just before the war the Polish/Ukrainian szlachta learned Ukrainian

Well, dear foreigners. It would pay to actually check things out, you know? You're struggling to make a separate and even separatist nationality out of people living in the mountains, just like Nazis tried to make them into Goralenvolk.

It's far easier than that. There is an actual difference, in that the Highlanders come from Vallachia and are Vlak.

They also fight for Poland. I bet that surprises you.

And JP2 was one of them - can you spot the old priest acting AGAINST Poland?

Nothing surprised me coming from you, but it is not even entertaining anymore.

That has to rate amongst the worst Polish characteristics, assuming foreigners know nothing about Polish history.

Dear foreigners, LOL. What a patronising remark! Another Polish patriot living abroad, ROTFL.

yep, rubs me the wrong way too:). Don't worry your little head about it Seanus;P. Ksysia rides a horse in the UK, that is why.

Try reading her blog- you would be changed forever.

I read the blog of Ksysia.She is very polish.How can one be so polish?Ha ha I noticed that in Greece too.Polish girls remain polish no matter how many years they stay here while Russian ones change quickly to adapt.

some people cannot help themselves I think and the Polish identity is ALL they have. It helps them to deal with other culture, or cope with different cultures. Whether is is a GOOD thing or not, it is not up to me to decide, but there is a certain degree of superiority of their own culture, or inferiority. In reality, it is good to work out a balance of implementing both in my opinion. What works in one culture, might not work in another. Of course there is also the issue of flexibility, acceptance and tolerance and by reading Ksysia's blog - she seems to struggle with those. However, she is HONEST enough to admit it, even if it is expressed between the lines in her blog. However, the last entry where she says that Brits steel from her is an indication that she might be loosing touch with reality by concentrating ONLY on negative things in the UK.

It is quite refreshing to see Slavs explain why they do certain things which may seem peculiar to us but give such a comfort and pleasure in Poland they really make a difference.For example here in Greece people lie unbelievably and noone admits he was wrong.I really have to record them sometimes because they deny they said sth.They also stand for their rights in different ways than Slavs do I find that Slavs are more comfortable with fate etc.

Imagine that recently a civil servant complained to me how much she is treated unfair by not being paid for extra hours she does not work.Why the director does not write I worked extra hours in order to get paid more?She finds this as a natural right.In comparison polish work for extremely low wages but unfortunately polish women have only pusssy and appearance as bargaining power.

It's not ALL that we have, but we couldn't possibly not realize that we are Poles.

Being Polish is like winning a ticket in the lottery of life and we simply acknowledge
that obvious fact he he :-)

As ever the joker, Torq ;) ;) You appear to have your finger on the pulse and have been around a bit, you can detect provincial attitudes when you see them.

Being quietly proud of what you are is how I tend to go about things. Ksysia thrusts her interpretation of the Polish way left, right and centre and it may get under the skin of those with a broader perspective in life.

When Poles begin to disagree with her, her world will collapse ;) ;) ;)

I find what Ksysia describes quite accurate about polish.They really enlighten in several issues.Why not a Slavic interpretation of western world?

Please go on, KP, as I don't. What is accurate?

For example when she explains why Poles do not smile to strangers why girls look into your eyes while talking the social control in the West etc.

This explains why in Slavic countries one feels so free while in Germany you feel under constant pressure control and scrutiny.
And here in Greece a beautiful girl cannot pass the street wearing sth provocative without men yelling to her \'your ass,your ass baby\',\\\"you are horniness sweety\\\",\\\"your hot body has sent me\\\",\\\"I cum when I look at you baby\\\",\\\"big mother you\\\",\\\"give me a kiss baby\\\" and so on.

Why don't Poles smile to strangers? Why do girls look into your eyes? What are her comments, KP?

They don\\\'t smile because they do not want to distort your privacy.They look into your eyes to establish contact.They hug and touch each other which is considered inappropriate in western societies.(I had already observed that polish girls like petting and that they often hug and kiss.In CR the habit is to peck sb's mouth for saying good bye.Not bad,not bad but we pervs misinterpret.)

First point, wrong. Many do smile and I see it. Some maintain eye contact and some don't. It isn't considered inappropriate at all, look at Italy and France. Many Polish girls don't like petting at all.

KP, I sometimes wonder where your observations come from.

What Ksysia writes is the same I have noticed.For example polish girls like to be touched or at least they don\'t seem opposite to it and I suppose that mothers touch kiss and hug their children a lot in Poland.

I notice a lot of distance of some mothers from their kids. Many fuss over them and are close. It just depends.

Like to be touched? Most women do but only under the right conditions, KP.

that is what I fear;)

That's really nice of you guys to read some of my musings, and comment on them. Thanks for not saying 'this is stupid so get out'.

Very well and prudently said.
May I add it to my book of golden maxims?

But of course you may, Marquoz.

Maybe even in a slightly changed version: "To have been born Polish is to have drawn the winning ticket in the lottery of life." :-)

The thing is that many Bulgarians consider Macedonian a politicised dialect. They may refuse to speak it themselves, or acknowledge it. An American friend went to Bulgaria and tried to communicate in Macedonian and was iced, or received harsh comment from some people. The Greek government also says it is simply a Bulgarian dialect. Like I said, this all allows the negation of a recognition of a Macedonian ethnicity. I've read greek publications which state there is no Macedonian or Turkish minority in greece, just communities of Slavophone Greeks and Muslim Greeks.

Of course Macedonian politicians will use translators, because the struggle to have their linguistic variety recognised as a 'language' is central to their identity. To 'pretend they can't understand', isn't the point, it is more about forcing an unwilling party to recognise their right to speak in that medium and have it recognised as a legitimate form, rather than being forced to speak Bulgarian.

It all comes down to the old riddle: What's the difference between a language and a dialect? A language is a dialect with a bigger army.

I completely understand Macedonian and agree with you on that issue. They should pay 0 attention to what Greeks or Turks think and treat them with the same card. Arrogance and disrespect will never be cured with diplomacy.

well, maybe I was a bit to sarcastic, but I feel that it is really difficult to discuss anything with you, unless is in your head, because you making a lot of confusing statements, which are most of the time impossible to understand.

However, I admire your effort of you are making to record your experience while in the UK, although I feel it is very personal, therefore the "comments" from other people I think.

I don't find your blog very objective, instead it is ridden with prejudice, lack of patience and understanding for the culture you are living in. Ksysia, people are the same everywhere, you just need to give them a chance and I feel that you look at some British as if they were aliens. In a way they are, but it is because you have a tendency to look at them that way.

I personally prefer the journalistic style of writing, when the author puts the facts in and does not judge, or implements feelings, which is a very difficult thing to do in my opinion. Kapuscinski comes to mind, because his style of writing was like that. He was able to take the reader to whatever place he was writing about. You are talking readers to your personal world most of the time and there is nothing wrong with it but I think you blog should have a disclaimer.

Aphrodisiac you regard yourself a paragon of objectivity?At least Ksysia admits she presents her personal opinions not these of someone else.

I merely stated my preferences when it comes to reading material and we are way off topic.

It will be cured by murdering women and children and then running away from regular army like Ukrainians do :)))

Thanks aphrodisiac.
I have stated it in the about me page, that everyone is welcome to talk back to me (but I have razed down three people for lack of content in the insults)

I am doing several things on the blog: I not only record my experience, I have also the chance to vent, which is always handy. I give the Anglophones a chance to read how other people view them (if you read the latest Terry Pratchett or this silly book about Poles 'Poles Apart', then you know that they crave this info and how they try to imagine how they must look to strangers. They usually gloat over themselves). And I also return in kind the Nazi attitude the English have towards other people. e.g. they just won't serve me food, won't clean my table anyway, won't sell me things when it's my turn in the line - but AFTER all the 'white people'.

I am growing in contempt, and you are right to notice this. Only the reasons for it are different. You probably suspect some 'nationalism', but we don't really have it like they have it.. I hate them because they pretended to be on the Allied side, while to this day they are Nazi in everyday life.

Example: My friend from Nigeria, a bank manager moved her job to the UK only to find that there will be no other job - other than traffic management or toilet cleaning. White boys were laughing at her when she was washing the toilets saying: 'even their bank managers wash our toilets'.

I'm not a nationalist, I feel for the Nigerian girl just like for Poles. I despise the 'white boys'. But I'm not a bloodthirsty Nazi either. I won't kill them. I will simply only give them cleaning jobs in due time.

thanks for the explanation. It clarifies many misconception I had. I think that living in another country could be a test. On the other hand, British deal with an influx of Eastern european immigrants and one would expect varied reactions, some of them you have described and I have read on PF from other posters.

I would comment more, but I am off topic and I will try to comment on your blog one of these day, since that would be more appropriate:)

You notice how big heart Ksysia has.She will not give English toilet cleaning jobs when they come to Poland.