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Politics and Activism

18 Things That Every Polish American Will Understand

If you're 100% Polish you know these are all true

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18 Things That Every Polish American Will Understand
Monica Marzec

Growing up as a Polish American there are some things that are just so true because we have all experienced them. By not being totally American and not being totally Polish, we get the best of both worlds. From Polish school to Jan Pawel II, these are just some of the identifiers that we grew up with.

1. Saturdays are for Polish school

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Whether you want to go or not isn't up to you. This made Friday night sleepovers nonexistent for basically your whole childhood and preteenhood. Forget doing anything fun on Fridays because you ALWAYS had to wake up early and finish doing last week's homework.

2. Your friends never understood your parents’ accent

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All your non Polish friends are guilty of the smile and nod when being asked anything by your parents.

3. Every summer you went to Poland to visit your family

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Nothing like flying LOT airlines the day after school ends to see your family. Every year you meet a new aunt or uncle or family friend you never met before (where do they seem to spawn from?!). Everyone is always excited to see you because you're coming from America.

4. You know your mushrooms

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If you've spent a summer in Poland, chances are you went mushroom picking. You always had that uncle that would tell you that muchomory are poisonous, so just take a picture but do not touch.

5. Babcia taught you how to make pierogi

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Babcia is always cooking but teaching you to make pierogi is a sacred rite of passage because even though you live in America, you cannot forget you are Polish. After a few hours, you have enough pierogi to feed a small army and dinner to last the next few days.

6. Communism

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Somehow this is a topic that always comes up during family dinners… or when you want something and get a lecture how your parents didn't have anything during communism.

7. You know your Disco Polo

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You do not know how people still listen to this but whenever it comes on you sing all the words to it.

8. Babcia will keep feeding you because you are never full in her eyes

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9. You have your American friends and then you have your Polish friends

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Not everyone in your school is Polish so naturally you have your American friends that just do not get your Polish parents or why you have to go to Polish school. Regardless, having two groups of friends is awesome because some there are some things that your American friends will just never get if they're not Polish.

10. Krowki are life and you always have a secret stash of them somewhere

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11. Everyone has a picture of pope John Paul II in their house

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Are you even Polish if you do not have a picture of the Polish pope in your house?

12. Whenever someone mentions Poland in school or public you immediately begin to pay attention

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"Yes I'm Polish"

13. Translating things from Polish to English is sometimes challenging

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Sometimes Polish words do not translate to English the same way. For example, why is stuffed cabbage called pigeon? Why is a chocolate dipped marshmallow called bird's milk? We have so many questions...

14. Just because your Polish everyone assumes you’re a raging alcoholic

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I mean, they are not entirely wrong because vodka almost sounds the same as the Polish word for water. Coincidence? I think not.

15. Just like Saturdays are for Polish school, Sundays are for church

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As a Polish American youth, you do not have the luxury of sleeping in on weekends because you either have Polish school or church. And God forbid you are late to either, wstyd.

16. Everyone has the same leather kapcie

Image: KAPCIE GÓRALSKIE SKÓRZANE DAMSKIE LACZKI SKÓRA 38 7304975839 ...

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You do not know where they come from or how they make a size for everyone, but you always have to wear them because if you walk barefoot on the floor, you will get pneumonia.

17. You speak Polish whenever you’re in public but want to talk about someone

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Whether you're at Home Goods with mama and you see someone you used to know and start gossiping about them, or you're with your Polish friends and you're talking about your crush who just happened to walk in, Polish comes in handy.

18. Your mom is always cleaning

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You are not allowed to be in the room she just cleaned because she literally vacuumed everything including the cat and the picture frames. The living room is for show, not for living!!!!

Regardless of everything, you would not change being Polish for anything.

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
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