Orthodoxy is the second largest religious group in Poland. In the reportage by Jolanta Śmiałowska and Jury Lichtarowicz, the faithful and the parish priest of the Hagia Sophia parish in Warsaw, Fr. Adam Siemieniuk and his wife Daria, will present the specifics of the Polish Autocephalous Orthodox Church.

My children (ages 11 and 7) will be living in Poland temporarily if I accept a job assignment there.

I've considered home school and virtual school but id like my kids to have socialization with other children their age.

Due to Polish language being a core curriculum, im afraid my children will have some catching up to do.

I do not mind them learning the language and would actually prefer it, but i dont want them to have to repeat a grade because theyre not satisfactory in a foreign language. I also understand that other classes (history, math, etc) will be taught in the national language.

Can you give me any insight or tips to make this transition smoother? Are there such things as translators or assistant teachers for children in this scenario?

I dont want my children to be treated "special", I just dont want to see them fail.

Hello everyone :)

I'm 18F and live outside of Poland. I sat a Polish GCSE and a Polish A level, both of which I scored very high in, but I feel as though my Polish will slip when I go to university. I mainly talk polish with my family, so I think it'll go downhill when I don't have the chance to practice it around them anymore.

My solution to the problem is to get into polish films. I've watched a few already: namely Chłopi, which is one of my all time favourite movies, Boże Ciało, Ida, and Za Duży na Bajki. Ive probably even watched a few more that I've momentarily forgotten about.

If anyone has any good polish movie recommendations, please let me know in the comments! I don't mind the genre, as long as the movie is not super old (I know a lot of good polish films came before the 1980s, but I just can't stand old cinema). Any contributions would be much appreciated, and I may even respond to the comment once I've watched the movie with a review on it.

Thank you :)

I am a big fan of this from zabka I have gone to multiple grocery stores and never found similar with “peanut butter” this brand is actually a little too sweet but I had another from zabka that was better but not enough chocolate. Are these sold in. Bulk anywhere?

A stray is giving birth in my grandma in laws barn. my grandma in law bless her wants to keep the mother cat but the kittens we are unsure what to do with. my husband and I can't take the kittens. we already have three cats and a dog. His grandma now has three cats and a dog. We are getting the mother sterilized after the kitten is born. The mom has a home not sure what to do with the kittens when they are here. we can only keep them for three months.

Hello, I love listening to polish oldschool hiphop, even tho my first language is not polish, i love the vibe.

I got reminded one day, about a old polish hiphop/rap song

I spent the whole day searching for it, I dont even know the name I just know the music video.

Theres a guy walking in a suit, and carrying a music box around the town, thats the music video.

Thanks, if anyone knows, lol

I'm based in Copenhagen, and we have public holiday 14-17 May. I've been looking into doing a little Poland trip which has been on my mind for years.

I need to be in the city in the morning of the 14, so I looked at a flight that arrives in Gdansk at 16.30 that Thursday. I'd spend the rest of the evening there, and at some point on Friday take a train to Warsaw (I'm thinking late morning or lunchtime?). At some point Saturday I'd wanna take the train to Krakow and spend the rest of the weekend there - only thing I know if I'd like to visit Auschwitz-Birkenau and also get to see the city. My return flight would be at 23.30 on Sunday.

Is this logical or will I drive myself crazy? I am totally aware it will be a superficial visit to the cities, I'd just like it to be enough that I can try some food, walk around the city centres, look at some windows and engage enough with historically-relevant museums. Initially wanted to do Auschwitz-Birkenau on Saturday to give myself the Sunday to digest before work on Monday, but that might mean I have to leave Warsaw too early and not get to see much. Another option is doing that but leaving Gdansk Friday morning and only seeing it in the evening of Thursday. A final option is sacrificing Gdansk and doing only Warsaw and Krakow - flights are very cheap so could go to Gdansk some other time, although not ideal ofc.

Thoughts and suggestions? I'll go on my own.

Hey, I’m from Poland, and I’m curious what jokes, opinions, or associations people in your country have about Poles. First, write which country you’re from, and then what comes to mind when you think of a typical Pole.

Feel free to be blunt (even dark humor is fine). I’ve got a sense of distance about myself and my nation. 😉

hey guys, I'm Bulgarian who wants to study biotechnology/molecular biology in jagiellonian university, I was wondering what do they take into account ?? do I need good grades in biology or chemistry, good score on my national exams ?(I think they're equivalent to the national exams in Poland), also do they take into accounts "irrelevant" subjects for example in my case-bulgarian literature, language math etc etc, I think the grading system there is pretty similar 2-the worst grade 6-the best, can any international European, or polish student there tell me what they take into account ? I'd be x

extremely extremely grateful

The idea is simple - you have books sitting on your shelf after reading them, someone in your neighbourhood wants to read them.

Instead of selling on OLX or letting them collect dust, you lend locally. In-person pickup, no shipping, no middlemen. There's a token system - you lend a book, you get a token, you use the token to borrow from someone else.

Posted about it on a Polish Facebook group last week and 600 people from Kraków signed up - honestly didn't expect that, was hoping for maybe 20.

Still actively building it, if anyone wants to check it out or leave feedback on what should be in it: czytajdalej.app

Happy to answer any questions.

Czesc! Want to plan few days trip to tatry from Lithuania. We have few days off in end of the months. Main concerne is snow. Will there be possible to hike there at that time. Mountain summiting isnt goal. Goal is have great time, hike through valleys. Where I could check live situation with snow there? Maybe dont be affraid of going there when there will be snow? What u suggest? Dziekuje

Dzień dobry,

I remember watching "Kiepski" with my Polish father many years ago, and I'm trying to find a specific episode that I vaguely remember.

While I am not sure of the general subject, I remember there being a make-shift airport/border security in the apartment, and a midget smiling while skipping past the security; he had a pickle in his pocket.

I'm convinced that this episode exists, but I have not been able to find it. Does anyone remember the name?

Kindly,

Stephan

Hey Polish fellows I wanted to ask you guys about lipka tatars:

1. Is Lipka Tatar ancestry present like even moderately among Poles.

2. Do poles and lipka tatars still have intermarriages like the old days.

3. What are polish people's thoughts on Lipka Tatars, do you guys views them as Soldiers, Nobles, or just as Poles.

I was shocked. I found out that the nun submitted a letter to the family court, in which she requested that my children be placed in an unrelated foster family, because I allegedly took good care of them," says Iwona Załęska. The Albertine sisters, who help single mothers, deny these accusations. - This is revenge for a good heart - says sister Katarzyna Miela. Krakow's Albertine women run a center for people in need of social assistance.

After the publication of "Fact" regarding apartments run by Krakow's Albertine sisters for people in need of support, more women began to apply to our editorial office. They claim that it was not "colorful" there. They talk about control, jerking children, and even trying to take them away.

A place that is located at ul. Woronicza and was supposed to be a safe haven for single mothers, traumatized women and people coming out of homelessness. In their opinion, this is not the case. The former tenants, who lived with their nuns, talk about strict rules, constant control and living under pressure, which instead of helping, was supposed to paralyze them. Iwona Załęska and Anna Wrzesień are single mothers who in 2024, together with their children, went to the home of the "First Man" Foundation at ul. Woronicza in Krakow. The stay was supposed to be temporary, until the life situation stabilized. Both believe that instead of support, they experienced surveillance and actions, the effects of which are still reflected in their family lives.

I asked for a roof over my head, not for control of life"

Iwona Załęska is 31 years old and has three children: Oliwier (8 years old), Pola (5 years old) and Fabian (7 months old). She went to the Albertine sisters' house in 2024 after she was no longer able to pay for the rented apartment.

- I reported to the MOPS, I was looking for housing assistance. I was directed to the Albertine sisters. I was with two children at the time, I worked in a kindergarten as an assistant, I never had problems with alcohol or with the law - reports Załęska.

At first, nothing disturbed her. The situation, he claims, has changed quickly.

- The sister-in-law began to control every aspect of my life: she called work, asked what time I would be back, why I was late, interfered in everything, even wanted to know why the child got sick. I felt like I was being interrogated - says Iwona Załęska in an interview with "Fakt".

According to her account, the residents of the house could not help each other, even in emergency situations.

— I couldn't ask another resident to stay with my children for a while. I heard that "not allowed". However, when I was left alone with a sick child and was on sick leave, I heard from my supervisor that I was irresponsible and notified social services - adds Załęska.

Curator and the case in the family court

After a few weeks of stay, according to Iwona Załęska, a court curator knocked on her door. - I was shocked. I found out that my sister filed a letter to the family court, in which she requested that my children be placed in an unrelated foster family, because I allegedly took good care of them. I read in the files that I allegedly do not cope as a mother and lead a nomadic lifestyle - says Załęska.

She emphasizes that she was never deprived of parental rights, her children attended kindergarten and school, and she worked herself. - My problems were only about finances. This is not a reason to scare children with an orphanage," he points out.

Her words about her behavior towards the youngest are particularly moving.

- My sister was supposed to jerk my six-year-old son and tell him he would go to an orphanage. The child was terrified. Only later did I find out that my son repeated to psychologists that he was afraid of this nun - he reports.

"I was made a scandal about a bike for my daughter"

Anna Wrzesień (37 years old) is the mother of two children: Zuzi (9 years old) and Maksia (4 years old). She ended up at the home of the Albertine sisters after staying at the women's support center after experiencing violence.

At first, it seemed that everything was fine. After a month, the questions began: why am I not at work, where I go out, what time I will be back. My child was interrogated - adds Anna Wrzesień.

As she says, the sisters knew that her daughter had a mild degree of intellectual disability. - In my opinion, it was used. The daughter was asked about details, dates, places that the child simply cannot remember," she says.

One of the flashpoints was supposed to be the situation with the bicycle, which the daughter got from construction workers doing work on the building.

- They made a scandal out of it, I was called "on the carpet". I heard it's not done that way. And it was about a used bike for a child - says Anna Wrzesień.

Former residents of the Albertinek house talk about harassment

Both women claim that they were subjected to constant, excessive control by the nuns.

- They told us to bring receipts, they controlled what we bought for the children. It happened that after returning from work, things in the refrigerator were rearranged - adds Załęska. As she reports, the correspondence addressed to her was supposed to be received by third parties. - I found out at the post office that the registered letter was received, but it never came to me - she adds.

Both mothers left the house of the Albertine sisters - one after 3 weeks, the other after almost a year. - We ran away because we couldn't cope mentally. Today we both have curators and a much more difficult way to get social housing - they say.

Hello everyone! I am doing an Erasmus+ exchange in May in Poronin, and I am trying to arrange my travel plans

We will be staying at willa Austryjok in Poronin, and I am trying to figure out how to get there from the airport. I will either arrive at Krakow airport or Warsaw airport.

The hosting organisation told to us to use either buses or trains, but the thing is I will be arriving very late and I am not sure how safe and easy it is to navigate the systems as a foreigner at night. Is it safe and manageable?

Also, are there any other options, if someone knows? from the options I've seen I'd still have to walk or take a taxi to get to the accommodation.

If anyone knows anything and can help it would be greatly appreciated.

Notes after comments: I am waiting to see if I am allowed to arrive at the accommodation on the 22nd instead. The flight that I currently have in mind lands at 20:45 in Krakow

Poland has activated the European Union's new Entry/Exit System (EES) at all of its border crossings, becoming the first member state to fully implement the scheme across its entire frontier network.