when I was in Poland but I guess I probably did.

Is it a bit of a 'functional' item in Poland maybe - kind of the opposite of the UK/Ireland V Poland bread attitude?

Food / Is Polish food still more natural than in the West? [142]


Yeah, we being the operative word. Poles seem to know a lot about McDonalds judging by how busy the one on Piotrkowska in £ódz is anyway!


Of course not and nor do you really. Unless blind patriotism triumphs over common sense that is ; )

Life / INVISIBLE MAN in shops and offices in Poland? [70]


I don't think so - aren't Poles known for not respecting queues generally?

Before I get accused of Poland bashing, the Poles I know say this and I'm sure I've seen it mentioned on this site a few times.

Food / Nothing better than skwarki! [19]


Nice idea but instant turn off for me if the bum looked anything like the one in the pic ;)

Language / Does anybody know of a list of Polish-English False Friends and True Friends? [60]

Thread attached on merging:
English/Polish false friends - can anyone help?

Haven't come across that many yet but one that sticks out is the English sympathetic - which of course doesn't mean the same as the Polish word with a similar spelling.

Can anyone advise on a few? They can be useful to go through with students - especially if there isn't the endless list like you might get with French/English

dzięki !

Life / How to Politely Refuse a Drink in Poland [72]

Er...no thanks but I don't drink ?!

Not being smart, but is it anymore difficult than that?

I know quite a lot of people who don't drink (and I also come from a country known for drinking, Ireland) but nobody is offended by people turning down the offer of alcohol.

Language / Does anybody know of a list of Polish-English False Friends and True Friends? [60]

That is fantastic Mara exactly what I want - thanks very much!


Well a "cleaver" is a heavy duty butchers chopping knife type thing but they probably meant
"clever" in the smart ass way.


Yeah, wino is one of these and yes, derived from wine.

Careful though, in the US a "bum" is a wino/tramp but in Britain/Ireland it is an ass/arse!

What about true friends then? To make it easier, and to considerably shorten any list, you can probably exclude the more obvious Latin/Greek ones (e.g. psychology, hygiene etc) and stick to the more mundane.

Can anyone help again?

z góry dzięki !

Life / Some Polish people start imitating English. What are their reasons for doing this? [5]

I've had experienced this abroad before - but not in Poland as it happens.

Just young people messing about with what they think "sounds funny" - to be expected sometimes. I don't think it has particular significance in that it is English they are making fun of or that they are in Poland.

News / Poland hosts lowest proportion of foreigners in the EU [115]

Didn't I read somewhere that Poland is one of the most "ethnically homogenous" countries in Europe? Not sure of exact wording. It sounds strange to me though considering the shifting borders and many neighbours.

For purely economic reasons I'm not surprised at the OP's statistic - most migration is dictated by financial opportunities that would not be available in the person's own country. Poland's economy makes it much less likely that the majority of western Europe for example would move there. Ditto, Romania.

News / Poland hosts lowest proportion of foreigners in the EU [115]


Yes - exactly what I am referring to. Which is why the ethnically homogenous description doesn't sound accurate.

News / Poland hosts lowest proportion of foreigners in the EU [115]

So there is hardly anyone of e.g Russian German Lithuanian Czech etc...descent in Poland then?

I am aware of the relocations but it still sounds odd that Poland can still remain so "pure" so to speak. I only really know about a dozen or so Poles well and at least three of them are not completely Polish for a start.

Anyway sorry, it's off topic really.

As above, I think the reason for low numbers of foreigners in Poland is simply an economic one.

Life / How to Politely Refuse a Drink in Poland [72]

Er...am I detecting that turning down the offer of alcohol has the potential for social awkwardness or disharmony in Poland?

WTF ?!

Tell them politely that you don't drink. Simple as. No other explanation necessary. Plenty of people don't drink.

If your hosts take offence at this and percieve it as rude, ironically, it is they who are being rude by dictating which form of hospitality you must accept or decline and by not considering your own habits/wishes. There are plenty of other ways they can be generous/hospitable or whatever.

Life / Polish "prog" music? I'd be interested to know about bands etc. [30]

Ooops, sorry. There is only one prog. The original: rock.

; )

News / Poland hosts lowest proportion of foreigners in the EU [115]

Just adding fuel to the fire for "radical" (read, mad) muslim clerics.

Very disappointing. It's no better than something they would orchestrate and just gives them something to point their hypocritical fingers at.

News / Poland hosts lowest proportion of foreigners in the EU [115]


NO. NOT. AT. ALL.

Why would you think that? I think they are both mad, bad and dangerous.

I thought that was clear enough?

There seems to be a habit on this site of people jumping to all sorts of conclusions and turning a splinter into an oak tree!

News / Poland hosts lowest proportion of foreigners in the EU [115]


Ok as you wish, just done that.

Neither come off well. By group if you mean so called "radical" clerics I suppose they come off worse - nothing wrong with that and I stand by it. You do realise I'm not referring to muslims in general?

To accuse so called christians of adding fuel to the fire and making a bad situation worse isn't very flattering either.

Life / Polish "prog" music? I'd be interested to know about bands etc. [30]

Yeah that's exactly what I'm talking about jwojcie.

I've heard a little Riverside - very good. Anyone else you know of?

Life / How to Politely Refuse a Drink in Poland [72]


LOL - classic! Straight from a sitcom.

Life / Polish "prog" music? I'd be interested to know about bands etc. [30]

Thanks for the links McCoy - great stuff.

Prog can be very smug alright. Personally I just like the angular wierdness aspect. I hate most jazz so if it's jazzy prog I generally won't listen, although one big exception here is KingCrimson who stray into the jazz arena occasionally but I love them.

Re cold music - I know what you mean MareGaea but there is a different coldness to the prog I like - mathematical, unsettling, dissonant etc. The coldness of wanky jazz funk is just instantly forgettable for me - elevator musak.

Must check out those bands then!

Language / Does anybody know of a list of Polish-English False Friends and True Friends? [60]

Thanks Zetigrek, that's great - very helpful!

(Although I would question whether a couple are really true friends e.g. słońce or
sprzedawać ? maybe you are seeing/hearing something that I'm not (!) however, certainly not complaining and these words are good to know anyway)

UK, Ireland / Ive been in the UK for 6 days to relocate and im going back to Poland. [281]


Who? where?

I don't understand.

Your experience was awful. The simple truth is that racism appears to be very much alive and well in Poland. Most Poles will agree (I'm not Polish)

In terms of race attititude, think of 70s Britain where e.g the B/w minstrel show was regarded as normal humour. 'Darkie' was considered ordinary slang, not as offensive by those who used it. It's this kind of world. Black people are still exotic and most Poles have little experience of them and can sometimes react in a suspicious or hostile manner - it's human nature.

I'm not excusing this disgraceful behaviour at all - far from it, but just commenting on it.

Yet, it is important to realise, for what it's worth, that not all or even most Poles are like this.

UK, Ireland / Ive been in the UK for 6 days to relocate and im going back to Poland. [281]


Ah yes, I see the post now. It must be. Fair enough on ukonly's part in this instance I say.


Err..so you do the same to a different country yourself? ; )

UK, Ireland / Ive been in the UK for 6 days to relocate and im going back to Poland. [281]


I know, fair enough. I was half joking BTW. It just seemed ironic that's all.

Life / Polish "prog" music? I'd be interested to know about bands etc. [30]


It's a loose term in fairness. Pink Floyd were arguably the best known - but they would definitely be on the commercial side, great though they were. Floyd, ELP, Yes, Genesis were the big guns. The likes of King Crimson, Van der Graaf Generator, Camel were more cultish.

If the songs are long, have lofty concepts, flirt with strange instrumentation, feature virtuoso musicianship, have wierd time signatures, aren't that hummable and don't have many female fans - it's probably prog.

These days it just mean any wierd experimental rock that isn't metal I suppose.