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a-kania-blog · 8 years ago

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Host Country Final Report

Below is my final report that I submitted through blackboard for COMM 300. The pictures will not be in this report on tumblr because I’ve already posted them up here.

POLAND

LOCATION

The host country that I’ve chose is Poland. Poland is located in Central Europe and is bordered by several countries. In the North it’s bordered by the Baltic Sea, south by two mountain ranges known as the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains, west by Germany, and the east by Ukraine and Belarus.

http://www.summitpost.org/images/original/478207.jpg

This is a picture of the Sudetes Mountains located to the south of Poland.

https://koshertravelers.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Carpathian-Mountains4.jpg

This is a picture of the Carpathian Mountains also located in the south of Poland.

http://www.unilang.org/babelbabble/graphs/1/mapa.gif

This picture shows all the countries bordering Poland.

Culture and Traditions

Poles are known to be really attached and proud of their traditions. The share a lot of customs with other Europrean countries. A few things that are shared are Christams trees, Easber bunnies, and April Fools Day. While they do share similar traditions they also have their own. Poles have a festivities like Andrzejki, whichi is known as the Polish St. Andrew Day.[1]

http://www.foreignersinpoland.com/polish-christmas-traditions/

This is a picture of one of the Polish traditions. Pole’s are known to be very religious country. Many of their traditions and customs come from Christianity. Like many American’s Pole’s celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. The night before is called Wigilia and the three week period before the celebration is called advent. [2]

St. Andrew’s Day in Poland has a different meaning then most other countries. The origin of Adrzejki is pagan, but Pole’s applied a Catholic name to be more acceptable for Catholic society. Many years ago, before horoscopes, Andrzejki was used to see the future.

http://murza.pl/kamala/wordpress-proby/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/andrzejki-2013-350x185.jpg

Above is a picture of all the elements that are used in magic during Andrzejki

Capital and Important Cities

The capital of Poland is Warsaw. Warsaw is located in the center of Europe and is at the junction of the trade roads from West to the East and from the North to the South of the continent.[3]

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwj-v9yF6KvTAhUV0IMKHRbSAFoQjRwIBw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mobilecomms-technology.com%2Fprojects%2Fproject4%2Fproject41.html&psig=AFQjCNGAtwyASNe2tMoLoaQW0_0JlNsmTw&ust=1492529554398269

Above is a picture of the Poland’s Capital, Warsaw.

Other major cities to consider to visit when traveling to Poland are Cracow (Krakow), Gdansk, Poznan, Szczecin, and Wroclaw.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiZ1dLD6KvTAhVn2IMKHbWsDjYQjRwIBw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cracowonline.com%2F47%2CFacts_about_Poland.htm&psig=AFQjCNHjcsqBha5GJXn7n6AJkka3Lx2JXw&ust=1492529692919869

Above is a map of the major cities in Poland.

Important History Events

[4]

1. 966 - Baptism of Mieszko I, the first Polish ruler

2. 1025 - Coronation of the first Polish king Boleslaw the Brave

3. 1410 - The Battle of Grunwald against the Teutonic Knights won by the joined armies: Lithuanian and Polish. It was the greatest battle in the Middle Ages.

4. 1772 – The first partition of Poland

5. 1791 –The adoption of the Constitution, the first European constitution

6. 1793 – The second partition of Poland

1795 – The third partition of Poland

1918 – Poland regains its independence

1920 – The Battle of Warsaw called The Miracle at the Vistula

1939 – Germany invades Poland, the beginning of the World War II

1944 - The beginning of the Warsaw Rising

1945 – Yalta Conference

1956 - Poznań Protests against the communist government

1980 – the formation of the Independent Self-governing Trade Union Solidarity with Lech Wałęsa as a leader

1989 – The Round Table Talks

1999 – Poland joins NATO

2004 - Poland enters the European Union

http://www.financepractitioner.com/contentFiles/QF01/1011/326eg2Z//Poland800.png

Above is a timeline of Poland’s history.

Languages

Polish is the most common language spoken. An estimated 97% of Pole’s speak this common language on a daily basis. Other living languages in Poland are German, Ukrainian, Russian, Lithuanian, Armenian, and Romani. In recent years languages such as Vietnamese and Arabic are increasing.[5]

http://inside-poland.com/t/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpwrlangmain.jpg

Above is a few words the convert from our English language to Polish.

Politics

Poland’s system of government of the Republic of Poland, which was defined by the Constitution on April 2, 1997, is based on the principles that there is a separation and balance between legislative, executive and judicial powers.[6] Legislative power is vested in the Sejm and the Senate, executive power is vested in the President of the Republic and the Council of Ministers and judicial power is vest in courts and tribunals.[7]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cf/Zgromadzenie_Narodowe_4_czerwca_2014_Kancelaria_Senatu_03.JPG/250px-Zgromadzenie_Narodowe_4_czerwca_2014_Kancelaria_Senatu_03.JPG

Above shows a meeting of the political parties in Poland.

Here is an interesting article on our government talking about how Poland is important ally for us (http://www.thenews.pl/1/10/Artykul/280280,Trump-confirms-Warsaw-as-important-ally-in-talks-with-Polish-president ).

http://www.aljazeera.com/mritems/imagecache/mbdxxlarge/mritems/Images/2015/10/18/08d69e344d1243caafe1a1faab9139ee_18.jpg

Above is a picture of the 6th elected Presided, President Andrzej Duda.

Religion

The dominant religion in Poland is Catholic with 87.2%, Orthodox at 1.3%, Protestant at .4%, and other .4%. Catholics make the most significant religious group and this religion is a subject studied at school. The most religious parts of Poland are the highlander Podkarpackie region and the Silesia region.

http://l7.alamy.com/zooms/e6b9205e237d4591b5a6cdfdb2382eb6/rynek-glowny-in-rzeszow-rzeszow-podkarpackie-poland-eh81w3.jpg

Above is a Catholic church is Podkarpackie.

One of the most notable individuals that came from Poland was Pope John Paul II (1920-2005). Pope John Paul II was known as a supporter of the ecumenical movement and he played an essential part in the fall of communism in Poland.

https://www.google.com/search?q=silesia+poland&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiw6LKc8KvTAhUS5WMKHZYdD2AQ_AUIBygC&biw=755&bih=744&dpr=1.25#tbm=isch&q=pope+john+paul+ii&imgrc=HFY4cfsxHB3CCM:

Above is a picture of the famous Pope John Paul II.

Politics and Religion

The Catholic Church supported the resistance against the communist regime for 20 years. It was one of the main influences for the fall and defended Poland’s national identity. Poland’s Catholic Church holds closely to conservative patterns and pursues its own political aims.[8]

In the last 25 years the rate of young people going to church has dropped 18%. Illegal abortions have run into the hundreds of thousands each year. 4/5’s of Poles are bothered by the fact the church regularly intervenes in politics.[9]

The Catholic Church has long played a role in the politics of Poland. This dates back to the 18th century, Protestant Prussia, the Orthodox Russian Empire and Austria divided up the old aristocratic republic amongst themselves. The Catholic faith served as the glue binding together Poles in the divided regions, and church kept the idea reunification alive.[10]

Until 1989 the church portrayed itself as a national blwark against communism, which was considered “un-Polish. However, it helped organize the resistance movement amoung dockworkers in the 1970’s and 1980’s, which in turn lead to the fall of communism.[11]

The Church has attempted to influence broadcast law. Agreements with the government and Polish Radio and Television gave the church favorable access to electronic media as early as mid 1989, after the fall of communism. The Church pays less than commercial stations for its radio licenses.[12]

Since the fall of communism the church has failed to keep with the modern age and in turn their influences in the political word are not as strong as they once were.

Below shows an estimated 30,000 people participating in Poland’s Independence Day which is November 11th. Each year they celebrate the restoration of Poland’s sovereignty as the Second Polish Republic in 1918.

http://img.112.international/original/2015/11/11/193509.jpg

Social Classes

Poland has four main classes.

1. Upper Class - highly qualified specialist, owners fo large companies, senior government officials, politicians, artists, scientist

2. Middle Class - the owners of small and medium sized enterprises, skilled workers, merchants and craftsmen, academics.

3. Lower Class - the owners of small farms, workers, the unemployed, unskilled workers.

4. Under Class - people permanently living on unemployment benefits.

As you can see the Pole’s have a similar class style as Americans, however some of their lower class would be in our middle class and some of their middle class would be in our upper class. The Polish class system seems to be opened.

Gender Roles

After World War II women were given more equal status with men and were expected to work and contribute to the labor force. With Communist control women’s gender roles began shifting from strict traditional roles, where they spent most of the time attending to household chores, to more modern roles, they were expected to be employed. This trend continued until 1989, when Poland became a free democratic nation. After the end of communism women’s gender roles are strongly influenced by the social norm of a strong feminine presence in the workforce.[13]

With Poland’s modern female gender roles concerning women’s involvement in labor, Poland still has traces of unequal, traditional gender roles. Men are to become educated, work and only contribute occasionally to the household chores and duties. Women are expected to undergo most of the household responsibilities on their own. Polish men enjoy much more leisure time than Polish women. Men also earn a higher income.[14]

Important Media Stations

Until 1989 Poland had only on broadcaster “Polish Radio and Television” which was operated by the state. Once communism came to an end the structure changed. Polish Radio was separated from Polish Television and both were reconstructed into public service organizations.

Television

Television was introduced to Poland in 1937. Color television was introduced in 1971. The top 10 television station in Poland are: Polsat, TVP1, TVN, TVP2, TVN24, TV4, TVN7, TVP Info, TVP Puls, and Puls 2. Polsat which is one of the biggest was found in December 5, 1992 by Zygmunt Solorz-Zak. Polsat belongs to Polsat Group which also owns other channels.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/60/Logo_Polsat.svg/1005px-Logo_Polsat.svg.png

Above is the logo of one of the most popular stations in Poland.

Radio

Some radio stations from Poland are Baby Radio, Disco Polo FM, Hit Radio, House Radio, and Polish Radio London.

http://media.148apps.com/screenshots/1138341561/us-iphone-1-poland-radio-free-live-poland-radio-stations.jpeg

Above are some more radio stations.

Newspaper

Fakt, Gazeta Wyborcza, Super Express, Rzeczpospolita, Dziennik Gazeta Prawna, and Przeglad Sportowy are some of the biggest national daily newpapers in Poland.

http://img.kiosko.net/2010/01/23/pl/fakt.750.jpg

This is the front of one of the most popular newspapers the Fakt.

The Fakt has only been around since 2003, but has came very popular with the Pole’s. It’s a tabloid style daily newspaper which seems to do well with the Poles.

Film

The Polish film industry is nothing compared to the United States, however they still produce some films. In recent years films are dramas and romantic comedies. Some popular films from Poland are Ida (2013), Escape from the Liberty Cinema (1990), and A Short Film about Love (1989).

Although Ida was filmed in 2013 it was shot in black and white. It is about a young woman on the verge of taking vows as a Catholic nun. Orphaned as an infant she must now meet her aunt who is the former Communist state prosecutor and only surviving relative tells her that her parents were Jewish. The two women embark on a road trip into the Polish countryside to learn the fate of their family.[15]

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNjk3NDkzMzMtMGM3MS00YmJkLTkwNmMtZjU5ZWIyNTkzMjJkXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTAwMzUyOTc@._V1_UX182_CR0,0,182,268_AL_.jpg

Below is a link to the trailer.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2718492/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

Ida received a nomination from Hollywood Foreign Press Association at the 72nd Golden Globe Awards.

I also found the below polish video to be very entertaining. It was a very thought out commercial and it shows how determined a man is to see and talk to the ones he loves ( https://youtu.be/tU5Rnd-HM6A )

Food

One of the famous foods that Pole’s love is Baranina or as we know it mutton. The meat of a first year sheep is called a lamb, but the meat of an adult sheep is called mutton or in Poland Baranina. Other famous known foods from Poland are bigos and pierogi. Pierogi’s are probably the most common for thing that American’s eat from Poland.

One of the national and traditional Polish courses is Bigos. Bigos is labeled as a must eat for tourist. It’s a stewed dish made from cabbage as a main ingredient.

Below is a link to a youtube video showing how to make Bigos.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrEvGZNnzjk

http://www.dvo.com/newsletter/monthly/2016/april/images/tabletalk11.jpg

Above is what a pierogi looks like.

The Polish daily meal depends on the family and the season; however it usually starts with breakfast eaten between 4 and 8 am. Between 9 and 11 people may have a second breakfast similar to an American bag lunch. Dinner is considered the main meal of the day and is served between 1 and 5 in the afternoon. Dinner contributes to about 40 to 45 percent of the daily calorie intake.[16]

The most solemn family gathering of the year is the Christmas Eve supper. Family gather to share the oplatek, a thin white wafer sometimes called angel bread.[17]

http://www.workwithsounds.eu/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/oplatek-940x504.jpg

Above shows a Polish family sharing an oplatek on Christmas Eve.

He is a blog that I found interesting, it’s about the best polish foods to try while visiting. It’s always fun to try new foods from different cultures ( https://migrationology.com/best-polish-foods/).

Manners and Etiquette

Greetings can have different meanings in different cultures. Below is a great blog describing the different greetings when dealing with the local poles traveling aboard.

http://blogs.transparent.com/polish/meeting-greetingleaving-what-to-say/

After talking to a few Poles they tend to greet very similar to Americans. Shaking hands, taking off one’s headgear (hat) for a moment, raising one’s open hand up, nodding one’s head, giving somebody a five, smile, kissing somebody’s hand (a man kisses a woman’s hand), kissing one’s cheeks (a man and a woman), and embracing/hugging.

Hospitality is a very important aspect of the Polish culture. Traditions as being welcomed with bread and salt prove the Poles are excellent hosts. To receive this hospitality thre are some rules and etiquette you should learn.[18]

Poles are extremely kind hearted with a strong sense of duty towards each other and their family. Showing special consideration to senior citizens and less abled people are extremely important to Poles. To address Poles properly you need to use “Pan” for men and “Pani” for women together with their surname. It’s not custom to call people by their first name until they become good friends.

Entering housing require you to take off your shoes and don’t ask for a tour of the house, it’s considered rude. Only start eating dinner when the hostess invites you to do so. Alcohol is usually consumed at dinner. If you do not want any you will be saying no a lot.

Currency

Polish currency which is called Zloty.1 Zloty is equivalent to 25 U.S. cents. Zloty dates back to the Middle Ages and initially the name was used for all kinds of foreign gold coins used in Poland. As a result of inflation in the mid 1990’s the currency underwent redenomination. On January 1, 1995 10,000 old zlotych became one new zloty. Since the change the currency has been relatively stable.

http://famouswonders.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/polish-zloty.jpg

Traveling

The renaissance castle below is known as the Pieskowa Skata Castle located in the town of Suloszowa, Poland. It has been rebuilt several times over the centuries. In 1377 the first renovation was started.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/37034324@N05/8105713311

When people think of Poland they think cold and snowy. But looking at the below peninsula known as the Hel Peninsula you will see this is not the case. The Hel Peninsula is located in the Northern part of Poland. It is approximately 35 km long. It is known for the battle fought during World War II. The battle is known as one of the longest during the invasion of Poland.

https://isocarp.org/app/uploads/2014/08/c17a7355a7.jpg

After learning about the above peninsula I started thinking about Poland’s weather. I was able to find the below link and this guy discusses what to expect when it comes to the weather. This is extremely important information to have when traveling because it will help you figure out what you need to pack. https://youtu.be/WKA4w5nuo0U

I’ve also collect some great blogs that would help when traveling there. One of the blog’s that I collect talks about where it’s not safe to travel while visiting Poland( https://erasmusu.com/en/erasmus-blog/main/is-poland-an-unsafe-country-130170 ). I think this is extremely important to know when going to an unfamiliar place, especially when you don’t know anyone and can’t really understand the language. The last blog that I posted on my Tumblr account was about what and where to travel to while in Poland ( http://charlieontravel.com/a-backpackers-route-poland/ ). They went on to talk about the interesting spots that would be cool to see.

Music

I was able to find a few polish music videos that I found entertaining. I have no clue what they are saying, but the music sounds pretty good (https://youtu.be/jR6udHTC5BE ) (https://youtu.be/NcqiwNdOf6Y ) (https://youtu.be/riTmUdxgCh4 ) . Then genre’s sound like pop/rock. Apparently these artist are known throughout Poland.

http://media.jastrzabpost.pl/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/All-ONS_1783230-Edyta_Gorniak.jpg

Above is a picture of Edyta Gorniak who is a famous singer from Poland.

News Articles

Here are a few news articles that I found interesting dealing with Poland.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/poland-marks-anniversary-presidents-death-plane-crash-065217265.html

https://dvsgaming.org/creator-of-the-witcher-series-doesnt-receive-royalties-for-game/

http://www.thenews.pl/1/9/Artykul/302960,Poland-to-increase-funding-for-public-broadcasters-by-tightening-licencing

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/09/realestate/real-estate-in-poland.html?_r=0

http://www.nbc29.com/story/35040339/teachers-across-poland-strike-to-protest-education-overhaul

http://www.thenews.pl/1/11/Artykul/301483,Poland-and-Ukraine-to-strengthen-ties-in-higher-education

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-nato-russia-idUSKBN16R1FV

Final Essay

Traveling to different countries can be a great experience, but being prepared for your travels can make or break that experience. Doing the proper research before traveling to your destination is extremely important. Knowing the traditions, culture, languages, currency, and place to go and not to go are only the beginning.

From doing this project I’ve learned several interesting things about Poland. In a lot of ways Poland is like the United States and in a lot of ways it is not. Unlike the United States Poland has been around for a lot longer. Their traditions are extremely important to them and knowing them will benefit your trip.

Pole’s had been under communist rule for a while, but have only recently had a form of government similar to ours. When I say recently I mean around thirty years. Within the past thirty years a lot has changed. They have elected their 6th President, President Andrzej Duda, and changed their currency rates to make it more stable. While Poland is older than the United States it’s still in its infancy when becoming a free country.

With the history of Poland there are many places to travel. Warsaw, the capital of Poland, is one that has to be on your list. The city has the Wilanow Palace as well as old Town and museums. Krakow, is another popular destination to travel to. Here you can visit the Gothic Wawel Castle and fresh up on your Jewish history. Wroclaw, which is the fourth largest city in Poland, was built in the medieval period and the city covers several islands and has a very unique architecture. If unique architecture is your thing then this is the place to visit.

While Poland is considered the 24th safest country in the world there are some unsafe places where tourist should not go. Make sure you do your research and know the areas that tourist need to stay away. I suggest finding a blog by a traveler that’s been to your country. Their experiences could help you figure out where to go and not.

Currency is another big issue. Not knowing the exchange rate could put you in a bind. For instance Poland’s currency, Known as Zloty, is not the same as the United States. 1 Zloty, which is the equivalent to the US dollar, equals 25 US cent.

Weather is another important issue when traveling. Poland’s climate consists of warm summers, cool and sunny autumns, and cold winters. Snow covers the mountains in south Poland from mid December to April and rain falls all year long. You will need to pack accordingly depending on the month and destination in Poland you are going.

When it comes to Poland’s clothing they are inspired by other nearby European countries, including Italy and France. Bold colors are extremely fashionable in Poland, including colors like neon yellow. Pol

Let’s face it learning the language of the country that you travel to will be nearly impossible, but you can learn the basics like hello, no, yes, please, and thank you. Knowing these few simple words may help you more than you think. Non verbal gestures are extremely important as well. Some countries have emblems that have opposite meanings. For instance thumbs up in the United States means good to go, while in another country it could be like giving the middle finger. Luckily Pole’s have most of the same non verbal greetings as we do, so that shouldn’t me too big of an issue. Use this link to get more information about the verbal and non verbal communication styles for Poles https://www.international.gc.ca/cil-cai/country_insights-apercus_pays/ci-ic_pl.aspx?lang=eng .

Culture, tradition, and etiquette are really important. If you ever get invited to a Pole’s house make sure you take your shoes off. NEVER as to get a tour of the house, this is considered rude to the Pole’s. Always wait for the host to tell you when to eat and not just assume if it’s in front of you that it’s ready to eat. And last be prepared to drink Pole’s love their vodka and most of the time they will be drinking at meals. If you don’t want to drink be prepare to say NO a lot, but remember to say it in a nice polite way.

The majority of Pole’s are Catholic, 95% to be exact, and if you are not it’s ok. The Catholic church has a lot of influence in Poland. Their influence has been getting smaller due to the fact the younger Pole’s have stopped going to church, an estimated 18% in twenty years.

Poles sense of humor is not like the United States. It seems to be an acquired taste and takes some time to adapt to. Poles tend to rub it in more so than Americans.

Poland seems to be a great place to visit. Make sure you do your research before you go. Have a plan and make sure you enjoy yourself.

[1] http://www.foreignersinpoland.com/traditions-manners/

[2] http://www.foreignersinpoland.com/polish-christmas-traditions/

[3] https://www.poland.travel/en/cities-towns/warsaw-capital-of-poland

[4] http://www.asihs.org/mistich/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=66:historical-events-in-poland&catid=73:description-of-poland&Itemid=79

[5] https://www.redlinels.com/languages-spoken-in-poland/

[6] http://www.president.pl/en/about-poland/polish-political-system/

[7] http://www.president.pl/en/about-poland/polish-political-system/

[8] http://archiv.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/archiv/magazin/gesellschaft-verteilerseite/religion/religion_polen/

[9] http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/influence-of-catholic-church-on-the-decline-in-poland-a-843694.html

[10] http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/influence-of-catholic-church-on-the-decline-in-poland-a-843694.html

[11] http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/influence-of-catholic-church-on-the-decline-in-poland-a-843694.html

[12] http://www.pressreference.com/No-Sa/Poland.html

[13] http://maltmanspoland.weebly.com/1/post/2013/10/gender-roles-in-poland.html

[14] http://maltmanspoland.weebly.com/1/post/2013/10/gender-roles-in-poland.html

[15] http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2718492/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

[16] http://www.everyculture.com/No-Sa/Poland.html

[17] http://www.everyculture.com/No-Sa/Poland.html

[18] https://www.justlanded.com/english/Poland/Poland-Guide/Culture/Polish-manners-etiquette

#COMM300 POLAND POLES POLISH HOSTCOUNTRY @TRAVELING

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