Off-Topic / English teachers - 'functioning alcoholics with a superiority complex' [54]

Good morning ....

Still living in UK, London ...... hoping to move over to Warsaw like UK Expat; done various things in my life but as I'm approaching the BIG 50 next summer trying to slow things down and lead a less stressful life.

Recently have been involved in property development here in UK, and hoping the sale of my present property will fund the 'Good Life' in Poland - I have done English conversation for University of Tver, out in Russia in the late 1990's when I out there with my Uni doing Masters research.

I have friends in Warsaw who successfully run English Lang School and also a translation Pol <-> Eng business, which I hope to get involved with once I have settled in.

I will probably search out business opportunities ..... see what could be profitable :o))

Polanglik

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


I don't have a PESEL, at the moment I don't reside in Pl, but I was able to open a Bank Account with ING, but had to do this in person in one of their Pl branches.

If I remember correctly I had to show 2 forms of ID, British Passport and a UK driving licence was sufficient.

Love / WILDROVERS FIVE YEARS IN POLAND....come to an end...! [132]

Have you met her family yet ..... daughter..... but more importantly the future mother-in-law?

Love / WILDROVERS FIVE YEARS IN POLAND....come to an end...! [132]

Wildrover .... we all deserve some happiness and love in our lives, and I hope you have finally found yours.

I have read your posts and have genuinely felt for you with your ups and downs; I am glad that you have enjoyed Poland and I'm sure that with the 'Love of your Life' you will enjoy Russia even more.

I spent some time in Russia in the late nineties and really enjoyed it; the people are very welcoming and friendly, very much like the Poles - they will put on a feast for their guests even though they may be quite poor.

I met the 'Love of my Life' in Wroclaw, Poland just over 10 years ago in a similar way you met yours - we also started communicating via the internet and then via phone calls before finally meeting in Krakow. A few months after our first meeting, but around 10 months after we started chatting we got engaged and now in September we will be celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary along with our two children!

I have heard the Russians know how to throw a wedding reception which can last days - let us know if this is true.

Good Luck Wildrover!!

USA, Canada / To move back to Poland from the USA or not to move back....that is the question [119]

Hi Rysiek,

A lot of what has been written is very true.

The fact that you can speak the language, and have an income stream as well as funds from the sale of your US property puts you in quite a good starting position.

However ....


I have to diasagree on this comment; I am in a similar position to yourself, in that I was born in England of Polish parents - first generation born in England.

Apart from spending many holidays as a child in Poland, I have frequently been travelling to Poland for the last 10 -11 years (I am now 47yrs young!), business and pleasure, and the native Poles I meet have always considered me as Polish. On first meeting them they think I was born in Poland, probably because I speak Polish fluently and are very surprised that I was born in London and have never lived in Poland.

Being brought up in England by Polish parents /grandparents has definitely instilled the 'Polishness' in me , and we try to maintain the Polish traditions and culture.

English friends who enter our London home are aware they are entering a Polish household.
It also helps that my wife is a native Pole, and both our children (aged 8 & 6 yrs old) can speak English and Polish fluently.


I don't have Polish citizenship and I was not born in Poland, yet I consider myself more Polish than English; my wife and many people I come into contact with from Poland see me as Polish, but being born and living in England :o)

I have friends who have a very similar background to me, who moved over to Poland and lead very good lives, and have been acepted as 'true Poles'; they sold up in UK over 10 years ago, some even 20 yrs ago .... married Polish girls and live very happily over there. Quite a few make a good living from teaching English as native speakers, even without any TEFL or certificates to teach English as a foreign language.

My wife and I are waiting for our oldest child to finsish primary school and then we plan to sell up and move over to Poland permanently - we'll see what happens :o))


You'll never know unless you give it a go ..... but be realistic and don't expect a 'fairytale ending' - making such a transition will not be easy. Maybe going to Poland and living there for a year before selling up in US could be the best option. Also take into account your mum .... her healthcare and other needs etc.

Feel free to PM if you wish to talk at greater lengths - I see many similarities with your situation and mine - where in Poland do you plan to move to ?

Good Luck !!

Real Estate / House prices in Poland to drop more or rise again? [228]

I have been looking to purchase a detached property in one of the many gated communities in or around Warsaw.

Only last month one of the developers contacted me to offer new prices which were 20-25% lower than the prices listed in summer 2008.

It appears that very few are buying at the inflated 2008 prices. I have been keeping an eye on several developments and nearly all properties available last summer are still listed as available. Some of the new projects are slow to get off the ground, with developers websites contantly being 'under construction' with no new information available.

I am expecting further discounts as developers start running into financial difficulties.

Genealogy / THE MEANING AND RESEARCH OF MY POLISH LAST NAME, SURNAME? [4500]


do you mean Paszkowski ?

Real Estate / Could you recommend a good property management company in Warsaw [41]


I assume that's the fee for finding a tenant and not for ongoing management of the property.

The management of rented property is an area I am looking to get involved in also when I finally come over to live in Poland :o)

Life / Wszystkich Świętych (All Saints Day) // Dzien Zaduszny (All Souls day) [93]

Living in London , Poles will be attending to the graves of their loved ones on November 1st & 2nd; in Poland Nov 1st is a national holiday, although most do not go to work on 2nd November either.

Most of the cemetaries with Polish graves in England will have special prayers held by the local parish priest this coming Sunday.

Gunnersbury Cemetary in West London has many Polish graves, including my grandparents, and also Katyn Memorial to remember all those Polish officers murdered by the Russians in WWII

Food / What is your favorite Polish Vodka? [653]


similar to whisky ?? I don't think so :o) ........ but then again depends on your taste buds !

Debowa Vodka is very tasty and probably my favourite ..... I also like Chopin,

UK, Ireland / Cheap calls to Poland from the UK [134]

The number I use to call Poland is 08444 621 621;

it's 2p per minute .

just follow the instructions :o)