UK, Ireland /
The number of Anti-English Poles... [228]
What bugs me about threads like this is that British citizens have been experiencing similar problems with institutions for years, but as soon as a Pole experiences them then it must be anti-Polish racism.
I recall some years ago I was being chased by the local council in a large city for non-payment of council tax, although the house was full of students. I was the one stupid enough to communicate with them so it was my name they had. When I said we were all students, they wanted proof for the whole year backdated. Two of the studes were foreigners (german and Soth African) and had returned home BUT I was still supposed to provide proof. The woman said I should have filled out the form they sent me. I said they hadn't sent me anything. they realised they hadn't... but it was still my fault!
Obviously, they didn't have any Poles to be racist to at that time so they were practising on me.
Stories of late money, lost claims etc were rife looooong before Poles got into the system. I recall filling in forms for housing benefit and waiting months, only to be told I hadn't filled in the forms which were needed, as they were different ones. To this day i still don't know why they gave me the forms they did when I signed on. Another time I had some office woman telling me I'd filled my form in incorrectly because I claimed I'd been out of the country for 12 months, "That's wrong, cos you weren't living there, you were only working in macedonia" (as if I was coming home for meals?) Now, obviously, if I was a Pole it would be "anti-Polish racism!"
People seem amazed that when the population surges by a million that the system has the odd hiccup. Of course, Polish administration wouldn't have any problems, would it?
But, how about being a Brit in Poland. A local immigration office where nobody speaks English (or even German) and just talk to you in Polish without slowing down or asking if you need a translator.
Banks with no translators, so you just have to hope your Polish is good enough to understand the terms of the credit card. Free bank transfers to Uk... hahah!
GE Moneybank who refused me credit, despite having my own firm, paying regular ZUS and tax, because... there was no PESEL number on my id card. I showed them the document from the local ratusz but NO! It must be on your id. Even te immigration office rolled their eyes at that one... "Tell these guys that such a card doesn't exist for you!" But no, GE knew better. Of course, if that had happened in UK to a Pole it would have been racism. I consider it bloody racism because I was a foreigner with a government issued card who'd been living in the country a number of years and paying tax and ZUS.
Trying to get 5 year credit at a car showroom... "No, there's only three years left on your id (that thing which gets renewed when I need a new one!) and you might run away back to UK." My Polish wife commented that if they gave her the credit she'd run away the next day. Blatant racism... oh no, it couldn't be because I'm in Poland and should just accept it. If i was Polish in Uk, of course...
