The more subtle differences: Ireland/Britain v Poland

Ha ha - yes, that was a little strange for me. Sensible, but strange. It reminded me more of industrial or catering use.

Something else that was commented on by Poles in Ireland was the safety "pull string" for the bathroom light.

Waving drivers to drive over the crossing when they stop to let someone cross.

Weighing bread in a shop.

Changing the glass for a new beer without asking (maybe I've just been in some dodgy pubs).

Writing and referring to people surname before given name in offical situations, so "Kowalski Jan".

Having to write parents' names on official forms.

Sitting in the car waiting for the police officer to come to you when they pull you over (although maybe that has changed in in Ireland/Britain in recent years)

???


only when reading a list.

I am of polish extraction so i don`t look foreign.

Most of the staring perpetrators are men. Women typically don`t stare (though i suspect them want to stare), but they do try to sneak in many glimpses.


I`ve been here for quite some time and can`t help noticing it. I don`t stare in return. I look at them once or twice and continue minding my own business (i don`t usually say hi as this is not customary in poland). If i`m wearing my shades then i will focus my eyes on the staring individual but turn my head from left to right to appear as though i am enjoying the scenery or architecture.

Generally i`m not bothered or offended, i just get the idea that there is some pizza sauce or bits of food on my face :)

Re staring, yes, I've definitely noticed this.

Where I come from it could potentially get you into a fight to be honest.

It's seen either as excessively nosey, a challenge, or as sexual interest.

I'm sorry but staring is simply rude - end of story. There is no culture that I am aware of in which it is not regarded as rude.

-no no no - that's common in Poland I guess, isn't it?


- Totally agree, that is terrible! First name shoulb be... first. Only exeption: alphabetical list of names, otherwise it is just incorrect.

I am not sure about England and Ireland...but it's the law in Scotland to always use a fresh glass for drinks. I am not sure exactly why, I asked on courses I have been to and always get the same "it's a health and safety thing" answer without further explanation.


But when you are in a doctors waiting room or something like that there could be 5-10 people called John, but chances are there won't be as many people with the same surname.

Yes!!! This is very strange indeed.

That's more neat to have a clean glass, but no bloke, I guess, would object to having another round in the same glass.

Depends what exactly you mean.

In Ireland anyway, if it's draught beer - absolutely always a fresh glass, not even discussed.

(I did notice in England however that it wasn't that unusual to have draught refills into the same glass - tended to be among older men though. It was the first time I had seen this)

For bottled beer drunk out of a glass, the barman will always ask you if you want a new glass.

No idea if there is any H&S thinking behind any of this though.

Yes it is common for Poles to check each other out, they are sizing you up or down. The first question in their mind is are they above me or below me. The respect thing in Poland comes from how successful you are.


At this point,you are letting the person know he intimidates you, if in Poland stare back.

I wonder how Poles get on in London, were staring at someone - is disrespecting them, especially in deepest and darkest parts, of east and south.

i find it odd the number of Poles who can't hold/use a knife and fork properly.

Aha - so it actually is a challenge then in your opinion?

Nice one. Next time, as an experiment I'll focus a cold-hearted dead man's stare through the feckers and watch them wither ;)
( I can look very intimidating if I want to)

Or up in the Wild West that is industrial Yorkshire.


There's a trick. Look back as if their eyes are the bottom corners of a triangle. It works. If they're wearing a chav hat (USEng = baseball cap) wearer, look at the peak of the cap. Also look from person to person twice WITHOUT blinking. It really does work.

Wait a minute - what?!

fork curved part down.

it's difficult to explain, but some here eat like children. and yes, i am serious.

I just have to put in a thing, that I don't think yet has been adressed. Lights in the house/apartments, both inside and outside.

In Norway, most houses are lit up outside with lamps in the driveway and on the actual house..and almost all the windows in the house, especially the main rooms are lit too.

In Poland and Germany, from what I remember, there are almost no lights outside, and inside one only lights up the room someone actually uses, and turns it off when one leaves. (Doesn't that make the bulb burn out faster?) In my opinion it makes the home look sad and abandoned.

And watching TV with no lights in the living room ruins my eyes!

My wife kills me with this. I come home and immidiately turn on almost all the lights in the house, excluding the bathrooms. She walks behind me and turns them off...if I haven't been in my office for about 20 minutes, somehow she manages to turn it off....arrrgh. Stop it!

I personally hate dark rooms and dark house areas. And if someone comes visiting, it would be nice if they could actually see the path up to the house and not have to look like blind people entering a room for the first time, before they locate your front door.

Sometimes if I come home after my wife in the wintertime, and find her on the computer, while there are no lights on...I always ask her if Osama Bin Laden is around somewhere in this cave, or if she forgot to pay the electricity bill.. But for her this is natural, and something her Polish family did her whole life.

DariuszTelka

are you a snob? ;)

- Jan Kowalski proszę!
or
- Zebediah Johnston please :)

No need to say the surname first and then the first name.

I know what you mean but you know yourself that it is not practical with all foods, so you're just being snobish.

Ever see Americans eat?

Yes, and even worse is when British people copy them but don't get it quite right.

Personally I can be quite snobbish about table manners, especially people holding a knife as if it's a pen, but have never noticed anything untoward in Poland.

I was just meaning that because the surnames may be less prevalent in the place, it should go first to catch the person's attention. I'm just guessing that could be the reason, I have no idea if that's why they use it or not. Just brainstorming.

And Zebediah...interesting choice for an example!!

Isn't it that surnames come first because that is how they are filed alphabetically?
You could waste so much time looking for an Adam or Kasia, when you could just look up the second name.

It saves electricity and the environment. In short, you're a bit of a nob if you leave the lights on everywhere - they don't need to be on if you're not in the room!

Exactly. It's not China. We Poles introduce ourselves in normal way, e.g.: - it's Weronika Niekonieczny

i hope not.

but it really is true that some simple things are very different when viewed close up.

here's something. when my son was born in England leaving hospital a few days later was a simple matter.

in Poland there are (or were) strict rules about baby leaving hospital/maternity ward. in the case of daughter number one this meant having a baby basket/carrier and baby being completely covered, including her head.

far more care is asked for in Poland. this is a good thing.

the first five years or so of bringing up baby in Poland, with regard to doctors visits etc are different too. seemingly small differences, but they are there.

odd? why?
i hate when a guest walks around my clean house in their shoes on... it's nice to remove it, relax your feet, and don't bring any sh!t in from the outside...brr....

:)


so you go dirty to bed? yuck!
evening shower is refreshing... i do evening and morning... good stuff...

Well, my thoughs were that Polish and German housing areas look a little bit darker than i Norway, not so many lights on in the windows or outside. Almost like nobody's home. But you can see the lights from the TV flickering in the living room...

About the enviroment, I don't think either poles or germans use that as an excuse not to light up their homes. Maybe in the last 5 years, but in the 80's and 90's?

Besides, I buy those new long lasting bulbs...which saves electricity AND the enviroment...so no nobbing of me, please!

Another thing I just remembered was the usage of water. My wife always turns off the faucet when brushing her teeth, while I keep it running...she does it because her family were very particular of not showering too long or leaving the water running for longer than necessary. I know, I know, enviroment. But I also have water-saving shower heads.

My thought is, is there a line here between the old west and east? Westeners more likely to keep lights on and letting the water run, and old easternes preserving and turning off every light as they leave the room?

DariuszTelka

Read back, I said why : )


And most poles by your definition therefore go to work dirty! Personal preference and as I said makes more sense from the sex aspect ; )

And don't start telling me that most Poles have showers in the evening and in the morning because I know it's not true!

In fact, a few I know wouldn't necessarily even have a daily shower at all.

i'll read it slowly.... :)


i know it's not :)