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

[Bananasinpjs7]

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

@randomer

The term Eastern European is used in the U.K. to describe the accession countries plus Romania and Bulgaria.

I don't think it's controversial to say that migration between the UK and EE countries is overwhelmingly from the EE countries to the UK rather than the other way round.

Genuine question for posters who are from EE countries and live here now...if hundreds of thousands of British people settled in your country, what would the reaction and response be from the public in those countries?

I'm from one of those glamorous scandinavian countries. A lot of times britts assume I'm Polish due to odds. Nobody has ever been rude to me or anything, but with some people there is this weird Shift in attitude when they hear my homecountry. It's hard to explan but you can see that suddenly it moves from polite friendliness to genuine friendliness. Most people don't give a fuck.

A friend of mine (fellow country woman) Works for the NHS and was a nurse in North London during Brexit vote. After the vote few patients would ask her if she was Polish and when she said no they would respond "oh, then you're alright" or something similar. I do see where OP is coming from. I do feel that the same thing is everywhere, just the country changes and it is likely to be from where there is a large group of immigrants.

What races are Eastern European? Does it include Polish people?

in my experience in the UK it includes Poland. The division between central and eastern europe is a bit unclear and depends on source.

i am from EE, and people have not been shitty to my face, however, the Brexit vote showed true colours of some "friends". Now i have massive trust issues.

Genuine question for posters who are from EE countries and live here now...if hundreds of thousands of British people settled in your country, what would the reaction and response be from the public in those countries

If they learn our language and respect our traditions then they would be very welcome.

If they learn our language and respect our traditions then they would be very welcome.

Even the non white Brits?

Even the non white Brits?

Yes. We have non-white residents (e.g. those who got married or students).

Are you honestly saying that if a black British person moved to one of the EE countries, and enrolled their child in school, used a local hospital, got a job, etc etc, they wouldn't experience any hostility in any of those environments? Really?!

Does it really matter if they're white or non white? When in Rome do as the Romans do and everyone will be happy.

How about the non Christian Brits? If a million of them suddenly moved to, say Poland, would they be welcome?

Does it really matter if they're white or non white?

Well it shouldn't do but lots of posters here have detailed the racism towards non white people they've noticed or experienced from EE people. Hence the question.

I’ve never really felt unwelcome here apart from maybe a couple of situations (plus few others where I think people thought they were being nice whilst quite patronising) but this thread opened my eyes on how one can explain something about their country but it will always fall on deaf ears because they know better!

In the UK people think this or that - that must be right then.

formerbabe, you forget about xenophobia. I also wouldn't move to some countries because I know that in those countries people would be xenophobic to me or my children even though we are as white as them.
Just like here, in the UK, there are areas where people would be hostile to me because I am from the EE or just not like them.

When in Rome do as the Romans do and everyone will be happy.

Does that apply to non British people moving to Britain too?

"How about the non Christian Brits? If a million of them suddenly moved to, say Poland, would they be welcome."
I can't answer that question. I am not Polish.

So how about if 1 million, non white, non Christian Brits moved to your country over a period of 15 years, would they be welcome?

Does that apply to non British people moving to Britain too?

Sure it does. This is how it should be.

I am especially drawn to women from Eastern Europe as friends.
I have two friends at work. One is from Croatia. She is straightforward, interesting and says what she thinks always, but in a tactful way. I love her.
My other work friend is Czech. She is honest, caring and interesting to talk to. She’s great.
I also have another friend that is my son’s best friend’s mum. We get on pretty well.
I had another friend from Croatia when I was in my early twenties. She was very direct - extremely blunt! It took me a bit of getting used to, but I really liked her. She would ask probing questions like ‘why do you always say this?’ It would be challenging and I would be taken aback at first. If an English person was asking you’d think it was a bit personal!
I love the straightforward honesty of these women. We English rarely say what we actually mean. Some English people often say one thing to someone’s face and an unpleasant bitchy thing as soon as their back is turned. I prefer the honesty.

So how about if 1 million, non white, non Christian Brits moved to your country over a period of 15 years, would they be welcome?

Who cares if they're non-Christian? If they respect our country values, our Constitution etc then it doesn't really matter. In many countries including the UK, the problem arrise with immigrants when the latter have little respect to the country.

But would they be made to feel welcome? Far right tendencies appear to be more prevalent in Eastern Europe, than they are in Western Europe - or is that a lie made up by the Western press?

Who cares if they're non-Christian?
nobody would care if they were atheist (or even Buddhist)... but if they're Muslim - that can be a very big problem.

I think the huge majority who come here to work short term are great for the country and for themselves. Ditto the people who settle and contribute. They are generally the lovely people. However there are a few who are criminals or cheat the system. Pretty much the same as the normal population. They give Eastern European's a poor name which is unfair. Everyone I've met personally though is a a lively person and very well educated and intelligent

Just to say we have a few E European people in our skating group and they are totally accepted and included.

but if they're Muslim - that can be a very big problem.

This is what puzzles me. Eastern European’s expect to be welcomed in Britain but wouldn’t welcome some Brits in their own home countries.