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Foreigners in Poland and what they think of us


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PennBoyThreads: 157
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Joined: Dec 7, 08  Pictures: 2 ♂ 		 Oct 19, 10, 18:04    #1








convexThreads: 46
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Joined: Nov 25, 09  Pictures: 2 ♂ 		 Oct 19, 10, 18:21    #2
Interesting that the only one that speaks Polish on there is the Turkish guy. You were saying something about integration? :)
PennBoyThreads: 157
Posts: 3,443
Joined: Dec 7, 08  Pictures: 2 ♂ 		 Oct 19, 10, 18:29    #3
convex:
Interesting that the only one that speaks Polish on there is the Turkish guy. You were saying something about integration? :)

HAHA, he's really old, he's been there since the bronze age lol
pgtxThreads: 49
Posts: 6,327
Joined: Feb 14, 09  Gold Member MEMBER ♀ 		 Oct 19, 10, 18:30    #4
convex:
Interesting that the only one that speaks Polish on there is the Turkish guy.

yeah... and those people are in PL a few years already! learn languages, for F* sake! lol

that Rafael from Spain one day ends up in jail... for speeding or killing somebody... macho my ass...
and the princess from the USA complaining that nobody speaks English! well, you've been there a couple of years and still no word in Polish?!

i guess you have to live there more then 10 years to learn a few words...
;)
PennBoyThreads: 157
Posts: 3,443
Joined: Dec 7, 08  Pictures: 2 ♂ 		 Oct 19, 10, 18:33    #5
pgtx:
and the princess from the USA complaining that nobody speaks English! well, you've been there a couple of years and still no word in Polish?!

No No don't say that, she's nice :)
guesswhoThreads: 23
Posts: 3,326
Joined: Mar 17, 10 ♀ 		Edited by: guesswho  Oct 19, 10, 18:40    #6
pgtx:
and the princess from the USA complaining that nobody speaks English! well, you've been there a couple of years and still no word in Polish?!

i guess you have to live there more then 10 years to learn a few words...
;)


How about that (already posted earlier on PF), I've met a guy from Chicago, 35 yrs in the US and still speaks a very broken English.
I guess, it happens anywhere.

Besides, she's most likely going back to the US anytime soon and since Polish is not exactly a world language, I don't blame her for not wanting to learn it even though it's obviously nice to know as many languages as possible.
Raj_ryderThreads: 16
Posts: 178
Joined: Jan 15, 09 ♂ 		 Oct 19, 10, 18:41    #7
pgtx:
yeah... and those people are in PL a few years already! learn languages, for F* sake! lol

True and I tell this to every foreigner who I come across. I have been in Poland for more than a year now and I learn a bit of Polish everyday. Though still not fluent, I am getting there.
On the other hand, English is an international language and you do expect everyone to speak it to a certain degree.
I like Poland. I have never had problems here and I find the people to be quite hospitable. Don't really enjoy the food so much though. But the vodka is...the is no comparison.
I was in Germany a couple of times and despite the fact that it is a richer country, Poland for me is a more comfortable place to live in. Maybe because it is cheaper. People are different as well.
Poles are more open and hospitable. Ask a German the time and he'll say, "four-thirty". Ask a Pole, and you'll get the time of the day, temperature, humidity and a smile(unless he is one of the older grumpier and slightly drunk Pole).
pgtxThreads: 49
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Joined: Feb 14, 09  Gold Member MEMBER ♀ 		Edited by: pgtx  Oct 19, 10, 18:46    #8
guesswho:
still speaks a very broken English.

he should complain that nobody speaks Polish there!!!! lol

Raj_ryder:
On the other hand, English is an international language and you do expect everyone to speak it to a certain degree.

i agree that more Poles should speak English, but on the other hand - we should lean a language of a country which hosts us... that's what i think...

it's hard to communicate in France... French, even they speak English well, refuse to use it and i did struggle with my French to get something out of them...\

guesswho:
Besides, she's most likely going back to the US anytime soon and since Polish is not exactly a world language,

of course, lets stay dumb... she should see an opportunity and learn the language while being there... but Americans are ignorant from the definition anyway so....
;)
guesswhoThreads: 23
Posts: 3,326
Joined: Mar 17, 10 ♀ 		 Oct 19, 10, 18:49    #9
pgtx:
he should complain that nobody speaks Polish there!!!! lol


You mean, once he meets someone who doesn't speak Polish (probably doesn't happen very often in Chicago, lol)
I've never been in Chicago, was applying for a VISA but it was always denied ;-)
Raj_ryderThreads: 16
Posts: 178
Joined: Jan 15, 09 ♂ 		 Oct 19, 10, 18:50    #10
pgtx:
i agree that more Poles should speak English, but on the other hand - we should lean a language of a country which hosts us... that's what i think...

And I agree completely. It's just rude to not speak Polish and I think you will learn nothing about Poland if you don't speak the language.
pgtx:
it's hard to communicate in France... French, even they speak English well, refuse to use it and i did struggle with my French to get something out of them...

Well the French are...complicated. Not in a good way.
guesswhoThreads: 23
Posts: 3,326
Joined: Mar 17, 10 ♀ 		 Oct 19, 10, 18:52    #11
pgtx:
but Americans are ignorant from the definition anyway so....


why, because they don't learn Polish? or because we're dumb and fat?

Let's create a thread about the reputations of various nations, I bet it will be "really" interesting.
pgtxThreads: 49
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Joined: Feb 14, 09  Gold Member MEMBER ♀ 		Edited by: pgtx  Oct 19, 10, 18:53    #12
guesswho:
I've never been in Chicago, was applying for a VISA but it was always denied ;-)

i visited Chicago, it's a beautiful city, awesome downtown with the lake... but i refuse to live there for many reasons... don't ask...lol

Raj_ryder:
Well the French are...complicated. Not in a good way.

yeah, we know how French are... but still, it was their territory... :)

guesswho:
why, because they don't learn Polish? or because we're dumb and fat?

i try to see everybody's good and bad sides... nobody is perfect... :)
PennBoyThreads: 157
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Joined: Dec 7, 08  Pictures: 2 ♂ 		 Oct 19, 10, 19:02    #13
guesswho:
why, because they don't learn Polish?

Doesn't have to be Polish, they don't know any foreign languages, and expect people in the country they're visiting to speak English. Most Belgians speak at least two foreign languages usually English and German.
guesswhoThreads: 23
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Joined: Mar 17, 10 ♀ 		Edited by: guesswho  Oct 19, 10, 19:09    #14
pgtx:
i try to see everybody's good and bad sides... nobody is perfect... :)


True but tell me, what you posted before (below), was it rather our good or bad side? (lol)

"of course, lets stay dumb... she should see an opportunity and learn the language while being there... but Americans are ignorant from the definition anyway so....
;)

I fully agree with the middle sentence as far as grabbing a chance to learn another language while in Poland (however, Polish is not one of the mostly desired languages to learn, huge majority of people, just about anywhere in the world, would most likely choose English, French, German or Spanish).

PennBoy:
and expect people in the country they're visiting to speak English


Maybe because English is one of the most popular languages in the world, actually the most popular (not counting Chinese of course, lol)
pgtxThreads: 49
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Joined: Feb 14, 09  Gold Member MEMBER ♀ 		 Oct 19, 10, 19:19    #15
guesswho:
(however, Polish is not one of the mostly desired languages to learn, huge majority of people, just about anywhere in the world, would most likely choose French, German or Spanish).

i understand that... and she probably thinks the same way, which makes her ignorant... :)
Americans are ignorant in some ways, but i have American friends and i live here, so i get that... and even Americans admit it...
as i said, nobody is perfect, every nation has its nature...

let's stay on topic tho, ok?

guesswho:
would most likely choose French, German or Spanish).

well, that's weird... why not to learn any language... so what if you don't use it... is knowledge so bad?
i don't speak everyday French but i'm happy i know some...

guesswho:
Maybe because English is one of the most popular languages in the world, actually the most popular (not counting Chinese of course, lol)

that's called education...
kondziorThreads: 2
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Joined: Oct 16, 09 ♂ 		 Oct 19, 10, 19:25    #16
Why you don't count Chinese?
PennBoyThreads: 157
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Joined: Dec 7, 08  Pictures: 2 ♂ 		 Oct 19, 10, 19:27    #17
guesswho:
Maybe because English is one of the most popular languages in the world, actually the most popular (not counting Chinese of course, lol)

well how convenient for them!! taking the easy, lazy way out as always. Then learn some other language, if English just so happens to be most popular.
guesswhoThreads: 23
Posts: 3,326
Joined: Mar 17, 10 ♀ 		Edited by: guesswho  Oct 19, 10, 19:42    #18
pgtx:
which makes her ignorant... :)


Well, not really, she's just making her choices. Maybe not what we would choose but that's what's so great about people, we're all different (thank God).

pgtx:
let's stay on topic tho, ok?

actually, we're very much on topic. Talking about the differences between the Polish and the American way of thinking is kinda pointing out how I think about Poles. Nothing dramatic, people are people. We're just different.

pgtx:
well, that's weird... why not to learn any language... so what if you don't use it... is knowledge so bad?

and this is the difference between Poles and Americans (I already posted it in some other thread too), Poles would learn anything, whether you need it or not and we're only learning what we (I'm generalizing here, not everyone of us) believe is useful to achieve our goals. (I believe, I posted it here "Why is Poland developing so slowly or in the wrong direction? Who is responsible").
For example, an average Pole knows more about history and geography but he doesn't learn anything really (don't get me wrong here) important to make a better living.

PennBoy:
well how convenient for them!! taking the easy, lazy way out as always. Then learn some other language, if English just so happens to be most popular.


call it lazy but it's just the way it is, English is the most popular language.
Chicago PollockThreads: 10
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Joined: Apr 10, 10 ♂ 		Edited by: Chicago Pollock  Oct 20, 10, 07:18    #19
pgtx:
but i refuse to live there for many reasons... don't ask...lol


Hey girl, is it too close to home?

Well, not really, she's just making her choices

"Ignorance", lack of knowledge. She's ignorant.
sledzThreads: 29
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Joined: Sep 19, 06 ♂ 		Edited by: sledz  Oct 20, 10, 07:47    #20
Outside of Poland is there a reason to learn Polish,,probably not??
In Chicago it could be helpful, not anywhere else in the US or the rest of the world for that matter. Why would anybody want to learn a language that you will never use unless you move to Poland? If I were to do that, I would be studying for months beforehand out of respect.

The whole world speaks English and theyre a lot dumb polocks that immigrate and live in the USA for over 30/40 years and still all they know how to say is,,,How you doink!!!
jwojcieThreads: 3
Posts: 816
Joined: Jan 3, 09 ♂ 		 Oct 20, 10, 13:10    #21
Wow, those Vietnamese woman in second movie at 6:32 speaks great Polish :-) some minor grama errors but nevertheless good accent. That guy on third movie about 8:12 speaks quite good too. I wonder if they are first of second generation of emigration into Poland.
Anyway, overall from non-European people East Asians seems to accommodate the easiest to local environment...
AmathystThreads: 30
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Joined: Nov 10, 06  Pictures: 2 ♀ 		 Oct 21, 10, 00:51    #22
Raj_ryder:
Well the French are...complicated. Not in a good way.


The French are just fine.

pgtx:
it's hard to communicate in France... French, even they speak English well, refuse to use it and i did struggle with my French to get something out of them...\


I have to say I love this about them..But to be honest, French isnt that difficult to communicate in...(at a basic tourist level)...

jwojcie:
East Asians seems to accommodate the easiest to local environment...


The younger ones adapt, the older ones probably dont know a word of Polish and probably have no intention of learning it..
A JThreads: 19
Posts: 4,639
Joined: May 21, 10 ♂ 		 Oct 21, 10, 00:54    #23
pgtx:
French, even they speak English well, refuse to use it and i did struggle with my French to get something out of them


Not my cousins.

:)
jwojcieThreads: 3
Posts: 816
Joined: Jan 3, 09 ♂ 		 Oct 21, 10, 19:16    #24
Amathyst:
The younger ones adapt, the older ones probably dont know a word of Polish and probably have no intention of learning it..


I suppose if I will end up in Vietnam for some reason it would be hard for me to learn Vietnamese too... It seems though that the second generation is accomodating well which is positive.
SeanusThreads: 22
Posts: 30,158
Joined: Dec 25, 07 ♂ 		 Oct 21, 10, 19:19    #25
What they said about administrative offices is generally true. I have encountered helpful souls but they are the exception to the rule. Even today I took documents given by the bank and credit authorities to the tax office. I was told that they had been revised and that they are no longer valid. Thankfully, they had other copies there but they were so abrupt and off-hand about it. What makes it worse is that it is all an act. When the clerk's mother came up to her, she soon changed her tune and was all happy all of a sudden.
guesswhoThreads: 23
Posts: 3,326
Joined: Mar 17, 10 ♀ 		Edited by: guesswho  Oct 21, 10, 19:43    #26
Chicago Pollock:
"Ignorance", lack of knowledge. She's ignorant.


Jeez, so anyone who doesn't learn (or doesn't want to learn) Polish is now an ignorant, right?
ridiculous...

sledz:
If I were to do that, I would be studying for months beforehand out of respect.


Great point, respect would be really the only reason to learn it unless you plan to live in Poland for a longer period of time. I've learned some Polish while I was in Poland too but it was my choice. I don't think that someone who stays in one country for a limited period of time and chooses not to learn it, is an ignorant. In this case, this girl might have all kinds of knowledge other than the Polish language but she's automatically downgraded (by many here) to an ignorant. Obviously it doesn't take much for some of you to talk crap about us. I didn't see any reactions when I mentioned that guy from Chicago who barely speaks English after 35 yrs in the US. In my eyes, he is an ignorant. He's not a tourist, he lives here and has even our citizenship while the girl is staying in Poland just for a while and goes back home.
BzibziohThreads: 6
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Joined: Oct 15, 08 ♀ [Suspended] 		 Oct 21, 10, 19:43    #27
I, for one, don't really care what foreigners think about us at all. They like us - fine. They don't - it's another fine by me. It's not like their countries are perfect, everybody nice, smelling pleasantly, educated, no alcoholics around, government clerks always competent, etc. Why should we care? Sure, we should work on improving public life, but it's not like we owe foreigners anything, or we are going to be healthier or richer if they love us.
SeanusThreads: 22
Posts: 30,158
Joined: Dec 25, 07 ♂ 		 Oct 21, 10, 19:59    #28
Well, you are in America so you will get ample chance to judge it.
guesswhoThreads: 23
Posts: 3,326
Joined: Mar 17, 10 ♀ 		 Oct 21, 10, 20:07    #29
It doesn't really have anything to do with being in America. It's kinda obvious that someone who lives in one country as a citizen for so long should really know the language unlike someone who just stays there for a couple of years.
pgtxThreads: 49
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Joined: Feb 14, 09  Gold Member MEMBER ♀ 		 Oct 21, 10, 20:08    #30
guesswho:
It's kinda obvious that someone

out of curiosity, do you, guesswho, speak any Polish?

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