Everything You Wanted To Know about Poland but were Afraid to Ask

1. Where is Poland?
   
2. How big is it in relation to the rest of Europe?
   
3. How do you get there from [asker's location]?
   
4. What is its capital?
   
5. Where are some of the other towns and how big are they?
   
6. Do I need a passport/visa to get there? If so, which ones?
   
7. How many tourists were there in 2001?
   
8. How many people actually live there?
   
9. [and a few more about statistical type things]
   
10. What is the weather like-is it true that it's always dreary, rainy and cold?
    
11. What are some dates in Polish history?
    
12. Who governs/leads the country?
    
13. What are some of the main political parties?
    
14. Who are the artists, writers, musicians and other creative people?
    
15. Where is there some good entertainment?
    
16. Where are some good places to stay?
    
17. How long have they been around?
18. What do they actually do?
19. How much is the cyber coffee?
20. Can any of you give Polish lessons?
21. What sites do you recommend?
22. Why did you decide to design this webpage?
23. Who is in charge of Nedstat?
24. What is the state of the Polish economy?
25. ...more questions


   

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1. Where is Poland?

Google Search: Newsgroups: alt.cities.new-york
1) Too bad that not too many American people know where is Poland. Most of them are thinking that in Poland is very very cold and we are on the North Pole.

• Detailed Country Profile: Poland
  
• http://www.polandonline.com/infobase.html

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2. How big is it in relation to the rest of Europe?

1. POLAND. One of the largest of the countries of Eastern Europe, Poland was the first of these countries to liberate its government from the Communist domination endured for 45 years. It was the relegalization of the trade union Solidarity and the agreement to hold partially free parliamentary elections that appeared to have opened the floodgates of radical reforms that spilled over into other countries of the Soviet bloc.   more
2. http://economist.com/countries/Poland/
   profile.cfm

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3. How do you get there from [asker's location]?

• lonelyplanet.com/destinations/europe/poland
• howtoget.htm

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4. What is its capital?

http://www.newpoland.com/warsaw.htm#top

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5. Where are some of the other towns and how big are they?

http://www.newpoland.com/cities_main_poland.htm

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6. Do I need a passport/visa to get there? If so, which ones?

1. http://polcon.tripod.com/survival.html
2. Australians still need visas
3. http://www.wtgonline.com/data/pol/pol040.asp
4. www.newpoland.com/travel_tips.htm
5. http://poloniamichigan.virtualave.ne
6. http://www.polishembassy.ie/#visas
7. 28/8/2003 Protest against Polish passport blackmail
8. DUAL NATIONALITY: Polish law now requires Polish citizens (including those who are also American citizens) to enter and depart Poland using a Polish passport. Americans who are also Polish citizens or who are unsure if they hold Polish citizenship are advised to contact the nearest Polish consular office for information about citizenship requirements and travel documentation. While recognizing that some Americans are also citizens of other countries, the U.S. Government does not encourage its citizens to become or remain dual nationals due to an array of complications that may ensue from the obligations owed to the country of second nationality. For example, Polish law prohibits Polish citizens from serving in the armed forces of a foreign state, and violators are subject to arrest and prosecution. U.S.-Polish dual nationals who are members of the U.S. armed forces may be subject to these penalties. Additional information about the U.S. Government's policy with respect to dual nationality may be found at the Bureau of Consular Affairs web site at http://travel.state.gov/dualnationality.html. from

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7. How many tourists were there in 2001?

1. Tourism: 8 million visitors per year
2. http://www.intur.com.pl/itenglish/current.htm
3. http://www.intur.com.pl/itenglish/expendit.htm
4. http://polcon.tripod.com/dirtrav.html
5.  

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8. How many people actually live there?

http://economist.com/countries/Poland/profile-FactSheet

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9. a few more about statistical type things

1. http://economist.com/countries/Poland/index.cfm
2. http://www.odci.gov/cia/factbook/pl.html

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10. What is the weather like-is it true that it's always dreary, rainy and cold?

Summer days can be hot, but take a sweater for evenings. Winters are wet, cold, dreary and not a great time to visit unless you're interested in skiing (December-April).

· Facts for the Traveler | When to Go
· Yahoo! Weather - Warsaw
· Current Weather Conditions: Warszawa-Okęcie, Poland
· Police Weather - Poland
· Weather Underground: Poland
· BBC - Weather Centre - Travel - Poland

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11. What are some dates in Polish history?

· A Few Words About the History of Poland By Prof. W. J. Wagner
· Polish History & Culture: "dwellers in the field" my foot! made by CIESIN stands for Consortium for International Earth Science Information Network.
· Poland - Internet Resources
· http://www.poloniatoday.com/history14.htm
· http://polcon.tripod.com/dirhist.html
· http://www.newpoland.com/major_dates.htm
· http://dir.yahoo.com/Regional/Countries/Poland/
Arts_and_Humanities/Humanities/
History/By_Time_Period/

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12. Who governs/leads the country?

· The political system described, and the names of all cabinet ministers
· Freedom in the World 2003

• http://economist.com/story_id=905038
• The European Commission announced that Poland remains on course for EU membership sometime between 2003 and 2005 but needs to improve efficiency in the judiciary; intensify anticorruption efforts; jump-start agricultural reforms; and adhere to privatization plans in key industries like steel, defense, and energy. When the EU suggested that Poland might not qualify for the first round of enlargement, parliament accelerated its review of nearly 40 reform laws. In late December the government also created an inter-ministerial team to coordinate efforts against economic crime. Earlier in the month, Poles were shocked by the resignation of Silesian governor Marek Kempski, whose administration was known for its tough anticorruption stance. Kempski stepped down amid allegations that aides in his office were using their public posts to further private business deals.
  http://216.119.117.183/research/freeworld/2001/
  countryratings/poland.htm
  Polish authorities also announced new measures aimed at combating corruption, including the creation a special police unit called the Central Anti-Corruption Office. In October parliament ratified a Council of Europe protocol to abolish the death penalty.
• Poland The sheer volume of print and broadcast outlets allow for freedom and diversity of information. However, laws against insulting or deriding the nation and its political system are still in force. More than 85 percent of the media have been privatized. More than 300 newspapers, 119 commercial radio stations (six national stations, five of which are state-owned), and ten commercial television stations operate. Well-financed foreign broadcasters enable private media to compete with state systems. Major newspapers also have foreign investors, but they are restricted to 33 percent of the ownership. The national news service has also been privatized.
  4 3 2 0 19
  4 4 2 0 F
  http://www.freedomhouse.org/
  pfs2000/reports.html#pola

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13. What are some of the main political parties?

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14. Who are the artists, writers, musicians and other creative people?

Polish Writing
polska 2000
Useful internet links
http://www.culture.pl/en/culture/
http://www.europalia.pl/en/home.html

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15. Where is there some good entertainment?

· Poland: Entertainment

BBC- Onelife - Travel - Country A to Z - Poland: Entertainment

Recent arrivals in Warsaw include Quo Vadis in the cellars of the Palace of Culture and Wektor X in the Polna Market building. More established clubs are around Nowy Swiat.

· Disco Clubs Poland, Sopot

· Warsaw - Poland - entertainment

· Entertainment Polish Yellow Pages

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16. Where are some good places to stay?

http://www.concierge.com/cntraveler/lists/goldlist03/world/poland#reserve
warsaw-hotels.co.uk
http://www.besthotelbargains.com/countries/poland/

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18. What do they actually do?

I don't know. Perhaps they inform?

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19. How much is the cyber coffee?

1. 
2. http://clubs.yahoo.com/1600014227&mid=1543
3. http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/cafepoland/1553
4. http://www.cyberiacafe.net/ccafe_eu.htm
   
   http://www.cafesydney.net/
   
   prices
   
   First 5 Minutes FREE!
   $6 per hour for internet access...minimum is $2 (20 mins) then $1 for every 10 mins
   Printing: 50cents per page (black and white)
   Tea and Coffee: $2 each
   or you can buy something from the hotel bar's selection (for those who require something stronger!)
   disks: $2
   
   **
   Internet Access
   No Membership or joining fee
   1 hour ?4
   30 minutes ?3
   15 minutes ?2
   5 minutes ?1
   http://www.gosforthonthenet.co.uk/layout.html
   
   http://www.cyber-cafe.com/
   FULL SERVICE CAFÉ
   COMPUTER SERVICES
   Computer time per hour ($6 minimum) ......... 12.80
   increments of a quarter-hour or portion
   thereof after the first half-hour
   Floppy disks (3.5 HDD) ............................... 3.00
   Individual Training (one full hour) ................. 55.00
   
   
   http://www.portobellogold.com/internet/about.htm
   

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20. Can any of you give Polish lessons?

In response to the post

• Nauka jezyka polskiego Journal     Live Journal Community (don't worry - it's in english)
  
• -You've gotta HEAR this one!!     The oldest known Polish tongue page online.
  
• The nicest basic intro to Polish tongue     plus nice hotel info for travelers.
  
• Google Search query: learn Polish     Browse yourself trough half a million listings.
  
• Polish Pronunciation     By an amateur, but I find it nice.
  
• Hear it said by a native speaker!     Single click on the phrase in Polish to hear it said by a native speaker!
  
• eleaston.com      Let's Learn Polish!
  
• ..em.umc/ppikuta/lessons/LESSIDX.HTM      ... Welcome to studying Polish! Writing this page I intend to offer an opportunity to learn Polish for those who want to learn it through the Web Pages.
  
• A Grammar of the Polish Language     You going like this one, because it contains comparisons to latin ;)
  
• Sample lesson - Hotel      Let's learn Polish Sample lesson - Hotel
  
• Common Words     The Most Common Words in Polish
  
• Bilingual and Multilingual Children

  a few messages back you said that "nobody could force a child to speak English over Polish", or something like that, so I thought you were saying the opposite to what you actually are. That's just it - I don't think children DO have a choice - their FAMILY environment drives their development in those early years, and because kids are built to speak language - any language - they hear. more...

  
  

• Top 10 reasons to learn Polish     Motivation for twisting your tongue.
  
• Polish Slang Dictionary Online    The biggest online source of informal Polish! Over 4,000 terms defined in Polish and English.
  
• A small English - Polish dictionary
  
• Polish Language Study Group
  Forum for people all over the world learning the Polish language and helpers.

To make your brain explode from learning too much:

• Third-conjugation verbs
  
• Is Polish hard to learn?
  
• Declension of nouns
  
• Polish Grammar in a Nutshell
  Information on Polish sounds and grammar which should be mastered by the intermediate-level student of the language.
  
• more links to learning Polish

1. http://www.delphi.com/polski/start
2. http://eleaston.com/polish.html#test

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22. Why did you decide to design this webpage?

I am not sure, why. Because I can? Because the internet is such a great source of a current info?

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23. Who is in charge of Nedstat?

Date: 01 Dec 2001
Nedstat was founded in 1996. Since then it has become the market leader in the Benelux.

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24. What is the state of the Polish economy?

• Business Polska
• Central Europe Online
• Central and Eastern Europe Business Information Center
• Country Commercial Guide: Poland
• Economic Growth Center Collection at Yale: Poland
• Embassy of Poland
• Poland: A Country Study
• Poland Country Brief
• Poland Master Page

  

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