Law / Work permit + national visa in Poland for India citizen [91]

You can't blame a person for wanting a better life. That's what the USA was built on.

News / Austria's swing to the far right on Poland? [229]


You may be the first to use that word since about 1910. I agree that many of the 'refugees' are in fact cads and rotters, but is there a failsafe way to distinguish between them?

Life / Halloween vs All Saints' Day in Poland [48]

Supermarkets here in Poland carried a few bits of Halloween rubbish, but it didn't exactly fly off the shelves. The cemeteries, however, were full last night. A beautiful sight.

Life / Wszystkich Świętych (All Saints Day) // Dzien Zaduszny (All Souls day) [96]

We had a flurry of snow here in the east this morning. If the bad weather continues, there will be more carnage than usual on the roads, as millions go to visit family graves across the country. Let's hope the weather improves. I spoke too soon; the rain has just started again.

Life / Wszystkich Świętych (All Saints Day) // Dzien Zaduszny (All Souls day) [96]

High winds have caused some cemeteries to be closed by the authorities, who are concerned that trees might fall. Has this ever happened before?

UK, Ireland / My bad experiences with Polish neighbours in UK (not meant to offend) [173]

My government is (unfortunately) in Warsaw.

UK, Ireland / My bad experiences with Polish neighbours in UK (not meant to offend) [173]


Who donate huge sums to charity and engage in voluntary work on a scale rarely seen in most other countries, perhaps with the exception of the USA, another society with a fully formed civil society. Crow is so full of bigotry and hatred that it has blinded him.

The UK is indeed less significant than it was when it had an empire, but to call it insignificant is just further proof of Crow's closed mind.

Life / Hanging out with Polish Banda street people in Berlin [9]


Especially as so many of them turn to adulterated smack or Spice for comfort.

News / Austria's swing to the far right on Poland? [229]

The appeal of autocratic leaders (and I hesitate to use the word leader in connection with the toddler-in-chief) lies in their ability to offer simple solutions to simple people in an increasingly complex world.

Life / Gdansk Tips for Person relocating there [26]

I don't know if there are members who live in Gdansk, but if you want tips on living in Poland, be more specific.

Life / Gdansk Tips for Person relocating there [26]

Who dry cleans shirts?

News / Poland supporting potential new EU members - Georgia and Turkey [32]

Of course, Turkey is less extreme than, e.g. Saudi Arabia, but scratch the surface of even western-oriented families and you'll find a deep conservatism. When I was there women told me things that they would never discuss with male Turks. Things that gave the lie to their apparent liberty.

News / Poland supporting potential new EU members - Georgia and Turkey [32]


Having lived there for three years I can't agree. You can see girls in mini skirts having a beer on Taksim square in Istanbul, and then turn a corner to see women entirely covered, even with a net curtain covering their eyes. I remember being hollered at on a train for drinking beer by a fundamentalist. Other, more liberal passengers defended me. Turkey is a very mixed bag, and under Erdogan repression of opposition has been ruthless. And I mean long before the coup attempt.

Life / The best online shopping portal in Poland? [41]

If you can't deal with the language on Allegro, try ebayuk. The postage will be lower than from the US.

News / Austria's swing to the far right on Poland? [229]

It's telling that in the land of the free you feel reluctant to say it.

News / Austria's swing to the far right on Poland? [229]

I wasn't asking about freeing Poland from Russia. Straight fight, USA vs Poland. Whose side are you on?

News / Austria's swing to the far right on Poland? [229]

Interesting, though. I wouldn't feel the need to be so evasive.

Work / Is Poland's ZUS obligatory for a one man LLC? [13]

I did many years ago. My wife also paid the lower rate, again quite a long time ago. Perhaps someone with more recent experience can advise you.

News / Austria's swing to the far right on Poland? [229]

When you say your loyalty is to Poland, does that mean that you'd fight against the USA in a hypothetical war with Poland?

Work / Is Poland's ZUS obligatory for a one man LLC? [13]

It used to be two years at the lower rate. Oh, I've just seen the last post. Glad to hear it's still two years. ZUS is the death of thousands of one-person companies every year. Be sure you can pay in full, whether you have a good or bad month.

News / Poland on course to end European winter/summer time [19]

The benefits of DST are negligible, and it just results in people being late for work and missing appointments. It may well be that all of Europe will abandon this in time. Its origins lie in times when electric light was not universal, and when it saved considerable amounts of energy. Those times are long gone.

Language / "Poles" or "Polish people" - which is better to use? [200]

Homonyms and homophones must be very distressing for you generally.

Work / Medical tests before working in Poland [23]

A lung X-ray is always part of the test. As a public sector employee I have to have a thorough check up every two years. No doubt private sector employers have their own requirements, but the lung X-ray seems to be universal. You should explain your medical history to the radiographer rather than wait for him/her to discover the scar. Reports from your doctors from home might help, too.

News / Abortion still under control in Poland [2986]

It always amuses me to hear people who would otherwise criticise welfare benefits praising them in Poland.

Study / Moving from India to Poland for masters' studies and job. Possibility of taking a loan from university [6]


735PLN. About 165PLN/week. Well, that'll pay for your groceries. Stay where you are, my friend.

News / Poland's deputy minister Szmit resigns due to fatal road accident statistics... [11]


Years ago I came round a bend doing about 90 and was confronted by a tractor with a few farm boys on the trailer, and two loose dogs. One dog was sensibly running behind, but the other one was on my side of the road. I had three options: steer left and crash into the tractor, steer right into a ditch, or carry on. As an animal lover I hate running dogs over, but that dog was the first of three I've hit in PL. And a couple of cats. And a hare. And very nearly a deer. And very nearly fifteen wild boar at once.


Yes, that's a pain. It also impedes traffic, especially on roundabouts. I guess it's not going to change anytime soon, though.

News / Tusk turning his back to idea about Intermarium (New Commonwealth), seeing only EU as future for Poland [124]

The kind of pro-russian comments you see in Western media these days is alarming. The Russians have sold themselves as the underdog, provoked and humiliated by the USA, whereas they are


and


(the gangsters that steal the people's wealth, not the ordinary folk)

Food / Where can I buy lamb in Poland? [89]

[moved from]


It's still very hard to find over here in the east. Where can you find it in Warsaw?

Food / Kaszanka and haggis? [34]

This autumnal weather has got me thinking about haggis.

• 
  Essential with haggis
  

Travel / Poland one of the best places to see golden Autumn colours [11]

British weather is probably the main reason most emigrants leave. In Poland it's cold when it's supposed to be cold, and hot in the right season.