The romance of an unknowable country ... Poland - my story

Then all we need do is find about five to ten people to participate. I'd be happy to proofread and edit, and upload the lot onto a website.

So, let's get those names together!

1. Me.
2 ....................?

Put me down as a maybe. I would like to try and write a fictional story, which incorporates fact. That would suit me better and save the blushes of my family.

Helena .... sometimes you get some some strange unsavoury characters on the forum, so I try to avoid putting too much personal detail on general view :o)

You can send me an email, by clicking on my profile. I am based in West London, not far from POSK (Polish Cultural Centre).


I grew up learning Polish as my first language , so when I went to nursery I didn't understand a word of English; my mum always tells a funny story from my first days at school -

the teacher had been trying to teach me a few words in English, in particular the word 'house'. The teacher would show me a picture of a house and say the word house whilst pointing to the picture. I was quite obstinate and every time she pointed to the picture I would reply ...'Nie ... DOM'(house in Polish).

When it came to pick me up from school my mum asked how I was getting along, to which the teacher replied that she wasn't sure if I had learnt anything that day, but she had learnt that DOM is the Polish for house!!

Feeling Polish when I was growing up was easy because I had many friends in the neighborhood who were in the same boat as myself - we even arranged Poland v England football matches during break.time in the school playground.

There was the Polish church and many kids were part of Polish cubs/scouts and most attended Polish school on Saturday mornings.
We kept all the Polish traditions going ... celebrating 'Imieniny' (Saints Day) as well as birthdays, and St Nicholas's Day on 6th December and Wigilia (Christmas Eve). The language spoken at home was mainly Polish due to my grandparents looking after my brother and myself whilst my mum worked.

I have never thought of putting pen to paper to write any memoirs, but find flicking through old photo albums very nostalgic. I stopped going to Poland when I was about 12yrs old, and only returned in my thirties.

You can count me in on any book/web site you want to write about AngloPoles' views/experiences/memories of Poland under communist rule.

i went to poland in the late 70's with my polish father and english mother and my two sisters. it was a complete culture shock for my sisters and i , romantic for my mother. i can remenber i had so many relatives -lots of vodka and made so welcome by everyone. we visited my fathers birth home , his parents grave-the first time i saw my father cry. his four sisters-their liitle brother returning after such a long time-he lost touch with them through the war. before my mother died she wrote my fathers life story- she died a year before him-its a wonderful story fill of valour, courage ,love and romance. my sisters and i never felt we fitted in in britain- now haveing met slawek everything has fallen into place-i have a polish heart-i feel at home with him - he doesnt speak much english but we sort of communicate through telepathy-everything makes sense i know who i am. i need to fill in the gaps of my fathers story it needs to be published- i am learning polish and tracing ny family tree

It was very enjoyable to read your story of your visit to Poland - fascinating to me
Although I have Polish-Czech heritage, I have not been to Poland
Your commentary is as I have pictured it to be
Hope to hear more of the story