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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ask what you think of Eastern Europeans living in the UK?

691 replies

Bananasinpjs7 · 11/07/2020 13:19

I have lived in the UK for almost 10 years which is pretty much a 1/3 of my life. I never thought I’d stay this long but met my partner here and decided to build a career in an industry that we don’t really have in my home country... yet.
I’m trying my best... language wise I think I’m pretty fluent. English is the language I speak 95% of the time.
I try to fit in as much as possible, learn as much as I can about the UK to understand it’s history and culture...
But I feel extremely left out ... I feel people look at me and think ‘she is from eastern eu’ as if it has some sort of stigma. It feels like if you are from somewhere glamorous like France or Scandinavian countries you are much more accepted... I’m so tired of constantly feeling like this

OP posts:
SummerHeating0n · 11/07/2020 13:50

I work/have worked with people from all over the world
I am interested in people
I enjoy traveling

Some other people may not be so interested

fandemic · 11/07/2020 13:51

I am so sorry that you've felt unwelcome in this country and I am embarrassed to share a nationality with the bigots you describe. I am glad you are here.

powershowerforanhour · 11/07/2020 13:53

My experience is limited to working with a couple of Polish people and a Lithuanian in my career, plus quite a lot of Polish clients at our vet practice. All hard working, pay attention to the advice given, all the clients pay their bills and are much less likely to whinge about costs than the native population. The children are usually polite, do well in school and interested in a non obnoxious way in the consult room. Quite a few of them are a good laugh too. Plus a Polish/Northern Irish accent in the second generation is a winner.

Baaaahhhhh · 11/07/2020 13:53

OP it might just be where you live. Locally to me, and especially, again, as with a pp, in my DD's RC primary school, we had absolutely loads of Eastern Europeans. All joined in with the PTA and the school, and it made for a really happy atmosphere.

In my group of best friends I have Germans, Italians, Czechs, Latvians, Americans. We all rub along nicely. Actually we all seem to get on better than with other "English" mums. I am half Italian, so culturally probably more European culturally, than English.

DaisyDreaming · 11/07/2020 13:54

I’m sorry you feel that way. I’ve known a few people who are Eastern European and never saw them differently other than being interested in their home country (as I am with anyone from other countries).

powershowerforanhour · 11/07/2020 13:56

Mind you any mashup with the Norn Iron accent is cute. "It was a wild handlin', so it was" in a Dutch accent after a rough TB test adds to the telling.

TDogsInHats · 11/07/2020 13:56

My criteria for liking someone is never based upon their country of origin or ethnicity.
It's based upon whether you are kind and thoughtful, treat others well.
The only drawback with some Eastern Europeans is the confusion when nodding your head means no and shaking it means yes (the opposite to the UK)

Aloethere · 11/07/2020 14:00

I don't really think anything to be honest. I live in Ireland and there are tons of people here from Eastern Europe, I live in a small town in the West and even we have a Polish food shop. I never considered it to be any different than someone being from France or Germany or wherever. I don't really go for the stereotypes of people from Eastern Europe are all hard working or all whatever though as it annoys me when people stereotype Irish people, you get all types from everywhere.

EnglishGirlApproximately · 11/07/2020 14:01

I live in an area with a lot of Eastern European migrants and the vitriol against them on local FB groups is appalling. In the village I'm in there are admittedly a lot of young Eastern European men house sharing and they can be noisy etc. What many if the locals conveniently forget is that part of the village had always had anti social behaviour, from 'locals' or otherwise. The issue isn't with the nationality of those living there . The issue here is with dodgy landlords renting out low quality HMOs and a certain well known large business and football club owner encouraging migrant labour but not paying enough to enable them to live in better housing.

OP I'm sorry you feel unwelcome. My work life is a world away from my area and I have colleagues and friends from around the world, so I really struggle with how the eastern European community is viewed here.

Biber · 11/07/2020 14:02

You are welcome. Thank you for your contribution to the country. A curse on the bigots and those who stoked up fears and encouraged a small percentage of our electorate to shoot themselves in the foot by voting for brexit.

GhettoDefendant · 11/07/2020 14:03

No thoughts. Couldn't care less where you're from or where you live.

RaraRachael · 11/07/2020 14:03

As a teacher I find that Eastern Eurpean parents have a good attitude towards education in general. All of the EE children I teach have supportive parents who make sure they do their homework and are respectful and polite. They don't have the entitled, "It couldn't possibly be my child" attitude that a lot of local parents have.

Our local hospitality industry which accounts for a large part of the economy and also factory work, wouldn't be able to survive without Eastern European workers.

raspberryk · 11/07/2020 14:06

I employed 2 eastern European removal men to move house for me, they were so good, hard working, respectful, helpful, knew I was single and replumbed in my appliances and built my furniture the other end. I then chose them for my next move and recommended to everyone, so great that my in laws also used them twice and I am pleased to see their business has taken off as they now have more teams and signwriten trucks.
My cousins fiance is polish, lovely guy, so kind and hardworking.
My ex neighbours (polish) helped me with heavy things at times without even being asked. They've moved now but I see them locally and they always wave.
The 2 eastern European school mums are the most friendly of everyone, always smile, say good morning etc.
So anyone like that , which is all I've experienced of anyone Eastern European is more than welcome in my opinion.

ivykaty44 · 11/07/2020 14:06

I don’t think about it, if someone wants to come work, live & settle in the country I “happen” to be born in - then great what a fabulous country I live in that they want to come here

Just because you’re born in one area surely shouldn’t mean you have to stay but can move about

Gormless · 11/07/2020 14:06

I’m so sorry you’ve been made to feel like that OP. Anyone with sense can see just how much ‘migrants’ have contributed to this country. And I have a very soft spot for Eastern Europeans. I spent time in Eastern Europe myself twenty years ago and loved the kindness, the work ethic and the dry humour!

WorraLiberty · 11/07/2020 14:06

There are a very high number of Eastern Europeans in my borough. In fact 41% of children at my local primary school are EE.

People seem to get along very well and most have been an asset to the community.

However, sadly there is a stigma attached to being Romanian. The local Facebook group is full of racists remarks about Romanians. It's absolutely awful to read.

AlexaShutUp · 11/07/2020 14:07

I'm really sorry to hear that you feel like that. There are some stupid, ignorant people out there.

As far as I.am concerned, if you're a decent person, you're very welcome here regardless of where you're from. The differences in language and culture all help to make life interesting! I don't actually know that many people from Eastern Europe in my area, but the four people that I can think (from Czech republic, Romania and Poland) are all absolutely lovely!

Blackcountryexile · 11/07/2020 14:08

I am sorry that some people have made you feel so unhappy in your adopted country. I have had a job working with young families of Eastern European origin and they were lovely. Always pleasant,polite. appreciative and very focused on the well being of their children. I'm glad you're here.

DullDullWeather · 11/07/2020 14:08

Sorry you are viewed that way OP . You sound like a nice person and your English typing is perfect .
I suppose, in a way, it depends where you live as to what sort of Eastern European you come across.
To be perfectly honest, round this area we have Roma . They have never bothered me, personally, but I know they harrass a fair few people and known for pick pocketing . Not being at all racist but I am answering your question truthfully, in my experience.

beatrixpotterspencil · 11/07/2020 14:10

people have been brainwashed via the tabloids into believing EU and muslim immigrants are taking up both jobs and NHS resources for many years.

this simply isn't true, although if you take an already paranoid and depressed population, it will be easy enough to convince them of such, because public services, resources, opportunities and wages have been cut, frozen and under threat for years now.

to divert the blame to working immigrants is piss poor and sadly convenient.

Some family members live in a fairly deprived town in the north, where many local terraced houses have been converted into HMO's, causing issues and confusion across the community.
Sadly the landlords who profit from squeezing 6 people into a 3 bed terraced house never come under the spotlight.
there are people who profit from paying low wages to immigrants and stuffing them into depressed accommodation.

changes in these areas are what is necessary, but I think many are convinced immigration itself is the problem.
we have a tiny island with sod all infrastructure left.
people are stretched and pessimistic. they want someone to blame.

as a white, born-british woman, I am appalled and ashamed of what my country has become due to greed and deliberate tabloid-led division. and to the OP, I'm so sorry you have had this experience here. If I could change it, I would. Im 46 and was always proud of how culturally diverse the uk was.
that was in my 20's.
something has changed and it stinks. I feel powerless, ad if I was from outside the UK I would not want to come here now.

Allthebestusernameshavegone · 11/07/2020 14:10

As someone else mentioned, I’d happily have you living here than the small minded bigots.
I married the grandson of a Polish immigrants. We have a Polish surname and I love it.
We had a company give us a quote for a new front door last year and a guy came to the house and somehow the subject of brexit came up and he said he voted out because of Eastern European immigrants taking jobs. Suffice to say, we didn’t buy the door. I was mortified.

MitziK · 11/07/2020 14:11

What do I think?

Fine, great, not entirely sure why you'd want to be here (as per the gammony shite you have to deal with), and at risk of sounding offensive, I am a little intimidated by just how amazingly attractive and seemingly instinctively well groomed most EE women seem to be compared to me, but when I can get fantastic food I'd never have encountered were it not for EE immigrants making that move, other than that, I only see benefits to people like you living here.

StripeyBananas · 11/07/2020 14:12

@powershowerforanhour

Mind you any mashup with the Norn Iron accent is cute. "It was a wild handlin', so it was" in a Dutch accent after a rough TB test adds to the telling.
I know you're being nice. But it's quite patronising to say that someone's accent is cute, or to make any kind of comment on the accents of non-native speakers.
Spinakker · 11/07/2020 14:12

I've generally got along well with eastern Europeans. Of course all are individuals and different as English people are. I see EEs as part of our society now.

PicsInRed · 11/07/2020 14:12

Most people don't care.

Only thickies care.