Wesołych Świąt Wielkanocnych!

Here's a photo of the eggs that my little boy and his friend Nicholas painted on Friday. Nicholas's mum showed me how to scratch the shell of the egg and dye the eggs with the papery outside of an onion, as is the Easter egg decorating tradition in Poland.

Wesołych Świąt Wielkanocnych!

Websites for pregnant women and expectant fathers

Here is a list of excellent websites for pregnant women and expectant fathers. I’m looking forward to the arrival of my second child later this summer!

Tutaj jest lista doskonałych stron internetowych (w języku angielskim) dla kobiet w ciąży. Cieszę się powiedzieć że, jestem w ciąży (znowu), a moje następnie dziecko urodzi się w tym latem.

http://www.babycentre.co.uk/pregnancy/

http://pregnancy.about.com/

http://www.emmasdiary.co.uk/pregnancy/article/pregnancy

http://www.bounty.com/pregnancy

http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/tools/pregnancy_calendar/

http://www.babyworld.co.uk/pregnancy/pregnancy.asp

The websites above give good advice on your entitlements as a parent-to-be, and what you can expect in pregnancy and the first few weeks of parenthood.

This is a great website for all fathers and fathers-to-be: http://www.dad.info/

And here are details of an online community group for Polish mums resident in the UK: http://community.babycentre.co.uk/groups/a966885/polish_mums_in_the_uk

Most importantly, find other Polish parents resident in the North East of England by contributing to this brilliant thread on the highly acclaimed Polnews Forum - (rodzice w północno-wschodniej Anglii - poznajmy się):

http://www.polnews.co.uk/forum/dzien-dobry-rodzice-poznajmy-sie-vt2224.htm

Useful Information for parents in Newcastle, UK

Here’s a list of some useful websites for families living Newcastle upon Tyne. Some of these websites may also be useful to parents living more broadly in and around the North East of England.

Netmums (Newcastle) - parenting advice and local listings:

http://www.netmums.com/local//newcastle

The Little Pages - free magazine for parents in the North East and Yorkshire listings events and activities for families:

http://the-little-pages.co.uk/

Sure Start Centres (Newcastle):

http://www.surestartnewcastlecc.org.uk/site

Baby Dines Out (North East) - child and baby friendly restaurant reviews and advice:

http://www.babydinesout.com/location/the-north-east

Newcastle Children’s Information Service:

http://www.newcastle.gov.uk/core.nsf/a/childrensinformationservice

Families Recommend - reviews of family friendly days out in the North East (including some useful reviews for families with special or additional needs):

http://www.familiesrecommend.co.uk/things-to-do-north-east

Newcastle Toy and Leisure Library - supporting children with disabilities:

http://ntll.co.uk/

Family learning courses in Newcastle - including courses on crafts, sports, literacy, numeracy, budgeting and ESOL:

http://www.newcastle.gov.uk/core.nsf/a/familylearning

What’s On North East - up-to-date events and activities listings:

http://www.whatsonnortheast.com/listings

Kids Days Out (Tyne and Wear) - events and activities listings for the family:

http://www.kidsdaysout.co.uk/tyne_and_wear.htm

**More useful websites for parents in the UK, and specifically in the North East, can be found here:

http://polishfamiliesnewcastle.blogspot.com/p/about-my-family.html

'Łódź Ghetto Album by Henryk Ross’

Last week I stumbled upon an exhibition at the Side Gallery in Newcastle entitled ‘Łódź Ghetto Album by Henryk Ross’. It is a touring exhibition from the Archive of Modern Conflict. Sadly this is the last week that the exhibition runs in Newcastle, so if you’re interested in Polish and / or Jewish history, in photojournalism or wartime photography do visit now. Exhibition details are as follows:

‘Łódź Ghetto Album by Henryk Ross’ Thursday 27th January – Saturday 26th March 2011 Gallery opening times: Tuesday to Saturday, 11am to 5pm, Exhibition Free. 5-9 Side, Newcastle upon Tyne. NE1 3JE

To find out more please visit: http://www.amber-online.com/exhibitions/lodz-ghetto-album-by-henryk-ross

Book- Scotland and Poland: Historical Encounters

Announcing the publication of...

Scotland and Poland
Historical Encounters, 1500-2010

Edited by: Professor T.M. Devine and David Hesse
ISBN: 978190656627
Publication Date: 2011
Publisher: Birlinn
Format: Paperback
Price: £20.00



Scotland and Poland: Historical Encounters, 1500-2010
Ed. Devine, T.M and Hesse, D, Birlinn: Edinburgh, is a collection of essays exploring more than five centuries of Scottish - Polish interactions.


Chapter 11: Press Reception of Polish Migrants in Scotland, 1940-2010 by Rachel Clements.


Read the Polish Culture.org review: http://www.polishculture.org.uk/literature/news/article/scotland-and-poland-historical-encounters-1500-2010-collection-of-essays-revealing-the.html


Buy from Waterstones: http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/products/tom+devine/david+maria+hesse/scotland+and+poland/8382279


Buy direct from Birlinn:
http://www.birlinn.co.uk/book/details/Scotland-and-Poland-978190656627

Polish Migration Projects in the UK

I try to keep the 'interesting projects' page of this blog up-to-date with projects of interest to my research. Here's a selection of the more Polish migration specific projects detailed on the page, which have recently been completed in the UK.

The Essential Guide for Polish Parents

A nine month research project addressing issues presented by Polish Pupils in London Schools was conducted by Rosemary Sales, Louise Ryan, Magda Lopez Rodriguez and Alessio D’Angelo in 2008. Their research, funded by the Economic Social Research Council and Multiverse, has been used to form an essential guide for Polish parents living in Britain. For further information about the project please follow this link to the Economic Social Research Council website: http://www.esrc.ac.uk/my-esrc/grants/RES-189-25-0005/outputs/Guide/read/ddb8c1ae-3839-4903-b754-b2ba7892ac29. To download ‘The essential guide for Polish parents’ or to read the full report and report summary please follow this link to the University of Middlesex website: www.mdx.ac.uk/hssc/research/centres/sprc.

Poland's Migration Challenges

Polish emigration experts Krystyna Iglicka (the Center for International Relations Warsaw), and Magdalena Ziolek-Skrzypczak (Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich) have produced an excellent online article about the outcome of EU enlargement on Poland. The article includes information about: historical background, immigration to Poland, refugees and asylum seekers, emigration from Poland, Polish citizens abroad, remittances, return migration, Polish immigration policy and Polish integration policy.
http://www.migrationinformation.org/Profiles/display.cfm?ID=800


Podcasts on Historical Scottish Migration to Poland

As part of the University of St Andrews Scotland and the Wider World, Researchers' Night 2010, Dr Peter Bajer and Professor Waldemar Kowalski have uploaded there papers on to podcasts, downloadable on the Researchers' Night webpage. I think this is a really innovative and exciting way to present research, being free, accessible and public, and both papers present Scottish migrants in a very empathetic manner. The podcasts are downloadable in both Polish and English.
http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/history/researchersnight/podcasts

Sport & Physical Activity - Polish Community

The charity Sporting Equals, which aims to promote ethnic diversity across sport and physical activity in the UK, produced this interesting information leaflet in 2010 which highlights issues of Polish health and lifestyle and also gives a brief summary about participation in sport as a migrant group in the UK.
http://static.ecb.co.uk/files/polish-factsheet-10924.pdf

To read more about interesting projects in my research field please visit my blog page: http://polishfamiliesnewcastle.blogspot.com/p/list-of-further-reading-listening-links.html

Polish Restaurants in the North East of England

Here are names, addresses and opening hours of Polish restaurants / takeaways in the North East of England. Sadly I’ve only found two listings, so please feel free to email me with details of other Polish restaurants / takeaways in the region. This information has been requested by several people eager to try Polish food in the North East.


The Gospoda
Upper Level,
Princess Square,
Newcastle upon Tyne.
NE1 8ER
Tel: 0191 261 0197

Opening Hours: 7 days a week, Mon - Thurs 12 noon - (last orders taken) 9.00pm, Fri - Sat 12 noon - (last orders taken) 10.00pm and Sun 12 noon - (last orders taken) 7.00pm


Website: http://thegospoda.com

Serving a range of traditional Polish dishes including pancakes, soups, Polish sausages, bigos, goulash and sauerkraut salad. A range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages available, including teas, coffees and homemade cakes and pastries. Vegetarian options available.

Pierogi Place
34 Pilgrim Street,
Newcastle upon Tyne.
NE1 6SE
Tel: 0191 232 3332

Opening Hours: 7 days a week, Mon - Thurs 7.30am - 9.30pm, Fri 7.30am - 11.00pm, Sat 10.30am - 11.00am and Sun 11.30am - 7.00pm

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pierogiplace
Website: http://pierogiplace.co.uk/

Serving eat-in or take-out Polish inspired foods, such as bigos Hunter’s stew and pierogi dumplings with a choice of sweet and savoury fillings. Also serves Faitrade coffee. Vegetarian options available.

Please do support local business here in the North East of England. Here's a link to my blog about Polish shops in this region: http://polishfamiliesnewcastle.blogspot.com/2010/11/polish-shops-in-north-east-of-england.html

Threat to the study of Slavonic languages in the UK

As a former student of Glasgow University Modern Languages Department I am saddened and concerned to hear about the department’s threatened closure.

The study of the Slavonic languages has a long history at Glasgow, which currently represents one of the only institutions in the north of the country where you can study Polish, Czech and Russian at undergraduate and postgraduate level.

The proposed cut of Modern Languages and Cultures at the University of Glasgow goes directly against national educational policy. For me the proposed cut highlights a grave threat to the study and promotion of the Polish language in the British academy.

To read more about the threatened closure of the department please visit:
http://www.heraldscotland.com/comment/herald-letters/letters-thursday-10-february-2011-1.1084389

To read more about the counter campaign to maintain the department please visit:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Modern-Languages-and-Cultures-at-University-of-Glasgow-under-threat/179538408755444

Most importantly, to sign the i-petition against the closure of this department please visit: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/glasgowmodernlanguages

Polish Blogs (written in English)

Blogi na temat polskiej kultury, języka i życia (w języku angielskim).

Here’s a quick list of good blogs (or one's I enjoy) about Polish culture, language and life (all of which are written in English).






Polish Language and Culture
http://www.transparent.com/polish
http://thepolskiblog.co.uk/about
http://www.tastingpoland.com/blog

Polish Language
http://filolozka.brood.pl/

Polish Culture
http://perfectpolish.blogspot.com/
http://polandian.home.pl/

Life in Poland
http://thewarsawblog.com/
http://www.warsawmommy.com/
http://jeziorki.blogspot.com/
http://www.britishinpoland.com/blog

Comedy and Humour
http://anglopolish.com/index.php/en

North East Places

When I first began the ethnographic photography stage of my research I planned to concentrate solely on Polish identity in the city of Newcastle. As the interview stage of my research unfolded it became clear that although there is a significant Polish population resident in Newcastle, Polish families live far and wide across the North East of England and something that especially interested me after meeting these families was how Polish migrants have adapted to living in the North East’s former mining towns, in seaside resorts and rural villages. I began to feel that a study on the North East region might be more useful that one on the city of Newcastle alone.

Moreover, in the early stages of my ethnographic fieldwork I made the mistake of looking for expressions of Polishness in isolation. As you can see by my blog about research findings, sometimes my fieldtrips would seem very fruitless (http://polishfamiliesnewcastle.blogspot.com/2010/03/research-findings-polish-newcastle.html). I soon realised that I was missing the wider context of ‘identity’ in the North East in that it would be interesting to see how Polish identity might sit alongside or overlap other migrant identities and cultural identities in the region.

Here’s a complete list of all the places I covered during my ethnographic fieldwork and links to the research findings they yielded:

County Durham:
Durham

http://www.flickr.com/photos/identityinnewcastle/sets/72157625136580006

Gateshead:
Bensham

http://www.flickr.com/photos/identityinnewcastle/sets/72157625318497608

Blaydon

http://www.flickr.com/photos/identityinnewcastle/sets/72157625232034925

Felling

http://www.flickr.com/photos/identityinnewcastle/sets/72157625143585399

Gateshead

http://www.flickr.com/photos/identityinnewcastle/sets/72157625158932334

Low Fell

http://www.flickr.com/photos/identityinnewcastle/sets/72157625318494690

Whickham

http://www.flickr.com/photos/identityinnewcastle/sets/72157625232034925

Newcastle:
Arthur’s Hill

http://www.flickr.com/photos/identityinnewcastle/sets/72157625653765081

Benton

http://www.flickr.com/photos/identityinnewcastle/sets/72157625031673573

Benwell

http://www.flickr.com/photos/identityinnewcastle/sets/72157624287630210

Bigg Market

http://www.flickr.com/photos/identityinnewcastle/sets/72157625062698438

Blakelaw

http://www.flickr.com/photos/identityinnewcastle/sets/72157624426905199

Byker

http://www.flickr.com/photos/identityinnewcastle/sets/72157624459617658

Chinatown

http://www.flickr.com/photos/identityinnewcastle/sets/72157625144628282

City Centre

http://www.flickr.com/photos/identityinnewcastle/sets/72157624287680082

Cruddus Park

http://www.flickr.com/photos/identityinnewcastle/sets/72157624287602622

Denton Burn

http://www.flickr.com/photos/identityinnewcastle/sets/72157624961641364

Elswick

http://www.flickr.com/photos/identityinnewcastle/sets/72157624287626642

Fawdon

http://www.flickr.com/photos/identityinnewcastle/sets/72157625799627726

Fenham

http://www.flickr.com/photos/identityinnewcastle/sets/72157625779308740

Forest Hall

http://www.flickr.com/photos/identityinnewcastle/sets/72157625031673573

Gosforth

http://www.flickr.com/photos/identityinnewcastle/sets/72157624551610658

Groat Market

http://www.flickr.com/photos/identityinnewcastle/sets/72157624988919091

Heaton

http://www.flickr.com/photos/identityinnewcastle/sets/72157624162997163

High Heaton

http://www.flickr.com/photos/identityinnewcastle/sets/72157624581374968

Jesmond

http://www.flickr.com/photos/identityinnewcastle/sets/72157624800653046

Newbiggin Hall

http://www.flickr.com/photos/identityinnewcastle/sets/72157624551616922

Ouseburn Valley

http://www.flickr.com/photos/identityinnewcastle/sets/72157625621198933

Red House Farm

http://www.flickr.com/photos/identityinnewcastle/sets/72157625799627726

Sandyford

http://www.flickr.com/photos/identityinnewcastle/sets/72157624676277727

Scotswood

http://www.flickr.com/photos/identityinnewcastle/sets/72157624942716172

Shieldfield

http://www.flickr.com/photos/identityinnewcastle/sets/72157624800646944

South Gosforth

http://www.flickr.com/photos/identityinnewcastle/sets/72157624581374968

Walker

http://www.flickr.com/photos/identityinnewcastle/sets/72157624163035963

Wallsend

http://www.flickr.com/photos/identityinnewcastle/sets/72157624163068897

Westerhope

http://www.flickr.com/photos/identityinnewcastle/sets/72157624551616922

Westgate Hill

http://www.flickr.com/photos/identityinnewcastle/sets/72157625772073594

West Denton

http://www.flickr.com/photos/identityinnewcastle/sets/72157624961641364

West Moor

http://www.flickr.com/photos/identityinnewcastle/sets/72157625031673573

Northumberland:
Blyth

http://www.flickr.com/photos/identityinnewcastle/sets/72157624515947989

Morpeth

http://www.flickr.com/photos/identityinnewcastle/sets/72157624963380767

Wylam

http://www.flickr.com/photos/identityinnewcastle/sets/72157624818049161

North Tyneside:
North Shields

http://www.flickr.com/photos/identityinnewcastle/sets/72157625232028833

Tynemouth

http://www.flickr.com/photos/identityinnewcastle/sets/72157624961938504

Whitley Bay

http://www.flickr.com/photos/identityinnewcastle/sets/72157624822359821

South Tyneside:
Hebburn

http://www.flickr.com/photos/identityinnewcastle/sets/72157625799099804

Jarrow

http://www.flickr.com/photos/identityinnewcastle/sets/72157625673461415

Pelaw

http://www.flickr.com/photos/identityinnewcastle/sets/72157625799099804

South Shields

http://www.flickr.com/photos/identityinnewcastle/sets/72157625799090736

Sunderland:
Roker

http://www.flickr.com/photos/identityinnewcastle/sets/72157624837037365

Sunderland

http://www.flickr.com/photos/identityinnewcastle/sets/72157624961940814

To view the entire ‘North East Places’ collection please go here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/identityinnewcastle/collections/72157624287694582