Warsaw Stock Exchange
Gianni Truvianni life in Poland under the communist regime
My experience with Poland began in 1987 when I came to Warsaw to visit one of my friends I knew in New York while both were students at Hunter College. There was something I never forget this morning I had the train at the main railway station in Warsaw and is still called Warszawa Centralna. "My friend, Warsaw girl, whose name I will not reveal who he said would be waiting at the station when the train arrived and true to his word, she was there.
My first impressions of Warsaw were not particularly memorable or countless others that the city seemed like any other, but in many respects there was a mood in the city that reminds me of Budapest, another city, just behind the "iron curtain." Warsaw on strengthening the station, I also realized trams, cars and very small with most of them an individual model was the "Polski Fiat "(in Polish Fiat) which I know was by far the best selling of Poland at the time.
My friend took me to her apartment and her parents lived in the center of Warsaw, near the station in a street that was then called "Marchalewskiego" (now "Juan Pablo II) which was presented to his mother but his father, who was, however, returned to the States. As to his apartment, he had a room for the rules of Poland was not bad.
I, of course, intends to invite my friend and his mother to dinner with me at a restaurant they have chosen, but was defeated as the mother of my friend had Chicken cooked a simple but tasty dinner that included wine that have been costly to exit that was the budget for these people. This is my friend's mother when a doctor might earn twenty dollars a month, of course, this consideration is that for the Polish Zloty (at the time of the former opposition Submit nine) had an official exchange rate 100 per dollar. But the Poles are not allowed to buy dollars at that price as they each time the exchange rate they got was much higher. While Poles, when ever you wanted to obtain dollars was the look on the dark market at a rate of 400 zlotys to the dollar which was, of course, much higher, then the official rate of pay that lady came to $ 20 per month if the official rate of monthly salary was 80 dollars per month. black market purchases of dollars have been illegal, however, after all, why is called a "black market", which means that the Poles could be arrested for trying to buy or sell dollars on the black market while foreigners are deported.
As for me I needed to exchange USD 7 per day spent in Poland (of course, the official exchange rate) and that because I was a student because if I had not been that I had to share 15 per day. Many other things have been strange Poland at the time. This being a Communist countries as a one-night stay in a hotel room for a Polish citizen on cost U.S. $ 3 night, while the same food to my friend, would be served in the afternoon meaning that my friend and I had time to go do a few races we've done in a store called Pewex. This is a a chain of shops selling imported goods for "hard currency" (ie, money can be traded outside their country of origin) and only surprisingly low price. For example, I remember a pack of Marlboro cigarettes were half the price of what they were in the U.S. and many other things also more cheap. My friend told me that if a lot of people in Poland, although prices were too high.
One more thing I found strange was that they had Pewex coupons shop called "Bony" that can change that when ever they did back in dollars. For example, if you paid with a ten dollar bill nine for something that would get a ticket cost a dollar or a piece of paper that has been termed bone "was actually a coupon for Pewex stores. Some people who bought dollars, which could not purchase by the government that has sold at a higher price than what they are buying less, sometimes even bought bone they were a little cheaper, and that could be used in stores Pewex.
After obtaining certain things for lunch I paid for my friend and I went to his house, where we saw a Latin American "telenovelas". What seemed strange to me is not that the drama of America America was broadcast on Polish television, but how he had been baptized. In most countries this is happening is that the subtitles are used or bend the voices of other actors, however, here in Poland was different. They used a narrator much in the way they do on CNN (every time someone speaks in a language is not English) to double the overall program is sometimes confusion about who was talking and even difficult to hear what he said, because they still could hear the original language, in this case was the Spanish in the background. This certainly is a method still used now in Poland on TV, but do not worry when you go to the movies, which are used subtitle.
During lunch, I discovered that my friend and I would spend the night trip to a remote village called "Zakopane" (Buried when translated into English), which was right on the border between Poland and Czechoslovakia. It was six o'clock in the morning we went home Zakopane, it would until today do not know whether it was ownership or, simply, led by a priest, who was a very good friend of my friend, that if I failed to mention was a child. At the house she and eight of his friends (one of whom is her boyfriend) had rented two rooms, divided by gender sense of a room for six people (Including me now) and another smaller room for the ladies, my friend among them four in number.
From my first day at Zakopane I remember going shopping at a grocery store and be amazed at how little he had on the shelves. Flour, (or what appeared to be), loaves of bread, sugar, butter, milk and a few other things were all that could buy. I wonder of the last members of this group were required to have certain documents called cards ration "for the purchase of certain products such as meat and many others. Then I thought maybe it was just a small town and that the purchases would be different Warsaw after all, even in America, what we found in a small town has never been more than I could find in a big city, much later, when in Warsaw the following year on another visit, I learned that there were as many or as few are in Warsaw that was in this small town.
On the lighter side of this issue, I remember having gone back to America after my second visit to Warsaw and saw for the first time how American supermarkets have to offer. I had never really stopped to think how many items and varieties that were available in the United States, as opposed to a Communist country like Poland offer just the basics. Given this difference, for the first time to the knowledge of how some other countries had one so I still confused about what to buy, it makes me feel very lost because there was not much I do not know where to start shopping. "It was as if a real life scene that recalls the film "Moscow on the Hudson" in which the actor Robin Williams is hysterical face everything American supermarket has to offer. I must confess that when I saw this movie, believed that some of this type has been designed but it is not possible, but after experiencing what I did that day I can not imagine that something similar might think if I felt that way. Me being someone who had grown up with so much abundance and still felt the difference, what would someone was seen for the first time.
In the time in Zakopane, the food I had with my knowledge they found were simple, consisting almost exclusively of deli ham and bread, butter, apples and small things. I thought at the time that these people eat because after all, we were on vacation and maybe this was not the way we eat at home, where they more foods are the parents cook for them, but this was the case, even for meals at home to these people ate essentially the same.
One thing though, all this could not have escaped anyone's attention that the girl my friend, but I want to say that ours is not and has never been a sexual relationship which includes the privacy of some kind used primarily to friends that I'm new. Most of them had never been outside Poland and I think I was the first American I've seen in person that made me leave the subject of eyes. Of course, it was clear to many because of my skin slightly darker than the average Polish person was not Polish, but once it was found that the United States, is the people I met always so eager to learn all he could tell me about some other intimate details. What I did? What U.S. I go? How much money have I done? These were the most frequent questions raised, some of which I was unprepared to respond, but you can tolerate. I even remember that some people, men and women in the WHO could not speak a word of English or any other language which would, I would go home if I had just to see me, "said the American." In a way all this attention does not make me feel like a circus attraction or perhaps a fish in a tank.
Naturally My Polish is now widely, but in those early days of my knowledge of this language does not contain any two words I had picked up a book on Poland, Czechoslovakia and Hungary, Poland, said that the most frequently used words were "Nie ma" that have occurred "They have no. I have so much in reading this book do not pay much attention to what I read, think everything can be possible, but after few days in Poland, I realized that the answer to everything "Nie ma".
For example, in this sense that most people do not have to share things that do not have to buy phones in stores. There was even a list that some had to wait up to 10 years. However, this was nothing new to me, as I knew I spent time in South America that some people had to wait so long for a phone, even those who have resources Strong Financial. As for the phones in Poland, I discovered later, when I went to Poland in October 1989 and lived there until August 1991 that the lines do not always work. For example, very often happens that when I pick up the phone and no signal, or overheard a conversation in the line and ask the line just to get out and call each other once again. The quality of service may have been low but the prices were a call to the States was much cheaper Poland at that time, the United States in the other direction.
As the Polish people were relatively friendly and warm towards me, maybe because most of them had never seen an American and I could say that women are attractive, especially in the States, if this truth does not make what I propose Poland in October 1989. Women in Poland, as well as being more attractive, and in the States tend to put more effort in finding their best despite having more media limited to do not only about money, but the availability of cosmetic products and clothing could have had. I even found it strange how the clothing worn by most women in America tended to be used by women of a later age, like most long skirts with stockings or socks chiffon blouses in a strange way to not look bad. Their was also something about Slavic ethnic group that gave these women a kind of ancient beauty, like the one I use Gosia to describe (the main character of New York Opera Society) with their facial features softer and more pleasant Saxon and women he had known in the States U.S. and other countries like the United Kingdom.
Restaurants during the time of communism, although limited in the variety of food could get a job there were very few foreigners have been extremely cheap for those like me who have made money from abroad. I particularly remember one time in 1988, which unfortunately does not repeat that I saw five people (myself included) to a three course dinner in a restaurant rather elegant. As for the food itself was the roast duck had by all with soup and dessert and coffee. Everything came to a grand total of $ 12 (on the black market rate, but in the official language, it was four times that amount) with a good tip included.
Hotels were however a different problem, because unlike hotels restaurants I required to pay in dollars (or any other hard currency), this eliminates the possibility that could change my dollars on the black market and pay the hotel. I There was even a scheme that has allowed me to pay a hotel in local currency, but must have proof that you verified that the Zloty I use to pay the hotel had been purchased legally and not on the black market, after approval has been marked as I spent part of that money on a hotel for others to know how much money I gave the exchange of money he made.
But hotels I said earlier have been much cheaper for the Poles, then they were for foreigners making this case the fact that certain customers in hotels was Polish still maintains the permanent rooms exists primarily for commercial purposes. For "commercial" I'm thinking that not only prostitutes who lived in rooms hotel who paid three dollars a night for all it took about thirty dollars a night for their services. By word of mouth and personal experience I have found this one night a lady knocked on my door saying "sex, some money." This is an offer that I refused to take advantage of that I will give a package cigarettes for their problems.
In October 1989, I propose to Warsaw for a stay that lasted almost two years in which I rent an apartment in a street called "Trebacka" which, unlike many his name was not changed. It was during this period in 1990 to attend the University of Warsaw, where I attended a special course for foreigners in Polish, which was at least in my budget and that of any other Western that could be considered "dirty" cheap. Twenty dollars was the price of the course of three months during which the lessons were held every day from Monday to Thursday from 8 am to noon. It was especially cheap to me that he took private lessons from Poland to New York for a similar cost $ 20 for an hour every hour 60 minutes.
As for the course itself was taught by a teacher named Gosia (as the character of the Opera Society of New York "), whose English was good enough to be understood for us, his students and the teaching that, I must say that its not a bad lesson I given based on what my Polish is today. I have registered twice courses in a period extending from January 3, 1990 until the first week of June
Of course, which is a very basic course Polish all students were foreigners like me in a class that included students from Ireland, Norway, France, Yugoslavia (which is before the holidays), the Soviet Union (also before the break), Austria (For a reason unknown to me the students of Germany had their own group), Japan, Italy, Mexico with me and another man who spent 18 years in Spain are the only Americans in the pool. There were many nationalities are represented in our class, but none as big as Libya, which had nine, with four men who share the name Abdul. Not that I had nothing personal against the people of Libya, but was in the days that relations between our two countries were exactly at their best, however, all would be too well that the Libyans to leave my group was friendly, especially in a occasion when a classmate Libyan Gosia I defended myself to mourn because he could not pronounce the Polish g.
In the 1990s, things had changed, as was no longer necessary to change money at official rates every day I was in the country, now the official exchange rate rose to market black, which was increased later to 10,000 zlotys to the greenback. Until then, no, it is illegal to sell U.S. dollars , or other foreign currencies in the private issue, making money can change locations called "Kantor" to show all Poland.
Life had definitely changed in Poland in early 1990, more stuff available in stores if most people in Poland is very important because it could not yet afford. I even remember a comment you did during the 1990 World Cup in Italy for a television that has promoted the Adidas World Cup and show their ads before the games, but how many people Poland had enough money to get a pair of adidas?
As it was my time in Poland during 1989, which lasted from October at the end of the year, there was an episode of the purchase will never forget one day I left and went to all the shops I knew that the search for something and no matter where I went, I heard the now famous at least for me online, "Nie ma". At the end of the day, after not having found the luxury I was looking for a friend and call me asked where I could find what you really need that has been "toilet paper" in which he said was Warsaw could not be found. I, of course, said, but "some people, I've seen in people's homes, there must be some way to do it!". My friend, Iwona (which I had known in New York) laughed at my despair and said simply that people have, but nobody can buy. The day after that in mind I went to a hotel called "Victoria" (in a time when the best hotel in the city, where Reagan stayed in 1991) and stole two functions of this precious resource. Not that I did not have the financial means to reach there, but could not find what made me fall in crime if I give the lady out of the bathroom with which we have paid for the use this larger facility, then the tip standard.
Do not think I would have had serious legal problems if they were caught stealing toilet paper, but in these days when what is now police (Police) has been called militia Better not to have dealings with them anyway. On the other hand, I do remember one occasion when I was taking pictures of trees with Militia station (unknowingly at the time) and was invited inside, where my passport and visa documents have been checked before I could not leave my business with my film, even turned to me once I was asked to leave the aircraft. I must say that all the militia has been polite to me in its management.
During this stay mine almost two years in Poland, not forget to include the fact that I made several trips outside Poland. Two of these states and one in Italy but it was during a trip to the States my mother told me that when he meets a Polish person told them I lived in Poland when she asked me if I could really live there or visit alone. When these people confirmed Pole living in Poland who politely asked him if he could handle something "mentally not just with me?" So I asked my mother if I knew it was a country where most people wanted out of it and not move. Even my sister said that when living in Rome since 1989 met in 1991 when the Polish Pope John Paul II, also my sister asked a similar question when face the fact that there was one American who wanted to live in Poland.
Life was very different from Poland at the time of communism, perhaps I was just a new life in the country where things were so different I had known in my life that made me want to go to Poland in 1989 or perhaps the fact that it really we live a life almost Deluxe with as little as $ 500 per month that was what he had to pass the time. This is what the purchasing power of my money was at the time or maybe it was the desire to live in Europe and to use Poland as a base to travel because I have often in the days that also included two trips to the Soviet Union and other countries Eastern bloc, as well as several west, but was never a time in my life I'll never forget and if Poland is my daughter now becoming more and is very different from what I'm always in a strange way cherish those days ago, when Poland was still communist. Such being the case if I'm totally anti-heart not only anti-socialist but in any way possible and then some.
About the Author
My name is Gianni Truvianni, I am an author who writes with the simple aim of sharing his ideas, thoughts and so much more of what I am with those who are interested in perhaps reading something new. As for the details regarding my life I would say that there is nothing that lifts them above the ordinary. I was born in New York City in 1967 on May 21st and am presently living in Warsaw, Poland where I wrote my first book “New York’s Opera Society” now Available on Amazon.
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