USA, Canada / Americans who call themselves Polish - how do you feel about that? [112]


i believe that but it also depended on an individuals personal experiences. if you grow up with all the love and support about being polish, of course you will have no problem admitting what you are and even have 'polish pride' on the other hand when all you get is grief about being polish then the last thing you want to do is admit that you are.

the first few years i lived in the u.s. i was unmercifully picked on just because i am polish and i came from poland. it got to the point where i wouldn't admit to anyone that i was polish and did everything i could to try to hide it. i wanted to change my name, take diction lessons to get rid of my accent, anything i could just to avoid the pain and misery. i hated myself and felt i was cursed by being polish. i felt ashamed. it took years for those feelings to subside. i still have my name and my accent, and am working on being comfortable admitting that i am polish. trying to feel proud. i tell myself that this is what makes me unique and special (as cheesy as that sounds) and that there are people out there that consider my nationality an asset and not a curse.

no one should ever be made to feel ashamed of what or who they are. it is almost impossible to get past it. i don't think some people truly realize what effect they have on others, especially children. (sorry for the long rant) :)

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Life / Why are Poles attracted to animals? [53]

it means the same in any language and i don't think it's more prevalent there than any other area. it seems to occur more where there are farm lands maybe because there's more animals than people and easier to hide it/get away with it when there are less witnesses (at least ones that can talk anyway) you can just imagine all those farms in russia and the rest of europe... i really don't think it happens there more than any other country, maybe it's just more publicized. people that are 'into' animals are but a tiny fraction of the worldwide population and not necessarily a 'polish thing'.

Life / Some questions related to Polish greetings, customs, taboo, death [3]

from my family experience, you never address someone older than you by their first name (mr/ms so-and-so or uncle ted/auntie ann not ted or ann)

proper dress for formal/famliy dinners, especially sundays.
never ask a woman her weight or age. some people don't even like to celebrate birthdays for that reason.
funarals always have a big get together surrounding food/dinner, as many cultures do.
PDA's are frowned upon in many cultures but shaking hands and a kiss on the cheek when meeting/greeting someone is usually the custom.

or maybe that's just how i was raised in my family?...

Love / Advice (preferably from women!) on stressed, depressed boyfriend [42]

just a thought but... 23 years is a long relationship to get over or let go of, you can see why he might be conflicted, especially if his wife is sending him mixed signals.

also, although four months might seem like an eternity at times, you should be glad it's only four months and not four years that you've been waiting for him. all you can do is stay supportive from a distance and if you're going to have to let him go, the short time together will be more of a blessing. better learn the truth now than later on...

UK, Ireland / What will the Polish give the UK? [58]

lol, good one

Life / How much do you HATE POLISH PEOPLE and POLAND [1260]

it's amazing, the things going on in the u.k. are the same things people have been arguing about in the u.s. for decades! probably in most if not all civilized nations. personally i don't want to mop floors or clean toilets so if some immigrant wants to, then let them. they're not 'stealing' that job from me! they make their money here and then bring it back to their country to support their family. if life is that bad where they come from i can't really blame them for doing that,

and you can't really blame the poles for being depressed or not smiling. there is no government to support people anymore. the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer! capitalism, ain't it great?

UK, Ireland / What will the Polish give the UK? [58]

ok, how 'bout kopernik, mickiewicz, chopin, just to name a few...

nothing to do with the uk but there are some...

USA, Canada / Americans who call themselves Polish - how do you feel about that? [112]


that's the paradox of being born in one country and raised in another. in the u.s. i'm considerd too polish to really be an american and in poland i'm too americanized to really be polish. so where do i belong? it's easy to get down on yourself when both sides reject you. although i've noticed most americans consider me to be 'exotic' since i'm from poland and still speak with an accent and the poles assume i live a spoiled and privileged life because i live in the u.s. they still think money grows on trees...

USA, Canada / Green Card enquiry [5]

it looks like it's up to the government to decide one way or the other. if they feel too many people from one country got in then that country will be banned for the next year or two (or it could be longer) every country has a set number and those numbers vary greatly at times. yes, it seems very arbitrary but on a positive note they could always change their mind sooner rather than later. you just have to be patient and stay positive. (my family tried every year for five years to get a travel visa. seems like forever but it finally happened...)

Language / Dziewczyna i koń.... Dziewczynka i pies [22]


'w' means 'in' so you need it to say 'woman in automobile' otherwise you'll say woman automobile although you still might be understood...


people have pronounced it both ways but if you want to pronounce it properly i'd use the 'barred L'...


actually it's 'spadl' with the 'barred L' or 'upadl' (they both mean 'fell') which if pronounced properly is not silent...

there are no silent letters in polish, well to be correct, there is just one word which has a silent letter but it eludes me at the moment but otherwise that statement would be correct...