USA, Canada / Do many Polish people in America hate Americans? [592]

No big deal. People here in the US make the best of the time we get, also. I imagine if for everyone in Europe traveling to another country meant 20 hours by plane and a month's pay for the ticket, more people in Europe would also vacation locally, not mentioning just the time. There are plenty of people who get time off in the U.S. but for the most part the U.S. is not as socialized as perhaps some nations in Europe, and the average worker here, given the option of spending a huge amount of money and flying himself and his family (or her family, as the case may be) to Europe for the one or two weeks most here get-or spending much less, and staying in the U.S. for a fraction of the cost, and basking somewhere on a beach, camping in the mountains, skiing, or whatever....that trip to Europe gets pushed back farther and farther.

I'm rambling but I'm sure you get the idea. It's not that Americans are uninterested in the rest of the world, but a vacation in another country long enough to mean anything is out of reach for most Americans.

My grandfather grew up in Krakow, some day I would like to visit there; if I stay in the armed forces long enough to retire, and if I am lucky enough that by that time Poland is still friendly enough to the U.S. that there are U.S. military flights to somewhere near that I can hop onto-I plan to do exactly that.

But I'm getting a bit off-topic. I really don't know what Poles here think of us, and it has little to do with my desires to visit Europe for longer than a refueling stop on the way to one place or other that generally isn't fun.

John P.

USA, Canada / Do many Polish people in America hate Americans? [592]

Just thought I would chip in, I believe the average American doesn't travel to other countries not because he/she doesn't want to, but rather because he/she is simply unable to afford it or does not have time. American industry is very strict and tight with "vacation" compared to many European and other nations. Many jobs do not give time off at all, and others require workers to work for a considerable number of years before granting enough time to actually see anything. So many of the people who do get to travel abroad are either students, in between, retired, or, compared to the masses, a little better-off financially. These generally do not represent what most Americans are, however they are what many perceive us as.

One of my first jobs here was as a minimum wage laborer in a factory making high-end furniture; one had to work for two solid years before being allowed one week off work. As I recall, after 10 years, it was raised to two weeks. While there are companies that pay better, etc. most still do not provide large quantities of "off" time for their employees to go sample Europe, etc. in most cases.

The only times I've been lucky enough to be in Europe (once for 3 hours and then again for 2 days) were in Germany, and I had to be going to/from a war to do it.

Sorry. I just think many people have a mistaken idea about Americans and what makes us tick. We'd LOVE to go hang out in Poland, UK, Russia, Italy, Spain, wherever....but for most of us, that's only something we can dream about. It's just unfortunate that the opinions of most in the world seem to be made based on the actions of just a few non representative, usually slightly more privileged, examples of our citizenry.

One day, if I'm lucky and keep working hard, I can hope to become one of those traveled few.

Life / What is the reason for POLISH jokes ? [486]


Trust me, I know they are nasty, and like quite a few others in a similar situation to mine, I've been the target of most of them, and yes, they do hurt. Doesn't mean the person telling the joke has any CLUE about Poland or its culture (to be honest, neither did I, growing up-I just figured my name was a cruel joke to make my life...interesting. I was 24 before I knew what a Pierogi was, as my Grandfather who grew up in Krakow died when I was 7) more importantly usually the person saw something easy to make jokes about, and used that.

As for proof, I can offer nothing only anecdotal evidence-which is why it is a hunch. I've been a student, I've worked in a factory, I've been in many places where this can be seen....

Just curious, when did people tell the first ones? I did not realize this was a specifically American thing...there are lots of possibilities I guess. Doesn't make them nice, but not sure the people telling them actually know anything about Polish people, either-they just know they have someone in front of them, and they know a way to make jokes about him...

Again, just a hunch.

Life / What is the reason for POLISH jokes ? [486]

It's just a hunch really, as the jokes started long before I was born, but I wouldn't be surprised at all if the jokes were invented by mill workers to make fun of other mill workers, let alone children on the playgrounds at school...I and I'm sure many others on here have been the brunt of either "Dumb Polak" jokes or some similar on many occasions. It has nothing to do with you being Polish, or of Polish decent, nor does it have anything to do with quite a few things. I think people simply pick a target, and invent something that will upset that person-creating great fun for the other coworkers, at his/her expense. In school I was one of 3 people in the county with a Polish name-so I've heard ALL the jokes. After joining the Navy I got the "dumb redneck" jokes because I grew up in a rural area in the Southern U.S.....it isn't just Polish people who get teased. A teacher at one of my schools had to send her son a picture of their house, because his coworkers (he was a nuclear power engineer) thought he no doubt lived in a tar-paper shack or perhaps a run-down trailer.

Some people hate Polish people I'm sure, but I think it more likely started as one specific worker or student trying to upset another specific worker or student, for a laugh.

Which is why all the "Polak" jokes work just as well as "Italian" jokes or (choose nationality/origin/race/creed of your choice).

Anyway I'm rambling, but it's just a hunch.

USA, Canada / What do Polish people think of the USA [287]

Interesting but the last bit is not quite right, although it is popular in U.S. media circles (outside affected areas especially). It is easy to say there is no immigration problem when it is happening somewhere else and shutting down someone elses' hospitals. I just moved from San Diego, and anyone there can drive down to Chula Vista and see the Kaiser-Permanente hospital...that is now just a building. It went out of business, for having to treat illegals for free non-stop in the emergency room. Also talk to workers trying to find a job who do NOT have college degrees (not all of us are well-to-do out of high school or have football skills or straight "A's"). See how competitive they feel, when employers in the area, construction, for instance, turn them away for illegals who do the same work at a fraction of the cost, and no liability ("What worker? There is no worker..."). Americans in these areas are not lazy, the work was done by citizens before illegals ever did it, but the constant desire to make things cheaper or have higher profit margins have driven the American worker out into the cold in many cases. Of COURSE engineers and doctors are not clamoring to work in the fields or in construction. But the people who ARE looking for these jobs....have trouble because their competition will work for less than the TAXES the employer would have to pay for a legal citizen....

Sorry. Rant concluded. I basically agree with the rest of your post however!

Still not sure what Polish people think of the USA...I've seen mostly Americans obviously upset by the last elections and willing to compare their country (no doubt with wild eyes, and mouth gasping-believing every story they hear) to the worst days of Nazi Germany just to drag the current administration through the mud...as well as British people living here and in Poland, and people of Polish decent (like myself, although I am an American)....but not too many Polish.....

I really am curious, how do Poles really see us over here?

Love / Nice Polish women photos [329]


Wow.