The World is Changing - Liceo Sesto Properzio

In our school we have found four students who moved to Poland from other countries andlive here till now. We have interviewed them to find out something about their nationalidentity.Trait d’union: What is your nationality?Caroline: I’m Scottish.Kamila: I’m Polish.Trait d’union: What is the nationality of your parents?Caroline: My dad is Scottish and my mum is Polish.Kamila: My dad is Vietnamese and my mum is Polish.Trait d’union: How long have you been living in Poland?Caroline: I was born in Scotland. I moved to Poland when I was 8 and I’ve been living here for nearly 10 years.Kamila: I was born in Poland and I’ve been living here all my life. In Vietnam I was only once.Trait d’union: What made your parents decided to move to Poland?Caroline: I think they wanted to try a different life style. And the weather is better in Poland I suppose. At leastyou know you’re going to proper summer. Not just rain.Kamila: My dad came here to work.Trait d’union: What language do you use at home: with parents, with siblings (brothers/sisters)?Caroline: I talked to my dad in English since he doesn’t speak Polish and I usually speak to my mum in Polish.My half-brother lives in Scotland so we talk in English.Kamila: At home we speak Polish, me and my siblings don’t know the Vietnamese language.Trait d’union: Which country do you feel better in? Why?Caroline: It’s hard to say. I feel good both in Poland and in Scotland, but since I was born in Scotland and Ispent most of my childhood there, so I’ll always feel a stronger bond with Scotland. But I have many amazingfriends in Poland so it’s really hard to decide.Kamila: I feel more comfortable in Poland, mostly because I don’t know the Vietnamese language.Trait d’union: Do you face any prejudices connected with your nationalities?Caroline: I haven’t really had any problems due to my nationality. My friends in Poland sometimes laugh at myaccent, because they find it very hard to understand. Or they like the joke about Scots having deep pockets butshort arms.Kamila: Now not. In the past yes, but it ended in the middle school.Trait d’union: What Poland means to you?Caroline: Well when my parents told me that we’re moving to Poland I thought that my world had collapsed. Ireally hated Poland and I didn’t like talking in Polish. But now after nearly 10 years I feel pretty much at home.Trait d’union: Do you feel more Polish or...?Caroline: I think I feel more Scottish than Polish to tell the truth. I’ve always been proud to be Scottish andalways will be. I love my accents as well So if there is a football match Scotland vs. Poland then you can counton me to be waving the Scottish flag.Kamila: Rather Polish.Trait d’union: If you could combine two cultures: the Polish one and… Which things would you choose? Whatgood elements would you take from the first and the second country?Caroline: I don’t think you can really mix the two together. Well at least that’s my opinion. Both countries havevery unique traditions that can’t be mixed together because both countries have their own history.Kamila: I don’t know the Vietnamese culture well, but I think I would choose the Vietnamese food.Trait d’union: Which holidays do you celebrate? Do you celebrate traditional Polish holidays (Easter,Christmas)?Caroline: Well since I’m living in Poland I take part in all the traditions events. I don’t really agree or like all ofthem, but I respect them because to the people of Poland they are really important.Kamila: I celebrate all Polish holidays. Only New Year I celebrate according to the Vietnamese custom.Trait d’union: Do you keep Polish or … traditions?Caroline: I’m more into Scottish traditions than Polish.Kamila: Definitely Polish.Trait d;union: Sportsmen from which country do you support?Caroline: Scotland forever!!Kamila: I don’t any Vietnamese sportsmen and I’m rather not interested in sport.Trait d’union: What food do you eat at home: Polish or ….?Carolione: I eat whatever my mum cooks or what I cook. Although every time we go to Scotland for a holidayme and my dad buy square sausage.Kamila: I eat two kinds of this food.Trait d’union: Do you connect your future with our country? If not, so with which one?Caroline: Once I finish high school I would like to study at the University of Glasgow. I don’t know yet whereI’m going to live. For all I know I could end up living in Japan.Kamila: I think I will go to United States or England.Trait d’union: What questions are you often asked by others, when they find out about your nationality/twonationalities?Caroline: People usually ask me if I can speak perfect English and which country I prefer.Kamila: Who of my parents is from different country, do they speak in Vietnamese and if I ever been toVietnam.posted on Monday, April 30th, 2012n° 9/2013, page 25