Maja:<\/em> Mam w Polsce przyjaci\u00f3\u0142, a w\u0142a\u015bciwie to ju\u017c rodzin\u0119. Ch\u0119tnie tam je\u017cd\u017c\u0119. Niestety udaje mi si\u0119 tak raz do roku.<\/p>\n Ja: A co w tej Polsce robisz, jak ju\u017c tam jedziesz? Raczej w odwiedziny czy pozwiedza\u0107?<\/em><\/p>\n Maja:<\/em> Przede wszystkim z powodu ludzi. I alkoholu.<\/p>\n Ja: Alkoholu?!\u2026 Maju, a jak to si\u0119 sta\u0142o, \u017ce zacz\u0119\u0142a\u015b interesowa\u0107 si\u0119 Polsk\u0105?<\/em><\/p>\n Maja: <\/em>M\u00f3j brat ma dziewczyn\u0119 z Polski, cz\u0119sto w zwi\u0105zku z tym do Polski je\u017adzi. A ja z nim.<\/p>\n Ja: Czy jest co\u015b, co si\u0119 w Polsce fascynuje? Czy raczej chodzi tylko o ludzi?<\/em><\/p>\n Maja: <\/em>Og\u00f3lnie lubi\u0119 ten kraj. Na przyk\u0142ad Pozna\u0144 – to takie drugie Brno. S\u0105 naprawd\u0119 podobne. Do tego ludzie s\u0105 du\u017co milsi ni\u017c Czesi.<\/p>\n Ja: Milsi?\u2026 A jak z nimi rozmawiasz? <\/em><\/p>\n Maja: <\/em>Pr\u00f3bujemy rozmawia\u0107 w mieszance polsko-czeskiej.<\/p>\n Ja: Jak zacz\u0119\u0142a\u015b uczy\u0107 si\u0119 polskiego? <\/em><\/p>\n Maja: No w\u0142a\u015bnie, aby si\u0119 lepiej rozumie\u0107 z Polakami, zapisa\u0142am si\u0119 na dodatkowy przedmiot na studiach. To by\u0142o bardzo \u0142atwe, bo ju\u017c co\u015b zna\u0142am, by\u0142am najlepsza, co mnie jeszcze bardziej motywowa\u0142o do pracy.<\/p>\n Ja: Z kim si\u0119 uczy\u0142a\u015b? Kim byli inni uczniowie?<\/p>\n Maja: Dla wi\u0119kszo\u015bci to by\u0142 przedmiot obowi\u0105zkowy jako dla student\u00f3w innych j\u0119zyk\u00f3w s\u0142owia\u0144skich.<\/p>\n Ja: Polski nie jest zbyt popularnym j\u0119zykiem w Czechach.<\/em><\/p>\n Maja: <\/em>Zbyt wielu ludzi go nie zna, to prawda, ale bardzo wielu stroi sobie z niego \u017carty. Co znowu wydaje mi si\u0119 do\u015b\u0107 g\u0142upie\u2026<\/p>\n Ja: Masz na my\u015bli t\u0119 seri\u0119, kt\u00f3ra by\u0142a znana te\u017c w Polsce? \u017be kaktus to po czesku „pochodowy je\u017c”?\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n Maja: <\/em>Czekaj, jak to by\u0142o? Na przyk\u0142ad kamizelka kuloodporna.<\/em><\/p>\n Ja: Dlaczego to jest zabawne?\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n Maja: Czekaj, ale to prawdziwe s\u0142owo?\u2026 [\u015amieje si\u0119] To zabawne, bo brzmi, jakby ta kamizelka sama strzela\u0142a nabojami. Og\u00f3lnie jednak nie ma a\u017c tyle \u017cart\u00f3w, kt\u00f3re s\u0105 naprawd\u0119 \u015bmieszne. A kamizelk\u0119 przepraszam.<\/p>\n Ja: Kiedy je\u017adzi\u0142a\u015b do Polski – czy co\u015b ci\u0119 zaskoczy\u0142o?<\/em><\/p>\n Maja: <\/em>W drodze?<\/p>\n Ja: Niekoniecznie. W drodze, ale te\u017c ludzie czy sam kraj\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n Maja: <\/em>Poci\u0105g by\u0142 ca\u0142kiem\u2026 ciekawy. Gorszy ni\u017c u nas. Wydawa\u0142 takie dziwne d\u017awi\u0119ki, przypominaj\u0105ce cz\u0142owieka. Znowu drugi poci\u0105g z kolei, z Wroc\u0142awia do Poznania, by\u0142 luksusowy. Podoba\u0142o mi si\u0119 tak\u017ce, \u017ce macie Costu! Jak jest mi smutno, to kupuj\u0119 sobie t\u0119 kaw\u0119 i od razu mi lepiej.<\/p>\n Ja: Co\u015b jeszcze ci\u0119 zaskoczy\u0142o?<\/em><\/p>\n Maja: <\/em>Bardzo zdziwi\u0142y mnie wasze tradycje. Np. na Bo\u017ce Narodzenie, \u017ce na Wigili\u0119 schodzi si\u0119 ca\u0142a – zazwyczaj ogromna – rodzina\u2026 U nas to w wi\u0119kszo\u015bci tylko najbli\u017csza rodzina. Polacy s\u0105 bardziej towarzyscy. U nas tego nie ma. Do tego macie wi\u0119cej \u015bwi\u0105t pa\u0144stwowych!<\/p>\n Ja: Wi\u0119cej \u015bwi\u0105t?<\/em><\/p>\n Maja: <\/em>My\u015bl\u0119 o tych powi\u0105zanych z chrze\u015bcija\u0144stwem. U nas np. dopiero od tego roku wolny jest Wielki Pi\u0105tek. (\u2026) Polacy wydaj\u0105 mi si\u0119 bardziej towarzyscy.<\/p>\n Ja: Jacy s\u0105 wed\u0142ug Ciebie Polacy? Bardzo si\u0119 r\u00f3\u017cni\u0105 od Czech\u00f3w?<\/em><\/p>\n Maja: <\/em>Polacy wydaj\u0105 si\u0119 na pierwszy rzut oka bardziej przyjacielscy. Czesi, jak kogo\u015b poznaj\u0105, szczeg\u00f3lnie kogo\u015b z zagranicy, zachowuj\u0105 wi\u0119kszy dystans, chocia\u017c tak\u017ce oczywi\u015bcie bywaj\u0105 przyjacielscy. Cz\u0119sto potrzebuj\u0105 jednak do tego wi\u0119cej czasu. Polacy od razu przechodz\u0105 do rzeczy – od razu z tob\u0105 rozmawiaj\u0105 albo pij\u0105\u2026<\/p>\n Ja: A jak my\u015blisz, co Czesi my\u015bl\u0105 o Polakach? I na odwr\u00f3t?<\/em><\/p>\n Maja: <\/em>S\u0142ysza\u0142am, \u017ce Polacy ca\u0142kiem Czech\u00f3w lubi\u0105. Chyba jednak nie wiedz\u0105, \u017ce stroimy sobie z nich takie \u017carty\u2026 A my naprawd\u0119 sobie z nich \u017cartujemy. Do tego s\u0105 jeszcze ludzie, kt\u00f3rzy zbyt wiele w g\u0142owach nie maj\u0105, a swoje opinie bior\u0105 z Internetu. M\u00f3wi\u0119 np. o tej aferze z produktami spo\u017cywczymi\u2026<\/p>\n Ja: Jakie najg\u0142upsze stereotypy znasz o Polakach i o Czechach?<\/em><\/p>\n Maja: <\/em>O tym, \u017ce wszyscy Polacy s\u0105 chrze\u015bcijanami. \u017be jest bardzo du\u017co Polonii na \u015bwiecie, kt\u00f3re s\u0105 do\u015b\u0107 zamkni\u0119te. S\u0142ysza\u0142am o tym, \u017ce te spo\u0142eczno\u015bci zbyt si\u0119 nie integruj\u0105, \u017ce s\u0105 zamkni\u0119te, \u017ce ludzie za granic\u0105 mieszkaj\u0105 w gettach, \u017ce nie ucz\u0105 si\u0119 angielskiego\u2026<\/p>\n Ja: To ciekawe, zw\u0142aszcza w kontek\u015bcie aktualnych wydarze\u0144 w Polsce i antyimigranckich nastroj\u00f3w.<\/p>\n Maja: Z tego co pami\u0119tam z moich wyjazd\u00f3w do Londynu, wielu Polak\u00f3w mieszka razem. Inne nacje wynajmuj\u0105 mieszkania i pokoje z innymi, a Polacy – niekoniecznie. Zna\u0142am domy, \u00a0gdzie mieszkali tylko Polacy. To nie jest powszechne. Wyj\u0105tkiem s\u0105 mo\u017ce jeszcze Hiszpanie – ale tych tak\u017ce jest wielu\u2026<\/p>\n Ja: A z jakimi najdziwniejszymi stereotypami o Czechach spotka\u0142a\u015b si\u0119 w Polsce?<\/em><\/p>\n Maja: <\/em>Wszyscy m\u00f3wi\u0105 o tym, \u017ce pijemy strasznie du\u017co piwa. Ale to nie tylko w Polsce. Potem o tym, \u017ce jeste\u015bmy ateistami\u2026 ale to prawda, a nie stereotyp. Potem mamy jeszcze skarpetki w sanda\u0142ach\u2026 ale to chyba nie tylko nasza specjalno\u015b\u0107.<\/p>\n Ja: A na \u015bwiecie? Stereotypy o Czechach?<\/em><\/p>\n Maja: <\/em>Wszystko kr\u0119ci\u0142o si\u0119 dooko\u0142a piwa. Albo, \u017ce Czesi nie umiej\u0105 angielskiego, ale to znowu s\u0142ysz\u0119 cz\u0119sto od Czech\u00f3w. I jest to raczej prawda.<\/p>\n Ja: Czesi ucz\u0105 si\u0119 j\u0119zyk\u00f3w obcych?<\/em><\/p>\n Maja: <\/em>Ucz\u0105 si\u0119, ucz\u0105. Ale i tak Polacy umiej\u0105 angielski du\u017co lepiej.<\/p>\n Ja: Kiedy zaczyna si\u0119 nauka? W pierwszej klasie?<\/em><\/p>\n Maja: Tak, teraz w pierwszej klasie. Wcze\u015bniej by\u0142o od czwartej.<\/p>\n Ja:\u00a0 Co lubisz najbardziej? W Czechach, w Polsce?<\/em><\/p>\n Maja: <\/em>Nie wiem. Tak naprawd\u0119 jest mi oboj\u0119tne, gdzie jestem – wa\u017cne, z kim. Zar\u00f3wno w Polsce, jak i w Czechach lubi\u0119 najbardziej ludzi. Podoba mi si\u0119 te\u017c pogoda, bo jak przyje\u017cd\u017cam, to zawsze jest pi\u0119knie!<\/p>\n Ja: W takim razie pogod\u0119 chyba przywozisz ze sob\u0105. A je\u015bli ju\u017c pytam, co ci si\u0119 najbardziej podoba, to musz\u0119 tak\u017ce zapyta\u0107, co ci si\u0119 nie podoba. Co ci\u0119 w Polsce denerwuje, a co ci\u0119 denerwuje w Czechach?<\/em><\/p>\n Maja: Och, chyba nie znam na tyle Polski, bym mog\u0142a odpowiedzie\u0107 na to pytanie\u2026 Wiem, \u017ce pytasz o polityk\u0119, ale\u2026<\/p>\n Ja: Nie, nie, pytanie jest og\u00f3lne. Ale je\u015bli nie wiesz, to kolejne pytanie, tym razem do\u015b\u0107 filozoficzne. Polska – zach\u00f3d czy wsch\u00f3d?<\/em><\/p>\n Maja: Zach\u00f3d. Tylko tam by\u0142am.<\/p>\n Ja: Ale chodzi mi o to, czy Polska to bardziej wsch\u00f3d czy zach\u00f3d Europy.<\/em><\/p>\n Maja: O, to teraz przypomnia\u0142 mi si\u0119 stereotyp. Polska kojarzy si\u0119 raczej ze wschodem. Aczkolwiek, z tego, co widzia\u0142am, nie jest to prawda. Chocia\u017c prawd\u0105 jest, \u017ce nie widzia\u0142am tego a\u017c tyle. Pozna\u0144, Wroc\u0142aw – dworzec – Gniezno, Toru\u0144\u2026 Bardzo podoba\u0142y mi si\u0119 star\u00f3wki.<\/p>\n Ja: To ostatnie pytanie, mam nadziej\u0119, przyjemne. Jakie jest twoje ulubione miasto w Polsce?<\/em><\/p>\n Maja: Pozna\u0144. Poniewa\u017c jest tam Uniwersytet im. Adama Mickiewicza.<\/p>\n Ja: To bardzo dobra odpowied\u017a. <\/em><\/p>\n Maja: Oczywi\u015bcie z powodu ludzi, znajomych i przyjaci\u00f3\u0142. To m\u00f3j drugi dom.<\/p>\n Ja: Dzi\u0119kuj\u0119 za rozmow\u0119. <\/em><\/p>\n Maja: Chcia\u0142abym na koniec pozdrowi\u0107 mojego brata. I r\u00f3wnie\u017c dzi\u0119kuj\u0119.<\/p>\n ***<\/p>\n Czechs are members of Beer Cup Holders Team and eat a lot of knedlikys with lots of cream while watching hockey. That’s what a typical Czech look like in our imagination. What’s the truth, though? What do Czechs think about themselves? What do they think about Poles and if they do at all? Are you curious what other nations think of Poles? If so, you’re in the right place, as I have just started a new series of interviews about Poland and Czech Republic, and I hope you can find out some of that. The idea behind it is to talk to someone who does not have a clue about Poland, someone who’s already been there and someone who knows us, Poles, quite well. Sounds interesting?<\/p>\n Today I am interviewing Maja, aged 24, a student from Brno. She’s been to Poland a few times already when visiting friends.<\/p>\n Me: What’s your connection to Poland? <\/em><\/p>\n Maja: I have friends, or even a family in Poland. I like going there. Unfortunately I can do so only once a year, more or less.<\/p>\n Me: And what do you do there? Visiting or sightseeing?<\/em><\/p>\n Maja: Visiting, mostly. And drinking, a bit.<\/p>\n Me: Drinking?!\u2026[laughter] Maja, how did you end up being interested in Poland?<\/em><\/p>\n Maja: My brother has a Polish girlfriend, so he goes there a lot. And I go with him.<\/p>\n Me: Is there anything that interests you there? Or is it about people, really?<\/em><\/p>\n Maja: I like Poland in general. Let’s take Pozna\u0144 – it is kind of a second Brno. The cities are very much alike. Plus people are much nicer than Czechs.<\/p>\n Me: Nicer?\u2026 And how do you speak with them?<\/em><\/p>\n Maja: We try using this strange Polish-Czech mix.<\/p>\n Me: Why did you start learning Polish?<\/em><\/p>\n Maja: Well, I wanted to be able to talk to Poles, so I started a Polish course at school. It was a piece of cake, because I already knew some things, and was the best in my class. It was a really strong motivation for me.<\/p>\n Me: Who did you learn with? Who were other students?<\/em><\/p>\n Maja: For most it was a compulsory class as for students of other Slav languages.<\/p>\n Me: Polish isn’t really a very popular language in Czech Republic.<\/em><\/p>\n Maja: Not many people know it, true, but many make fun of it. Which I find a bit silly, really\u2026<\/p>\n Me: Do you mean the series of jokes that Poles also make, e.g. a cactus being supposedly called pochodovy je\u017c in Czech (’walking hedgehog’)?\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n Maja: Wait a sec, how was it? The kamizelka kuloodporna joke (’bulletproof vest’).<\/p>\n Me: Why is it funny?<\/em><\/p>\n Maja: Wait, that’s a real word?\u2026 [laughing] Well, it’s just the idea, it sounds in Czech as if the vest was shooting the bullets itself a bit. Well, there are not so many jokes which are really funny. By the way, sorry for the kamizelka kuloodpora.<\/p>\n Me: When you went to Poland – did anything surprise you?<\/em><\/p>\n Maja: On the way?<\/p>\n Me: Not necessarily. On the way, or the people, or the country\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n Maja: The train was quite\u2026 interesting. Worse than here. It gave some strange noises, a bit as a human being\u2026 so strange\u2026 Then there was the second train, from Wroc\u0142aw to Pozna\u0144, that one was quite luxurious. I also loved that you had Costa! Whenether I’m sad because I leave, I buy a cup of coffee at the Railway Station and I’m better right away.<\/p>\n Me: Did anything else surprise you?<\/em><\/p>\n Maja: I was really astonished at your traditions. I mean, let’s take Christmas and Christmas Eve – the whole family is there! Here it’s mostly only the immediate family. Polish people are more sociable. It’s not like this here. What is more, I think you have more bank holidays.<\/p>\n Me: More holidays?<\/em><\/p>\n Maja: I mean those connected to Christianity. In Czech Republic only since this year we have a bank holiday on Good Friday.<\/p>\n Me: What are Poles like according to you? Are they really that different than Czechs?<\/em><\/p>\n Maja: Poles seem to be more friendly at first sight. Czechs usually keep their distance when they meet someone from abroad. But eventually get along. They just need more time. Poles are much more straightforward – they start talking to you immediately, they want to drink immediately\u2026<\/p>\n Me: What do you think Czechs think of Poles? And vice versa?<\/em><\/p>\n Maja: I hear Poles are quite fond of Czechs. I don’t think they know we make so much fun of them\u2026 and we really do. Plus there are always those people who are not the smartest ones and take all their opinions from the Internet. I mean, think about the scandal with Polish alimentary products\u2026<\/p>\n Me: What are the most stupid stereotypes about Poles and Czechs?<\/em><\/p>\n Maja: I think the one about all Poles being Christians. Or that there are so many Polish communities around the world. I heard they do not integrate in local communities so well, that they rather stay apart, closed; I heard people live in ghettos, that they do not speak any English\u2026<\/p>\n Me: That’s interesting what you say, especially when taking into consideration recent events in Poland and all anti-immigrant moods there right now. <\/em><\/p>\n Maja: From what I can remember from my stays in London, many Poles live together. Other nations rent flats and rooms together, but Poles – not necessarily. I knew houses where only Poles lived. That’s not really common. Well, Spanish people are also an exception – but those are also so many\u2026<\/p>\n Me: And what were the strangest stereotypes about Czechs that you heard in Poland?<\/em><\/p>\n Maja: Everyone talks about how much bear we drink. But that I heard not only in Poland. Then about Czechs being atheists\u2026 but that’s actually true. Then we have the stereotype about socks in sandals\u2026 but I guess that’s not only our speciality.<\/p>\n Me: And abroad? Other stereotypes about Czechs?<\/em><\/p>\n Maja: It goes round and round about the bear, mostly. Or that Czechs cannot speak good English, but that’s what I hear from the Czechs alone. And that’s also true.<\/p>\n Me: Do Czechs learn foreign languages?<\/em><\/p>\n Maja: They do, of course. But Poles can speak English better anyway.<\/p>\n Me: When does the learning start? First grade?<\/em><\/p>\n Maja:\u00a0 Yeah, it’s the first grade now. Earlier it was in fourth.<\/p>\n Me: What do you like the most? In Czech Republic, in Poland?<\/em><\/p>\n Maja: I don’t know. Really, I do not care that much about where I am, what matters is with whom. Both in Poland and in Czech Republic it’s people who I like the most. And the weather in Poland, it’s always so beautiful when I come!<\/p>\n Me: I guess you bring the weather with yourself then. And if I ask what you like the most, I have to ask, what you like the least. What’s really annoying about Poland and Czech Republic?<\/em><\/p>\n Maja: Oh, I don’t think I know Poland well enough to answer that question\u2026 I know you ask about politics, but\u2026<\/p>\n![\"10168014_864441790236748_3153558108531671724_n\"](\"https:\/\/walizkaczerwona.files.wordpress.com\/2016\/02\/10168014_864441790236748_3153558108531671724_n.jpg?w=600\")
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