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Zenon
PolishOrigins Team Leader


Joined: 28 Apr 2007
Replies: 1515
Location: Poland

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Post Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2008 5:19 pm      Post subject: Culture differences: Polish kids vs. American kids
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Probably many of you have already seen this article. I found it in the latest Gen Dobry issued by Fred Hoffman, PolishRoots.org, and as a Polish kid I decided to forward it here Wink .

I am curious if you agree with it? I know only Polish kids "behaviors" side and completely agree with majority of the statements Very Happy .


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Polish kids vs. American kids

American kids: Move out when they're 18 with the full support of their parents.
Polish kids: Move out when they're 28, having saved enough money for a house, and are two weeks away from getting married ... unless there's room in the basement for the newlyweds.

American kids: When their Mom visits them, she brings a Bundt cake, and you sip coffee and chat.
Polish kids: When their Mom visits them, she brings three days' worth of food, begins to tidy up, dust, do the laundry, and rearrange the furniture.

American kids: Their dads always call before they come over to visit them, and it's usually only on special occasions.
Polish kids: Are not at all fazed when their dads show up, unannounced, on a Saturday morning at 8:00, and starts painting the window frames or mowing the lawn.

American kids: Always pay retail, and look in the Yellow Pages when they need to have something done.
Polish kids: Call their dad or uncle, and ask for another dad's or uncle's phone number to get it done ... cash deal. Know what I mean??

American kids: Will come over for cake and coffee, and get only cake and coffee. No more.
Polish kids: Will come over and get cabbage rolls, pierogi, roast chicken, salad, bread, fruit, cheesecake a few before, during and after dinner drinks.

American kids: Will greet you with "Hello" or "Hi."
Polish kids: Will give you a big hug, a kiss on your cheek, and a pat on your back.

American kids: Call your parents Mr. and Mrs.
Polish kids: Call your parents Mom and Dad.

American kids: Have never seen you cry.
Polish kids: Cry with you.

American kids: Borrow your stuff for a few days and then return it.
Polish kids: Keep your stuff so long, they forget it's yours.

American kids: Will eat at your dinner table and leave.
Polish kids: Will spend hours there, talking, laughing, and just being together.

American kids: Know few things about you.
Polish kids: Could write a book with direct quotes from you.

American kids: Eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on soft mushy white bread.
Polish kids: Eat kielbasa sandwiches with dill pickles on rye bread.

American kids: Will leave you behind if that's what the crowd is doing.
Polish kids: Will kick the whole crowd's ass who left you behind.

American kids: Are for a while.
Polish kids: Are for life.

American kids: Think that being Polish is cool.
Polish kids: Know that being Polish is cool.

American kids: Will ignore this.
Polish kids: Will forward it.

And also one I got before (from another Polish kid....)

YOU KNOW YOU'RE POLISH WHEN....

1. You or someone in your family owns a Nissan Maxima with a PL sticker proudly displayed.

2. You have relatives who aren't really your relatives.

3. You sing the same song -- "Sto lat" -- on every occasion (weddings, birthdays, baby showers).

4. You watch soccer.

5. You know very well Pope John Paul II was Polish and his name was Karol, not Carol.

6. You go to Midnight Mass every Christmas Eve and keep your Christmas tree up till February.

7. You drink your wodka straight.

8. You listen to techno.

9. You don't feel the need to add an "s" to pierogi because you already know the word is plural and it annoys you when others do. However, you still add 'y' to already plural English words ... chipsy, dzinsy, etc.

10. You are convinced your pets only understand Polish.

11. You are forced to listen to Disco Polo by your parents.

12. You can spot Polish people like Asians can spot each other.

13. When others find out you're Polish, they tell you about every Polish person they've ever known, which is most likely followed by them mispronouncing common phrases such as _czesc_ or _dziekuje_.

14. Your name always gets slaughtered on the first day of school.

15. The thought of eating cow stomach (flaki) doesn't gross you out.

16. When you're at a stranger's house, you expect their garbage can to be under the sink.

17. Every window in your house must have _firanki_, even in the bathroom.

18. Once in a while, you do a big _przemeblowanie_ at home.

19. You always take off your shoes as soon as you step into someone else's house (even if the owner of the house insists you don't have to).

20. You celebrate your birthday AND your name day, _imieniny_.

21. You were extremely surprised to learn that American weddings last hours, not days!!!

----- end
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James
PolishOrigins Team


Joined: 06 Jul 2007
Replies: 226
Location: WEST VIRGINIA , USA

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Post Posted: Sun Jan 06, 2008 8:42 pm      Post subject: Re: Culture differences: Polish kids vs. American kids
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Hey Zenon,
your list is fairly accurate. I personally like to toast my white bread when I have peanutbutter and jelly. Very Happy
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prismlizard



Joined: 02 Mar 2008
Replies: 5
Location: Tampa, FL USA

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Post Posted: Sat Mar 08, 2008 1:05 am      Post subject: Parent point of view
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These days in the US, having one boy and one girl, the kids do move out early. Then finding out how hard it is to be on their own and pay the bills, they move back in. They move out a second time, but move back in again. By the third time moving out, and finally listening to parental advice, success is achieved! Both have figured out how life works. And my wife and I finally each have our own private computer rooms that we have been waiting years for. But each room still has a single guest bed and dresser for weekend or weekly visits. Then again, you never know about the future. Laughing
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eastsider



Joined: 02 Dec 2008
Replies: 8
Location: Troy, Michigan

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Post Posted: Wed Dec 03, 2008 11:42 pm      Post subject:
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I agree with some of that list. My son is 25 and still living at home trying to save money for a house.
My mother used to live about two hours away so sometimes we would stop to eat before we got to her house. I would call her and tell her we were eating and she didn't have to fix anything. That didn't make any difference. We would get there and the table would be full of food. Chicken, kielbasa, rye bread, pickles, meat balls, etc. And this is when I told her NOT to fix anything. Now I do the same thing when my children come over for "cake and coffee". Can't wait to show your list to my kids.
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asteeber



Joined: 29 Jan 2009
Replies: 26
Location: New Jersey, USA

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Post Posted: Thu Jan 29, 2009 4:29 pm      Post subject:
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It's fun to read your list and identify with half of what the Polish kids grow up with. Even though I'm a 3rd gen American! Gotta love the family traditions!
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Bernadette



Joined: 06 Jul 2010
Replies: 12

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Post Posted: Fri Dec 17, 2010 6:04 pm      Post subject:
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OMG!!! I love that! It is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO true! I'm going to copy it and send it to my sister and my kids right now. My Dad was Polish and my Mum was British and I was born in UK - but I FEEL more Polish. the beginning about getting married made me laugh. My Dad said he'd stop the wedding when I wanted to get married at 19 years and go and live in a rented flat. We ended up compromising and living with my parents for a few months until we could afford a deposit and bought our own home. Everything else is so true, it's unbelievable. Thank You for posting this. Very Happy
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Arlene Vic
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Post Posted: Sat Dec 18, 2010 8:53 am      Post subject:
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Hi Zenon:

I really like this. It is true about Polish & America kids. I did copied them and send them to my brother and sister and my cousins.

Any more?
Zenon
PolishOrigins Team Leader


Joined: 28 Apr 2007
Replies: 1515
Location: Poland

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Post Posted: Sat Dec 18, 2010 9:48 am      Post subject:
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Zenon wrote:
American kids: Will ignore this.
Polish kids: Will forward it.


Bernadette wrote:
I'm going to copy it and send it to my sister and my kids right now.


Arlene Vic wrote:
I did copied them and send them to my brother and sister and my cousins.


You are both definitely Polish kids Laughing
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BobK
PO Top Contributor


Joined: 11 Nov 2008
Replies: 231
Location: Portland, Oregon USA

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Post Posted: Sun Dec 19, 2010 1:23 am      Post subject:
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Thanks all! I hadn't seen that before, so Bernadette - your comment put this into Zenon's auto email telling us what's new! Thanks Zenon. Your's is the only fora I've seen that does that!..

(& good detective work on those 'Polish Kids'.. my Polish cousins got them, I doubt anyone else would understand)
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Ute
PO Top Contributor


Joined: 13 Dec 2009
Replies: 593
Location: Germany

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Post Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2011 12:44 am      Post subject: Re: Culture differences: Polish kids vs. American kids
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Zenon wrote:
Probably many of you have already seen this article. I found it in the latest Gen Dobry issued by Fred Hoffman, PolishRoots.org, and as a Polish kid I decided to forward it here Wink . I am curious if you agree with it? I know only Polish kids "behaviors" side and completely agree with majority of the statements Very Happy .
Polish kids vs. American kids

I thought that perhaps some of you might enjoy reading this book on Polish values and identity: “Values in the Polish Cultural Tradition", edited by Leon Dyczewski:
http://www.crvp.org/book/Series04/IVA-19/contents.htm
I just read Chapter I: “Values and Polish Cultural Identity” by Leon Dyczewski and found it very interesting.
Ute
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