Brentano from Melbourne

Greetings to you all from sunny Melbourne in Australia. I have joined the Polish Forum for several reasons; first, I visited Poland in 1989 not long after the fall of the Berlin Wall and then again in the summer of 2004: the country, its history and people fascinate me; secondly, I have become very fond of a remarkable Polish woman and I hope that that fondness will transform itself into something longer lasting over time. So I want to learn as much as I can about Poland and the Polish language. I'm a university lecturer in philosophy and I studied in Europe in the 1990s; I hope to learn much from you all and - perhaps - to contribute something as well.

Welcome Brentano,



Don't be shy.

G'day Bentano... welcome to PF :)

Melbourne is apparently stunning. Full of Greeks I hear, feta salad galore.

Welcome matey

You are all very kind; thank you for your welcome ... and I promise not to be shy. Melbourne is stunning; and yes, full of Greeks (and Greek cafés) and plenty else besides. Even a large Polish immigrant community. And then there are the wombats, kangaroos, Tasmanian Devils, koala bears, snakes (including the two-legged variety) and any number of poisonous spiders ... truly a tropical paradise.

Brentano. Have you been to New Zealand? I am interested in travel there. Your thoughts on this country

Outintheyard: Yes. I was born and grew up in NZ: I know the country very well, especially the South Island. All I can say - without knowing at all what you might be interested in - is that NZ is still one of the most unspoiled countries in the world; and although it is a long way from Europe, nonetheless it is still inexpensive for a European to visit. If you are attracted to nature in all her glory, and are willing to tolerate a pace of life resembling the UK in the late 1950s/early 1960s, then I unconditionally recommend my country of birth as a place well worth visiting. One piece of advice, though: avoid Auckland like the plague; in fact, not a city at all but a series of suburbs strung together. Where I come from ( a city in the south called Dunedin, originally settled by the Scots in the mid- nineteenth century), Auckland is called 'Sydney for beginners'. Let me know if you would like to know anything more and I'll see what links I can find.

I am actually interested in the farming there and the possibilty of purchasing a second residence there. I appreciate the information very much. on furhter note! I am writing form the US state of Indiana.

Welcome, Brentano. Enjoy the forums and I look forward to your contributions.

Hi Brentano - welcome from Scotland.

I knew a guy called Nigel from Dunedin, we worked together in Hiroshima. He was a decent dude. Do u like wines from the Marlborough region?

Seanus - if his name is Nigel, and he comes from Dunedin, then I probably know him (not too many Nigels in Dunedin). And yes: Malborough whites are amongst the best in the world, and getting better. But they are horribly expensive anywhere outside NZ. On a different note: you live quite close to Cieszyn, I think. One day soon I'd like to ask you some questions about that region of Poland. But for the meanwhile ... RESPECT FOR THE CELTS!

Nigel would be around 40 by now I'd imagine. He is probably married to a Japanese girl called Aki. I live 85km's from Cieszyn and I know sb from there whom I have GG contact with. GG is Gadu Gadu, an online talk option. RESPECT FOR THOSE DOWN UNDER

My beloved comes from Ciezyn, grew up there; her mother still lives in the town. I'll talk to you further about this later if that's ok. If Nigel had any sense he is still living in Japan: NZ is no place for a Japanese woman ... and besides, the money is better in Japan. RESPECT FOR THE WOOLLY FOUR-LEGGED LAMB!! Baaaahhhhh (Famous NZ war cry - forget about the Haka - sheep on the rampage are far more terrifying).

No worries matey. U got it!! Why is NZ not a place 4 a Japanese woman? My friend is from near Auckland and he is struggling to find work. He is heading for Wellington. How's the job situation there?

Still too many bitter memories of the Japanese treatment of NZ prisoners of war. This will change eventually. What work does your friend do? Wellington can be a bit of a closed shop compared to Auckland, work-wise. But it all depends on opportunity, Is he, or she, a teacher of English? ... Sorry - HE ...

What is the sentiment for americans there in NZ Are they welcome to live there or will they be quite put out?