POLAND III

In this first blog post about my semester in Poland, I will reflect on my first cultural experiences here so far and compare them with my expectations and perceptions from Germany.

When I decided to move to Poland for a semester abroad, it was hard to imagine what to expect. As a neighbouring country to Germany, Poland is not far away, but I had never even considered visiting the country. The first three things that came to my mind before coming to Poland would have been dreary weather, people who like to drink and homophobic politics. That sounds very negative at first glance, but fortunately my image of Poland has changed completely.

The weather does not differ from Germany and after a month here in Warsaw, I have only experienced two rainy days. I was very grateful for the pleasant weather because it gave me the opportunity to explore Warsaw extensively, especially at the beginning of the semester.

My second association with Poland, people who like to drink, was confirmed. Just as beer is rooted in German culture, vodka is rooted in Polish culture. I noticed this the first time I went to the supermarket and saw the spirit’s section. Just as in German supermarkets you usually have a large selection of different beers, in Poland it's the same with vodka. And even in restaurants, you can usually find several different types of vodka on the menu. This is not because Poles like to get drunk, but because it is customary in Poland to have a nightcap after a meal. This is especially true in upscale restaurants. Furthermore, it is noticeable that the bars and nightclubs also have many guests of an upper age. Most revellers are in their twenties, but a surprising number of guests are already between thirty and fifty years old. One would now assume that this phenomenon is only to be observed in certain bars, but many slightly older people can also be found at explicit student events. On the one hand, I personally found this a bit surprising, but on the other hand, it was also inspiring and interesting, because I think it's great that people of different ages go to the same nightclub and have a good time together.

After these and many other positive impressions, I particularly remember a conversation with a gay Polish student that got me thinking. Over the last few years, I had heard about homophobic politics in Poland on the German news. However, it is only since I have been here that I have understood what a big debate homosexuality is in Poland. Homosexuals are a minority in Poland, but in Warsaw you can often see the colourful rainbow flags or posters of the LGBT movement on cafés, bars, and buildings.

The scene is small, but it fights hard. Whether with rainbow flags or with protests. Not only in the capital Warsaw, but also in Wroclaw and other cities, people are taking to the streets. Politicians have rejected any equality for homosexuals for a long time. The Minister of Education, Przemysław Czarnek, was quoted as saying: "These people are not equal to normal people." The society in Poland appears divided. According to a survey, 49 percent of Poles support equal rights for LGBT people. In Germany, the figure is 88 percent. In my conversation with the gay student, I also learned that homosexuality debate is primarily a debate between young and liberal and old and conservative. Most young people accept or at least tolerate the LGBT community. The older people are the less likely you are to meet an LGBT tolerant person. I also learned from him that the smaller the town and the further east in the country you are, the more likely you are to encounter LGBT opponents. This is because smaller towns and the east of the country are even more conservative than the big cities and the west of the country. In small towns and villages, he believes, you would also not see the colourful rainbow flags on the streets. A big influence on homophobic politics is the Christian conservative church, whose followers are mostly old rather than young. The Catholic Church, which still has a lot of power in Poland, fights vehemently against legal recognition of homosexual couples and is supported mainly by right-wing parties. This makes the struggle of homosexuals to get recognition and equality more difficult, but this process has also taken some time in other countries, such as Germany. Therefore, I believe that with the young liberal people and the slow extinction of the old conservative thinking, it is only a matter of time before the LGBT community gets its recognition in Polish society and equal rights under the law.

These were the most concise of my first experiences and differences I have had here in Warsaw so far, but I am sure I will have many more in the coming months.

Florian Drogan, October 2021