Pol-Ams - how do you regard yourselves?

Polonius3Threads: 1,005 Posts: 4,835 Joined: Apr 11, 08 ♂	Jan 16, 10, 15:25 #1
Do you think of yourself and like others to regard you as a: Polish American Pol-Am Am-Pol Polonian or an American of Polish descent, ancestry, background or heritage. Or just as an American with no ethnic marker?

TymoteuszThreads: 7 Posts: 694 Joined: Jul 25, 09 ♂	Jan 16, 10, 15:57 #2
Hmm. I'll give it a whirl. I may change my mind later though. In order of importance. 1. I am an individual. 2. I am Christian. 3. I am a member of my family. 4. I am a member of the Slavic family. (via Poland) 5. i am a citizen of my neighborhood. 6. I am an American. American of Polish descent, ancestry, background or heritage is probably the proper term.

MuchaThreads: 3 Posts: 34 Joined: Mar 14, 08 ♂	Jan 16, 10, 16:20 #3
Hard one to explain... I am an American first and feel patriotic towards my country, but have a very very strong tie to Poland. It's almost as if "America" is my home and the place where I raise my kids, but Poland is part of my family and my identity. If that makes any sense at all...

Polonius3Threads: 1,005 Posts: 4,835 Joined: Apr 11, 08 ♂	Jan 17, 10, 11:29 #4
Does that mean you have no preference and it's all the same whether someone identifies you as a Pol-Am, Polonian or American of Polish heritage? I should have included 'Pollack' - because that too is in circulation.

nancygrlThreads: - Posts: 16 Joined: Jun 26, 09 ♀	Mar 11, 10, 17:07 #5
That is going to be different for everyone out there because their individual circumstances vary. I am Polish and identify as such. I was born there, and most of my family is still there. My parents became US citizens as did I by default. So I am Polish/Polonian that is also an American.

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Mar 11, 10, 19:09 #6

I was born in the United States but both of my parents moved from Poland a few years before my birth. My first language at home was Polish and still is the language used when I speak to them.

I consider myself Polish but with an American education. I feel most comfortable around people who are like me in the way that they understand both the Polish and American culture but don't fit particularly into either one.

f stopThreads: 33 Posts: 2,861 Joined: Dec 9, 09 ♀	Mar 11, 10, 19:23 #7
Polandian ;)

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Mar 11, 10, 20:46 #8

I consider myself American who happens to have a considerable amount of Polish blood.

I grew up with my Polish grandmother (true Polish) and my Polish mother (only by blood) so I had some connection, but not really.

I essentially knew nothing about Poland till I moved here, so I am simply an American that has European blood like most people in America, yet considering the fact that I've lived in Poland 3+ years and speak communicative Polish, a bit more "Polish" than the people back home that think they have some deep-rooted connection to their ancestry because their last name ends in "ski".

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Edited by: Emilia Mar 12, 10, 17:21 #9

My entire family is polish and the majority still live in Poland. However, I was born in the US. I grew up speaking polish and following polish traditions, etc. I consider myself to be Polish and not American. I feel absolutely no patriotism toward the United States and despise the american culture. My dilemma is that I don't fit in in the USA, but I think I would be treated as an outsider if I were in Poland. So where do I belong?

pgtxThreads: 49 Posts: 6,327 Joined: Feb 14, 09 MEMBER ♀	Mar 12, 10, 17:51 #10
Polonius3: Pol-Ams - how do you regard yourselves? When in America - I'm Polish When in Poland - I'm American j/k

therobsideThreads: 1 Posts: 27 Joined: Mar 8, 10 ♂	Mar 12, 10, 18:35 #11
Emilia: My dilemma is that I don't fit in in the USA, but I think I would be treated as an outsider if I were in Poland. So where do I belong? You are definitely not the only one haha. I'm now going to see if I 'belong' in Poland, but I guess I am taking the safe route - going to Kraków. Noone should have any issues fitting in there.

zakarpatThreads: 2 Posts: 4 Joined: Mar 23, 10 ♂	Mar 25, 10, 16:20 #12
If a dog is born in a barn that doesn't make him a cow. Polish is in our blood, I think it transcends where we are born, maintaining culture is important, but real culture, its not about eating kielbasa and Pulaski day parades. Though we do need to recognize that those of us who grew up here (like me) and had parents or grandparents from the old country have a different experience.

convexThreads: 46 Posts: 7,185 Joined: Nov 25, 09 ♂	Mar 25, 10, 16:29 #13
If you have a US passport, you're an American. If you have a Polish passport, you're Polish. If you have an American and Polish passport, you're American and Polish.

Cardno85Threads: 33 Posts: 858 Joined: Jul 11, 08 MEMBER ♂	Mar 25, 10, 16:40 #14
therobside: My first language at home was Polish and still is the language used when I speak to them. I am not trying to be incendiary (sp?) but I take it your parents speak English as well? Having never been to the states i can't really comment, but I imagine life is difficult there if you don't speak English. Which bring me to a new topic...and, methinks, a new forum.

FUZZYWICKETSThreads: 12 Posts: 1,999 Joined: Nov 3, 09 ♂	Mar 25, 10, 16:53 #15
convex wrote: If you have an American and Polish passport, you're American and Polish. and you have deserted your country! we paid for your education, health care....and this is how you thank us?! Poland....love it or leave it! i think once you have an American passport, you're american either way.

convexThreads: 46 Posts: 7,185 Joined: Nov 25, 09 ♂	Mar 25, 10, 16:56 #16
FUZZYWICKETS: and you have deserted your country! we paid for your education, health care....and this is how you thank us?! we Poles?

time meansThreads: 9 Posts: 2,306 Joined: Apr 21, 08 ♂	Mar 25, 10, 16:58 #17
Emilia: I feel absolutely no patriotism toward the United States and despise the american culture. Emilia: So where do I belong? Gitmo!

convexThreads: 46 Posts: 7,185 Joined: Nov 25, 09 ♂	Edited by: convex Mar 25, 10, 17:04 #18
time means: Gitmo! Too expensive, not worth it.

time meansThreads: 9 Posts: 2,306 Joined: Apr 21, 08 ♂	Mar 25, 10, 17:11 #19
convex: Too expensive I'm sure we can have a whip round and raise a few Quid/Dollars for her board and lodgings :-)

Mr GrunwaldThreads: 34 Posts: 2,358 Joined: Dec 16, 08 ♂	Mar 25, 10, 19:21 #20
FUZZYWICKETS: and you have deserted your country! we paid for your education, health care....and this is how you thank us?! Poland....love it or leave it! An Polish national stays a national for life!!!! (unless really deserting her) Getting an other passport is not desertion! Just read up how many Poles left U.S.A to die for Poland in WW1!! (BB this is for you, kinda like Volksdeutsch? Ja?)

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Mar 27, 10, 07:47 #21

I was born in US and my grandparent are both 100% from Warsaw however my dad polluted my polish blood with Irish blood so I am only half since my mother was 100% Irish. I grew up in a all polish neighborhood where most people spoke polish. I went to a polish school and a polish church and lived our whole family lived under one roof. Whenever my grandparents told a dirty joke around the kids they would run right into their polish and we couldn't understand what was being said.

I consider myself a Polish-American. I have never been to Poland and would love to go if not move there. I wish my grandparents taught my dad polish and me so now I am stuck learning it on my own. I know some and the pronunciations but I wish they would have passed more traditions onto us.

I think it is important to honor and recognize your history by learning about your family and it's past.

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Apr 23, 10, 08:27 #22

I consider myself an American, but am still proud of the heritage I have from my ancestors. I'm pretty much a mutt. One grandparent was from Poland, another from Italy, and the rest of my family tree branched out from Spain and the Americas.

As far as ethnic influence, I would say the Polish in me comes out the most, followed by the Italian. The neighborhood I grew up in was full of people of mostly Polish or Italian heritage.

Unfortunately, the language was one thing that was not really passed on. When everyone came to America, they learned to speak English and that was was what I heard growing up, except for swearing and when the older adults didn't want us to understand what they were saying. I remember a few words and phrases from when I was a kid, but that generation is long gone now, and I'm now on my own trying to learn to speak Polish as an adult.

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Apr 26, 10, 06:26 #23

I found this site doing a genealogy search of my family in Poland. They came between 1870-1900. After three generations I think and breath American. My history is America, not Poland. Not that there is any thing wrong with Poland but if I thought I was Polish I would move to Poland. Emilia, what are you waiting for? If your heart is in Poland, move to Poland and contribute to Polish society. I want to contribute to American society. I love it here.

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Apr 26, 10, 06:56 #24

pgtx:

When in America - I'm Polish
When in Poland - I'm American

That's what they tell me too.

It drives me crazy! When I am in Poland, speaking Polish, talking about Polish affairs, why do people call me "American?"

Emilia:

I feel absolutely no patriotism toward the United States and despise the american culture. My dilemma is that I don't fit in in the USA, but I think I would be treated as an outsider if I were in Poland. So where do I belong?

I feel the same way. My plan is to work here for 30 years, save as much money as I can and then retire to Poland. When I'm in my 60s or 70s, I probably will not care what other people think of me.

FUZZYWICKETSThreads: 12 Posts: 1,999 Joined: Nov 3, 09 ♂	Edited by: FUZZYWICKETS Apr 26, 10, 07:43 #25
Soul Singin: I feel the same way. My plan is to work here for 30 years, save as much money as I can and then retire to Poland. When I'm in my 60s or 70s, I probably will not care what other people think of me. that's a funny one.

Plusa10Threads: 3 Posts: 41 Joined: May 22, 10 ♀	May 23, 10, 22:07 #26
I think of myself as Polish-American. I've never been to Poland but want to move there. My grandparents were both Polish-- I wish they had taught me Polish as I was growing up, but they didn't, so now I'm stuck learning it on my own...Need to confess, I'm somewhat mad that they never taught me or my Mom..

richasisThreads: 5 Posts: 833 Joined: Jul 25, 09 ♂	May 23, 10, 22:37 #27
pgtx: When in America - I'm Polish When in Poland - I'm American I like that. I think I'll use it. :)

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Edited by: zuczek May 24, 10, 00:03 #28

Your nationality in my view is the one (or more) that you were born with. Everything else is a "citizenship of".

You are only American if you were born there. If you are Polish and become and American by naturalization then you are Polish with American citizenship. The only true "Polish-Americans" are the ones born from one Pole and one American and have citizenship in each from birth.

If I as an American got Polish citizenship after living there for 5 years no Pole would think I am "Polish". Because I would not be. I would be an American with Polish citizenship.

I find this hyphenated nonsense really lame in most cases. People trying to somehow be "different" or feel "special".

Oh and black people born in America are American...not African-American. That's just more "special me" labeling I refuse to play along with.

POLENGGGsThreads: 5 Posts: 211 Joined: Apr 26, 10 ♂	May 29, 10, 14:03 #29
its where u at not where you from. (have a ponder about the above, you might find sense in it)

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Jun 3, 10, 19:42 #30

I always consider myself American but if someone asks me my ethnic background (which I am a wide mix of) Polish is always the first out of my mouth. I am 3rd Generation American, my Great Grandfather was an immigrant at the age of 3, so I am very detached from Poland in the physical sense. If I told someone I was Polish-American they would laugh, then again I really am not Polish-American, just more American of Polish descent.

I have always felt closest to my Polish family, we always practice Polish traditions, eat Polish foods on special occasions and holidays and I grew up in the Polish ethnic community within my village in New York.

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