Law / Buying a car in Poland or Germany? [36]

Agree with Roger on Renault Thalia. Sadly for those west of the Oder River Thalia was not available on their posh markets, but Thalia is essentially a Clio in the saloon (sedan) version... I own a 2006 petrol with LPG and the smaller 1.2L engine (actually it is 1149cc)... I must say this car is a steal for city driving and if you look at the listings you could find many sell offers still from first owners... Also, it seems popular with the older emeryci crowd who tend to not abuse and take reasonable care of their cars... it is not a bad city car, I would much rather drive it than say a Fiat Panda or similar puny, the suspension is comfortable enough as one would expect from the French... The bad part is being a budget car put together in Turkey the fitting of the door is just awful - just look at the gap between the door where it meets the roof. The biggest design faults are the lack of a secure drink holder and the noise from the windows at speeds >90km/h... this also applies to Clio of same generation, the problem being the door window glass not being flush enough with the surrounding frame... The only issues I have had so far were a random battery drain (fixed) and not very durable wheel bearings - I had already replaced the rear one after only 80k (but paid 100pln including labour) and now start to hear a familiar noise from the front... I am not too worried tough as the parts are dirt cheap (Renault in general), the insurance is dirt cheap, and it is also dirt cheap to run with the LPG conversion... and it starts on contact, has air con, huge boot space for size, steering wheel radio controls, 4 doors, ABS, superb breaks, is light and easy to drive in city, also quite narrow... and here's the best part: being apparently one of the ugliest cars ever sold, you need not worry too much about it being stolen or other as I imagine it is top of the obciach list for the karki and other szpanery... ;-)

Forgot to add one other advantage is the raised ground clearance - for that reason it is great for the dirt roads outside of the city...

Life / Advice needed on Dental implant in Poland [119]


That means you have not chosen the right dentist....


Any medical/dental procedure can go wrong, regardless of the country/reputation - that's a given. It's up to the individual to weigh the gains/risks...

Life / Advice needed on Dental implant in Poland [119]

Most towns over 100,000 inhabitants, sometimes less, will have decent dental implant clinics these days...

Law / Buying a USED CAR in Poland, my personal experiences and TRAPS to avoid !! [133]


Bollocks... All depends what you are looking for and what your needs are. I was looking for a small, fuel efficient, cheap car mainly for city driving and I've found a Renault in great shape for age for 12k, with dealer installed LPG system, directly from from its... third owner. So you could still find a real deal, but I admit it is tougher than say, in the UK.

USA, Canada / Is there any chance that I can go right now to the US and start a life over there? [19]

If you really believe what you wrote above, then you are in for a real shocker once you get there... and never mind an encounter with 'friendly' immigration officers at the airport or the police... but good luck chasing your dream - hope it comes true regardless!

Travel / What to do in last 4 days (I'm in Bialystok) - I visited Warsaw, Krakow, Gdansk, Vilnius and Tykocin already [3]

Roger is right. All depends what you fancy. If nature is your cup of tea, I would also head north to Suwalszczyzna for the lakes and the scenery in the Wigry National Park or Suwałki Landscape Park which is excellent for cycling, also Augustów is nice in the summer, as is the Lithuanian minority area near the Lithianian border (Puńsk/Sejny) are all worth a visit, but you would really need a car and take time to get to the right places...

Genealogy / Do I look Polish? (my picture) [375]


That would be due to Gypsy, Tatar, or other 'eastern' ancestory...

Work / Job opportunities for junior actuary in Poland??? [9]

Pretty slim, unless you happen to be extremely lucky. But even then, it would probably not be worth your effort... I would definitely choose any other developed EU economy to kick-start a career...

UK, Ireland / Polish striking due to anti-Polish UK feeling [58]


+1
How do we term those needing to emphasise how much they make/own/can afford?
And what is a sign of in terms of personality and self-worth?

USA, Canada / Is there any chance that I can go right now to the US and start a life over there? [19]


I daresay the world has changed a bit since 1872...


Yes - just like any other developed country. The same could be said about Germany, Sweden, UK, etc. I cannot image how anyone could dream of relocating to a foreign land and becoming successful without being willing to work hard + right attitude. The difference then, other than the geographical location, lies in what it has to offer in addition to - or outside of - work. And it is here that America is simply not what it once used to be, despite the hype still being sold worldwide...

Food / Panga Fish (available in Polish stores); I'll never eat it again. Alternative? [32]

The simple trick is to stick to local food as opposed to exotics - the closer to the source, the better simply because it requires less processing which is the real culprit in out diets... not to mention the environmental impact involved in transport alone...

USA, Canada / Is there any chance that I can go right now to the US and start a life over there? [19]

No surprise the US never tops any of the life-happiness rating charts despite all the hype, Hollywood, Wall Street, Silicon Valley, Microsoft, Apple, etc.... as a general rule to is good to the wealthy, not so great for the average Joes Shmoes... but there are exceptions. One way to get in legally would be through an employer sponsored visa - hospitals do that for medical staff, for instance... do a bit of google research...

Food / Panga Fish (available in Polish stores); I'll never eat it again. Alternative? [32]

There was a documentary not that long ago about fish farming in different parts of the world: panga, cod, salmon. And believe it or not, panga was not the worst of them. They had some Norwegian farmed salmon analysed in an independent lab in Switzerland I think, along with ordinary supermarket foods. It turned out that the Norwegian salmon contained levels of toxins that were tens if not hundred times higher than even the not so healthy stuff like pre-cooked hamburgers that they concluded that it was 'the most toxic food you could buy'. This had to due with the way the fish feed was made - apparently it is not controlled in the same way as that for other animals used for meat. Frozen packaged fish such as panga (but probably other as well) are soaked in solutions which contain anti-freeze. Now contrast that with the adverts you see for say Norwegian farmed salmon as the healthiest food there is...

Love / How official and important are engagements in Poland? [9]

You will need to pay a penalty equal to 50% of your annual wages + 12 cows and 24 sheep per year of engagement ;-)

Classifieds / English-speaking nanny in Warsaw - how to find one? [5]

Here's one in EN: greataupair.com/Nanny_Jobs_Work/Babysitter_Tutor_AuPair/Mazowieckie/Warsaw.htm
If you know PL then you could try gumtree.pl or tablica.pl...

Life / Life in Poland - feeling lonely and don't want to socialize much! (anyone feeling same?) [93]


I was there a few times in the last year or so... not a pleasant vibe overall and not much going on - those were my impressions... and now it is also the xenophobic capital of the country judging from the press coverage? Which is a real shame given the region's multi-culti roots up until 1939...

Law / Purchasing used car contract in Poland [5]

I believe that would not be possible nowadays, as the policy would only be valid the day it was pre-paid (usually either a full year of half a year) and not renew by default after that - a notice would be sent out in advance as a reminder.

Love / Do Polish men think that Polish girls are materialistic and demanding ? [37]


That may well be true, but let's try to understand why. It could have to do with the lack of economic prospects and predictability during the PRL years not only in PL, but all of Soviet-dominated camp. And not only then, but even now, although to a much lesser degree. Then the natural instinct in light of instability is to secure one's materialistic needs. But to be honest, it is not only women who think this way - it is a universally accepted phenomenon amongst the younger and older generations alike: to secure a position for life, buy/own a home, own as an expensive car as you can (often not) afford. All the effort goes there. This way the non-materialistic aspect of life is easily overlooked and marginalised. But then again, one sees this all over the world, so it would be good to have a study done to measure how important 'materialism' is by country.


True.


+1


Well said, Roger5. But remembering how America was established (stolen land from the natives) and then prospered on the backs of slaves perhaps explains things a little. I say a little, as Australia or New Zealand gained their land in similar fashion (although no slavery), but don't have that problem. The common factor were the British, so there could be an Anglo-Saxon demon at work here. Also the 'American dream' of owning as big a house/land as you can afford (not need) is nightmare in disguise. European powerhouse Germany + Switzerland have lowest home ownership rates (contrast that with Romania/Lithuania, where it's the highest in EU).

Life / Life in Poland - feeling lonely and don't want to socialize much! (anyone feeling same?) [93]

Is there any curing involved?

Life / Life in Poland - feeling lonely and don't want to socialize much! (anyone feeling same?) [93]

And how do you serve those?

Life / What is Poland's view on obesity? How healthy, fit are Poles? [166]

It's true that the diet in PL in not a healthy one - it seems like a glorified PRL diet: parówki, kanapki, crisps, pepsi/coke/nasty cheap juice, lots of white bread and plenty of highly processed foods + sugar... Polish children (under 10 or 12yo) are now supposedly most (or nearly) obese in the EU... I think the problem is mainly with the parents' sheer ignorance on the subject of basic nutrition... most seem to don't care, the more sweets/comfort foods the better... perhaps it stems from their personal experiences where such foods were luxury during the PRL years, and that they can afford it they think the more the better for their children...


Agreed. Unfortunately, bad eating habits die VERY hard; in fact, most people would actually prefer to suffer the consequences than change, ie give up their comfort foods even when faced with disease/death... overall, much too much meats i PL diet - especially the nasty cheap and processed types... also, the food tends to be cooked to death...


I doubt any melons grow in PL. The golden rule is to eat local stuff. The good think in PL are the local food markets - from spring to autumn you can find good stuff grown locally with a little effort...


OK, bit it is the same all over when you have universal health care - have you ever seen what's served in, for instance, British hospitals?

Study / What is the best medical school in Poland? [33]


If she 1) does not speak Polish, 2) has no knowledge of how the Polish university system works (or relatives who can help her on the ground), and 3) plans on practising in the US upon graduation, then I would spare her the extra hassles if possible... hence the English language programme would make more sense despite the higher price tag.


Not necessarily. Many do - and many others don't. I personally know both - and the results sometimes were just the opposite what one would expect...


In my opinion it all boils down to the attitude - how committed they are at the end of the day. From experience, mature students will do better under these circumstances, whereas many of the youngsters enjoy the social life just a bit too much and subsequently tend to stack off and dwell on the negatives instead of just getting on with the programme... The programme level itself is not necessarily bad either I hear - but for the average US youngster (especially if they have not been out of the country and are unaccustomed to sometimes harsher realities) it will take some 'adjusting to'. And at the end of the day what matters is the class standing and the performance on the USMLEs - if they place in the top 10% they will have no problems succeeding wherever they go.

Good luck!

Food / Clotted cream - where I can buy it in Wroclaw? [9]


Unfortunately, it takes ages to make and is very energy demanding:
"...cook for at least 8 hours. The cream may take as long as 12 hours to fully clot."

Language / "Poles" or "Polish people" - which is better to use? [199]

I think you've got it backwards. If I remember correctly, on that poster is a professional model hired specifically for that 'Polish plumber campaign' in France...

Life / Emigrate / Immigrate to Poland? I don't need to work. [33]


Glad to hear from a positive person for a change. I feel your interest and motivation for Poland are genuine and thus wish you all the best in your road to living out your dream. Let me know if you needed more specifics, etc, I'll do my best to help out (note: my PM does not seem to work for some reason).


And it is a perfectly achievable dream (check out the link to the Swiss couple's site I pasted in my earlier response for confirmation + inspiration). They've done it 20 years ago, and with PL joining the EU since I cannot imagine it being more difficult in terms of the bureaucracy. And cost of land here is still a fraction of what it is in the UK.

Once again, congratulations on your courage to live out your dream and best of luck.

Life / Emigrate / Immigrate to Poland? I don't need to work. [33]

For a start, please re-read (and don't forget to understand!) OP's message.

Life / Emigrate / Immigrate to Poland? I don't need to work. [33]

If posters stuck to the topic instead of going off on a tangent this forum would have a chance of being half-useful (the other problem being over representation by the perpetually frustrated types).

As a rough guide, in terms of attractiveness of the landscape and scenery the central part of the country is probably most boring - hence I would recommend either the north or the south (with the eastern flanks being culturally richer & diverse).

Life / Emigrate / Immigrate to Poland? I don't need to work. [33]

The OP is clearly asking about Poland and not any other country, and it seems to me they're in the right place this being the PFs.com.


Agreed. However, you're being a mind-reader here by assuming that the OP values those above all. Let them come back and be more precise about what they're after - otherwise such random advise is not very valuable.


Please back up your view - maybe others reading this post could benefit from your knowledge.

Life / Emigrate / Immigrate to Poland? I don't need to work. [33]

All sounds so cliche. All depends what the OP is after - no universal one size fits all in the run to happiness in this life, I'm afraid. Here's an interesting [realearth.pl/ueberuns_en.htm] of an original Swiss couple who have settled in the very NE corner some 20 years ago...

Life / Emigrate / Immigrate to Poland? I don't need to work. [33]


Well, in order to receive meaningful answers to your question, I'm afraid you would need to put in little more effort and at the very minimum state what your preferences, what you like (dislike) to do, etc.


Good location if you were planning to travel south, nice to visit and culturally vibrant, but the downside is that it tends to be touristy and the air is very polluted (one of the worst locations in the EU in that category)...


Where exactly and and why?