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Wearing "strange" things for poles and consequences, is it true?

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posts: 40

♂

Apr 7, 10, 00:30 #1

Hello i am a 17 year old italian boy and ill come to warsaw for one week as a tourist. I have 2 earrings (which were i live is normal) and usually wear sunglasses, and my skin is quite dark (god i feel like a stereotype) and now i'll tell you why i am concerned. I asked a polish friend of mine how poland is and he said very nice and i really should visit it but that people there will assume i am a homosexual just because i got earrings, and that because of that way of dressing (sunglasses etc.) i will likely be beaten up on the street by angry homophobic polish teenagers or something. is this true and something i should be worried about? or just something stupid he said?
thank you

RubasznyRumcajsThreads: 9 Posts: 283 Joined: Mar 29, 08 ♂	Apr 7, 10, 00:32 #2
lol. good you didn't asked about polar bears ;) but, ad rem- being attacked by a homophobic gang of teenagers (or something) is highly unlikely.

convexThreads: 46 Posts: 7,185 Joined: Nov 25, 09 ♂	Apr 7, 10, 00:34 #3
try not to attend any football matches. Keep the big poofy jacket at home, and try to speak at a whisper...don't worry, it's loud enough for non Italians to understand :)

ExiledThreads: 5 Posts: 729 Joined: Jan 17, 10 ♂	Apr 7, 10, 00:35 #4
If you wear Adidas as well you will have no problem.

RevokeNiceThreads: 21 Posts: 2,767 Joined: Jun 20, 09 ♂	Apr 7, 10, 00:35 #5
Find yourself a nice polish chick for the week. Problem solved. Ask the greek adonis for some tips.

ExiledThreads: 5 Posts: 729 Joined: Jan 17, 10 ♂	Apr 7, 10, 00:37 #6
RevokeNice: Ask the greek adonis for some tips. My advice is to bring some pizzas and stockings.People are hungry in Poland.

tourist112Threads: 2 Posts: 8 Joined: Apr 7, 10 ♂	Edited by: tourist112 Apr 7, 10, 00:38 #7
damnit i love my big poofy jacket. well i am not very loud. i just find the fact that people consider a boy wearing one or two earrings "gay" absurd in 2010, and i personally think you wont get beaten up for it or something, but its always better to ask :p also, can you tell me something in polish to say to my friend? would prefer if very funny and not expect a foreigner to know it :o

Mr GrunwaldThreads: 34 Posts: 2,358 Joined: Dec 16, 08 ♂	Apr 7, 10, 00:40 #8
They would probably think your gey: YES But their most likely only to give you looks and comment it, although don't do street corners at dark or late at night (ESPECIALLY NEAR A FOOTBALL STADIUM LOL) Other then that it's fine Hey I wore my Polonia Warszawa T-shirt in Warsaw in open daylight and being through Praga, if I survive that you should be fine :)

tourist112Threads: 2 Posts: 8 Joined: Apr 7, 10 ♂	Apr 7, 10, 00:41 #9
Mr Grunwald: They would probably think your gey: YES why's that? Mr Grunwald: don't do street corners at dark or late at night (ESPECIALLY NEAR A FOOTBALL STADIUM LOL) ok, i dont think i am that stupid :d

convexThreads: 46 Posts: 7,185 Joined: Nov 25, 09 ♂	Apr 7, 10, 00:43 #10
tourist112: damnit i live my big poofy jacket. well i am not very loud. i just find the fact that people consider a boy wearing one or two earrings "gay" absurd in 2010, and i personally think you wont get beaten up for it or something, but its always better to ask :p I used to wear two earrings a while back and didn't have any problems, that was back in 2004.

tourist112Threads: 2 Posts: 8 Joined: Apr 7, 10 ♂	Apr 7, 10, 00:44 #11
ah well i thought it probably was bull**** but i always wanted to ask people living there as i dont know polish culture and the only person i asked is one 16 year old boy who goes to my school. i will bring pizza for everyone

Mr GrunwaldThreads: 34 Posts: 2,358 Joined: Dec 16, 08 ♂	Apr 7, 10, 00:46 #12
Well ear rings are more common now a days I presume, but don't wear a lady bag or having too much geleé in your hair nor use pink clothes (that would for sure make ppl think = GEY) But really if your not insane you should do just fine even with that stuff on yourself.

tourist112Threads: 2 Posts: 8 Joined: Apr 7, 10 ♂	Apr 7, 10, 00:48 #13
Mr Grunwald: Well ear rings are more common now a days I presume, but don't wear a lady bag or having too much geleé in your hair nor use pink clothes ah well i just see earrings as an accessory just like a watch or a bracelet could be. it really irritates me that people would judge me on that. anyway no, i am not gonna wear pink t shirts with unicorns singing YMCA songs jumping around.

convexThreads: 46 Posts: 7,185 Joined: Nov 25, 09 ♂	Apr 7, 10, 00:49 #14
tourist112: i am not gonna wear pink t shirts with unicorns singing YMCA songs jumping around. because people would judge you on that?

♂

Edited by: tourist112 Apr 7, 10, 00:51 #15

convex:

because people would judge you on that?

because i wouldn't like doing it.i jsut dont feel the need. if i did i'd do it. i like earrings and i am not gonna take them out because people will think i am gay, i was just asking about a "safety" factor because to me it was described as a MAJOR DANGER ALARM ALARM, but now i just understand some people might think that but what can happen is just some comments or people looking at me.

Mr GrunwaldThreads: 34 Posts: 2,358 Joined: Dec 16, 08 ♂	Apr 7, 10, 01:07 #16
tourist112: but now i just understand some people might think that but what can happen is just some comments or people looking at me. Depends also what kind of ear rings your using, using ear rings with a headskull or something isn't very gey LOL

plk123Threads: 30 Posts: 6,412 Joined: Aug 29, 07 ♂	Apr 7, 10, 01:08 #17
i'd recommend you pull the earing out for your visit.. why risk it..

tourist112Threads: 2 Posts: 8 Joined: Apr 7, 10 ♂	Apr 7, 10, 01:21 #18
Mr Grunwald: Depends also what kind of ear rings your using Like this, just a little bit bigger. http://yfrog.com/1gnaziorecchinop plk123: i'd recommend you pull the earing out for your visit.. why risk it. What exactly am I risking? some facts not just what people heard from friends. i just don't understand the big deal about earrings anyway.

Mr GrunwaldThreads: 34 Posts: 2,358 Joined: Dec 16, 08 ♂	Edited by: Mr Grunwald Apr 7, 10, 02:58 #19
tourist112: Like this, just a little bit bigger. That one was so small I wouldn't have noticed it probably but your saying it's bigger. How much bigger? Like 2 times bigger or 10 times?

rychlikThreads: 51 Posts: 446 Joined: Aug 6, 08 ♂	Edited by: rychlik Apr 7, 10, 03:42 #20
You shouldn't have any big problems if you don't act like an obnoxious wop who thinks he's better. When in Rome..... But more importantly don't dress like this.

tourist112Threads: 2 Posts: 8 Joined: Apr 7, 10 ♂	Apr 7, 10, 06:54 #21
Mr Grunwald: That one was so small I wouldn't have noticed it probably but your saying it's bigger. How much bigger? Like 2 times bigger or 10 times? 2-3 times :p

plk123Threads: 30 Posts: 6,412 Joined: Aug 29, 07 ♂	Apr 7, 10, 07:13 #22
tourist112: What exactly am I risking? some facts not just what people heard from friends. i just don't understand the big deal about earrings anyway. you're possibley risking all the things mentioned or more.. who knows.. all i'm saying is play it safe if you are concerned.. personally, i don't give a sh.t but many poles are very homophobic.. so just be aware, eh? good luck dude.

♂

Apr 7, 10, 08:36 #23

What beet truck have most of the commenters here fallen off of?

Earrrings on guys are no big deal anymore in Poland (at least among late-teens, young adults and in big cities). They're not as common as in some western countries, but they're common enough among university students (judging by where I work).

Things would be different in the countryside in villages, but no matter what they think the likelihood of them giving you any trouble is very, very small.

In cities, even if people think you're gay (doubtful in the cities) the chances of getting attacked are probably no higher than in Italy.

The thing to remember is that every country (sometimes city) has its own dangers, Poland is basically very safe (almost certainly safer than Italy) but the warning signs of things to stay away from aren't necessarily the same as in Italy.

in Poland:

- stay away from soccer fans, especially on game days

- keep a respectfu distance between you and guys wearing track suits with shaved heads, don't show fear, just .... don't get any closer than you have to

- don't go wandering around by yourself after 11 at night in neighborhoods you don't know well

- don't interact with groups of young drunk guys

that's about it.

what to say in Polish:

when you're upset:

kurwa mać!

(curva macci - stress the final word, pronounce ć like Italian -ci but without the -i warning, very, very bad. don't use when older Polish people are around.)

when you're kind of impressed by something:

ale jaja! (pronounce this as if it were Italian with the j like i )

when you like something or want to agree:

zajebiście! (z like in English, everything else like in Italian except ś = English sh)

Cardno85Threads: 33 Posts: 858 Joined: Jul 11, 08 MEMBER ♂	Apr 7, 10, 09:16 #24
mafketis: zajebiście! However this is another one I wouldn't use around older folks. Not incredibly rude, just seems that it's not nice conversation.

KsysiaThreads: 39 Posts: 545 Joined: May 6, 09 ♀	Apr 7, 10, 10:44 #25
One more observation I and my friends made in my country: one guy is all right, a group of guys is regarded as potential trouble, but if the group is with girls, or it's a couple, then there is no trouble expected. People will just stop noticing you. so after dark - wear a girlfriend.

tourist112Threads: 2 Posts: 8 Joined: Apr 7, 10 ♂	Apr 7, 10, 10:51 #26
thank you for the explanation mafketis :) and for the quick polish course!

dnzThreads: 25 Posts: 804 Joined: Dec 2, 07 ♂	Apr 7, 10, 11:48 #27
convex: I used to wear two earrings a while back and didn't have any problems, that was back in 2004. Who didn't :)

♂

May 2, 10, 13:25 #28

well in poland there are normal teenagers but some groups of teenagers (like some guys i know) really dont like epecially people who stand out. in poland someone with dark skin, earrings and that stuff would really stand out in the crowd and is not usual, so i would think that if you meet the wrong people they would beat u up and probably steal your things. i think around the day its ok but at night it would be very probable that u get beaten. oland is like this. angry teenagers and skinheads hate everything that doesnt look ordinary and will beat it.

SeanusThreads: 22 Posts: 30,158 Joined: Dec 25, 07 ♂	May 2, 10, 13:29 #29
It's just about being in the wrong place at the wrong time. I'd be far more worried about wearing the wrong colours than wearing earrings. I've never worn them in Poland but I did in Scotland and nobody batted an eyelid (they were in my left ear :)). You are dark-skinned and that's how you are, Poles usually don't react too much. They are quite indifferent unless given a cause.

marek66773Threads: - Posts: 3 Joined: May 2, 10 ♂	May 2, 10, 13:33 #30
i think colours are ok, but a buy with 2 earring will get beaten up. at lease some people i know if they saw a guy with earrings would just wait until he is alone and beat him calling him pedal.

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