Just arrived - first impressions

11.04.06, 18:02
Greetings fellow foreigners! Arrived to Poland couple of days ago (moved here
with my Polish wife, we'll see how long we last - I mean in Poland). My first
impressions:
1. It's bloody cold
2. People on the streets look glum (probably related to point number 1)
3. Breads are superb
4. Voiceover done by the single person for all the characters in the foreign
movies is hilarious!
5. It's still so bloody cold

I have a few questions:
1. Is there an English bookshop in Warsaw?
2. Good pubs you can recommend?
3. How did you guys started to learn Polish?
4. Whatever happened to the FAQ that nasha_maggie wrote, I thought it was
quite useful?

Cheers, Ben
    • jot-23 Re: Just arrived - first impressions 11.04.06, 18:07
      Ben ,and just where are you coming from? "from away"?
      • bengateau Re: Just arrived - first impressions 11.04.06, 18:41
        Yes, from the land far, far away smile
        Sydney Australia
        • jot-23 Re: Just arrived - first impressions 11.04.06, 18:51
          bengateau napisał:

          > Yes, from the land far, far away smile
          > Sydney Australia

          lol... ok... i guess you're excused and allowed to complain about the weather!
          but no worries, it gets better, by the end of june usually!
          • marcus_anglikiem Re: Just arrived - first impressions 11.04.06, 20:19
            Don't listen to him... good weather should be with you by May.
            for further details:
            www.bbc.co.uk/weather/world/city_guides/results.shtml?tt=TT004140
            books:
            The American Bookstore ul Nowy Świat 61
            and some others (i don't remember in which languages the following stock books)
            Księgarnia ,,Leksykon" ul Nowy Świat 41
            Księgarnia ,,Resursa" ul Krakowskie Przedmieście 62, postcode 00-322
            Główna Księgarnia Wojskowa ul Krakowskie Przedmieście 11
            tel +48 22 826 1707
            As you're in Warszawa, i must recommend
            a teahouse ,,Chadō" ul Chmielna 11
            tel +48 507 247853
            a great club ,,Ground Zero" ul Wspólna 62
            a great restaurant ,,Bar Cô Tú" ul Nowy Świat 22/28 (paw. 21? paw. 3?)
            two great eateries ,,Bar Pod Barbakanem" ul Mostowa 27/29
            and ,,Salad Bar Tukan" ul Tamka 37
            As for pubs, i don't really recall the names... sorry. but i'm sure you'll
            have a lot of fun finding the good pubs yourself!
            Learning Polish: carry a very small notebook and pen everywhere and write down
            every new word you hear; speak as much Polish as you can; and abracadabra
            you'll soon be speaking well!
            english language publications: "Warsaw Insider"; "Welcome to Warsaw";
            "Warsaw: What, Where, When"; "Warsaw Voice"... and i seem to remember something
            i think was called CITY Guide (a free guide to what's on avail. in cafes etc. )
            Maggie's FAQ i'm sure you can find on page somethingorother... one of the older
            and notlatelyvisited threads... see the right lower corner of the main page for
            access to further pages...
            Good luck !
            • bengateau Re: Just arrived - first impressions 12.04.06, 11:32
              Thanks so much for your recommendations Marcus smile I will check them out as soon
              as I can.
              Cheers, Ben
              • marcus_anglikiem Re: Just arrived - first impressions 12.04.06, 20:20
                i've just checked out the American Bookshop site (thanks to Maggie wink ) and
                looked through their list of 'Polish interest' books; i can recommend
                everything by Timothy Garton Ash,and "The Issa Valley" and "The Captive Mind"
                by Czesław Miłosz.
                • marcus_anglikiem Re: Just arrived - first impressions 13.04.06, 08:03
                  i mustn't forget "Mila 18" by Leon Uris
    • nasza_maggie Re: Just arrived - first impressions 12.04.06, 00:51
      Gday Bensmile

      Hope your flight was goodsmile

      As far as my post, you just need to type in FAQ into the search enginesmile

      You picked a good time to come to Poland. It is now spring and everything will
      change - it's waaaaaaaaaaaaay better for anyone from Oz to arrive nowsmile

      Your opinion about people looking glum is true. POles tend not to smile to you
      on the street. I had a tough time adjusting to that. Oh well. I probably don't
      smile too.
      Ah no, I do, and everyone turns away, they think I'm a loonysmile
      But our favourite singer and poet Kazik (you should go to one of his gigssmile)
      did sing once in 'Cztery Pokoje"

      "Polacy są tak agresywni, a to dlatego, że nie ma słońca
      Nieomal przez siedem miesięcy w roku, a lato nie jest gorące
      Tylko zimno i pada, zimno i pada na to miejsce w środku Europy..." smile

      here are the lyrics:
      www.kazik.pl/pl/dyskografia/utwor/224.html
      here is the video:
      film-92.film.szorty.pl/

      So, a little bit of homework for yousmile


      - Yes there is 'The American Book Store"
      www.americanbookstore.pl/
      The british Council
      www.britishcouncil.org/poland.htm
      They Lend books.


      - I reccomned 'Lolek' during summer. Or winter, they have tentssmile
      Lots of Sport on in there and good grubsmile
      www.lolekpub.pl/index.htm
      There is also Champions in the Marriott hotel (very expat - very expensive).
      www.champions.pl/

      I can reccomend some tru-hardcore-pub in the Praga borough, if you want the
      taste of real Warsaw, not the tourist onesmile

      - Well, I'm a geniussmile)))

      - FAQ into the search engine at the topsmile


      Hope to meet you soon!

      Mag wink
      • bengateau Re: Just arrived - first impressions 12.04.06, 11:57
        G'day Maggie smile
        Well, the flight was as good as the 24 hours flight can be - 27 hours
        door-to-door. Now I'm waking up at 4AM and having lunch, fun times ...
        Done my homework: Four rooms. Poles are so aggressive, and that's because there
        is no sunshine (when she's gone...) for 7 months a year, and summer isn't hot
        either, just cold and rain, it's cold and it rains on that place in the middle
        of Europe.
        How did I go?
        Yes please recommend me the pubs where the locals hang out, hopefully someplace
        closer then Prague smile I know I know, dangerous Praga across the river... I mean
        somewhere where gentle people hang out, not the soccer hooligans. And no yuppies
        please, domestic or imported, so Marriott will not see me wink
        Cheers, Ben
    • usenetposts Re: Just arrived - first impressions 12.04.06, 10:40
      bengateau napisał:

      > Greetings fellow foreigners! Arrived to Poland couple of days ago (moved here
      > with my Polish wife, we'll see how long we last - I mean in Poland). My first
      > impressions:
      > 1. It's bloody cold

      That'll change pretty quickly now.

      > 2. People on the streets look glum (probably related to point number 1)

      That's only part of the problem, but the warmer weather will help. Actually
      they are not necessarily glum, just socially autistic, so that's ok.

      > 3. Breads are superb

      That's just the tip of the food iceberg.

      > 4. Voiceover done by the single person for all the characters in the foreign
      > movies is hilarious!

      It has its benefits. Once you get used to it, you might actually prefer it to
      full dubbing, as it enables you to hear the original actors. But it takes a
      while to get used to it. What you will also notice is that Poles are rarely
      perturbed by more than one person speaking at once. Everyone only listens to
      their own voice anyway.

      > 5. It's still so bloody cold
      >

      Never fear, it will soon be bloody hot.

      > I have a few questions:
      > 1. Is there an English bookshop in Warsaw?

      Many I think Maggie gave you the lead.

      > 2. Good pubs you can recommend?

      It depends whereabouts in Warsaw you are living, but they are not the same as
      the English pubs. Try folk gospoda on Walicow 13 and see what you think.

      > 3. How did you guys started to learn Polish?

      I did Russian at University and I chose a paper on the history of the Slavonic
      languages, so it kinda gave me a head start.

      > 4. Whatever happened to the FAQ that nasha_maggie wrote, I thought it was
      > quite useful?
      >

      I kept it at the top for a while, but I do like rotating the pinned messages,
      and sometimes not having any,in which case they will start to move down the
      pile, but it's in their somewhere. I think if you take Maggie's advice on using
      the searchbox, you should find it ok.

      There should be a Warsaw meet-up soon, you'd be most welcome.
      • bengateau Re: Just arrived - first impressions 12.04.06, 12:18
        Thanks for the invite usenetposts, I'd love to meet the people from this forum.
        Weather doesn't really bother me (I did my year in England wink), I like the fact
        that it's different then back home.
        I do prefer voiceover to full dubbing, but my choice would be subtitles. Anyway,
        I was told they use subtitles in cinemas, all is good.
        It was interesting to read your opinion about the Callan method, thank you for
        all the tips!
        Cheers, Ben.
        • usenetposts Re: Just arrived - first impressions 12.04.06, 14:14
          The other place you can get subtitles - other than DVDs - is some of the HBO or
          Canal Plus films if you have cable.
        • usenetposts Re: Just arrived - first impressions 13.04.06, 12:05
          bengateau napisał:

          > Thanks for the invite usenetposts, I'd love to meet the people from this
          forum.

          My pleasure. I just hope that we can organise an organiser, because when I
          organise it nobody turns up.
    • ejmarkow Re: Just arrived - first impressions 12.04.06, 11:25
      bengateau napisał:

      > 3. Breads are superb
      > 3. How did you guys started to learn Polish?

      Hi Ben! Nice to meet you. Yes, the food is fantastic here. I learned most of my
      Polish, as broken and grammatically incorrect as it sometimes is, from my
      neighbors and locals here. No formal schooling or teachers...only my ears.
      Welcome!

      Regards,

      Eugene
      Siemiechów, Poland
      • bengateau Re: Just arrived - first impressions 12.04.06, 12:25
        Thanks for the tip Eugene smile I don't care about grammar at the moment anyway (as
        you can tell from my writing). As long as I can communicate to the Polish people
        with my Polish (Benolish) I'll be happy wink
        Cheers, Ben
    • magpie5 Re: Just arrived - first impressions 12.04.06, 14:09
      G'day mate I am from Melbourne living with my Polish girlfriend, yes agree with
      you that it is cold here mate but you did not get to see the best, one night
      was -23 at night. i am living in an area called Kabaty. also agree that people
      do not look to happy compared to australia but remember if we had a tough
      history like them we might be a little different also. Hey I have been here a
      while not so if you want to have a chat or catch up for a drink sometime would
      be great to meet another Aussie. My e-mail is morrowood@yahoo.com.au. I hope
      you enjoy mate and best of luck. Look forward to hearing from you. cheers Paul
      • bengateau Re: Just arrived - first impressions 12.04.06, 15:34
        G'day Paul,
        great to see another Aussie is here! Yes I'll definitely get in touch after the
        Easter once I sort out the papers needed for work permit.
        I know what you mean about the history and all, but they have achieved so much
        in the last 20 years (getting rid of commies, going through transition period,
        now joining the EU) I thought they'd be more pleased. Guess it takes time for it
        to sink in, next generation perhaps.
        Cheers, Ben
        PS. Collingwood supporter, huh?
    • magpie5 Re: Just arrived - first impressions 12.04.06, 16:16
      yeah mate got it on one and in true magpies supporter arrogance I am delaring
      THE PIES ARE BACK!!!! after our first win last meek haha. yeah it is very
      different culture wise but hopefully you can get used to it. So i am guessing
      you are a league or perhaps union man yourself. I know what you mean about
      poland achieving so much and they have come so far but I think and i could be
      wrong but the next couple of generations will be different. So what are you
      going to be doing work wise? Is amazing after the first 3 months I was here I
      realised I was living 20 meters away from another aussie, he is from WA but to
      be honest he is not a really sociable bloke, I offerecd to catch up for a beer
      a couple of times but wasnt really interested..such is life. Yeah once you get
      your stuff worked out drop us a line. Best of luck mate. Paul
      • bengateau Re: Just arrived - first impressions 12.04.06, 17:17
        I like both League and Union. I even managed to get over the "tight-shorts"
        thing and got into AFL, it's a top game I have to say. I'm trying to remember
        who are the current champions but I can't?! wink Where do you watch the games
        here? I was hoping there is an English pub somewhere around Warsaw with Sky
        Sports, then we'd be sorted.
        I'm Electronics Engineer, got a job offer while still in Oz but it's located in
        Cracow. My wife is not too keen but I want to go down there and check it out. I
        think it's amazing someone wants to employ me even though I can't speak the
        lingo. So that's my priority at the moment, but I have to say it's not the
        easiest language to learn.
        Have a good Easter mate I'll talk to you later. Cheers, Ben
        • magpie5 Re: Just arrived - first impressions 13.04.06, 08:21
          well in reagrds to the current AFL champions yeah my memory has let me down, I
          think I know but not really sure....dont think it was Collingwood though that
          was a surprise haha. Good to see you were able to get over the tight shorts
          issue, not so bad these days although I do remember ( sorry have selective
          memory) that one Warrick Capper from where????? was one the main offenders in
          this area.
          Yeah must agree with you that Polish is not the easiest language to learn
          although I think i should get myself off to a school for a while might be able
          to pick it up quicker.
          Mate that was pretty good for you to get a job offer as you said especially as
          you don't speak the lingo...good for you.
          By the way my girlfriend works with a guy who has a couple of mates who go to
          some Irish bar to watch the rugby so I will try to get its address for you.
          On the internet now watching cricket, well is lunch and its a disgrace as we
          are struggling to beat Bangladesh, never thought I would see the day.
          take it easy mate. Paul
          • nasza_maggie Re: Just arrived - first impressions 13.04.06, 12:02
            Isn't the net wonderful??? smile))))
          • bengateau Re: Just arrived - first impressions 13.04.06, 14:03
            Haha, Warrick Capper smile) Thank you for reminding me of that tool. Still remember
            the tv show when he and his equally bright missus were showing their house, I
            was in stitches. Mimbo and bimbo. D-Generation then had a field day with them
            for a while, but they were such an easy target.
            I feel weird to give you advices as you've been here a lot longer then me, but I
            really think that learning the local language is a must. Please consider it,
            your Poland experience would be so much deeper if you can communicate with the
            locals. Your g/f is Polish, so no excuses for you mate wink
            Cricket, well what can I say ... we were dominant for so long, it's good for the
            sport that we are finally being challenged, everyone was losing interest. Can't
            say I'm happy we lost Ashes, but watching the exulting faces of Poms around me
            was priceless. They couldn't believe what just happened (and neither could we).
            Good on them I say, it was long time between the drinks for them, at least their
            supporters can sing (and have songs to sing). We are due for some fresh blood,
            all our players are over 30, so now is the time for the others to have some joy
            - before things go back to normal smile)
            Cheers, Ben
            • magpie5 Re: Just arrived - first impressions 13.04.06, 14:20
              Couldnt agree with you more mate about learning the language, especially when
              visiting my girlfriends friends anf family as many do not speak english. Will
              make things a lot easier and a lot more enjoyable.Yeah no excuses mate agree.
              See your point about the cricket ( by the way aussies got up by 3 wickets )
              but I dont know the only english speaking channel I got here is BBC World and
              got a bit sick of them to be honest. Yeah can imagine there wrapped about
              knocking us off and forgot what it felt like to lose to them. So good luck to
              them but hope next time we get the ashes back.
              Yeah capper and his missus well if brains were dinamite they couldnt blow there
              nose. Last I heard capper was travelling oz with chopper read and mark " jacko"
              jackson doing stand up. Would be pretty easy to laugh at capper I reckon.
              So who do you follow in the rugby codes? Obviously I like to see the storm get
              up and in the super 14's well being from Melbourne just like to see the aussies
              get up but dont mind the Brumbies.
              Cheers Paul
              • bengateau Re: Just arrived - first impressions 13.04.06, 15:07
                In NRL I support Dragons (St George), in Union I only really follow Wallabies
                (so I'm keen to find out the name of that Irish pub before Tri Nations and
                Bledisloe Cup), and in AFL the Sydney Swans of course smile Storm brings the bad
                memories of '99 so please lets not go there, I think of them the same you
                probably think of Swans - I'm all for the national competition, but without the
                passion they look silly even when they win. But in the long run, it'll be good.
                Cheers, Ben
                • magpie5 Re: Just arrived - first impressions 13.04.06, 15:43
                  must admit that I am not a huge fan of NRL but generally love my sports so
                  always keep an eye on it.
                  Yeah must admit it is different as although we love our sport in Melb there is
                  not as much passion as we do not have from grassroots level.
                  Swans were great last year but think might truggle a bit more this time around.
                  Look am trying to find this address of pub for you mate. Have only been there
                  once but if interested can meet some time after Easter and go there for a beer.
                  Have sent my girlfriend an e-mail asking if she knows the address, know it is
                  10-15 minutes walk from Galeria Mokotov, is probably more about but do not know
                  them.
                  Oh yeah and as for the Wallabies can you see a rainbow at the end of this
                  storm ( no pun intended) or do you think they will continue to struggle?
                  ok just got email from girlfriend she said address is basically cnr of
                  Wilanwska & Domaniewska streets just across from Wilonowska metro station.
                  Cheers Paul
                  • bengateau Re: Just arrived - first impressions 19.04.06, 12:54
                    Thanks for the address mate, the street names are all Greek to me but when I get
                    back to Warsaw we'll go and check it out together. We are at my in-laws and will
                    be here for a while, then we'll go down to Cracow to see about my employment.
                    Then we'll decide what to do (lots of heavy negotiating at the moment), but
                    we'll be back in Warsaw - maybe to start living there, maybe just to pick up our
                    luggage. I'll let you know.
                    Wallabies, yes we don't have great players any more, but we still have the
                    winner mentality, and if someone is to get on top of us they have to work their
                    guts out. Can't ask for more with this current squad.
                    Cheers, Ben
                    • magpie5 Re: Just arrived - first impressions 20.04.06, 13:55
                      well good luck with your job hunting and negotiations mate. Hope it all works
                      out for you.
                      Yeah if you happen to end back here in Warsaw and want to catch up let me know.
                      I have only been to Krakow once and thought it was great so think you will
                      enjoy.
                      What did I tell you mate but the Magpies or should that be the MIGHTY MAGPIES
                      are BACK ha ha. Well a long way to go but you know us Collingwood suporters.
                      See the Aussies were finally able to overcome the might of Bangladesh and
                      dont know if you heard but Gillespie scored a double century...i am not joking
                      201 not out, whats the world coming to.
                      Anyway take it easy and once again best of luck Ben.
                      Cheers Paul
                      • bengateau Re: Just arrived - first impressions 20.04.06, 16:15
                        Thanks for the good wishes mate. Job offer for Krakow is still on, I need to
                        negotiate with my wife which is a lot harder smile). She was studying in Warsaw so
                        she's a bit attached to it, but if Ive managed to give up Sydney, it shouldn't
                        be too hard for her to go from Warsaw to Krakow, it's still her beloved Poland
                        isn't it? I've started a new thread about Krakow, and yes it does look
                        promising, we will see.
                        Congrats on Magpies recovery, yes they are well and truly back. I've read about
                        Gillespie-ultra-mullet amazing effort, quite bizarre really, good on him.
                        Cheers, Ben
                        • usenetposts Re: Just arrived - first impressions 20.04.06, 16:54
                          bengateau napisał:

                          > Thanks for the good wishes mate. Job offer for Krakow is still on, I need to
                          > negotiate with my wife which is a lot harder smile). She was studying in Warsaw
                          so
                          > she's a bit attached to it, but if Ive managed to give up Sydney, it shouldn't
                          > be too hard for her to go from Warsaw to Krakow, it's still her beloved Poland
                          > isn't it? I've started a new thread about Krakow, and yes it does look
                          > promising, we will see.


                          On the one hand I'm pleased to see people being attached to Warsaw, and I
                          certainly believe the opportunities here are more numerous than in Krakow, both
                          in terms of earning and in making a capital gain on any real estate you might
                          invest in (Krakow may well be already overpriced if anywhere in Poland is), on
                          the other hand I think it would be a mistake for you to be totally uprooted and
                          her be like in the bosom of her family. If she spends too much time with her
                          parents, that usually puts a lot of pressure on Polish-foreigner marriages.

                          They get assimilated back into teh Polish family model, which is subtlely
                          different to the Anglo-Saxon model, which is what I daresay Australians would
                          be more used to, although my only experience of that country is watching
                          Neighbours and other TV programmes, and a few excellent clients over the years.
                          • magpie5 Re: Just arrived - first impressions 20.04.06, 17:26
                            well Ben can understand that this is a difficult situation mate. hope it all
                            works out for you. I know you like me have left our beloved Australia to come a
                            long way but can see is difficult for both parties, oh yeah and by the way I
                            know its not important but Gillespie has lost the mullet gee he looks different
                            and has helped his batting.
                            Saw your thread on Krakow and as I said it is a great place, hope you and your
                            wife can work somrthing out here.
                            In response to Usenetposts well I am new here but gather you run this forum so
                            good to respond to you and yeah I agree with you that the Polish family model
                            is quite different to that of us aussies.Also you are correct that there has to
                            be a balance in that for us to be here we have to move to a country which
                            really is completely different in almost every way so is not too much to ask to
                            ask for changes from your partner also but can depend on the situation. But at
                            the end of the day we both have to take the good and the bad of both cultures
                            to make it work.
                            Oh yeah and please do not associate Aussies with those you se in neighbours
                            haha. Good to hear you have a good assosiation with aussies in the past, we are
                            not a bad lot generally speaking but then again i could be biased.
                            cheers Paul
                          • marcus_anglikiem Re: Just arrived - first impressions 24.04.06, 21:53
                            how would you characterise those differences in the family model? i haven't
                            heard the subject much discussed.
                            • usenetposts Re: Just arrived - first impressions 26.04.06, 22:25
                              marcus_anglikiem napisał:

                              > how would you characterise those differences in the family model? i haven't
                              > heard the subject much discussed.

                              In a nutshell, Poles spoil their kids, we don't.

                              In our culture, the children are not put on such a pedestal that parents and
                              their relationship to one another is all subordinated to it.

                              Nations that were into expansion and empire building, like Britain, and Russia,
                              toughened the kids up and turned them into rulers.

                              Poland and other nations that have has to live through being on the receiving
                              end of occupation, had to put the education of kids into the home, put the kids
                              first, and close the home. When schools were not allowed to teach Polish,
                              Polish kids were reading Krasinski, Mickiewicz and all the other lot at home.

                              Had Poles not developed that strategy, their culture would never have survived
                              the rozbiorki.

                              Aggressor nations with established family models that do not promote the child
                              above the parent in the home, but toughen him for rule have a big problem when
                              finally they have to settle down amongst nations that had the other model, and
                              iintermarry with them - that's why, despite the fact that people carrying the
                              Gothic language, an East Germanic language, took over all over Europe and had
                              Kingdom next to Kingdom under their own control from the Balkans though Italy
                              and France to Spain, lost their language in just a few generations, and the
                              only record we have of it is Ulfila's translation of part of the New Testament,
                              and the same thing happened to the Vikings in early Russia - before that Nation
                              became a powerbuilder in its own right.
Pełna wersja