When you first meet Polish people in Poland, one of the first questions they always ask you is ‘So, what do you think of Polish people?’ or ‘So, what do you think of Poland’ I’m not saying they introduce themselves with these words, but I would bet money that it will come up within the first five minutes of conversation. It’s almost like they’re wondering if you would like to buy the place. I’ve known lots of British and American people who have lived in Poland for long or short periods and this always comes up. ‘Why do they keep asking what we think of them?’ we ask each other over a quiet beer. This is a topic of much discussion among Brits and Americans living here. Some people tend to dismiss the idea by saying that there really isn’t any difference between Poles and Brits when you get down to basics, but I think this misses the point. There is a difference, it’s just very hard to describe exactly what it is, that’s the problem. You can clearly feel it, but you can’t quite say what it is. It’s true that Poles and Brits want more or less the same things out of life, enough money, a house, a family and some friends. But this isn’t what the differences are about.
Perhaps the most important difference is revealed by the question itself ‘What do you think of Polish people?’ I find it very hard to imagine a British person asking this question of a Polish visitor to Britain, and ever harder to imagine an American asking it. It just wouldn’t occur to us to ask, but it seems to be the first thing on the minds of Poles. If I met a Pole or a Lithuanian or a Tibetan in London I would probably ask ‘How are you getting on in London?’ but I wouldn’t ask ‘What do you think of Londoners?’ For one thing the question makes no sense. There are millions of different kinds of people living in London from all over the world (many of them from Poland!) so there is no such thing as a ‘normal’ Londoner. There is a London identity, but it comes from knowing the same places and facing the same problems (tube nightmares, horrendously expensive rents, the occasional suicide bomber), not from any sense that we are the same in some way. In many ways we really don’t care what foreigners think of us (an arrogance that has absolutely no basis) and when they are rude about us, we never take it seriously.
There is definitely something in the Polish character that is very concerned about the way other people see them. The concepts of personal and national shame are very strong here. People are generally extremely aware of their social position in relation to others and they extend this to their perception of how the rest of the world sees Poland. At the same time they have a strong sense that being Polish means you have some kind of romantic inner strength and passion that can’t be matched by people from lesser nations. The question is really two questions in one: ‘Are you laughing at us?’ and ‘Have you noticed how special Polish people are?’ The first part of this question ‘Are you laughing at us?’ seems to torture the Polish psyche almost continuously. Poland is not a rich country, although it is a hell of a lot richer than it was twenty or even ten years ago, and there are lots of things that ‘westerners’ would regard as old fashioned or even primitive, but it really isn’t so different from most places in western Europe. Poles are hypersensitive about the differences that do exist but they always overestimate how important or obvious these differences are to foreigners. There are two phrases that I have heard literally hundreds of times when Poles talk about the way westerners see them: ‘You all think there are Polar bears on the streets’ or ‘You all think it’s some kind of jungle over here.’ I had never heard either of these descriptions of Poland before I came here, but most Polish people are convinced this is what we are all saying about them.
I’ve never seen a Polar bear in Poland. I have seen a tiger, but that’s a different story
Exactly where these particular ideas came from I have no idea. I suppose the Polar bears are some kind of reference to the confusion between Poland, the old Warsaw Pact countries, Russia, and Siberia, although I’m far from sure that Polar bears live in any of these areas. I put the jungle reference down to Joseph Conrad. Actually, when British people think about Poland, if they ever do, they will probably have images of queues to buy toilet paper, Trabants, and goose-stepping Russian troops, all of which are at least 30 years out of date. British people who have actually been here, and there are a lot of them, will have memories of being very pleasantly surprised at how nice and friendly the place is.
The kind of thing English people expect to see in Poland
In part II I’ll be looking a specific questions about Polish culture including such diverse and fascinating topics as ‘Is Adam Małysz a saint,’ ‘Do Poles drink too much vodka,’ and ‘Who is this Jan Pawel drugi person anyway?’
Tomorrow I’m going to a wedding with A (not mine, or hers). Apparently it lasts for two days and there might be some vodka involved. I might be conscious sometime late on Monday, although I wouldn’t put money on it.
OK, I pulled myself together after having laughed for an hour:) so I can actually write a comment
First of all it was amazing to read this, as you unveiled something which no one notices although it’s there all the time. Even I must have asked foreigners dozens of times what they thought about Poland and the Polish. Never wondered about it before.
And I too could not imagine a British person asking me what I thought of Britain (although I got asked once what I thought of Jersey ehehehe)
Probably Poles see themselves as a very homogeneous nation, and this might be the source of all trouble:) For many people in this country it is out of their comprehension that some have different views or different lifestyles. For they must be wrong (or not Polish) and step down from the road to hell;)
When you mentioned the “do you laugh at us vs do you notice how special we are” My instant reaction was “so they actually understand more than they seem to” 😉
PS. Honestly this is terrible, I completely ADORE your style and after you write another post I’ll probably launch your fan-club!:)
PPS. I got interested when you mentioned you thought Poles have high sense of personal shame and social standing. Do you think you could elaborate on that in one of your next posts?
PPPS. Have a good time at the wedding and do tell us all about it. And how undressed did you get during the stag party the on main town square?:>
Krystka Avroma Sochaczaczewska Polish nation has not existed for much of recent history. Poland controlled by Germanie or Russian countries. The polish people curious about what other nations consider their nation. Enjoy Poland. We Enjoy You.
You mean ‘Poland has not existed for much of recent history’. Polish nation has been continuously existing for over thousand years.
You may have something there. I lived in Japan for a long time and they always ask “What do you think of the Japanese?”. Japan is also a homogenious country culturally and racially. It is indeed a question loaded with “do you laugh at us vs do you notice how special we are” .
They have a deep shame about WWII but also a strong pride in their culture and traditions.
Honestly polishpress, you’re making me blush!
Glad you enjoyed it though. I will be addressing many of these questions and more in future posts.
Me? Undressed in the Rynek? I deny all knowledge of this event and you can’t prove a thing.
Commenting late, but what the hex: you write “I’ve never seen a Polar bear in Poland”. That held true till you read my About page, lol.
Re: What are Polish people like?…Should you need someone with experience between the English speakers in Poland and the Poles in the English speaklands – you can have me (metaphorically). For 20 years I have felt I’m a Scotsman. (I feel – therefore I am. No relatives recorded, no Balmorals owned, mind.) Stereotypes mingling.
what are the polish pepol like
I am enjoying this. I know people in Krakow and Warszawa, have been there and plan to go back in 2009.
Mike
http://www.michaelcharton.com
Hey tucson,
Both great towns (have no idea about Tucson however :). Thanks for reading and glad you enjoyed it.
you will answer questions?. wow, how honored i am.
do as all a favor, don’t answer questions and please stop writing.
Actually Agata, the poster, polishpress, asked for island1 to elaborate on certain things mentioned in his article. So he posted that he would, because he was asked. Maybe you should get all the information available before you post rude comments. Maybe, if your attitude is like this, you should do us all a favour and stop posting comments like that! I think maybe you have a touch of inferiority issues in your life.
hello there,
I posted a comment here, but i accidentally put my personal email address,,and i can see it showing on my computer..is there anyway you can help me take it off, please..just dont want any personal info showing in here..
thanks
[…] on Britsh tv it leaves me confused, or wondering wtf? Poles may be used as comic relief, for their awkwardness (see The Peep Show series 4). In ‘Skins’ (series 1) there’s an unlikely character […]
just had to add-for the majority of poles that feel the need to maintain a good status, be it for themselves or homeland-i bet few of these are over 30. I have worked with many under that age (making up what seems to be the majority that have moved to the uk?) and most def did not have this feeling of maintaining a good reputation. perhaps thats why they felt right at home up here in the north of scotland *hic* lol! personally i did not see much of a diff in character between poles and brits
Hi
Thank U v. much for leaving a comment on my blog. It is really nice to read Your stories about Poland and Your point of view on what it is like. It is quite interesting. I have read the story What ARE Polish people like? Part One. It was quite funny. I agree with you. I guess the questions “What do you think about Poland” come from a huge minority complex of whole population. As I wrote on my weblog, our country was separated from the rest of Europe for almost 65 years. It was not really fair. Poland always wanted to be a part of the Western community. It was a political decision to make Poland one of Soviet republics. Well, I guess you have to imagine how it feels for people if someone makes decisions for them and how it feels if they have no influence on their future and position. Poland has been independent for only 20 years. People are still somewhere deep inside afraid that it is not for long and not for ever. They also have this very particular attitude towards traveling. If you go abroad for a couple of months, Polish people call it an “emigration” right away. If you come back, they ask you if you came back for ever. This is ridiculous, because you cannot define by this point in your life that you will never again go to Paris or London. They think there is nothing interesting about Poland, that’s why they ask if you like it? It is probably they don’t like it all that much. Do you like Britain all that much? There is a difference between an identity of a Londoner or a citizen of Warsaw. There are not as many people from other countries in Poland, yet, or they have not been coming here for a long time. I guess you can define what is a Polish identity. That’s where the question is from. Anyway, your point of view is very interesting. I’m glad you write about Poland and that You enjoy staying here. I have been to England. I lived in Devon. It is quite interesting, because people asked me very often if I liked Devon rather than if I like England in general. But, you know, they also asked me if I liked London. I guess it is quite natural question. But I guess your point is that Polish people ask the question with an attitude that it is impossible for you to like it.
Tigers in Poland ? Where ?! ZOO?!
I don’t understand …. First you write that there’s no Polar Bears and than shoot with tigers?!! Please…..
Polska rządzi!!!
😀
Aeni: Many years ago, shortly after I came to Poland for the first time, a tiger escaped from (I think) a circus and was running around the streets of Warsaw. The police eventually shot it, but not before they had shot some poor guy who was trying to tranquilize the tiger. It was all very surreal and sad.
ur story is dumb. ur dumb u dont know anything so just shut ur face. thanks bye
WHAT?! A tiger? Where? I lived in Poland for 17 years and I’ve never seen a tiger 😀 (Only in ZOO, but that’s a different story…:P)
Ah, I already read comment above. Tiger on the streets… What a view o0
I read your post and it’s really interesting. I’m a Polish, so I might have some insight about your thoughtful post. You’re wondering why do we keep asking those questions and what’s so different about us that is hard to grasp at the first time. It’s really complicated and connected to our complex history, educational system, possibly also the “Polish soul” and nevertheless strong identification with our country.
First of all let me explain that in our minds we are paradoxical people. We have strong feeling of connection with our country and our history. But we are all talking about how we hate this country, our government and we are always thinking that something that what is foreign must be better. Our national pride conflicts with our national shame. Really. Take a look at our achievements. We think we didn’t really achieve anything as a nation. We are not a big country, but nevertheless it’s the biggest and one of the oldest countries in the Central Europe. When you take a look at for example Noble prize winners we have only few, compared to other countries. We don’t have any significant achievements in science, technology or pretty much anything else. Our culture is mediocre and not on the top. Poles strive to be recognized among other nations and we would like to be among the best. Of course this is not true that we don’t have any achievements at all, but we always thing that at most we are average. There are many things that we achieved, but they are either not known or not very visible. This might be one thing. Also our culture is not visible abroad, our influence among other nations never was anything from the top-star league if I might say it in this way. We are thinking that we are at best average and even if we manage to get to the top in some thing or the other, we either don’t think it’s important or the achievement is neglected. There’s a thing in this nation that is called among us “A Polish Hell”. Most Poles are very envious about achievements of other nations, but if someone in this nation achieves something it’s either that he or she did it by stealing something (applies to wealthy people), using others to achieve it (and it was not because of his hard work) or simply that he had connections. “Polish Hell” is also an excuse to blame everyone for everything. It doesn’t matter if you achieve success, many Poles will blame him for whatever reason, and if you fail you’re in front of very hard critique and they will still blame you. Communism imprinted in us the mentality of “worse is better” and “don’t try to get above average”. It’s the frustration of the masses in this nation that unveils itself when somebody achieved success that he must be blamed, because he couldn’t achieve it without (most of the time) some illegal activity.
Unfortunately this is only the tip of the iceberg. Our national pride has diminished in the last few hundred years mostly because of the influences of foreign nations. Under three consequent annexations of Poland we were under influence of Germany, Austria and Russia. Those nations tried to destroy our nation, our culture and our language. We were told that we are not capable of governing ourselves therefore we should not have the means to be an independent state. Since 18th century our country and dissidents where under strong influence of neighboring countries, foreign spies and we have strong feelings imprinted in our minds that we were left alone by our allies (like French and UK for example in WW2). We feel that our role in each and every field is neglected, is simply forgot and that we are brought to the role of cheap workforce for more developed nations. All those things are boiling in this nation, because we want to be recognized and commended. That’s why we have strong feelings for e.g. Churchill and USA, because they somehow recognized us. I think we simply need to be constantly reassured that we are somehow important for others and that we are not that average after all. Poles have strong inner feeling to be recognized among other nations as one of the important ones and that we should somehow also have some voice in geopolitics and global affairs. Perhaps this is partly because of our national megalomania. However we don’t want to be recognized as people who are doing this because of pride. We simply want to know that our place among nations is not neglected.
In fact we are a modern nation, still under strong influences from more powerful countries. We feel that global politics is defining our lives in our countries and this makes us feel that even though we are independent we are manipulated and dissidents are more interested in their own pockets and they are influenced by foreign agents and interests of powerful world-groups… Poles love freedom and we simply feel that our freedom is not how it should be. We even have a national motto from WW2 saying: “God, honor, the State”. I think it describes feelings of most of us, Poles.
I could go on and talk about this topic, but in fact deeply within we are feeling that we are not worse than others, but we like to think that others are seeing us as a third-world nation or something like this.
Great post. Thank you.
your insight is poor at best. as for accomplishments by Poles, i would suggest you pick up a good book, or invest in some lessons on how to do a search in google or bing or any other major search page before you decide that our accomplishments are trivial.
as for Churchill and U.S specifically L Johnson from WWII they did nothing for us except betray us and sold the rest of Europe to Stalin and his gang of killers. So don’t be saying they noticed us. They used us and that is all they did. My guess is you live somewhere in the states and are currently munching on fried chicken or live next door to mcdonalds, because you know just about as much. You could go on, on this topic but please do not proceed without some essential reading material which is strongly suggested.
AGREED!
It seems almost as though all of these commentaries are posted by Americans or British. Just because you have lived in Poland does not mean anything. It is hard to understand the people and to give out an analysis without doing any studies or getting to know the culture in depth.
Only if you are Polish, or something close to the sort, it means you can understand. You know simply NOTHING, and you’re evidence of Polish people having very many complexes is highly superficial, and, pathetic.
When Polish people claim that tourists believe they will see Polar bears, they mean that the visitors expect something surreal and wild. They are not LITERAL when they say this. And it is true, that most Brits and Americans do not know much about the world outside their country, and they do assume we are a third world country, and that everything is strange, for they believe their countries are the best and all there is to know has to do with where they live.
All countries have the good and the bad people, and I think all you care to write about is the negatives.
Only if you’re Polish you would understand that the shame of our past has diminished around a decade ago.
Have a good day.
Hey wolverine, I really like your comment! Is it possible to be your friend in the FB and know more about your country…please search writing Shams Rahman Sazeeb and you’ll see photo of an army personnel…
This blog is very very interesting. Is it still existing?
cute
that is sort of funny…. lol.
axbnm,
[deleted]
[deleted]
I am Polish. My parents came here to America in 1990, and I was born and raised in New York. I have learned the Polish language and feel a Pole at heart. As an American thought, I have to say that where ever I look, read about Polish people, they are always put down. There is so much of Polish history not known and not taught in school. Poland is completely omitted , even when people talk about WW1 and WW2. No one really knows about the Koszcziuszko Quadron and that France and Britain wouldn’t have managed without the Polish pilots WWII. Read “A Question of Honor” by Lynne Olson and Stanley Cloud. The book is pretty good, for a start. Another example is that no one knows that the first victims of WWII where Poles, and that after the war supposedly ended in 1945 the war continued for a very long time in Poland or rather against Poland. No one knows about Katyn and the mass exterminations and the burning up of villages. People where murdered for mentioning the word “Katyn”. Polish history is very much unknown and has been rewritten by people who want to keep it that way, even now, in todays times. Yes, the scary part is that now, in todays times people, meaning conventional citizens, teachers, professors, politicians, students and historians that want to uncover and show the documented truth about leading politicians of the past and present are persecuted. Not long ago a student from the University of Jagiellon in Krakow, a very prestigious university wrote a book about Lech Walesa using only facts from Walesa’s own intent library, authentic documentation, and historical facts. This book, written by a 24 year old student caused such a ridiculous sensation that it was almost comical to watch. All the tv programs where discussing this book, politicians where commenting or rather threatening the young student and his Professor. All the while, everyone who was against this book, hadn’t even read it. My main point is that this youngster, caused such a scare that the University was threatened with a check up, and the student was removed from IPN, a organization dealing with the “Conservation of National History”. Where has freedom of speech gone? There is such corruption everywhere….. and now? And now, Poland was the second world producer of natural, healthy sugar, but no because of the European Union, we import sugar, and the sugar is far from “good”. Funny how after each catastrophe, all the governments of the world say “never repeat past mistakes”, but it’s always the same governments saying these words. Poland has almost no manufacturing factories left, and the government is smiling and saying, we are becoming “European Citizens” be happy! Well, from what I see, we as a world are falling into another scary pit in history.
WZ – I was born in UK in 1953 and my father was Polish and yes the Polish psyche is certainly different. But what can people expect. Look at Poland’s history and its obliteration from the map. Look at the damage done to a nation and its people. Seriously, what do people expect? Your post and that of Wolverine say it all really. And I remember back then post WWII when I was a child and didn’t understand what war was, my father watching TV to try to get TRUTHFUL news about what was going on back in Poland. There was no mention of Katyn or what happened there. My Dad’s psyche could best be described as fractured beyond repair I think, but more so because no-one listened to the ‘crazy Polak’, they preferred not to know. Wasn’t Hitler also of the opinion that Poles were subhuman and therefore next on his agenda for annihilation? Those Poles who were locked inside Poland post war behind the iron curtain must have had nerves of steel wondering what their fate was going to be and they must have wondered where the rest of the world had disappeared to. Next time someone laughs at a Pole, best if they consider first whether they could survive such atrocity and still come out smiling. Before he died in 1993 my father handed me a piece of paper on which he’d written ‘Massacre at Katyn’. He had no more words to write.
Bernadetka I have your photo. I was born in Parczew. I like very much your father’s writtings(letters). gardinero at poczta dot onet dot pl
I would say being raised in NY pretty well explains your comment.
ur dumb.
I would like to talk to you more…
You say that Poland is put down, that wherever you look, Polish people are put down. Then you go on to say, in most of your post, that it is Polish institutions which are putting Poland down. Make up your mind!! And also, did the EU force Poland to join? I think not.
I was searching the web and found this page. We have a wonderful daughter-in-law that is from Poland, been in the states for 5 years now, and is a great addition to our family and my son’s life for a year. We love her so much.
Problem is, keeping it very short, she had a disagreement with a co-worker and she reacted very strongly to the point of threatening to go back to Poland. I’m related to the co-workers friend. And I am trying to stay out of it but she treats me as the enemy now.
My question is how can I talk with her to communicate that she is important to us. What can I say to help her refocus on her home, friends, and family and help her heal her hurt over the disagreement that seemed to blow out of proportion.
This website blog about Polish people and their pride in their country and how they can react personally to events helps me understand why she reacted so strongly.
All advice is appreciated.
We tend to take things personally. Americans are way more relax than Poles.
Nan: I’m completely unqualified to comment on this since I don’t know your daughter-in-law or the situation. My only suggestion would be to wonder if she is homesick. Living in a foreign country is hard, even if you’ve been there a long time and appear to be well integrated. The feeling that the people around you are different in some indefinable way never goes away. In a conflict this can make you feel very isolated. Does she have Polish friends to talk to, or does she get back to Poland often?
Thanks for the reply. Actually, you are probably right. She has no Polish friends here. What you said makes a lot of sense. She lived with her dad in another state in a Polish community until she met my son and got married. They both wanted to live here, a smaller city where it’s not as crowded. Her dad went back to Poland a few weeks ago. So, you see, what you say makes a lot of sense. Thank you!
My dad is Polish and I really don’t like it when some one says something like that. Not all Polish people are like that. For example: most girls in America say shopping is their favorite activity, but I’m not such a big fan. If you think I’m crazy, well, that’s just me!
Ania – I’m 56 and my Dad was Polish and very hard to live with due to the repercussions of WWII.
My mother was born in England but of Irish parents. I’m GLAD I AM who I am. My life wasn’t easy because of my mixed parentage but if I had to say what nationality I am – I would say I AM ANGLO-POLISH and I am proud of it even though I don’t speak Polish very well and my first language is English. My mother and father instilled in me, not by words but by example, what FAMILY means. What LOVE means. What LOSS means. And what STARTING OVER means. Believe me I loved and hated them both throughout my life. But by God they taught me so much about all of those things and about SURVIVAL. Dziekuje Mother and Tatus on behalf of myself and your grandchildren and great grandchildren! I Love You and Kocham Cie Bardzo!
You’re right when publishing this blog entry, because I feel that Polish people live a distinctive lifestyle (and that their mind is very Polish – not European generally; you know that as the European Union was formed, European people tend to think about themselves in term of a whole group like “We are Europeans” and not “We are Germans” – but fortunately, this doesn’t happen to the Poles) that is needed to reveal out. Honestly, I can’t describe what that distinctive is neither – we can just feel it. However, one thing must be emphasized is that the Poles are very nationalistic (is this the result of what Chopin did in his life time that brought Polish folk music to its zenith?) – they are proud of their country and their culture! Every time I talk to them (and I always compare their styles to other Europeans’), I feel something “very nationalistic” being revealed out – they talk more about themselves not like other Europeans, they are very open to foreigners, they make jokes more often than other Europeans, and the most important of all – they are very Polish. Can’t describe their spirits into words though, but once you are friended with them, then you would know what that thought which couldn’t be put into words is. Thanks for this entry, and enjoy your days!
I think that is because Poland’s identity was damaged by WWII and Polish people were oppressed for so long. Now things have changed and they have freedom and freedom is like alcohol. You have a little taste and you want MORE.
First the Poles must be allowed the time to be Polish again and to feel their own identity in their bones and running through their veins.
Self esteem is very closely bound to national pride and I think Polish people have a good kind of national pride which is not ego driven and does not profess to be better than anyone else. There is a quiet dignity about Polish people because despite everything we KNOW who we are.
We are human beings.
!
http://www.polishforums.com/
It really surprises me that you make such a big deal of the question: “ what do you think about Polish people?”
I’m a Polish born person living in the United States. I have been asked countless times by American citizens: “ what do I think of Americans or how do I like this country and culture.” Americans love their country and love when one says good things about the United States. It is nice to have a foreign person come and appreciate you. They ask tougher questions too: “do I think Americans are fat? Do people in my country are slim?” Many of them think British accent sound nicer.. they ask what I think about the accent.. A coworker from Atlanta told me that my accent was nicer because it was European sounding, not like her “southern accent” . Every nation has it’s Achilles’ heel.
Amazingly the image many of Americans have of Polish people is mainly the one presented by American media, usually dating from the time of the Solidarity movement, long food lines, old ladies and factory workers.
Somehow, Americans know very little of other people’s countries and cultures and very few of them speak foreign languages.
Poland has been hiding behind “the iron curtain” for so long that when it finally emerged, it was, to many people, some sort of post communist enigma. The entire country was put on trial (economic trial, political trial, social trial) – the world was watching us, wondering if we’ll ever make it. That is why people are so curious. They know they are doing pretty well, they want to see if you are surprised that they do. It was not an easy transition but they made it. Poland is the only country in Europe not trashed by the economic turmoil.
When my husband, native of California, arrived in Gdansk, he was flabbergasted. He said to me “ Polish people are so hip”.
He added that when he was practicing law in Denmark he thought that the Danish girls were prettier than California girls, but now he thinks Polish girls are prettier than Danish. He loved Poland and was surprised to see how knowledgeable and well educated the people he encountered were. I did not mid him saying that. I was rather curious what his perception of Poland would be. It’s my homeland.
When it comes to the “polar bear roaming the streets ” it is just an expression to reference an obscure, inhabitable place.. (nothing to do with Russia or Warsaw Pact.) in America you say “Hicks from the Sticks”. it’s jus a saying. You can not take or translate “an expression” or a “saying” literally.
To address the comment below your letter – “probably poles see themselves as a very homogeneous nation” – the truth is: Poles are a homogenous nation. When it comes to people’s “social position” no nation is more aware of it than the English.
And if a Polish person asks you again – if you think that they drink too much vodka – you can tell them the truth that the British and the Irish drink much more than the Polish do.
D.K.H.
An American friend told me about your Blog and said I would find the comments interesting, she was right.
I am English, newly married to a Polish girl, love Poland but find myself completely at a loss to understand the Polish Female Psyche. In short I would appreciate all the help I can get. Perhaps a starter for 10, are all Polish women Bossy ? how to cope, can a reserved-genteel-quiet type of guy ( me ), come to terms with the many complex influences that invaders have imposed on Poland, it’s Culture and more importantly, it’s Womanhood.
Yes, this obsession with my opinion concerning almost everything Polish, I have found quite amusing, perhaps an answer to the question as to why I had married a Polish Lady, slowed them a little in their tracks, I simply pointed that all English women had cold feet in bed, outlined my theory that female cold feet in bed and the placement of them in an attempt get warm, resulted over the years in an accumulative shock to the male nervous system, and was probably why we poor men usually die at a younger age than they do,
that my wife being Polish had warm feet in bed at night,
My questioner thought for a minute then said ” perhaps my wife has cold feet at night because she is from Gdansk”
Now search as I might and I really have, I am still trying to find just where in the UK, Gdansk is.
Other theories on Female cold feet, would be interesting.
confused Bazz
Yes we’re bossy! I’m an Anglo Polish woman and my Spanish husband couldn’t handle a bossy woman so we divorced. His loss. And he knows it. Polish women know what love and family life is about and if Polish men or any other man doesn’t like what she knows – TOUGH! Trust me – stick with her – she knows what’s what where family is concerned.
this is all very interesting. As I live next door to many Polish people I had an altercation with one who’s dog crapped on my garden twice. Its just the principle. I may have over reacted but this page has put things in context. I wanted to know about the Polish people’s mentality so I could try to get an angle on this issue. Even the Chinese have a saying about shaming people to anger. So I somehow have to offer an olive branch without losing face myself. Its strange about the comment of strong Polish women – when the guy started again at me (my anger had passed 2 days later) the young lady came out and basically slapped him upside the head and he was saying wtf get off, so I admired this and thought it respectful to retire into my house as I was sat outside. He keeps looking towards my house so things are still very tense. I would like to defuse the situation. Thankyou to all those who submitted comments…
i love this
I’m polish AND every time some one gets to know that I’m polish they just start asking weird questions as “aren’t you scared that a bear gonna eat you?’ or ‘how is it to live in an igloo?’ every time they say it I just can’t resist loughing. NO we DO NOT ive in an igloo and NO there isn’t any bears walking down the street ( don’t think there is any bears outside country parks) .
Pola – I’m 56 years of age and I’m Anglo Polish. My mother was English and my father was Polish. One of my worst memories was being in school around the age of 11 and my teacher telling my classmates that I had a ‘strange surname’ because my father came from ‘a far off country which was very, very cold”. At the time I was sitting there with a nice tan because I’d just spent two months in Poland in July! And boy was it HOT over there. I was totally confused because I thought teachers KNEW EVERYTHING but obviously – THEY DON’T. Consequently, I had to endure the questions in the playground – does your father live in an igloo? It hurt at the time but now I just look back and laugh. I no longer explain to ANYONE what Poland is like or what Polish people or like. Nor do I suggest they visit the country and see for themselves. To be honest I no longer care if ignorant people REMAIN ignorant – it’s THEIR LOSS. I know what I know.
My experience: weeks after I came to UK like most of the foreigners for job oportunities one of the first people I met were polish. I’m from South America in my first party here lots of people were from Poland most of them professionals which it means they are educated people. To say that I was from Paraguay it was something exotic which it normal..while I was having a conversation with a polish girl, she was trying to tell me how lucky I was to be here and not to be in Paraguay….she asked me if we have universities in Paraguay. I could not believe that someone was asking me something like this. My flatmate who was polish and who was sitting next to us, got angry and said something to her in Polish…the day after she was telling that from some Polish people just Europe, USA, Canada exists that rest of the world for some of them is a jungle. Poles here in this blog complain that the americans are ignorants but I think poles do not have neither knowledge about the rest of the world.
In the other hand …I have heard from so many polish people …telling me how much they hate to live here…they complain about everything the weather, the way how british people are..the food etc…must of them would like to go back to Poland.
My impression is that Polish people are very nationalist. While I was living in Germany I met also polish people there, they were not happy in Germany, they are not happy in USA…where they are happy? Just at home.
As non european I would say that polish people are very different are the rest of the Europeans…the attitutes…the way how they see life…My opinion and I do not want to offend anyone here is that polish folks are a very insecure nation with a very low self-esteem..for this reason they just feel confortable at home…and of course the whole history behind all this and maybe also the religion (catholic Church) has made it worse.
I think is not good to create as stereotype but once you get close with poles like in my case…I think general stereotypes are just real truth….
hegu: A good point. Polish people often get upset when people don’t know anything about Poland, but they are not the best informed about other parts of the world. It’s a double standard.
Perhaps Polish people AREN’T well informed about other parts of the world. Do you realise that after WWII Poland was NO LONGER ON THE MAP and it was completely ISOLATED from the rest of the world because it was BEHIND THE IRON CURTAIN drawn down by RUSSIA and other neighbours who carved POLAND up and DIVIDED it into pieces. My father couldn’t communicate with his family in POLAND until 30 YEARS after WWII because of that. He was reunited in 1966 with his daughter who was born in 1939 because of that IRON CURTAIN. Don’t blame POLES for being ignorant of the rest of the world – BLAME THE BLOODY TYRANTS WHO MARCHED INTO THEIR COUNTRY AND TOOK THEM OVER!
So if Poland was behind the iron Curtain, how can you expect the world to know about them… Paradox is it?
wow, you have less of a clue than the other guy. I was in grad5 in poland in the late 70’s we had to memorize all the worlds capitals, mountain ranges, highest peeks, major bodies of water, major historical events, populations, flags, religions, languages spoken etc.
Iron Curtain may have altered some political geography but i doubt it altered the topology. Kindlhy Please think before you post as you embarrass the rest of us. As well i frankly think what hegu is talking about is an exception to the rule, rather than the rule, every country has blond females so to speak.
As for the double standard people are talking about, i am curious why most americans expect that everyone knows english? when we go to your country we try to learn your language, at least we bring a dictionary….perhaps when you go to a non english speaking country you should give them the respect and at least make an effort at their language rather than just slamming them that they don’t know english…news flash for you….its their country and they don’t need to know english.
“Perhaps Polish people AREN’T well informed about other parts of the world” – im not sure if i should laugh or cry, i just cant find the words to comment on that.
“Don’t blame POLES for being ignorant of the rest of the world” – woman! are you for real???????????
you come here, all of you, and say Poles are fkn ignorants and have no clue about the world???? while its YOU who proved your lack of knowlege and huge ignorance
go to school in Poland and you will see how well educated that nation is, and compare it to what it looks like in your countries where people think that Europe is a country or when they dont know how many oceas there are or things like that.
some of you guys are so darn funny in a pathetic way of course
you are crazy, seriously, i thought your blog was funny but you come across as a “i know it all” person, you are being way too subjective w/o paying attention to the fact that some people (i think many of them are crazy) may take your blog as some reliable resource of knowlege and you arent entitled to be treated as one.
a good writer would give some info but would leave things to one’s own interpretation while you talk as if you were an encyclopedia!!! encyclopedia that provides people w/often wrong info. u can share your personal thoughts but be reasonable.
Poles arent upsent when you dont know anything about Poland, Poles are shocked that you are stupid and you dont know about Poland while Poles know A LOT about the world and have rich general knowledge about geography/history
so you stop being such a smart ass
Poles hate ignorance, and what many foreigners know shows how poor the knowlege of those foreigners is, the foreigner who actually think are smart
hi
i want to know about polish people and what they do
hi, I live in new york, long island, i plan on moving to Poland in 2010, I’m a little concerned about not knowing the polish language, is it possible to make a life there as a American with my fiance (she is polish), thank you for you answers.
Brian,
Yes, it is perfectly possible to make a life here. There are tens of thousands of Americans living here, as well as many other nationalities. It’s easier in the cities of course, where would you be living?
I recommend my other website Polandian.com for a humorous look at living in Poland and also this post:
http://polandian.home.pl/index.php/2008/03/20/polish-english-forums/
about internet forums for foreigners in Poland.
Lots of Poles speak good English, but certainly not all of them. It’s not that hard to pick up some survival Polish, despite what people tell you.
love you all
wz has the most informative post
(see the May 3, 2009 entry)
Well … what can I say? Polish peiple CARE what others think about them – not out of vanity – but simply because they CARE. They WANT to be friendly, they WANT to be accepted and there’s nothing wrong with that. They were told by Hitler that they were sub-human – what do you expect for Christ’s sake? He did a good job on them. Now then. There are some SECOND GENERATION POLES living in other countries, born of mixed marriages – but we’re STILL POLES. We KNOW what our fathers and mothers went through. We KNOW we’re POLISH as well as ENGLISH etc. We haven’t forgotten WHO WE ARE. And we haven’t forgotten what our parents went through or HOW WE GOT HERE. You wonder WHY the Polish psyche is the way it is? Ask Hitler? And DON’T laugh at Poles and their innocent ways because TRULY we KNOW what LOVING OUR NEIGHBOUR is all about. We have FORGIVEN atrocities that others would find hard to forgive. WHY? Because it’s the ONLY WAY FORWARD.
try not to say, you do not have a clue
Are you seriously belive, Poles (or anyone) should have low-self esteem coz “Hitler told so”???
I dont get the way your mind goes…
not me!
Who cares about Poland anyways….all countries have their drawbacks but what matters is what they have to offer, economically, culturally or in any other ways. Ive never heard Poland coming up in anyways in a geopolitical scenario or elsewhere. yes there was the WW2 but get over it!! Poland is boring, gimme 1 reason why I should visit Poland.
Im sorry for the poles but i reckon if you had the choice you would choose someplace else to live your life as many have already done.
where are you from, you show your lack of knowledge and you dare to say things like that!!!
you probably want to move out from that hole you live in so you stop talking about something you have no clue about
and you wont be telling people to get over something, you look at your probably bad shameful history and get over that
and btw no one wants you to go to Poland, Poland doesnt need any a$$holes in here like yourself.
Ive met a few polish people like urself and instead of making a debate, i believe you get on the defensive and start with the accusations just like the rest of you….this is just lack of pride. You dont even know where I am from and not that it is important but u believe that its a hole, and we have a shameful history…
just to give u an example of pride, a jamaican has more of it than all your country put together. And once again, even though I find Poland quite a beautiful country, its the attitudes of shit heads like urself that I wouldnt go there even on a free pass.
Your country must be boring….. Poland is beauriful…………….YOU SUCK………..!!!!!!!!!!!!!You have never been there, how can You judge? Think about it>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
One reason to visit Poland: Cabbage and mushroom pierogi. Man needs no other reason.
Some of you may want to use google to educate your simplistic views. I was partly educated in Poland and i can tell you one thing for sure that any grade 6 student in Polnad knows by far more about the history of the world and many other things than any US citizen wii know at collage level. As for those of you who have the simplistic view that Polish people never accomplished anything think again. eg. Warner brothers started by two Poles. US nuclear sub fleet idea of a nuclear sub was born by a Pole who emigrated to US. Delta wing…co polish invention….kerosene lamp, 1 noble prize winner who won it twice…total number of people who won it twice is around 10….first Ministry of education in recorded history, Copernicus, may want to check out history of WestPoint, 303 Squadron, V-tail, major and i mean major contributor to cracking the Enigma, solved problem how to initiate fusion in hydrogen bomb…(Ulam, S)…Kuratowski, regarded as father of topology….S. Wozniak, S Kubrik, Matt Urban,Feynman,Wolszczan,Curtis Sliwa I could go on for weeks. Re examine your simplistic views. Pick up a history bood…. As far as i am concerned, no Pole has to prove anything to any other nation, we stand more than well on our own. Unfortunately some still are insecure.
I don’t think it was argued that Poland hasn’t acheived anything, but rather that there is sometimes the perception that it hasn’t. This comes from a number of factors, and I would list the partitions (and other foreign aggression in history), and the kind of low-level racism towards Poles by many people.
So that I don’t make myself misunderstood, I will say this, that I am very proud of Poland and it’s acheivements, to the extent that my chest feels like it could burst open, but all around me (in Britain) are people who believe very different things about Poland and Poles. Just try a google search, on google.co.uk, for ‘Polish Man’. I tried this earlier, and was shocked by the general representation. The attitudes of those around me enact this niggling attrition that feeds an insecurity about Poland.
I believe the partitions of Poland had a huge effect, obviously, on perceptions of Poland. First, consider that this was a point in history that encompassed many leaps forward. Let’s take the industrial revolution as one of them. Poland did not exist as a state during that time, and therefore it is very difficult to properly assosciate Poland with the industrial revolution. Western Poland (Wielkopolska, for arguments sake) has much infrastructure dating from this time, namely the dense railway network, however, as this area was under Prussian control, no-one outside of Poland would assosciate it historically with Poland, even though at a local level Poles may have had quite a lot to do with it. Conversely, the Russian and Austrian occupied parts did not gain so much infrastructure, creating a disparity with infrastructure in Western Europe. Though this wasn’t the fault of the Poles, but of the occupting powers, it leaves a legacy of backwardness that foreigners can tag (though unreasonably, to the Polish people).
Another aspect of the nature of partition means that many Poles who acheived great things are recorded in history not as Poles, but as citizens of either Prussia, Russia, or Austria. An example of this would be the explorer Nikolai Przhevalsky; That is the spelling you find in the English speaking world, and this orthographic manifestation declares, to the casual encountee, that this man is a Russian, despite him being Polish.
Also, beyond that particular problem, consider Maria Skłodowska-Curie, who is known widely in Britain as the French scientist Marie Curie. So, that’s a major achievement, robbed from Poland (in the eyes of the English-speaking world) by the ignorant assumption that Maria Skłodowska-Curie was a French woman (we can only be thankful that some Polish patriot has kept the record straight on wikipedia).
Chopin is well known as a Polish pianist and composer, his acheivements so great that they couldn’t be obscured, but still he is known around the world as Frédéric François Chopin, in French spelling, even though he himself would primarily have called himself Fyderyk Franciszek Chopin, and signed his letters ‘Frycek’. Is the Polish spelling too difficult for people? More complicated for English speakers than the silly French? It comes down to a kind of snobbery, which will bring me on to the second point. French is seen as cultivated, sophisticated, high class, language of the arts and high culture, whereas Polish, that beuatiful language as grammatically perfect as latin, is no good; the language of cabbage growers, or, if you refer to the google.co.uk search for ‘Polish man’, the language of horse and vacuum cleaner abusers.
There has long been a kind of racism against Poles, mostly form a neighbours to the west (we know who). Frederick the Great of Prussia, had roughly the same view of Poles as did Adolf Hitler, and similar sentiments can be found expressed by prominent English DJ Chris Moyles, in BBC employ. BBC documentaries also highly rate Frederick the Great, as an enlightened rule, dispite his criminal actions against Poland and attempts to quash the Czartoryski-led reforms. I can give more examples of BBC endorsing anti-polonites. The implicit message is that racism towards Poles is absolutely fine.
This racism, or snobbery (whichever you want to call it) further robs Poland of international acclaim, accounting for why in Western eyes an amazing woman like Maria Skłodowska-Curie must be a French woman.
All this negativity about Poland which is held in the West, does feed back to some Poles. Apparently some don’t see it, but many do, particularly the patriotic element of the Polish diaspora communities. These things are beginning to change, thankfully, as more people outside Poland encounter Poles, and as Poland begins having a more normalised role in Europe and the West, but for now there is still plenty that conspires to drive an inferiority complex into Poles, despite everything we have to be proud of.
I remember it was a news story in Poland when Szymanowski’s opera Król Roger was to play recently at a foreign opera house. Does it make French news when Bizet’s Carmen is played outside of France, or Austrian news whenever a Mozart opera plays outside of Austria? No. It demonstrates how rare it is for anyone outside of Poland to appreciate Polish culture. Poland has produced plenty of good music, of a standard as good as any other, but because it is Polish, no one outside of Poland wants to know. The exceptions being Chopin, and Górecki’s Symphony No.3 (which has been utterly connatively hijacked), nothing else of Poland’s excellent music is commonly heard west of the Odra. I’m not just complaining. I’m doing what I can to change this, but I am battling a strong and unfounded cultural snobbery.
Great post .
im not really sure that you should be allowed to run a blog lol seriously, Poles are concered about how others see them? they are poor and have issues? wtf
u say Poles judge you but arent you a hypocrite right now???
u provide people with wrong info and thats what i dont like, how can u talk about Poles being short if its easy to check the date on that matter and see its one of the tallest nations
how can u say Poles are all about the money and clothes?
is that bad that Poles (especially women) like to dress up nice and when they attend some party they want to look nice? i think thats a good thing and if you arent into juding people and paying attention to their outfits how come you noticed that lol
look at the people in your country and see if they dont want to have a nice job and earn money, and look at the teens who get pregnant to get a free crib and social money
its very rude to say that Polish people invite you to their houses to show what they have!!! thats so uncool and u let others who havent been to Poland read that bs and believe in that.
maybe you have met some people who have some kind of a complex about posessions but u cant talk about entire nation by the prism of few people u have met or your personal subjective impressions that were probably wrong and as u see were hurtful towards Poles
and do not talk about geography saying that Poland says they have a bad situation cos of their location and other countries didnt complain…u just do not get that so do not provide people with wrong information, learn something about history and then speak, thats a very complex topic
and btw yes… a Pole can spot a Pole and its not about clothes (tho Poles are dressed well)
I don’t think he means any of it as an attack. He is just taking a humerous look at things. Obviously he likes Poles, else he wouldn’t bother with them. You, we, are not under attack here.
Hi guys,
I’m writing thesis about Poland and Polish people in foreginers opinion.
Please fill out the survey below. It will help me with my researches.
If you have any friends, somebody from family who were in Poland please forward this message too.
Survey you can find here —> http://www.moje-ankiety.pl/wypelnij/kwestionariusz/16814/
Thank you for your help:)
Grażyna
unavailable
If You want to know sth about Poland and polish people, just come and visit Poland. I advise to go to Wroclaw, Gdansk, Krakow, Malbork, mazury( area of lakes), Tatry muntains, and the wounderfull sea shore!!!!!
Come and explore, to see what is like..
read read read raed beutiful story yum yum
Been to London had a chance to talk to white Brits they kinda same .and i been asked many times what s your experience with us , what you think of us / British people/
I always replay Yous are great . Which is true . If I was ever asked , what European country do
younlike the most I would have defenitly said that Brits Are the best from west eurpoe
[…] What ARE Polish people like? Part I « Wyspianski unwindingWhen you first meet Polish people in Poland, one of the first questions they always ask you is 'So, what do you think of Polish people? … […]
that is bizzare what You have written, I lived in England for almost two years, and always ALWAYS the conversation starter was:so what do You think of England etc. it was sooo tiring, I just wanted to record it and play it to them, it was the same when i went to Croatia… I guess it is quite normal to ask foreigners these things
Hi everyone, I’m 100% Polish raised in America I realy don’t care what people think of Poland. If you like the country and the people visit it. However, if you are one of those that don’t stay away and stop making all this DRAMA for nothing.
Hello my Polish bretheren, I also am a diplaced by Forefather/mother Polish decendant, American born & raised but always curios to the land of which my blood was sewn, I have always lived with the pride of knowing the fortitude and strength and sometimes pain my Great-grandparents withstood to gain a freedom of which they obviously sought. Unfortanatly I was too young to ever hear or obsorb any of their personel stories relating to their respective reasons for relocating to America. Other than the obvious econamical or political reasons of the period related through a historical prosective, I often still find myself in awe of people who made or make this choice and perservered through heartache & hardships.
Altough migrating to another country is obviously something that has bieng perpetual through the ages and many have bieng forced unwantedly to do, I still feel the pride of my Polish ancestors of coming and conquering (well at least making a better life for themselves) America.
I have found this site entertaining and insightful, bieng I know little of polish history, I embrace an open dialog site as this and hope that it helps to educate me on a land I think of often.
Hopefully one day I will reilize my dream to visit your (Mine) beautiful Poland
Poland has quite a few problems that are swept under the carpet, I have found little here to suggest that Alcohol is a national problem but many of the Poles I have met are at best, binge drinkers who are unable to stop until the bottle is empty, in general the Poles seem to be rather selfish but then of course, Alcoholics always are.
Respect for other peoples property also seems to be something lacking in Poles, perhaps that goes with the drink, fortunately the younger generation seem to smoke and drink less than their parents, perhaps there is hope for Poland yet?
alcohol beverages at all but read it with proper understanding of wriitten data . Poland has quite a few problems that are swept under the carpet, I have found little here to suggest that Alcohol is a national problem but many of the Poles I have met are at best, binge drinkers who are unable to stop until the bottle is empty, in general the Poles seem to be rather selfish but then of course, Alcoholics always are.
– Have you ever been to Sweden , Finland , Italy or any other nation in Europe at all ? I guess ,not!
What you have said it is just a proof of your immense ignorance . To enlighten you I will just write something which you have not heard about – My Dear we don`t have such a problem as a nation . It was made up during Hitler Nazi propaganda to justify the invasion to the rest of Europe . Just read more about this topic , please . Or read about a consumption of alcohol beverages with proper understanding of data
Some Poles do drink a lot, but the Polish attitude is generally healthier than the British one. I’ve drank in both cultures, and Britain takes the biscuit for stupidly binge drinking. Binging does happen among Poles sometimes, but at least when it does, it is usually a group orientated activity. It is rude to just pour yourself a drink and down it; you should wait for others drink to a toast. In Britain, among the younger generation at least, it’s just a free for all.
Everything here can be associated with stereotypes and prejudices. But we know that we identify ourselves through stereotypes and prejudes so that I will speak about my experience with Polish people. Anna Wierzbicka, the famous Australian-Polish linguist tries scientifically to present Poles as more cordial than Americans, just like other Mediterrannean and Slavic cultures. However, her science about the cordiality of Poles is very subjective. I would like to see something written by a Finish or a French people (for ex.).
Now my generalisations: At the first point you think that Poles are cordial. If you speak their language, you are very well accepted. Everything what is Polish is very good. If you come from a Slavic country, then they say, you are a Slav just like us. But this is a generalisation just like my generalisaitons. In the matter of fact, I cannot compare South Slavs with Poles at all. Poles are at the first point cordial, but they like sticking to their selves. “I will find a Polish guy, the German will not understand me so well” said one girl two me (I am not German).
However, Polish culture is not so opened as it might seem.
Polish people speak in 3 person singular to their parents and use 3 person singular to old people. There is a great distance between professors and students. Professors are treated as gods… The language thing about the 3 person singular is just a choice, but the fact that I understand Polish since my native language is another slavic one, it is a bit cold and reserved and very “high-mannered” to use 3 person singular, although ITalian and German use also other polite persons as the second person plural.
These manners are a bit oldy. I found also very paradoxal the fact that polish people go to disco and train to drink, but then Sundays, they go to the church. God will forgive us… Everybody makes sins said one pole girl to me after having asked why she uses contraception…
So that is all guys:)
I take a distance from generalisations. IN the matter of fact I have also met very nice polish people and I dont judge a person with means of generalisations…
What is wrong in going to church after the night out ? That`s radiculous what you say . I didn`t knoiw this is a sin ( I mean to dance and drink ) . I am an atheist so religion is not a matter I can widely cmment but one thing I know – having fun is no crime in Poland and it is definitely not a sin. I guess those people who attend masses are not criminals either who after commiting a crime go to church for redemption . I hate such comments about religion . It is such a personal thing that no one should put a comment except for himself . .
Dear Kiki.
You are always well accepted when speaking a natives language in a foreign country. A perfect example would be a guide that US soldiers received in Iraq during the World War II (“A short guide to Iraq”, War and Navy Departments Washington D.C., 1943, source: lonesentry.com) which emphasized that an Allied soldier, speaking even a few words in Arabic language, would gain natives’ sympathy and trust. It’s true in every country of the world. If you speak their language, they welcome you open-handed. I found this out during one of my ski-trips to Italy (Aprica), when after I said a few phrases in Italian, the two hotel owners started to immediately recognize me and address me by my name. Hell, they even invited me for a coffee!
As for the openness of the Polish culture, you’re wrong. And here’s why…
You state that the Poles address their parents in 3rd singular. That’s not true. Well, not in all cases. I, for example, always address my ol’chaps in 2nd singular. “Mom/Dad, have you seen my beaker?”, for example. That’s a common example from Ph.D’s family life. But, you might encounter 3rd singular in certain social spheres. Nobility for example might use 3rd singular to communicate with parents. Or, you might have overheard that in one of the old Polish films, like “Wojna domowa” (“Civil War” – direct translation), a 1965-1966 series, in which Pawel (Paul) character addressed his parents in 3rd singular. But that’s an archaism which is no longer in use, or so I think.
Still, I do address my relatives in 3rd singular, like “Czy ciocia widziała mój kubek?” which directly translates into: “Has aunt seen my beaker?”. That’s to show the respect to an older person. Same with professors you have mentioned we treat them like gods. It’s not the matter of being divine. It’s a matter of respect. When you face an older person, with great knowledge, you have to show your respect. I find this “cold” and “high-mannered” language appropriate when addressing such respectful people.
You’ve mentioned Poles drinking on discos on Saturday and going to church the next day. This is a bad example, but I think I know what you mean. You should say: “People bitching on each other, go to church for “indulgence” just to start bitching again the next week. Yeah, that’s common here. Just see Wolverine’s first post, in which he mentions the “Polish Hell”. It’s somewhat similar to what I said.
And we’re not drinking as much vodka as some people may think. I bet the origin of this legend is bound to the soviets who drank the stuff with buckets. Almost as much as Sweds… sorry, Norwegians (that blasted MacReady…) do and all of the Scandinavian people. But in their place I guess I’d be walking hammered every single day after I stuck my head out of the window.
Polish culture is open. What’s more, I’d risk the say that the Poles would welcome cheerfully any foreign person they could meet. The more exotic the person is, the better reception he gets.
Just my observation.
Poland has quite a few problems that are swept under the carpet, I have found little here to suggest that Alcohol is a national problem but many of the Poles I have met are at best, binge drinkers who are unable to stop until the bottle is empty, in general the Poles seem to be rather selfish but then of course, Alcoholics always are.
Poland has quite a few problems that are swept under the carpet, I have found little here to suggest that Alcohol is a national problem but many of the Poles I have met are at best, binge drinkers who are unable to stop until the bottle is empty, in general the Poles seem to be rather selfish but then of course, Alcoholics always are.
– Have you ever been to Sweden , Finland , Italy or any other nation in Europe at all . I guess not . What you have said it is just a proof of your immense ignorance . To enlighten you I will just write something which you have not heard about – My Dear we don`t have such a problem as a nation . It was made up during Hitler Nazi propaganda to justify invasion to the rest of Europe . Just read more about this topic , please . Or read about a consumption of alcohol with understanding of data included !!!
We are concerned about a subject ” what do others think about Poland ” mainly because we have heard so called
” polish jokes ” and we want to know if foreigners believe in this crap . Sometimes they do .
Also the other factor is important – in Hollywood
( where producers or directors are mainly Jews coming from Poland or having roots in Poland ) they must remember the jokes said about them in pre war era eg.about Mosiek As a revenge now they reverse these jokes putting instead of them polish characters . Their resentment is so obvious that if you watch american movies you can always spot a bad characters named with a last names sounding very familiar to polish last names. It is not difficult not to notice rather negative opinions about us from people who are of jewish origin who spread false informations about our history and culture . So this way the prejudices are made from and based upon . Watching USA TV such scheme is also replicated . The vast majority of USA and Canadian citizens are very poorly educated so their knowledge about other nations derives from TV or cinema . So it is so simple to deduct what picture of Poland they have in their minds . This is, I think, the core answer to your question . No other nation`s history was so distorted as polish history , among other nations . I recomend you to read a book titled ” sprawa honoru”
http://www.sprawahonoru.com/. Pozdrawiam wszystkich
Dearest Anna,
There is not another Country I have been to in Europe and that includes most of them, did I seen so many people openly drunk in the middle of the day.
Like a small child you seem to be blaming everyone else for your own ills, Hitlers invasion of Poland was because the Polish reaction was predictable, your Army defended the City instead of taking to the Hills which was his greatest fear. Because they were free, you encouraged the Germans to build roads before the war that allowed his army to move quickly around Poland when he did invade, how stupid was that ?
Hitler invaded Poland because it was easy and the Russians encouraged him because they gained half of Poland without firing a shot, well not until Katyn.
Until any one accepts there is a National Problem with Drinking & Smoking, then it will never be put right.
Oh Dear reader , what country are you from ? You know nothing about Poland or if you are Poliah you hate your country cus you are frustrated for only known reasons to yourself. I want you to read more about history and not repeat these old cliches. No one believes in such things any more .Just read statistics , pls!!!!! In every country there are people who drink excesively and if you think that some countries are immune from such a problem you are simply a child with childish attitude but zero knowledge , period!!!!!!!!!!
I would like to see what Britain would have done in 1939 had it lain where Poland did. You are so unbelievably fortunate to have seas around your borders, and in England having done such a charming job long ago of subjugating the Scottish and Welsh.
I would also like to see how the Battle of Britain would have turned out had our battle-hardened Polish pilots not been there with you. I can guarantee you that it would not have gone so well for you, so just ease off with your criticisms of the Polish defense in 1939.
We should never have trusted you bastards anyway. Look at all the good it did us, an alliance with Britain. We may as well have signed those common defence pacts with Atlantis and Gondor instead of with Britain and France.
I am from Slovakia and based on what I have read our culture is a bit similar to the Polish. Having lived abroad I for six years I realised that the feeling of being second-rate is an illusion caused by a lack of knowledge about the lives in other countries and also the impact of glossy image of the “west” transmitted through the media.
The fact is, the countries like Slovakia or Poland are doing well given the circumstances. We’ve never had it easy unlike our westerners but we keep up with them I think. As for education we are a much better educated nation than Brits or Americans who are VERY misinformed or not very interested in learning anything about most of the foreign countries. For so-called developed nation that is kind of strange (put it very softly).
I think that the West have done a lot of damage to the East although it’s not all the fault of the West. Was it not for communism we would be on par with them but you cannot change the history. I am not one of those who likes to be bitter about things although I do think that Eastern and Central Europe have to put up with a great deal of ignorance from the part of the “West”. It’s annoying, it’s a shame, but in the end of the day it’s more of a problem for them then for us.
I agree with you entirely. Glossy western advertising ought to go to hell. They market their shitty bourgeois lifestyles to the rest of the world, and in some cases cause these places to abandon what they had before, which invariably was better. Take Tesco. The bakery in Jelenia Gora which had the best rolls has shut because of competition from Tesco. Soon the baker with the best bread will go too, then the one with the best cakes, until every special unique little shop, in Poland and Slovakia both, has been killed by a monstrous and grotesque international profiteer, giving us homogenised mediocre products, all in the name of a convenience that will make us all fat, stupid, and oil-dependant (because we will have to drive to our oh so convenient Tesco).
Such an improved quality of life we’ll have. It’ll be just like in Britain, where twice a month we can drive to the supermarket and buy a tonne of shit to fill our freezers, so we can then spend more time watching shitty American films and ghastly tack on our enourmous new televisions in HD, with the remote control balanced neatly on our new bellies.
We may as well just die.
For life – vote Green
Also, when it comes to drinking no one can beat British people.
Anna,
As I said, until you admit there is a problem, then nobody is going to do anything about it, true parts of Britain have drink related worries, mostly Scotland but at least they are addressing the same situation that Poland is pretending does not exist. As for smoking , again Poland is lagging behind most of Europe in legislation that would see smoking banned in Public Places, now the Irish are renown drinkers but is mostly Beer, not Vodka. However their smoking laws are some of the toughest in Europe and others are following their lead but defiantly not Poland, it is though probable the EU will soon introduce a smoking ban in public places
Some of the venom in the comments is highly inappropriate and shows a distinct lack of tolerance, but I’ve found much of value here as well. The poster that mentioned how unaware most people are of Polish accomplishments is completely correct, although I wouldn’t attempt to figure out why. There are a huge number of significant achievements by Poles over the years, but for some reason no one ever remembers that the achiever was Polish. Marie Curie, for example, is always thought of as French – she was Polish (born in Warsaw) and went to Paris to study, as was not uncommon (then or now as I understand it). She won two Nobel Prizes (the first ever to do so, as well as the first woman ever to receive one). And who in mathematics hasn’t heard of Mandelbrot?
i dated a pole, this person was abusive, controlling and manipulative,,and hypersensitive…
now i could understand why..he’s prolly been bullied a lot
i wonder if poles have anger issues and bad tempers?
lol
I certainly do. As is perhaps evident in some of my comments.
hmmmm
Hi thegalaxy, not all but most are as u describe them, Bossy, or at least try to be.
yabayabadoo
Ive been living in US for 6 years and Im married to american guy and when I meet new people they almost always ask me how I like it here and what I think about US/Americans/NYC.
I would advice to all of Brits to loosen your tights and chill.
Hmmm. What an ïnteresting perception of Polish people. However as a Polish myself I must clerify that the reson why Polish would ask you What you think of Polish people? Or more common in my experience What do you think of Poland is a matter of politnes.the cultural differences must be point pointed here. In some countries people would take it as a compliment if you would burp at the table table and it another country it would something considered offensive. Myself I have been asked throughout the 5 years I have liveed in UK ; how do you like Brits and Britain? Do we really complain about weather so much? Yes British people wouldn’t say what do you think of British people as previously mentioned it wouldn’t make no sense in the sense of structure of the actual sentence but it means pretty much the same as what do you think of. . . I’m myself highly incorned in whatever nationality thinks of myself or my now polish-British family. Highlighting differences is what started racial segregation. I think people should learn from past mistakes and just accept and celebrate things for what they are, and for Gods sake get on whit their lifes.
PS: another though on why polish people ask foreign visitors what they think of Poland is that in most cases unfortunately most of Brits don’t know anything about it. Countless occasions when I had to explain that I’m not from Holland and that Polish people indeed have streets and cars . . .and latest question : do you have BBQ’s in Poland? Really?!? Shame on you!:-)
I was looking for information on Poland and came across this blog. As a bad car wreck has onlookers. I, in return, could not stop reading these posts. So here I post what a polish girl thinks also…;)
I am a mixed with a few different nationalities in my system. I am proud to say what I am and where my family comes from. The irony is! Judgement will be passed whether one thinks one country is smart or the other drinks to much. I live in the US. To be honest, each state has its own pride for where there are born. I currently live in a state that drives me batty. However, I come from a different climate, with a different taste in food, and lifestyle.My point being, everyone should be proud of where they are from. I laugh cause I am polish and read all these posts. Nodding to myself that I can be bossy, well who cant. I also read that the Irish drink a lot. I am half Irish and I can. I think everyone has an opinion as to what they think. Which is great. However, having an opinion is not classy when it puts others down, or to cuss, or to discriminate. I am sure most of us have mixed cultures in our family tree with a few skeletons in our closets. if not, then my family was obviously a little rowdy back in the day…;) I am proud to say I am polish just as much as I am proud to say I am Irish. If I go back into the Northeastern part of the States, I love it… cause everyone askes if I am Polish. I proudly say yes and they tell me i Look like a pole. However, you get in me southern states, and everyone asks if I am Irish and again I proudly say Yes cause my freckles come out in the sun. With all that set aside. Most of our countries have suffered hardship. You couldnt even mention Hitler in my home for years or my grandmother would spit on the floor in his name. There is pain there and most of those generations have passed on but the history has not. History is painful and it is important to move on. However, if everyone just helped everyone move on and be nicer to each other than maybe we wouldnt have blogs like these. Well, I cant wait to visit Poland and I cant wait to see my people!!!
I am 100% Polish, second generation born in the USA. I have always heard wonderful things about Poland from my family. My mother’s side is from Krakov and my fathers side from Warsaw. I’ve been raised with Polish traditions, live with an old fashioned strong family unit that still caries on to our children today. Family is very important, religion, helping neighbors,- and yes strong in attitude.We are honest and educated. The Polish people are also known for thier cleanliness. I’ve known my greatgrandmothers – one of which came to the USA with 9 children (We spread like rabbits – has always been a saying about the Polish) Her husband died on the boat over. She raised her children and ran a farm by herself not speaking aword of english. Polish people are strong – very determined with a will to continue on no matter what. and Yes – you betcha we like our vodka and whiskey…along with our wonderful down to earth food and great laughs. The woman rule the household and the men are man enough and strong enough not to care. The men don’t need to prove who’s stronger – they know they are, so they don’t have aproblem with it…
Ha! I love your post. I was born in UK, my Mum was English and my Dad was Polish. So I’m 2nd Generation Anglo-Polish. I knew where I stood with my Dad, he had rules and we didn’t break them (not many of them anyway). It was a tough upbringing and I often longed for more freedom like my British friends. What my friends would consider ‘intrusiveness’ I considered ‘my Dad being my Dad’. He always knew where I was, who with, what I was up to and of course I knew what time I had to be home!
Oddly enough he didn’t drink alcohol. One sniff of the barmaids apron and he’d be flat on his face! As for breeding like rabbits, well that explains something. One of my sons has FOUR children, no-one in our family has ever had more than TWO children, but he was born in the Chinese year of the rabbit!
Please can someone help me out here? I just began to correspond with a Polish man who has been living in US for 20 years. I met him on a match dating site. In the third email he asked me what I do when I get up in the morning – like do I make my bed right away and do I do the laundry and fold the clothes. He said he would fold clothes for me. …Golly, that seems kind of personal and strange for a beginning relationship. I’m starting to wonder if this person is wholely sane, or just the culture there.
He also sent me a picture of himself in a little bright red beanie cap – I laughed so hard, I cried. Then he told me what his favorite colors were- that came across as a little child like. He does seem really sweet. Seems to have a good job and a graduate degree. What do you think? I know nothing about Polish people. I did work a little once with some girls from Russia. They were so nice, yet could be very serious at times.
Thanks for any insights.
You sound like a reasonable & balanced girl, this guy is probably going to drive you mad, like many Poles, he will have a Mother fixation & want you to behave as his Mother did, Offering to fold up your clothes sounds like a fetish, a this must go there & this must be in this place, Poles can be so fussy with their senseless ideas of what should be, most are insular & not that worldly wise, so forget romance… there won’t be any, unless talking about his pet subject turnes u on… himself perhaps ?.
All races of men have plusses & minuses, when you meet the right one, you will know and not be asking questions like these.
Yep, I think you are right there. He is 60 and widowed just 3 years. I suspect he married some sweet Polish girl when he was very young, and never ventured out much. ;_) I was beginning to wonder if the guy was a low IQ. Funny. I’m sure he is very nice, definitely friendly. I appreciate the feedback there.
Hi, perhaps a little wide of the mark but a Dead Wife fixation ?, 3 years, early days yet and again a contradiction, as in my experience, there is No such thing as a sweet Polish Girl and it sounds as though he could be looking for a carbon copy of his dear departed.
It is a known fact that married men die before single men but married ones are happier to go…. I spose it could be the same for some women…. lol.
Why not give it time, after such a short period, do you not think you are getting a little too intense, could be he is trying to impress you & us guys are renown for getting it wrong, if he makes you laugh, then enjoy having your day brightened. but remember the cardinal rule of chat, never give out your personal details… to any one…. until you are certain of them.
If I were you I’d start thinking about and treating him like a human being rather than ‘Polish’. He sounds like the domesticated type and probably if he’s been married and now widowed he won’t have a clue what to talk to a new woman about. So I wouldn’t read anything weird into his enquiries about folding clothes. Poles have to be tidy, they haven’t been used to the luxury of spacious living accommodation like many others. So I suppose tidying is considered an important part of living together and also a courtesy.
He sounds like he’s very happy in his own skin and his beanie hat and wanted you to know that. And yes Poles do have a serious side. They’re very intellectual people too and not as ‘frivolous’ with their time as some of their western counterparts. He probably thought he’d start off with the smalltalk about how you start the day rather than blow your mind with his insights about the cosmos and it’s workings. Please don’t mistake reserve for stupidity. If there’s one thing Poles aren’t – it’s stupid or insane.
Polacy to bardzo fajny naród wiem bo sam jestem Polakiem. Niewiem skąd wzieła się taka zła opinia o naszym narodzie. Ta czerwona czapka to badzo prawdopodobne w latch 70-80 było u nas takich mnustwo.
Judge people individualy. All the things said here about Polish people, good and bad, are same things you can find in poeple of different origins. You get alcoholics, thiefves, show offs etc. everywhere.
hey im from poland and i should know better poland is a wonderful place and for ur information jan paweł drógi is a polish preast and adam małys is the most famouse. im not shore how it is called in ur language but he won the first prize there were different countries playing but he won the 1 place.
I am one of those who says “Yeah, you think we have polar bears walking on the streets”. And that’s because a few Americans asked me a few times whether we really have them or not! They actually didn’t know! Amazed? Shocked? I was. But now I take it as an opportunity to give that poor people some proper information. So whenever some Pole mentions polar bears in the conversation that might be because they want to check how much one knows about Poland, not necessarily because they feel foreigners think bad about them etc. It’s good to check what people from another part of the world know (not think) about my country, and if necessary correct they knowledge a bit 🙂 Regards, Jo
My Grandfather was born in Kracow; but he always regarded himself as a Canadian; once he came here. He was a farmer in the Grande Prarie Alberta; area. Another farmer by the name of Joe Tomshak found an injured Swan and nursed it back to health.Joe was never able to speak any english; so his ability to make friends was obiviously limited. That is why Grande Prarie is called the Swan City. Polish people are Attached to the church. There are the pilliars of the community. When the church dies; they all die.
Americans ask the same thing when you visit the USA. It’s called being nice and trying to hold conversation, with the unspoken feeling behind it being that you hope they found your country and the people enjoyable. It’s not rocket science.
To me, the author sounds like a Brit who worries this kind of crap because Brits are ALWAYS trying to find things that they hate about other cultures and that can help them look down on other cultures — for example, like Americans say “Have a nice day,” this makes the hatred and bile rise up in the throats of the cynical hateful British like you’ve never seen before.
You’re right – it is called ‘being nice’ and it’s asking for feedback. People do it all the time in the business world. They probably got the idea from the Polish.
And you’re right about some of the Brits too. Some of them don’t do ‘being nice’, it doesn’t come naturally. And they’re very suspicious of others being nice. Some of them pretend to be nice, but they can’t keep it up for long before their contempt for the rest of the world starts showing and the bile rises.
They do look for ‘faults’ in other cultures and if they don’t find any they’ll invent them or turn a good point into a bad one. Even though I was born in Britain I’m still not considered to be British by some people’s standards. Being British means different things to different people. Some of the Brits I’ve come across in my lifetime make me ashamed to say I’m British.
A professional person said to me recently – “You don’t LOOK Polish, I wouldn’t have known if you hadn’t told me.” I’ve also had colleagues begin to treat me very differently once they realise I’m mixed nationality. It’s amazing. It’s like they’ve been looking at your face, then suddenly noticed your name, they look back at your face, then back at your name and you can hear their brains saying “How come?”
I’ve also been asked in shops when I pay with my debit card – “Ooooh that’s an unusual name, where are you from?”
Ramsbottom is also an unusual name, I wonder if they’d ask Mrs Ramsbottom where she was from.
My answer is usually, “As far as I’m aware, I came from my mother’s womb same as everyone else.”
me.”
Regarding polar bears. I work at school and one of my children asked me if it was true there were polar bears in Poland. When I asked him why he thought so he said it was because of the name Poland (Polar – Poland). He simply thought that’s why Poland got its name from.
intresting comments, but it didnt changed my mind about polish people. i agree with most of non polish comments. but polish people blames facts. like, screw you i am who i am because its hitlers fault. at home you are teached to be rulers but everywhere else you see that nobody likes you. its destructive. history shows how weak mentally you are. you have bubble ego. then it blows you squeek. you want to be friendly but its impossible with your attitude. so its closed circle. i wish you to brake that circle. adapt istead of blaming facts. you are not worse than me or anybody else. (and not better, who doesnt understand) your country is beautiful. love it. peace
Well … that’s your opinion. I hope you feel better now you’ve expressed it. I doubt anyone wanted to change your mind about Polish people. We’re all expressing opinions, just like you. It’s interesting that you probably see yourself as giving your opinion while you see Polish people as ‘blaming’. You seem to be quite good at blaming others yourself as nothing in your post said anything positive about Polish people. As for the Poles blaming their problems on Hitler … well they do have a point don’t they? And perhaps Include in that Stalin, Churchill and Roosevelt too and let’s face it – they definitely have a point and are quite right to express whatever opinions they have. Peace and understanding to you also.
Churchill wanted a free and Independent Poland after the war, the British had gone to war and died because Hitler had invaded Poland, the Americans were not bothered enough to Join the British over the invasion of Poland in 1939.
Poland meant nothing to them.
In the meeting at Yalta the Americans agreed with Stalin and once again were not bothered about the suffering of the Polish Nation, the Americans and Russians out voted Churchill who was alone in standing up for Polish Interests and Freedoms.
The Americans traded Poland for deals with Stalin on German Occupation etc, Churchill was out voted and Powerless because the British had given their all in the war over the German Invasion of Poland, It is a statistical fact that America came out of the Second World War making a financial profit whilst Britain was bankrupt.
If one wants to blame the Communist Era and Polish Suffering on any one… it is directly at the door of the Americans.
These are all Historical facts, but do not take my word for it, go look at the records, read a few books & do some research.
After the War, Churchill could no justify to the British People that so many of them had died after Britain directly went to war with Germany over the invasion of Poland, by giving Poland to the Russians, it meant Britain’s died in their thousands for nothing, the Americans were not bothered about the continued suffering of Poles, only their own shameless Interests in doing deals with the carving up of Europe.
Today nothing has changed.
You know I get sick of this ridiculous statement that’s bleated out regularly – that ‘Britain went to war because Hitler invaded Poland’. So today you blame Poland for all the problems of the world?
The implication of that routine statement would imply that it was Poland’s fault that Hitler invaded it and that it was Poland’s fault that the whole of Europe is in the mess it’s in.
Hitler and Stalin did the INVADING, that’s Hitler and Stalin’s responsibility and the responsibility of every single one of his followers OT the responsibility of Poland or it’s people.
You sound pretty much like a callous hit and run driver who blames the victim because the victim happened to be in his way and then you ridicule the victim when they survive the impact but are disabled afterwards.
People have that attitude towards Poland all the time – “We saved you!”
Actually Poland saved a lot of people because Poland fought hand, tooth and nail to keep Hitler and bay while the rest of the world ignored it.
Please don’t tell me that that wasn’t all planned in advance by those with vested interests or I will really fall about laughing.
War is a game. War takes a lot of advance planning and strategy. Wars don’t break out overnight on the spur of the moment. And the majority who are caught up in them are just pawns who haven’t a clue what’s been planned decades in advance.
Do you play chess?
Polish People allowed Hitler to build free roads all over Poland because he did it for nothing before the war, his reason was to speed up the Invasion of Poland so German Troops could move quickly from one side of Poland to the other…. and that was not seen coming by Polish People ???????
The Roads are still there.
The Polish Army Retreated to defend the City’s where they were destroyed and out manoeuvred, Hitlers big worry was that instead being predictable, they had retreated to the Mountains where the Germans did not have the resources to fight them and Blitzkrieg was useless., had this happened he was prepared to negotiated Peace and retreat to Germany.
This was considered as Plan B before the Germans invaded Poland in 1939.
I feel you might have a Big Problem with reality Young Lady.
Was the Katyn Forest all a dream, Stutthof Concentration Camp with it’s first inmates on the Second of September 1939, built in Poland to House Poles only (Now a Museum. go there and learn something), Charging Tanks and Machine Guns with Polish Lancers on Horse Back was being prepared for modern Warfare?,
I take it you are still at School, well ask your teacher about Real Polish History.
I visited Majdanek in 1966 Young Man. And I was 13 years old at the time. “Massacre at Katyn” were the last words my father wrote before he died.
You’d be amazed what trusting people ‘don’t see coming’.
And it still looks to me as if you’re content to blame the victims rather than the perpetrators because that’s the simplest thing to do isn’t it? It saves a lot of time spent thinking.
Sorry about your Father, but he did not die at Katyn then, if you were 13 in 1966, Stutthof was a Concentration Camp, just for Poles and was Run & financed by the Police in then Danzig and although it had many Sub-camps till Late 43 / early 44 was not used by Himmler, as he did not want the cost of running it because it was not an extermination camp as was
Majdanek (although on a small scale )
Many Catholic Priests & Nuns were executed there, Russians only came later in the War & Jews towards the end of the war.
It was however constructed in 38/39 before the invasion of Poland that really started in Danzig /Gdansk when the Police fired on the Polish Army.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Westerplatte
they ask those questions becasue the are ashamed of being polish, they are waiting for someone to say something good about poland and polish people. this is the outcome of this “gloria victis” propaganda in 19th century polish literature and tragedy and failure written into polish history. in fact in those “what do you think about poland” questions hides an entirety of polish misery and despair. when they hear a foreigner speaking good about their country they feel a bit better about themselves and hope and pray that’s the truth yet the only thing they get in poland is poverty, no opportunities for better life and difficulties at every step. they feel worse because Poland as a country is poor and has nothing to offer for its citizens and they know it. In fact polish people feel and are afraid of being worse than everyone (westerners). they crave for better life. this is why there are so many polish immigrants in UK and other countries. im a polish and i must say that poland is a failure. cant find one thing i like about my country.
That’s a very honest response and it’s correct. Polish people are suffering from very low self esteem because of their past victimisation. Therefore, they are vulnerable to further victimisation because some people are always looking for someone that they can look down on and at the moment the Poles are it. It’s all part of a pecking order that’s taking place and part of the creation of the master/slave culture that we have today. You have to decide you’re better than that.
Two world wars have enabled the present to be what it is today and Polish people really need to lift up their heads and love themselves because they are some of the most talented, intelligent, compassionate and loving people on earth – they have just forgotten that fact. And they have nothing to envy of the West. Don’t fall into that trap of believing that all things and all people Western are to be emulated.
I myself am of Polish origin and I recognise the ‘slav/e’ mentality in myself and the willingness to make friends and to please others. But I’m rapidly changing my approach to people who think that Polish = stupid or any other derogatory. Don’t turn your back on your country. If you think it’s a failure, do something about it.
If you think it’s a failure, do something about it……. leave
I don’t think Poland is a failure and I don’t live in Poland. I think Polish people quite naturally have a very rose-tinted view of the rest of Europe because they see what’s here and they compare it with what they have in Poland and still have that feeling that they are lagging behind when in fact, they’re streets ahead intellectually and spiritually.There aren’t many nations who could go through what they’ve been through and still come out smiling.
” But I’m rapidly changing my approach to people who think that Polish = stupid or any other derogatory. ”
How are you doing that? Are you confronting people when you hear them make comments like that?
Hmmm the smiling Poles… Not many of them on the streets of Warsaw, Krakow, Gdansk or Wroclaw. Not that Poles have nothing to smile about, rather the opposite. The economy is not doing too badly, great educational system, still managing to hold on to free health service, family and friends come before money and status for a lot of Poles… No Polish people don’t smile because they believe that if they look serious they will be taken seriously and that is All they want. Not to be better or worse than anyone else, but to be considered an equal and just like anybody else, capable of making some contribution and being recognised for it.
You’re right. Polish people have plenty to smile about. As for being taken seriously and considered equal, well they just have to know they’re equal and that those who’ve oppressed them and tried to trample on their self esteem in the past and still try today – have a big problem with their own self esteem. Once Poles realise that and start taking themselves seriously, they’ll be fine.
BERNADETTE, WE’RE YOUR POLISH RELATIVES. YOUR DAD FRANCISZEK WAS AN UNCLE FOR MY FATHER. WE MET US IN THE PAST. ACTUALLY WE ARE IN MERSEYSIDE.
So why is the Population falling, school classes are smaller and you see more Old People than Young, it is because the Young People of Poland have emigrated.. Can’t be that good then.
The topic was open with the question : “Whate ARE Polish people like” but I have a strong feeling that we are mixing completely Polish people as a nation with types of Poles inside this nation.
In the end every nation is divided inside – among Brits, Poles, Americans there are better educated people and those who are not, there are ignorants and heavy drinkers everywhere, people who have respect for other’s property and for older people and those who do not have it. You’ll always find people with values, smart and open minded and the one’s who are just completely opposite – it really depends where these people come from.
So actually your opinion about Polish people is based on those you’ve met in your life which is not entirely correct.
Polish people was always drunk! I to zawsze najlepszymi trunkami! A nie to co oni piją rozwodnione piwo i jeszcze krzywią im się mordy kurwa mać to nie taki sam kraj jak POLSKA 🙂
Polish people are some of the most amazing and brave people I’ve known. These are the people that do not turn away from the harsh reality of the world. They fight. They stand together. They truly conquer. Poles have this amazing way of simply surviving. They know what it means to give up life to protect the ideals of freedom and liberty. We should all respect the polish people for their resolve in preserving human rights and dignity. All for the sake of freedom. Amazing people. Amazing country.
You’re high. All of that crap you wrote is stuff you could say about people in nearly ANY country – giving up life, fighting, standing together, surviving, blah, blah, blah.
W polsce jest bardzo ciężko poniewż ceny są rodem z USA a zarobki na poziomie Rumuni.
You do not know anything about Poland. You are so stupid. Polar bears? Where did that came from?! Learn more about poland, so then you can write something on that country. I do not understand how people may be so stupid and write about things they dont even have a clue about.
Polish people are really brave and inteligent . It’s amazing country. Poles needed to fight for freedom a lot of times lately . Before this bad times came they were one of the most developed countries . I think that even if they won and are growing stronger they are ashamed of this moment of weakness . They thing that all the world thinks that they are alkoholics with no future. They think that we’re laughing at them.
Wht the fuck ?? nationalism ??? is that a freaking 19th century ??
There’s no Poles or Brits, we are all citizens of the same planet.. Earth…
Indeed Anonymous but I would point out that even a Dead Pole, is of more use to this Planet than you seem to be….. alive.
Only thing i would like to say is, people from all over the world are always ready to demotivate, make fun of others, if u gonna take it as a challenge and do something big, all will stop complaining … No matter you are polish or anyone else. I personally knw few poles ,they are nt complicated people, they are very friendly and simple, only thing is they feel ” INSECURE”—– But we all learn to adopt with tough situations, so far so good for them, and i hope they will do the best in near future . To all Poles … just move on!!! and enjoy your life 🙂 🙂
……………………………….. XOXO………………………………….XOXO,…………………….
In today’s world there is nothing more to say, you just look around , you will find your mates do make fun of you , every where there is competition,and all r pulling each others legs to reach the top. We really cant complain to them about their actions, because every one wants the only goal ” success” and no one wants to accept rejection. Poland is a big country ,it is full of resources,it has man power,and it can be a good hub for many small and big business, only thing is implement ideas and do something unique. Polish people are really very intelligent and hardworking,they knw the value of money ,and they are of-course successful , its not that iam biased towards them… it is just i have seen them and interacted with them .
And if poles think that they are highly influenced by the bad times that they went through, well then i have nothing to say, but everyone needs to move on…and many countries are doing good ,if we will see, like brazil, india, etc etc…
So, it would not be my advice ,to anyone ,it is my view, tht if we regain our self confidence we can be the best. Poles are really very caring and honest people ,not cruel people or rude.
They like other people around the globe, they take interest in learning new things,and sharing their own experiences with others. which i fell is great .
People those who are telling they r not successful or bad, i should suggest them that if u think u r developed,smart or your country is the best in the world then you must think twice ,i.e. nothing remains as it is …. if big mountains can fall….or tsunami can take place so, everything is possible. the better u keep ur ego away ,the better it is…..
Good luck to everyone ,and i hope all will do their best ,in their own way .
take care everyone. PEACE !!!
Hey,
it is really interesting how this discussion evolved from sharing one’s experiences into exchanging generalized opinions.
I have something from a different perspective- what is now CHANGING in Poland.
During and just after the Euro 2012 football championships, there is a totally new spirit. A lot of people picked up a thought, that we can be cool with who we are, and there is a lot of things to be proud of. All that surrounded by a lot of good open air football supporting everywhere.
Of course, there were flaws. Not all highways were built in time, but the stadiums and infrastructure in general worked well. This kind of speed of development has not been seen in Poland since many years, especially given the economical situation in the rest of Europe.
There are politicians in Poland trying really hard to give an impression that our country ‘by definition’ has to fail all the time, and I think this is kind of thinking shared by couple of million of citizens here. Nevertheless, as a 30 year old I see this part of Europe as a really sexy place to live.
Thank you for your thoughts here!
oh, and more about ‘Eastern and Western’ Europe here:
http://www.economist.com/blogs/easternapproaches/2012/07/%E2%80%9Ceast%E2%80%9D-dead
OK, this ideas that there are polar bears on polish streets ( for example) come from newspapers- I personally have read it in a newspaper about 10 years ago, that “westerners” are saying that we have polar bears walking on the streets- but, to think of it now- it might have been some one stupid journalist quoting even dumber person, so who cares!:)
Hi Didi,
Probably the problem is many Poles are so drunk, they think they have seen said Bears walking down the street, along with quite a few people from Mars probably holding hands with the Bears, not to mention Giant Pandas and Ant Eaters…. hey to a drunk these things are very real… thus it has become folklore thorough a haze of Vodka inspired memory… the Irish see little Green Men… With Poles it is Polar Bears
really bad
really bad thisqwerty
So typical of a British person to write such a comment…
It goes to show Brits need to be more self aware before they can opt to psycoanalyse another culture.
As I said culture which some people are obviously short of… You obviously have a different interpretation of situations; did you ever thought it’s there way of checking if you are happy with your stay and whether people are treating you well. It’s called hospitality; which evidently Brits are short of…
To answer your question if Brits ask the same question? Brits are obsessed with asking ‘do you like it here or in your country’ so what does this say about you guys than? Are you that ashamed of your stinky Thames river?..
I don’t want to live on this planet anymore.. people are dumb. No matter where they are from. There are many stereotypes : Great Britan- They are dirty, boring. Germans: dumb and ugly, China: omg, wtf? , Poland: they are uneducated, and they only compain, Americans: Fat and dumb assholes. and so much more.. it’s sad but true – people belive in that. But almost everything what was write there was true.. Poles just react to aggression when somebody says something wrong about them- it’s fact, and they want to know what visitors poland thinking about them.. this is all fault of stereotypes about polish people..
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It’s remarkable to pay a visit this web site and reading the views of all mates on the topic of this post, while I am also zealous of getting familiarity.
I would like to punch that asshole Bazz in the mouth …. what a fucking moron
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My well- educated father moved to England after the war, married an English woman and lived for the rest of his life in the country he loved very much. However, he often sighed “They think that Polish people walk on all fours” his way of saying that people considered Poland to be an underdeveloped country and despite his education and the fact that he spoke four languages, he was considered inferior by the unskilled workers in the factory where he was employed. I went to school in the 1970s and other (secondary age) pupils thought that Poland was always covered in snow (confusion with the North Pole and polar bears?)
Having read this I thought it was very enlightening.
I appreciate you finding the time and effort to put this article together.
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This is a very interesting blog. I was on the internet searching how Polish people are and ended here. I want to ask people what they think about this situation: I’m Spanish and I’m currently sharing a flat in London with other people from several countries. There are 2 Polish guys that met here in London and they seem to get along so well that when I arrived here I thought they were friends already in Poland and also because the oldest of them refers to the other as “my friend”.
Then there was a situation with the younger guy losing his job and his sister was sick back in Poland, and one day I was at the kitchen cooking and the older guy started to vent about him, saying he would never be friends with him, that he can’t stand him anymore, that’s he’s dumb, etc. I was really shocked with this because they hang around a lot together and he used to refer to the other as “my friend”. I don’t like this older guy, he’s fake and twisted. I like the younger guy and would like to tell him to be careful with him, but he doesn’t speak English and I don’t speak Polish…
Anyway, I was very surprised with this situation and would like to ask what do you think about this? Are Polish people like that or I just met a not very nice one!?
all the time i used to read smaller articles that
also clear their motive, and that is also happening with this paragraph which I am reading at this place.
That’s funny, you pretty much described Brazilians in this post. I wonder how many people are like that around the world.
I’m a Canadian and I know a lot of people of Polish descent, either immigrants, or people born here that have stayed close to their culture and the Polish community.
Those I’ve met are generally intelligent, well educated and tolerant. I have noticed, however, that they tend to be obsessed with social standing, as manifested in status symbols like large houses, luxury cars, etc. They also tend to date and marry within their culture, as if other Poles are the only people they can really trust at the end of the day.
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AWESOME AND TRUE! I went to poland and some of that experience was my experience there
Write more, thats all I have to say. Literally, it seems as though you relied
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Hi everybody. My name is Iwona and I am 100% pure polish woman, who lived already in three countries. Poland, 19 years, France, 10 and USA for 3. I spent a lot of time in Germany as well ( childhood)since my aunt is living there.
This is some of my consideration about Poles.
Polish people are full of themselves
They want to be better than anybody. They are super competitive under the mask of humbleness.
They are taught to be humble, if they receive a gift it is a good thing to hesitate in some way in receiving it like…o my gosh, you didn’t have to and other bullshits. Polish people are FAKE!!! It is for this reason so difficult to understand them.
Polish people think that their educational system is one of the toughest in the world. What a bullshit!!!!
Polish people are nationalist!!!! Who wrote this means he or she really understood the polish mentality.Polish people are super racist too!!!!!!! Polish people are not tolerant. You have to be like them if you wanna be accepted.
Polish people knows perfectly geography like somebody above wrote it. However they do know nothing about the economy or political situation of the specific countries. South America for them is composed from the miserable countries. Africa? The same. They do not know nothing about other cultures.
And now some good characteristics : hospitality first. Visit some of your polish friend and I am pretty sure he will serve you great food and drinks. They are generous – always!!!!!!!!! they like to spend money and share their wealth with family and friends.
Polish people appreciate the beauty in all forms. Even poor people, I mean the people that make little money have nice apartments, try to follow the fashion etc., love art.
Polish people are hard workers.
Iwona, you are quite near the mark on who or what Polish people are all about, you forgot to mention the problem with drink in the older generation. Admitting they made a mistake or got things wrong is also something they are not very good at.
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I am British and my wife is Polish, many times it happened to me that when I visited Poland I was accused of telling lies (when in fact I was being honest), and it became clear from the conversation that Polish people were convinced that I was “laughing at Poland” neither of these were actually true. I love (or loved) Poland, but now I feel reluctant to go there because what I know were my honest intentions to be kind and learn more about Poland were misunderstood and Polish people were desperately searching for reasons to try to say that I am bad person, simply because I am not Polish. I know that I am a kind and considerate person but I cannot understand why people in Poland cannot see that.
I can see how far Poland has come in the last 25 years, but it’s such a terrible shame that so many people who live there feel an uncontrollable need to act in a hostile way towards non Polish people for no reason whatsoever.
The truth is that many Polish people THINK that people from “the west” are laughing at them and consider Poland to be inferior, but actually there is little or no evidence to support this. When we actually look at the facts we have a great respect for Polish people in the UK and they are mistaken in their belief that we “look down on them”
Polish people must learn to realise that in fact Poland is “the west” in exactly the same way as people are in the UK, we are the same…..time to realise that sooner rather than later and hurt yourselves
sadly Poland was cut off from the rest of western Europe for 40 plus years, through no fault of Poland or the Polish people, nowadays things are improving but racism, suspicion and hostility towards people from other countries are still a big problem in Poland. Given time, plenty of time, Polish people will gradually learn to become less hostile towards people from other countries.
I find much of the comments to be true and onest opinons of people and what they think. I think that poland is the the cinter of Erurope my self and I am a big fan of the poland art and cualcher. I have never ben to poland but i would love to vist when I am older.
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Ok, about polar bears in Poland. Seriously, there were few Brits who actually asked me if we had polar bears in Poland… I guess it’s all about a general knowledge of a person who is having a conversation with you at the moment.
So many racist Poles living in the UK have destroyed their lives and have now also destroyed the future of all the children in the UK, what goes around comes around. Bringing your racist views and hostility to the UK has forever damaged yourselves and has also damaged the future of totally innocent children living in the UK, soon to be broken UK. Treating people with suspicion and hostility for no reason will destroy not only Poland & the UK but the whole of Europe. Nationalist extremism leads to war. The reason the UK has voted to leave the EU is because many (not all) Polish immigrants are extremely racist, spitefull and hostile towards all non Polish people….Go to Poland, see how you are treated, you will learn the truth about the most racist nation on earth.
Yes, Treat people as equals, offer the open hand of friendship & they respond with paranoia and hostility, war is coming soon
Having travelled to Poland many times, I can say it is true if Poles are treated with honesty and kindness they will respond with suspicion and hostility – as I was confused and did not understand this behaviour I educated myself and did much research.
A survey of very many thousands of American tourists (I am not an American, but I cannot see a reasonable argument against thousands of independent opinions) conducted in all “normal” countries (excluding Saudi Arabia, Yemen etc), found people in most countries in Europe were around 15% or 16% hostile and rude towards American tourists, the second most racist country, interestingly is Germany, 24% of Germans treated Americans with rudeness…..but the number one, most racist, nasty and most hostile country in the world, with a massive 86% of rude and hostile people is….. Poland… I am guessing the Poles will blame someone else as usual but the facts cannot really be denied. Second worst 24%, worst 86% hell of a difference! These facts can easily be verified by a simple google search.
I’ve heard some stories when polish people went abroad for work and they were asked if they have TV or warm water. In 2009 or 2010 my friend was asked if there is internet in Poland.
I guess those questions make polish people to ask what people think (or rather what people know) about Poland. Just to clear the false picture
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