Life /
Do you think that Polish people are rude? [951]
Exiled, you can't go typecasting a nation like that. What I have found from living abroad is that people act differently when they use English. For example, in Japan, they tend to be more flowing when the linguistic peculiarities of Japanese are removed. Keigo (respect language) is less required and relationships become more natural and less determined by social strata, i.e hierarchical concerns.
In Poland, sth similar applies. When they are in their workplaces, there is more wrangling and arguing, this is part and parcel of some establishments here. However, they tend to get a new lease of life when using English. They revel in their learning and I make it my priority to tease that out to the max.
The point is, we are not robots and are often affected by out surroundings. I reacted differently in my Japanese cooking classes, for example. I had a heightened sense of awareness that I was in a different culture and tried to mingle and fit in. The same in Poland but to a lesser extent. I have to be aware of some cultural idiosyncracies here but it's more like home than Japan is.
