Homework post for 2E
The USA is a great country. Its nature potential is so rich, it's also one of the richest (if not the richest) countries on Earth. Here you will find a blog published by a Polish immigrant living in Detroit who has produced a hell of a good job. It's like a chronicle which gives an insight into this fast changing country.
TASK: Scan the blog, choose 5/6 topics and write 150-200 words expressing your feelings. What shocked you the most? What did you like the most. What are the similarities and differences between the US and Poland? Deadline November 5th. Enjoy it!
Comments
In almost every sports shops you can buy weapon, for instance machine guns or shotguns. They are avaible to all.
American food is very unhealthy, nevertheless,a lot of people eat it. It contains many calories, which make people fat. I think Polish food is better: it's tasty and healthy.
In America, people can't buy alcohol under the age of 21. They can't even transport the open bottle of alcohol in their car. It's illegal. Americans can be fined or can spend a night in prison for breaking the above law.
America is a paradise for shopoholics. People can afford to buy even the best brand of cosmetics or clothes because they are much cheaper comparing Polish prices.
On 31st October Americans celebrate Halloween. Children dress themselves up and go from door to door and play 'trick or treat' game. Majority choose 'treat' and they give sweets to children.
America seems quite different and odd as it comes to customs and lifestyle.I wish I could visit America and compare life in the USA and Poland basing on my own experience.
Michał Podwysocki
I laughed out loud when I was reading about documents such as driving license. It resembles a kind of mental war between bureaucrat and the petitioner. I thought that Poland is the country with odd laws, but I was wrong.
Then I read about easiness of medicore American's life. It was, well, terrifying. They can do almost everything without leaving home. It's creepy for me to have 5 or 6 phones in home or to have microwaved meal everyday. I wouldn't like to live like that at all.
Prices and salaries – that's an interesting topic. What kind of government allows every inhabitant to buy 6 'Kalasznikov' rifles in exchange for week of work? It's sarcastic, but I would feel strange if all of my neighbours would hide any kind of armament.
When I was superficial reading blog entries I realized that our country isn't that bad. Well, I think that there are things that are beautiful because one cannot possess them. Personally, I wouldn't like to live in USA.
Firstly Americans are more funny, for example when we are standing at cemetary in 1st November the day before they celebrate great and colourfull day – Halloween.
One thing scaries me- food in the USA. I don’t know how they can eat this junky and untasty food, in Poland we also have fast foods but Polish don’t eat them every day and for every meal like do it Americans.
This junky food makes Americans fat and lazy. They are so lazy and they never hurry, they always say:” Take it easy” when Polish want to do many things in one second.
In shops in Poland we must pay not for quality but for brand, in USA prices are smaller and it’s for me unfair.
I found one thing what makes this countries simmilar- we like cunning. This t-shirts which wear teenagers to cheat police- they are great.
In conclusion I think that the USA could be my new home.
I think it's frustrating that houses in Poland are more expensive than in USA. For example the most expensive house in Michigan costs 21mln PLN and in Poland the most expensive house costs 105mln PLN.
I don't know how people in USA can eat so many junk food. It's disgusting. Of course people in Poland eat fast food too but not as much as Americans. It's unhealthy and have a lot of calories and many people are overweight. I my opinion people in the USA are lazier than Polish and they have easier life. For example I was shocked when I read that people in shops can go by trolley all over the shop like disabled people. And if they drop something they don't pick it up. Also shocking was that people can have weapons and buy it in sports shops.
I think that probably to know how is life in USA I should live there for a while.
Krzysiek Konopa
First I'll write about alcohol and driving. Police use very strange test to check if driver was drink or not. Driving in USA would be scary for me.
Next thing is nutrition in this country. When I was reading about prizes of unhealthy, but tasty food, I unterstood why Americans are so fat.
I knew that many afro-americans live in poverty and pathology, but I didn't know that they can shot someone without reason. Or because their skin color. So many afro-americans are racist too.
Americans choose G. W. Bush for prezident. In my opinion he's just stupid person and Americans did mistake, when thay voted for him. But I didn't know that 90% of them supported him after 9/11! Mr. Daniel has great thoughts about war in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Crazy for me is easy access to weapons there. In country where live many different cultures, where afro-americans hate white people and vice versa, where so many people aren't educated well, everyone can buy a funny cheap gun, or rifle! It's strange and scary for me.
America's very interesing country, but people there have different mentality and some of their decisions are strange for me.
In the United States living is easier than in Poland. I was amazed that Americans earn more money and everything is two, three times cheaper; petrol(about 2x), food(1,5x). For example for 4 days salary we can buy a laptop. In Poland it isn't possible for an average citizen. In USA the houses are cheaper too.
The next difference between USA and Poland is the lifestyle of the people. Americans are more optimist. Everybody is happy and smiles. In our country people are more pessimistic. They see more problems in everything.
In America people are allowed to buy alcohol when they are 21 in Poland 18.
In the USA people eat less healthily than in Poland. People eat lots of fast food They have problems with health and weight.
For me it's very surprising that in USA everybody can buy weapon without any permission,
I think that living in USA is maybe easier but I wouldn't like to live there.
Ada S.
As a rich country they try to spent money on good things, for example children and sports. I really like contest between children in age 4-5 in disciplines like baseball or football. It creates sportsmen from the youngest age. Unfortunately I’ve never seen anything like this in Poland.
Everyone knows Americans don’t have time to eat a proper meal. Their best way to eat anything is fast food. It makes them fatter, and fatter. In opposite polish meals are very tasty and healthy, and also our nation has more time to have lunch.
The law in USA makes Americans able to have 0,8 promile alcohol in blood while they’re driving. It’s terrifying, because in Poland you can have ‘only’ 0,2. I think it’s more safely.
In USA you’re able to buy many things in one big store – shopping mall. You can usually buy everything in a good price. In Poland everything is more expensive. What a pity!
The most strange think is availability of weapons. You can buy it in any sport store, with no problem. In Poland it’s impossible, and thank god.
Dominik Szewczyk
First – their life attitude. Actually I like it as it is very positive. According to the author they really make no problems with any thing. I believe it results from parenting and education. They have less duties and are not as nervous as poles. That’s a big plus for them.
Next, there are more and more overweighed people in this country. It is said they’re trying to decrease number of overweighed. But really ? They do nothing. Junk food they eat, driving everywhere by car, sitting everyday in front of TV instead of eating healthy vegetables and maybe riding a bike makes them guilty for their weigh problems.
The thing that really surprises me is their belief in every word published by TV. I know that not everyone has to be educated in every part of life, but answers such as “Hannah!” when they ask about capital of Montana state sound ridiculous. In Poland from the primary school years we are supposed to know at least main cities in our country and capitals of European countries (What all in all isn’t so necessary). Still that’s not what really bothers me... I’m wondering how such a powerful country was raised by such (I’m sorry) silly community ?
Salaries of American gives them opportunities to buy more people than we can with ours. And also the availability of buying weapons or electronic store. It is amazing, how highly developed his country is. According to Mr. Daniel’s notes the saddest thing about USA is the fact that American are prone to manipulations, and they are not resourceful as societies with bigger social problems like Polish and the rest of the Eastern Bloc. Of course they are probably a lot of “normal” American people, but I found out that Poland isn’t as bad place to live as I thought earlier.
He also says about how things are put on shelves in supermarkets. It's not a secret that companies like Coca-Cola, Nestle, Danone pay supermarkets to put their products on shelves which are on our eye level. That's one of the factors which have an influence on our choice.
USA are not that different from Poland. At least not about marketing tricks.
I think it’s a little bit odd that children take only one candy. Sweets are pt outside in a big dish. In our country first person would take everything. People are more possessive and I don’t think so that anybody would give it away just because.
What shocked me too is that children were given poisoned candies or chocolates with nails. It was awful! And robberies... I have to admit it’s common in Poland.
I read part of this blog and I’ve got interested in USA. I knew that this is marvellous country because of its multiplicity and totally different culture. Maybe it’s worth to get to know it better.
What struck me the most is the fact that in almost every sports shop people can buy weapons. They are avaible to all regardless of their age or criminal background.
Moreover, I found the prohibition of possesing the open bottle in their car shocking. I was familiar with the fact that people can't buy alcohol under the age of 21 but being fined by a police for transporting the alcohol seems too rigid to me.
It’s a common knowledge that American food is very unhealthy. Nevertheless, a lot of people eat it.
America is a paradise for shopoholics. People can afford to buy even the best brand of cosmetics or clothes because they are much cheaper comparing Polish prices. It's unfair.
American traditions (like Halloween or Valentine’s Day) seem to be appealing to Europeans that is why more and more Polish celebrate Halloween. In the big cities children dress themselves up and go from door to door and play 'trick or treat' game or organize the Halloween parties.
America seems quite different and odd as it comes to customs and lifestyle. I wish I could visit America and compare life in the USA and Poland basing on the first- hand knowledge.
Michael Podwysocki
I think that young people(below 18-21 years old-like in Poland) have manner to buy alcohol. Some shops selling alcohol under age. But youth can have problems with buying it in both of shops- that is good therefore most of them are immature.
In my opinion it is good when someone’s living and working in America and sends a part payment to for example polish family(because dollar is worth 2,8 PLN) and remaining part of payment is enough to survive (in America).
It’s too many visas in America. If one man want apply for all visas it won’t be enough of life.
Halloween is interesting feast particularly for young people- sumptuously celebrate in America. I have mixed feelings about this holiday.
I think this feast will appear in Poland soon.
Bryl D.
But there are some things we should learn from Americans. Firstly, this is an approach to life. This way known from Bobby McFerrin’s song – Don’t worry, Be happy. People from USA are much more self-confident than us, they have great self-esteem. Most of Americans are happy, smiled, helpful... They set the goals and achieve them. They are much more proactive than Poles. There exists attitude for success, self-development, self-help literature etc. It’s a great value of that nation, which is worth imitating.
Mateusz Pohl