I'm Polish and I totally understand the OP and do not consider her a racist
at all.
If she was insulting Polish people in general , then she would be. But
she is not - she is just feeling increasingly alienated in her own
country, as the make up of it has been dramatically changing in the last
few years. I would feel the same if this was happening in Poland,
sometimes it is very difficult to accept change.
I am not of the new influx of Polish immigration, came here in 1994 to
marry my husband. Always wanted to go back but couldn't due to
circumstances or not being brave enough to just do it ( would have meant
starting own business there ). Now it is too late, my children are
teenagers, going through GCSEs and A-levels,planning to go to
universities.
I love Britain as well, but still desperately miss Poland as always.
Find it hard to be an immigrant, hate having an accent, don't like to be
a Catholic in Britain due to very obvious prejudice and because the
church is so much better over there ( eg. so many young people involved,
plenty for them to do).
I am not a great fan of European Union .
My opinion of it:
Good points:
We can move to Poland ( at least in theory, because I can't really see
it ever happening) any time we want, find work, buy property without
major bureaucratic upheavals.
My mum can visit without being interrogated on the borders.
My sister now lives here with her family, we can socialize and support
each other often.
I can get Polish products easily from local shops.
There is a lot more Catholics over here now.
Bad points:
I observe lots and lots of heartache. Families split up. Older parents left in
Poland without the regular support of their adult children and
basically missing them badly, seeing their grandchildren maybe once a
year - this is on a massive scale and often involves more then one adult
child . This is a very real pain people are experiencing every day - I
know families like this personally and read about them.
My mum has three children, all have emigrated, I'm here, my sister is
here, my other sibling is in yet another country( careful not to give
too much info here, not to be outed , sorry).She is left in Poland with
an alcoholic husband.
I think about it every single day.
A lot of people come here and suffer badly from homesickness but can't
easily go back, ie. one partner wants to, the other doesn't. Children
often suffer in such circumstances ( rows and break ups).
I am utterly sick of having to defend Poland to British people when they
spout totally ignorant opinions about it and equally sick of having to
defend Britain when I go to Poland and hear ' Is it as horrible as they
say?Is the food really so bland? ' etc. as, yes, many go back with bad
opinions, often because they did live in grotty places and ate Tesco
value ( not that it's all that bad, I have just discovered I quite like the
chocolate ! ).
I mentioned I like being able to buy Polish products here, but at the
same time it makes going to Poland that tiny bit less exciting, I used to love
the excitement of the past travels there, the anticipation of the food I
missed.Or when mum used to bring over the things I missed. It is gone
now, I can buy virtually everything over here.
It is SOOOO monumentally bad for the enviroment. All these people moving
to and from. A lot more air travel. Coaches full of grandmas visiting .
We go by car and on Dutch and German motorways we pass hundreds upon hundreds of Polish lorries. Some of them will be bringing things like Polish tomato puree for Polish shops- why,I don't know, it tastes exactly the same as the British .
Politicians are such hypocrites ! Banging on and on about climate
change, banning lightbulbs and at the same time opening borders like
this. I will never get it...
Most Polish people that I come across are decent folk but there is a lot
of 'underclass' around as well and I am sick of being forced to hear
their prolific swearing of the worst kind in supermarkets and on the
street - I come across this constantly. They think because it's in Polish
they are free to be loud with it but forget there is a lot of other
Poles about, some with children.
I will shut up now , apologies I've taken so much space already.
I am with OP as long as she doesn't blame Polish people for coming over
and become prejudiced, most of us are nice really , want best for our
families and actually have very similar culture to the British one.
Blame the politicians ! They created this mess !
Last thing I will mention is that not all people escape some dire
financial circumstances in Poland. Some - yes, usually from small towns
with high unemployment. Some come because they have things in Poland but
want more, eg they own a flat but want to come here, work a few years,
go back and build a house ( pound still worth more over there).
Some come because they want to improve their English or simply to have
an adventure.