Segment 3

So the third part of this story is dedicated to the time that I had to spend in the office of the Foreign Police in order to get my temporary residence permit.

Some of my language may be viewed as caustic. I will leave out any profanity and try to emphasize my point using capital letters, bold type font, and exclamation points.

First off, getting the necessary paperwork in order to even go the the police station was a hassle. It included numerous calls between my boss, the AIESEC office, and myself coordinating information, arranging dates to meet, and clarifying what a "proof of salary" really constitutes.

The police station opens at 7:30am. The line to get numbers probably starts to form some time around 6:00am. The office is in Petrzalka, which is on the opposite side of the river from me, so it takes about 35 minutes or so to get there, not including walking time from the bus stop. On Wednesday, I woke up at 5:45 in order to catch the bus at 6:22 to meet Mirka at 6:35 to then catch another bus at 6:38 at a completely different bus stop, to then walk all the way to the police station, a destination that we were unsure of the exact location. A fellow @er had drawn Mirka a map, but we still had to ask 2 people for directions.

When we got there...at around 7:00am or so, the line was already 30 people deep. To the inexperienced foreigner, this may seem like a surmountable number. You have not experienced the civil service expertise of the former Eastern Bloc. We ended up getting number 44, and saw how some other people like to cheat the system. I hate to be one to generalize, but the people who were doing so were all Asian. They would send one representative of 10+ people, who would then collect the tickets, and clog the line. It wouldn't be so bad if the process of getting everyone through the process was more efficient. What I found out later is that the police stations used to be in several locations around Bratislava, so you could choose the one which was closest to you. They have now all consolidated into 2 locations, which for a time increased communication and stream-lined operations, but apparently this week was the worst week since they had consolidated. LUCKY ME!

I was not actually present to witness the collection of the numbered tickets because I had to return to the other side of the Danube in order to collect my college transcript, which I thought the @ers had gotten translated. Getting myself back to Pristavny Most was not the easiest task, as I had no idea where I was and no clue which buses went where. I finally figured it out, and met my roommate Andi, who was amazing enough to find my transcript when I could not earlier that morning (hard to search for paperwork in the dark because your roommates are still sleeping...) The whole process took me a little over an hour, and when I returned to Mirka at around 9:00, they were only on #12. We believe that the line takes so long because there are communication issues between the "Klients" and the police workers. I think the line takes so long because all of the police agents are women who are constantly flirting with their male supervisor. I witnessed it. I was not happy.

As lunch time rolled around I became slightly irritable from a lack of food, sleep, and activity. There are few places to sit in the waiting room, and I had brought only a meager amount of food because I was in such a hurry in the morning. As 11:00am rolled around at an agonizingly slow pace, I almost thought that I would not make it into the office before the "lunch break" at 12:00, which would mean I would have to wait ANOTHER hour until I could wait again for my number to be called. Fortunately, I did make it into the office however, because they figured out that maybe it would be a good idea if they put more than one officer behind the window so that the REALLY LONG LINE would go faster. Good work, Watson! Bravo!

...so the rest of this post was really funny, but I lost it because my computer turned off in the middle of typing it, and because my internet connection is shotty at best, it did not automatically save my entries. I am too tired, and too annoyed to try to retype it. I apologize for those of you who were having a good time with this one....

long story short. i got through, but I had to go back today because they didn't find my "proof of salary" document sufficient. Life hates me sometimes.

Right now, I have nothing left.

Segment 2

So, the next part of my week was nice. I had a lazy Sunday, but got up early(ish) and read/cleaned and went shopping with Vaida because she wants to get an MP3 player and a laptop. That's how I reorient myself with real life....by avoiding it.

Vaida and I went to Sarp and Mattia's apartment to cook some dinner, because let's face it, 2 hotplates in a dirty dormitory kitchen sometimes just aren't satisfactory for your needs. I miss home cooked meals very much, so I really enjoy going over to friends' apartments and cooking. Sarp usually doesn't let us help, because he wants us to relax, but I insisted, and he let me chop onions and make the sauce. We had an interesting time slicing the bacon. I told Sarp it was because his knives are crap because he puts them in the dishwasher, and he doesn't have a sharpener :) I then suggested that he use scissors. He made a face, but used my advice, and was very pleased.

We made pasta, because it is easy, and one of the most filling meals that someone on a tight budget can make and share. It was quite good, because Sarp infused the sauce with some great spices that are typical of the motherland. Even Mattia, who claims that no one but Italians can make pasta, had multiple helpings. Good times, good friends, good food. What more could you want from life?

"Is this legal?"

So, I have a lot to update you all on. I'm going to do this in segments so that the post isn't ridiculously long, and so you can choose which parts you would like to read first.

We are going to start with last Saturday night.

I went to Albert and Christine's farewell party at Slovak Pub. It was the usual suspects, plus some of Albert's Erasmus friends (its a European exchange program...a lot of them live here in Vlcie hrdlo, and they are quite loud. who parties on tuesday nights?) So, I ate my halusky and drank my favorite Saris beer, relaxed, and enjoyed the (semi-smoky) atmosphere. That part of the story is normal.

The next part of the story is not.

So, we went to a club that Albert suggested because he had heard that they were hosting a special party that night. It is called Dopler, and I pass it every morning on my bus ride from the dorm to work. It looked like something that could be interesting...their PR put them in the same grain as upscale clubs in US cities, so I supposed that the cocktails would be expensive, the DJ would be quality, and the women would be scantily clad in designer clothes. Some of those things were true.

In general, the music was ok. The DJ was quite amateur, and it was obvious he only got his turntables for his 18th birthday, which may have only been a year earlier. It took him awhile to figure out how to cut one song into another one without having to completely stop the other song mid-play. I was perturbed when he cut off songs that I actually enjoyed. I had had enough when he broke out with "Summer Lovin" from Grease. I said, "Ugly Lights up. Time to go home". (For those of you who haven't worked in the service industry lately..."Ugly Lights" refers to Last Call")

Don't think that this story is over. I just wanted to comment on the bad music first. This next part may offend you slightly. 17.37

When we got to the club, it was one of those places that checks your ID, pats you down, and then gives you a "wrist watch", or tag sensor, that tracks when you entered and how many drinks you buy, so that the bartenders don't have to worry about cash, and can just sling the booze over the counter seamlessly. I thought this was an inventive idea. That way, when you go to leave, you give her your "watch", she scans it, and then you pay for everything at the end. This part was ok. Efficient, cost effective, and almost fashionable.

The problem? Apparently, the place turns into a strip club after around 1:00am. This would not have been such an awkward situation, had they followed the rules of most respectable strip joints in the US (aka: not completely nude, no group dances, no audience participation) Oh no. I had to divert my eyes from the atrocities going on up on the stage. Luckily, there were only 2 shows, because I could only spend so much time in the bathroom and on the opposite side of the club. Worry not, I am not going into detail. The damage to my eyes is better left alone.

There was a funny/charming part of the experience however. There was a man who dressed in drag and lip synced to some of the songs. My favorite was when he impersonated Tina Turner! He also did a great rendition of the song from Sister Act :) (See photo)

"You can shop on Sunday?"

So I've been reading this book "The Raw Food Detox Diet" just for some tips on foods to eat that are of a more healthy variety than the starchy potatoes and chicken. It's actually a very interesting book, and as many of you know, I don't believe in "diets" per-se, but this book represents a way of living. All of the recommendations make sense, and there isn't a need to "deny" yourself anything. It is merely about substituting raw foods into your diet. I love fruits and veggies, so it isn't really a problem.

The problem: finding products in Slovakia. There are many reasons for this issue: language barriers, choices relating to "post"-socialist leanings, quality of produce, and lack of "health food" interest to name a few. The problems with shopping in Central-Eastern Europe vs. the US is the inspiration for the title of this post. It references a conversation that I had with Matt and his mom when I was at the supermarket on Sunday. Matt's family lived in Germany before the wall came down, so in the years since democracy took over some things are very different...aka: shops being open on Sundays and actually being able to find a product that you want without having to wake up at 4am and stand in line for hours.

Apparently there is a place called "bio bio" in one of the shopping centers, but I haven't had the chance to go there yet. Maybe that will be an adventure for later this week.

Don't worry Mom and Dad, I'm not ACTUALLY starving. I employ hyperbole for the sake of theatrics.

I had my first bus check today as well! In Slovakia, you have to buy tickets to ride the bus. They come in minute increments, so you buy one pertaining to how long you will be riding. There is also a 3month pass that you can buy, which is what I do, which allows you to ride when you want for however long you want, which comes in handy for rides to work because you never know just how bad rush-hour is going to be. So I was just minding my own business listening to my i-pod on the way to work, and I'm doing my usual non-chalant people watching routine, when I see that everyone is taking out their tickets/passes. I look up and to my right and there is a very large and angry looking man hassling people and swiping their passes through a reader. I get a little nervous, even though I have nothing to be nervous about, but there is always an excited tension when we are forced to prove that we belong. I handed him my card, and he gave it back without any issues. Phew. If you get caught without a valid ticket/pass you have to pay Sk 1500...thats a pretty expensive fine, and if you don't have the money on you, they will walk you to the nearest ATM to collect. Thus, for those of you who will be visiting me: always be prepared!

Also, since it is pertinent for people to know where they are going while they are in Bratislava, you can go to this website. It has everything about public transportation here, so you can acquaint yourselves with it before you come.

Things that I ponder...

"For this is what we do. Put one foot forward and then the other. Lift our eyes to the snarl and smile of the world once more. Think. Act. Feel. Add our little consequence to the tides of good and evil that flood and drain our world. Drag our shadowed crosses into the hope of another night. Push our brave hearts into the promise of a new day. With love: the passionate search for a truth other than our own. With longing: the pure, ineffable yearning to be saved. For so long as fate keeps waiting, we live on. God help us. We live on." -Gregory David Roberts, Shantaram.


...if that is not life...i do not know what is...

MAIL TIME!!!

So, I just had the funniest experience at the Post Office.  

To start, I actually sort of like the post offices here.   They are open until 8:00pm, so that makes sending letters/packages convenient.  The staff are friendly and efficient, and signs are marked in Slovak, German, and English (so I know which line I need to be standing in).

The only thing I don't really like are the lines.  There is ALWAYS a line, no matter what window you go to, and you have to be careful, because sometimes a line with 5 people in it will drain faster than a line with 2 people in it, because the 5 are only sending a couple of letters, while the 2 may have a whole grocery bag full of things that need heavy-duty postage.

Today, I was in the line with 2 people.  The first person didn't take very long, but serving the woman in front of me became quite an ordeal.  

First, she had at least 5 different types of post that needed to be sent.  Luckily, she had already grouped them with the necessary paperwork, but still, its a tedious undertaking.  Sometime during the process she said something with a sort of urgency to the woman behind the window.  They started to have a semi-heated discussion, and the work of the postal woman became more violent.  Instead of merely placing the stickers on the packages, she was slapping them.  I knew that this may mean trouble for me, so I planned to smile as widely as possible and give a non-threatening "please don't hate me because of that other woman" dobry den. 

The two of them even argued over payment.

When it was all over, I inched closer to the window, only to see the postal woman get up from her seat, walk through a door to the back room, and slammed it with considerable effort.  The other patrons, workers, and I all looked at each other and kind of giggled because we knew what had just happened.  Frustration always translates.

She returned shortly, gossiping with the workers next to her, and complaining to me while processing my letters.  I smiled and said "ano, ano" (yes, yes, I understand) and thanked her graciously before leaving.

It was one of the best non-English exchanges I've had with a local.

Busy.

So, my weeks have become more and more full since I've moved to Bratislava.  I am now working 5 days a week, teaching 2 days a week, possibly going to Slovak lessons, and swimming at least once a week.  I also have "dates" with my friends (they're GIRLS Matt, settle yourself) and help out our local AIESEC chapter when they do language exams.  (more english...as a native speaker, i feel used)

No wonder I am always so sleepy.

The good news is, I now have WiFi (or, weefee, as they all it here) in my dormitory, so I will be able to spend less time at the office strapped to my desk and more time lounging in my room trying to figure out how to concoct a passable dinner from limited ingredients. (see photo)

(desperate? i think so...)

I'm no longer starving myself because I got paid last week. It was only half of my salary, because I only worked during half of the month of January, but still...money is money.  I was depressed about the fact that I had opened a Slovak bank account, but didn't have any money to put in it!  Now, I have a positive balance and a not-as-empty wallet.  Also, now that I am teaching 2 English classes a week (one public, one private for a real estate company called IURIS) I will have a bit more dough to work with when it comes to making plans, buying groceries, and most importantly, paying rent.  Wait, I think I have that wrong...I meant making plans, paying rent, and most importantly, BUYING GROCERIES.  

I realize that I may not have a whole lot of cash left over when I am finished here, but at least I will not have to drain the resources I accumulated while living in Myrtle Beach.  Therefore, I am only circumstantially poor.  I can live with that.  Besides, changing Slovak korunas into American Dollars isn't exactly a worthwhile investment.  The exchange rate is usually around 22.5 Sk-1 USD.  We'll see how much is in my account come December.

I've also realized that when I get back to the States, I want to try and find a job that doesn't include sitting in front of a computer screen for 8 hours a day.  It's too robotic for me to handle....and I think my 20-15 vision is slowly deteriorating.  At least I started with better-than-perfect vision, that should slow down the process of having to get glasses from the drug-store like so many of the adults I know...(*cough* MOM *cough* DAD *cough*)  I need to be free to roam the streets, entertain clients, do field work, SOMETHING OUTSIDE OF THE OFFICE.  I know that this may not be a realistic aspiration in the beginning, but hopefully I can work my way into it somehow.

Any suggestions?

More pictures to come after this weekend. I'm going hiking outside of Bratislava...should prove to create some beautiful pictures.  People too...not just landscapes.  Promise.

Can't help Myself

So, I had to try one of the translated jokes myself.

The English Version:

How do you kill a blonde? Put a scratch and sniff sticker at the bottom of a pool.

Japanese translation:

あなたがどのようにブロンドを殺すか？掻き傷及びひと嗅ぎステッカーをプールの底にしてください。

(I'm sure that makes sense to EVERYONE!)

The re-translated into English version:

How do you slaughter a blonde? I scratch and smell the damage and also person and please make the sticker the bottom of the swimming pool.

I'm giggling to myself :)

Contemporary Adventures

I had my first experience with Slovak contemporary art yesterday. After work, my local friend Jana took me to the School of Art in the city centre where two students were being featured in an exhibition. Let me tell you....I like art, very much, but these pieces were a bit of a stretch for me. There were 7 segments, and some I understood, and others....not so much. The show was called Romanticke Ekonomie, and focused a lot on the concept of 20% and 80%, or the Pareto Rule. In short, it means that 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes. The 6th segment of the exhibition was a group of writings that used this principle. There was one in English, so Jana didn't have to translate, and it helped me to understand what they were trying to do (sometimes things don't really make sense when you translate them from one language to another....imagine that!) It was:

20% of things we do which to 80% aren't worth the bother

-Attending openings
-Drinking liquor
-Working at Art Academies
-Dating unimportant men
-Arguing with waiters, policemen, door keepers
-Explaining our works
-Efforts to measure up to the white man
-Shopping at H&M
-Curating group shows
-Trusting male pre-coital promises
-Exhibiting in regional galleries
-Respecting the printed word
-Gossiping in public
-Getting people used to the fact that our works are supposed to be funny
-Comparing ourselves to other artists

This part of the exhibition I understood.

There was another segment called "Monument to yesterday", which was a video of a strip-tease by an over-weight woman with a forest back ground. I didn't get that one.

There was a cool part of the exhibition that I could relate to. It was called "Haiku", and it featured blonde jokes that were translated from English to Japanese, and then back to English by an automatic translator...probably something like www.freetranslation.com The phrases were carved into styrofoam and then put on the wall. They were hilarious. Here are some of them (I had to write them down)

Those why she highest
access "twinkie" of the blonde
she liked that it is complete in the cream

(WHAT?!?!?)

How she blonde which is fridge
you had known?
Lipstick of cucumber!

(Excuse me?)

I loved these because they showed the absurdity of language and how miscommunications can occur within cultural norms. I experience that everyday. Try explaining idioms to non-English speakers. It's hilarious.

The part which I got the least, however, was called "All periods in Capital". It was supposed to include clay, acryllic paint, and a plastic bag. I thought it would be some sort of sculpture? To be honest, I completely missed that it was part of the exhibition. When we were done perusing, I asked Jana, "Where was this part of the show?" and she said "Oh, yeah, it is back here, I show you". We walked back into one of the corridors, and I almost stepped on it. It was a plastic bag, filled with little clay balls that were painted black. It looked like it was supposed to be trash left outside of the office to be picked up by the house-keeper! Seriously!!! Even in a humorous state, I don't think I would have understood. I think I need to meet the two artists, and talk to them to see where their head-space was when they dreamed up this show. That could prove to be a good time.

Mai Pool.

So this is from "I can has cheezburger", a website that I like to waste time on because the photos make me laugh. I miss having my animals around, so this is a way to remember the silly things they do, and exploit them a bit :)



This one is for Matt:

This cat looks just like Jaime!!!! Oh, how I wish I could lounge on the couch and watch the Discovery and History Channels again!

Singles Awareness No More!

So, yesterday was Valentines Day. Usually, this is a commercial holiday that I choose not to celebrate. This year however, I had a really good one :) While I was at work I received FLOWERS from my amazing boyfriend. This was surprising, not just because I now live across the world, but also because he sent me lillies, my favorite...something I do not recall telling him. I late found out that the buying of the flowers was an ordeal that included 5 people's opinions. I'm glad they work together for the common good of my happiness. It was great because when the delivery man came to the door, I figured he just had mail for us, but then I saw the bouquet, and beamed when I saw that it was for me. Livia (my boss) said, "Aren't you going to cry?" when she saw that Matt had sent me something. I thought about it, but crying in the office isn't something I'm ready to do.



I then went to water aerobics with Livia. It was SO fun. It's a group of middle aged women who take the class at the University for Physical Education. It's amazing to see the transition that people make from professional and poised to spirited and youthful. The minute that Livia and her friends got into the water, they became chatty, giggling teenage girls. It was fantastic. The class actually required some real exertion. Trying to do an aerobic workout with the resistance of the water is refreshing and taxing on your muscles. The ladies want me to keep coming, mostly because they want to improve their English skills...but I think some of it is them enjoying my company :).




After water aerobics I met Vaida for our Valentine's date. Her boyfriend is in Lithuania, so she and I thought it would be nice to commiserate with each other. We were able to get a 2-for-1 deal at the movie theater in Aupark for "PS: I love you". I know, that movie is already out of the theaters in the US, and probably close to coming out on DVD. Hollywood runs a bit slower out here...which can work to my advantage since I haven't seen a lot of movies lately. I really liked the movie. Vaida and I cried the WHOLE TIME. It was impossible not to, and I'm not embarrassed. Seeing relationships on the screen makes you compare them to your own, and then if its a good comparison you miss them even more. Your love for someone can certainly grow in their absense, but I'm never moving away again. Period.



Today (Friday) we went to our usual bagel spot! Last time we were there I ate 2 by myself. Today, only 1, but Dominic let me have a bite of his chocolate cake. He maintains it is the best in Bratislava. I have to do some research before I can make that claim. It was tasty, though. Tonight is the house-warming party for Dominic and Maxime's apartment. I told them I would help get it ready, since they are men (thus have difficulty organizing...just kidding guys!), and because they have had so many problems trying to get things together in the way of furniture and appliance installation that I thought it would be nice to take some things off of their to-do list. They live in Petrzalka, which is kind of the hood of Bratislava, so that is another reason why I am going during the day-time, with a guy. I know, I'm smart.

?

I saw a Dread-lock Mullet today.

That is all I can say about that.

Skiing in Jasna!

So here is the picture tour of the trip we took to Jasna, a ski resort in Chopok, Slovakia, which is a part of the Low Tatra Mountains! (http://www.jasna.sk/)





The trip was definitely something I will always remember. It will probably take me a REALLY long time to write this blog entry because there are so many details that I don't want to leave out.

So I guess the whole trip started on the train. We were scheduled to depart at 3:21 on Friday. I got Hlavna Stanica (the main train station) at around 2:45 because I was having bad luck with transportation that day, and didn't want to risk anything. One by one, people started to trickle in until we were a group of about 13. All together, we ended up having 18 people on our trip, but some people drove up to the mountain, and others met us on the next day. The whole trip was planned to celebrate the birthdays of Dominic (British guy) and Maxime (French guy). 4 of Dominic's friends from the UK joined us as well.

The train experience is interesting. There are normal tickets, and then tickets that you can buy that give you a seat reservation. The seat costs about 40 Sk extra, TOTALLY worth it since our trip was going to take about 4 hours, and I'm not a huge fan of standing for that long.

The corridor of the train is only about 4 feet wide. This means, if people are already standing there with their luggage, it is nearly impossible for you to get past them in order to get to your carriage. Then, when you finally make it down the corridor, you find that there are people already sitting in YOUR seat, because the rule is, if the seat is not claimed within 10 minutes of the train leaving the station, it is forfeited. People who buy normal tickets just filter into random carriages and hope that no one shows up. So, then those people have to move out of the carriage and into the already crowded corridor while you wait until they are out of the way, and then you move your stuff in. The whole thing includes a lot of "I'm sorry!" and "Excuse me please!" The last thing you want is to get left behind on the platform because you couldn't get onto the train because the line was so long out the corridor.

The ride was pretty uneventful. We tried to busy ourselves with snacks, sudoku, sleeping, and just chatting. There was one point where we weren't sure if a particluar stop was ours, so we almost got off the train, which would have been an issue because it wasn't our stop (and the next train wasn't for another hour). The issue is that there are multiple stops with similar names. Our stop was Banska Bystrica, but we stopped at another Banska platform before that one, so we got confused. Luckily, we had Peter, a Slovak native, in our group. He made sure we didn't make a BIG mistake.

Here is a picture of Sarp and Vaida on the second train.

Once we were in Brezno, we needed to take a chartered bus to Jasna, because the last bus had already gone. We ordered it ahead of time, so it wasn't an issue. The issue was the drivers skills on the road. I've experienced European driving many times, and this instance was no different. That means: the guy was a MANIAC. We were obviously driving up a very steep and winding road because we were heading for the MOUNTAINS. You would think that would mean we would take it slowly and carefully, especially when the snow started showing up on the road. No. That would be too much to ask for. At one point, we lost traction with the road and fishtailed up the hill. This sent many of the passengers into a frenzy because they don't have a lot of experience driving in snowy conditions. I assured them that there was enough weight distribution in the vehicle that we would be ok. We were. The guy slowed down after that.

When we got there, it was dark, but you could still see a lot of the slopes. I was in awe. I'd been stuck in a city for a month, and I haven't really seen mountaines in awhile, so the whole experience was entralling. Getting our rooms together turned into a little bit of an issue because there were supposed to be 3 people to a room, but there were couples in our group, and the singles didn't want to stay with the couples (OBVIOUSLY) so there was some shuffling.

This is a picture of where Vaida and I passed out once we had everything situated

The whole weekend was filled with fun in the form of skiing, eating , partying, hiking, sleeping, you name it. This is one of my favorite pictures: Maxime's ski hat! (A Moose for the Roo)
This is the view outside my window. When I woke up in the morning, around 8am in order to get a good breakfast and then haggle with the rental guys and the lift pass guys, this is what I saw. I immediately grabbed my camera, even though my roomie was still sleeping :)

Breakfast was great. I had sausage, french toast and honey, cereal, juice, and yogurt. I needed to load up for the day...it was going to be a long one.

This is the picture of Steve, one of Dom's friends, trying to get his boots on and off. It took an extra 3 people to help! For many of my fellow adventurers, it was their first time skiing...ever. I knew that was going to make the experience interesting, especially when we found out that there was only 1 "beginner" hill on our side of the mountain, and that it was really for beginners. I told them to come to Peak n Peek and I'd introduce them to the bunny hill.

After helping people with their equipment and giving them some rudimentary lessons on how to turn and make the pizza in order to stop ("PIZZA! PIZZA! TURN! HOLY S**T! STOP!) Jheni, another one of Dom's friends, Maxime and I decided to tackle the other slopes. They are divided into 3 categories: Blue, Red, and Black Circles. We thought that the reds and blacks were calling our names....later I was screaming theirs.

This is me looking tranquil. I was still on a high from being in a such a beautiful place. Little did I know what awaited me. If it wasn't enough that it was my first time on a drag lift (it took me a couple times to finally get it right without falling off halfway up the hill), I then had to quickly shift my knowlege of snow from packed to powder.

Yeah, I skiied down this hill. I don't know how, and I don't want to think about it. It involved a lot of sweat, unknown muscle groups, expert reflexes, praying, and coaching from Jheni.

Here is the group! We had a nice dinner in the restaurant in the hotel. Again the service left a bit to be desired, but we've gotten used to that. After all, I do know how difficult it can be to get 18 different orders correct and to the right people.

We also celebrated Dominic's birthday!!!! Obviously this called for a silly costume (?) So, he chose a chicken suit!!! We told him to ski in it the next day, but we were also afraid that it would soak up too much of the snow because he was a newbie, and tended to fall in order to stop himself at the bottom of the slope, so we scrapped that idea. The other people in the hotel loved this costume. We sang crass British songs (I'm in love with the girl next door! Smell my.....) until the wee hours of the morning and then decided if we were ever going to wake up the next day, we should go to sleep.

We all woke up early the next day because we had to be out of the rooms by 10am. This presented a slight problem since our bus wasn't coming until 5pm, but we just loaded all of our stuff into one room and then tried to occupy ourselves.

I decided NOT to ski the next day. My muscles were sore in places that I had never known could hold lactic acid, so I decided to hike around and go up the slope to the restaurants and such. It was a another beautiful day, full of sun and clear skys, so we sold our ski passes, took our books, and went on up the chair lift. Justina and Vaida thought it was a good idea to actually hike UP the actual SLOPE. It took them about an hour, and I have a new respect for them. I may have actually joined them if I had better shoes. Hiking boots wouldn't have fit in my luggage from the States to Bratislava. This next picture is of us struggling to get up a little hill that goes from one restaurant to another. People are allowed to ski EVERYWHERE (you have no idea how literal that is. I'm talking up the hills, down the hills, off the track, in the middle of a walkway, wherever there is snow essentially), so the snow was packed down pretty well, making it quite slippery. I tried to show everyone the dig method for the way up and the shuffle method for the way down. We endured a couple of falls. They were funny. I'm sure it didn't help that some people had serious hangovers. Not me though.

The bus/train ride back was another interesting one. This time we were going straight from Brezno to Bratislava, so we didn't have to worry about missing our stop, but the bus driver was another Cavalier on the road. This time, the guy sped DOWN the hill at unsafe speeds, passing another charter bus on a curve, and then getting WAY TO CLOSE to others, making us all very nervous, because I could have reached out and given a passenger on the other bus a high-five. We made it though, with no serious injuries, and were able to make it through the shuffle of the train-dance knows as "Get out of my Seat"

I'm sure there will be more, but I've been working on this one for awhile and need a break. Hope you all enjoy!

Devotion

Human life is full of interests. We are interested in each other, hobbies, culture, the news, our jobs, gossip, and the list goes on. What is it that separates our mere interests from those things that we truly feel passionate about? What things in your life are you unwilling to give up? What elements of your happiness would you fight to the death to maintain?

What are you DEVOTED to?

I suppose the answers can be pretty obvious. Family, friends, etc. At the same time, how do you measure that devotion to those people? Is it shown through actions and words, or is it some sort of innate sense of connection that we possess?

For example, I am devoted to those people that I love and receive love from in return. However, through my actions it would seem I am more devoted to myself. I left those people that I love to pursue my other interests. I am serving myself through individual experiences. Is my decision to be outside of my usual life contrary to my promises of devotion? If so, how do I assure those people that I am devoted to them still, even when I am absent? I can tell them through words, but words can seem shallow when spoken over the phone or through a computer, because often you cannot see or touch the person you are communicating with. Do relationships suffer when we are unable to really express our devotion?

While the answers to these questions can vary greatly on circumstance, I really do believe that as people we have an innate ability to connect to those people we are devoted to even when forced to be apart from them. There is a similarity of mind that overpowers distance and time. Those who are special to me understand that when they are in distress I can feel it without communicating with them. They also know that while I may be across an ocean, my priorities still lie within their lives.

It is easy to submit to depression when you feel isolated. I think people like to feel sorry for themselves because it can incite sympathy from others, thus creating a superficial connection. What I have learned is that it is crucial to be conscious of the true bonds we have with those people we are mutually devoted to. With that understanding comes a feeling of serenity and purpose, and then you are never really alone.

Rudolph Nose

The Rudolph Nose (another one of my own vernacular creations) occurs when you blow your nose so often, the skin becomes irritated and red, a tell tale sign that you have a cold. I haven't quite gotten to that point yet, but my nose is runny and I'm hocking up stuff that isn't pleasant. I'm certain that you all wanted to know that.

In short, I am experiencing my first health issue in Bratislava. I'm not sure how it started, but I think it has to do with involuntary smoke inhalation, and old radiator, and the cold weather. I bundle up everyday with a coat, boots, scarf, gloves and hat, and even go to bed around 10 or 10:30 on the weekdays (and not much later than that on the weekends...I like to be boring to preserve my vitality in the long run) so I don't think it has to do with exhaustion. However, I am thoroughly annoyed. Being sick is not something I am accustomed to, and I was never the type to get "colds" until college, aka: the world's #1 breeding ground for germs. I'm toughing it out with tea, high nutrient meals and sleep. I'm defnitely not the surrendering type, so I plan on beating the crap out of this thing until it decides that I am an unfavorable host. Right now I could go for some Shitaki Mushroom Soup a la Stu and a Chamomile Concoction via Kim. A blanket from Bunny and a nap with Nanners would be pretty great too. (I'm so glad I haven't lost my anecdotal creativity, Thank You Perry School for overemphasizing the importance of Literary Devices, although some of it could be attributed to Dr. Seuss)

That reminds me, I should probably reread Oh the Places You'll Go...

In other news, Sherisse, the trainee before me at the Chamber, is coming for a visit today! She is from Aberdeen, Scotland. She will be hanging out with us for awhile, and then we're heading out to the High Tatras to ski! I'm a bit nervous to ski here, because I know it will be a completely different experience. Everyone keeps saying "snow is snow", but as someone who grew up in the snow belt, I know that is NOT true. I'm excited though, and will spend lots of time on the bunny hill to warm up (at least, I hope they have one of those!).

NEWSFLASH!!! Wow. I just had a HUGE flashback to Dance Camp when I was in Drill Team. The song "Freestyler" just came on the radio. I don't know if any of my old teammates read this, but they will understand. I still remember some of the dance...weird. Definitely wouldn't be earning the coveted blue ribbon right now though.

Ok, I'm going to contemplate the meaning of life now, because there is a lack of other pressing matters to address.

Cocktails and Karaoke Bars

So yesterday after work I joined my friend Christine for cocktails at a place called "Hot Shot" with one of the AIESECers (from here, @ers) from Bratislava, Katerina.  We had a good time just talking about girly stuff (sometimes you just need that), and thinking about the FULL PLACEMAT of drink possibilities that were grouped by alcohol type.  I tried the Aloe Dream and the Miami Vice.  They were pretty good.  Easy to drink, and not too strong.  The place was pretty posh, and the drinks were a bit expensive, about 149 Sk or $6.61, for about 180ml, but in general, the atmosphere was ok, and the company made up for the awful service (I don't think I'll ever escape that)

After that we met the rest of the @ers at Slovak Pub, which I guess has become our fall-back spot because the food is good and the beer is cheap (I can get a pint of Saris for about $1.86...but don't worry, that doesn't encourage me to drink more, it just helps me appreciate what I'm drinking)  I was ready to go home after that.  I try not to stay out late more than 1 night a week to preserve my youthful vitality, and it was almost 12, so it was about time for me to turn in because today (Saturday) is a welcome party for the new Danish trainee.  Everyone else wanted to go to the karaoke bar on Michalska, which is close to where I work, and I had never been there, and didn't know the night bus schedule, so I was kind of stuck.  

It turned out to be ok, the place was a bit smoky, but I tried not to drag down the mood too much.  It's really funny to hear people sing songs in English.  There was a lot of Radiohead, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Robbie Williams, and Madonna.  They played some Slovak pop songs, and I obviously didn't know them, but I figured it was a good opportunity to practice my Slovak pronunciations.

Enough of that nonsense.

I've been reading the book Shantaram, and it is amazing.  It brings up a lot of philosophical discussions about basic human nature and fate.  I'm glad that I'm finally reading for pleasure again (Cornell broke me of the habit, 300+ pages a week per-class of political theory can kill your desire to ever read again).  The character and I are very different, but there are similarities between our situation, and I find myself identifying with his inner struggles and daily experiences.  Being an expat has forced me to both appreciate and criticize my life in the US, and it puts me in a strange position as to my future.  I've been plagued with a burning question for almost 5 years now, and now it is an even more persistent thought: Where do I really want to be?

I suppose I will have to wait and see.

More philosophy about life to come...

Rabbit Rabbit!

Good Morning Everyone! Happy new month, the month of LOVE. I recited my "rabbit rabbit" for good luck today. It's hard to believe that I have been here for 3 weeks already, but at the same time, it feels as though I have been here much longer. Time goes quickly, and then slowly, and then all of a sudden, a week has gone by :).

Side note: they are playing "Gangsters Paradise" on the radio right now. Do they even know what a "hood" is? I definitely haven't seen anyone with corn-rows yet. That leads me to a realization I had about city infrastructure. Some of my friends live in flats here in the city (they couldn't stand the dorm anymore). Some of them claim to be in really nice neighborhoods, but when I visit them there, I have one hand on my purse and the other clutching my keys to use as a weapon in case of assault. It's interesting that the nice areas of Bratislava kind of look like the projects in Cleveland. I feel safe in the city, but when you're riding the bus to work, the buildings look rather beat up and drab (communism?) I suppose it has to do with building maintenance and city funding for beautification initiatives. The fact that there is spray painted nonsense everywhere doesn't help. I'm sure grafitti would be more tolerated if it resembled something like, oh, ART. There are amazing things that you can do with street art (there are examples in every major city in the US), but just writing your "tag" on the door of an otherwise beautiful building is stupid, and a waste of talent. I don't care of you're marking your turf for others to see, or if you just get a rush from social deviance. NO ONE appreciates what you did at 3 in the morning with your sloppy black spray can and lack of imagination. There is an interesting story about it in the Slovak Spectator.

Ok. Side note is over.

I was talking to Bethany this morning (Lord knows why she was awake...silly girl) and she informed me that Barack Obama has won South Carolina. I was baffled, but I guess that the usually democratic, but still pretty racist, state decided to pick a man over a woman, and look to the side about his ethnicity. The funny thing to me is that John Edwards wasn't chosen in his HOME STATE. That says something. To me he is merely an ambulance chaser with better hair than the guys at Elk & Elk. Personally, I don't like any of the candidates that are running for any of the parties, and I'm thinking about living in Europe until 2012 to avoid the issues that will probably arise as soon as the ballots are cast. The only person I really know, or respect, is John McCain. This does not mean that I want to see him in office, but as a person I believe he should be revered.

Thats about all I can squeeze out on politics. I was overloaded for 4 years. I need a break.

I think that is all for now, it's almost time for lunch!!!!!