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[EddieO]

Hey, I know it is a question that entails a lot of information. If you could tell me some of the things that shocked or amused you on your arrival, I'd appreciate. I am going to be in Elblag and I don't know a soul over there. I should have time to explore though. I am arriving in mid-September and won't start school till Oct. 1st. What is the best advice you could give me about Poland and teaching in Poland - I will be teaching various ages. I'd just like to hear some experiences and input.
Are the girls that beautiful?

Thanks for any help...


Ed

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[dynow]

hey bud,

well, as a North American myself, I can give you some insight, but I'm a Jersey Boy, quite a distance away from Florida, so my perspective may differ from yours. Come to think of it, I've never even been to Florida.

anywho, pm me if you have some more specific questions that i can answer for you.

oh, and yes, Polish girls are wonderful.....

[Master Shake]

One thing I remember about first arriving in Gdansk was that the people talking in the supermarkets and on the streets sounded really pissed off at each other. I kept looking over my shoulder expecting a fight to break out but it never happened.

Polish isn't the friendliest sounding language to begin with. Combine that with the fact that Polish people do complain and argue more than Americans (IMO) and you may be a little on-edge your first few days/weeks in Elblag.

But props to you for going over there. The girls are very nice - I like. Head up to Gdansk and Sopot if you get the chance or get bored with Elblag - a lot more going on there.

[Gajah Oling]

Well, Poland is a little bit colder than Florida is in the winter. If you can handle having your nuts frozen solid for several months, you'll be fine.

Also, avoid teaching 13-15 year old Poles at all costs, unless working as a prison warden is your idea of a good teaching gig.

[scot47]

And remember that Anti-semitism is alive and well in Poland !

[dynow]

ok, but anti-semetism is alive and well, period.

regarding Polish not being a "friendly" language, i gotta say, after a few trips to Germany recently, along with listening in on some German TV stations, Polish doesn't even hold a candle to German. that language sounds so harsh and aggressive, i couldn't imagine having to listen to that all day long.

[scot47]

dynow
That is why we have to teach everyone English. All normal people should speak this language.

Really I have never heard such ethnocentric C R A P !

[dynow]

47, i gotta admit.....you've totally lost me on that one.

[dynow]

and in case I am maybe thinking slightly on target here with your post....

listening to other languages you cannot understand will ALWAYS sound weird, to anybody, no matter how "worldly" you are or think you are. German, to me, just sounds extraordinarily weird to me, personally.

Shake was simply making an observation from a foreigner's standpoint. i was doing the same.

take it easy, buddy.

[Jetset]

The girls are certainly thinner than the north american slobs, and very friendly. But they tend to be rather catholic, and prudish as a result.

Food is excellent if you like meat and potatoes, and cabbage-derived products - who doesnt? )

Beer and Vodka is nice and cheap too!

+ 1 on the ages 13-15 - they are lil sh*ts so be prepared to lay down the law.

One on one lessons are fun - get paid to chat over coffee (and possibly date an assortment of students ;o)

[scot47]

Dynow

What I was trying to say is that to many in the English-speaking world English seems to be the RIGHT way to communicate, the only way. And to them, those who do not use English are suffering from some sort of linguistic deficit. Really just a variation of the view that all foreigners are odd if not perverse.

I would hope that teachers of English would be able to rise above that and see that other languages are perfectly valid ways of communicating. Have you ever paused to think how English may sound to non-Anglophones ?

Have you ever learned a foreignh language to any level of competence ?
Never too late to start.

[dynow]

Four-Seven,

Again, you are making assumptions on what I wrote, but I agree with your first paragraph completely. Many North Americans take this attitude, and it's just plain wrong, but it's mostly because they just don't know any better.

I don't understand why you feel the need to ask me, and assume that, I have never learned a foreign language. your posts stink of hidden agenda.

read what the original poster asked, what Shake wrote, and look at what i wrote, and it should make sense. the poster wanted to know "experiences" and what people living in Poland thought of Poland. I'm from the states and Shake is as well, so we can somewhat relate to this person. We were simply stating opinions.

I haven't heard anything from you pertaining to helping this guy.

Oh, I almost forgot about the 'Anti-Semetism' remark......+1.

[Master Shake]

[jestert79]

I came to Poland from Florida and lived in Bydgoszcz for two years teaching. The weather is a bit of a change - that was the first time I had ever worn a scarf. But the thing about winter isn't so much the cold, but the depression - I was used to sun all year round, and in north Poland it gets dark around 4 pm for a few months, and it took a toll on my mood.

Some other random info:

The occasional drunk, incoherent beggar on the street can be a bit disconcerting at times.

Get ready to gain a bit of weight - I gained about 10-15 pounds, from drinking pints of beer and getting served pierogies covered in fatty bacon and soaked in a centimeter of butter.

Service can be really sullen, and try not to take it personally. Normally it's nice. But once I ordered two beers in Polish, and the bar girl openly mocked me, repeating my words back at me in a "stupid" voice.

As said above, younger teens are a huge pain in the ass. You seriously have to crush their souls in the first few days, or they'll run over you like a steamroller all year.

The girls are cute, yeah, though I actually ended up with a British girlfriend.

Try Polish beer, and also Zubrowka vodka (with apple juice) and a shot called a "Mad Dog"

[dynow]

doesn't every city on this planet have the occasional drunk or incoherant beggar?

since moving to poland, i have LOST weight.

yes, the service can be real bad. regarding bartenders, in my experience, they usually really appreciate you using Polish when ordering drinks, but, they also know how incredibly difficult it is for a foreigner to use their language, so there is a certain entertainment value in it for them, and therefore, you will often times get a smirk back after your attempt at conjigating either the number or the name of the beer to be speaking somewhat proper polish grammar.

most polish beer is quite drinkable. ice cold Lech is one of my favorites, and Heineken is much better here than in the states. less skunky tasting/smelling.

i ended up with a polish girlfriend.