USA, Canada /
Who is better informed, the expat or the Polonia crowd? [144]
I think the premise is somewhat misleading and both parties have a certain advantage. Many of the Polonia crowd will have had a fairly usual Polish upbringing thanks to their parents - regardless of the country they were brought up in - this gives them a unique insight into the culture and history of the country. However, they also exist in a microcosm of Polish society, one that is often dated, and one that is no longer similar to the Poland of today. This is where expats have the advantage.
There is little substitute for living in a country and expats have far better idea of what life is like in Poland today.There is caveat to this in that many expats are completely disengaged from what is happening in Poland. They eat, drink and talk with other expats. I think one of the better barometers of this is whether an expat can speak the language - to some degree or another and depending how long they have been here - it's not only essential to truly understanding what's going on around you but shows an engagement with the country.
There are, I kid you not, expats who have been here for 10 years and still cannot speak Polish.
This 'ethnic fold' stuff is absolute bunk. It's enjoyed support from such luminaries as the Ku Klux Klan, the Saudi Arabian government and Hitler.
