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Temat: To what extent is the U.K. an intolerant country?

To what extent would people who have lived in the UK regard it as an intolerant country?
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Temat: To what extent is the U.K. an intolerant country?

I wouldn't day UK is intolerant country. This is a bit too general to say. My experience is very positive. I live here for almost two years now and so far so good. I have a reasonable number of friends, mainly because of work, nobody gives me or my family any reason to think I'm being persecuted and we enjoy a fairly boring lives.

Brits are of a different mentality compared to newcomers from the East, as you'd expect islanders to be. I observed many people to be uncomfortable having new elements in their environment, especially in small towns. I think to myself, for them it's not like it used to be any more. Seeing strangers in your town is never pleasant, especially when they struggle with your language or don't understand it at all, do not socialise and rarely greet back, no doubt about it.

Stepping in their shoes, would I be happy if Poland was flooded with Kazakhs or Pakistanis, probably not, but I wouldn't migrate to France or Spain because of that neither. :)

Don't get me wrong, middle and higher classes here in UK are pleased with their new gardeners, fitters, maids, waitresses and receptionists.

To sum up, Brits are very tolerant when it comes to race, religion, beliefs, politics, but to enjoy that members of public need to adjust to the rules, and things should go on smoothly.
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Temat: To what extent is the U.K. an intolerant country?

Marcin Ostrowski:
Brits are of a different mentality compared to newcomers from the East, as you'd expect islanders to be.

Thanks for your post.

So, how are they different?
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Temat: To what extent is the U.K. an intolerant country?

warren whitmore:
So, how are they different?

Simple, first of all you queue. Brits queue voluntarily on every occasion, even when there's no reason for it, which shows your respect to others. And I think we should start with this basic idea of a queue to explain my point further.

The queue was invented to appreciate rights of others who were here before me. To respect others. And if a citizen respects others, there is a big chance he will respect laws and respect the country with all its good and bad sides, which in 95% is true in UK.

In minds of most of my fellow countrymen a state, a country, is identified with the hostile force wanting to use citizens to feed the army of clerks and officials, who then see citizens as thieves and crooks and take any countermeasure available to prevent the state to be "ripped off" by an ordinary citizen. This is a self winding up situation, which had started by commies after the war, and it had been poisoning the society for more than 40 years, that was almost 2 generations. This alone has made an approach to other different, which easily translates to lack of common respect to each others in other situations as well. Take the language of hatred flowing out of telly right from lawmakers for example. It is present on the streets as well. People in general are much more rude and aggressive towards each other compared to Brits.

Flowing from above we have a "can do" attitude, cunning plans how obviate laws, we don't trust police etc., traits not so common among Brits.
This should give you a glimpse of the differences in mentality between eastern country citizen and a westerner.

Plus we all know Brits are a bit sluggish ;P
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Temat: To what extent is the U.K. an intolerant country?

I'd agree with virtually everything you say, Marcin.

However, I don't agree that the Poles have a 'can do' attitude.

How do you feel about Poles in the UK who have very negative attitudes?

Do you know many such people?

And how do you find the British sense of humour?warren whitmore edytował(a) ten post dnia 18.08.08 o godzinie 22:41
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Temat: To what extent is the U.K. an intolerant country?

warren whitmore:
However, I don't agree that the Poles have a 'can do' attitude.
How do you feel about Poles in the UK who have very negative attitudes?
Do you know many such people?
And how do you find the British sense of humour?

Right, I did get a bit carried away with this 'can do' thing. But not to give up completely I an say that this attitude is very popular back in the old country.

In general I'm put off by people with negative attitude. Never mind the origin. Poles are no worse in that matter than Brits.

I think I rather like British sense of humour. Before coming to UK I spent a fairly long time outside of Europe and was able to comprehend only a simple form of indigenous humour and coming to UK was return back to normality, including the humour.

How do you find Polish sense of humour? BTW, can you speak Polish?
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Temat: To what extent is the U.K. an intolerant country?

Marcin Ostrowski:
How do you find Polish sense of humour?

I'm not really sure what a 'Polish' sense of humour is.

British people tend to believe that the only people with a sense of humour reside on their side of the English Channel.

However, I enjoyed the films 'Rejs' and 'Seksmisja'.
BTW, can you speak Polish?

Yes.

Badly.

http://www.goldenline.pl/forum/londyn/448448/s/10
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Temat: To what extent is the U.K. an intolerant country?

warren whitmore:

'Seksmisja'.
Have you seen Kingsize?Rafal W. edytował(a) ten post dnia 18.08.08 o godzinie 23:36
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Temat: To what extent is the U.K. an intolerant country?

Rafal W.:
warren whitmore:

'Seksmisja'.
Have you seen Kingsize?

Nope.
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Temat: To what extent is the U.K. an intolerant country?

warren whitmore:
Rafal W.:
warren whitmore:

'Seksmisja'.
Have you seen Kingsize?

Nope.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wQm01UmP2E
I recommend!
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Michal B.

Michal B. stud.

Temat: To what extent is the U.K. an intolerant country?

[author]Rafal W

'Seksmisja'.
Have you seen Kingsize?

Nope.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wQm01UmP2E
I recommend!

Rafał, your photo reminded me of another great Polish comedy "Jak Rozpętałem II Wojnę Światową". Have you seen it?
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Temat: To what extent is the U.K. an intolerant country?

Of course! "Burdello bum bum!"
Was that the one with Grzegorz Brzeczyszczykiewicz?Rafal W. edytował(a) ten post dnia 19.08.08 o godzinie 02:59
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Temat: To what extent is the U.K. an intolerant country?

Oh, and the queing thing - Britons always try to push in before me when they hear me speaking Polish. Especially poor obese women with prams.

That's not fair!!
Some of the poor women with prams are pasty, white and malnourished.
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Temat: To what extent is the U.K. an intolerant country?

Perfect Patrycja.
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Temat: To what extent is the U.K. an intolerant country?

Patrycja has made a valid point - how many of the foreigners here have friends they've met not through their Polish partners or work relations (in the first year at least and before you joined GL ;))? I bet in the beginning you wouldn't simply go out and try to befriend Polish people at random. When I went to the States, I knew no one there, except for a few people scattered all over the country: a best friend in Idaho, another one in NYC, a guy from Alaska, a girl from the state of Washington, and my blood relation from Florida. In Texas, my friends count was zero (except for my boyfriend), and I had to work hard to make new friends and find people other than family/my boyfriend's acquaintances. I never expected them to love me right from the start, but I joined a gym, went to some evening courses (that helped a lot), etc.
If you expect to be handed everything on a silver plate, with the Spangled Banner (or God Save the Queen for that matter) playing in the background, tough luck. This ain't gonna happen.
One of the teachers at my school, Kasia, used to run very successful courses called "Survival English" - for people getting ready to start a new life across the Channel. Whenever I joined the final classes, I was amazed at how little people knew about the country where they were going to spend a few years, if not the rest of their lives! Also, she had to explain to them that, in order to overcome culture shock, they will need to go out and socialize with people other than their flat mates.
I think I've already talked about the culture shock at length on dyse, I'll look it up/
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Temat: To what extent is the U.K. an intolerant country?

Patrycja and Tatiana - I AM talking about the effort I am making. And in fact about the everyday relationships. And in fact about trying to socialize with them.

I don't know how many, Tatiana. I've lived for a year in Alabama and made many more friends than here, and some of those friendships are still ongoing. To me it really looks like shyness, and if anyone prefers to call it reserve - fine.

I am not entirely sure that inviting someone to come around and eat what I bought and cooked is asking for life on a silver platter? Or should I humbly drop the annoying pose and accept the reserve, guys? But then this will be a case of Poles sticking to themselves...

Thanks for the scolding, Patrycja, I didn't know you were Brittish? I thought we have overcome the pose of putting ourselves on the side of Westerners to better pass for them? Oh those Poles, say the Poles. I think letting me know that there's something wrong with me was perfect (thanks for the wording, Warren). I'll remember to stick to my immigrant community. Oh, wait, did I emmigrate in a boat? No. I went to work abroad for a couple of years.
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Temat: To what extent is the U.K. an intolerant country?

I think we once made it clear that the British eat out at all times, didn't we folks? This is why Violetta never offered to cook for us last Friday!

BTW, whereabouts in Alabama did you use to live? Was it nice? Never been there but heard there are lovely places all over the state - is it true?
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Temat: To what extent is the U.K. an intolerant country?

Warren:
I've read this thread again, and the other one started by you about Polish (in)tolerance. It looks like you are putting marks on the comments that please you and displease you. And it also looks that some of the comments are made with the look to please you.

Mine was not - it was an answer. And it had earned me some personal remarks - like yours:
"In that case, hadn't you better start adjusting to your new environment?"
Don't you think I am? Why would I bother trying to make the Brits go out if I was not? I've explained that already.

Patrycja may never have directly referred to me, but when I said that I find some intolerance, I did not say I've found some thickness. You should be able to catch a hint.

Now this question requires thinking about the meaning, and not pleasure: do you really want me to adjust to the intolerance, that is mentioned in my post, and forms part of the new environment? I'd rather fight it.

You may have never heard one comment like aforementioned, if was me who have heard it. I - similarily - have not heard one in Poland.

So, Warren, why did you go to Poland and why do you stay there?
I will not be kiddish and actually I will answer.

I quit working in my parents' (oh yes, get me now) company because my boyfriend wanted to go and try his skills at the greener pastures. He has this old commie-times myth in his mind that life is better in the West. Luckily, he is now starting to see that although the pound is worth more, the purchasing power is similar: one car, one apartment, normal going out, clothes and other stuff. So the only real benefits are the collecting of friends, using the exchange rate to holiday cheaply in Spain and Portugal, and buying electronics - because the price of electronics in Poland is as unrealistic as the property prices in the UK.
So now I suffer because I never wanted to leave Poland for more than 10 months. I just like it.

To make this post even longer - whatever gave you the assumption that I don't like Britain??? I read that foreigners think that Poles frown a lot. Does that make me think that everyone hates Poland? I'll tell you - not really.

It a jolly good thing to read that you like your country so much, because some people scare me, if they don't love the place where they come from. Imagine for a moment that there are loads of stuff that I like here:
-the Fosse way - Roman, solid work, still operating and better than modern roads.
-the pub banter, it's incredibly cheerful and sarcastic
-the desserts and sweets, much better than in Poland
-the estate houses that I can buy a ticket to visit, becasue I get to look at what the homes traditionally were like
-the sunday lunch, that's a live tradition
-real ales, another live tradition
-not the food, but the cooking utensils that look very real, like out of a book.
-Rutland Water and Peak District

is that enough for you to feel less hated? You really are proving my point, because this insecurity, to me, may well come out of shyness. But I do not mean to pet your ego either - there are things that I dislike. The bland food, narrow roads, pussy drivers who spend more time standing than driving, work place being so very, very official and master/slave relationships with the employers (no, I'm not a bar-maid. I'm Finance)

I think that if you want to cure the ego, then Poland is a good place to come to: because in general the Britons get the best press here, and are assumed to be very very polite. So actually coming may cause some myths to crumble.

And anyway - you've asked a question, and I've answered as per my knowledge. Please answer as per yours, but leave the: 'why did you come in the first place' out.
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Temat: To what extent is the U.K. an intolerant country?

Ever thought about it from a stand point of an individual and not a collective? I mean, have you ever thought that maybe it’s just you and your personal preferences that cause you to have a subjective way of perceiving your new environment? You said it yourself that you never wanted to leave for more than 10 months. Do you think, that maybe bitterness settled a bit, and now you feel regret which now in turn makes you feel unwelcome?
I’ll be the first one to admit that for the first couple of years in the states I also felt the same exact way, but eventually I’ve come to realization that it wasn’t the fact that they were shy, negative or prejudice, they simply are being themselves and I was trying so hard to fit in and find a place for myself where I’d feel well and comfortable that my open approach (since when we try to make contact, we usually bare ourselves a bit more than usual to create a sense of sincerity) not necessarily scared people away, but made them more at guard. Remember, usually when someone who you don’t know tries to be overtly nice … what is your first thought? - “What do they want from me?”

No matter where you go, people are the same, culture may be different due to history or other aspects, but for most part, if you haven’t had issues making friends elsewhere you should be fine no matter where you are.
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Alicja Efejska

Alicja Efejska Lektor, PEN

Temat: To what extent is the U.K. an intolerant country?

Tatiana S.:
I think we once made it clear that the British eat out at all times, didn't we folks? This is why Violetta never offered to cook for us last Friday!

It's not true Tatiana, I've had a few English friends at home and sometimes we cooked together or I cooked for them and also I was invited to their places and they cooked for me/us. They seemed to have enjoyed it.
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