The more subtle differences: Ireland/Britain v Poland

For me it was:

Showering in the evening. For me & almost everyone I know, a morning shower is the norm.
I was told that I shower "The French way"

Breakfast as a "proper meal" - ham, gherkins, onions etc etc. I mean it's nice generally but not at that time of the morning - not for me anyway.

Removing shoes when entering houses. This was odd for me.

It's a lot like Korea - thanks for bringing back the pleasant memories.

:)

After a night on the booze its no big deal to start drinking again the very next morning, it begins with a hair of the dog.


You had that for breakfast? no wonder you didnt like Polish food.

But I did ! - sort of. Some of it anyway.

So this kind of breakfast isn't usual then? This is what I was offered in the three houses I stayed in anyway.

you wouldn't get it in this house. not for first or second breakfast.

Some years ago I shared apartment with the one young British couple. They had a habit of sleeping naked with their bedroom door open, and they'd sleep until noon. This was very unusual for me, just too much information. Thank g-d, it was only for a week.

Well that part would be normal for me.

Although the bed is positioned so that you would need to look in and round the corner to see anything.

You sleep with your door open? That would freak me out, but I am a bit paranoid..

It was anything but normal for me. When you have company CLOSE YOUR FREAKIN' DOOR.

Well if you can easily see in, yes of course. If not, I don't think it matters really.

Another difference for me by the way was beer (lager) not being served cold. Coolish to lukewarm was my experience. At first I thought it was a mistake but it appeared to be the norm.

Pickels and onions don't sound typical for breakfast. Fresh tomatoes, yes.

Traditional Polish (big) breakfast is usually (IME) bread and/or rolls with cold cuts and cheese (yellow and white crumbly). Maybe fresh tomatoes. Everybody makes their own sandwiches.

Not much cooking beyond eggs (esp scrambled and boiled or my favorite, soft boiled eggs with fresh horseradish and mayonaise) maybe boiled frankfurters and milk soup (somthing like very runny oatmeal but maybe barley or rice instead of oats).

British abominations like fried tomatoes and beans are kept well away from the breakfast table.

Occasionally you may see a gherkin accompanied with cold sliced meats and cheese but onions nah.


After a while you learn to kill that tomato with your buttered toast. English breakfasts are legendary.

Like many other plagues.

yeap and hows with that in Ireland/Britain?


you dont get too many kisses i assume

It's been mentioned elsewhere but handing across change is different here. You are supposed to place it on the counter for them to pick up but it can take a while to pick all the coins off of it.

F'ucking weirdos. I hear Austrians are similar.

I like this one a lot, why bring outside filth inside?

A few things it took me a while to get used to are:

- Strangers staring at you all the time.

- People go to work much earlier and go home earlier.

- Toilets that you can see your poop, although I did see them in Lithuania and the Netherlands too.

- Buying things in a shop by weight, like clothes.

- Shaking everyone's hands all the time, when we meet and when we part (except over thresholds???)

- Chimney men dressed in Black, with the hat.

- Driving on the wrong side of the road ;p (I am well used to it by now)

- Although I find Polish very similar to Irish in mentality, sensibilities and humour, I find it harder to "crack their shell" and get to know people here. I am not saying they aren't friendly but, especially initially, much more standoffish.

- The extreme weather (comparatively speaking) it is like a several different countries depending on what time of year you are here. Plus 35 to Minus 35.

- The sour foods.

- The fireplaces with the glass on them (not open).

I could go on all day.

Taking shoes off is more an eastern thing (MUST in Japan) but we follow it in Scotland in many households.

The aloofness can be noticed but breaking their guard is not that difficult.

Well, maybe it was invitation not only information ;-)


If I remember correctly this habit of not shaking hands over thresholds is based on ancient tradtion of Slavs to burry some dead ones below threshold... So, you shouldn't shake hands over them for some reason, bad luck I suppose ;)

PS. actually I decided to check it and I learn some weird stuff..
For example pre-Christian Slavs burried below threshold dead children (from miscarriage for example) to have some presumably good (?) home deamon. They believed that children had accumulated a lot of life energy ergo dead ones suppose to be powerful friendly deamons.

Weird stuff, isn't it ? SeanBM, remember DON'T shake hands over home deamons ! ;)

Ah, that explains it, wiat a sec... what???

:)

This is by far the worst thing in poland. Why do people keep staring? I constantly find myself looking in the mirror to see if there is something on my face. I can't think of any other country in europe that i've been to where people stare.

footwear

Another thing i can't understand - outdoor shoes indoors - mind blowing!!

Some of you foraigners are simply oversensitive p u s s i e s.What is your problem?They stare?Then stare back.I like when women stare at me it gives opportunity to walk up to them.And if guys stare I stare back.But see I am not a p u s s y.

Wash the grime of the day off..rather than sleep in..Always been an evening and morning showerer...But I will concede an old house mate of mine used to the morning thing until I called her a skank for doing so..


There are plenty in the UK that practice this - what's odd about not walking muck into someones home?


Got the mini ones in the fridge, but I would consider eating them for breakfast (yuk!)


Yummy (grilled tomatoes are better though)


Its not the norm..its all about preference..As kids its routine with the whole bath and bed thing..some of us continue with it..(a lot do actually)


Exhibitionist?


I cant say I noticed this on any of my visits..but then again you must be stairing at them in return?

English like to shock. Especially people who they perceive to be overly sensitive.


Now wait, if your mate showers in the morning and you shower in the evening...perfection!

I still take a shover the Canadian way- in the morning.
I don't mind people staring and I really don't find them staring - simply looking.
Men look at women without being sleezy , which I find nice for a change.


I agree. The first contact can be initiated and it is not polite to look away in Poland. People think that one is up to something.

What do you mean?


What 'grime' is going to get attached to e.g. your knees or back? Your hands and face can be washed whenever.

Depends what way you look at it. For me, showering in the morning has the added benefit of helping you wake up. Also, morning showerers are basically cleaner than all the evening showerers they meet during the day and early evening ; )

Also, it has to be said, assuming most people have sex at night a morning shower makes more sense in many ways.

Anyway, you really think it's not the norm to shower in the morning in the UK? Like I said, I lived there and every single personI encountered did this.


Plenty? really? Maybe some, but I lived in England for four years and never came across it.

I just think it's a bit much - you just make sure you wipe your feet properly, end of. Dogs (who have a lot worse on their paws than the average human shoe I'm sure) can run around peoples houses without wearing little pet slippers so what's the big deal? What's so important about your house - you have a hoover. That's how I feel about it anyway.

actually it's rude to demand from your guest to remove shoes. Removing shoes has practical reasons as its to keep out dirt from your house. Many people if they are not in formal visit they remove their shoes volontary as they thinks it's polite.

What about covering all windows when it gets a bit darker, starting early in the evening. For my surprise I usually got answers like: I don't want people looking while I'm eating, sittin, watching tv, washing dishes, doing nothing.

Isn't it weird? Living on 2nd floor or higher what do I care? Sure I rather don't parade naked (rather) in the apartment but covering all the blinds etc makes you loos all the panorama of the city outside...

Are you saying that this is common in Ireland & Britain but not in Poland?

I think it's normal anyway - what are curtains for then? : )

to cover your windows when in early mornings summer sun pops into your bed. When you watching tv and sunshines are mirroring in your tv screen.

So curtains are useful only when you have windows facing west or east ;)

Teffle what about two taps? Have you got used to use one?