Archive for June, 2013
UNESCO “Memory of the World Register” Posted by Kasia on Jun 27, 2013
The International Advisory Committee for UNESCO’s Memory of the World Programme (Pamięć Światowego Programu) has approved 54 new items for inclusion in the Memory of the World Register, including two from Poland. The register will now include peace treaties concluded between the Kingdom of Poland and the Ottoman Empire, from the mid-15th century to late…
How would it feel to live in one country for 30 years, fall into a coma and wake up in a different country? Posted by Kasia on Jun 26, 2013
The questions is good, but of course it depends where you would like to be? For some people it could be a dream, for others a nightmare… Sixty-nine-year-old Władysław Haniszewski had lived in the U.S. for about 30 years. But when the New Jersey resident fell into a coma he awoke to find himself in…
How to wish Happy Birthday in Polish Posted by Kasia on Jun 19, 2013
June is always a busy month for me as many of my good friends. So what do you say (or write, if you prefer sending a card or an email)? The easiest and most common phrase is Wszystkiego najlepszego which literally means “All the best” and is pretty generic. You can modify the phrase depending…
The native language is the language of bonding:) Posted by Kasia on Jun 18, 2013
When I began the journey of simultaneous bilingualism with my children, I believed my determination that they be bilingual was common among parents in bilingual families. To my dismay, however, I am finding that globally, parents who pass down their native language to their children are in the minority if the language of the community…
Is Polish horseshoe game really Polish? Posted by Kasia on Jun 14, 2013
Contrary to its name, Polish horseshoes doesn’t involve horseshoes, nor did it originate in Poland. Polish horseshoes actually uses a Frisbee instead of horseshoes, and the “Polish” part of the name is derived from the fact that you need two poles to play the game–thus, the game is “pole-ish.” To play Polish horseshoes, you need…
Are Polish drivers crazy or accidents are caused by bad roads? Posted by Kasia on Jun 13, 2013
The headline stories on one of the Polish papers on June 13th made typical reading. Four people killed when their car ploughed into a shop; five dead after their car rolled off the tarmac and into a ditch along a rural road in the northwest. Nine dead and nine more to add to the grim…
Nazi death camp Sobibór – was there an escape tunnel? Posted by Kasia on Jun 9, 2013
A team of Polish and Israeli archaeologists believe they have discovered traces of an escape tunnel at the infamous Nazi death camp at Sobibór. Lying five feet below the surface, the tunnel stretched for 32 feet from one of the barracks and under the barbwire fences surrounding the camp. Its discovery provides the first physical…