Are we perfect?
Mirosław Wilewski
06/05/2008
So far we have been publishing a lot of articles critical towards the Britons. Many times we did not like their behaviour, heavy drinking, obsessive attitude to Poles and - generally - that they are conceited and xenophobic people. According to the legend, one intelligent chap said: 'If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her'. Exactly. Let us have a look at ourselves.
Please, thank you, I am sorry
Saturday night. I am queuing in one of the superstores on Mutley Plain. At the next till, the assistant is asking two gentlemen from Poland: 'How can I help you?'. Their answer is very short: 'Smirnoff'. Nothing else. Neither 'hello', nor 'please'. Confused assistant continues asking: 'Which one? One litre, three-quarter?'. The impatient Polish 'professional' repeats loudly: 'Smirnoff!' and then adds to his friend in Polish: 'Shit! What a stupid guy! No intelligence at all!'. The assistant gave them a bottle, saying 'Thank you.' They grabbed it and, without saying a word, left the shop.
Polish leadership
Marek came to England from a small town in Northern Poland. As he was able to communicate in English (on a level of a second year of Polish mediocre school), after two months of working as a production operative he became a 'supervisor', which sounds much better in English, than in Polish. Suddenly he became to be rude to his former colleagues, he used to work with on the production line. Instead, he started to treat them as a scum. Well, probably in his village he would not had any opportunity for such a 'social promotion'...
In a queue to...
Some time ago I visited Poland again. I was waiting for a bus. It is coming, full as usual. However, there is enough space for everybody awaiting. What are my countrymen doing? Are they queuing quietly, as people usually do in England (or in most of civilised countries)? Not at all! Thoughtless, uneducated mass is crowding, pushing the others, in order to get in as soon as possible, with no respect to everybody else. The 'best' ones in that race appeared to be elderly people - the ones, who usually require some respect towards themselves from the younger generation. In fact, they give the best example... I have not noticed anybody in England - being that criticised by the Poles who live here - doing the same. Except of ourselves...
Above I have quoted only few, the most significant and best known 'cultural differences' between the Poles and the rest of the world. If we want to be respected, let us begin respect ourselves. And, of course, the others too. Otherwise, those ones describing us as a 'scum', unfortunately will be right.
To begin with, we cordially suggest to learn three simple phrases in English:
1. Please / Excuse me
2. I am sorry
3. Thank you
A bit of culture, please!
