Genealogy / Do I look Polish? (my picture) [375]

Merged: Do I look Polish?

Where I grew up in the U.S. even my elementary school classmates thought I look like I was from a very specific European country but not exactly sure where (they did not think I looked like I was from France, UK, Italy, Greece; if I looked Spaniard they would probably thought I was from the Caribbean, Mexico,and/or Central/South American). If they understood the way my last name looked then they probably would guess correctly. I had the same classmates throughout all of my pre-college years. Again, for those who didn't know what my last name was or the ethnicity based on the way it was spelled I also got this inquiry about my heritage from adults in my workplace, as well as many others (i.e. grocery store), and it was unsolicited. Apparently there's not a lot of people who look like me where I still live (I really am often told I look unique) as I don't look "American" enough. I get a lot of compliments by the opposite sex but who knows if it's truly for that purpose. Anyhow, apparently I look less "American" than my cousins (they look British, or typical "American" as many would say being the first founders of the U.S. as they are half British unlike myself; my sibling was killed at a young age so it's hard to say if he would face the same thing). Finally, before I got a chance to spend ample time with my grandparents I was at least told by them that out of the entire family I look like I was born in Poland. So I wonder if I inherited features that skipped a generation? No matter what the answer I am content with my uniqueness...just wondering if it's not so unique had I lived somewhere else (wish I had my grandparents to ask this instead & I checked online as to what other Polish people look like, although, I'm sure it's more complicated than doing a Google search). I know when I get my first chance to visit Poland I will definitely get my answer! But if anyone can nicely assist me I would be extremely grateful (I admit I have always felt alone in this aspect...like not having a group I can identify with); thank you in advance!

• 
  2.jpg
  
• 
  JMN1.jpg
  

Genealogy / Do I look Polish? (my picture) [375]

Thanks for your answer and taking the time to answer! As the absolute youngest & last one left of both sides of the family, I was told I was a 'purebred' by both sets of grandparents in my family a long time ago (they are no longer here & haven't been for some time) so I guess I should just go along with that...even if I look more Polish than a generation older than me (I mean over that 1,000+ years my grandparents have claimed their Roman Catholic ancestors to live in Poland I'm sure neighboring countries crossed borders; I do have hundreds of pictures from the 1800s to confirm to that time period; I just happen to look the most Polish of my family & apparently my community who can not figure me out; so I guess I didn't inherit some possible German accents & possibly Scottish due to that huge 16th century migration that maybe my parents & their siblings did; I mean, at best, I look like a younger sibling to my grandparents instead of their granddaughter based I those photos, so I can deduce it from that too). It still will be interesting to see how 'pure' I am when I do the ancestry DNA test soon just for the heck of it.

Confidently Polish (who needs to learn to speak/write it again & would like my family to move back there again if they'll have us),

Janina

Meant to add this about the attached images:
I do not have any makeup on in these pics except lip gloss; my father took these randomly & recently, and I get a lot of compliments as to how they are an accurate representation of me (I've been told the 1st one is somewhat a weird angle than I think I look...but I do have some cheekbones so I included it for the facial features alone!).

Correction: The 1st posted pic wasn't the one I originally attached. Oh well. That' s me with my ex-boyfriend who is now my very best friend (not an ex for anything terrible obviously) who is half-German & half-Canadian French. A lot of my friends are no more than 1st/2nd generation Europeans like I am. He's got great bone structure (at one time he really did look like Hugh Grant oddly enough; although, a lot of my 1st generation UK, German & Dutch friends know that there is some overlapping in portions of the populations there; I know mainly the ones of the Royal family...as I hear most often...but I know there of many others); anyway, people often point out he looks like he's born from somewhere else too. But I guess I'm the only one who is full Polish or Prussian apparently (which he appreciates thankfully)!

Genealogy / Do I look Polish? (my picture) [375]

Thank you Poleboy765. My father mentions how we are like Czech's all the time so I will talk to him about this a bit more.

I attached pics of my 23 yr old daughter (she was 22 at the time of the pics; we both look young so we have that in common at least). She dyes her hair black (her natural is medium brown & she's an extremely talented artist with singing & sketching....hence the piercings, at least in her case). She has beautiful doe eyes (not to sound bias but since she doesn't look like me; she favors her father's UK side that has a little hint of European Spaniard...like no more than 1/8th but her eyes are darker than mine). Her face is more symmetrical than mine and shaped completely different (as well as her nose, ears,lips & body type; the only thing I'm told by everyone that we have in common is are chin). Anyway, this is an example of how different we are. She thinks I'm beautiful & I think she is but I wish we looked a little bit more alike. She dues to give birth to a daughter the first week of September that she's naming after her maternal great grandmother & great-great grandmother (she's combining their names Anna & Stasia and using my name as her daughter's middle name. I'm honored! This will then make my daughter the 2nd youngest & me the 3rd youngest in my entire family.

Again, I REALLY appreciate your time!

Respectfully,
Janina

• 
  Cute_Pics_of_Michele.jpg
  
• 
  Cute_Pics_of_Michele.jpg
  

Genealogy / Do I look Polish? (my picture) [375]

Thank you Poloboy765 for your prompt response! Yes, I forgot to say 'doe-shaped' eyes (I think I just said 'doe eyes) & it works well with her shape of face, which a lot of very nice people called 'heart-shaped' (I really appreciate that you said she looks like me so I admit I'm being biased but I know my face isn't 'heart-shaped' but I'm okay with my own & I'm happy for her individual looks...of course, what's inside is the most important).

Here's one last picture (unfortunately the lighting isn't the best but it's not edited at all - I'm not good at doing that & I don't feel good if anyone does it on behalf as I guess I'm sort of old-fashioned that way - & it was taken in my childhood home's foyer; on a side note: I'm so fortunate my parents still live there as it's extremely rare in the part of the U.S. where I live; they're now actively searching to downsize after 41 yrs as they're almost 80 yrs old & 76 yrs old, respectively, so that will be a little hard as far as missing the house & I lost my brother there, but of course I want the best for them...maybe we can move back to Poland?).

All the best!
Janina

• 
  Me_Profile_Pic2.jp.jpg