|
|
Post by Bonobo on May 15, 2008 13:10:36 GMT 1
Poles like delaying things to the last minute, I do it myself too, but when it is high time, everything is ready. YOU TOO EH?  Yes, I delay and protract till the last moment and I think it is one of Polish traits which may start this thread. To analyze it properly, we should give examples first. The one about the national stadium in Warsaw isn` t a good one because we don`t know yet how it is going to finish. We are not prophets. Let`s look at real life examples which had already taken place. Last year`s December was the last month for Poles to exchange their id cards. Every Pole is obliged to have one. Old id cards looked like little booklets of green colour, new ones are plastic cards. Warnings were issued throughout the whole 2007. People were encouraged to come and exchange their ids earlier than December. Exchange your old id! Let others stay in queues!!!However, it didn`t help much. As usual many Poles came on last days of December. In fact, millions of them all over Poland. Why? Any idea?? hahahaha PS. I didn`t have to because due to the address change, I got my new id a few years ago.  [ But I protracted with my tax declaration. I waited till the last day, 31st April. I just hate this paper work. I get sick when I have to fill in forms and declarations..... |
|
|
|
Post by jeanne on May 16, 2008 2:07:02 GMT 1
Bonobo,
Sorry, but I don't think Poles have a monopoly on procrastination!This seems to be a universal character trait! The US is full of people who put things off until the last minute creating long lines, confusion, etc. whenever there is a deadline for ANYTHING!
Any other nationalities want to back me up on this? How are things in your countries?
|
|
|
|
Post by locopolaco on May 16, 2008 3:02:54 GMT 1
maybe not but in the US the lines are never anything even close to what they can get in PL.
polish people are also very reserved, more reserved then most but once you break through some barriers we can be a lot of fun. poles are also super hospitable. we can fight but we can also play a few minutes later. short memory with interpersonal stuff unless it's some seriously deep wounds. then it can be so total that it's kind of mind boggling to other non slavs.
|
|
gigi
Kindergarten kid
Posts: 1,470
|
Post by gigi on May 16, 2008 5:19:10 GMT 1
Bonobo, if you ever get tired of teaching in Poland I think the WCW would welcome you. ;D |
|
|
|
Post by Bonobo on May 25, 2008 15:55:31 GMT 1
polish people are also very reserved, more reserved then most but once you break through some barriers we can be a lot of fun. Yes, that is the first impression of foreigners who come to Poland. They ask: why are Poles so gloomy and serious, and they seldom smile? After they stay in Poland for a while, they probably change their question into this: why do Poles look so serious in the street and seldom smile to strangers? It depends on individuals. Some Poles, especially in the countryside, are able to bear a grudge against their neighbours for a long time and it doesn`t help much they are all Catholic and go to church every Sunday. |
|
|
|
Post by Bonobo on May 25, 2008 16:00:13 GMT 1
|
|
|
|
Post by Bonobo on May 25, 2008 16:02:33 GMT 1
Bonobo, Sorry, but I don't think Poles have a monopoly on procrastination!This seems to be a universal character trait! The US is full of people who put things off until the last minute creating long lines, confusion, etc. whenever there is a deadline for ANYTHING! Really? Good to know. |
|
|
|
Post by locopolaco on May 25, 2008 16:05:35 GMT 1
lol.. 2 funny. |
|
|
|
Post by locopolaco on May 25, 2008 16:08:39 GMT 1
polish people are also very reserved, more reserved then most but once you break through some barriers we can be a lot of fun. Yes, that is the first impression of foreigners who come to Poland. They ask: why are Poles so gloomy and serious, and they seldom smile? After they stay in Poland for a while, they probably change their question into this: why do Poles look so serious in the street and seldom smile to strangers? It depends on individuals. Some Poles, especially in the countryside, are able to bear a grudge against their neighbours for a long time and it doesn`t help much they are all Catholic and go to church every Sunday. with all that said, i also get that poles are really loud. we tend to talk over each other. i don't think it's only a polish thing but seems most slavs tend to do that. i know some slovinians and they do the same. it's hard for 'outsiders' to keep track of what's going on because we tend to have numerous conversations at the same time and like i said, we tend to get loud. my current g/f was also surprised how we can down the vodka. she wasn't able to keep up but i think she has learned a few tricks since the first time. lol |
|
|
|
Post by valpomike on May 25, 2008 18:02:42 GMT 1
All the Polish people I cam across, when in Poland, were very nice, helpful, and happy. They don't have much, but are happy for what the do have. We can learn much from them, I know I did.
Poland is a great place, full of great people.
|
|
gigi
Kindergarten kid
Posts: 1,470
|
Post by gigi on May 25, 2008 18:05:13 GMT 1
Oh my gosh, we're twins!!!  |
|
gigi
Kindergarten kid
Posts: 1,470
|
Post by gigi on May 25, 2008 18:09:18 GMT 1
my current g/f was also surprised how we can down the vodka. she wasn't able to keep up but i think she has learned a few tricks since the first time. lol Or maybe she could actually drink you under the table, but she didn't want to compromise her "feminine assets"......hahahahaha! ;D |
|
|
|
Post by Bonobo on May 26, 2008 22:05:05 GMT 1
Oh my gosh, we're twins!!! You`d better not mention twins. I am allergic to them.  |
|
|
|
Post by Bonobo on May 26, 2008 22:06:49 GMT 1
All the Polish people I cam across, when in Poland, were very nice, helpful, and happy. They don't have much, but are happy for what the do have. We can learn much from them, I know I did. Poland is a great place, full of great people. Thank you, Mike. |
|
|
|
Post by valpomike on May 27, 2008 0:11:05 GMT 1
Only if she a has any.
|
|
|
|
Post by locopolaco on May 27, 2008 0:24:16 GMT 1
my current g/f was also surprised how we can down the vodka. she wasn't able to keep up but i think she has learned a few tricks since the first time. lol Or maybe she could actually drink you under the table, but she didn't want to compromise her "feminine assets"......hahahahaha! ;D i don't think so.. i ended up having to carry her to the car and make a few stop along the way.. etc.. |
|
|
|
Post by Bonobo on Jun 5, 2008 19:56:03 GMT 1
Another important Polish trait I would like to write about is traditional Polish individualism . Poles like doing things on their own, they tend to minimalise the influence of the state on their life, sometimes even reject it, preferring to remain self-reliant and independent.
Individualism is a noble trait but it can also create problems. E.g., cooperation is our weak point. There is a saying: when 3 Poles meet, they have 5 points of view. It means each Pole has his/her own opinion and it is hard to persuade people they should ease up on sticking to them so stubbornly. SO, giving up one`s opinion is hard for a Pole ( but sometimes it does take place in order to combine effort and achieve a mutual goal, especially in times of troubles, like anti-communist Solidarity movement in 1980s).
Where did it all originate from? Norman Davies suggests it was created by the Polish settlement system at the start of the second millenium. Polish settlements were quite far from each other, isolated by forests, independent, self-governing, self-sufficient units which could provide for themselves on their own and didn`t need anybody`s aid. Thus, medieval Poles started doubting and then rejecting the power of the highest authorities like kings and princes because they didn`t need it at all.
It was different in Western Europe where settlements where close to each other which forced the cooperation and close ties between people. On the other hand, settlements in Russia were of such nature and so far from each other they were unable to maintain or defend themselves on their own and thus a typical Russian submission to higher authority was born. The tsar was the almighty ruler who provided for all citizens of the country and their dependance was very deep.
|
|
|
|
Post by valpomike on Jun 5, 2008 21:12:49 GMT 1
But, all in all, still great people those Polish. You see I don't like to use the word Poles, it just does not fit.
|
|
|
|
Post by locopolaco on Jun 6, 2008 3:56:19 GMT 1
The cooperation is our weak point. There is a saying: when 3 Poles meet, they have 5 points of view. It means each Pole has his/her own opinion and it is hard to persuade people they should ease up on sticking to them so stubbornly. Giving up one`s opinion is hard for a Pole ( but sometimes it does take place in order to combine effort and achieve a mutual goal). yeah man. it's been our problem for a long time. i also think it's a slavic thing in general. |
|
|
|
Post by Bonobo on Jun 6, 2008 22:18:23 GMT 1
The cooperation is our weak point. There is a saying: when 3 Poles meet, they have 5 points of view. It means each Pole has his/her own opinion and it is hard to persuade people they should ease up on sticking to them so stubbornly. Giving up one`s opinion is hard for a Pole ( but sometimes it does take place in order to combine effort and achieve a mutual goal). yeah man. it's been our problem for a long time. i also think it's a slavic thing in general. Do you have in mind Slavic cooperative skills versus Western ones, e.g., German? |
|
|
|
Post by locopolaco on Jun 7, 2008 1:09:05 GMT 1
yeah man. it's been our problem for a long time. i also think it's a slavic thing in general. Do you have in mind Slavic cooperative skills versus Western ones, e.g., German? definitely but not all slavs. seems the czechs are better at working together then basically the rest of us. americans are very, very good at working together.. i have a feeling that is the reason for their might. and yes, germans are v. good too.. look how far they have come since 1945 or even since the wall came down.. hard workers and traders. you can't do everything yourself, there just isn't enough time. i have a hard time with this one.. but i have learned to be better at cooperating with others. i think the squabbling and such in PL politics and government in general is a major trouble for PL... i think it slows PL down... poles have a bad tendency to try to one up each other which leads to break downs, friction, mistrust, etc. and thus is anti-productive. |
|
|
|
Post by Bonobo on Jun 8, 2008 0:27:17 GMT 1
i think the squabbling and such in PL politics and government in general is a major trouble for PL... i think it slows PL down... poles have a bad tendency to try to one up each other which leads to break downs, friction, mistrust, etc. and thus is anti-productive. Yes, it is all true. However, when we dig up the data on the Czechs` level of development in 1989, at the beginning of transformation, with the Polish one in the same year, and then we look at current figures, it is obvious that Poles have managed to catch up with the Czechs. Let alone comparing Poland with other ex-communist countries, especially in further Eastern Europe. Polish individualism and traditional distrust to state institutions have certainly contributed to the economic revival of this country. A typical Pole`s who started his/her own enterprise thinking was: Bugger off me, you state parasites, I don`t expect anything from you, get stuffed, I will run my business and will do without your lousy doles. Poland has seen an explosion of free market enterprise and I see it as a result of Poles` individualistic mentality. |
|
|
|
Post by Bonobo on Sept 19, 2008 22:34:55 GMT 1
Poles certainly tend to ignore law ( but only on banal occasions). Here, a fellow teacher from our school is crossing the street in an illegal place, though the pedestrian crossing is a few yards away,  I always ignore the non-photo policy in various places. Here, photos which I took in the Paradise Cave. I got angry at prices they charged for their tickets and decided to break their f....ing rule of no photos inside.   |
|
|
|
Post by Bonobo on Oct 1, 2008 21:23:23 GMT 1
Generally, Poles show more respect to women than other nationalities. At least they did in the past., e.g., famous hand kissing.   |
|
gigi
Kindergarten kid
Posts: 1,470
|
Post by gigi on Oct 16, 2008 16:38:52 GMT 1
Generally, Poles show more respect to women than other nationalities. At least they did in the past., e.g., famous hand kissing. Is hand kissing still popular in Poland? I would guess it is more frequently done by older generations vs. younger. There is so much concern about hygiene these days, I would think that some men would find it unappealing (not that handshaking is all that appealing either). What about cheek kissing - common or not? |
|
|
|
Post by Bonobo on Oct 16, 2008 19:37:13 GMT 1
Generally, Poles show more respect to women than other nationalities. At least they did in the past., e.g., famous hand kissing. Is hand kissing still popular in Poland? I would guess it is more frequently done by older generations vs. younger. Yes, correct. I kiss women`s hands because I belong to the older generation. The last time was on Monday. I kissed the hand of a teacher whom I jokingly congratulated on the coming Teacher`s Day. Later, seriously, I kissed my headmistress`s hand after she handed me a diploma for my pedagogical work (the money prize had been handed to my bank account earlier in the morning). I don`t find it unappealing on condition women look smart, attractive, clean etc. Most Polish women look like that so..... Much more common,. There was a thread about it, with photos attached. Don`t you remember??? ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D |
|
|
|
Post by tufta on Oct 16, 2008 20:06:18 GMT 1
Is hand kissing still popular in Poland? I would guess it is more frequently done by older generations vs. younger. Yes, correct. I kiss women`s hands because I belong to the older generation. The last time was on Monday. hehehe being a member of young generation (1960) I don't kiss women on the hand  |
|
gigi
Kindergarten kid
Posts: 1,470
|
Post by gigi on Oct 16, 2008 23:06:29 GMT 1
Much more common,. There was a thread about it, with photos attached. Don`t you remember??? ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D Yes, I do remember now. I had a bit of a déjà vu feeling when I was asking the question. Now I know why! |
|
gigi
Kindergarten kid
Posts: 1,470
|
Post by gigi on Oct 16, 2008 23:07:44 GMT 1
hehehe being a member of young generation (1960)... ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D |
|
|
|
Post by valpomike on Oct 17, 2008 0:34:18 GMT 1
Here in the U.S.A., men kiss the women's ass.
Just a joke, don't get upset.
Mike
|
|
[
