Friday, April 24, 2009

Postcard friendship friday

I know I've probably mentioned that I'm the daughter of immigrants. Post WWII Polish Immigrants. As children we were Polish, not Canadians, we were allowed to speak English to each other, but not to my parents, this was a punishable offence, still is. My parents left their homeland not by choice, but by force, the force of war. They remained true to their heritage always, so it would not surprise one that when a slice of their country, such as this group of folk dancers, came to Canada, they would most certainly be there. They were both very involved in polish youth groups, trying desperately to keep their children within the culture. So we have all these postcardy things in our home and now my stash. So happy postcard friendship friday.

4 comments:

Annette said...

I love other to learn about other cultures and religions, and what amazes me the most, is I look at ALL different religions and cultures and know that one day we will all be together, I think that's what's so amazing to me, we are created from one, and yet so many people from so many different areas of the world are made from that one person, I find it pretty exciting!
Hugs~
Annette

Jeanne said...

I think I saw that dance group at a Jimmy Sturr dance. My grandparents came here from Poland. I still have my grandfather's 'wallet' from the ship he came over on and his paperwork from Ellis Island. How is it that your parents decided to settle in Canada Irenka?

Irene said...

My parents were taken to Siberia, and then the Polish Army unit was re-established from there, in an effort to do re activate soldiers starving in Siberia. Their families were left behind. I'm not sure of the details, I'd have to look it up, but the families were then transported into refugee camps all over the place. My mother wound up in Mexico, for two years, my father in England after the war. They rejoined there, My mother hated England, I guess all that rain, after sunny Mexico. So my uncle and father somehow got a farmer out in British Columbia to sponsor them. He worked in the mines for awhile, and then my mothers "Mexico" connection brought them to Ontario, and the rest is history. As I'm writing this I'm thinking, my mother was always the Queen. I must resume that role. I think.

Irene said...

The Irenka part came by accident. Irenka is of course a delicate way of say Irene in Polish, after my Polish Friend called me that in front my kids, that was it, I became Irenka to everybody.

Happy Birthday

Happy birthday to my wonderful son,  it's bee 33wonderful years. Hope this year proves to be the best yet.