Life / Polish-American Polka Music in Poland [60]


Perhapsless educated but I'd object to the rest. In fact, I think I'll show that post to some country bumpkins I know who are lawyers...


maybe you're just in the wrong company.

youtube.com/watch?v=qiBrETDm8eg

I used to work with Teatr Wiejski Węgajty, near Olsztyn and we had a number of guests playing traditional stuff, younger bands and musicians as well as older guys.

youtube.com/watch?v=o7EUGlGkX8
(OK, not a polka tune but they do play them. The girl singing used to sing with Piotr Rubik's group. The guy with the beard is Jacek Hałas, plays a lot of stuff.

Life / During winter in Poland, does petrol in the car freezes [60]


As do brakes. Try not to park using a handbrake for long periods (overnight). Better to leave it in gear instead. This applies to air-brakes too. I have fond memories of skipping an 8 ton truck around a vehicle park in germany when the brakes froze up.

Life / Jarmark in Wroclaw - Christmas display get negative attention [5]

Yeah, I'd agree.

Some folk just like to make sick connections (I do it myself occasionally).

News / 'Bored' Poles build 31ft tall Frosty [16]

I don't know... there are worse things to be proud of.

Food / Irn Bru in Poland [20]


cool, thanks.


It was "gazoza"


Ah, saviour!

News / John Godson, born in Nigeria, might become Poland Sejm's first black deputy! [313]


There are some who already consider it to be...


heeheee, next time someone calls me caucasian I'll point out my family have never lived in that region.

Life / Why Poland is "surprised" by winter and snow every year? [192]


Yep, our osiedle actually had a snow plough a few days ago... only problem is that it pushed everything to the side and now we look like a valley, with mountain ranges each side.

Mind you, last year it took something like 2 months for the snow-plough to arrive and the pile of stuff at the end of the road was around 2.5 metres high!

Still, atleast t means we don't notice the huge holes in the road.

News / John Godson, born in Nigeria, might become Poland Sejm's first black deputy! [313]


I don't support him as a politician, I support the right of someone who wants to serve their (new) country to be given a chance to.


This is an important point, when we next have discussions about whether the word "murzyn" is racist.

Life / Why Poland is "surprised" by winter and snow every year? [192]

wow, my street is so snow loaded that we can't turn the cars around. I can only just park the car (allowing enough room for others to pass).

I bet if the presidential election in Olsztyn was this sunday then the streets would be so cleared it would be unbelievable.

Food / Irn Bru in Poland [20]


Oh yeah! baby! used to drink it all the time visiting my Nan in Tyneside.


I believe you. It's just in Scotland and UK it's legendary for having an indescribible taste. To find a local brew with the same taste was bizarre.

Food / Irn Bru in Poland [20]

I saw it advertised in a cinema in Gdynia some time ago.


Maybe for the UN troops. Funny thing was that when I was in Macedonia they have a yellow drink made of pears, I think. Me and my mate took a mouthful each, looked at each other and said, "Irn Bru"

News / John Godson, born in Nigeria, might become Poland Sejm's first black deputy! [313]


Thankyou. I prefer reasoned debate (but also enjoy a bit of rough occasionally). I know if someone comes on full force it gets my back up so I assume it's the same for others. :-)


I suppose you might be right. Britains first ethnic MP was 1892, 3rd was 1920's and look what it led to 60 years later!

Genealogy / Ochmann: Curious about my Family History.... [29]


Funny, I was once told the highest rate of recruitment into the Polish navy is/was from Silesia.

Perhaps a loaded article, but it'll give you some idea of the complexity (remembering there are two sides to a story, at least). en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polonisation

News / John Godson, born in Nigeria, might become Poland Sejm's first black deputy! [313]


So trying to convince people to change their views is unproductive?

Probably.

UK, Ireland / The more subtle differences: Ireland/Britain v Poland [310]


A lot of it is to do with the memories and feelings such little things give you. An example would be something like Irn Bru. Basically weird tasting sugar water (I think the taste comes from pears) which I can take or leave, but when I taste it (or smell it), a whole load of memories and images of friends and adventures appear. It reminds me of safe times and friendships which aren't as close in my life now.

News / John Godson, born in Nigeria, might become Poland Sejm's first black deputy! [313]


Ms Goldberg!

Wow, must be someone's worst nightmare... a Black pole with a Jewish name!

News / John Godson, born in Nigeria, might become Poland Sejm's first black deputy! [313]


Because when they've taken over I want them to remember I was their friend and be nice to me ;-)


And foreign sweat shops are so much cheaper! I was shocked to hear the all American Levi-Strauss jeans I wear are not made in US anymore. A bit like the historic English chocolate firm Cadbury's being made in Poland.

Travel / Do I need to speak Polish in order to enjoy Poland as a tourist? [14]

Not really. Historeically it had a huge German speaking community until the post-war years. many of the older residents can still speak German and many of the younger ones may have learned. As well as this they have big tourism from Germany.

The thing which made me laugh was that they heard us speaking English (which they'd have known wasn't German) and then insisted on speaking German to me even when I spoke Polish.


It depends. I recently read an article where Parisian people working in tourist places insist on using English and object to you speaking French!

News / John Godson, born in Nigeria, might become Poland Sejm's first black deputy! [313]

Nunczka,

what you say is true, but I suppose when you have a community built on a history, it gets repeated. The amount of times I've heard Scots and Irish tell me I'm responsible for potato famines and Culloden... the fact people still march in UK to commemorate a battle in the 17th C and use it as an excuse for discriminating against others... How many comfortable young Jewish kids will tell you they are a 3rd, 4th, 5th generation Holocaust survivor because their great-grandparents were in the camps?

I'm not saying you have a need to feel guilty, I am suggesting that SOME people use it upon themselves, others exploit their need to do so.

Re: immigrants; I'm aware of US problems with immigration but you specifically mentioned Blacks (OK, Haitians are Black too, I know). I was just trying to shed some light on Europe, not trying to criticise US (as some of your fellow Statesiders think I was ;-))

By the way, do you drive a Gran Torino? (that's a joke)

News / John Godson, born in Nigeria, might become Poland Sejm's first black deputy! [313]


Like i said above, the thing is that the US experience of Blacks is generally of a home-grown variety who came from a specific social system. In your own case, you speak of Blacks coming from the Southern US and bringing problems which then developed into bigger problems. This led to a push for civil rights etc and onward to Political Correctness etc.

As someone mentioned, this might give Europeans some kind of superiority complex because they can always point to US and the civil rights movement, segregation etc, but, in truth, few countries are totally lily-white in these matters.

In Europe, most Black communities have not been there that long, so these problems have not developed to quite a level (if at all). In UK the Black community, as well as the Indian/Pakistani has only really been any sizeable level since 1950's and 1960's and was made up of people coming to work. Many of these people shared a British style work ethic (like the Indians, Sikhs etc). It has taken a few decades for 'ethnic' politics to develop to the level it is now in UK. This is something which is probably very different in US.

Yes, there is a rising abuse of political correctness (imported from US, I'd say!) and I would argue it has led to a rise in far right-wing politics in UK and Europe (Germany, Holland etc) .

Some things to consider: most European countries experiencing LARGE immigration are ones with colonial pasts, where countries like Britain and France have been influential in those countries from where the migrants are travelling (so many speak the languages of these countries: Spanish, French, German, Dutch etc).

Poland does not have that history. This is why I am not sure that such a situation would arise as quickly if things are handled correctly. I also doubt that Poland will be as attractive a destination for many immigrants when they have UK, France, Spain and Germany.

The other history we have in Europe is the one in which you took part... WW2. Having had such a huge level of ethnic warfare in Europe (even recently, in the Balkans), many people are wary of anything resembling racism or ethnocentricity (good word, huh?). I suppose it is similar in the way many Americans beat themselves up with the Native American history/Slavery etc.

Perhaps another thing is that whereas US had a large population of Black Americans, migration can take a long time to build numbers, particularly when they have a long way to travel and little money to start with. An example (which kind of contradicts me): Pakistani population of UK after about 50 years is around 1 million. We managed around 1 million Poles in a couple of years... but most of these were/are not long term migrants in the sense that Caribbeans/Indian-Asians are.

Not sure if this goes part way to helping explain (in my view, anyway).

UK, Ireland / Why British men move to Poland [63]


nah, the mental age is too high.

The thing is, I have friends who can't find clothes in most shops because the trend is for ridiculously small clothes. One woman even went into a shop and the assistant said, "Oh no, we only have clothes for slim, pretty girls here!"

Travel / Do I need to speak Polish in order to enjoy Poland as a tourist? [14]

In bigger cites and towns, especially very tourist orientated places, lots of people speak English and, if you're lucky, some of the tourist sites will even have signs and info in English.

In places like Mazury, the lake district, a bit of German is pretty useful. Even when I spoke Polish to people they replied in German (must say a lot fur mein Polnisch)!

UK, Ireland / Why British men move to Poland [63]


Maybe because some people aren't shallow enough to try to.

Gotta agree with Ashley on this one:


Let's see a picture of a few of you folk in your swimming gear.

When I have 14-year old stick-insect students talking about dietting and chewing gum so they don't feel hungry I can see where they get their paranoia from.

News / John Godson, born in Nigeria, might become Poland Sejm's first black deputy! [313]


So, if they were Black seperatists and "Polska dla Black-ów" they'd be cool with you, then?

You have Black and Asian TV stars and music stars... are you suggesting we get them off the TV in case Africans say, "Hey, I can go to Poland and be on 'Dance With the Stars'"?

Mind you, I do recall a contestant being told on 'Idol' that the show was only for Polish people.


In UK there are a number of Black Conservatives (the leader of who is/was a personal friend of the kaczynskis). The first non-white member of the Britsh National Party was a Sikh (Ok, brown but still not white!)


Did your woman dump you for a Black guy?


Really? No! Does that happen? Surely not on these forums? Next you'll be telling me people do that with Poles too! Can't be true!


You know, I think if people feel this way and live their personal life to their personal beliefs, then OK... it's when they start forcing other people to do the same that there's a problem.


Really? No! Does that happen? Surely not on these forums? Next you'll be telling me people do that with Poles too! Can't be true!


Now, that's an interesting line... why would you oppose 'this guy' rather than just his policies?

Nobody has mentioned his policies, that's the point. The thread just bounced into 'no europeans in Poland' and 'watch out he'll bring all the others from Africa' without actually examining what he stands for. That's what people are calling racist.


The thing is that you have let your own experience of US politics 'colour' (can I say that word... maybe I should say 'ethnic'?) your reading of Polish politics. Many Africans, Caribbeans and Indian/Asians in UK come from a British colonial background and actually have very Conservative views because that is how they were brought up.

News / John Godson, born in Nigeria, might become Poland Sejm's first black deputy! [313]


America is certainly not alone there... No European superiority in that area!

News / John Godson, born in Nigeria, might become Poland Sejm's first black deputy! [313]


I see it that an activist of a rather militant Black group managed to recognise the difference. I have not said I agreed with his politics.


But the States kept it long after the British had stopped. In fact, the British never had slaves in the British Isles (we had the working classes for that). But yes, I agree, it is a bit hypocritical.


Well, not many I agree, but the boxer Amir Khan (he's beaten a few Americans recently) represented UK at Athens Olympics (funnily enough, his brother chose to represent Pakistan recently).

A few more: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Asian#Sports

I don't know any American Pakistani sports people.

Politicians?

Well, we've had them since 19th C.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Asians_in_politics_of_the_United_Kingdom

and a few Blacks and other ethnicities
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ethnic_minority_British_politicians

19th C Black Lord... not bad when we didn't have a large black community.

Benjamin Disraeli was Jewish (19th C. Prime Minister)

Heck, we even had a woman as PM.


Oh come on, hypocrits, yes. But not 'complete'

News / John Godson, born in Nigeria, might become Poland Sejm's first black deputy! [313]


Perhaps because some of his rhetoric was distinctly racist. Funny, coming from a Belgian (who can't even run a colony properly). You also invited people to call you a racist (and I haven't yet called you one).


Yes, but jarnowa has no problems with Blacks as long as they aren't in Europe. This is something I got the idea you agreed with.


I was referring to myself and your description of me.

Actually, my point is that you can't necessarily compare the Euro-Blacks and the US Blacks. Yours are homegrown and a lot of their attitudes and culture are from a US historical background.

A few decades ago Muhammed Ali, the boxer, came to Britain and did an interview. He was spouting all the Nation of Islam stuff and Black seperatism. One man asked him how he could speak so negatively when he, as an English coach at a boxing club, was promoting integration and harmony by getting the lads to train together. Ali said "The situation in Britain is different to America" because the historical and social aspects. This is what I felt you were missing when you suggested all was cool until 'the Blacks came'.

Now, yes, I agree, a sudden influx is not good for a number of reasons. i also agree that there is a problem that some people think the give and take should be one sided where cultural sensitivities are involved. But I am not saying that there should be no Blacks in Europe. You are agreeing with someone who is.

If someone comes to a country I expect them to play by the rules, work for the country and society they come to. If someone thinks Britain, US or Poland etc is a place to make a home they should be allowed to make it a home on the condition they contribute positively to that new home. Like your parents did, like my relatives have done and like this guy seems to be doing here.

What's the problem.

News / John Godson, born in Nigeria, might become Poland Sejm's first black deputy! [313]


Well, you said:


and he said:



Well, I'd say agreeing with someone who espouses those views is not too far from advocating those views yourself.

Now, maybe it wasn't those specific views but if you aren't clear why is that our fault?

jarnowa also said:


Which, speaking as an idiot who has never been there, I suppose is true.

News / John Godson, born in Nigeria, might become Poland Sejm's first black deputy! [313]


Yep, and we're preparing for an influx of foreigners with the World Cup. I hope those African teams don't decide to stay here!