American attitude towards Poland

Quoting: krysia, Post #12

know many Americans who have never traveled anywhere, they are happy with their own yard and don't care what is beyond their fence. Some are narrow-minded (like my "X") who go to bars after work, getting their education from other drunks, thinking they know it all.
And when faced with a problem or a situation not accustomed to, they lose their heads. Polish people constantly use their brains, thinking how to improve this or that, they can fix things themselves. In the US they call a "specialist" to do the thing they could do themselves, if they would ever try.

Great PoleThreads: 1 Posts: 8 Joined: Jan 15, 07	Jan 15, 07, 13:28 / #
Hey. I'm from Poland and I'm curious how Americans consider Poland and Poles. Would I be discriminated because of my nationality If I lived in USA? Something I can say about my country is that we really like America and it's still the "Promised land" for many of us. We have bigger admiration to USA than to Western Europe.

WroclawThreads: 76 Posts: 7,418 Joined: Apr 1, 06 [Moderator]	Jan 15, 07, 13:35 / #
Great Pole , Quoting: Great Pole, Post #1 We have bigger admiration to USA than to Western Europe. Who is/are 'We'.

mciaa	Jan 15, 07, 14:42 / #
I live in the US and I can honestly say NO. I have never heard anyone say anything derogatory about poland but then again I am from the south and there are not many people from poland here.

RanjThreads: 27 Posts: 1,286 Joined: Sep 29, 06	Edited by: Ranj Jan 15, 07, 15:02 / #
Quoting: Great Pole, Post #1 Would I be discriminated because of my nationality If I lived in USA? To be honest, GP, as with every country, there are those who discriminate against immigrants because they feel threatened by what is not familiar to them. I've seen a lot of discrimination against many groups from different countries against other countries, on this forum, alone. Personally, I welcome immigrants and any other group of people who just want to live a good life. I know that is something attainable if one works hard, has integrity and perseveres without letting others opinions or actions against them stop them from pursuing their dream. If you believe in yourself, you can accomplish anything and no amount of discrimination will stop you.

FrankThreads: 27 Posts: 1,342 Joined: Aug 14, 06	Jan 15, 07, 15:08 / #
The USA is a nation of immigrants............................BUT, from what I can see , each and every wave of new immigrants has suffered discrimination to a greater or lesser degree; however its less likely to happen now plus there are lots more regulations........... Bear in mind the world is full of bigots and discriminators.......no one group, nation or race is immune! But I am sure you'll be fine!

krysiaThreads: 26 Posts: 3,604 Joined: Aug 10, 06	Jan 15, 07, 15:09 / #
People from Poland are very welcome in the US. The city I live in US has a sister city in Gulcz, Poland and the University here always invites speakers from Poland to talk about Poland and their economy, culture, etc. The first Polish newspaper in America - Gwiazda Polarna - originated from the town I'm living in. Every year we have a Cultural Fest with different nationalities selling their goods and food. Poland is always a popular booth. In Milwaukee and other cities, there is a Polish fest every year serving Polish foods, music, dances. Chicago has one of the largest population of Poles and there are many, many Polish stores with imports from Poland. Śląsk, Mazowsze, Violetta Villas ( I got her autograph!) and other Polish singers and groups perform in Chicago and other larger cities throughout the US. Poles are very much welcome in the US, they are known to be talented, hard-working, clean, intelligent people. Other nationalities who are also in the US are known as drug dealers and form gangs. I won't say which ones. But not Poland.

Chenzo	Jan 15, 07, 15:27 / #
I've never heard anyone seriously say they hate poland or poles. There are stereotypes (most of which are true), not mean ones, but sort of joking ones. Like I have a german friend who I always call nazi bastard and he calls me greasy polak, so it's mutual. Americans have no real reason to hate Poland, they've always been on our side. The highest population of poles is probably in the upper midwest, in cities like Chicago and in suburban Detroit.

We Love Poles	Jan 15, 07, 16:06 / #
Poles are very welcomed in the US. I have never heard a negative comment about Polish immigrants or people of Polish descent besides some stupid joke. We have lots of people of Polish descent here (around 10 million) so you could probably fit right in if you find the right area (the highest concentration areas were mentioned above). I've always had positive feelings towards Poland because all of my great-grandparents on my maternal side immigrated from Poland to the US. My Grandma speaks Polish and has always taught me things about Poland since I was little.

sweet pea	Jan 15, 07, 18:50 / #
Polish ppl are great. You are welcome here in the US. The Brits and Irish don't appreciate you but you are loved here. Signed, a Polish person in America

Lee_England	Jan 15, 07, 18:55 / #
Quoting: sweet pea, Post #9 Polish ppl are great. You are welcome here in the US. The Brits and Irish don't appreciate you but you are loved here. Signed, a Polish person in America Again not true at all, why do people come on here and always try and spread lies about the English?

Patrycja19Threads: 78 Posts: 3,964 Joined: Oct 31, 06	Jan 15, 07, 20:58 / #
Quoting: lef, Post #11 I don't know who you have been talking to, but it seems you have been brainwashed by US propaganda, its time you found a program that makes your live in the real world. Unfortunately if Americans where to live in the real world, perhaps they wouldn't cope, would it be a nation suffering a identity crisis, would mean a massive nervous breakdowns of America people or Mass Suicide, who knows, will other countries say" too bad too sad" hmmm I think so. Lef you always got something to say dont ya? LOL I think you got Lef out when the world changed.. lol America welcomes Polish. There is Plenty of culture here (as Krysia says) and Yes, most live in the Chicago/Greater Detroit area -Hamtramak. which is wonderful place to live. or there are other smaller towns in other places here. definately welcome.

Patrycja19Threads: 78 Posts: 3,964 Joined: Oct 31, 06	Jan 15, 07, 21:08 / #
Quoting: Sparky, Post #13 Polish people constantly use their brains, thinking how to improve this or that, they can fix things themselves. OMG, that settles it, I am true polish I knew there was a reason I save and fix things. but not my dryer!! lol just today, i went to hardware store and bought the stick which connects to the mini blinds that had broke, I went in and I was showing the man with my hands what I was talking about, of course he teased me. but he knew what I was talking about!!! lol and the strip which goes across the bottom of the door so I can keep the heat in and drafts out. next week I will prob work in my basement. oh getting back to the stick thing for the mini blinds, I told the guy that mine were plastic, but of course, he says no, it should have a hook , i said no, I checked it he said they all have hooks, so I came home, it was the plastic as I said, so I had to rig it with a hook i found which I use for window decorations, but it was small enough to fit. I was right. "MEN" Uh- I mean Hardware store owners!! lol

Grzegorz_Threads: 81 Posts: 6,204 Joined: Nov 16, 06	Jan 16, 07, 09:13 / #
Huh ? What about "Polish jokes" ?

OscypekThreads: - Posts: 116 Joined: Jan 11, 07	Jan 16, 07, 09:15 / #
Quote from FISZ: "Oscypek mmmmm just smuggled some home." I've heard it's possible to have wrapped, vacume sealed oscypek sent to the US in the mail, even though it's not supposed to be done (just something I've heard... ). Had some on Sat. that was heated on the grill! Very good.

lefThreads: 13 Posts: 564 Joined: Jun 27, 06	Jan 15, 07, 20:06 / #
Quoting: Great Pole, Post #1 Something I can say about my country is that we really like America and it's still the "Promised land" I don't know who you have been talking to, but it seems you have been brainwashed by US propaganda, its time you found a program that makes your live in the real world. Unfortunately if Americans where to live in the real world, perhaps they wouldn't cope, would it be a nation suffering a identity crisis, would mean a massive nervous breakdowns of America people or Mass Suicide, who knows, will other countries say" too bad too sad" hmmm I think so.

krysiaThreads: 26 Posts: 3,604 Joined: Aug 10, 06	Jan 15, 07, 20:31 / #
I know many Americans who have never traveled anywhere, they are happy with their own yard and don't care what is beyond their fence. Some are narrow-minded (like my "X") who go to bars after work, getting their education from other drunks, thinking they know it all. And when faced with a problem or a situation not accustomed to, they lose their heads. Polish people constantly use their brains, thinking how to improve this or that, they can fix things themselves. In the US they call a "specialist" to do the thing they could do themselves, if they would ever try.

SparkyThreads: - Posts: 128 Joined: Dec 30, 06	Jan 15, 07, 20:49 / #
Quoting: krysia, Post #12 know many Americans who have never traveled anywhere, they are happy with their own yard and don't care what is beyond their fence. Some are narrow-minded (like my "X") who go to bars after work, getting their education from other drunks, thinking they know it all. And when faced with a problem or a situation not accustomed to, they lose their heads. Polish people constantly use their brains, thinking how to improve this or that, they can fix things themselves. In the US they call a "specialist" to do the thing they could do themselves, if they would ever try. I agree with you krysia. Most prople who drink don't use their brains, and if they drink often than they will get lazy too. Also most drunks talk about the same thing over and over. I have been to bars before and had someone tell me a story. Then come back in two weeks, and they will tell you the same story again. Forgetting that they had told you this story before. Are they will be complaining about the same stuff. As for the part about calling a specialist I don't have too. I can fix anything in a house. I had a house remodeling company for two years, and I made good money doing it. But the problem with being a handyman is that women will use you until their stuff is fixed. then they will dump you like a hot cake. Because most American women are shallow, and don't really a handy man. They want a man that can spend money on them not fix stuff around the house. I have seen some American women live like dogs but look like a million bucks when they went somewhere.

RanjThreads: 27 Posts: 1,286 Joined: Sep 29, 06	Jan 15, 07, 21:12 / #
Quoting: Lee_England, Post #10 Again not true at all, why do people come on here and always try and spread lies about the English? Don't feel bad, Lee, the English are not the only group that people come on here and spread lies about....don't take it personally.

Drew22	Jan 15, 07, 21:46 / #
Poles are welcome in America. At the worst you will get tired of telling people where you are from and what you think of Bush I think Europeans forget that America is much larger than Europe, so an American can travel thousands of kilometers through every type of climate and still be in America and speak English. If any one European country was as big and diverse as America I doubt the citizens would travel much outside of it.

shewolfThreads: 5 Posts: 1,833 Joined: Dec 23, 06	Jan 15, 07, 21:50 / #
We need more Polish restaurants here and more Polish neighborhoods.

Patrycja19Threads: 78 Posts: 3,964 Joined: Oct 31, 06	Jan 15, 07, 22:04 / #
Quoting: Drew22, Post #17 At the worst you will get tired of telling people where you are from yes, this is true, because we have to know. I am guilty of being a pest Its the Culture, and many here are very interested believe me. its becoming an addiction for some in a good way.

svengoolieThreads: 1 Posts: 138 Joined: Dec 27, 06	Jan 15, 07, 22:27 / #
Quoting: Sparky, Post #13 As for the part about calling a specialist I don't have too. I can fix anything in a house Spoken like a true craftsman..

lefThreads: 13 Posts: 564 Joined: Jun 27, 06	Jan 15, 07, 23:59 / #
Quoting: Patrycja19, Post #14 Lef you always got something to say don't ya? LOL I think you got Lef out when the world changed.. lol LEF...if you must know stands for Lovable Easygoing Funny or so my friends tell me. So every time you call me lef thats what you are calling me! hmmmm You probably think I'm anti American, well not really, I don't like American foreign policy, nor its hand in every countries economics/take over of companies etc, but America is a really beautiful country. I've been to the USA once and I really liked it, I can understand why polish people in America are not returning to Poland on mass. In some ways the USA is more beautiful than OZ, In many ways the USA are very similar, also Americans like to visit oz and visa versa.

Caliguy2007	Jan 16, 07, 01:58 / #
Never heard anything bad about Poland or Poles here in the U.S...The only one's that seem to be complaining about Poland or Poles are from the U.K from what i've seen in this forum.

OscypekThreads: - Posts: 116 Joined: Jan 11, 07	Jan 16, 07, 09:01 / #
If you have a decent command of the native language you should do well. It's not always as easy here as some might think ("promised land"). Hard work is required to get by. However, most people don't know a lot about people from Poland and would find you interesting because of that. Those who have some knowledge of Polish history would find you more interesting and be even more welcoming.

FISZThreads: 31 Posts: 2,607 Joined: Jun 14, 06	Jan 16, 07, 09:08 / #
Oscypek mmmmm just smuggled some home Nothing bad about PL people in NJ just positive comments. We still have some ignorant people who have stereotypical jokes...but as others said, these people are everywhere.

OscypekThreads: - Posts: 116 Joined: Jan 11, 07	Jan 16, 07, 09:17 / #
Quote Grzegorz_: "Huh ? What about "Polish jokes" ?" These are mostly made by people that have never met Polish people - it's all abstract. No one projects these types of jokes on to actual people they meet...

Grzegorz_Threads: 81 Posts: 6,204 Joined: Nov 16, 06	Jan 16, 07, 09:18 / #
Yanks calling us idiots... that's funny indeed.

FISZThreads: 31 Posts: 2,607 Joined: Jun 14, 06	Jan 16, 07, 09:18 / #
Quoting: Grzegorz_, Post #25 Huh ? What about "Polish jokes" ? I'm sure if you google, you'll find some. None of them are funny, but have been around for some time.

OscypekThreads: - Posts: 116 Joined: Jan 11, 07	Jan 16, 07, 09:30 / #
This guy's famous here. Everyone thinks he's very bright. 1) Zbigniew Brzezinski - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zbigniew_Brzezinski 2) pbs.org/newshour/bb/middle_east/jan-june07/zbmead_01-11.html