Hello. Is there racism in Czestochowa? I am a black student from France and I will be studying in Politechnika in the spring semester. I heard Krakow, Wroclaw and Poznan are OK for black or asian folks, but also heard Czestochowa is a small city, and all racism I've experienced was in such places. Thank you
This is usually not racism per se. This is simply a reaction to someone different. Folks in big cities are used to foreign students and employees of multi-national companies. Conversely, for people from small towns a black or Asian person is still something exotic, and there is some small chance that you may draw some looks and comments that definitely are insensitive, and may be perceived as racist. Please be advised, however, that there is no cultural background in Poland for REAL racism (i.e. the sense of inherent inferiority of certain races). No history of slavery, colonialism and so on. So, the best advice I can give you is: be tolerant to country bumpkins. :)
Start by examining Polish attitudes towards the Ukrainian minority, 1918-1939. You can also indulge yourself in Polish attitudes towards the Jewish minority, 1935-1939, and perhaps finish by examining the destruction of the Lemkos in the post-WW2 period.
Go ahead, educate me. While waiting for your revelations (especially with regards to different races allegedly involved), I will go to the kitchen and make a bag of popcorn.
I think you will be fine because European women in general seem to love black men. Just stay away from the male population. In my experience, British/Irish/French/German/Polish/Ukrainian/Russian women are all down with the brothas.
While waiting for your revelations (especially with regards to different races allegedly involved), I will go to the kitchen and make a bag of popcorn.
Well, if you choose to eat popcorn rather than confronting sad historical facts...
Merged: Racial slurs - I'm German, Irish, Scottish, English, Norwiegan and French, born in Canada
Hi not that my opinion matters, but here it goes anyway. I'm German Irish Scotish English Norwiegan and French, and the terms krout potato eater ****** frog or white honkey cracker don't seem to bug me in the least bit. I think in the near future these terms will hold less offensive meaning as people are becoming more culturally diverse. I was born in Canada and have been called a red neck on many occasions which also doesn't bother me because it's true I have more guns than teeth. So to those who take offence to racial slang or humour can cry me a river and build themselves a bridge and get over it.
I honestly believe you'd encounter FAR more racism/bigotry if you were Jewish than black! Like so many other Europeans, Poles will probably go out of their way to befriend a foreigner of color (after all, they had a black man in their Parliament, Mr. John Godson, of Nigerian origin!), not fearing the latter as any kind of threat:-)
Foreign-born Jews, even if Polish speaking oddly enough, may well encounter hostility. They are considered still a threat by many Poles, as Israel-mongering nogoodniks, intent on rubbing well-meaning Polish gentiles in the manure of recent history. Untrue as this is, of course, perception REMAINS reality for the majority of people, sadly.
Blacks on the other hand, are seen as a tabula rasa, and therefore most likely welcome.
Just be careful late at night (say after midnight). Drunk people are looking for fights. They just love to start fights here like I've never seen anywhere else in the world.
You look more unique so you're a more likely target. But if you weren't there they'd just as happily go after a local person.
