Polish person living in Russia?

Question

I am a soon-to-be collegiate student entering college next school year. I have already made plans to take Russian as a foreign language and am strongly considering visiting Russia for a good amount of time.

The thing is is that I am 100% Polish, born in Poland but raised in the U.S., speak the language fluently, and have an obvious Polish name. I dont know much about the Russian populace's reaction to Poles, but from what I hear it is not so friendly. Would I survive Russian daily life living in Moscow or any other city in Russia as a p***k?

Answer 1

Go for it.  The history of Poland and Russian relations have been troubled to put it mildly.  Your experience there, good or bad, may be the greatest adventure of your lifetime.  You should do it, take plenty of notes, and write a book when you get back.  Try to go with an open mind, listen a lot, and we will all read your book.  Considering all the "bad blood" over the centuries, it would be real great to find there is some light in  the relations between the two countries.

Answer 2

Jan, you have to realize that Poland is much smaller than Russia, and it does not matter to Russians as much as Russia is to Poles. Most likely, no one will even inquire about your heritage, unless you bring it up. You'll just be one of the countless others with a slight baltic accent.

Answer 3

I think you'll be fine.

Just don't wear socks with sandals, THEN, they'll really know.

Answer 4

In fact  not so many Russian know what bad words Polish tell about us. So you will survive  ;)

I have Polish colleagues, and they don't have any problems here. One of them even married Russian girl :) All depends on person, I suppose.

Answer 5

If you speak it, why not?

Answer 6

Jeezy...remember you are not russian in Poland you would be p***k in Russia,here we have no any anger on polaks,just 20% hates one's ball brothers Kochinsky.

Dzenkuyu,lol

Answer 7

I’m neither Russian nor Pole; and I’m fluent in both tongues; so I can compare you both; both nations have many common features – drinking, stealing, boasting, etc. I also know how much prejudiced Poles are against Russians; there’s hardly 1% of that hatred in Russians to Poles of that Poles feel to Russians; I shan’t explain why! If you can overcome that Polish complex of inferiority wrt to Russians they will never discriminate you, too; never bully them! If you ever encounter a Russian bully, just tell him - let’s have a bruderschaft drink, we are Slavs after all. Any bully is sure to melt! (Dawaj wypjem na bruderszaft za moj szczot, my że sławianie!)

▬ Dobrze! Wtedy pan będzie dla nich swojim chłopcem!

Answer 8

hey im 100% percent polish too. Yea, I know what you mean when its comes down to Russians, but if you do move to Moscow or any other part of Russia, just mind your own business and you should be fine.