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My 1st week in Poland
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gregoryfromcali



Joined: 25 Feb 2005
Posts: 1207
Location: People's Republic of Shanghai

PostPosted: Thu Feb 09, 2006 11:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
i hear a lot about the polish ladies. i just have to ask. i lived in japan for 6 months in college, and these dorky american guys that could never bag chicks back home were getting these amazing japanese women. i, on the other hand, pretty much struck out entirely, whereas i can get mine back home. (I am a girl, by the way, 22.) Is Poland going to be the same story? Are the guys ugly and uninterested and the women, beautiful/baggable?


No and no.

From my experience as a babe magnet Wink you'll have as much luck here at dating as you would in your home country.

If you're good at dating at home, you'll be good at dating here. If you not so good at dating at home, you probably won't do so well here.

Remember Poland is in the EU so people are more than likely to run off to the West rather than date someone just because they're a foreigner.

But it does take a little while to get into the groove of how dating is different here, as a man it took me a while. Polish women can be very old fashioned sometimes.

As far as the men. You'll have to ask the ladies. But I'd imagine that they do things slightly different too.

Let me put it this way. I have yet to see or hear a Polish man use a pick up line, but my female students tell me that a few are catching on.

Quote:
On an unrelated note, is it going to be completely isolating with very meager polish language skills? I hear rumour of no significant ex-pat community in Krakow... true?


No, there are expats here, but thank god it's no Prague Mad.

Also since it's a university town a lot of young people know English, not to mention a lot of young people have been to England.


Last edited by gregoryfromcali on Sat Feb 11, 2006 12:27 am; edited 1 time in total
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gregoryfromcali



Joined: 25 Feb 2005
Posts: 1207
Location: People's Republic of Shanghai

PostPosted: Fri Feb 10, 2006 12:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

In Cracow, Klub Kulturalny.
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Khrystene



Joined: 17 Apr 2004
Posts: 271
Location: WAW, PL/SYD, AU

PostPosted: Fri Feb 10, 2006 11:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

gregoryfromcali wrote:
Quote:
Are the guys ugly and uninterested and the women, beautiful/baggable?


As far as the men. You'll have to ask the ladies. But I'd imagine that they do things slightly different too.

Let me put it this way. I have yet to see or hear a Polish man use a pick up line, but my female students tell me that a few are catching on.


Polish men.... oh dear...

Yes mostly ugly, but no not UNinterested... even if they're married, they're interested - even if it's just in a flirt, or rather a hassle as it often is - specially if they're drunk. That being said, not ALL Polish men are arses. You will find the occasional Gem.

The obsession with opening the door for women and letting women go through it first, isn't always continued in their other behaviour. It's a pet peeve, sorry guys.

So, be careful, but expect to be surprised. Pleasantly, at least once in a while! Very Happy
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Bialonoz



Joined: 27 Sep 2005
Posts: 57

PostPosted: Fri Feb 10, 2006 3:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Alex Shulgin wrote:
Bialonoz wrote:
Tomba Tomba's sweet, if you like clubs. Lolek's lovely in summer. Bar Below however is spoilt by the bad attitude of the awful proprietor. Proof that bars are often run by people totally unsuited to that type of work.

Cynamon is nice though. Also Musa.


What?!! Niall has to be one of the best bar managers in Warsaw. Are you sure you aren't confusing him with somebody else? I've never heard a bad word said about the guy.


A little guy. Irish. Korean wife. Absolutely obnoxious to a number of customers when we were last there. We felt very uncomfortable watching it. Other people have said the same to me and avoid the place for that reason. And why does he have a poster with the word 'b itches' in the entrance to the bar?
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guangho



Joined: 16 Oct 2004
Posts: 476
Location: in transit

PostPosted: Fri Feb 10, 2006 4:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks guys. What about work opportunities (freelance, private, evenings?)
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cezarek



Joined: 29 Aug 2005
Posts: 149

PostPosted: Mon Feb 13, 2006 4:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bialonoz wrote:

A little guy. Irish. Korean wife. Absolutely obnoxious to a number of customers when we were last there. We felt very uncomfortable watching it. Other people have said the same to me and avoid the place for that reason. And why does he have a poster with the word 'b itches' in the entrance to the bar?


Can't say I've noticed him, but I certainly know people (quite a few) who avoid that bar for the reasons you mention. Personally I've found it quite pleasant - if a little loud - on the few occasions I've been. I thought it has a nice atmosphere and attentive staff. And they show UK football. I agree with you about that poster though. Tacky.
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cezarek



Joined: 29 Aug 2005
Posts: 149

PostPosted: Mon Feb 13, 2006 4:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

guangho wrote:
Thanks guys. What about work opportunities (freelance, private, evenings?)


Freelance is easy enough if you're free mornings. Private work tends to come through personal reccomendation from existing students. Evenings maybe. A few language schools are looking for teachers to fill some in-company lessons right now. But mornings tend to be when they're looking.
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steviok85



Joined: 31 Aug 2006
Posts: 87

PostPosted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 9:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I had to chuckle at the original poster's comment - especially regarding paying extra for the swastika graffitti.
My first few weeks in a dull city beginning with P last September (not Poznan) left me wondering what I was getting myself in for. I spent the first few weeks searching for activities to do when I eventually struck gold by playing 'spot the giant bald-headed oaf who walks like an ape' out my window. Given the sheer mass of such people, it kept me occupied.
It is still not much better now, but I am glad I did not hop it .. just got to think of the CV, and the magical letter of reference with the official school stamp. Priceless.
The students are nice.
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sharter



Joined: 25 Jun 2008
Posts: 878
Location: All over the place

PostPosted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 12:42 pm    Post subject: Stevieok Reply with quote

Hate to tell you Steve but most schools in Poland don't look at references. Also, if a school is going to dick you it'll be with your last paypacket come June; that's when you might lose the reference anyway. I wouldn't be loyal to a language school in Poland...they won't hestitate in dropping you the moment demand slackens.

The students are good in Poland and that makes the teaching time great.

Year 2 I'd head to a medium-sized place like Torun to avoid the obscene prices in cities like Poznan, where eating out can cost you 10% of your month's wages if you're dating and buy a bottle of wine. Bydgoszcz is also cool for partying.

On oferty.net yesterday, really old flats are now selling at 6,000Zl/square metre, which is about $2,100, if not more. Renting is hard under about 1,200Zl/month. Average cyncz/chinch is about 250Zl/month and the tram pass is about 100Zl/month. Petrol is about $1.60 a litre. Yesterday, my Polish ex-wife, who is an account manager for a Danish company, told me that real inflation for most things is running close to 10%. Life is indeed brutal there right now. The above prices are for Poznan; for Warsaw you can add a bit, but not much...I've lived in both.

Generally speaking, I'd avoid Warsaw like the plague. It's a soulless, ugly, depressing city. As for the bars? I used to live 5 minutes on foot from Cynammon......if that's the best around then I'm the King 'o' Spain. Warsaw's Zamek is a tourist hole, dead at night.....there is no centre.
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steviok85



Joined: 31 Aug 2006
Posts: 87

PostPosted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 6:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I made a few blips, or was rather secretive, in my last post which was why Sharter did not read between the lines. Not having a go - my own fault.
My 'Priceless' comment about the reference with the official stamp was actually tinged with sarcasm, and I should have made it clear that it was the first few weeks in this city - not in Poland. It is my third year now, although not consecutively.

Cheers
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sharter



Joined: 25 Jun 2008
Posts: 878
Location: All over the place

PostPosted: Mon Feb 14, 2011 6:39 am    Post subject: erm Reply with quote

Must confess I did think the stamp sentence was odd but just put it down to something an American newbie teacher might say....

I'd still check out Torun folks...nice place, nicely located...a walled city no less.
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Blasphemer



Joined: 03 Dec 2008
Posts: 199
Location: NYC/Warszawa

PostPosted: Thu Aug 11, 2011 3:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I love Torun, very nice place, played there quite few times. I found Szczecin to be a pretty fun place as well. As per Warsaw and avoiding it ... I'm having a good time here, plenty of things to do, plus it's very convenient when it comes to public transport.
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hrvatski



Joined: 16 Nov 2008
Posts: 270

PostPosted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 12:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Much of my family-in-law lives in Zabrze. Not good. I would define the train station as absolute hell, was almost knifed and stoned there on separate occasions. The architecture of that train station could be one of Socialist Realism's worst legacies. Ex-mining Śląsk unemployment hell.
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Master Shake



Joined: 03 Nov 2006
Posts: 1202
Location: Colorado, USA

PostPosted: Sat Aug 13, 2011 10:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Blasphemer wrote:
I love Torun, very nice place, played there quite few times. I found Szczecin to be a pretty fun place as well. As per Warsaw and avoiding it ... I'm having a good time here, plenty of things to do, plus it's very convenient when it comes to public transport.


Exactly. Warsaw isn't going to win any awards for beauty. But there is lots to do here and it's pretty easy to go do it when you can choose between trams, trains and busses.

This, and and abundance of well paying work, is what's kept me here for 2+ years
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Blasphemer



Joined: 03 Dec 2008
Posts: 199
Location: NYC/Warszawa

PostPosted: Tue Aug 23, 2011 6:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Master Shake wrote:


Exactly. Warsaw isn't going to win any awards for beauty. But there is lots to do here and it's pretty easy to go do it when you can choose between trams, trains and busses.

This, and and abundance of well paying work, is what's kept me here for 2+ years


Well, for some, abundance of work, fun and ease of commute still doesn't cut it. Neither does making 2x the national average while working half time, for others it's a great opportunity to live a little haha.. I still owe you a beer if I remember correctly haha...
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