USA, Canada / Polack/American Polonia/Plastic Pole "culture" [568]


How do you know they were actually Polish? Speaking Polish didn't neccessarily mean they were Polish - after all, the Lithuanian elite spoke Polish.


And we'll carry on ridiculing them and calling them "Polacks" and other offensive (to their oversensitive hearts) names.

USA, Canada / Polack/American Polonia/Plastic Pole "culture" [568]


Well, I can understand it where both parents are Polish - but when they really are just your average American mutt, it's very odd. It's even stranger when they have a very mixed bloodline, yet they identify so strongly with Poland.


Yep, it's now being reported quite widely - not that anyone is surprised by it ;)

I think there's also an inquiry at the minute into IRA-Garda collusion too? The nicest thing I've read recently though was a proposal by some DUP guy - saying that Gardai should respond to things in border areas where the PSNI can't react quickly. Amazing, really.

USA, Canada / Polack/American Polonia/Plastic Pole "culture" [568]


Hmm - what I mean is that it's surprising that they don't have more of a balanced opinion, because there's no reason for them to be fiercely defensive of Poland.


Tell me about it. I was reading some old articles - and you can clearly see that there was little to no recognition of what the Loyalists were doing. It's common knowledge now about collusion, but then?

(the more I read, the more I realise how utterly complicated NI is as a question, especially when you realise that successive Irish leaders had no real intention to unify Ireland)


Sorry, but I don't - I jump up for Ode to Europe instead.

USA, Canada / Polack/American Polonia/Plastic Pole "culture" [568]


Of course, but in their case, they have no real reason to. That's what makes it odd - you'd think that an American of Polish descent would be able to have a decent, critical viewpoint, but it seems that they have quite the opposite.

Genealogy / Americans of Polish descent. How many of us are on Polish forums? [216]


Why did your parents not teach you Polish?

It's interesting how many people had fluent Polish speakers for parents, yet they didn't learn themselves. It's the same with other languages, of course.

USA, Canada / Polack/American Polonia/Plastic Pole "culture" [568]


Actually, one thing that they often do (from what I can see) is ignore the bits of history that doesn't agree with what they want to hear. For example, Irish history - many of them knew fine well that Noraid was funding the IRA. But they ignored all the dodgy aspects of the IRA's operation - choosing only to focus on the part that was actually fighting the British. Or - many of them have the view that it should be BRITS OUT. The problem is that most of them have absolutely no idea who the "BRITS" are, nor do they have any concept that the Unionist faction is in the majority in Northern Ireland.

But they do seem to have a lot of knowledge about the things they want to know about.

USA, Canada / Polack/American Polonia/Plastic Pole "culture" [568]


Don't ruin his dream, after all, Busha and Jaja told him otherwise!

From what I gather, Poles are quite happy to take their dumb cousins money, but they don't consider them to be equal.

(anyway, you can't be Polish if you don't have a dowód osobisty)

USA, Canada / Polack/American Polonia/Plastic Pole "culture" [568]


Not as much as most of us living here pump in, and if money buys votes, why can't we vote for President but the Plastic Poles can?


So - you're not even 50% Polish?

USA, Canada / Polack/American Polonia/Plastic Pole "culture" [568]


The thing that many of them don't understand is that there's a bloody good chance that they aren't 100% Polish - looking at history, there was so much interbreeding with Germans, Czechs, Ruthenians, Lithuanians, Ukrainians, etc. Look at their language - the use of "Busha" for grandmother comes directly from Ukrainian.

Actually, what annoys me most is the way that they have such a poor grasp of history - they seem to believe that Poland always existed and that there's no way that Busha and Jaja could be from Russia - even when they were born in Russia.

USA, Canada / Polack/American Polonia/Plastic Pole "culture" [568]


Why not identify yourself as American? There's a great history there, the language is wonderfully interesting, there's some incredible scenery and such a varied climate. There's a nice anthem and plenty of things to rally around.

I wonder how many of these Plastic Poles would choose Poland over America if they had to? None of them would, I bet.

USA, Canada / Polack/American Polonia/Plastic Pole "culture" [568]


Actually, it seems as if YOU are the one obsessed with conducting witch hunts against perceived anti-Polishness. Last time I checked, your type were the ones doing real harm to Poland.


Uh, what do you know about my Polish skills? You don't know me, you're just an anonymous internet troll.


Actually, that's what the American Polonia do.

And you've been told by a moderator on this forum that I live in Poland, that I associate with Poles and even sorted him out with a place to stay with a Polish friend of mine. What about you? Who can vouch for you, Polack?


Would that be like how you obtained your information about Smolensk by an FSB-funded website?

USA, Canada / Polack/American Polonia/Plastic Pole "culture" [568]


Wow. That's very, very interesting stuff - especially this part. Calling Romanians, "Finlanders" and "Letts" Slavic is probably about as offensive as it gets these days, but yet - it shows you a different time.

Now - did these events actually happen, or is it just scaremongering/hysteria on both sides?

Genealogy / Americans of Polish descent. How many of us are on Polish forums? [216]


Playing table football with a Hungarian, a Pole and a Frenchwoman would do that to you :)

I think I believed in the European dream at that moment...


Birthplace and youth, I think - these two things tend to combine to give you a sense of identity.

I think you can see a comparison with the 1945-era Poles in the UK - they're still Polish, no matter what, even though their children and grandchildren are British.

Genealogy / Americans of Polish descent. How many of us are on Polish forums? [216]


Hmm - counting university (went to university in England) - this is my 5th year outside. Can't say I particularly miss the place either!

I don't think it's possible for a 1st generation immigrant to lose his nationality, but I do feel more and more European by the day.

Genealogy / Americans of Polish descent. How many of us are on Polish forums? [216]


I would assume that she means anyone who considers themselves to be of Polish origin, regardless of birthplace?

Something else I'd like to know about the people who respond - when did you or your ancestors leave Poland?

Genealogy / Americans of Polish descent. How many of us are on Polish forums? [216]

I'd like to add two more questions -

- How many of you would consider moving to Poland for good?
- If you have to choose, are you American or Polish?

Work / Black English Teacher going to Wroclaw [247]


It's not just blacks, but non-EU citizens as a whole.

USA, Canada / Polack/American Polonia/Plastic Pole "culture" [568]


Typical Plastic Polonia response - hysteria, uneducated (just like the forefathers) and completely missing the point.


For a start, it's "You're", not "your".

Anyway, if you had actually read the thread, you'd know that I was talking about teaching professionally. Nothing to do with sitting on "Jaja's" knee listening to boring stories about how he ran away from Poland in 1919 because he was such a patriot.

USA, Canada / Polack/American Polonia/Plastic Pole "culture" [568]


So, where am I wrong?

(I'm just waiting for the first comments about Jews, Michnik, Communism or Gazeta Wyborcza)

Which party tends to throw around "PROUD PATRIOTIC POLSKA"? It's certainly not PO or the SLD. Both of those parties also don't have a leader who seems to be desperate to become some sort of martyr.


Thankfully, we've progressed beyond the Stone Age in Scotland.


Nothing new here, you see it all the time in Poland ;) Violence used against people who speak freely is nothing new here at all... :(

Love / Indian citizen wants to marry Polish Girl and get settled there. [109]

While sending the wife out to work because he won't be able to find employment.

Saw a textbook case of this yesterday, actually.

USA, Canada / Polack/American Polonia/Plastic Pole "culture" [568]

Where did I claim to be a "patriotic, proud Scot"?

I couldn't give a toss about being patriotic and proud. Looking at the idiots in Poland who promote such "patriotism" - they're the ones who sulk and complain because they didn't get their man into the Presidential Palace.

Sorry, but I consider myself more European these days anyway.

Life / The Polish Dream - move out from Poland as fast as possible [73]


It doesn't do any good, and all it does is stop them being unemployed for a few years.

I'm convinced that the "free education" policy in Poland is simply to keep the amount of unemployed people down and it has nothing at all to do with education.

Heck, I met two PhD's working in first line QA work - doesn't that tell you that the education system is badly in need of reform?


There are small scholarships, but nothing worthwhile. It would make far more sense to introduce fees for all but the best students - with the caveat that the grades are routinely double checked by outside invigilators.[/quote]
You can see this among young women - no-one is going to hire a woman just out of university, because there's a widespread assumption that she's going to want to get pregnant quickly. The worst thing is that it's quite true - you get people with 1-2 years work experience after university deciding that they want a baby, or just after they get the permanent contract in their hand.

Given that many people have the attitude here of "**** everyone else, I'm allright Jack" - I'm not surprised that many employers treat them like crap in return.

Work / Black English Teacher going to Wroclaw [247]


Or she's simply told him "Poland or nothing".

USA, Canada / Polack/American Polonia/Plastic Pole "culture" [568]


Fuzzy, if you actually were an English teacher worth listening to, you'd know fine well that these things often differ. But you know, I suppose Jersey Shore English is a bit...hmm, bastardised? ;)

Unless of course, you're one of those publishing bores who believe that the only "right" version of English is the one that they know. Or maybe you've simply been learning Polish too long, what with the strict definition of "what is Polish".

Sorry, but all that the Polonia did was to get upset about things, while hiding from communists because they were too damn cowardly to do anything about it themselves. I'm sure Poland was perfectly capable of defending itself from such accusations - they didn't need some Plastic Poles to defend themselves!

The American Polonia are, by and far, nothing but mouth. The election results show this ;)

(interesting thread though : shows that PiS voters are supportive of the Polonia, yet everyone else dislikes them. Ties in with the false "patriotic" message that they spread, I suppose.

USA, Canada / Polack/American Polonia/Plastic Pole "culture" [568]


Jealous, Fuzzy? It's not the greatest field ever, but there is *always* a need to market your products. Given that Poles generally have next to no idea about how to do this to the West (recovered territories, anyone?) - it's something that I can do quite easily.

But - you know, carry on with your teenagers! Personally though, who the hell wants to be an old man teaching kids?


Teaching? Well, if you want to be 50 and still teaching sulky teenagers, you're welcome :) Anyway, is America so poor that they'll let anyone teach without a qualification?

Well, as they say - those who can't do it, teach :)

USA, Canada / Polack/American Polonia/Plastic Pole "culture" [568]


If you're true to Poland, you live here and contribute to the country. End of story.

If you pledge allegiance to another country, you cannot be Polish - it's a simple fact. It's actually treason to pledge allegiance to another country.

Sorry Fuzzy, but the resume is already quite strong :) What with several years of marketing experience, a marketing degree and still doing some here on a freelance basis - it's not going to be hard to get a job in the UK in my field. But why the hell would I want to, when Poland is a much more attractive place to live?

Anyway, the services company hasn't failed, it's been put on the shelf. I'm still getting about 5-10 enquiries a week - and they're being passed onto a lawyer that I know, because I simply don't have the time to bother with it. Teaching pays more than enough for now, and I like the amount of free time that I have. It won't last forever, but for a couple of more years, it'll do nicely.

What's the market like for biologists who have been out of the game for several years doing something totally unrelated? Can't imagine there's much demand for them, especially without current experience. :)


Personal insults aside, you've made a really good point here - and it's worthy of another thread. I know in Spain, there are many expats that are exactly as you say - bitter, stuck in another country and with absolutely nowhere to go. It's usually the ones with families that are the worst - it's much harder for them to pick up and go elsewhere without much fuss.


I like the winters, but that's because I come from a city where it rains constantly in winter. I like the cold too, so ;)


I've got an EU passport and can go wherever the hell I want without much trouble. Stuck here? Quite the opposite. But not everywhere offers Prague, Berlin, Lviv and Vilnius within an easy car drive ;)

(remember Fuzzy, us EU citizens have it much easier....)

Life / The Polish Dream - move out from Poland as fast as possible [73]


Doesn't everyone?

I'm trying to find an English teacher at the minute - and of course, paying as little as possible for the best quality is what I want!

USA, Canada / Polack/American Polonia/Plastic Pole "culture" [568]

The American Polonia suck, this is true. Poles in Poland? Most of them are wonderful people who will try to help you in any way if they can. About the only ones I can't stand are the nationalist, xenophobic idiots who are stuck in the Stone Age - and every country has them.


You really do pay a lot of attention to my posts, don't you? :D

I could name lots of things I like about Poland, such as the guaranteed snow, lack of rain, the people, the nice pubs, the nice restaurants, the general unpredictability of it all, the location, the quality of the food and more. You know, because I actually live here - and I'm not a "Plastic Polack".


Yup, there's a lot to enjoy here. I've met a hell of a lot of interesting people, and a lot of them, I wouldn't have met in the UK. Heck, I looked at my client list yesterday, and most of them have fairly impressive job titles - lawyers, senior management, doctors, etc.

In fact, about the only thing that makes me mad is the way that some "Plastic Polacks" come into Poland and start telling US how things should be done. I've heard so much moaning from them - that Poland isn't like the United States, that it should do this, that it should do that, that they can't live here because (insert rubbish excuse), and so on. Sure, us expats might complain about things, but we also try to change things as well. And anyway, we pay taxes here ;)

Heck, what's NOT to enjoy about the fact that within a few hours drive, you can be in all sorts of amazingly interesting places? Heck, I even enjoy the fact that I can rely on the public transport here!

Anyway, I'm a European Union citizen. If I hate one country, no problem, there's another 30 to choose from!

It has to be said, if I hated Poles so much, I'd hardly invite a forum member to come and meet lots of Polish people, would I? :)

USA, Canada / Polack/American Polonia/Plastic Pole "culture" [568]


I find it highly unlikely that many of the American Polonia have suffered for a day in their life.

Unless you call not being able to understand why "Busha" didn't know that Krakow is now touristic as hell as "suffering".


But - that's ok, because it's foreigners adjusting it to their tounge. But when people claiming to be Polish don't even know how to say their name - well, you see my point. See also - Adam Andrzejewski. To say "I'M POLISH" and then pronounce your name "An-gee-ef-ski"....what a twat.


They're about as cowardly as it gets. Waving pierogi around while hiding behind Reagan's nuclear bombs does not mean you're a patriot! Let's not forget that many of those cowards left Poland JUST as she regained independence - how patriotic can you get!

I know the Polonia are in denial, but the fact remains - the vast majority couldn't hack it in Poland. It was a tough place from 1919 onwards, sure - but running away is just cowardice. Likewise with Communism - I understand completely the ones who ran away in 1945 and couldn't come back (who would go back to torture/death?) - but afterwards? The ones who ran away in the 60's/70's were just cowards all the same.

(one thing's for certain - this thread proves that the American Polonia are insecure people)

At least there's one small mercy - the Polonia elsewhere are a credit to Poland.

Study / Going to Medical School in Poland (University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn / and others) [51]


Ahaahahaa. Not a chance.

It's one of the best in terms of giving Americans an easy ride for their cash, and for diverting all their resources into foreign students - but it's not the best in the country, that's for certain.