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What gifts to take? Presents customs in Poland.


EchoTheCat  - | 137
4 Apr 2010   #31
My friend lives in Poland and I live in America.

Real hamburger ! Not this mini crap like in Europeans McDonalds ;)
ShawnH  8 | 1488
4 Apr 2010   #32
Decent cheese?
EchoTheCat  - | 137
4 Apr 2010   #33
There's no decent cheese in Europe ..... ?
Seanus  15 | 19666
4 Apr 2010   #34
Poland doesn't have the best cheeses in the world. German and French ones are better.

Send him sth symbolic to your relationship.
frd  7 | 1379
4 Apr 2010   #35
Many people I know are suckers for foreign food, or just brands that are not accessible in Poland.. I used to dream about Vanilla Coke when I was younger.. mhmm.. Vanilla Coke...mhmmmmhm
aphrodisiac  11 | 2427
4 Apr 2010   #36
joking aside: something significant from the US, maybe a books with photos from the US, or American painters/artists/some Americana stuff.
jessicahumphrey  - | 5
4 Apr 2010   #37
I know some of my other friends love when i send butterfingers. So I will send him some of those. and then I'll figure out something else!
sunbreak  14 | 20
21 Nov 2010   #38
Merged:Giving gifts for teachers - customary in Poland?

Is it customary in Poland for students to give the teacher a gift at the end of the term? If so, is this true for college students or just lower grades or both? What would you give a male teacher?
smurf  38 | 1940
21 Nov 2010   #39
Why would you give a present to someone whose just doing his job?
Ashleys mind  3 | 446
21 Nov 2010   #40
I discovered that giving gifts in poland is not customary full stop.

My partner had trouble understanding that I wanted to commemorate the birth of his nephew by sending his parents a gift...

and cards... forget it!

But you do what feels right... ;)
Lodz_The_Boat  32 | 1522
21 Nov 2010   #41
I discovered that giving gifts in poland is not customary

Where is it customary? ... It is not that we give gifts to please the person. To bring a smile ... as a surprise =)...

Giving gift to the teacher at the end of a term is silly I think. I never did such a thing, although I was close to a few and I gave them gift when my university was over. But its kinda strange to give gifts to a person who might be responsible for your grade - it sounds more like bribery to me (sorry if it sounds bad).
Ashleys mind  3 | 446
21 Nov 2010   #42
I can see your point, but there are gifts which are gestures of thanks, and gifts which may be misconstrued in some way...

Either way, the doubts you raise say more about the possible level of corruption in state institutions than anything else...

A gift is after all just a gift.
Wroclaw  44 | 5359
21 Nov 2010   #43
Is it customary in Poland for students to give the teacher a gift at the end of the term? If so, is this true for college students or just lower grades or both? What would you give a male teacher?

it might be regional. lower grades in wroclaw hand over a bunch of flowers at the end of term.

some pupils might give a flower on teacher's day. yes, there is teacher's day.
SzwedwPolsce  11 | 1589
21 Nov 2010   #44
Is it customary in Poland for students to give the teacher a gift at the end of the term? If so, is this true for college students or just lower grades or both?

Yes, it's true also for students at university. A tradition which I hope is decreasing in popularity.
1jola  14 | 1875
21 Nov 2010   #45
This practice should be discouraged.

In the past, lower classes gave presents to the educated classes - lawyers, doctors, teachers, priests, etc. for basically their services in addition to paying for them. Many think today that is good manners. Still lower class mentality. I don't think teachers buy gifts for their barber or shoemaker.
wildrover  98 | 4430
21 Nov 2010   #46
I don't think teachers buy gifts for their barber or shoemaker.

Shoemakers do not influence a childs life in quite the same way a teacher does , they have a huge responsibility to turn out well educated and decent kids , and help shape a kids future as much as a parent does..

My girlfriend is a teacher in Russia , and she works many hours beyond her school hours to prepare lessons for the kids , and she is very proud that her kids have a pass rate for exams well above the averidge....

They have a teachers day in Russia , and on this day she gets so many flowers and gifts there is not room for them all in her flat , she has to put some at her daughters....

I think that being a teacher goes way beyond what you could call a job , and its nice that their efforts are appreciated....
1jola  14 | 1875
21 Nov 2010   #47
What kind of gifts does she get? A rug or an iron, I suppose?

Shoemakers do not influence a childs life in quite the same way a teacher does , they have a huge responsibility to turn out well educated and decent kids , and help shape a kids future as much as a parent does..

Have you ever given your parents a gift for raising you?
wildrover  98 | 4430
21 Nov 2010   #48
Have you ever given your parents a gift for raising you?

Nooo they created a monster.....!
1jola  14 | 1875
21 Nov 2010   #49
I would say flowers are fine and a sincere thank you would be sufficient. If you read some of the stories of greedy teachers requesting 'gifts,' you might change your mind. Not all teachers are as dedicated as your girl. Now, some teachers spend extra time with slower kids and take no money for it, this is rare. The parents could buy them a gift then. Many more do charge.
wildrover  98 | 4430
21 Nov 2010   #50
If you read some of the stories of greedy teachers requesting 'gifts,' you might change your mind.

Of course corruption is not unknown in Russia , and also in Poland , my girlfriend is fortunate to work at a school for gifted children where the standards are very high...

The school is a music and theatre school , and my lady teaches Russian language and culture....heh...she is going to have a challenge teaching me Russian...!
1jola  14 | 1875
21 Nov 2010   #51
What is nice lady like that doing with a dirty biker like you? Oh, never mind.
wildrover  98 | 4430
21 Nov 2010   #52
She fell in love...so did i...it happens , even to bikers...!
Lodz_The_Boat  32 | 1522
21 Nov 2010   #53
she is going to have a challenge teaching me Russian...!

I hope the challenge doesnt scare her ... LOL =D

it happens , even to bikers...!

Yeah ... good luck!
wildrover  98 | 4430
21 Nov 2010   #54
I hope the challenge doesnt scare her

Not at all....she even went to university to qualify in teaching Russian to non Russians..just so she can teach me....
zetigrek
21 Nov 2010   #55
Is it customary in Poland for students to give the teacher a gift at the end of the term?

It's costumary to give flowers to a teacher who is "wychowawca" (tutor?) of a class. Also it is costumary to give flowers to wychowawca in Dzień Edukacji Narodowej (14th of October) which is called colloquially Day of a Teacher (Dzień Nauczyciela).

It is costumary only in elementary, middle and high school. Absolutely not in Universities. Although its costumary to give flowers after presentation of your thesis.

I never did such a thing, although I was close to a few and I gave them gift when my university was over. But its kinda strange to give gifts to a person who might be responsible for your grade

where have you lived? certainly not in Poland.
It is a custom and EVERY child gives flowers to his/her class tutor.
Of course it is not a bribe or anything like that. Just a standard way of showing a respect for a proffesion of teacher.
noreenb  7 | 548
21 Nov 2010   #56
zetigrek
It is a custom and EVERY child gives flowers to his/her class tutor.Of course it is not a bribe or anything like that. Just a standard way of showing a respect for a profession of teacher.

I agree with the post. Sometimes one class gives bunch of flowers. Some younger students used to give sweet little gifts like a candle in a shape of a ladybird or a water lily for teachers they liked very much.

It happens more often to get one nosegay from a class than a flower form every student.
Tutor gets as a gift dinner-set or tea-set or something like it when his class finishes school.
What would I give to a male tutor?
I don't know
A bottle of Vodka?
;)
pgtx  29 | 3094
21 Nov 2010   #57
A bottle of Vodka?
;)

hehe, no :)

maybe a book, or an album, or a 2011 calendar/organizer...
Lodz_The_Boat  32 | 1522
21 Nov 2010   #58
maybe a book, or an album, or a 2011 calendar/organizer...

Why not a Microwave oven ... a Persian Rug? ... A genuine leather Jacket? ... ???

I liked ur stance towards Vodka ... drinking is not a good think! It only retards a good man!
1jola  14 | 1875
21 Nov 2010   #59
Girls, you've lost touch with today's reality. Type in "Prezenty dla nauczycieli," read what goes on today, and then tell us about teacher appreciation.

Tutor gets as a gift dinner-set or tea-set or something like it when his class finishes school.

This prepares the children to appreciate judges, prosecutors, and other government officials later in life. Wonder if children buy gifts for teachers in countries where corruption in very low as opposed to our country.
pgtx  29 | 3094
21 Nov 2010   #60
you've lost touch with today's reality.

i am... i don't know how it looks today in Poland... and in my time, it was flowers...


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