CULTURE SHOCK! (of my Polish finance who visited the US)

In most cases they do actually mean it. Like Patrycja said, it fosters communication with complete strangers and makes people just that much more happier. You'll also notice that people smile, as opposed to the pissed off look everyone here has. Just be weary of the guy in the subway with no pants and the big grin.

they dont.....its my job to say "have a nice day" i mean it about 50% of the time to be honest. the other fifty is a fake routine to keep my job....if you want honesty


just because its said doesnt mean its true.....

Hahahahaha. I suppose each person takes his own culture for granted and doesn't realize how strange little things like that can be to somebody from another country.

Is his culture shock over Krysia?

How is life? ...

Nothing surprising. I live in an apartment block and we have mailboxes right next to one another and nobody steals the mail either.


Ok, that's weird.


And that just plain uncomfortable. I wouldn't want random passersby to gape at me and my family relaxing at our own backyard. I guess Poles just value their privacy more than Americans do.


What if it rains?


You mean there exist cars that don't? THAT is a shock to me.


I would too.

Of course it isn't true - it's just a pleasantry.

Not to be taken any more literally than miło mi or something.

("Oh my god... NO!...you mean to tell me that in reality, they may NOT actually be really pleased to meet me?! Oh that's so terrible")

I think many Poles read far too much into things like this and what they call the fake smiling etc. It's nothing, just a greeting, an exchange. It doesn't mean the person likes you, wishes you well, or is particularly friendly etc etc

By the same token, non-Poles probably read too much into the non-smiling. Doesn't necessarily mean Poles are miserable, hostile or suspicious.

while growing up, until i moved into a city, i never locked my car. as a matter of fact, I didn't even take the keys out of the ignition.

vetala wrote:


or, Americans respect other people's privacy more than Poles do.

ever been to the USA vetala?

- Isn't this a climate difference rather than culture? Culture of.. what?! Horses' sleeping habits or farmers negligence;)?!


- I could never happen in Poland as there is no air conditioning, especially in cars. Maybe in next 100 years or so.


- Gee. I would't know how to use it!


I do that too. So does most drivers. Am I by mistake an American? Should I apply for US passport already? Is this unique American feature?


I always get my groceries packed (in plastic unfortunately, but always). Go shopping somewhere else.


- I am truely shocked. I think I need to cry now too.











You are my official shocking (i.e. culture-shocking!!!) Master of Punctuation and Shocking.

olaf wrote:


then i'd love to know where you shop.

not only do stores in wroclaw not pack your groceries for you but you have to pay for the bags.

olaf wrote:


that would be impossible.

Right now - Krakow, at the vegetable market next to Hala Targowa. Fresh groceries from local suppliers (usually) and usually they hand me the bag with all I ask for. Just try those "targowisko" - I'm sure there are some in Wroclaw.

Also at Bomi and Alma you don't pay for the bags, neither in Auchan and in the latter they actually put your stuff in bags! Surprising, as it's a hypermarket, while Alma and Bomi are delis and they don't do it.


Than's an obvious joke. I never intended to. Shocking!!! :D

Olaf wrote:

did you not just write in your initial response to Krysia, "I always get my groceries packed"?????

Funny how you make a statement like that, yet immediately after, tell us about places in Poland that don't pack your groceries. take a deep breath, concentrate....and stop typing nonsense.

Olaf wrote:


i wasn't questioning your intensions. just saying that it would be impossible.

Someone clearly having a bad day today. I am sad to explain this minor thing, but here it is for you: I only meant that I go to those little shops that pack it for me while I ask for tomatoes, carrots, cabbage etc. But some other don't always pack. And by writing usually I implied that it happened to me to buy groceries also at the places where they DON'T pack them. Hence my knowledge where they do and where they don't. Maybe I get it packed because I'm usually there with a document bag I carry from work and they see I am missing a free hand;). Don't catch me by the word. I get veggies packed. I wrote also about places they don't do it. WTF is your problem.

Is that 'finance' in the headline (instead of fiancé) not a freudian slip?

Polonius3
Hahahahahah, good one! Are you shocked(!!!), Polonius3? :D I feel double shocked. Man, it's so eaasy to be shocked nowadays.:D

Olaf wrote:


and here it is for YOU:

Krysia's culture shock was that supermarkets in the USA pack your groceries all the time. she is polish and she isn't used to it. simple.

you saying, "I always get my groceries packed" without elaborating further is misleading and certainly doesn't suggest, on its own, "I only meant that I go to those little shops that pack it for me". most people will read that and interpret it as you saying, "well.....they always do it in Poland as well, big deal." when, in reality, it's rarely done, making your comment quite pointless. Not to mention, "Go shopping somewhere else".....sorry....i fail to recognize how that statement applies to her comment even remotely.

you can't make a comment like that and expect anyone to interpret it in any other way and if I hadn't called you out on it, that comment would have been sitting there, on its own, without any further elaboration from you.

"WTF is my problem?" I'd say that's self explanatory by now.

It's the Polish guy who has the culture shock, not krysia.

That's why Poznan has a higher quality of life, because that appalling practice (outside of the cheapest supermarkets, where it's to be expected) doesn't exist here.

You get your groceries bagged up there? On a side note, Alma delivers for free if you buy enough crap.

delphiandomine wrote:


hahaha, yes. why yes of course. quality of life should be judged upon whether or not you get free shopping bags or not.

Krysia just never came back to respond ... I wonder what happened !

She got drowned by the pierogi.

They were crying because you weren't taking them!

I'm happy for you, good luck. I'm sure he will adapt soon.

it's not a culture shock at all.
Just big civilization/economy difference between two countries.

I had pretty much the same exact type of culture shock when I went to go visit Poland. It was just so....different. But I still love it all the same! :)

My Polish finance stays in Poland ;)

Joking aside, Poland is not a country I associate as bringing a major shock factor but it depends what you are used to.

Well, yes! Petty things can make your life miserable or quite easy, packing your groceries can be one of such smal things that ease your life...

Not major, but relatively speaking, compared to western Europe I would say that there is a reasonable difference.

Please continue. What strikes you as odd or different? Maybe because I have experienced more foreign places, I don't see it.

No offense Seanus - have kind of gone into it before and it will just be interpreted as bashing.

I haven't had a huge amount of experience with other countries but in many ways, I find more familiarity (cultural and otherwise) with e.g. Britain, Spain, France, the US, Netherlands, Germany - than I do with Poland.

Ah, I remember those early posts :) :)

Maybe with reference to those countries you mentioned, what do they have that Poland doesn't in terms of 'Westernness'? (other than they are Western, hehehe, bad joke).