The more subtle differences: Ireland/Britain v Poland

I am not sure if this is a true originin of that gesture, but I remember Gustlik form Czterej Pancerni doing it and asking 'jedzie mi tu czolg?', after somebody said something unbelievable to him. That was the first time I saw it.

jedzie mi tu czołg? = can you see a tank here?

originally it was accompanied by a question: "jedzie mi tu czołg?", then it was dropped and just the gesture remained

Thanks

I didn't remember that about Gustlik, but it's possible, must pay attention next time I see Pancerni :)

Shouldn't be a problem. Any time I visit Poland there's at least one channel broadcasting it :) Something like Doctor Who in the UK.

Oh yes you may safely count on it. Same with Kloss and Sami swoi, they were on just last week.

As far as I know it's common throught continental Europe.

I completely agree. You notice that not many people complain about really big things, it's more small differences that people complain about. Like our poster in #269 going on about British foodstuffs people miss. I think, like you, that it's just a coping mechanism. It's easier to sit there and say how much better everything is at home and how terrible everything is here than to completely adapt your whole way of life to make everything easier in your new home.

Adapting everything is very hard to do. No longer eating things that you see as normal and comfortable might seem to mean that you are eating horrible things, but you are not...you are eating something different. Obviously there is more to it than just what you eat, but that's just an example.

I have lots of friends in Poland who lived in the UK for timespans ranging from a month to 7 years. Maybe they are all exceptions to the rule, but they all sit there in Kraków and complain about things in Kraków that don't work as well as they did in the UK, and every one of them said they complained about things in the UK when they were there. It's a case of the grass is always greener. When you are at home then everything is boring and uninteresting, you go away and everything is alien and new. But you can also look at it as everything at home is comfortable and normal, you go away and everything is exciting and a new experience.

A lot of it is to do with the memories and feelings such little things give you. An example would be something like Irn Bru. Basically weird tasting sugar water (I think the taste comes from pears) which I can take or leave, but when I taste it (or smell it), a whole load of memories and images of friends and adventures appear. It reminds me of safe times and friendships which aren't as close in my life now.

[quote=Cardno85]Olaf:
- Jan Kowalski proszę!
or
- Zebediah Johnston please :)
No need to say the surname first and then the first name.

In Poland there are protocols that govern when, why and how people address each other.
It is primarily regulated by levels of kinship between peoples, age, status, and respect all subject to environmental and professional setting and circumstance.

(with rare exceptions of really close friendship/ kinship) anyone addressing you in any official capacity will do this formally regardless of the age or status or relationship of the person in question Pan, Pani X, i.e.: which is cognate with Sir or Lady, anything less was and is considered disrespectful (a slant), while calling someone their first name is a directed insult to your personal dignity.

In less official setting, if you know the person closely and this person had invited you to call them by their first name then it’s cool to use it, but there are sometimes exceptions when in official capacity, or when circumstance dictates to uphold the seriousness of the situation.

This same is with the handshake; theoretically it is considered polite to be offered a hand in handshake by your senior or older person if you do not know them, otherwise you risk being considered an oaf, but once this hurdle has been breached there are no restrictions on initiation.

However when you meet bunch of peers in new setting who already know each other it is up to them (one of them) to initiate the handshake, sort of welcome you in to their group.

Not every one gets a shake hands even if you know each other, again it is a mark of respect, acceptance and belonging, equality and acknowledgement and much much more.

With the handshake you get to know the person, it tell the character, and can tell you all you want to know about the person. It is the sword arm, held without the weapon, open, in peace, sign of trust and respect, given freely; it’s a window to the person like eyes.