Today (I wrote this text on the 20th of July, 2023), I will write about my love-and-hate relationship with Poland.
The truth is that it’s more love now and used to be more hate. The trend is getting stronger. Why was there more hate in my relationship with Poland? I think it is because our mentality is changing. The truth is that between 1945 and 1989, we were a communist country ruled de facto by the Soviets. The love of vodka is probably one of the most consequential communist Soviet impacts on Poles’ mentality. Economic stagnation in the ’80s was another crucial factor of the Soviets’ influence on my homeland. There was a time when I hated Poland for its greyness, averageness, and melancholic background (both visual and mental). Now I see when I was young, I was wrong. The societal changes that have taken place since then have been remarkable.
We have embraced democracy, our economy has flourished, and our people have become more open and welcoming.
Now, I see something that seemed to me as a disadvantage (with grey, cold, rainy, and snowy weather at the forefront) as a tremendous advantage. I love Poland because people walk in the streets and do not even try to smile at strangers. We do not pretend to show passers-by we are shiny, happy people. I must admit it – I like it. By doing it, we behave naturally. I rarely smile at strangers and do not expect them to give me a smile. For me, it is normal. For many people, it is a sad phenomenon. Still, for me, it is a standard issue. I love the Polish nation for our ability to work hard.
After all, with hard work, we are one of the most rapid economies that have increased since the beginning of the XXI century. In general, I must admit that many Poles passed the test of humanity when they helped the Ukrainian refugees fleeing away their homeland. That will be enough writing for today regarding my love-and-hate relationship with Poland. I am proud to see how far we’ve come, and I am hopeful for the future of our country.
