Love / My Polish bf cheated on me with a black girl [45]


I think your original post is pretty clear. It's not simply that your Polish boyfriend cheated on you with another girl but that it was with a black girl in particular. I just don't believe you would have given any emphasis to the other girl's race if she hadn't been black.

You mention the word "black" four times including in the title of your post. That is the real issue for you. You know this. It is understandable that it would be uncomfortable for you to admit it since you added qualifying statements in your posting. Of course no one wants to be regarded as a racist. I'm sure you and many others genuinely believe that interracial couples can't have misgivings or indeed prejudices towards different racial groups outside of their relationship.

Although there is a lot of diversity in the Americas, Europe and Australia the same cannot be said of Africa, Asia and the Middle East where most countries are predominately homogenous. Although Western societies have a longer history of having larger diverse populations all of them still display reservations about how far they will interact or enter into a relationship with other people from a different race. Actions always speak louder than words.

The issue isn't about whether or not Polish guys in general have a thing for black girls. That fact that you have a Polish guy now that you say is your boyfriend proves they are more interested in other aspects of a relationship beyond the color of skin.

Your boyfriend just seems to have found something more interesting in another girl which he doesn't see in you. Rather than it being a matter of race it sounds like it has more to do with your individual personalities and commonalities which are lacking. There is a lot you haven't brought up. Maybe you are a homebody and he likes to be more social or there are other controlling aspects of the relationship beyond sex which is causing unspoken tensions and a need to find an outlet.

If you can't talk with him about it then you should just end the relationship in as friendly manner as possible.

Love / My Polish bf cheated on me with a black girl [45]


Well, most people don't regard themselves as being a racist; certainly not like the skinhead or KKK variety.

But how differently would you have worded this post if your boyfriend had an affair with a girl who wasn't black?

Language / Learn Polish or Russian [86]


It is ludicrous for you to describe Poles in America as peasants when it is you who is the de facto 21st century British commoner.

The real nonsense is your contempt for Polish immigrants being posted by you as an immigrant yourself to Poland.

Language / Learn Polish or Russian [86]

Poles were among the last big wave of Europeans to emigrate to America. America, even today, is quite a bigoted place but it was far worse in the past. It has a very long, dark history of discrimination (even institutionally) against all groups of people who weren't part of the business, educational and political class dominated by White Anglo-Saxon Protestant males. If you could trace your linage to some place like England, Scotland and overtime Ireland then you were OK. Beyond that you didn't fit in unless you went out of your way to change your identity. That's why most immigrants, Native Indians and blacks in America have Anglicized names (first, middle and last). I'm quite certain the ugly phrase "Speak English or Die" originated in America which says it all about where foreign language speakers fit it. And this pattern was reinforced by older immigrants towards the newly arriving ones.

So it is not surprising that knowledge of and resources to learn Polish withered away in America.

Of course it is different now in the US and accommodations are made for the newer wave of immigrants who speak Spanish, Mandarin, etc.

England and Scotland still have their own tawdry histories of racism and discrimination too but being in closer proximity to Europe and having joined European institutions helped to attenuate their natural tendency of acting bigoted towards non-English speakers. Still, the British rank in the bottom league when it comes to learning and being proficient in foreign languages. Some habits are just too hard to break.

History / Poland and Polish Anti-Semitism, c. 1918-1939 [148]


I can't imagine what sort of person would buy or want to read the memoir of a convicted pedophile.

Anyway, according to independent internet postings his grandparents on his father's side emigrated to America from Poland. But given Sandusky's own advanced age his grandparents certainly had to have left Poland when its borders lay much further to the east than they do today and during a time when Poland still had a large Jewish population. Nothing mentioned though about what religion they practiced if any so it shouldn't be discounted that he could very well be a blood member of your tribe. His father was from the US state of Pennsylvania which has had a significant Jewish presence for centuries. His mother is identified as being an Irish Catholic but interfaith marriages were never that uncommon in America. Furthermore, if you were to follow the pretzel logic of most of the expats (mainly British) living in Poland today and posting here on PF then Sandusky doesn't even remotely qualify as being "fully Polish". He is an American.

Also note the choice of spelling of his surname. Real Poles with their surnames ending -ski end it with the letter "i" where as the norm with Jews who have aped Polish surnames have typically chosen to end theirs with the letter "y". The infamous Clinton-era Jewish White House intern and tramp Monica Lewinsky is another example of this preference in spelling.

Life / Non-Polish natives mastering the art of selling at the markets [3]

Your account just proves that assimilation is far more important than multiculturalism. Even the leaders in the UK, Germany and France have acknowledged this.

There is no incentive to learn the local language and integrate in the wider society if the state provides or makes other taxpayer funded accommodations for most if not all of your daily needs.

Life / Freelance English teacher - Are Polish people unreliable? They continually cancel lessons... [22]

Poles are not unreliable; many just have very good intuition.

You already admitted you are frustrated and added you just want to make enough to move to Germany.

I think it is more a matter of prospective students picking up on your negativity and short-term outlook and realizing it won't be money worth spending.

It's only human nature to want to learn in a positive social environment where a student can be comfortable knowing his or her teacher is committed to delivering quality. You don't need to worry about getting any of that out of an iPhone. A teacher/student relationship is completely different from the purchase of a gadget.

Life / Poland needs more immigrants and their children - which nationalities are the best? [518]

The main topic of the thread makes the assumption that Poland needs more immigrants but no one has yet established why there is a need and how it would benefit all of Poland since immigration is a national issue.

The current Eurozone crisis should have shown the labor market mechanism within the European Union operate at its finest. Those EU countries currently suffering massive long-term unemployment (especially among the youth) in places like Spain and Greece should have seen job seekers from there move in very large numbers to those EU areas where the economic situation is at least stable if not more robust such as in Poland and Germany and where their prospects for employment would be better.

But this has not happened.

Granted there is a language barrier but this never stopped European immigrants in the past from moving to places like North America or even current immigrants from Africa, Asia and the Middle East from coming to Europe today with nothing more than ambition and empty pockets.

Younger people from the EU today tend to be quite educated, skilled and bilingual (particularly in English as the lingua franca) so this and the EU rules regarding resettlement should have made their transition all the more easier than that experienced by their ancestors or the current wave of non-EU migrants.

Even before the current crisis Polish citizens have been exercising their right to settle elsewhere in the EU and not all of them are or were fluent in the languages of their host countries or had exceptional talent that locals didn't.

What is absent in Poland is a nationwide demand from the Polish business sector to get people (qualified or at least trainable) to fill lots and lots of vacancies.

Although the labor market is always the slowest to correct itself compared to other traded commodities I don't believe there is demand in Poland that would justify a need for more immigrants. It isn't a matter of Polish politics throwing up barriers at every level either. Many other countries have far more restrictive immigration policies and attitudes. Poland always has had permanently settled immigrant communities from all around the world. They just aren't at the scale seen in some other countries.

But the market knows best and currently the conditions don't exist in Poland to attract immigrants. The supply of workers is there but there is no demand for them. That is why you have seen Poles in their millions leave. If businesses in Poland needed the labor they would be paying the wages to attract and keep it and you can be sure they would be twisting the arms of the politicians to get more immigrants in if they truly believed having them would make up any shortfalls.

On the other side of the border it is evident that even in dire circumstances most other EU citizens don't find Poland as a nation attractive to find work and settle in. They certainly have the right but they find the conditions don't exist there for them to want to go. This isn't to say that Poland has a problem because of this. You haven't seen a mass migration out of Spain or Greece to any of the other EU countries either like Germany or France. Both Spain and Greece still have high unemployment. If their job seekers left you would see a corresponding drop in their local unemployment rate. They may be thinking of moving but they obviously don't see their life chances improving by resettling anywhere.

As far as non-EU migrants go their motivations for making the EU a destination are different. Yes, better jobs prospects are at the forefront. But their is no pull coming from the EU since there is no genuine demand for their labor especially nowadays. Instead conditions like overcrowding due to unsustainable populations, rampant corruption, poor sanitation, hunger, war, etc. are all push factors which make them seek out the EU as a first if not ultimate destination.

The non-EU migrants simply show up. Poland and other EU nations have been very gracious and accommodating hosts to them too. Certainly without comparison if you were to reverse the situation.

Travel / Mexican going to Poland (Katowice). What do I need? [18]


Sorry but you misquoted. I never said those words; cldagy did.

News / British senior politician compares Poland to South Africa during apartheid [129]


The problems are not anywhere near the scale you would hope they would be. And any ludicrous notion that "one incident is one too many" ignores the reality that no one can control the thoughts and actions of everyone, everywhere. There will always be a tiny element in any society who will look to stir up troubles. That doesn't mean all of Poland or Ukraine are to blame if and when someone misbehaves during the games. You know this makes sense because we've already established your own unwillingness to accept responsibility for the crimes Britain has committed.

Of course Poland and Ukraine have considered safety and security measures needed during the games. However, Poland and Ukraine should not turn themselves into pervasive and intrusive police states just because you are used to Britain being one even though it is still unable to tackle its own ongoing problems of racism and related crime in the UK.

And if you think ordinary Poles or Ukrainians should be publicly tarring and feathering their own citizens or even foreigners who commit acts of hooliganism you are dreaming. There won't be any emotional dramas worthy of daytime TV just so you can be kept entertained. If any crime occurs it needs to be referred to local police and they will investigate. That's how crimes are handled.

Anyway, since you acknowledged that UEFA is corrupt then I really don't see why you should care what goes on with EURO 2012. You should just write it all off as a lost cause and go about your business elsewhere because I seriously doubt you have been writing to your MP or other public officials in Blighty to put an end to Britain's involvement in the games.

As you know there have been silly people whining on the internet and the media even before the games got started and virtually all of them have UK post codes, IP addresses or extended ties back in Britain.

News / British senior politician compares Poland to South Africa during apartheid [129]


You are mistaken. If the problems you claim are so shockingly bad in Poland and Ukraine then the games would never have been hosted there. Otherwise you need to admit that the games went ahead because of corruption in UEFA and for that reason alone the games should be boycotted.

Hypocritical Brits have been jumping up and down warning everyone about Poland and Ukraine and yet fans from all over the world have still been going to the games and there have been no mass evacuations out of either country. You must regard all these fans and players (especially the British) as complete idiots for walking willingly into two lion dens.

Britain has unresolved issues with racism at every level of its society. So where are your calls to have the London Olympics boycotted? Oh, that's right, "nothing to see here." Its "ancient history."

Feel free to lash out or cower.

News / British senior politician compares Poland to South Africa during apartheid [129]


I never denied there is racism in Poland. I've already stated in my other posts that racism exists in all societies.

However you and others are taking great delight in seeing the problem of hooliganism in Poland being blown completely out of proportion.

How can any of you pass judgement on Poland but then cower or lash out like a cornered animal when people use Britain as a comparison? You have to admit that Britain is and always will be the tarnished gold standard when it comes to racism and crimes against humanity.

News / British senior politician compares Poland to South Africa during apartheid [129]


I agree. One of the other posters tried to dismiss their criminal past as "ancient history" but this just reminded me of the phrase "ignorance is bliss".

It must be nice to be in Britain where the high standard of living still being enjoyed today was literally built off the beaten, bloodied and broken backs of others from all around the world. But the people they exploited were poor, non-white and from far away so it easy to assuage any guilt by simply forgetting it all. Let bygones be bygones they declare when confronted with their dirty deeds.

News / British senior politician compares Poland to South Africa during apartheid [129]


Of course the British are aware of their shameful past and present. It's one thing to talk about it amongst yourselves but it is quite another matter when Britain dons its whiter-than-white mantle of hypocrisy in a pathetic attempt to cover up its crimes as it chastises the rest of the world.

So, where are the reparations? When are you and your ilk going to pay up? Cash only please and it better be in the trillions.

News / British senior politician compares Poland to South Africa during apartheid [129]

Britain has never paid reparations for its crimes against humanity committed during its bloodstained era of slavery and empire - the effects of which are still around today.

The British won't mention their own violent, racist past but no one should believe that they no longer think or act that way now.

Their perverse idea of making amends is to accuse others of the things that they are guilty of.

Travel / Mexican going to Poland (Katowice). What do I need? [18]

Well I hope you are marrying your Polish girlfriend because you love her and not because it will help you start a business in Poland. Otherwise you are already setting yourself up for failure.

There are many other posts on here that can give you some insight to the process and yes there are long waiting times (in years) but I don't think you are going to find anyone on here who will be able to speed things up or even obtain and complete all the forms you will need to change your life as extensively as you are seeking to do. Since your girlfriend lives in Poland I don't know why she is unable to contact the necessary government departments there to get the information you are looking for.

You won't be the first immigrant to marry a Pole and move to Poland. But visa and other immigration rules between countries vary widely and are always changing so it is best you and your girlfriend work directly with the Polish officials on this because only they can give you the latest information and approvals you will need to settle and then start any business. Again, you may need to find a lawyer in Poland who can guide you through all this if you are hesitant to deal with the Polish authorities yourself.

Also, there are various non-EU immigrant communities in Poland (some with church affiliations) so maybe your girlfriend should contact them to get some information on how they managed to migrate and settle. It might be as easy as her talking with a migrant currently working in or owning an ethnic restaurant or shop in the larger cities and they can share their experiences with her.

Travel / Mexican going to Poland (Katowice). What do I need? [18]

Take a look at the visa section of La Embajada de la República de Polonia en México here: meksyk.msz.gov.pl/es

You may also want to ask a travel agent in your country about your preferred accommodation with a friend.

However, you may need an immigration lawyer if you are the same cldagy from Mexico who posted the intent to live in Poland on this site: expat-blog.com/forum/profile.php?id=375619

Language / -ski/-ska, -scy/ski, -wicz - Polish surnames help [185]


Szlachta is the name for the privileged social class which existed for a time in Poland (and Lithuania) until it was formally abolished in the 1920s and never restored.

It's not clear from your post if you believe Legierski was a part of this higher strata of Polish society in much older times. There is a list of szlachta here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_szlachta but the surname Legierski does not appear among the several hundred names shown. If Legierski ever had been szlachta it would have no recognition or significance in Poland today anyway. It's just another name in a phone directory.

But there is a notable person by the name of Krystian Legierski who lives in Poland. He is Afro-Polish, a member of Poland's Green Party, and an activist in Poland's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) community. His wikipedia profile does mention he was born in Koniakow which is one of the villages you identified as being the origins of the Legierski name in your own research.

I found another website and email address for him here: zieloni2004.pl/Krystian-Legierski-63profil.htm However, I don't know if this contact information for him is current or if his knowledge of languages other than Polish is any good. Since he is busy in politics and social issues he may not be interested in corresponding with people - especially foreigners - regarding genealogy.

Travel / Will I get instantly laid with my American accent when I speak Polish? [34]


Yes, that sounds very right.

As others have also pointed out his knowledge about Polish society is lacking and misplaced by decades and this is despite him having access to the internet.

I'm surprised he hasn't asked yet about how much he could sell a pair of jeans for on the black-market.

Travel / Will I get instantly laid with my American accent when I speak Polish? [34]

It's quite pathetic that anyone has to travel to another country thousands of miles away in the hope of having some semblance of a sex life.

Is the bad accent just a distraction from even greater personal shortcomings?

History / Relationship b/w Poland & Pakistan [3]

So how many people are there in Pakistan today that identify themselves as Polish?

News / Don't go to Poland ... because you could end up coming back in a coffin [313]


Yes, of course. Some terms of abuse are very obvious but others can be more measured and this can depend on context and a person's knowledge of a language from where a word originates. It could very well be that some non-native English speakers would not know that the word "coloured" is no longer socially acceptable to refer to another person's race in places like Britain, America and Canada.

My point was that the poster local_fela launched into a lecture about how Poland needs to clean up its act but he stepped right in it himself by casually using the term "coloured" to refer to other people which I take are unlike himself.

Also, he not only used the unacceptable word "coloured" but he accused Polish fans of being "retarded" but then ended his screed stating that he wasn't abusing anyone. I don't know if local_fela was just upset about the BBC program he watched but I found that his posting came off quite absurd and even hypocritical.

News / Don't go to Poland ... because you could end up coming back in a coffin [313]


It's not clear what local_fela means by it. I understand the term "coloured" was popularly used by advantaged Whites during America's days of slavery and segregation and South Africa's apartheid era. It suggests that white is the standard and any variation from this is, well, "coloured".

It is known that in previous decades some Blacks and other non-Whites would accept the term (they had little or no choice) but this is no longer the case. I challenge anyone to walk around North America or even the UK and start calling Blacks, Asians, Hispanics, Inuits, etc. with the term "coloured" and they will find very quickly the term is not appreciated because it is wrong.

News / Don't go to Poland ... because you could end up coming back in a coffin [313]


What's your definition of a "coloured" person? This is a very outdated term that many living in the 21st century would find disparaging and offensive.

News / Don't go to Poland ... because you could end up coming back in a coffin [313]


I'm beginning to wonder if the sudden British stance against Euro 2012 has anything to do with the Olympics in London this summer. Although the dates don't clash they are close enough and there may be a genuine fear with the UK media and their politicians that British citizens (most of whom aren't wealthy to begin with) will spend a good portion of their money during the football matches if they go to Poland and Ukraine. Once they come back there will be little interest or savings left over to bother with anything to do with the Olympics.

I hear most of the British public already have a very tepid interest in the Olympic games this year.

Life / Racism in Poland - the future [441]

I thought the British - be they white, black or asian - were all too busy rioting and looting in the UK to start hunting down and attacking Poles.

You should write to the Nigerian-born Polish parliamentarian John Godson. Ask him if he agrees with your call for Poles to be mistreated when they are abroad. Or ask any one of the 40,000 Vietnamese who now call Poland home.

By the way, do you believe non-white Poles like the ones I just mentioned should also be mistreated if they visit the UK?

News / Will EURO 2012 be a proud moment for Poland and its people or set back Poland 20 years? [86]

It's always a laugh to read the dispatches coming from all these kumbaya expats and their long-suffering plight in Poland.

It makes you wonder why they ever gave up their own perfectly harmonious multicultural Disneylands to settle in Poland which is almost exclusively white (usually like themselves). Why on earth do they stay in Poland if they regard it as such a racist society?

We often hear the hindsight arguments that Nazi soldiers should have resisted and deserted. So if Poland is as bad as they claim then it only makes sense for these do-gooder samaritans (supposedly without a bigoted bone in their bodies) to up sticks and return to their utopias. Or better yet they should actually drop their hypocrisy and live the life they expect of others. I hear there are great opportunities throughout the third world. Cost of living is dirt cheap too. All you need is sunscreen and a smile.

And please, no selfish arguments that you have no choice because your work requires you to be in Poland or your wife/husband is from there. Make the sacrifice and leave and set the example elsewhere.

Life / Racism in Poland - the future [441]


I gave you every opportunity to explain yourself to me. I even gave you specific questions to answer about the article which you elected to bring to everyone's attention.

Instead, you just evaded it all. I find this odd considering the nature of the topic. Why wouldn't you want to clarify your position?

Anyway, I'll refer you to peterweg's post and remind you that you don't have to agree with my comments or conclusions about you. But I will still make them.

Life / Racism in Poland - the future [441]


You said you posted it because it caught your eye. This is a meaningless explanation therefore others will be left to conclude you posted the questionable article for incitement.

Stating that you made a personal lifestyle choice to be married is not relevant; it's only an attempt to change the subject. I can't imagine you could say you didn't love your wife or her home country if she is there standing over your shoulder.

I'm not out of line. You just stand corrected.


I agree but unfortunately every society is still afflicted by it. I think it is ultimately an instinctive survival mechanism which has lasted into modern civilization. Thankfully many countries have laws and other political pressures in place to try to prevent and respond when racist incidents do occur. Education is key as well to eliminate misunderstandings which are often the trigger. That's why when it comes to this topic the linking of articles which are clearly exaggerations, posts which demonize only one side, and other forms of fear mongering don't help to achieve the interracial harmony which everyone should agree is needed around the world.

So rather than anyone coming out of the blue and making a blanket claim that Polish society is racist it would be far more instructive and beneficial if they gave actual examples of what they are talking about and then demonstrate how their own community dealt with resolving the same problem. Otherwise it will only result in having to point out that the accuser has no room to talk.

Life / Racism in Poland - the future [441]


Oh really? So you merely noticed a simple headline out there that you wished to share with everyone. How nice.

Nope, you're not convincing.

You threw this molotov cocktail of a story by starting your own thread just so it could get more attention before it got merged.

But did you provide any sort of context? Of course not. No fun in that now is there? You just laid the story out there as if it were an unquestionable fact.

Don't you find it even remotely suspect that some elderly family members of the players reportedly won't be attending the games over supposed concerns of being victims of racism yet they aren't stopping their very own children from going and playing there? If Poland and Ukraine are such hotbeds for racism then shouldn't the games have been boycotted a long time ago by all these other utopian countries in Europe and elsewhere?

You need to wake up and realize that Amnesty International has been criticized themselves by other entities for biased reporting and besides they are not an arbiter in this world for anything. The British media pouring scorn over Poland is nothing new but then again this is the same British media that is currently under fire for unethical journalism such as telephone hacking.

The Euro 2012 games will go forward whether you or others like it or not. Poland and Ukraine have invested millions to accommodate people they know will be arriving from all over the world. Both players and fans are looking to have an enjoyable time.

If there happens to be any criminal activity, which can occur anytime people congregate, then it is a matter for the local police. Although the likes of you will assume (and hope) that it will be only Poles committing crimes this will not pan out. The overwhelming majority of Poles are tolerant, law abiding citizens. Like any society there will always be a minority who will cause trouble for any given reason.

Furthermore, there is a very good chance these games can be marred, not by Poles or Ukrainians, but by a contingent of foreigners coming in who will be hellbent on causing problems with locals and each other. You obviously don't know that some European countries have had their own police and diplomats intervene in the past to prevent their own citizens from traveling to football matches abroad because they are known for starting violence or other criminal activity.

So I won't be taking anything down a notch. You failed in your underhanded attempt to smear all of Polish society. The reality is racism, bigotry, prejudice, discrimination - you name it - can be found in every single society all across the planet.

The distortion lies in the level of reporting with countries like Poland being blamed wholesale for the problems caused by a tiny minority while other basket case countries such as Israel - where violent racism and theocratic bigotry are institutionalized, publicly funded, and politically endorsed - hardly ever get a mention if at all in the press.