Poland: The Things That Make Foreigners Lift a Brow

There were quite a number of things that I found different when I was in Poland. I found the customer service to be very, very good when it was good and very, very bad when it was bad. I found queuing to pay utility bills a royal pain in the a**e but I know that is changing quickly now. I loved the hand kissing bit. It is so old world and romantic. Being older I could get away with it more which meant I got to kiss loads of hands whereas my younger colleagues couldn’t quite carry it off. I found the friendliness to be almost overpowering at first. Having to stop and talk with comparative strangers when you were in a rush was quite off putting. It could almost be seen as an invasion of your personal space at times. I loved the attitude to life that I saw. It was great to be in bars and talk to all sorts of people of all age groups about all sorts of subjects. The formality of conversation before the friendship came was strange. I lost count of the times when I was initially met with a polite but unsmiling response. We smile to be polite, Poles seem to smile when they are amused. Pushing and shoving in queues was a bit extreme sometimes (but no where near as bad as the legendary Paris equivalent). Finding people’s apartments was sometimes a challenge as the numbering was a little strange in parts of Warsaw. Some of the business practices were radically different. I particularly liked the time I offered to take the Marketing Director of my client out for a meal one evening and he kindly invited the whole of his department and their partners out too. Don’t suppose this was the behavioural norm – he probably just recognised a soft touch. There’s loads more things I could say but this post is long enough now.

I think you weren't in Poland. This is beatiful country where ladies are most beautiful and they wear normal, not as prostitutes in USA.

I remember when my son was small and in a stroller and I couldn't believe the number of people who would practically push us out of the way or off the sidewalk! Here you would end up eating a knuckle sandwich!

Kowalski is right but that argument " 5. Lots of girls would wear clothes and use make up only prostitutes would in USA" is wrong.Girls in Poland are beautiful and smart .i have Polish girlfriend and She is perfect !! All girls have nice face , beauty ass !!! Polish girls are the most beauties on the WORLD !!

hi steve ,
very interesting piece of work and i am assuming you are not polish...
...well i am and to be honest i found your article quite offensive. i live in london and i have never seen people drinking on so many occasions as i see here.

tripes ?-a typical polish dish? maybe in some cheap, old chavy pub

telling jokes? well it is rather a good thing but i always hear that poles are grumpy...

poles talk all the time?
i just wonder how long you have been in polska....

That was actually one of the first dishes that I tried in PL. I guess it's still popular with some families. Keep in mind that the articale isn't quite as EVERYONE in PL is. It's a general idea to give foreigners an idea.

Yeah. I can honestly say that I was constantly answering questions ang having to partake in conversations. I guess you can say that PL are more family oriented than many families in the US. Many discussions at the dinner table.

relax a bit Sabina

natural is not always the best way of looking for the majority of people (not girls only..)

what do you mean by "natural"?

Not a flame but the above article could have been written about any country in central or western europe.

Polish immigrants in Ireland generally do not celebrate namedays at all, only birthdays.

Most Poles celebrate both namesday and birthday. So do I, my wife, my children. So did both of my parents and grandaparents. Especially teh kids love the practice of getting gifts four times a year: birtday, namesday, Christmas, Children's day (1 June).

Why do you find it confusing??????????????????????

Find what confusing?

Care to quote what you're referring to?

Boy, oh boy, what a prejudiced posting on Stevie the 'Admin's' part. - The main message of it is that 'the Poles' ways ain't our ways. The Poles are unlike us.'

Again, the ageless bunching up against the Poles. Again, the puffed-up shameless silly babbling from the position of 'Western' superiority, even though the term 'West' seems to signify absolutely nothing, especially today, when the supposed 'Western' cities swarm with African and Asiatic crowds.:)

What do you mean by 'the West,' buddy? And why, according to you, Poland isn't part of 'the West' and Polesa aren't Westerners? :)

But let's analyse almost sentence by sentence why Steve thinks that Poles are oh, so very different from 'us' (who are those 'us,' by the way? Can you name them?) - So, first of all, Steve finds it very 'unlike us' and un-Western that 'the Poles like to talk. They talk all the time... enjoy sharing their views and experiences, often unconcerned whether you want or don't want to listen.' - Well, very similar in this respect are the Irish and Scots. Would Steve also brand them as so very different from 'us' and un-Western?

Next, Steve alleges that the Poles are so different because their alleged favourite 'pastime' is 'telling jokes.' Hm, and where did you take this idea from? From your experience? Really? I'm Polish and I haven't noticed it that our best liked pastime is 'telling jokes.' We like telling them, but perhaps just as much as any other nation does. And certainly less than the Americans, including 'Canadians,' with their ultraracist 'Polish jokes,' which should be actually called American (pseudo)jokes. Steve asserts: 'Compared to other nations, jokes are a serious business to the vast majority of Poles.' What do you mean by that? Do you have even one shred of evidence to support your assertion? Give it. Don't you confuse us with, for instance, American Jews to whom spreading ultraracist hateful 'Polish' jokes is a serious political business? Maybe you're one of them and because of that you're projecting your own group's characteristic on us, Poles? :)

Furthermore, Steve the Admin suggests that Poles are inherently and incurably 'different' than he and those like him because the Poles 'like to shake hands ... all the time.' Do we really shake hands all the time, even, for example, when we sleep? Don't you grossly exaggerate, Steve? Hm, for example, as far as I know only in Canada folks reply 'mhm!' when you ask them a question, and this 'mhm' means actually: 'Yes.' Does this 'mhming' make Canadians oh so very unlike 'us' and so very 'un-Western' in Steve's eyes? If not, why? By the way, do all Poles like shaking hands? Steve advises: 'A handshake tells you a lot about the person, thus, you better practice to be perceived as the person you are. Not to hard, not too soft, don't hold it for too long, your handshake is you and an important part of giving the right impression.' - And what do you mean here, pal? Do you mean that when you shake hands with a Pole it's some form of probing you by the Polish guy, and not just a shake hand? Would you say that when a Jew says: 'Shalom!' it's actually not a common 'shalom,' but some form of probing, testing somebody? :)

Steve continues: 'Kssing ladies' hands, especially the older ones, as a sign of respect, is still a common, although a bit outdated, practice in Poland.' What's so 'un-Western' about this charming custom - a custom quite 'outdated,' as you rightly observe (meaning that few people practice it)? In the olden days in continental Europe - in Germany, France - kissing ladies' hands was the sign of the man's good manners. If I'm not mistaken, some people in those countries still practise this custom. Would Steve call them 'different than us' and 'un-Western'? If not, why?

Steve continues: 'Another strange thing is that, mostly at night, but even during daytime, you can see drunken people in the street. This is very uncommon in the West...' - Well, have Steve ever visited any of the British cities? If you have, have you been sober enough to see the scores of often aggressive drunks on the streets, also during the day? Steve: 'It's the famous Polish vodka talking.' Why is it allegedly so famous? Famous with whom? Please, enlighten me in this matter, because although it (whatever it is) is allegedly so famous, I have never heard of it. Or maybe you made up this allegedly famous thing in some drunken or narcotic stupor?

Steve:'Unfortunately, nowadays, many drunks have an easy access to a vehicle... No wonder that Poland has triple the rate of the drink driving accidents compared to the West.' Where did you take this statistic from? And what is this 'West' again? Does it include the United States? So according to Steve the rate of drinking and driving accidents in Poland is three times higher than in the US? :)

Steve goes on: 'Beware of when the drinking takes place: it is a common practice to get drunk once you receive your pay at the end of the month.' - Why should one 'beware' of the end of the month? What's so unusual about the fact that people buy alcohol when they get money? Don't folks in other countries do exactly the same? Wouldn't it be more unusual if they drank when they were moneyless?

Steve goes on: 'People also drink on the weekends...' Don't all other nations, except perhaps the Jews, do exactly the same? Why would it be unusual only in the case of the Poles? Steve: '[B]ut any reason will do. Many do not even need a reason...' Well, isn't it just the same with all the others? Have you ever been, for example, to Ireland, buddy?

Steve again: 'Another common pastime for young people, mostly young men, many of them unemployed, is to hang out in the streets. Many are not aggressive, but some are.' Isn't it exactly the same in any European and American city? Why would it be unusual and un-Western only in Poland? Steve: 'During the communist years, the Police had been very observant for this kind of behavior, but the new regime is not very proactive in this respect.' - Is Steve praising the 'communist years' and 'police' in Poland? In reality, during the communism, or Russian occupation of Poland, the crime rate was huge, because the police, so-called People's Militia, were actually not observant of common criminals; the militia's function was predominantly to protect the rule of the communists. I wonder why Steve calls the present Polish government 'a regime' and not 'a government'? Does he call, say, a German or American government 'a regime'? And what evidence does Steve have that the communists fought common crime more actively than the present government? Hm, the communist militia was brutal and hostile towards any free expression. Does Steve praise them for this? :)

Steve goes on: 'You might also be surprised by the stuff Poles eat. The tripes (intestines of a cow) cut in long pieces, cooked with spices are one of the Polish specialties. It might not be your piece of cake, so better check out the offerings.' Hm, why eating cow tripe would make Poles oh so very different from other nations, and un-Western too? For instance, famously, the French eat frog meat. Does it make them very unlike other peoples, and un-Western too? Why eating only cow tripe is the most unusual of all, and most un-Western? And do Poles eat also things which Steve regards as tasty?

Steve ends his posting with a warning:' And hey, avoid those dark parks and alleys.' And what parts of British or American cities would Steve advise to avoid? None at all? :)

I hope any intelligent and unprejudiced person will see that I have pointed out Steve's strong prejudice towards the Poles and Poland. I wonder about Steve's own national-ethnic background and his motives for putting down the Poles. A low national self-esteem? Sticking to the ole cold War habit of belittling hatefully the Poles, their culture and history? Belonging to a Pole-hating ethnic group, such as Jews? What is it, Steve? Why are you so prejudiced towards us? :)

Dannnyboy rightly observes: 'the above article could have been written about any country in central or western europe. Polish immigrants in Ireland generally do not celebrate namedays at all, only birthdays.'

Right-o, Dannyboy. Unlike some others, you're a smart lad.

By the way, if Poles in Ireland celebrated namedays, would it be wrong? (I don't mean here that Dannyboy thinks it'd be wrong.)

Do the Poles think it's wrong when the Irish in Poland celebrate only birthdays?

wow...you love a good rant huh? mhm lol

LOL did you say Steve enough puzz :)

Zgubiony babbles: 'wow...you love a good rant huh? mhm lol LOL did you say Steve enough puzz :)'

- What do you mean? Explain clearly.

A good rant...you know what a rant is

No need to explain...It was an interesting read though

do you have to be so serious all of the time?

what do you mean, interesting ;) sorry couldnt resist

i agree with fisz, it was well interesting but then, i was always interested in rants (a rant is when you go on into great detail without pause about a subject)

good one puzzler! havent seen you in a while

Szarlotka writes: 'We smile to be polite, Poles seem to smile when they are amused.'

- Actually, I think that many English people (still) smile to feel better and make others feel better. One of the great and most beautiful secrets of the English psyche.

Szarlotka: 'Finding people’s apartments was sometimes a challenge as the numbering was a little strange in parts of Warsaw.'

- Hm, would you admit, Szarlotka, that numbering in England is often very strange? - Many houses don't have numbers at all, or have them either very small or very decrepit. And street names are extremely badly marked. When I made a Thomas Hardy pilgrimage to Dorchester, I found that streets there weren't marked at all, or I could not see the names? But even if I could not see them, doesn't it say something about the marking?

Imagine a city where streets have no names.

Did Bono visit Dorchester too?
;)

well my friends made that remark about dublin suburbs (signage)
and i said, well the signs in the suburbs are at the begining of streets and not at every single lane entrance - they still refused to take that as acceptable - though i later pointed out - polish suburbs were just as bad :D

its just one of those little quirks

2 cents

Thanks, Daffy. I have been very busy - too busy to write, but I've kept on dropping in and reading what you folks scribble.

By the way, I'm soon to visit Ireland (last time I visited in the 90s). You Irish guys in this forum have inspired me to do that. Will leave lots of bucks there, and maybe even look for a property to purchase... Who knows?
:)

may i recommend cork/kerry! beautiful scenary! :) id be delighted to have you as a neighbour! Your more than welcome here to Ireland! do keep dropping in btw.

On topic now, the article was written a while ago - changes in moods since?

Daffy, exactly - Cork is the name! I'd be happy to have you as a neighbour too.

Yes, the article is at least one year old. I think that since then many folks visiting Poland have started liking the country and people.

And when Europe is as one, there'll be no mutual hostility at all.

A purpose worthy of sacrificing one's life for.
:)

wik.ed.uiuc.edu/index.php/Polish_American_are_unintelligent_and _uneducated

I took the time to find you some proof. it was we American Poles who had to endure
the " Polish Joke" if your done on your high horse, maybe you will stop and listen
to your American Polish Brothers and Sisters, as you should with the Canadian
Polish Brothers and sisters who also have had to endure same. that was in a post
on another thread. ( didnt remember the thread name). :)

Things are done differently then in the west. what /why does that make his statement
prejudiced?

You have a culture. if these are some things he has observed, that is his proof.

I can tell you what I observed, that not all Polish people have same traditions.
from what our cousins here told me, what I seen in here, and my friends whom I write
and cousins from poland, I have heard four different ways to celebrate Wigilia.

I know I spelled that wrong. but its true, so which way is the correct way?
and if your American who has french and say english and irish background, then
whatever someone does who is Polish would seem very different . they dont celebrate Wigilia!! their culture is different, would you say its the same as any other nation?

if steve were to say, well white Polish women all have dark hair and blue eyes and are
extremely stubborn and throw bad fits. well, then he would be sweepingly saying
in a prejudiced way. and sterotyping too.

But he didnt...least from what I read.. so leave our steve alone :)

BTW. I like to shake hands and to talk <~not that anyone would notice lol..

Just so everyone knows , the above link about the American Poles is true.

my father didnt get a great education because all the kids had to help make
money at young ages, and they were very hard workers.. a great majority
of the older generation dropped out of school at ( i think ) the age of 15. but
I know the legal ages is 16 now a days, it could have been even 14 years of age.

those who were educated, some didnt get to use their skills here because it wasnt
recognized..from poland ( my grandfather)

my father had to help my grandmother because his father died early , so it was up
to the last boy in the house to take care of her, which he did, he came home from
the navy and was working as laborer, and took care of her and the house. till she died

all the rest were off and married. but my mother also said when i asked her why
she dropped out, she first told me cause she hated math, but then told me because
times were hard, and they needed help with bills and keeping the house up, so my
mother even did it.

but once we all were in school, there was more pushing with education.

About the jokes, this line from the end of the article sums it up well, Patrycja:

In fact, Poland is a community that has a rich history of literature, music and scientific study. One who truly has studied Polish history wouldn't find value in the "Polish joke."

an assumption that a WHOLE group of people lack intelligence proves a lack of intelligence by the person who makes the assumption.

I think this ones even better.. :)

this could also go for those who sterotype other nations as well , including
Americans who are targets and assumed about all the time.

I think that we all make generalizations sometimes without even being aware of it, until someone points it out to us.
Generalizations are usually wrong, because very little of anything in life is ALL or NOTHING. I think it is a feeble attempt to try to make sense of the world and to sort things out.

What do you think?

yes I think I can agree with that :)