UNIT 8 -
LEKCJA
8
SOCIAL
LlFE--VISITING WITH
THE
NEIGHBORS
Cultural Notes
Poles are very social
and
outgoing. They visit each
other
on
all
occasions,
rang
ing
from
important
or
traditional
events
(such
as
weddings, christenings, First
Communions, anniversaries, nam e
days,
etc.)
to
informal
parties, usually
held
at
private homes,
and
frequent
"droppinf!
by's"
among
friends. In spite
of
smali
and
crowded apartments,
hardly
a week
passes
in the
life
of
an average Pole
without
some friends stopping
by
to
share a
mealor
a cup
of
tea
and
a chat.
The best
way
to
befriend
a Pole
or
a Polis h
family
is
to
have chi/dren
or
a dog.
Po/es
love
them
and
you
will
see
them
everywhere, especially
in
one
of
the
numerous parks which
abound
in
any
Polish city. Incidentally,
both
chi/dren
and
dogs are usually well-mannered.
If
your
chi/d misbehaves (e.g., doesn't
offer
his/her seat
to
a
pregnant
woman
or
to
an e/der/y person in a park, a streetcar, etc.), he/she
will
be lectured;
if
your
dog /eaves
one
of
those unsightly pudd/es on the sidewalk
and
your
are
identified
as
the
owner,
you'lI
be lectured.
If
you
are invited
to
a Polish home, never
NEVER
come empty-handed.
The
safest presents,
and
surprisingly inexpensive, are f/owers (odd numbers
only
unless
you
offer
a large bunch); chocolate
and
spirits
or
alittle
something
for
chi/dren are
a/so
welcome.
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