Are foreigners welcome in Poland?

This is likely what 99% of Poles on the street are thinking too but will never tell you out in the open. I view this an an opportunity for you to discuss why we think the way we do instead of dismissing us as "racists".


I care only in as much as I do not want your behavior to be viewed as socially acceptable. Just as I would ostracize a drug user or a pedophile. So in that regard, it is my business. If you don't like it, go to Brazil, where your views are accepted by society instead of attempting to radicalize Poland.


I'm open to debating your position on life provided you are open minded and do not resort to buzzwords like racist.


Whats this? Stereotyping blondes? If its on TV it must be true eh?

Hmm, not sure I agree there. Many of the foreigners (Germans, Americans, Canadians, Brits, French) I know in Poland are (or were) married to locals.

I don't know why southern got suspende I had a similar experience I was on a bus travling to olsztyn it was passing through little villages on the way. A smiling happy attractive girl got on the bus with her baby. and sat beside me. She started to feed the baby by her breast. However she took of her top and sat topless on the bus feeding her child from breasts. Other older women on the bus just chatted away to her and no seemed to care if she or noticed that she was topless. Now not having children myself I would of thought a woman could breast feed discreatly and that on public transport there was no need to go topless, maybe just pull her top down a little bit to feed the baby and partically cover with a blanket. What do you think

Well, she was, as you said...


...so, I don't see the problem ;)

Must be an Olsztyn thing. I've seen girls breast-feeding in church with no complaints

Thats love, but foreigners generally have it harder to get into the deeper family/friend area, otherwise they're accepted far more then in the most places in the world.

I disagree that they find it hard to be into families...

There are foreighners much more diverse then then four or six countries you guyz mentioned (trying to limit it into whites only as I can see) ... and they are welcome in some families.

All families are not the same. Some dont welcome anybody even! Be it Pole or non-Pole! Some welcome anyone ... and some welcome good people....each have their own criterias. Polish are not robots who are computeried according to a person's wish!

ooshak - sorry for 'butting in' in your discussion but I thought I'd give you my perspective...

I spend most of my childhood and teenage years in Sweden and now live in the States. I think Swedes are very tolerant although there are neo-nazis and others who embarrass the country. Many Swedes are more uncomfortable with Muslims rather than with with a specific race as they do not seem to assimilate as easily into the Swedish society. In some areas you'll find people who've lived there for years and years and they barely speak any Swedish yet they get food, housing and child care subsidies from the Swedish government. Needless to say it feeds resentment. Also, there have been several "honor killings" in Scandinavia in recent years (personally I think that term should be changed to "dishonor murders" but that's a different story) and that doesn't help. Overall though I truly believe Swedes are very tolerant despite what some people here say...

...but I think that racism exists everywhere. Sometimes I wonder if it's a natural process of getting to "feel better" about ourselves by exploiting differences in others whether the difference is the language, the religion, the skin color, the sexual orientation, etc, etc... Someone MUST always be "worst" than us...

Me too, I have Polish friends, and I get along great with their extended families, grandmothers, mothers all of them. Polish people are quite sensitive and perceptive, I have found this no matter which area of Poland they are from. Maybe during communism they had to be like this, but if they like someone, they like someone. I think that they are a great judge of character, and observe things that other people in western societies may miss.

this stuff happens in every single country..
may b these guys r better @ it!!

Some are and some aren't. I wouldn't say they are in general, however. You often have to win their trust to be initiated and treated to their ample wares.

People who think somebody is not welcomed in Poland will most probably think the same about their neighbours or people from the neghbouring village, city or town. There's also a group of people who are just racists and they'll most likely openly hate anyone who "looks foreign". And that's, I reckon, same as anywhere else.

I have travelled the world and speak from experience, Czechs are a lot friendlier and more hospitable than Poles, oddly enough the most anti British people I have ever encountered have been Poles living in UK.

And what do you think is the reason for this?

Czechs are more polite not friendlier.

More hospitable, vor? The Czechs didn't seem all that open to me but, then again, I was in Prague. It was better in Brno where the policemen went out of their way to help my friend and I.

It just depends who you encounter. Some Poles are the most hospitable people on the planet, trust me. I was once invited to a hearty meal out of the blue from just sitting outside a church. I didn't know the guy at all but I met his family and had a chat, all the while eating lovely bigos and bread.

My wife's parents also lay on a veritable feast. VERY hospitable people!

I know there are many boorish people in Poland but, then again, the Poles know that too.

Why are Czechs more polite?Due to culture.They may smile to you while they think what an idiot.A pole is more likely to speak out his mind.

I agree with you , it all depends on what people you've met and I can tell you that no visitor can make a proper judgement after just a few visits..

Many people get heavily biased because of meeting the wrong kind I guess I can't blame them..

Also, the big-city mentality can make receiving hospitality less likely. In Silesian cities, it seems to be popular to be hospitable but in Warsaw? Probably much less, proportionately.

Ungratefulness.

As I said before, I love the hospitality here and the attitude of some people close to me. However, vor is right on this one. I've seen it time and time again. More than enough for me to class it as a trait. I usually say 'some are and some aren't' etc but many here feel that the world owes them a living. They don't say thank you for the most basic of things like receiving food or opening doors. A select few do but they are in the minority. I'm not trying to be negative here, I'm just making an observation and many Poles agree with me.

What's the reason for ungratefulness then? I'm trying here to get to the root of this evil among polish people.

I have driven through (and consequently stayed in) Poland many times; seldom have I encountered any hostility. Yes, in villages, understanding of English is minimal and outsiders can be viewed with suspicion - but what do you expect?

I stopped by the roadside near Białystok to buy some honey and a few groceries from an old couple on my way back last time. Communication was minimal but we got by with my dreadful Russian and a lot of sign language. We all ended up laughing........

I have found Poles in Poland to be mostly helpful and hospitable. But then again, I have found Poles in England to be mostly OK too. Maybe you get back what you put out?

that has been my experience.

That is also true to an extent. I just find a frustrating indifference to manners amongst quite a few but rather that than outright hostility which I found more in Scotland.

or being ignored which I often encounter in Canada.

Do you feel that it because you are Polish/Ukrainian or is it just part of the culture there?

No, it is culture. Canadians are not very direct people in general, unlike Americans, or even Poles. If I have even been shunned, or even discriminated ( I refuse to believe it and have had good experience thus far) I have not noticed.

I spent some time with a friend who studied in the US and she cannot believe how passive Canadians are.

I just find it confusing at times and I think that Canadians are being too polite to say what they really think. Very little expression:)

I never thought of Canadians that way. They seem open and communicative IMHO.

Every time i visit Krakow i see more non-Europeans, especially negroes and turks. :(

So yes, foreigners feel very welcome in Poland. Too welcome.