wogóle to z tymi targami pracy i generalnie wszystko jest teraz tak śmiesznie. Życie potrafi być zaskakujące. Nagle my, Polacy, musimy ratować islandzki raj:
Poland to the Rescue
Just when we thought we had no friends left in the world, help came from the most unexpected of places: Poland.
Unexpected because with Poles being the largest group of immigrants in Iceland, natives are increasingly making negative remarks about them, claiming that they are stealing our jobs, raising crime rates, etc… all nonsense, of course.
A recent study concluded that Poles are actually the most law-abiding group of residents in Iceland. Most employees agree that although the language barrier can prove a problem, Poles are generally honest and hard-working people. As for them stealing our jobs… well, immigrant workers usually take the jobs no one else wants and now with unemployment rates rising, a number of Polish immigrant workers are returning to their home country.
However, I realize that not every Polish citizen is law-abiding, honest and hard-working, no more than such a generalization applies to any other nation. The media tends to play on stereotypes and focus on negative stories leaving readers who lack critical thinking to make general assumptions about the nature of entire nations. (If you ever find that Iceland Review Online is guilty of such reporting—even if we have to rely on the local media for stories—please, let me know.)
Poland is doing well economically at the moment, unlike us, which is also a development not expected by many native Icelanders. And probably because most Poles who migrated to Iceland know what it is like to have little to survive on, they have saved for a rainy day, and hopefully in solid accounts, while Icelanders who were too preoccupied with the rat race spent every dime they had and more.
While many Polish citizens who reside in Iceland are now jumping the sinking ship, planning to enjoy the improved economic situation in their home country, a larger group of Poles has decided to stay in Iceland, a country they have come to love and call their home, and contribute in any way they can to reconstruct Iceland’s economy.
I find that truly noble.
The offer of a loan from Polish authorities to Iceland is not entirely unselfish, considering that they feel responsible for the high number of Poles living in Iceland. But they are also thankful for the opportunity Iceland has offered their people to come work in Iceland while our economy was booming and transfer the money back home.
In the same way, Icelanders should be thankful for the Polish workforce which has contributed to Iceland’s society by processing fish, constructing buildings, caring for the elderly, catering, cooking, cleaning…
And now, the Poles who have decided to stay, who have mastered the language, may become more than blue-collar workers, rise above the working class which many Icelanders have frowned upon, found companies and become employers and offer jobs to unemployed Icelanders, who will now have to do their own dirty work.
Icelanders didn’t used to be above any sort of work and now they may have to get used to the notion again that any type of job will do as long as the bills are paid and the children fed.
So, congratulations on 90 years of independence Poland! With your help, Iceland will become a strong, independent, and hopefully a wiser, nation once again.
ESA – eyglo@icelandreview.com
P.S. I would also like to thank Norway for offering a loan to Iceland and standing by us during these difficult times. Heia Norge!
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