USA, Canada / Anglo-mangling of Polish surnames in the US/Canada [22]


Once here in Krakow I had to "change" my name into £ukasz because I didn't have time to explain to the drunk guy who asked me for a cigarette where I come from and why my name is so weird ( for poles ).Funny thing though, he said that I have the same name as his brother so he stayed there talking and talking till the time somebody proposed him a bottle of vodka.

History / A map of the 2nd Republic - help? [5]

For the borders of Wielkopolska I guess you need a topographic map(considering you want to go and search those traces you mentioned). Bestmap.pl might help you with that. Once I got a VERY good map of Piwniczna Zdroj -Krynica Zdroj area from them.

Work / Job offer from company in Warsaw, EU Logistics. Is this a scam? [22]


Can you provide more information about them? I'm currently working in logistics so I could help you with what they ship.A website? Adress? Contact person?

Love / english girl struggling with polish boyfriend's friends [20]


That's exactly how I felt during my first 6-8 months here in PL, I had to learn some polish for them to notice that I was there.

Love / english girl struggling with polish boyfriend's friends [20]


That's not fair, opportunity to speak your native tongue you can find anytime. And intstead of making your girlfriend feel like $#it isn't it better to use your native tongue while watching a match with the guys or playing a football match or doing something where you're alone with your friends? (Assuming the girlfriend is not interested in football matches :D ). I remember myself trying to translate every single word to my gf when she was in Greece and (obviously) didn't speak any greek.

When I came in PL though it was a bit different, she was a bit lazy to translate for me, and her friends ( who before told her they speak english very well ) didn't really say anything other than: hi .

My advice is to make him understand, take him when you're with your friends and start telling some jokes from the past,something everybody is familiar with, and I guess he'll feel something similar to you. After that he might be able to understand your position when he's with his friends.

USA, Canada / Should I move to Poland? (dual citizen of Canada and Poland) [22]


Yes indeed,the country is nice. But as everywhere the beginning is going to be rather tough. About finding a job I think it would be possible in a city like Lodz(not easy though).Studying in PL is not the best idea of all times,as I'm not sure your degree is going to help you find a job in Canada.

Good luck.
B.N

Study / Poligloci Language School...Anybody Heard Of Them...? [8]


Hi there, can you share some info about them please?
thnx in advance

Life / Foreigners learning to drive in Poland [2]


Yep, it's up to date.
Not long ago ( 1 year I think ) I had to take my polish driving license. And like you I didn't and I don't speak polish enough to take the theory test in polish, so I asked for the english version. You have to contact a few driving schools as I don't think everyone of them has an instructor who speaks english well enough( my instructor's wife being an english teacher helped me a lot in understanding what he couldn't find the english words for).

Not being a native english speaker made my life difficult as there were some different synonyms in the CD and in the book anyway after passing this minor obstacle I didn't have any problems. I don't know what changed with theory test, everybody says the same as you: IT'S UNBELIEVABLY DIFFICULT. But I think you shouldn't think that way, afterall it's not made to fail everybody :D.

After passing the theory test, I had the practical driving test, here I was told it's obligatory to have a translator with me. Not just somebody who speaks english but a certified translator. I payed him 100 PLN/hour and that was that. The examiner was a very nice guy who didn't seem to be trying to fail me(some of them do it)

P.S Hope that the examiner won't be some complete a-hole and you're done.

Work / Job offer from company in Warsaw, EU Logistics. Is this a scam? [22]


After checking it with some colleagues who work in Warsaw I have that feeling that something doesn't add up. I don't know, also the website it's a bit weird,not complete. There is not a clear information on what they really do. Another thing is that here in PL there is a program which is used by almost every logistics company in Poland and eu logistics doesn't exist on their database.

That's what I could find out. I hope it helps.

News / Shops in Poland to be closed on Sunday? [208]


Really? How is that possible if the kids learn religion in kindergarten & school?

News / Shops in Poland to be closed on Sunday? [208]


How about other businesses ? Construction,transport? Do the employees have to go to work if the boss says so? What do you guys think? In my opinion: YES because as somebody here mentioned it before,everybody needs to eat, and food costs money. Even if you're living alone, not mentioning people who have kids,mortgages to pay etc.

News / Shops in Poland to be closed on Sunday? [208]


Yes


The damage is that when your girlfriend/fiancee/wife/friend/father/mother/brother/sister has a day off, you can't go to spend some time with him/her because you'll take another day off when he/she and everybody else is going to be at work, so you'll have a "fantastic" day by yourself. That's the damage.

News / Shops in Poland to be closed on Sunday? [208]


Of course not, but as long as everybody who's working on the same line of work has a day off why am I supposed to work? The professions you mention are a bit different, because a miner knows where he's going to work, and a baker knows at what time he/she's supposed to start work. But in an average job which starts at 7-8:00 am and finishes somewhere in the afternoon ( 16-17:00 )and the workplace is above the ground it's a bit unfair for people to not be able to spend a normal holiday with kids or family. That's all I had in mind, no strikes.

News / Shops in Poland to be closed on Sunday? [208]


2/2 at my home :D

Work / Job offer from company in Warsaw, EU Logistics. Is this a scam? [22]


No, not really. The company I work in is shipping in Europe.
Try to search: CH ROBINSON, I think it's an american-based company. That's all I know out of Europe. Sorry.

Life / Drink driving a bike and losing your driving license in Poland [27]


I was also stopped a few days ago while riding the bike ( sober ), they asked if I have any documents and if I drank anything. When I showed them my karta pobytu they just said: Szerokiej drogi ( I think it was because of the name and surname :D ). As about your friend, I think they should've given him some penalty but that's too harsh.

Btw if someone gets his driving license taken, does he/she need to start the whole driving course from the beginning or only to go to the exam?

Law / Private information being disclosed by Pekao Bank [10]


The worst banking experience I've had in 3 countries that I've lived.


If you'd need to make a deposit I'm sure they'd find the time, but since it was their fault of course they do not answer ;)


1- The guy who called forgot all about the procedures or
2- They're stoned again :D :D

Law / Private information being disclosed by Pekao Bank [10]



That would NOT be a good morning :D. Joking aside, I definitely agree that they should ask the security questions at all times. What if you lose your mobile phone,and some guy who finds it answers the call pretending to be the owner of it ?!

Study / I want to move Poland from Chicago area and study.. Job prospects, cost of food, healthcare, other expenses [24]


Agreed!


Is that a good thing?

Love / What to answer to the Most annoying phrase that EVERY and EACH polish girl always says? [58]

Polish girls: Here is your saviour, contact him and you'll never use that phrase anymore (facepalm).
As about the topic: I've been here in PL a couple of years now and I might've heard it but not that much as MaryPerry says. But I've heard billions of times: po prostu (I still don't know what does it mean).

Life / Etiquette in a Store and Market Queues in Poland [146]

Maybe it's about people's origin ?
To me Poland seems MUCH more in order than my country(Albania) and my wife points that out everytime we go there :D :D. The only thing that bothers me is the scratches at my car sometimes when are matches and the big bald guys pass by,but that's nothing to not finding the car at all which could very easily happen in my country. Now for british,german,french or dutch I think it looks more "eastern" and I guess it's normal considering the countries they come from.

Life / Etiquette in a Store and Market Queues in Poland [146]


Well thank you. I'm a Shkodran myself (just born).

Language / Pronunciation difficulties for Poles speaking English [40]

When I started learning Polish I was still in Greece and despite some "polish for foreigners,polish in 4 weeks" my wife brought also a book for kids which had some very basic polish-english dialogues. At the end was the vocabulary.

Three little pigs - (free little pigs ) - Trzy male swinki :D :D

Life / Etiquette in a Store and Market Queues in Poland [146]


Thank you. Please tell that to my colleagues at work who make a paradise out of polish institutions.