Back to the blog!

Witaj!

After two weeks away from the project following a nightmare house move, and a long weekend away, I'm back and feeling full of inspiration since attending the 'Children, Families and the Migration Experience: Opportunities and Challenges' conference at Middlesex University on 21st May 2010.

For more information about the conference and the ESRC project leading into the conference please go to:
http://www.esrcsocietytoday.ac.uk/ESRCInfoCentre/Minisites/polishpupils

It seems to me that the research field on Polish migrant families in the UK is vast growing, and I'm sure all my colleagues and friends in this field will support me in saying that I hope policy provisions /revisions coming out of this research will soon begin to have a positive impact on the lives and wellbeing of Poles in the UK.

I was particularly taken by the work being conducted by Paulina Pustulka from Jagiellonian University, Cracow, who looks at Polish mothers in Belfast. I also enjoyed and very much respected the presentation by Alexandra Kaczmarek-Day from the University of Cardiff, who is looking at the aspirations and fears of Polish parents in Wales.

Time, I think, to really press on with finding out about Polish families here in the North East so that there's a good representation in the research from this region too. So if you haven't already signed up to take part in my study, please do so now! visit: http://polishfamiliesnewcastle.blogspot.com/p/take-part-in-this-study.html.

On that note I leave you with a very region specific image taken of the Tyne River from the air (or more precisely on a recent Northumbria helicopter ride (you can buy rides at: http://www.northumbria-helicopters.co.uk, and they're amazing!).

Thanks Readers, Rachel

Łódź ya know?

Drodzy przyjaciele

Dzięki Wam za czekacie cierpliwie na mój post.
Życie było zajęte kiedy moje dziecko było źle z ‘norovirus’.
Teraz wiem, jak to jest być niepokój rodziców. Martwiałam się o niego- po raz pierwszy został właściwie złego.
Teraz dziecko wraca do normy i więc wspina się na mojej nogawki lub na kanapie!


Dear readers,

Thank you for waiting patiently for me to update my blog.
Life has been very hectic recently as my baby has been unwell with a norovirus. Now I know how it feels to be an anxious parent. I was so worried about him as it’s the first time he’s been properly ill. He’s back to normal now though, finally, and trying to swing off my trouser leg or climb the sofa!

Then last week I worked hard helping to translate 2B into English, not just the English summary this month, but the whole edition of 2B will be in English. People in North East are very interested in what their Polish community has to say, so by translating 2B we hope to offer some insight. If you would like to read my English summaries of 2B, please go to: http://polishfamiliesnewcastle.blogspot.com/p/english-summaries-for-2b.html

And watch this space for our next edition: http://www.2b.nepco.org.uk/

My research is going well. I’m really enjoying it. I’m starting my interviews this month, so if you would like to take part, please do contact me:
http://polishfamiliesnewcastle.blogspot.com/p/take-part-in-this-study.html

I put an advertisement on PolNews yesterday about my photostream and Polish group, and today I have had lots of welcome emails and comments about my work, so thank you for these and please keep them coming!

I’ve been concentrating on the city centre of Newcastle recently. I’ve found some brilliant references to the Polish community, including Gospoda’s kitsch advertising in Princess Square, which really brightens up and enriches that side of Newcastle, and in Heaton it was great to find a Polish car novelty; it made my Easter seeing the Polska shirt hanging from a windscreen!

Speaking of Easter, I hope you all had a wonderful holiday weekend. I know that many of you return to Poland to see family over Easter. I am very jealous; two years ago I spent my Easter in Gdansk- I love this part of Poland. Currently I am in the process of booking my summer holiday to Poland. This year I think I will go to Łódź, as I hear it has exciting modernist architecture.

Yeah! Go Łódź for the 2016 European Capital of Culture! You can read more about the Łódź campaign here: http://www.lodz2016.com/. I really hope Łódź gets the title.

If you would like to read about my travels to Poland, please go to this page:

http://polishfamiliesnewcastle.blogspot.com/p/angielka-w-polsce.html


As always, sorry about my mistakes in Polish.

I will update soon with more news.

Rachel


Link to Polnews announcement here:
http://www.polnews.co.uk/forum/zdjec-o-polskiej-spolecznosci-vt15605.htm
View my Gumtree advertisement here:
http://newcastle.gumtree.com/newcastle/90/56474190.html
Join the Polish Newcastle Flickr group here:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/polishnewcastle