Life / Is this a common way to be treated as a guest in Poland? [8]

Looking at the time the OP wrote this post- no wonder it's not the shortest!
Maybe you could tell us what you expected from this particular visit.
It's certainly not normal to be treated in such a way but if you wanted some quality time with the girl alone,
you could have at least proposed to go to some interesting place together.
As to how 18 year old girls behave, I have no idea but I'm sure there will be some people on here young enough to

explain if that's a normal behaviour or not..

Work / 3500 PLN gross - not happy with my salary (working in Warsaw for an international company) [55]


A Dutch colleague was discussing a similar situation with us. The guy has all the qualifications plus 3 years working experience in call centres doing troubleshooting. He was offered 4000zl to start with and when the permanent contract came( which is said to be a rarity these days) it came to a staggering 4700zl.

He decided to consider other options and ,as far as I know, his love affair with Poland has come to an end.
This might just be international companies taking advantage of the fact that when they move here, as a cheaper location, they should get everything cheaper- including the labour as well!

Life / Immigration in Poland and being surrounded by a monoculture? [134]


m2s
To the OP: why did you and many million educated young Poles decide to leave Poland??
You may find that the answer lies in your reasons to leave Poland.
Monoculture, as i understand it here on this forum, means either people of mixed race or non caucasian.
As long as people are allowed to live in countries they choose to- there will always be "monoculture"
As for economic refugees flooding Poland- I'm sure you know very well, wherever u're in the world right now, that it will not happen.

Poland is a country that has benefited from emigration and there will never be more coming in than there are going out.
One good statistic is that the government of Poland does not even know how many of its citizens live in Chicago and the UK in total.

They can only give an estimation. But judging by the fact that almost every street in Poland has a person or people that have left for Chicago, Germany or UK- there

are many families that have been split up by economic migration.

Life / Poland's Environment, recycling [79]

When i started living here i was happy that there were garbage containers for plastic, glass and cans.
The one for glass was made out of fibre glass and the ones for plastic and cans were made out of wire.
It didn't take long before all the other containers were removed by the municipality, citing that the transportation costs were
higher than what they got for recycling, so it was back to land filling again.
Most of the changes that are forced by EU regulations are far beyond the realities of everyday life here in Poland.
In the end the government is forced to punish people, who are struggling on meagre wages, by increasing the taxes.
Very sad story. In a way i feel like change in this country, which is meant to close the gap between poor EU countries and rich EU countries,

is coming faster than what ordinary people can manage.

Travel / Names and checking - a question for regular Ryanair passengers. [8]

Thanks a lot Ziutek, you've saved my friends €280!
I have no clue how budget airlines operate. On the other hand, is it really legal to charge passengers, who don't have boarding passes but have

valid ID or passports on them, surchages at the airport?

Law / Opening a Polish Bank Account by a foreigner in Poland. Recommendations. [299]


So, you mean to say u're below 26?

Law / Karta Pobytu - Residence Card - Problem with address [13]

In this case Warszawette u're spot on. Most landlords who hide their rental earnings in order to evade taxes will not sign zameldowanie for their tenants.

In most cases landlords will eventually get rid of such tenants coz of the suspicion it might raise. Most landlords in Poland don't like tenants who ask too

many official documents.This has got nothing to do with whether u're a foreigner or not -it is the harsh reality in Poland!
In other cases they prefer the 2 lease agreement system: one official and one not official.
So, to BlockeeR your days in that flat are already numbered. If you keep on asking him to sign the zameldowanie he is going to ask you to leave.

Sad but true!!
You could try signing a lease agreement with a real estate agent or landlords who have registered companies.
Most of them will require a huge deposit and other fees before you can sign the minimum lease agreement which, in most cases, is 2 years.

Life / The "I am never wrong" phenom - is it the Polish thing? [63]


Pip, I feel you woman- i really do!
Been married to one for a long time now and sometimes I'm at my wits' end with such behaviour.
For me ,unfortunately, it runs in the wife's family-she takes after her father!
They are never wrong and apology is not a way of getting along but seen as a sign of weakness.
The way of solving a problem is sweeping it under the carpet and hope it somehow disappears even though it remains visible.
Accountability does not exsist.My experience is that the ones who live in the 10 big cities are quite different from the ones that are scattered around the

country in small towns and villages.The good thing is when u get to know them they will even tell you that people in Warsaw are not real Poles coz they're all

after money. The ones who are at least receptive are those who have looked at themselves from an outsider's point of view.
Those who are too much of themselves are the most difficult. In the workplaces- it's a nightmare!
One worker wouldn't even admit responsibility for coming to work drunk- it wasn't his fault. The list is endless.
Not all are like this but i think i am right to say that most are because most of them will admit that it's typical Polish behaviour.

UK, Ireland / Calling a friend from UK to Poland. Cheap option? [13]


Had the same problem a while ago and called their call centre. Their explanation was that the problem was with the network in Poland.
Then there are other dirty tricks done by some networks when u're calling to another EU country.
They are supposed to charge a certain amount which was imposed by the EU Commission( Mrs Viviane Reding) for roaming within the 27 member nations: 0,29 Euro pm calling,

0,08 Euro receiving and 0,09 Euro for texts as of July 2012 and further reductions to be done yearly.
This actually turns out to be much cheaper than making a local call or sending a local text for example: T-Mobile pay as you go charges 0,62zł to send a text to the UK but if you're roaming in the UK and send a text to Poland you only pay 0,52zł.

The Networks will explore all the loop holes to recover what they feel is a loss in the EU roaming charges.


This is how they afford to offer you cheap international calls. What they do is direct the call to their Polish land line number and the call comes to you from that number

hence the person calling is charged equivalent to a local call in Poland. One of the tricks brought about by cheap international call providers but still quite controversial

and some Mobile Network providers will block such if it comes up in their networks.

Law / Paperwork needed in Marriage in Poland!! [13]


For sure it is not but the time frame he is talking about might not be ideal for him.
In Warsaw you'll need to find an office that is not very busy.
September is quite a busy month for civil marriages but your partner can ask around to find an earlier date.
If she finds someone understanding I'm sure you can get married during your 2 week holiday.
All the best.

Law / Rights of a consumer when dealing with faulty goods in Poland? [65]

Might as well include RTV EURO AGD, NEONETand MEDIA EXPERT to that list.
In my neighbourhood i was strongly adviced to avoid them and i'm glad i heeded the advice.


I have always wondered: aren't they just like the rest?
Would love to hear from those that have had their cases resolved by them.


How effective is e-sąd?

Law / how does the legal system work in poland? [25]

Whistle-blowing is quite common then on the other hand being summoned up in court as a witness is something that is well and truly dreaded.

Life / Ideas for constructive Immigration methods for Poland. [30]

What i have learned about such sensitive topics is this: If u read too much about what they say in a media that has certain interests or against certain things they can always deceive u into believing their ideas. Some of us would give Japan as a good example of a country that has managed immigration well but if u have lived there u will realise that it is far from the truth. I wouldn't blame people who read about such things in a media that wants u to believe in that. Having lived in Tokyo also as an immigrant or expat, whatever you wanna call it, i saw a country struggling with such issues just like any other. There are many illegals from other Asian countries like The Philippines and Thailand living in Japan.

As to what is good for Poland: unfortunately they might just have to do with anything that comes here just to have people working for the pensioners.

Most young people have left and are still leaving for other countries and it has helped Poland very well. Just go to the airports and shopping malls towards Christmas or look at the new houses being built around your neighbourhood u will see what i am talking about.

Law / Best inexpensive new car? [23]


Voila! And u have yourself another sales pitch. Just wonder what else they will come up with.

Law / Best inexpensive new car? [23]


Never been the gullible type but what does the small print say about this 7 year warranty on these Kia cars?

Law / Turkish citizen. Civil marriage in Poland - Urgent [25]

Here is what happened last year to someone i know.
They got married in a small town: population about 40 000 people.
He had his letter of no impediment but the birthcertificate wasn't the full version: the one with his mother's maiden name.
So, when the birthcertificate finally came through, his letter of no impediment was about to expire in 2 weeks time and the guy in the USC

office married them a week before it expired.
I want to emphasize ,however, that he was the understanding type and it doesn't normally happen like this.
The minimum period, as far as i know, is one month. It's almost certain that they will give u a date that is one month from the day u register.

The registry part requires both parties to be there that's how they interpret the requirement.
As for documents in a foreign language: they require them to be translated by a person who is certified to translate from that original language into Polish.

Good luck to you.

News / Poland's Economy Is Booming! The EU's Success Story? [711]


I am here as well and that sounds logical coz after the subprime mortgage crisis they all moved
into other areas of making a quick buck: risky investment vehicles and short term loans.
I know from 2008 it became almost impossible for an ordinary man to get a mortgage because it's about the only area they have tightened very well in the banking industry.

The other areas are not so tightly monitored or regulated.
Anything below 50k is considered a small loan by most of the Banks here.
Just check the flyers for quick loans in your letterbox or handed out in town and ask yourself who's behind most of them.

USA, Canada / American marrying Pole, then moving to the UK. Has anyone done this before? [13]


That's one way which might raise eyebrows: he being American and her Polish they will put one and one together and figure out that he's trying to stay in the country longer.

He can enter the country but the fact remains he wants to live there longer with his partner.
Then again if he gets married here and apply straight away they will still treat it as suspicious.
I'm no expert but from what i know in such cases you just have to be honest.
U don't have to be afraid that u're not married to your partner at least they do recognise partnerships.
U say u have been together for two and a half years and have been on contracts in South Korea and Vietnam- show them all the proof that u have!

They are not going to refuse u the permit just because you have failed to produce some of the supporting evidence.
If they are not satisfied they can always call u up for an interview. After all you don't pay anything for the application.
PS: u won't be applying for a Visa but for an EEA family permit.

ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/eucitizens/eea-family-permit/documents

News / Poland's Economy Is Booming! The EU's Success Story? [711]


I'm with BZ WBK and my best mate's with Alior.
PKO BP with Szymon Majewski's collaboration are doing well and i'm sure they've always had the highest number of people banking with them from communism.

The others, and I'm sure u know there are many of them, are competing for the rest of the market.

News / Poland's Economy Is Booming! The EU's Success Story? [711]

The only thing that bothers me, having been here for quite some time now, is that the government hasn't done much
to protect the country from what happened in the 2007&8 crises.
The same lunacy that brought down most Banks during the first crises is very rife here in Poland and needless to say the country is overbanked.

I get phone calls from the Bank every month offering personal loans and increasing my credit card limit and so do most of my colleagues.

Last month alone I got 3 phone calls and they were all asking if i needed money for a summer holiday abroad.
I also get calls from Investment Companies that are affiliated with the bank offering to double any investment in a certain period of time.
Then there is the issue of Western companies, especially German, coming over here to take advantage of cheap labour.
The contracts that they give to the ordinary workers are just unbelievable to say the least.
The country needs investment and jobs just like any other but i just wonder what would happen if
Ukraine were to open up to the EU. Would we see all these companies shifting shop to another cheap location?
I bet you they will.

Love / Where to meet a foreign guy in Poland outside a club/disco [12]

Broomstick that should be easy for you living in Kraków!
I'm sure from your experience and what you say on here you can easily notice foreign guys in Kraków.
Supermarkets are the easiest especially Tesco.
Walk up to a guy whose holding a basket in the aisles and talk to him about what he is buying.
A lady once said to me " looking for some healthy stuff, are you?"
Ended up chatting and Lord knows what it could have led to- she was very nice!

Law / Polish visa expert? Japanes moving to Poland to study Polish. [43]


Nothing to do with coherence there.
My main points are the issues of free movement and border control within the Schengen countries and not the other issues within the agreement.
Denmark can not opt out of that one as it written in all the links u're posting on here. It was the core of the Agreement to start with.

Same applies with the positions of The UK and Ireland they remain non Schengen member states within the EU.
The only things they share with Schengen is the SIS Database and security matters.
The above mentioned are also shared with Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and Liechtenstein which are non EU countries but Schengen member countries. //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schengen_Area

Read EU member states with opt-outs

Law / Polish visa expert? Japanes moving to Poland to study Polish. [43]

If u read that well u'll understand that it is just co-operation in cross border crime and certain things of common interest like security.

It has nothing to do with free movement of people. Implemanting of provisions governing police and judicial cooperation doesn't mean they become member states.

UK and Ireland do share certain information with Schengen member states and vice versa just like with all the other EEC member nations which are non EU members.

People who travel on Schengen Visas do not have free movement to the UK and Ireland if they come from Visa nations they will have to get UK or Ireland Visas.

After evaluating the conditions that must precede implementation of the provisions governing police and judicial cooperation, the Council consented with its Decision 2004/926/EC of 22 December 2004 that this part of the Schengen acquis could be implemented by the United Kingdom.

Although Denmark has signed the Schengen Agreement, it can choose whether or not to apply any new measures taken under Title IV of the EC Treaty within the EU framework, even those that constitute a development of the Schengen acquis. However, Denmark is bound by certain measures under the common visa policy.

Denmark can opt out on any new measures but they are bound by the free movement of people within Schengen states and thats not a new measure.

That's why in October 2011 they had to stop border control coz they were in clear violation of the common visa policy or should we say they were just exploiting a loop hole

within the free movement of people

Law / Polish visa expert? Japanes moving to Poland to study Polish. [43]


UK and Ireland are not in Schengen, Harry!
There are no certain opt-outs with regards to Schengen.
They were in clear violation of the Schengen agreement and I've just checked they actually stopped it in October 2011.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schengen_Area
Check out the heading: Controversies

Law / Polish visa expert? Japanes moving to Poland to study Polish. [43]

[quote=Harry]The whole point about Schengen is that member states are to have the same regulations as each other.[
Denmark went on to re-impose border controls last year in the name of trying to stop criminal activities from its Schengen neighbours Sweden and Germany.

I wonder if this is still in place..

Law / Polish visa expert? Japanes moving to Poland to study Polish. [43]


I don't see what your problem is,OBAKA. U seem to have got all the answers u were after.
When u get a Karta Pobytu u can use it till it's valid and 45days before it expires u should submit an application if u wish to renew.

U'll need proof that u're still enrolled at university and that u can support yourself financially.
As a student I'm sure u'll only be eligible to apply for permanent residence after 5 years.

Law / Rights of a consumer when dealing with faulty goods in Poland? [65]


I guess after seeing one of them deceiving adverts or flyers stuffed in the letter box where they all claim 0% interest on installments, items being reduced from a price

that never was, promising up to 40% savings and a small print u can't read. Guess when u understand where they get the ideas from you'll never fall for such cliches.

I don't know if I am allowed to name and shame on our forum. After wanting to replace some of our old electric home appliances a few years ago and failing to get a clear

explanation for the 2 year warranty from most of the famous high street electric shops we decided not to purchase from them.
The same shop with 5 outlets in town had different interpretations as to how they handle faulty goods.
I dug deeper and later found out that they are all franchises and the way they are run is quite shocking to say the least.

Consumers' rights in such franchises are almost nonexistent. They are all busy trying to make as much as they can.
It's better to buy from local recommended electric shops and speak to the owner before u purchase what u want than to swallow the bait.

Love / Need help/advice polish girl :( British and Polish girl relationship. [26]

United_Fan28! I'll jump in matey presumably u're a United fan.
Well,well, first of all if u gonna make a decision on this issue based on what we're going to say here then bless you.

Seriously, the writing's on the wall; sooner or later u'll just have to accept it.
U seem like u really want this work out at all costs.
Was in a similar situation myself at your age but without the sex and drugs thing . I kept convincing myself she was the one but slowly it faded away.

A year later was invited here to Polska, found myself someone who shared the same values.
Went a little bit rocky to start with but eventually settled very well and we'll be celebrating the 5th anniversary soon.
U say u're quarter Polish that's even great and guess it won't take u time to learn the language if u put in a bit of effort.

If it doesn't work out just hop onto a plane and come to Polska.
All the best to u.