Travel / Poland in photo riddles - part 2 [1680]

This one's more for the non-residents of Poland (since it's well known).

I've been on here for a boat cruise; what's happening and where is it?

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USA, Canada / My grievances with the American-Polonia [54]


Further confirmation that you have no idea whatsoever about Poland. If you'd ever been here, you'd probably have some actual insight.


And you know that how?

You probably expect waitrons here to introduce themselves by name, talk about the day's specials and smile.

News / A good day for animals, fur trade and ritual slaughter banned / limited in Poland [22]


They also worshipped the weather, painted themselves with wode and lived in caves. I'd not recommend any of that (except maybe the first).

The Japanese are among the healthiest nations in the world and they only eat meat very sparingly.

News / A good day for animals, fur trade and ritual slaughter banned / limited in Poland [22]


This is good news and a small but significant step in the right direction.

Now to tackle factory farming, especially of larger mammals.

USA, Canada / My grievances with the American-Polonia [54]


People who work in busy tourist restaurants in almost any city don't have time to chat. They probably expected to be welcomed to 'the homeland' and realised that they were just seen as American tourists. That or they expected customer service staff in Poland to be friendly or at least basically cordial; yet another disconnect between their expectations and reality.

Travel / Pot in Poland for tourists [285]


The dealers are obviously feeling the pinch now medical marijuana is available on prescription here.

Easier, cheaper and better quality to get a pot of pot from the pharmacy.

Life / What do Poles really think about cats? [470]


He'll get used to him.


Yep. And you saved a black cat!

News / Years of Poland in the EU - assessment of pros and cons [1199]


Be voting for her. It's a shame the SPD aren't in office right now, however she's certainly been doing her job well.

News / Years of Poland in the EU - assessment of pros and cons [1199]


Perhaps because she's popular and has a good electoral mandate. Unlike Theresa May.

Travel / Poland in photo riddles - part 2 [1680]

Świętokrzyskie is maybe the nicest part of Poland in my experience. There's something special about it.

Travel / Poland in photo riddles - part 2 [1680]


Exactly there!

Very worth a visit if you're in the area.

Travel / Poland in photo riddles - part 2 [1680]


No, it's outside Kielce though in the general region.

A small clue. We went in late June, however a good time to go would be in March.

News / Years of Poland in the EU - assessment of pros and cons [1199]


Like Orlen, CCC and Mlekovita?


It's probably worth you checking what the term free market actually means.

Travel / Poland in photo riddles - part 2 [1680]

Yes, not far. In Świętokrzyskie.

A place with a strong literary connection. the building with the books is now an attraction in itself, however the other building on the site is the reason it exists.

Travel / Poland in photo riddles - part 2 [1680]

If Paulina was here, she'd probably recognise it. A bit of a clue as to its general location.

News / Years of Poland in the EU - assessment of pros and cons [1199]


I'll trade those (apart from the beer) for nice cars, sekt, doner kebabs and camera lenses. Germany works better when it's producing those (and classical music) rather than invading people.

One benefit of the EU is that no two EU countries have been to war with each other since they joined. It's a great force for peace and co-operation.


God forbid. However they do seem to be adopting other countries' practices now.

Travel / Poland in photo riddles - part 2 [1680]

It's a sort of museum. A small one and very specific.

News / Years of Poland in the EU - assessment of pros and cons [1199]


Like her or dislike her, one thing she certainly isn't is any sort of dictator.

As conservative politicians go, she's one of the better ones. And certainly a friend of Poland.

USA, Canada / My grievances with the American-Polonia [54]


Yes, you migrated here.


Wut?

Anyway, you're trying to go off topic (and didn't even answer the question you were posed). That's by the by though.

As I said in random, most Pol-Ams are just normal people with no pretensions about Poland, no wish to interfere in society and politics here, no current connection with the country, and perhaps with an affection for it rather than an obsession with it. They aren't generally bigots either and certainly not racist (there's a long history of voting Democrat among them).

People, like the rather rude poster on the first page of the thread are in a tiny minority, unhappy with their lives, themselves and poorly-adjusted to the environment they're in. These people project, focusing on a Poland that doesn't exist and never did exist, something in their imagination. The reality of Poland (as you and I both know) is far more complex, and developing/changing all the time.

Travel / Poland in photo riddles - part 2 [1680]

Where are these hanging books?

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USA, Canada / My grievances with the American-Polonia [54]


An escape from what and 'unaccomplished' how?

You're assuming rather a lot You'd be rather surprised at those foreign-born people who've made their lives here in Poland. Have you visited Poland yet? No. Have you met any? No.


And assuming yet more things (all of which are as incorrect as it gets).

It must be strange to be so absolutely self-unaware that you don't realise that every single thing you've posted in this discussion (none of which by the way adds to it) proves the OP's point perfectly.


As we can see, sadly this is true...

USA, Canada / My grievances with the American-Polonia [54]


Which one is that then?


And which one is that?

For the record, the (relatively few) gated estates that exist in Warsaw are far more popular with Poles than with people born abroad. This demonstrates yet again your lack of knowledge and experience of actual Polish reality. It's interesting that you equate living in a Polish suburb with being foreign, even though the vast majority of people in said suburbs are Polish.


Says a foreigner who's never visited Europe, let alone Poland, who doesn't speak the language therefore can't even hold a conversation with a Pole unless they've taken foreign-language lessons, can't vote in elections and has no direct experience of Poland.

This proves the OP's point about back-seat driving perfectly.

USA, Canada / My grievances with the American-Polonia [54]


What 'British expat community'? Some foreign-born people here have been here far longer than you've been alive (and aren't part of any mythical 'expat community').

And unlike some who've never even been to Europe let alone Poland, actually speak Polish, participate actively in the community here, vote in elections and have a life here; a real one rather than a virtual one.

'Gated suburbs"? No, as amply demonstrated under this and other usernames, you really have no idea at all about Poland, do you...


Remember that there'd have been just the same pollution (and possibly more) had the political/economic situation differed. There's no reason to think that Poland throughout the Twentieth Century would have remained a skansen of pre-industrial times. Had the government not been aligned to the Eastern Bloc, the changes of the post-war years may well have been more radical and profound.

USA, Canada / My grievances with the American-Polonia [54]


Who lived in Poland until late in life his job took him elsewhere (though never far).


The people who are actually here would laugh at the arrogance and inaccuracy of that statement.

Your post proves the OP's point perfectly.

USA, Canada / My grievances with the American-Polonia [54]


Not very relevant to the issue in hand, namely the disconnect between non-residents who have an unrealistic idea of the country their forebears left and the reality of that country's present and future.

Even those who are in a country have little or no personal influence on its development and change; they do however have time to get used to change and direct experience of its reality. Rather than outrage from afar about things that have little or nothing to do with them.

@Mr Grunwald, do you feel out of place in Norway? Would you feel at home living in Warsaw?

USA, Canada / My grievances with the American-Polonia [54]

Are people dogs and horses? A glib and pointless analogy.

You seem to be suggesting that Polonia in the US aren't Americans. Interesting...

USA, Canada / My grievances with the American-Polonia [54]


They all are; no soap opera is especially high quality. The point however is not the artistic merits of a given radio show, more the expectation of geographically (and temporally) remote listeners that the country they came from hadn't changed since they left.


And the people here today, people who've lived their whole lives somewhere aren't 'true Poles'?

It does seem odd that people thousands of miles away, immigrants or kids of immigrants find it hard to accept that Poland too has newcomers, ones who are shaping the Poland of today and tomorrow (which Polonia in America etc are not).


My?

USA, Canada / My grievances with the American-Polonia [54]

It reminds me of when the BBC World Service started broadcasting a radio soap opera set in London (was it called Westway?) and the mostly elderly expat listeners round the world were outraged because it depicted London now, rather than the London they'd left in 1960 or whatever.


This is very true. I've known expats/emigres return to Poland to visit and feel very uncomfortable. Memories don't change, but places do.

A friend back in the UK (of Polish roots but has never actually been here) asked me what my favourite type of pierogi were. When I said either feta/olive or chilli con carne he was outraged; he couldn't really get his head around the fact that things (including the food) had changed in the decades since his granny left back in the 1930s.

Language / Game - guess Polish idioms/sayings in direct English translation [1756]


Same in English.

News / Years of Poland in the EU - assessment of pros and cons [1199]


They can't do much (or anything) without the agreement of other member states.


It's fortunately not up to Germany.