For decades masses of Poles have been leaving Poland
in search for a better world. Although directions of the migrations have been
changing, the most popular target countries remained: Germany, UK, USA, France,
Australia, Brazil, Canada and Norway. Statistics say that up to 35.5% of all
Poles in the world live outside Poland and in the USA alone there are 10
million of them. In many factory-based countries, Poles are majority of the employees.
For instance, Swedish Tacx which produces top notch cycle trainers and rollers
employs almost exclusively Poles. What is more, Poles work also at the shipyards
in Norway, where citizens complain about losing jobs to the immigrants.
The reasons to leave Poland are quite obvious, but do
you think is it hard to leave homeland? Are you strongly (or at all) attached
to the people, culture or the landscape?
I have found several articles describing
the process of bonding with the new place.
It all starts with “The Honeymoon Phase” when you are amazed by new
things: beautiful weather, friendly people, great possibilities. After the
shock comes “The Rejection Phase” when you experience homesickness, you question
the local’s way of life, miss family and friends. Later comes “The Acceptance
Phase”, when you adjust to the surroundings, finalized by “The Acceptance Phase”. This is the point of no return, going back to
your homeland may cause “Reverse Culture Shock” which may start the process
again.
There was a time in my life when I was traveling a lot
to the US. Each and every time, after a month spent in there, I always started
to miss Poland. It is most likely that I went through only the first few phases
of the cultural shock stages, but the truth is that I didn’t like so many
details like the smell of the air, architecture(cardboard houses), large
distances between cities,
perpendicular streets. Despite all the positive aspects of living and
working in US, I thought that I could never feel at home there, to be honest I
felt depressed. On the other hand when I
came back I didn’t feel at home either. The most probable answer is that I came
back to Poland during “The Adjustment Phase”. A few more weeks abroad would have led me into “The Acceptance Phase”
when US would feel to me like my home.
I have a
few questions for you, but before you answer, please take a look at the presentation of Dr. Susan Matt who depicts precisely
what homesickness is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WjzhuFpNDc
Have you lived abroad for a long period of time?
Have you ever experienced something similar?
Have you ever accommodated to your new home?
If you decided to emigrate, where would you go?
Have you ever experienced something similar?
Have you ever accommodated to your new home?
If you decided to emigrate, where would you go?
Sources:
Comments
I think what's holding many people back to stay in Poland are the immigration laws of more developed countries, which prevent most young people from moving or at least trying to live/work there to compare.
experienced something similar. However, I don't really see myself as attached to
my homeland. I would probably have no problem with migrating to another country.
If I had an opportunity to get a better job abroad, I would probably take it.
In my opinion this is the problem of priorities. People in majority leave their country in finding the new better world. The truth is everywhere is the same because we are everywhere the same. The need for employees is everywhere: in Poland, in Norway, in England or in USA. If you want more and more, if you want too big you will lost in your needs.
I have never lived abroud for a long period than week and it’s ok. I love Poland and I’ve never decided to emigrate. Here is my family, here is my.
Have you ever experienced something similar?
Have you ever accommodated to your new home?
If you decided to emigrate, where would you go?
The longest time for me to live abroad was 3 months in Australia. I was in school there.
Yes I accommodated to my new home to which I moved in 8 years ago.
Anywhere better.
If I decide to emigrate, where would I go? I don't know - Sydney sounds good for me or any other big English city like London. I'm huge fan of metropolis.
I think I could live anywhere, I'm attached to my family and friends but not to my country. I'm lucky to have family in many different counties so I could meet with them. I would love to live in Italy, France, Australia or travel the world and stay in different places as long as I would like :)
Today people are more connected than ever. We can travel anywhere we want with ease. We can also exchange ideas with people around the world in the matter of seconds. I believe we should focus on the progress of humanity rather than set up and fortify the borders that divide us. The next step is to become united as a whole, as a species. We're not separated anymore, at least not geographically. We need to work out our differences rather than be proud of how different we are from each other. We're not so very different. All sane people share similar interests and desires. Why don't we realize that and work together to achieve something bigger? I think we should feel proud when a human being does something like fly into space, invent something great, find out a cure or whatever than focus on where the person is from. I personally care more about doing those things then nationality. It's important to focus on global matters. I hope that Poland will become better, more developed and people will be more open to others and to new ideas but I personally don't see my future here, I would much rather live in a warmer place ;) and somewhere where people are more tolerant and nice. Every country has its flaws but that's why we can choose where we want to live and I love that the world is so open for us :)
That is why i wouldn't have any problems moving anywhere else because my true home is where my family at. I had many friends from many ethnicities and never i had problem communicating with them or have a grudge on whole nation. More than that, i do want to live somewhere else for some amount of time because of how exciting and educating it is when you go somewhere else.
I don't know yet where would i go, definitely somewhere with colder temperatures because i hate extreme heat (so italy and spain are not on my list). I thought of america or canada or even sweeden, but it depends on if i find work in there or maybe something to study too. I was thinking about going to Russia at some point, but i was disconnected for some time and i can get back at the same tempo which is currently in western Russia, maybe ill live there when i am old and have grandkids, somewhere in syberia, far away of all troubles of the world.
Being "cold" towards immigrants who don't assimilate is a good thing as large miniorites inisde nation always weakens the country.
I must say you have a very positive view on the future of our world and our species. Think about it, some sane people will believe we need to work on space travel, some on the other hand will insist that first we should solve energy problems, end hunger or fight diseases. Of course it's only a theory, but that's enough subjects to start arguing about and divide. Which one is most important? Which one should we concentrate on first? Not to mention that we aren't machines and we have emotions that drive us to do those (often great) things. This emotions can cause trouble too.
Have you ever experienced something similar?
Have you ever accommodated to your new home?
If you decided to emigrate, where would you go?
I am living abroad now for almost half a year. In some way I accommodated to my new home as it is place where I am living for the last 6 months. I think I would like to go to Canada, well, at least to see what it is and then maybe make a decision.
However, when i said cold it was not targeted at those group, I'm speaking about anyone else who can respect the tradition and culture. Yet i still view nationalism as something that blinds people if it's too high.
I had to accomodate to my new home as I moved to Warsaw and it was really easy to me. I feel something weird when I'm traveling back to my family house.
If I decided to emigrate I would probably go to USA, Canada, Spain or maybe some Asian country like China or Japan. For sure I would emigrate to get better, more meaningful job.
No, but im thinking about it in near future.
Have you ever experienced something similar?
Not yet.
Have you ever accommodated to your new home?
I acommodated to my old flat ;p It might sound strange, but when I was 12, I moved with my parents to new one in a different part of Warsaw. First removal wasnt really a challanging one when it comes to acommodation - I quickly adjusted to a new home. About a year ago I moved back to my old, but renovated flat. The renovation was so radical that I felt like it was the new one.
If you decided to emigrate, where would you go?
Probably to Germany, because a lot of my family members live there.
Connection to the last sentence in the first paragraph I have read good words about compleining of losing job to the immigrants:
"If someone without language, without connections, friends, without knowledge about culture or custom - stole your job, so maybe you should think and work more about yourself?". But it is obvious that someone in his country and homeland want to earn more than immigrant. But employers want to pay less for easy job.
I've never lived abroad for a long period of time (I have never moved, as the matter of fact), but I have been travelling around USA for a month. I missed Warsaw for all the reasons I've listed above and I felt good when I came back, even if I really enjoyed my trip.
If I decided to emigrate, I would like to live somewhere where it is easy to do everything and all the things I need are near me (gym, supermarket, groceries, restaurants, parks, schools etc.). I need the atmosphere of a big city around me, so I would prefer to live someplace like Paris, New York, San Francisco, Oslo...
I have a friend that moves every two years, just because he loves decorating his flat and has so many ideas that he needs a new place after he finishes the old one. This is one crazy idea for a person like me, attached to my home and my stuff, but he really enjoys it.
But now, after traveling a little bit, I'm sure that there is no better place than homeland. However I would like to change Piaseczno for Warsaw, but still its area of homeland. I think its because people are getting used to where they have grown up
Have you ever experienced something similar?
Have you ever accommodated to your new home?
If you decided to emigrate, where would you go?
I lived in Morocco for 4 years and it became my 2nd home. When I was in Rabat, I was homesick to Poland, but living in Warsaw now I miss Morocco a lot. 4 years is a long time so I had my friends there, my favorite places, foods, my entire life. Even after a couple of years since I got back to Poland, I feel like I belong there just as well as I do here. If I was to move abroad someday, I would probably chose a different country, just because I would like to experience a new culture.
It all depends on your expectations regarding your homeland I guess. Same goes for people, each country is different and people are different so if you are an open person maybe its better to live in Spain or Italy and so on.