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Interview #1 Elizabeth Mielcarek, Polish Immigrant
When were you born?
When exactly did you come to America? Was it because of Communism?
- I came to America on the 4th of July 1987.
Was it because of Communism?
- Not exactly, because I was not involved in the political situation. I mean maybe partially. Maybe partially, because young people had not too many choices in Poland and a lot of young people were leaving Poland and going to other countries. Especially educated people like doctors and teachers and so on.
Did you leave anyone behind on your immigration to America? Who?
- I was single at that time but I left my mom my dad and my brother and my sister and of course my friends.
When you came to America was your life changed? How?
- At first, it was quite lonely here although I have quite a large family but they all had to work and they didn’t live close to where I was so I very lonely and of course at first I was only on a tourist VISA so I couldn’t get a proper job. I was only working as a babysitter and afterwards I met my husband and I married and I got my permanent residency and then citizenship. Then I could work in my profession which is teaching.
What was your first job? Was it better then your job in Poland?
- My first job was babysitting and of course it helped that I knew the language. And you know the job wasn’t much better, because in Poland I was a teacher in High school but, here babysitting. My first job here was babysitting because I could not get all the proper paper work for working in my profession so. My job in Poland was better, definitely better.
How did you adapt here and were there any controversies against your nationality?
- Oh I mean, everyone knows polish jokes but, I was lucky enough that wherever I went people liked me and I did not see anyone being prejudice against my nationality. Where I work now, at first I’ve been working at this school for 12 years and at first I was the only Polish teacher now we have 3 polish teachers and my principal is Polish so as you can see Polish people are getting more and more good jobs.
So did you adapt well here?
- You know it’s always hard because you’re leaving your country where you have family and friends and you’re coming to a different country even if you know the language, which I did, but still it’s a different culture, a different way of life, and for many years I really missed living in Poland. I didn’t miss the situation in Poland, but I missed everyday life.
Is there a dramatic difference in lifestyles between Poland and America?
- Yah, definitely. People here are more job oriented you know they work hard; they don’t have much time to relax and enjoy themselves. Especially people who just came, because they just have to make a living. So it’s really hard for some people.
What was the first thing you noticed when you came to America?
- At first when I came a big difference that I noticed was that people have to own a car because distances are much further than in Europe. Europe is a smaller, especially if you’re in a smaller community. In Poland, I remember the public transportation was really good. People were using buses and other ways of transportation and not too many people have cars. Lately I visited Poland a few times since I immigrated to America, and the situation in Poland also changes. People are getting more demanding jobs they work more then they used too. Maybe that was one plus of communism that everyone had too work, and there was no unemployment, but you know people were not happy and although you got a job most of the time the job was not giving you satisfaction and you know people are always looking for something better. It’s hard to say, you don’t only run away form the political situation but you also leave your family so that’s emotional thing. When you leave, you leave your family and you miss them no matter how bad the situation was.
In your opinion, do you think America was affected by communism? How?
- I don’t know. There are a lot of elements of communism in America. Although we say that this is a country where everyone has freedom, but in practice I don’t think it’s the case. I think a lot of people who came not even from communist countries they brought their own ideas and not always their ideas were good. The ideas were not always benefiting the people who lived in this country.
Did Communism affect America as much as your mother country? Why do you think so?
- I think not. I think there were some elements of Communism here, but I don’t know if we can even talk about Communism in Poland because what was there was rather Socialism then Communism. Something similar but not exactly. I would say that Communism was more in Russia. I don’t think America was affected as much as in European Countries.
What did you think of Communism? Was it because of what others told you or because of your personal experiences?
- You know a little bit of both I think. Personal experience for example I was in Poland when the Marshall Law was introduced, and I saw tanks in the streets and soldiers also another aspect of my experience is when I wanted to go about but I couldn’t because at that time it was very hard to leave Poland especially when you were going to a country that was not communist. Like for example if you were going to America it was really very hard to get a visa to go to America. And I remember from my own experience my dad who was one of the managers of a big company. And although he was not a political man he was forced to join the communist party. And everyone who had some kind of significant jobs like people who were managers in charge of the company’s they had to join the communist party. If you didn’t u wouldn’t get a job or you would get simply fired so my dad although his beliefs were not of the communist party he had to join but once after a lot of…….we had a big family here in America so my dad although he was a manager he did not get a lot of money for his job so he wanted to come to America for a few months and he worked here. He tried a long time to get a VISA he came to America, but when he went back to Poland they called him and asked him where he went, and he said he went to America, what did he do there. They just had a long interview with him. So finally they told him he had to leave the communist party because he was in America. SO my father was very happy about that and he was retiring pretty soon so he didn’t really care he was happy that he didn’t belong to the communist party anymore. Also it was very hard for me to become better at my career. I was studying English at that time, and I wanted to go to England because I wanted to practice English in a natural environment and for a few years I could not and then when I was a junior in college I finally got a VISA and went, but it was not easy to get it. It almost affected my life because if I didn’t learn English well I would not become a teacher of English or I would probably not come to this country
What did your family think of Communism? Was it because of what others told them or because of their personal experiences?
- The other members of my family were not involved with the political scene of Poland they were simply living an everyday life and as long as it didn’t affect them they did not care. As long as it did not affect them it didn’t matter to them. They were not members of the solidarity movement; they were not involved at all.
In general, how did Communism affect you?
- In general, I think in a way it affected me because in spite of what the communist party was telling us that the “west” the western countries were bad and that’s why we can’t go there. In spite of that I really longed to come to this country because I believed that I can start a better life here and a more prosperous life, and I wanted my future children to have a better life. At that time I wasn’t sure if I can have a good life in Poland. At that time we were lacking a lot of stuff. For example when you went to the store I remember the time when in the grocery store there were only some cans of peas and some vinegar. And people would wait in long lines for bread butter simple necessities. And that’s why I did not really see communism as an ideology it didn’t affect me that much. But whatever they did to everyday life this affected us and this is why you wanted a better life and that’s why people immigrated to America
Interview #2 Chester Mielcarek, Polish Imigrant
When were you born?
When exactly did you come to America? Was it because of Communism?
- I came to America in 1970, because in Poland there were strikes in Warsaw, Gdansk, and the southern region of Poland. So we had to leave Poland or else we would go to jail. All because of Communism. My father never liked the Communists. He always said “ You Son of a bitch Communists”. That’s what he always said and because of this we had trouble as kids, because he behaved badly.
Did you leave anyone behind on your immigration to America? Who?
- Yes, I left my family my dad my mom my brother and my sister.
When you came to America was your life changed? How?
- When I came to America, my first year here I had to get used to everything, because all in all this was a totally different country and here you could have a smile on your face instead of a frown. Honestly it is very good to live in America.
What was your first job? Was it better then your job in Poland?
- My first job was hard and I could not get used to it. I worked in a slaughterhouse. I arranged boxes in trucks. In Poland I worked as a car mechanic. Later I worked in a body shop with paint finishes. Then I worked 3 months in a coalmine as an ironworker. The job in America was less demanding and the pay was better then in Poland. The job was calmer nobody yelled at you and nobody followed you around, put you down, or ridiculed you. I remember the first time I went to work, because I didn’t want to go to the army, I went to work at the mine and the foreman told the other guys to give me all the work “ Guys give him all the work, give him all the work and tell him to hurry his ass up!!” They didn’t know that my cousin was the manager. The next day I told him all about how they treated, and the next day they already called me Sir.
How did you adapt here and were there any controversies against your nationality?
- Here Americans liked Polish people. I worked with blacks, with Americans, and everyone loved Polish people. Nobody ever said anything bad about Polish people. I adapted very well here in America and nothing was ever said against Polish people.
Is there a dramatic difference in lifestyles between Poland and America?
- In those days there was a big difference between Poland and the United States. In Poland everything was about 20 years behind. Here everyone lived differently. People here had their own houses, their own cars, jobs, everyone had Saturday and Sunday off, and you could go fishing. Now, it’s terrible, there’s no time for anything. In Poland you worked 7 days a week.
In your opinion, do you think America was affected by communism? How?
- In my opinion, Communism did change America because right now in America it is just the same as it was in Poland. There is no democracy, there are no republicans, and there are more communists right now.
Did Communism affect America as much as your mother country? Why do you think so?
- Communism changed Poland more then America, definitely. In Poland after the war after 1945 many people from Jewish backgrounds changed their names to polish names. And to this day Poland is ruled by Jewish Communists. And here in America it’s very similar. But it’s hard to understand how everything works.
What did you think of Communism? Was it because of what others told you or because of your personal experiences?
- The Communism that you read about in books is very good, but people twisted around the ideas of Communism and it never worked out the way it should’ve. It was not important how much you knew, but who you knew. And to this day the same idea is alive and growing.
What did your family think of Communism? Was it because of what others told them or because of their personal experiences?
- My family hated Communism because we paid large taxes. Sometimes there was nothing to eat and you always had to pay those taxes to the Communists. Not everyone paid the taxes. Those who worked with the Communists never paid the taxes. Their kids went to school and were educated. While those who hated the Communists and fought against them were punished with taxes and they were not educated.
In general, how did Communism affect you?
- Communism changed me into a different person. I am more religious, and I go to church. I don’t even think about Communism because it’s a terrible system for those who are honest. Communism is a system that’s good for those who are not honest. Communists are contriving and deceitful, and I can’t do that. I like to do everything honestly, and I like to help everyone. I don’t like hurting or telling on others. I like to help everyone.
Interview #3,
- Ok, my name is Eileen[spells] Bond[spells]and I was born in Chicago, Illinois. and...
When was this?
Whats you background heritage, where your family is from?
- My grandparents were, uh, from my fathers side they were from Hungary, and on my mother side they were from Ireland.
What was your first job here?
- My first job as working in a 5 and 10 cents store, in my third year of high school and I made 47 cents an hour [laughs]
Do you know if this job was affected by communism at all?
Well was there any job that you did have, that was affected by communism?
- I don’t believe so, because after that , you know, i finished high school and 2 years of college, and i went to the insurance business, an I was in that for 16 years and i don't think that at that time any of it was affected by communism. not whatsoever.
Did you meet any controversies against your heritage?
- Not growing up, cause I lived in a predominately Irish neighborhood. and they were all Irish Catholics.
How do you think America was affected by communism?
- I believe that we are beginning to become a communistic country forth simple reason our politicians are getting so liberal now, and they do not want any wealthy people, they’re getting to be on the same level, and they want everyone to have the same income. They want to give so much away, they don't want people to have to earn it anymore. There’s so much welfare, and especially now that ths going to be, especially at this next election, if the Democrats get it,, definitely, with our health insurance just going to do, just horrible things with out country. I mean I don’t know... our country is not lik it used t be. It isn’t. Our morals, and we do not have home lives anymore, We dont do things with our family, its to vast. When i was a baby, as a child i wen through the depression, ad i was fortunate to have a family with one, but a lot of people didn’t, they sort of just all worked together, but now, everything is given to people, the welfare program that we have is ridiculous, the people can come here, and live here, and we have to pay for them, we're being taxed to death [laughs]
Do you think Hungary/ Ireland was as affected by communism like America, or was it affected in a different way?
- Well see, my grandparents came over, and I was born in the 30's, my grandparents came in the 1800's and i don't even know what their country was like at that time, possibly if my parents had been born over there, but we have been in this country for so long. I mean, since the middle 1800's we've been here. So I cant really say to much about it. You know, if like, my parents came over here, or if i as born there then I might know something about it, but I really don’t. I just know the vast change in this country, and its very demoralizing, and I feel very bad about it.
So you dont feel good about communism?
- O definitely not!!! no, definitely not, I mean, its terrible, no I mean, for the simple reason , I think that people that work, should get as much as they want to be entitled to work for, I mean, you can better yourself if you have the initiative to get it, and the communistic country as I see I is, they’re told what to do, how much to make, and everyone does the same thing. And it shouldn’t be like that, so I mean, I really don’t, I don’t, I don’t , first of all, I don’t know anyone that’s a communist, [laughs] as far as I know.. they, uh, they don’t have those feelings, all the people I know work
So you have it experience firsthand, you received this opinion of your own experiences?
- Defiantly, Yes see, I uh, I lived through it, my parents didn’t live through it and I don’t even believe my grandparents lived through it. maybe my grandparents, but I don’t even know communism was in effect in the 1700s. Just like in Poland, when they had the union, with that one man, we've.. we've had unions, for a very, very long t. my husband was always in a union, we owned 2 iron-working businesses, he was always a union man, that’s what helped build our country, but now the unions are getting, I think that possibly would be the reason why the U.S. can turn communistic, because they're trying to break the unions. you know, the construction workers that are not union men, and there’s so many people coming in now and that are working for non union wages, and they’re trying to break the unions, but I'll be long dead before that happens,
Right now, how would America be effected if we had become a communistic country?
- I think that now because of my age, because of what m and my husband have accomplished, I don’t think there’d be much change, because I have enough, I am financially set so I don’t have to worry about money, so it wouldn’t affect me in my age maybe if I was a younger person, most likely, but not now.
Do you know anyone that immigrated because of Communism, like family, neighbors, friends?
- [laughs] I don’t think so, because we’ve been here so long, your parents just came, we’ve been here forever. My mother came from a family of eight, and my father came from a family of 5, and I am the.. uh. 4t generation and my children are the fifth, my grandchildren the 6th, and Emily is the 7th generation here already. we've been here for a very long time.
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