Cultivation, compensation and indulgence: Transnational short-term returns to Poland across three family generations

Abstract

The paper discusses the short-term visits to the home country among Polish female migrants residing in the United Kingdom and Norway. Grounded in the theoretical approaches of transnationalism, as well as return and visiting friends and relatives (VFR) mobility, it analyzes empirical material from in-depth interviews. The main argument points to the feelings of ambivalence that accompany the maintenance of family ties during stays in Poland. In addition, it categorizes examples of intergenerational compensatory, cultivation, and indulgent family practices. In reviewing the intra-European setting of transnational familyhood, the paper addresses the significance of the particular Central and Eastern European context.

Hosting as social practice: Gendered insights into contemporary tourism mobilities

“…The hosting aspect of VFR mobilites studies has received little attention despite its recognition of being beneficial for both stayers and migrants, important for maintaining relationships, integration and migrant well-being as well as having important consequences for tourism development (McKercher, 1996;Backer, 2007;Shani & Uriely, 2012;Choi & Xu, 2018). While visiting the homeland, rather than being a relaxing experience, may potentially be physically and psychologically draining as well as financially challenging (Pustułka & Ślusarczyk, 2016), hosting provides various opportunities for migrants and their guests. Griffin (2014) argues that hosting eases migrants' integration: 'for immigrants the home needs re-establishing upon arrival and the experience of hosting people who are close may help foster this feeling ' (p. 493).…”

“…As signalled by Chiara, gender differences in the types of care provided could be observed: men were more likely to provide support for maintenance and repairs or walking the dog, while women more likely to deliver childcare, nursing and housework help. Such types of help provided by women are pictured in both migration and tourism scholarship where the caring obligation is portrayed as "a given", an unquestionable task that women must perform (Henderson & Allen, 1991;Pustułka & Ślusarczyk, 2016). Typically single women were recipients of support provided by their fathers at the very first stage of the migration experience.…”

“…In almost all the women's narratives, hosting guests from the homeland was contrasted with performing return visits. Hence, returning home involves travelling to multiple locations, and women in particular are subjected to the pressure of visiting many relatives which is demanding and draining (Pustułka & Ślusarczyk, 2016). Hosting guests on the other hand, allowed undivided attention and an opportunity to host family and friends.…”

“…Having a closer and more intimate relationship with their family members in the home country than men, they are more likely to perform and receive frequent visits related to the provision of emotional and health care support (e.g. Pustułka & Ślusarczyk, 2016), thus giving evidence to the feminization of caring. This is no different in tourism; in the tourism and leisure contexts, women are never free from obligations and caring responsibilities (e.g.…”

Envisaging post-Brexit immobility: Polish migrants’ care intentions concerning their elderly parents

“…At the same time, Polish aging parents themselves do not expect to be personally cared for by their migrant children; they are satisfied knowing their mobile children care about them, as demonstrated by their efforts to maintain emotional closeness. Yet other researchers provide evidence of the salience of family care norms among Polish migrants, especially women, some of whom travel to their home country for periods spanning several months to provide hands-on care to ill relatives (Pustułka & Ślusarczyk 2016). Return to provide care to parents in need disembeds migrants from their workplaces or local relationships in the country of residence (Ryan 2019), thereby disrupting their lives.…”