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Dec. 4, 2022
Putin’s Aim and How to Foil it
Is the madman in Moscow a shapeshifting lizard? Whatever his status, he wants to destroy Ukraine and all it represents. NATO must do more.
We know Putin wants the world to forget Ukraine and Ukrainians. The Russian psycho wants to wipe Ukraine off the map to weaken the world’s resolve against Russia. If there’s no Ukraine, there’s no point fighting Russia. The maniac wants to go back to business as usual with the West.
Putin’s propaganda machine is going to keep painting Russians as the good guys who defended themselves against Ukrainian “Nazis.” Russian propagandists can’t wait to proclaim the end of the child-killing “Kyiv regime” to the world. Putin would love to see Ukrainians living abroad forced to get Russian passports, since Ukraine would be reunited with the so-called motherland. Reunited and wiped off the map mean the same thing in Putin’s alternative reality.
Last paragraph
Behind closed doors, the mask of stereotypical Russian seriousness drops and Russian diplomats laugh at the hopelessly naive, intellectually impaired, Western politicians.
Russia isn’t interested in reaching an agreement. Russia wants to expand and exploit, even use a tactical nuke here and there. Fans of negotiating with Russia sometimes say that an unjust peace is better than a just war. Let’s do nothing and wait for millions of Ukrainians to freeze to death, then. No Ukraine, no problem, back to business as usual with Russia.
Ukrainians are practical and smart. They have no time for dumb and delusional thinking straight out of La-la-land. Si vis pacem, para bellum. If you want peace, prepare for war.
And Ukrainians aren’t just preparing: they are actively fighting the horde. No one is safe from the orcs, not even the animals. Russians even stole the, now famous, raccoon, actively trying to Russify it, no doubt. Stepan the cat is using his fame to help Ukraine. And when, hopefully, Ukraine wins, I want to see Stepan the cat in Putin’s Kremlin office, posing with a glass of wine like a boss.
To read the article in it's entirety, please visit:
https://www.kyivpost.com/article/opinion/op-ed/the-fear-factor.html
Adam Borowski can be reached at: adam.borowski1985@gmail.com
Nov. 22, 2022
How do Poles See Themselves and the World?
By Adam Borowski
Missile misunderstanding
Two missiles hit a Polish village killing two farmers. The psychological barrier has been crossed here in Poland. The war in Ukraine is no longer just about refugee waves, fighter planes buzzing overhead and high energy prices. The Polish government said it was a Ukrainian air defense missile that fell on a Polish village near the Ukrainian border. This, understandably, has upset Ukrainians, even though Russia is ultimately responsible.
There will be misunderstandings between Poles and Ukrainians. Friendship isn’t just about nice words and gestures. That’s fake friendship. A true friend is painfully honest when he needs to be. Poland and Ukraine share a stormy past but when we work together, we are unstoppable. For the sake of our alliance, it’s beneficial for Ukrainians to better understand how Poles see themselves and the world.
Russian obsession with Poland
Russia is obsessed with conquering Poland. Their obsession goes way beyond territorial gains, and borders on the mystical (psychotic). Why? Poles often joke that Russians need us to survive. We’re way smarter than they are. Behind the mask of jingoism is an insecure and servile Russian. I still remember the name of my first Russian textbook, “Dobroye Utro.” I was ten at the time. Such strange letters! I was intrigued. Some parents in my elementary school didn’t want their kids to learn Russian. Hardly surprising. The memories of Russian imperialism were still fresh.
To read the article in it's entirety, please visit:
https://www.kyivpost.com/article/opinion/op-ed/how-do-poles-see-themselves-and-the-world.html
Adam Borowski can be reached at: adam.borowski1985@gmail.com
Nov. 5, 2022
The Fear Factor
By Adam Borowski
“Aren’t you afraid of Russia?” I’m often asked this question by friends and acquaintances who have read my Kyiv Post articles. When I wrote articles for The Korea Times, I was asked if I was afraid of North Korea. Same question, different regime.
It’s no secret that North Korea has a track record of abducting foreigners. North Korea also loves firing missiles left and right. It recently fired the highest number of short-range missiles in a single day. I’m not surprised. Russia randomly activates its puppets around the world to project the global player image.
I know a Harvard graduate living in Seoul who gives North Korean defectors a voice by helping them tell their stories in English. His name is Casey Lartigue. While he dislikes this label, Casey Lartigue is a high-profile activist. If Casey Lartigue isn’t afraid of the North Korean regime, then why should I be? I’m just a concerned citizen who writes opinion articles. Hardly a high-profile target.
Have you noticed how some people think the Russian regime operatives are everywhere? This is the kind of thinking Putin wants us to have. Sure, there are all sorts of bad guys in the world but thinking they’re always around us is downright delusional. You don’t need to strive to be famous. Simply share your thoughts with the world from time to time. Keep a low profile if you want.
Just remember there’s a difference between keeping a low profile and being afraid of your own shadow. I think that having a public profile of any kind is a good idea. It lets people see your talent and way of thinking. Most importantly, it opens doors and, as a result, boosts your employment opportunities. You’re not just a nameless face in the crowd.
To read the article in it's entirety, please visit:
https://www.kyivpost.com/article/opinion/op-ed/the-fear-factor.html
Adam Borowski can be reached at: adam.borowski1985@gmail.com
Sept. 20, 2022
The Ukraine War and the Great Perceptual Divide
By Adam Borowski
The world has always been divided into two groups of people: the ones who take action and those who sit on the sidelines. I call it the great perceptual divide. The divide has always been there but the war in Ukraine has made it much bigger. Let’s take a closer look at both groups.
Group one: apathy
The first group suffers from learned helplessness. Bombarded by images of genocide and destruction, the members of this group are upset, because the status quo is no more. Normalcy bias is a powerful psychological defense and these people just want to go back to business as usual. They are locked in their bubbles and don’t want to hear more about the war because it upsets their view of the world.
These people are like zombies who do the same thing every day without giving it a second thought. They don’t want to hear anything about Ukraine, they don’t care about Ukraine. In fact, the whole war makes them angry because their energy bills have skyrocketed. I’ve even noticed some people in this group are envious of the attention Ukrainian refugees are getting. They are the centrists and relativists who think neutrality and negotiations solve every problem in the world.
Group two: action
The second group has been jolted into action by the war. The members of this group are active on several fronts: social media, writing articles, personal lives, even as volunteers facing the enemy directly in battle. People from all walks of life who didn’t imagine themselves as soldiers several months ago. Indeed, many have already laid down their lives for freedom, trying to stop the Russian horde. They know Ukraine is fighting for all of us.
By “all of us,” I mean the civilized world that strives to respect the value of human rights. If Ukraine hadn’t stood up to Russian aggression, there would have been Z-tanks rolling on the streets of Warsaw months ago and I would have ended up in a mass grave. I wish I was being dramatic but I’m just telling you the terrible truth.
In his newest article, Polish President Andrzej Duda writes about Russia yearning for its former “glory.” In a twisted Russian mindset, anyone who resists russification is a Nazi deserving of death. Even better if it’s an agonizing, humiliating death. Our way of life is in danger. It’s no longer a hypothetical, academic argument. The enemy is here. The second group understands this and is willing to do whatever it takes to protect freedom and human rights.
To read the article in it's entirety, please visit:
https://www.kyivpost.com/article/opinion/op-ed/the-ukraine-war-and-the-great-perceptual-divide.html
Adam Borowski can be reached at: adam.borowski1985@gmail.com
Aug. 1, 2022
Places to see in Poland
By Adam Borowski
Taiwanese-Polish business and cultural ties have never been stronger, and Taiwan Trade Center's location in a prestigious area of Warsaw proves as much.
I’ve prepared a list of places for Taiwanese people to see in Poland, a country with a colorful, yet tragic, history. Here’s a list of places in Poland that will surprise you, sadden you, and make you smile.
Gdansk is associated with Solidarity and Lech Walesa. The Polish icon sometimes strolls through the streets of Gdansk. If you’re lucky, there is a chance you might meet him. Lech Walesa enjoys taking pictures with appreciative strangers and chatting with them.
To learn more about Solidarity and Lech Walesa, please visit the European Solidarity Centre and take the Lech Walesa Tour.
Poland's WWII history
Warsaw’s motto is semper invicta, which is Latin for always invincible. Destroyed by Nazi Germany in 1944, the city rose up from the ashes like a phoenix.
Warsaw Old Town is a shining example of post-war reconstruction. The only traces of war today are the bullet holes left in the walls as a reminder of Warsaw’s haunting past. No wonder the Warsaw Old Town was inscribed on Unesco’s list of World Heritage sites.
On August 1, at 5 p.m. (11 p.m. Taiwan time, six hours ahead), sirens wailed throughout the city to commemorate the victims of Nazi occupation who bravely fought against the occupiers for 63 days in the Warsaw Uprising. Hitler’s order was clear: Warsaw was to be razed to the ground.
The Warsaw Uprising Museum is an excellent place to learn what state-sponsored genocide leads to. You’ll learn about the Scouting Battalion Zoska and brave Polish Girl Scouts fighting against the Nazi-German occupiers.
To read the article in it's entirety, please visit:
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4612799
Adam Borowski can be reached at: adam.borowski1985@gmail.com
Nov. 1, 2021
How I've grown to like South Korea
By Adam Borowski
South Korea is rapidly expanding its influence across the globe. My South Korean experience began in 2018. I am going to describe how I've grown to like and appreciate South Korea. The fact that I am writing an article for The Korea Times proves the country has a truly global reach.
Back in Poland, I read several excellent articles about teaching English to North Korean refugees and that's how I came across The Korea Times. It was the beginning of my South Korean exploratory journey. In the summer of 2018, I had a chance to meet South Koreans living in Vancouver, Canada.
I didn't know much about Korean movies, dramas or TV shows. I knew almost nothing about K-pop. I thought K-dramas were shallow and boring. I was wrong. I enjoyed the fact that many Korean productions centered on alternate realities, on identity and sometimes on zombies.
The language of K-pop creeps into other languages, much to the chagrin of foreign language purists. The question arises: will South Korea manage to keep up the momentum in its battle against the global soft power players?
I am sure South Korea has its brightest minds coming up with shrewd strategies to outsmart the competition. Just like an entrepreneur wants to attract investors by meticulously managing his company's image, the same logic applies to countries. If South Korea wants to stay on top, it needs to remember the competition never sleeps and complacency is not an option.
On a lighter note, if there's an infinite number of parallel realities, then there's an alternate South Korea which requires all potential immigrants to embrace Korean culture by showing off their K-pop skills. Luckily for all involved, the magical metamorphosis only lasts 30 minutes.
To read the article in it's entirety, please visit:
https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/opinion/2020/11/137_298116.html
Adam Borowski can be reached at: adam.borowski1985@gmail.com
June 3, 2021
On working in Korea
By Adam Borowski
As an outsider who is considering living and working in Korea, I pay close attention to articles and opinions about the country. The recent news of Korea ranking low on expats' favored nations list has certainly given me food for thought.
What do outsiders like me want to know before moving to Korea? I've come up with a list of questions and concerns about living and working in Korea. Imagine the following scenario. I arrive in Korea. My work visa is in perfect order. It's time to sign a contract with my employer. And here my doubts begin. The most important question arises: does the Korean version of the contract take precedence over the English version? I'm assuming that the answer is a resounding yes.
What are Korean landlords like? What happens if there's a (likely) language barrier present? Do I sign a contract with a landlord? How do I pay for electricity, water and gas? Besides, I can't imagine signing a contract without consulting a Korean colleague first.
I'm particularly concerned about the fine dust pollution in Korea. I have no way of knowing if the pollution isn't going to cause serious breathing problems for me. When traveling across the world for work, worst case scenarios must be considered.
The drinking culture concerns me as well. While my Korean friends assure me that the drinking culture in Korea is a remnant of the past, current media articles gives me a different impression. There's a dramatic difference between drinking in honor of a superior (employer) and drinking myself into oblivion.
Working in Korea offers a fantastic opportunity to explore the country by car. My understanding is that most cars in Korea are automatic. I'm assuming the Korean Police are strict, and that going over the speed limit isn't tolerated even on highways.
I like trying out riding the subway systems in major cities across the world (London, Moscow and New York City to date). Seoul clearly has a fantastic subway system, comparable in size to the London subway (or the "Tube,'' as it's called by Londoners).
I look forward to living and working in a country with an incredible cultural influence on the world, as YouTube views of the catchy BTS song, "Butter'' demonstrate.
To read the article in it's entirety, please visit:
https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/opinion/2021/06/137_309785.html
Adam Borowski can be reached at: adam.borowski1985@gmail.com
April 7, 2018
My thoughts on English language teaching
By Adam Borowski
I am a proponent of "chunk-teaching." It makes sense to teach as a phrase, rather than breaking it down into individual words. Song lyrics often contain all sorts of chunks English learners can memorize. But song lyrics are not enough.
Newspapers
Newspaper articles are an ideal teaching tool, because they are filled with chunks, thriving in their natural milieu. From black-top readers, who are generally interested in serious news stories and want to read an opinion that agrees with their own; to red-top readers, who enjoy gossip and intrigue, there is an abundance of collocations, phrasal verbs, fixed phrases and idiomatic expressions people use every day. Newspapers are also great slang teachers.
Intelligence
Intelligence is the ability to observe various patterns, draw conclusions from these observations, and then applying these conclusions in life. Gifted students have the brain power to overcome the limitations imposed on them by the mainstream education system; gifted students have the brain power to attain native-like fluency in another language. But the gifted need help, they need an intellectual incentive, otherwise their intellectual prowess is going to wither away in the classroom.
Multilingual native English speakers are exactly what the gifted need; while it may read like a sentence written by a posh school girl, native English speakers who have a first-hand understanding of other cultures are invaluable assets on many levels. Advanced learners have already mastered the intricacies of grammar. Immersing themselves in the language found in newspapers is a logical progression. We need the ELT field to be more newspaper-oriented.
To read the article in it's entirety, please visit:
https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/opinion/2018/04/162_246638.html
Adam Borowski can be reached at: adam.borowski1985@gmail.com
Based in Warsaw, Adam Borowski is a journalist specializing in international relations. He has written articles for major South Korean and Taiwanese news outlets and is the author of a yet-to-be-published novel set in an alternate reality, “Euthanizers.” Adam is a global traveler who worked in Chengdu, China.
He can be reached at: adam.borowski1985@gmail.com
Visit The Korean Times & search Adam Borowski to read all 62 articles:
https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www2/common/search.asp
Click here to read all Adam Borowski's articles from the Taiwan News:
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/search?keyword=Adam%20Borowski
Click here to read all Adam Borowski's articles from the Kyiv Post:
https://www.kyivpost.com/author/adam-borowski
Adam is a teacher/translator but also wrote a novel and has interests in forensic linguistics. It was such a pleasure talking to Adam, and I can't wait to read his "cross-genre" novel sometime soon!
Mar 26, 2022
*CREDIT YouTube ~ Jane Kim
