Poland was conceived around the middle of the 10th century. In the following centuries many things occurred that weakened the nation, until an agreement in 1772 between Russia, Prussia, and Austria partitioned Poland. In 1918 Poland regained its independence only to be overrun in WWII by Germany and the Soviet Union. Poland currently suffers from low GDP growth and high unemployment. Poland joined NATO in 1999 and is scheduled to accede to the European Union along with nine other states on May 1, 2004.
Poland is a land of many ancient customs. There are many cultural events the Polish like to attend. "The Andrzej Panufnik Composers" Nationwide Competition, the aim of the competition is to honor the outstanding composer and conductor of Polish descent and promote young artists" creative activity. "Jazz on the Oder" held in Wroclaw each May for the past thirty years, the traditional and renowned 'Jazz on the Oder' festival unites both Polish and international talent in a non-stop jam session that never plays to less than a full house of jazz enthusiasts. These are just to name a couple there are many more. The Polish enjoy dancing and music very much so many of the cultures and traditions they perform are singing and dancing.
Polish families gather on Sundays for traditional family dinners. The family gathers around the table discussing family affairs and eating a typical Polish dinner which includes soup, a meat dish, vegetables, potatoes, a cucumber salad, compote, and a dessert. Special meatless dinners are served on Christmas Eve and Good Friday. Ethnic foods are, barszcz (beet soup), pierogi (dumplings), and ryby (fish).
Between 1988 and 1992, for example, an average of almost 14,000 people born in Poland immigrated to the U.S. each year, representing 7% of all immigrants in this period. Chicago is the 2nd largest Polish city in the World. Immigrants from Poland are older, on average, than the population born in the U.
