From North America to Poland

So yeah, I lived in Ontario for my whole life. I recently moved to Poland with my parents (I'm 15), because they wanted to move back, family purposes. They speak fluent Polish, and their English is also really good. I, on the other hand, speak fluent English but my Polish is somewhat, well, crap. I've been living here for 6 months and with all due respect, I hate it. I can rant and rant for hours, but I won't list the small details.

I moved here in August and started school in September. My parents and the principal told me that I'll be going to one class lower, so everything wouldn't be too hard. I thought that they would treat me a bit better than average seeing as how the students knew that my Polish isn't that fluent. I was wrong, really wrong. I've gotten in to fights every other day, I broke two metacarpal bones in my hand from fighting, yeah. The kids there were disgusting, seriously. Not to be a dick or anything but they didn't use deodorant.

I had enough of that school so I switched to a more educated school, and went to a class higher. Most of the teachers at the new school didn't give a sh*t that I was from Canada and they handed me work the second day. I had a history test the fourth day that I came to that school. What the f*uck?! I was clueless, so I told myself to not stress and just don't write a single thing. Teacher started yelling, blah blah blah. I got my parents in the next day and they sorted out half of the stuff. Aside from that, the kids were better, but the learning level was just way too high.

Now on to the streets, people would be total as*holes. I do dress a bit different (Skinny jeans, my hair is a bit long, and I have an accent. From my point of view, I dress like any other kid in Canada). They would just stop what they were doing, and star at me, it drove me nuts. And when I would ride my bike (I BMX, like tricks off stairs and handrails), the older people would freak out, not when I'm doing tricks, just when I'm riding by on the sidewalk. God.

So after those six months of being pissed off, and being somewhat miserable, we decided to move back to Canada. I will miss this country a bit, seeing as how I made some awesome friends. There were ups and downs with this new experience, but sad to say, there were much more downs. My flight is on the 23rd and I'm really stoked on that!

The reason I made this thread was to see if anyone my age, or anyone older has had the situation. Lots of replies would be nice.

P.S. sorry for any typos, I'm currently packing and I wrote this quickly.

Poland is a very inflexible society. You experience in school and on the streets is common.

You are not stupid...you just could not understand Polish well enough to get by and obviously they had no consideration for that...they should appreciate you are trying rather than berate you for what you don't know.

The youth is like the youth in most places...meaning disrespectful, obnoxious and cruel to other kids...you will see that in Canada as well if you pay attention. You were different here and Poles don't like different for the most part (some uber patriots will argue this but you know from experience)

What you went through is normal...you did nothing wrong...and at least you made some friends!

And ignore the eventual "good riddance...go home" post. These always come from the ignorant nationalists that have never left their village.

Have a safe trip.

Thanks dude! Yeah, I know what you mean, but it's just really hard for a foreigner to feel normal in that type of society, you know.

Yep...the foreigners that do normally like it here are expats making lots of money and they can afford to have a very nice flat, car and lifestyle while working in an international setting...not with only Poles. They live at a level the average Pole could never afford and obviously they enjoy being comfortable...who wouldn't? A foreigner living here as a normal person and being totally immersed will have a very different experience.

My dad is a very successful guy, that's why we moved here. Both my parents enjoy it really much over here. I on the other hand, don't.

People also said stuff to me because I drive a nice car, that is just jealousy though.

Sure if you have money you can buy a comfortable life here and expose yourself very little to the realities. Expats with money LOVE it here for a while because they can live VERY well...better than at home and everyone around them. If your parents have polish heritage there is also the thrill of reconnecting with your roots...that wears off like a honeymoon.

The burn comes after you settle in and realize how much you cannot insulate yourself from.

You on the other hand could not get away from it as you were in school...the meanest of the mean are kids. You were different, had money, a car...you were a perfect target for jealousy as you mentioned and petty behaviors.

LOL ! Sorry kid but your parents must be idiots If they came here, sent you to a Polish school and hadn't even bother to teach you Polish before that.


Being 15 ? Yawn...

... there are special schools for kids like you where you can prepare before going to normal school

why on earth were you not sent to a school of where you'd speak the language and it looks like you and your folks have to plan stuff together a lot more, this could have been a great experience for you.

Really what the hell were your folks thinking? That it would be pretty freakish to try and get used to if you've gone to a canadian system your whole life is sort of a gimme in your scenario.

I think our teachers are not prepared for new chalages ... it seams we must think about this kind of situations .

Last year was boring for you?

Not at all.

Ah good so you enjoyed 15...may 16 treat you as you treat others.

What... ?

My brother was 14 when our whole family of 5 kids moved to Poland. He hated it!
Yes, the teachers were horrible and mean! I was younger so got used to it easier, but he had a hard time adjusting. Everything you say we went through the same thing.

After 10 years of living there, he couldn't wait to get back to the US.

yes in Poland kids have to learn not only art and music but mathematics as well.

yeah would be tough, i heading over there in the coming months :) getting all my papers and my passport sorted, sppose i'm 19 lived in New Zealand for 19 years but speak polish and understand it all :o, and amazingly i have a strong accent i always get called a blimen foriegner here lol. should be fun though, sorry you had such a crap time.