Polish football traditions still alive in Honduras

Since the 70s and 80s, Polish national football team, aka national soccer team for all of you Americans, hasn't really accomplished any memorable victories. As a nation of avid football fans, Poles are devastated with the ongoing lack of achievements given the fact that individual Polish players like Robert Lewandowski, Jakub Błaszczykowski, Wojciech Szczęsny, Łukasz Piszczek, Artur Boruc, or Przemysław Tytoń, just to name a few, are very successful footballers in major European football leagues.  Presumably, an issue of a monetary motivation.

After Poland and Ukraine hosted a very well organized EURO 2012 European Football Championship last year, all excuses about lack of proper venues and young talent are no longer valid.  When the Orlik 2012 program was completed, almost every township in Poland developed a new soccer field available for young players to practice and enhance their skills.  Light of motivation?

But not all hope is lost.  While watching MLS match, Houston Dynamo vs. D.C. United last Sunday, it came to my attention that number 27 from Houston, carries a middle name of one of the most famous Polish players, Zbigniew "Zibi" Boniek.  Yes, it was native Honduran Oscar Boniek Garcia Ramirez and for whatever reason, name on his jersey reads Boniek.  His Twitter account is also @OscarBoniek.  Congrats to his parents recognizing Boniek's talent.  Hopefully, the motivation for Oscar Boniek will increase from his annual $120,000 to something more substantial.  If the Honduran with Polish name playing for US team can't carry Polish football traditions, who can?

2013 Polish picnic at Yorkville, Illinois

Welcome back to Yorkville. This year, the Polish picnic sponsored by Polish Radio 1030 AM and Polish TV station, Polvision, will be held on Sunday, August 11th, from 11:00 AM to the sunset. The star of this year's picnic is a very popular Polish band, Formacja Niezywych Schabuff. It's a funny name and it translates loosely to Dead Pork Chops Formation. The band has been around for 25 years and it has some fine hits. Check it out below.

Other bands include Wishing Well, Przystanek Polskie Granie and DJ Mike. Besides the music, there are activities for kids and adults, games, great food, Polish beer, soccer match, lottery and much much more. This is the largest Polish picnic around Chicago so plan on joining the party! Parking is only $20 per car. Location: Polish National Alliance Youth Camp, 10701 River Rd, Yorkville, IL 60560

Przystanek Woodstock Festival Poland 2013

Over 500,000 people from all over the Europe will join together for three days of music and partying at Woodstock Festival 2013 in Kostrzyn, Poland.  Read more about the festival here.

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Jurek Owsiak started this largest music festival in Poland in 1995. This is the same guy who runs the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity collecting donations for medical equipment for needy kids in Poland. Dates: From Thursday, August 1st through Saturday, August 3rd, 2013 You can watch the festival live at owsiaknet.pl  or YouTube.

 Large stage.
 

Small stage.

Would Poles ridicule Americans for driving tiny Fiat 500?

The irony of a Fiat 500 debut in the North America last year is that the high gasoline prices finally forced middle-class Americans to accept mini cars ridiculed for the last 50 years as European tuna cans on wheels.  Introduction of the Mini Cooper, followed by Smart Car, followed by Honda Fit, followed by Chevy Spark, and many others, flooded the market with new wave of fuel efficient  mini vehicles.

It makes me laugh when I read the Fiat 500 reviews raving about "surprisingly spacious", "retro-adorable", "cute", small car with "personality".  Let's be honest, it's just a small car trying to take advantage of the mysterious youth days of the babyboomers who happened to visit Europe.  And it's not that cheap either. 

What puts even bigger smile on my face is the story of a Polish Fiat 126p produced in Poland (under Italian license) between 1973 and 2000.  The communist government realized that mass produced Fiat will be the answer to wants and needs of Polish families.  And, they were right.  Everyone wanted the orange tuna can on wheels.  Poles would pre-pay for the car and wait years to finally receive one.  Fiat 126p was easy to maintain, rear wheel drive, small car with the engine in the back that you could start with a stick   in case you pulled the metal starter lever too quickly and ripped the metal cable.  You could pack a family of 5 in this thing with half of dozen suitcases on the roof and travel 10 hours to the Baltic Sea and everyone was excited just to be independent. 

Couple of Fiat 126p were imported to Chicago, more for fun than everyday use and only one or two remain in hands of a local car shop owners.  Americans had a blast when they saw one passing by making characteristic engine sound.  Different times, different era. 

Today, the tables have turned.  Americans are lining up to buy small cars and all of a sudden small is cool and trendy.  Would Poles ridicule Americans for driving tiny Fiat 500?  It all depends on the situation of their wallets, here in US, and in Poland.  One thing for sure, Poles who experienced Fiat 126p in Poland are not going back in time.  It was cute while it lasted but believe me, Fiat 500 will not be a new status symbol anytime soon.

  by  Free Photo Fun 

Max Kolonko becoming most popular Polish YouTube persona

YouTube is known for all kinds of wacky videos but from time to time, we find a real gem.  About six months ago, Polish reporter living in New York City, Max Kolonko, launched his MaxTV YouTube channel and instantly became a hit among the Polish community.

What's his secret?  He's motto "I say it how it is", became a catch phrase for his politically incorrect videos.  Why politically incorrect?  Because he reports the facts in an unfiltered fashion, without the major-media fluff, omitting facts, or cutouts.  Poles are tired of a state-controlled media or questionable private media conglomerates, hence the craving for a down-to-earth reporter who will report the news straight up.

Keep them coming Max Kolonko.  Check out some of his videos.

 

Polish code on American car registration plates

While driving around Chicago, you will notice all kids of stickers, bumper stickers, logos, and customized car registration plates.  Every immigrant group has a set of the "secret codes" and so does the Polish community.  The obvious ones, Polish flag and Polish Eagle, are easy to spot but the customized registration plates spelled out in Polish are a different story.

Couple of days ago, I got an interesting one.  Check out the picture below.  It states "PAN BOG 1".  It translates to "Lord God 1".  Who knew?  The Creator is actually Polish.  Like with other things in life, connections, connections, connections.

Registration plate with an interesting message.

Eastern Europeans and British symbiosis

After reading several British online articles, it seems that the Eastern European wave of immigration to Great Britain is still one of the top subjects of the concerned British citizens.  Because of the sheer numbers (800,000 or more), Poles are singled out as the one nationality that is overtaking the fragile British job market. In my previous post "Can Brits accept Poles living in Britain?", I had a chance to discuss the subject with the interested parties.

As a Polish immigrant living in the US for 19 years, I understand the pushback and worries of the native population when it comes to a rapid influx of a foreign culture.  I probably shouldn't mention native population realizing the fate of the native American Indians.  All my Polish friends traveled the same immigrant road so both sides have valid arguments.

Perhaps US is a bit different when it comes to treatment of the immigrants but the struggle of the new immigrants is very similar.  Lack of English language skills, unknown environment, learning how things work, getting around bureaucracy, and homesickness are the roadblocks of every immigrant.

So why are the Brits are so afraid of the new immigrants?

1. They don't understand the culture and language.  All the sz, rz, cz, dz sounds just don't make any sense.
2. They think that the immigrants steal their jobs.  The BIG question is which jobs?
3. They want the immigrants to blend in and fully adopt the British culture.  For the most part the tea time and cucumber sandwich.
4. They are afraid of the whole social warfare system collapse.  I would deflect that worry toward the non-European refugees.  Let's leave it at that.
5. They want the immigrants to pay their fair share of taxes.  I suspect that most of them do already.
6. They can't deal with the increase of the crime.  Statistics dear Watson!

Those are my 6 more important worries.  Feel free to comment and add more below.

Why Brits should be grateful for the new Eastern European immigrants?

1. Kids of the immigrants will basically pay for your retirement. This is a big one.
2. Your aging population will get a healthy kick of working-age, young workers.
3. Your stiff culture will be injected with revitalized and lively traditions.  Get ready for some kielbasa, pierogi, bigos, makowiec, Wielkanoc, Boze Narodzenie, Constituion Day… the list goes on.
4. Your country will save tons of money on trade education since Poland and other counties already paid for the training.  In return, you can spend money on our kids who will repay you in about 50 years.

Recently, BBC came out with a great documentary about Eastern European immigrants in a town of Peterborough.  The best comment: Part 3 @ 5:29.  Watch it and draw your own conclusion.