Posts from March 2010

Spring Allergies – Wiosenne alergie

Posted by Anna 2 Comments
Mar 31 2010

Wiosna. Spring.

Just the sound of this word alone makes my eyes red and my throat itch. And what it does to my nose is so vile that it shouldn’t be mentioned in public. Yes, it’s that time of the year again – allergy season. And as I’m getting older, it seems that my spring allergies are getting more and more severe, too. I thought it would work the other way round – after years of being exposed to pollen, one should acquire some sort of resistance, right? But apparently – no, that’s not the case.

Image: remik78 – flickr creative commons

So when other people get all excited at the prospect of flowers in full bloom, I think which eye drops would stop me from scratching my eyes out and tossing them to hungry homeless dogs (anything for a minute of relief is fine with me at this point).

So while other women start wearing spring colors and wysokie obcasy (high heels), put on fresh makijaż (makeup), get their hair done, push their chests forward and turn their faces to the sun, I start wearing a surgical mask when going outside. I’d wear goggles too, if I had a pair – to keep me from scratching my eyes so much. And I surround my self with tissues, nose sprays and asthma inhalers.

Yes, I’ve been to the doctor. Many doctors, in fact. They are baffled at the intensity of my allergies, suggest a different nose spray, prescribe steroid-based medication and say: “Only a couple of months of this, and it will get better.” Yes, I know, it will get better – sometime in November . A few misguided medical professionals suggest I get rid of my cats. Yet, all the tests prove I don’t have a cat allergy, can’t they read?

So, in case you also suffer from springtime allergies, here are a few handy words for you:

  • uczulenie, alergia (neuter, feminine) – allergy
  • katar sienny – hay fever
  • krople do oczu (plural) – eye drops
  • aerozol do nosa (singular) – nose spray
  • zatoki przynosowe (plural) – sinuses
  • gardło (neuter) – throat
  • pyłek kwiatowy, pyłek roślinny (masculine, non-personal) – pollen
  • alergolog (masculine) – allergist, medical doctor dealing with allergies

Now if you excuse me, I need to medicate myself, for the umpteenth time today.

Happy spring to you too!

The Untranslatables – episode 1: Politics

Posted by Anna 2 Comments
Mar 28 2010

Today Adam (what a brave guy) tackles some totally incomprehensible to me political language. Yes, Poles sure do love their politics, and I, for one, am very glad that we have Adam to write about this. Because, frankly, I’d rather chew my leg off and bleed to death than talk politics.

To understand Polish you have to decode the meaning and code it in your mind into your language (usually for readers of this blog it will be English). But language is not mathematics. Two plus two may or may not equal four. Language is a tool that allows people to move in a certain reality. However, place by place, and culture by culture our realities vary. What when a notion has no direct equivalent in another culture? How to translate, or understand, the untranslatable?

The category of words that first springs to my mind as the hardest to translate – are terms connected with socio-politics.

English speakers have gucci-socialists and attack poodles.

In Poland there are many, many terms, some of which emerged within the last decade, that might cause some problems. Here are some possible/used translations. Don’t take all of them seriously. I am counting on your – our readers – creativity. Please do submit your translations (and political vocabulary) in the comments section.

  • odnowa moralna – moral face-lift, political slogan, refers to malpractice
  • nadużycie semantyczne – semantic molestation
  • łże-elita – the so called elites, false-elites, backstabishment,
  • układ – the grey net of interconnections
  • udoskonalanie wolności mediów – media freedom improvement, sarcastically – about attempts to curb media freedom
  • odzyskiwanie państwa – reclaiming the country
  • areszt wydobywczy – an arrest that is aimed to break a person and make them talk about somebody else
  • mijać się z prawdą – lit. to pass the truth walking the other way, euphemistically: to lie
  • moherowe berety – lit. mohair berets, pejorative term referring to a group of followers of a popular nationalistic-Catholic televangelist Mr Rydzyk (or rather – Father Rydzyk, he is a priest, unfortunately) and his media outlets. Typically, consisting of elderly ladies, whose preferred headgear is a mohair beret. This term likens them to an army, as various sub-groups in the Polish army may be recognized by different beret colors.
  • Polska A i Polska B – Poland A (the better one) and Poland B (the worse one). A common used phrase, to divide the country for the better, progressive part, that is intensively modernizing, educating, more liberal, wealthier, more active, where people are more into taking control of their destiny, where surroundings are tidier and more organized. And B – the worse part, that is more backwards, stagnating, more conservative, poorer, passive, where people wait for someone to solve their problems, where surroundings are grey, dirty and disorganized. The boundaries between Poland A and B may be drawn in many ways. Poland A could be the north, south, and west, while Poland B could be the eastern part (see below). Or Poland A could be in the major cities, and Poland B in the countryside. Or in some other way.
  • Ściana Wschodnia – Eastern Wall, another term referring to the Eastern part of the country in a negative way.
  • falandyzacja prawa – an attempt to interpret law in such a way that is stretching it – for someone’s short-term interest
  • koryto – lit. feeding trough, a comfortable position in a state institution

And of course, feel free to add your own favorite phrases!

Visiting – part 2

Posted by Anna 5 Comments
Mar 24 2010

Since Adam’s post about going z wizytą (to visit someone) is proving quite popular (to read it, check the previous entry on the blog), let me expand on it a bit.

The “cut your meat before eating” stuff is confusing some readers. Sorry. In retrospect I realize it should have been phrased somewhat differently.

OK, so here we go (w gości, LOL!)

In Poland, it seems to be common to hold widelec (fork) in your left hand and nóż (knife) – in your right hand. You only cut a little bit of the food – as much as will fit onto the fork in one go. Daintily lift it and shove it in your mouth in a very sophisticated manner – trying not to drop any food bits along the way. And then repeat the whole procedure – cut, place on the fork (which is still in your left hand, by the way), eat, and so on.

A very European way of eating, which becomes a highly refined method of torture if you are unlucky enough to be served groszek z marchewką (green peas and carrots) along with your ziemniaki (potatoes) and mięso (meat).

As a kid I thought it rather tedious and unproductive and decided that cutting all the food all at once before eating was the way to go. Then put down the knife, transfer the fork to your right hand and enjoy.

Last year in Poland I saw more and more people eating that way, so it seems to me that it’s becoming more accepted now than it was once upon a time. Back in the olden days eating like that was a sure sign of very poor table manners.

Now, about kapcie (slippers).
Poland is not the only country in the world where taking your shoes off upon entering someone’s home is common. As a person who’s stuck doing all the floor mopping and vacuuming, I like this custom. So if you want to visit me, make sure your socks are clean.

And about Polish hospitality (gościnność).
I know of families (I come from one) where the first question you are asked when you visit is “Jadłaś już obiad?” (Have you had dinner yet?, when asking a familiar female) and then regardless of your answer, you are served a full meal. Which of course you should eat, because otherwise you’ll end up looking like an ungrateful prick with appalling manners.

But as everything else when it comes to all things Polish, this post should come with the following disclaimer – your experience may vary.

Visiting – the rules

Posted by Anna 6 Comments
Mar 22 2010

Today Adam explains what to do and what to expect if you’re going to visit a Polish person in his/her natural habitat. Read on:

Continuing the topic of advice for travelers and the occasional foreigner living in Poland, this time I decided to follow your suggestions and cover visiting someone at home (iść w gości).

Rule number one is that there are (unfortunately) no rules. What I mean by that, is, that contrary to some cultures where some customs need to be observed, in Poland there is no strict code to follow. Things vary from region to region, from city to city and from home to home. You are on your own, and moving in the savoir vivre mist. The general trend is the change from a warm and hospitable “country of the East” into the cold and stiff “country of the North”.

For instance: you would like to visit someone, should you announce yourself in advance? First of all, contrary to popular stereotypes about hospitable Poles, some people would rather not receive guests at home. Going out is becoming increasingly popular in Poland, and causes less hassle. I am one of those who usually don’t receive guests, and therefore I seldom visit anyone else at home. I would rather wait for someone’s invitation. I can imagine asking someone if I could pop round, but that would have to be someone close. Many people, especially in central and eastern parts of the country, Warsaw, and rural areas would, on the other hand, be more likely to happily receive unannounced guests. It is therefore worth to know your friends’ preferences.

When you are visiting someone, should you bring anything with you? Generally you don’t have to, however it would be a nice touch if you did. Flowers and wine? These would apply to some rather formal dinner parties, and even then I wouldn’t really advise them. A good idea, unless your hosts are on a diet, would be a box of chocolates. And among all kinds of chocolates, I would advise to avoid the cheapest and the most expensive (and tiniest).

The best idea of all times is a box of Ptasie Mleczko (literally “bird’s milk”), chocolate covered milk souffle, a Polish favorite. A great idea would be to bring a small gift (also food or drink) connected with the place of your origin or residence.

Some people, again looking at stereotypes, would think about bringing wódka (vodka). If you do know your hosts well, and you are sure they will not take such a gift in wrong way, and you know you will be drinking hard liquor, you may consider it. Among people I know it is rather rare to entertain with alcohol, other than wine – and that still seldom.

What may surprise you is that some people may ask you to take your shoes off and wear guest slippers (kapcie dla gości). And people visiting you also may feel obliged to take shoes off and wear slippers. Think about it in advance. If you have no problem with it, than everyone is happy.

I never take my shoes off in someone’s house. But I do have a few of “emergency” disposable beauty-salon slippers, just in case. I just don’t like the idea of sharing footwear. I would take it with me when visiting someone who I know expects guests to take shoes off and is uncompromising. I would also offer it to those visiting me, who cannot be convinced it is alright for them to wear their shoes on my carpets. Consider getting a pair.

What can you expect during your visit? Some people, regardless if this was what was scheduled, will offer you a rich meal of many dishes, including cakes. This is the old-style hospitality that is becoming more and more rare. Sometimes, especially when there was no mention of a meal in the invitation, you can expect tea/coffee and cookies.

During a meal, you do not have to eat everything. It would be a good idea to at least try everything you are given, even if you anticipate it might not be to your taste. A note to Americans: people will be surprised to see you cut your meats before eating, but you can go ahead with it, it might begin an interesting conversation.

Try to leave when your hosts are still hungry for your presence. It is always better than to leave them feeling you stayed too long.

Anna’s comment – all of my Polish relatives cut their meat before eating, they say it’s easier that way. I never thought it was anything unusual until it was pointed out to me by an American (of all people)!

Doctors without borders – Healthcare in Poland

Posted by Anna 5 Comments
Mar 18 2010

Today, our resident guest blogger – Adam – tells us all sorts of useful stuff about healthcare in Poland.

Let’s face it, things usually go very wrong in the least appropriate moments. This post will try to explain the basics of Polish healthcare system (just in case), and feed you some useful vocabulary along the way.

If you experience a sudden and serious health problem, when in Poland, you should call 112 (the Europe-wide emergency number), or the old number for health emergencies 999 (both work). Whether you will be charged for health services following an emergency will depend on a number of factors. One of which is health insurance (ubezpieczenie zdrowotne).

Assuming you are a citizen of a country other than Poland, there are three possibilities that may apply:
− if you are employed in Poland (osoba zatrudniona w Polsce), you are entitled to free state healthcare
− if you hold European Union citizenship (osoba posiadająca obywatelstwo UE), or are a citizen of Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein or Switzerland, you are also entitled to free state healthcare, however for treatment (leczenie) beyond emergencies you should complete the E101 form, provided by state health insurer in the country of your residence
− if none of the above applies, you are not entitled to free state healthcare, excluding some emergencies.

If you are not in sudden and serious health danger, but you need/want doctor’s advice or treatment, there are many options available to you.

First of all, you have the choice to either use the state system or go private, as both systems work in parallel. NFZ, the national health service, issues quotas for doctors on number of free state procedures. Sometimes, therefore, free treatments/advice may mean that you have to stay on the waiting list for some time – from a week up to a few months. Usually, the same practices also offer private services, which typically won’t include any waiting, but you will have to get your wallet out.

For general advice, or for being referred to an appropriate specialist, you should go to internista (general practitioner), also called lekarz ogólny or lekarz rodzinny (family doctor). A person under the age of 18 would go to a pediatra (pediatrician). You may find them in a separate practice (gabinet, praktyka) or in a larger institution (gabinet, poradnia, przychodnia, or zakład opieki zdrowotnej).

Unless you are admitted to a hospital (szpital), you will have to buy prescribed medicines (przepisane lekarstwa, leki) yourself in a pharmacy (apteka). However, some drugs (for serious or long-term illnesses, like asthma, depression, heart disease, diabetes etc.) are funded in part by the state – for those who are insured.

If your health issue is more complicated, you will be referred to a specialist. For instance, endokrynolog – for hormonal problems, kardiolog – for heart problems, pulmunolog – for problems with the respiratory tract, etc. Unlike in some countries, in Poland they are widely available outside of hospitals – in their own practices, or in larger institutions (przychodnia, poradnia, gabinet, zakład opieki zdrowotnej). To see some of the specialists, if you prefer the state-funded option, you will need a written referral from your general doctor. This does not apply to okulista (for eye problems), dermatolog (for skin problems), ginekolog (gynecologist) or psychiatra (psychiatrist).

Any doctor could refer you for further diagnosis – medical analysis (analiza) of blood (krew), urine (mocz) or poo (stolec) and/or with the use of medical machinery (MRA, X-ray, etc.). Here, if you intend to use your state insurance, you need a written referral for any diagnostic procedure. Otherwise, you may have any diagnostic procedure you want.

Simple treatments are available both in private and state healthcare, however the more advanced or complicated the case, the more likely it is that there is no private option. For instance, most cases of cancer can only be treated using the state health service.

Vocabulary

  • mieć ból (to have pain), boli mnie (I have pain)
  • mieć ból głowy (to have headache), boli mnie głowa (my head aches)
  • mieć ból brzucha (to have stomachache), boli mnie brzuch (my stomach aches)
  • czuć się źle (to feel bad)
  • mieć gorączkę (to have fever)
  • mieć rozwolnienie (to have diarrhea)
  • mieć ból serca (to have a pain in the heart, chest pain), boli mnie serce (I have a pain in my heart, chest pain)
  • potrzebuję pomocy (I need help)
  • wezwijcie lekarza (call a doctor, imperative form)
  • wezwijcie pogotowie (call emergency, imperative form)

I hope you will not find this post useful :)

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