What's the stupidest question asked about Poland?

mitffoch

Jan 21, 07, 22:16 #31

This is really not a question that I'm asked, but if I meet someone and I say I'm from Poland, the frequent reply is "oh yeah, my aunt was from Romania (or any other country from that part of the world". I know they are trying to be polite and break some ice, but I never know how to reply to this...(I usually smile and say "really?").

Another question is "what part of Poland", which would be OK, but usually they have only vague idea where Poland is, let alone know its shape or location of particluar city. But of course I have to answer, after which I receive that blank stare. I give some more information (like "near Cracow"), still nothing... "near Russia", then "oh, OK".

Oh yeah, and one more: "How is Poland like?". Please can someone give me a good answer to that?

MatyjaszThreads: 2 Posts: 1,786 Joined: Jul 20, 06 ♂	Edited by: Matyjasz Jan 22, 07, 08:19 #32
I guess that I also am a little bit ignorant sometimes, so I don't want to judge people, but on the other hand, when a person lives in Europe and doesn't know what are the rest of countries present on this continent, then it just makes me wonder what has he been doing on the geography class.

AmathystThreads: 30 Posts: 3,898 Joined: Nov 10, 06 ♀	Jan 22, 07, 11:44 #33
Quoting: Matyjasz, Post #62 just makes me wonder what has he been doing on the geography class. Im actualy amazed I got my O level in geography since I hated it...but travel, reading and conversation with those that have travelled extensively always helps to understand about different countries and their cultures...

mitffoch

Jan 22, 07, 22:52 #34

My point was really about geographical ignorance. It would be like me meeting a person from Peru and asking him which part of Peru she was from. I only know Lima and I don't even know where it is (I can't even tell for sure who borders with Peru). So there is no point asking that question if the answer is not going to bring me any value. Yet I'm always asked.

By the way, I live in US so for a lot of people Poland is my Peru.

i_love_detroitThreads: 1 Posts: 92 Joined: Nov 13, 06 ♂	Jan 28, 07, 14:30 #35
I was asked about 2 months ago here in Calgary by a Korean guy: Which language you speak in Poland, Portuguese or Spanish?

MayaThreads: 1 Posts: 45 Joined: Jan 6, 07 ♀	Jan 28, 07, 15:24 #36
Quoting: i_love_detroit, Post #69 Which language you speak in Poland, Portuguese or Spanish? haha gud one... Portuguese coz starts with P - just like Poland does :P

♂

Edited by: i_love_detroit Jan 28, 07, 16:25 #37

But anyway, whould we get offended if people ask us strange question? How the hell thay are suppose to know which language we speak in Poland? Why question about microwaves was stupid? It's actually a good question. Do we have? I had not seen a microwave in my life until I went to Canada for vacation a couple years ago. It's just that people in Poland do not use microwaves all that much because they have enough time to prepare/heat up everything traditional way.

To conclude, there are no stupid question although some seem funny to us, so it's good to laugh at some, but never get offended.

krysiaThreads: 26 Posts: 3,604 Joined: Aug 10, 06 ♀	Jan 28, 07, 16:36 #38
Some people in Poland are afraid to come to the US and ask if there are shootings on the streets all the time. They see America through TV and that's the impression they get.

MaatiThreads: 1 Posts: 207 Joined: Nov 4, 06 ♀	Jan 28, 07, 16:45 #39
Somebody asked me once if we had trains and cotton in Poland.

TBurk	Jan 28, 07, 18:32 #40
A friend said he wanted to go to Poland because he had never visited Asia.

pingwinThreads: 3 Posts: 164 Joined: Feb 2, 07 ♀	Feb 19, 07, 09:47 #41
I was recently at a gathering and one of my friends told someone that I'm originally from Poland. The guy turns around and asks "Are you from Poland, Ohio because that's where I was born?"

daffyThreads: 40 Posts: 2,118 Joined: Feb 5, 07 ♂	Feb 19, 07, 09:50 #42
i was in poland, and was asked what i think of it I was cut off by her, AND NO polar bears are NOT from Poland.... I wasnt even thinking this! struck me as odd though

forgetmenotsThreads: 4 Posts: 94 Joined: Jan 18, 07 ♀	Feb 19, 07, 12:26 #43
once we were talking about cartoons from a childhood and when some canadians were talking about some i made comments as well. I was asked - How can you know? - I saw that. - Which tv station? I didnt know that they play it again. - i dont know either, that was in Poland years ago. - OH YEAH??????? hmmm they thought that there were no western cartoons in Poland at all ....

shewolfThreads: 5 Posts: 1,829 Joined: Dec 23, 06 ♀	Feb 19, 07, 12:32 #44
Quoting: forgetmenots hmmm they thought that there were no western cartoons in Poland at all .... Did you get Gem in Poland? It was about a group of women rock stars who were also superheroes.

keri	Feb 19, 07, 12:47 #45
Quoting: shewolf Did you get Gem in Poland? It was about a group of women rock stars who were also superheroes. I do not watch cartoons on TV, but in Poland they have Cartoon Network Poland in cable.

EurolaThreads: 6 Posts: 2,647 Joined: Dec 2, 06 ♀	Feb 19, 07, 12:47 #46
I was asked by a college girl in Chicago if I came from Poland on the train.

♀

Feb 19, 07, 12:53 #47

Quoting: shewolf

Did you get Gem in Poland?

Nope Shewolf - I havent seen that one

KowalskiThreads: 12 Posts: 619 Joined: Sep 13, 06 ♂	Feb 19, 07, 13:00 #48
Quoting: FISZ What's the stupidest question asked about Poland? "Where is it?"

danutaThreads: - Posts: 19 Joined: Oct 4, 06 ♀	Feb 19, 07, 13:44 #49
Do they speak Polish in Poland? I`m not kidding some guy at a bar asked me this once.

FISZThreads: 31 Posts: 2,607 Joined: Jun 14, 06 ♂	Feb 19, 07, 13:49 #50
Quoting: danuta Do they speak Polish in Poland? I`m not kidding some guy at a bar asked me this once. Ha ha yeah..I work with a guy who asked me if they speak Russina in PL

danutaThreads: - Posts: 19 Joined: Oct 4, 06 ♀	Feb 19, 07, 13:51 #51
Quoting: FISZ Ha ha yeah..I work with a guy who asked me if they speak Russina in PL lol... I believe it. That other guy was drunk but still...haha

BabylonThreads: 28 Posts: 335 Joined: Oct 9, 06 ♂	Feb 19, 07, 14:14 #52
"You will be working in Manchester I think it's bigger than Warsaw" - The manager said, well no comment

KamykThreads: 3 Posts: 69 Joined: Jan 19, 07 ♂	Feb 19, 07, 15:00 #53
One guy asked me once if we have TV, power, and stuff ... and how long is the drive to Poland? ... considering I am in Canada. Those questions killed me as you have to fly through the ocean to get to Poland from Canada first and then the TV question ... ggrrr ... some people are really living in a jar or something...

♂

Feb 20, 07, 19:51 #54

Quoting: Amathyst

someone asked me if it snowed all the time! and was it anywhere near the North Pole!

someone once asked me if it was true that Polar Bears walked down the streets of Warsaw occasionally. Dead serious, a couple American kids believed this. sad really.

another good one was, while me and my father were sitting on a bus going to a hockey game, NJ Devils RULE!!!, and someone heard us speaking Polish she said: "Why, you're not speaking a dialect of German are you? I can't understand a single thing you are saying" My father replied: "No....we're speaking Polish...." so she says: "Oh, so you have your own language....."

pingwinThreads: 3 Posts: 164 Joined: Feb 2, 07 ♀	Feb 21, 07, 10:27 #55
If people don't know where Poland is all you have to do is mention the Beloved Paul John Paul II and they all know where his is from. In my college years I met a few foreign exchange students who asked me where I was from and they thought Poland was somewhere in Asia. I mention I came from the same country where the Pope is from and they automatically knew it.

ness	Mar 5, 07, 16:31 #56
So tell me what clothes do you usually wear in Poland? My answer: Normal, like this ones, f.e. jeans, t-shirts... His reaction: Really????!!!! I thought you bought all this stuff after coming to US No coment :/

ArturSzastakThreads: 6 Posts: 828 Joined: Feb 16, 07 ♂	Mar 5, 07, 17:13 #57
"Are the girls hot in Poland?" We should never have let them leave Poland. Everyone wants them now

♂

Mar 5, 07, 18:02 #58

Also, a couple of unedumacated people I know asked if the people in Poland were retarded for spelling Arthur without the "h". So I asked them if Americans were retarded for giving their kids two first names like "Billy Bob" "Jimmmy Nelson".

And they said "Well at least we can spell Arthur!"

Me: "Well my countries been around since 966 A.D. and sorry if we offend you with our native langauge that has been around for over 2,000 years compared to the langauge you turned to **** after you borrowed it."

Them: "Uhh....What?"

marchewka	Mar 5, 07, 18:35 #59
Artur - you are a gem

ArturSzastakThreads: 6 Posts: 828 Joined: Feb 16, 07 ♂	Mar 5, 07, 18:40 #60
Quoting: marchewka Artur - you are a gem Why thank you

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