Name days

Besides birthdays, the Polish celebrate name days ("imieniny"). There has been a time that name days were more popular than birthdays, with bigger celebrations.
Nowadays the birthdays have gained popularity as well, but still many folks celebrate bigger on their respective name day.

There is no such thing in the Netherlands. I knew about it because I worked with many Eastern Europeans in the past. 

Imieniny

"Imieniny" involves the gathering and socialising of friends and family at the celebrant's home, as well as giving gifts and flowers at home and elsewhere, like at the workplace. Calendars here often contain the names celebrated on a given day. If a name is celebrated on more than one day, it is customary to choose the first day after the birthday.

So for example my name. Wincenty being the Polish equivalent:

I celebrate my birthday on the 7th of March. The next possible nameday already is one day after on the 8th.
In fact I know more people who have their birthday and nameday on two consecutive days. So if you would not like it you could pick another date listed. It can be a bit tricky these custom chosen name day dates, you might be too late or early congratulating someone.

Polish legend Ferdek Kiepski also has troubles remembering name days

History
The Name Day has its history in the Polish tradition of naming children after Saints. The importance of the Saints and their Feast Days (the date that the Saint was cannonized) resulted in many parents looking to the local priest or to the Roman Calendar to name their children. They typically chose the name of a Saint that had a Feast Day close to the birth or baptismal date of their child.

Originally the day was for honoring one’s patron saint. But in modern times it is generally a time for parties and gift giving. But it still retains its importance. You should never forget a Name Day. And never forget a gift. A gift, however small, is appropriate.

You will return home with a full stomach, that's for sure!

Spice envelopes

A few days ago I wrote about the home pharmacies in Poland. I would not call it hoarding, but after witnessing the below it starts to look like it...

The Polish and their collections of spice envelopes. Another phenomenon which is really fascinating to see.

The collections come in all varieties.
From neatly ordened: 

To, I need to pick words carefully here, less neatly ordened:

Spice envelopes
(przyprawy w saszetkach, small bags. W torebkach, bigger bags).
Of course the bags of Knorr etcetera are used a lot in Dutch households, but just look at it! They do have a lot don't they? I beg your pardon, WE have a lot don't WE?

Another example that the Polish are taking their cooking very seriously and are curious to other flavors. I really expected a very traditional kitchen with little room for experimenting, but it turned out that it was me who was the traditional one. In Holland we have a saying which goes like: 'What a farmer does not know, he does not eat.'
That was me. Was.

Home pharmacy

A Polish woman does not have a few packs of medicine at home, she has a domowa apteczka (home pharmacy).

Domowa apteczka

The pharmacy industry has a good sales market in Poland. Compared to the Netherlands, people hold a lot more medicaments at home. And when I write a lot I mean a LOT.

Everything neatly categorized. The children department, pain relief, flu medicaments , nose eye and ear drops, cremes, you name it.

I have seen examples of huge baskets (koszyki) packed totally full with pills, powders, sprays and all of that stuff. 

And of course the herbal Polish teas 

against obstipation and nervosity.

A Polish woman wants her family to be healthy, whatever it takes.

People who know me good know that I use a lot of medicine every day, but that 3 month inventory I keep gets nowhere near it. 

My wife will probably disagree, but I noticed there were so many tv commercials praising their medicine here. In the Netherlands this is more linked to flu outbreaks etcetera.

The most hilarious tv ad I have witnessed is the one where someone drinks this magical coughing syrup which goes straight into the lungs.

I would not try that at home...some folks make the joke that it is "Intelligent syrup".
I must admit that I also saw it in the Netherlands when I was younger.

Then, another gem of an advert I saw a fortnight ago. "Magnez dla kobiet" (magnesium for women). It is exactly the same substance as the regular stuff.

I might sound a bit like making fun of it, 

but don't get me wrong. In Poland for instance rutinoscorbin/rutinacol is being used by many people. A natural medicine which prevented me numerous times from getting the flu. It just stopped or became a mild flu. It is not expensive and I am clueless why these pills are not being used in for instance the Netherlands.

I wish you all a healthy 2018.

Supermarket adventures: the early days

Supermarkets in Poland have weird names, such as Biedronka (Ladybug), Żabka (Little frog), Małpka (Little monkey). They sure like their animals don't they?

Biedronka is a very popular low price supermarket. Frog and monkey shops are smaller and you see them every few blocks here in Warsaw.

Around our block we have a Fresh Market and a Frog shop, which are comparable small shops.

Personnel does not speak English. Or does not want to. Or is scared to.
Now, that's what I call a massive challenge when just arriving. However, it was the fastest way to learn the language. The basics at the least.

I thought.

My wife asked me to buy cottage cheese once. So I asked what it would be in Polish. "Serek wiejski" she said. OK, fine. Will find it. In fact, I will not leave that shop without it! Serek I heard of, I knew that ser means cheese, but wiejski? Definitely not cottage.

So I enter this shop, full of determination. Took me about 15 minutes before finding the right area in this 80 m² shop. Brie I recognized, French cheese spreads I saw, but no serek. Let's check one more time I thought, really do not want to ask...

Unfortunately it really wasn't on the shelf and went to the cashier. In the meantime I was thinking how the hell I could ask a question.

So when it was my turn it went something like this:

Me: "Dzień dobry" (Good day)
Cashier: "..." (noticed the fear in her eyes)
Me: "erhm erhm....errrhhm" (what the hell was that cheese name again).
Cashier: "..." (looking like I was from Mars)

With sweaty palms I then rattled out the famous words:

"Serek miejski koniec?"

Cashier: "..." (the queue getting longer)
Me: "Jutro?" (tomorrow?)
Cashier: "..."
Me: "Do widzenia." (goodbye)
Cashier: "..." (totally confused)

So I went home empty handed, also confused. I mean, I said what the name of the product was. With a bit of effort that cashier could have said at least something about its availability.

At home my wife wanted to know what I asked, so I explained the whole story.
She then laughed so hard that her belly must have hurt from it.

What the fuck have I done wrong?

She started to explain that she wanted me to buy what they call "village cheese". That I should have asked for "serek wiejski" not "serek miejski." 

I was still confused, just one letter was different, they must have understood me.

Right?

Well no. Instead of "village cheese finished?" I asked "City cheese finished?"

We still make fun about it when we are in that shop. "Honey you get the bread, I will get the city cheese ok?"

From then I realized that learning the Polish would be a tough cookie. Later I will write about my language school adventures, stay tuned!

Opłatki

Christmas wafer (opłatek, plural opłatki)
A Christmas tradition celebrated during Wigilia (Vigil) on Christmas Eve.

 Opłatek

What are they?
The unleavened wafers are baked from pure wheat flour and water, are usually rectangular in shape and very thin; they are identical in composition to the altar bread used in the Catholic Church.

From a few days before Christmas, you can also buy opłatki on the street, this photo I took at the Metro station in the center.

Family
Before partaking of the Christmas Eve meal, the family gathers around the table. The eldest member holds a large wafer and breaks off a piece to begin the ritual. The remaining wafer is passed on to another member while a prayer for loved ones is said. This continues until everyone at the table has a piece of the wafer. Finally, the family members consume their share quietly.

History
The breaking of the Christmas wafer is a custom that began in Poland in the 10th century and is practiced by people of Polish ancestry around the world. It is considered the most ancient and beloved of Polish traditions.

Where?
In Poland and some parts of Central Europe, these Christmas wafers are dyed and used as ornaments. They are also sent as small trinkets with greeting cards to loved ones who are away from home.

Symbol
They are identical in composition to the altar bread that becomes the Eucharist at the consecration during Mass in Catholic Church. Being only a reminder of the Body of Christ used in private homes, Opłatki lack sanctification by a priest or bishop.
Opłatki also symbolize the unity of the family, the main pillar of society. They also symbolize forgiveness and reconciliation.


All in all a very nice family tradition, I participated for the first time a few days ago. Another Polish tradition under my belt!

It's too late to wish you a Merry Christmas, so let me wish you and your families a happy new year, in good health.

From village to metropole

For the ones who don't know, in the Netherlands I was born and raised in Neede, a village with around 10 thousand inhabitants.

From 10 thousand

Life in Poland has been refreshing so far. We live in a city of 2 million inhabitants (officially), with so many hyper modern buildings, but I remember so many things from my youth strange enough.

To 2 million

In general Polish families are traditional. Some very traditional. I do not want to romanticize things here, but is has been refreshing to me. It is something very hard to describe, it covers all senses really.

Yesterday for instance I smelled something which had me dreaming away to the time I was attending primary school in the Netherlands. Still do not know what I smelled exactly, but it smelled so damn good! And this is happening to me regularly. I can really appreciate these little things.

Rat race
What I despised in the Netherlands the last years was the daily rat race. Don't get me wrong, that same rat race is taking place here, we just need to deal with it. But I now am that one person who does not mind to get overtaken by an elderly lady when I enter the ants nest of Warsaw Central Station. Some of them are pretty damn fast!

Family
Like everywhere on this world, family is important. In Poland family life is a key pillar in society. Eating together, drinking together, laughing together, crying together.

The kitchen
In my perception the kitchen is the
aorta of the family. That's where it happens. It is not just the fact that many Polish women spend more time in the kitchen than I was used to in the Netherlands,
but it is also the place where the family comes together to talk. I can really enjoy these moments. The Polish readers can recognize this I think.

I also learned so much in the kitchen,
saw kitchen appliances I never saw before (some looking pretty dangerous) and got to know Polish dishes and customs. 

Next month I will blog about those, keep an eye on it as it will be interesting to read and see especially for the Dutch readers amongst you.

Stereotypes part II

"The Polish are hard as nails."

Obviously, there are softies everywhere so also here, but in general I cannot disagree with the above mentioned statement.

Winter in Poland

I remember my first winter in Warsaw. On a Sunday, I clearly remember, my wife and I went for a walk. Nothing strange really... besides the fact that it was -22°C.

Extremely cold weather will not stop them from going outside. My second winter had days of -25°C I remember. During the night even a tad colder. I was wondering how they can have a normal birth rate here, as my balls were about to freeze off.

Frozen nasal hair

-25°C with my nasal hair being frozen, that was some experience. First I was not sure what I was feeling, so strange. I asked my wife if she experienced the same, but she did not. Even Polish nasal hair is Baltic proof it seems.

However, when temperatures are dipping after autumn: wear a hat.

Not wearing a hat is asking for trouble. First of all with the wife, mother or grandmother ;-) Second of all, you will get sick.

But seriously, in the Netherlands people start to wear hats at much lower temperatures. But I got used to it and always do. I was used to winters with below zero temperatures in the Netherlands, but only here I started to understand why the head is the number one place to keep warm.

Before it turns really cold, many Varsovian men wear a kaszkiet. Of course I also wear one.

Curious? Keep an eye on the blog!