Hatrack River Forum: Hey Kama...

This is topic Hey Kama... in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.

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Posted by Narnia (Member # 1071) on :

My little brother just got his mission call to your beautiful country. [Smile]

What should I tell him about Poland? What are the people like? The food? The weather?

Any other RMs from around those parts?

Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :

I hear it's pretty much like the rest of Russia.

Posted by Narnia (Member # 1071) on :

Which is like....?

Posted by Verily the Younger (Member # 6705) on :

Poland is like "the rest" of Russia?

Crap, did I wake up in the 19th century again? [Angst]

Posted by Narnia (Member # 1071) on :

Does that happen often? [Wink]

Posted by Annie (Member # 295) on :

Verily, yea, it doth.

Posted by Morbo (Member # 5309) on :

Kama, this seems like a propitious time to bring up my theory that Polish jokes were popular in 20th century America because Poland had no natural barriers to invasion, like deserts or defensible mountain passes, and so Poland appeared weak (going back centuries)?

Or maybe I should put more thought into my theory...

Posted by Kayla (Member # 2403) on :

Holy cow! Kama could meet your brother and marry him! How perfect. She's been looking for an American to marry!

Kama, how do you feel about converting?

Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :

Verily, of course it's like the rest of Russia! I mean, every city has its unique culture, of course, so it isn't *exactly* like everywhere else in Russia, but still!

Posted by Verily the Younger (Member # 6705) on :

quote:
Kama, this seems like a propitious time to bring up my theory that Polish jokes were popular in 20th century America because Poland had no natural barriers to invasion, like deserts or defensible mountain passes, and so Poland appeared weak (going back centuries)?

I was told once that those jokes came about during a period of increased immigration to America from Poland, and the only experience most Americans had with Polish people was as uneducated, unskilled labor. They saw that these laborers "weren't very bright", at least by their extraordinarily biased standards, and extended that opinion toward all people of Polish extraction. That's just something I heard once, though, so I don't know that it's the confirmed origin.

quote:
Verily, of course it's like the rest of Russia! I mean, every city has its unique culture, of course, so it isn't *exactly* like everywhere else in Russia, but still!

You may have missed my point. Deliberately, I suspect.

Posted by Kama (Member # 3022) on :

[ROFL]

Narnia, I'm so happy!

Okay, first of, I'm afraid there will be people who will think he is a member of a sect. And there will be hostile people. But that's not just Poland, right? [Frown]

People - well, aside from the stupid ones, they should be friendly. He'll learn Polish, right? They'll love it. There aren't many foreigners learning Polish, and we realize it's difficult to learn, so we will appreciate all efforts to learn it. We like Americans, too [Big Grin]

Food - definitely great [Big Grin]

He'll have to try it all out [Wink]

Lots of fried meat, dumplings, cabbage. We're not the diet-type nation.

Weather - cold in the winter, snow from November - March, hot in the summers (although not as hot as it would get in the south of the US [Wink]

) Will rain a lot, too.

Things to remember - No air conditioning, no dryers (people will hang their laundry in the bathrooms or outside). In older houses you'll get the gas heating and a there will be a gas oven to heat the water - I hate those.

Good (and cheap) public transport.

Um. I don't know what else. I'll answer any direct questions, though [Razz]

Posted by Kama (Member # 3022) on :

oh, hey, do you know where in Poland he's going?

Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :

Downtown?

Posted by Corwin (Member # 5705) on :

2, Poland Street, Poland.

Posted by Kama (Member # 3022) on :

silly Noemon, we don't have "downtown".

Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :

::smacks forehead::

Posted by Rakeesh (Member # 2001) on :

Everyone has downtown.

Posted by Jonathan Howard (Member # 6934) on :

quote:
What are the people like?

Hated by the Czechs and regarded by the Hungarians as stupid. My father married both a Hungarian and a Czech...

Or maybe it's only the Jews of thos two nations who think that way... [Razz]

!

I personally can't manage with the spelling - the Aussie Cricket player Kaspowicz is pronounced 7 different ways by different people or something.

The scenery's gorgeous.

Posted by Kama (Member # 3022) on :

or maybe just stupid people?

Posted by Narnia (Member # 1071) on :

Thanks for the response Kama! I don't think he has too many questions, I'll think of more as it gets closer. The mission actually covers the entire country of Poland, he could be anywhere!

He'll be there for Christmas. What should he expect?

Can you buy humongous men's shoes in Poland? (He has huge feet)

Does it get hot enough to go without a coat/jacket? Like sunburn hot in the summer?

He will be learning Polish, so I'm glad that the people will be patient with him. [Smile]

I'm sure I'll think of more questions soon.

Posted by Annie (Member # 295) on :

Cecily, has he checked out his mission homepage yet? He can talk to alumni and get advice on what to bring and what not to bring, etc.

Posted by Kama (Member # 3022) on :

quote:
He'll be there for Christmas. What should he expect?

Snow. :)Other than that, nothing to weird.

quote:
Can you buy humongous men's shoes in Poland? (He has huge feet)

Yeah, but you'll have too look for them.

quote:
Does it get hot enough to go without a coat/jacket? Like sunburn hot in the summer?

Oh yes. Summers are hot. Prety much the same kind of weather as in the US, though not as hot as in the south, I suppose.