life with a French man

In a post I read on this blog yesterday Thomas wrote about the fact that he doesn't consider France to be a democratic country. How come?

Well, democracy should be about the power for the people by the people. In other words, the people we elect each year are those who are supposed to represent us, our voice. Here is where the root of the problem is. Instead of discussing the problems of the electorate, politicians start to fight about who will get the larger piece of the action and who knows what else. The end result is that you as a voter feel cheated by exactly those people who should have implemented their pledges to you and accordingly you lose the faith in the power of voting.

This is exactly what is happening to me at the moment. I've only voted for two times so far, but still I feel that there is not much point in voting again because:

a) all the parties have similar manifestos
b) when one party comes to power it instantly forgets all about its promises
c) for the next four years I only witness battles between the opposition and the party in power about who will take more money from the Croatian public

Nevertheless, I think I'm going to vote in the next general elections in November as it is my civic duty to do so although for the Croatian politics to change for better, there should be an earthquake which would bring the politicians to their senses again.

If you want to read what Thomas wrote about this explosive topic, take a look at:

http://lifewithafrenchman.blogspot.com/2007_01_01_archive.html

nerd's eye view

As Mandel is both a nature and cycling enthusiast, in the posts I've read from her last she wrote about the Iron Horse Trail and the Rattlesnake lake.

The Iron Horse Trail (picture above) is located in Pennsylvania and it has two sections with some moderate climbs which require you to wear quality hiking boots while admiring the magnificient countryside on foot or by bicycle.

Rattlesnake lake is a lake in Washington located in the Rattlesnake Mountain Scenic Area which is a mountain ridge crisscrossed with numerous foot paths.

Anyway, let me tell you now something about a topic which is close to my heart, but has nothing to do whatsoever with countryside. What I wish to talk about is something Mandel many a time writes about in her posts namely about my all-time favourite food-fish. Actually, to be more precise, about the rewards of fish being part of your daily diet.

First and foremost, fish together with other seafoods provides over a billion of people around the globe with animal protein. What's more, especially saltwater fish is high in Omega 3 fatty acids which contribute to a healthy heart, so a fish diet is highly recommendable to anyone.

Because of all the above mentioned, consuming fish is top of the agenda for me whenever I'm home as we have it on tap there. However, when I'm in Graz, my fish intake is much lower than it should be as I always make a song and dance about the fish sold in Austria. Somehow it doesn't taste like "genuine" fish to me although its taste is far from being bland.
I guess, that's the story of my life.

Sources:

http://www.visitpa.com/visitpa/details.pa?id=59713

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rattlesnake_Ridge

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fish_%28food%29

Ireland from a Polish perspective

Yesterday I read a post from Krystian's blog where he was going on about the integration of the ever-growing Polish community in Ireland and how the integration is still in its infancy. The rough estimate is that 130,000 Poles are living in Ireland at the moment.

To cater for their needs as an ethnic minority, they have a Polish weekly magazine published in Ireland (Polska Gazeta) as well as some Polish shops, pubs, and clubs. However, all this is just a drop in the ocean and the problems like the wage gap between Irish and Polish workers are still legion.

The moment I read this post it rang a bell because Ms Welland gave us a text to read for this week's class with a similar topic. It's message could be applied to the Polish in Ireland as the writer of the text thinks that today we are living in a super-diverse society and only if the legal status of immigrants is profoundly changed both on a national and local level, can a common ground to start on be created between immigrants and the locals.

I must say that this solution appears to me to be the soundest one. Nowadays, as no country can seal itself off from immigration, there should be mechanisms created that will be highly beneficial both for the immigrants and the locals. The last step that should be taken now is to walk the talk.

If you wish to read more about the Polish community in Ireland, visit:

http://www.theredcard.ie/news/2006/03/spotlight-on-nation-polish-in-ireland.html

the American in Croatia

In the posts from Fred's blog I've read last he announces that he intends to go back home to the USA as his relationship has been reduced to a pile of broken glass, he is lonesome and without a steady job and accordingly worn out.

I find this decision of his the best he could have ever taken as there is little point in staying in a place were you feel dispirited. Giving up, contrary to the belief of most people nowadays, isn't cowardly. It is just the result of the realisation that you cannot deal with a situation anymore and need to turn a new leaf. We should all from time to time abandon something if this thing depredates us of our power.

Finally, I would like to say that reading Fred's blog was very instructive for me as I could examine my home country through his eyes.

Now, I'm searching for a new expat blog to read and as soon as I find it, you'll be the first ones to be informed.

Stay tuned!

life with a French man

The decision has been made. The no-nonsense politician Nicolas Sarkozy is the new president of France.

In the aftermath of Sunday's election Thomas contemplates about the new president of France and comes to the conclusion that he doesn't believe Sarkozy is fit for such a respectable office (in France the president is France), but he certainly has for Thomas more charisma and influence than the Socialist party and its leader Royal who have failed in providing the French electorate with an elaborate policy.

So for Thomas the French election is equal to the saying-
Better the devil you know than the devil you don't.

As in the last few weeks I've been following the French election closely, I must say that at the moment Sarkozy's star is firmly in the ascendant as he enjoys almost unequivocal support from the French electorate.

What he offers is to lead France to a new era, leaving no stone unturned, but when the novelty of his election wears off, will the French readily accept what he decides to implement? What's more, can he realise everything he has promised?

After all, he has guaranteed to introduce, amongst other things, bold leadership, free-market reforms, a longer working week, and tax cuts. Do the French want to hear such pledges? Apparently they do, as up to and during the Sunday's run-off Sarkozy got the most votes.

This is all well and good, but no one is tailor-made for the office of a president and honestly most of the promises wannabe presidents make dissolve as quickly as effervescent tablets in water the moment they enter office. What will be the case with Sarkozy is yet to be seen.

However, one thing is sure-in the wake of the first protests againts him, he will need to press the right buttons if he wishes to give an outstanding performance and put into practice half of what he has committed himself.

Or he will fail appalingly at almost everything like many before him have as no president is irreplaceable because they come and go, but the people voting for them remain and they are the ones Sarkozy should have a close relationship with.

Sources:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-sarkozy5may05,0,3117423.story?coll=la-home-headlines

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6631309.stm

nerd's eye view

Today ,as you can see, this post revolves around the topic of dinosaurs. Actually, to be more precise, about the one-time Dinosaur Valley in Drumheller (Alberta, Canada) which Mandel and her husband visited on one of their numberless travels.

While Drumheller is an agricultural and touristy city nowadays, it used to be something quite different a long time ago. If we could travel back in time for 70 millions of years, we would be able to see the Drumheller Valley full to the brim with dinosaurs living in a tropic environment while happily eating grass or each other.

For me it is always thrilling to imagine that were I'm walking on today there used to be dinosaurs, especially when you consider that so little is known about the reasons for their extinction which occured approximately 65 million of years ago (!!) despite the fact that paleontologists have been researching this field since the 1970s.

Nowadays, although several related theories (asteroid collision, multiple collisions, or environmental changes) exist, scientists don't uniformly agree that one event caused the extinction of dinosaurs.

Another compelling fact is that dinosaurs are an significant part of our popular culture. Just cast your mind back to the 1933 version of King Kong, or the renowned Jurassic Park.

Be that as it may, the plain and simple truth is that the human fascination with dinosaurs won't lessen until or even beyond the time one scientist comes up with a plausible answer on the reason for their extinction.

To read more about Drumheller and dinosaurs in general, visit:

http://www.fotw.net/flags/ca-ab-dr.html

http://www.worldslargestdinosaur.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinosaur

Ireland from a Polish perspective

In today's post about Krystian's life in Ireland I'm going to blend a bit of Irish geography with Polish history.

Let's start off with the less stodgy of the two topics namely the Irish landscape. As part of his journey around the circumference of Ireland, Krystian and a couple of friends visited this time around the imposing Cliffs of Moher and the Burren.

The Cliffs of Moher are to be found at the south-western edge of the Burren area, county Clare, Republic of Ireland. They rise up to 214 meters at their highest point and boast one of Ireland's most awe-inspiring views. As such they are the place to be for any tourist venturing to Ireland and sure enough almost one million visitors admired them in 2006. However, despite the fact that the tourists throng the Cliffs of Moher each year like mosquitoes the lighting, the unspoilt beauty of them has been preserved thanks to the meticulously planned "Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience."

If you wish to find out more about this stunning place, visit:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cliffs_of_Moher

The Burren or Burren (the definite article has only been added to the name a few decades ago) is a distinctive karst-landscape region in County Clare, Republic of Ireland which has an abundance of historical and archeological sites.

If you wish to read more about it, visit:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Burren


Let's move on to a less "stunning" topic namely a dark chapter from the contemporary Polish history.

On December the 13, 1981, the Martial Law (the control of a city, country etc. by an army instead of by its usual leaders) was imposed in Poland under General Jaruzelski as a desperate measure to "defend socialism" because the government felt threatened by the members of the first independent trade union in Poland-the Solidarity which was fighting for people to have more rights.

According to the Polish constitution the martial law can be imposed for national security reasons without the consent of the parliament. The moment the martial law was introduced thousands of Solidarity activists were arrested and imprisoned, airports were closed, and curfews (a rule that everyone must stay at home between particular times, usually at night, especially during a war or a period of political trouble) were introduced between 10pm and 6am.

However, Polish people were much more resilient than the Communist Party had initially predicted and were organising strikes and street marches despite feeling shellshocked by everything that was happening around them. It took two years and numerous victims for the martial law to be done away with in July 1983. It was only in 1989, though, that all the restrictive legislation which had been imposed by the Communist Party was abolished once and for all.

While reading about this traumatic episode in Polish history, I couldn't stop thinking about just how life-shattering this experience must have been for the Poles who where sealed from the rest of the world and chastised in any just imaginable way for two excruciatingly long years. Not to mention all the blood that was shed during that time. Still, the Polish put their foot down and didn't want to give ground in the battle for their civil rights.

This historic event should be a lesson to all of us in that we should always fight for a worthy cause no matter what that fight might comprise.

To read more about the martial law of 1981 in Poland, visit:

http://www.videofact.com/english/martial_law.htm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/december/13/newsid_2558000/2558955.stm

true-life stories about the time of martial law in Poland-http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/witness/december/13/newsid_4524000/4524704.stm

here you can watch a U2 song which is dedicated to the Solidarity movement in Poland- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQaFue_KvoQ

the American in Croatia

In the entry I've read from Fred's blog last, he mentioned being molested by skinheads because his skin colour was for them a thorn in their flesh.

Prompted by his comments, I went online in search of more information about skinheads in Croatia. This is what I've found:

The first skinheads appeared on the streets in the early 1990s and started to show their hostility towards Serbs, Muslims, reportedly unpatriotic Croatians, black and homosexuals by attacking them in most brutal ways.

The last big attack on foreigners by this militant group which idolises violence was in 2001 when three Japanese students were assaulted.

Contrary to the belief of the public, most of the perpetrators do not come from broken homes. Actually, they are mostly the children, who support extreme-right politics, of respected professionals.

Although the Croatian media has the power in their hands to educate the public on the topic of skinheads and their deeds, they either contort the truth or don't even find such a topic worth mentioning. Some Catholic newspapers even go so far as to blame the victims saying that homosexuals are sick and distorted, so they don't deserve a better treatment or what?

Despite so much intolerance and violence, there are events in Croatia that try to sensitise the public about the rights of social and sexual minorities. Such an event was the 2002 gay pride in Zagreb where the activists were calling people to oppose all sorts of discrimination. Although the event was overshadowed by skinheads throwing eggs, ashtrays, and bottles on the activists, it was a significant stepping stone in the creation of a more open-minded society.

Still, Croatia has a long way ahead before being able to call itself an open society.

sources-http://iwpr.net/?p=bcr&s=f&o=155583&apc_state=henibcr2001
(about skinheads)
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,321730,00.html
(about the gay pride in Zagreb)

nerd's eye view

Today, thanks to Mandel, you can inform yourself here about the WTO riots in Seattle in 1999 and about Canada, the second largest country by total area in the world.For starters here is a synopsis of what the WTO 1999 Seattle riots were all about. On November the 30, 1999 the WTO (World Trade Organisation) Ministeral Conference took place in Seattle.

The conference was accompanied by massive street protests from anti-globalization activists. The lowest estimates say that 40,000 people thronged Seattle streets opposing neo-liberalism in what was later nicknamed "The Battle of Seattle."

However, what caused great distress to the police and the town fathers weren't those who protested peacefully, but those who committed civil disobedience by being violent. The most violent clashes took place in Mandel's neighbourhood, Capitol Hill, the second most densely populated neighbourhood in Seattle.

Not only was the taking place of the conference under threat because of the riots, but also the talks because the developing countries couldn't take it anymore to be patronised and bullied by the USA and their like. The only thing the Americans wanted was to expand their agressive trade policy further not even stopping to think of its consequences to the cultures of the developing countries. Accordingly, the talks collapsed. Alas, after this 1999 WTO conference, the American policy of pure economic interest didn't come to an end.

Although I certainly do not support protesters who restore to violence while voicing their opinion (violence only provokes violence-a vicious circle), I do hold it to be of the utmost importance for people to fight for a fairer democratic system. Coming myself from a developing country, I'm sick and tired of the attitude of the USA towards any country which isn't as developed as them. Unfortunately, although protests certainly sensitise the public, not much can be done against America's policy as all the developing countries are dependent on America if they wish to become developed country. This is the curse of the poor.

Two compelling sites about the riots are:
http://www.answers.com/topic/wto-ministerial-conference-of-1999-protest-activity
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/global/story/0,,525093,00.html

Let's move on to a less riotous topic namely Canada. As I had known laughably little about this magnificent country before deciding to research, I was positively surprised by just how much I found out about it.

Canada is the second largest country by total area in the world and it is bordered by three oceans namely the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic Ocean respectively. The country was founded in 1867 as an union of British colonies and it remained so until 1982 when Canada became independent. Today, Canada is part of the Commonwealth of Nations as a constitual monarchy with parliamentary democracy and Queen Elizabeth the II is the head of state of Canada.

The name Canada has its roots in the language of the St. Lawrence Iroquoians and it means "village" or "settlement". The country is made up of ten provinces namely Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, and Saskatchewan. Canada also has three territories (Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Yukon), but they enjoy a smaller degree of autonomy compared with the provinces.

As far as geography is concerned, boreal forests (taiga) permeat the country, ice is common in the Arctic, throughout the Coast Mountains, and the Saint Elias Mountains. The relative flat Prairies in western Canada are suitable as agricultural ground and the territory surrounded by the St. Lawrence River is were the majority of the population lives. The density of population is in Canada amongst the lowest in the world- 3,5 people per square kilometre.

Economically speaking, Canada is one of the world's wealthiest nations with a high per capita income and low unemployment. What's more, Canada is one of the world's largest exporters of energy as it has vast natural deposits of gas and oil.

As far as the population is concerned, its number is steadily growing due to immigration and it amounted to 31,612,897 according to the 2006 census. Canada is also highly multicultural with 34 ethinc groups living there and with two official languages (English and French) which enjoy equal status in the state institutions.

All in all, a country worth visiting.

To find out more, visit:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada

Ireland from a Polish perspective

Follow me today as I continue my journey around the bewitching Emerald Isle with Krystian.

Our first stop is Nenagh, the largest town in North Tipperary. While it once was a small market town, today it is a busy commercial one. The chief attraction is the Nenagh Castle (picture above) which took 25 years to built (1220-1225) as a Norman keep by the royal Butler family. Currently, a project is under way to redecorate the castle and its surroundings, advertising it as a major tourist attraction.
To find out more, visit:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nenagh

After Nenagh we find ourselves in the etherally beautiful Howth and the Howth (pronounced to rhyme with the word both) Peninsula. Howth was originally a tiny fishing village, but today it is a lively suburb of Dublin which spans most of the north part of Howth Head Peninsula.
The past of the town is shrouded in legends. Like the story of the female pirate Grace O'Malley (left in the picture) who was denied entry to Howth Castle in 1576, so she abducted the Earl of Howth's grandson and as a ransom extracted from the Earl the promise that unanticipated guests would never be turned away again.
To find out more, visit:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howth


As Krystian is an archaeologist, our next stop are the scenic ruins of the monastery of Clonmacnoise in county Offaly (in Irish Cluain Mhic Nóis; meaning "Meadow of the Sons of Nós). The monastery was built in 545 by Saint Ciarán and at that time it bristled with buildings and high Irish crosses, but today, few of them are still intact. One of them is the Cross of the Scriptures, one of the most skillfully executed sandstone crosses.
If you wish to find out more, visit:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clonmacnoise

Our last "port" of call for today is Killaloe, a town in the midwest of Ireland known as the birthplace of Ireland's famous High King Brian Boru. Although his exact date of birth is shrouded in mystery, he was reportedly born in 941 to a royal family. As both his father and his brother passed away untimely, he became the King of the kingdom of Munster in 1002. By 1011, he was the ruler of all the kingdoms in Ireland then. However, other kings rebelled against his rule and although the rebels were defeated in 1014 in the Battle of Clontarf, Boru died. He is burried in the grounds of the St. Patrick Cathedral in Armagh.

To find out more, visit:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killaloe%2C_County_Clare

All in all, after this magnificent journey from my armchair, I can safely say that pictures convey more than thousand words.

life with a French man

In the last entries I've read by Kim she was talking about the shopping frenzy surrounding Christmas and what she wrote made me rethink my feelings about one of the most important holidays of the year.

It didn't take me long to realise that for most people today Christmas has boiled down to shopping sprees and the greed of receiving gifts, casting a shadow over its spiritual aspects. It has turned into a holiday which celebrates the Gods of money and shopping and where people go to considerable lengths to buy the best present for their near and dear.

I, however, mainly because of my family's economic situation, haven't become a victim of the Christmas shopping disease. Nor, if I had the cash necessary, would I wish to fall prey to such a trend.

For me Christmas has a much deeper meaning than for most consume-oriented people. It is all about the Christmas spirit namely the celebration of goodwill, compassion, and about spending quality time with my loved ones. During Christmas time, when we celebrate the birth of Jesus, I'm catapulted to my childhood because of the smells that waft through the kitchen, the hand-made gifts and the Christmas carolls which are a must in my family.

Thanks God, while surfing the net, I came across many sites where my like-minded write about some aspects of the "real" Christmas spirit, like this two:

http://www.shawneedispatch.com/section/opinion/story/3690
http://www.soon.org.uk/christmas.htm

I hope that you all have similar feelings about Christmas and that when December the 25th comes again, you won't be to busy shopping to forget what Christmas is all about.

the American in Croatia

In April, just a few months after he had come to Croatia, Fred was in two minds over the question- "Should I stay or should I go?"

One part of him was getting confident again due to having a job at Berlitz and knowing that there is more to Croatia than meets the eye, which he was willing to explore.

On the flip side, his relationship with Luka was going through a bad patch. Fred felt that his lover was selfish while Luka held Fred to be too depressed and culturally shocked. It wasn't a great help for their relationship to being looked at suspiciously by Luka's relatives during a baptism because they were gay.

Talking about being gay in Croatia, it is still not something people perceive as "normal". On the contrary, many regard it as a disease which should be cured somehow. Not that there aren't sufficient gay people in Croatia, but they mostly hide their preferences due to the public being so homophobic.

I just wish for my fellow citizens to realise presently that being homosexual is a normal way of living and that they start to respect it. The younger population is already on the right path, but the older is still lagging behind. We'll see what the future holds.

Back to Fred. In the end he resolved not to buckle under the strain of living in a foreign country and give both Croatia and his love life a second chance. It still wasn't time to get itchy feet.

life with a French man

It is winter again and for Kim it is a winter which brings a wind of change with it. Not only is she living in a fabulous new house and driving a stylish new car, but she has also her own hairdresser's business now.

As life is all about swings and roundabouts, although she has gained so many new material things, she feels she has lost time for herself. There is her eight am to nine pm job, the kids, Thomas (who has to be picked up from Montreal each week), and there is the day which only has so many hours.

Aren't you also sometimes conscious of having so many material possessions, but not having time to enjoy them properly. I mean it seems so paradoxical to me that although nowadays we live and work in this high-tech world, we are working our ass off more than we used to.

I guess the only solution is to steal time from your "working time" whenever a possibility crops up. I did exactly that during my Easter break when I visited a tourist destination not far from where I live (it is called Rabac BTW) and where this picture was made:
Thomas, on the other hand, contemplated about his arrival to Canada in 2004 and how it has moulded him. He says that he is just starting to understand the Canadian and American culture (Kim is from America) and adapting to it. Moreover, while he does miss so much about France, he has gained so much from moving that has made him a "new" man.

What he said about moving to Canada is analogous to how I feel about moving to Austria. I do often pine for my mum and my grandparents, but nothing can compare to what I've been able to take in life experience and knowledge from my stay in Graz so far.

nerd's eye view

This weeks' entries from Mandel's blog are going to be about cultural difference and American politics.

Let me start off with the cultural difference between America and Austria. As Mandel rightly observed, it is difficult to break the social barriers in Austria. Whereas she can visit any friend or relative in America when she feels up to or vice versa, this is not done in Austria where you have to either phone or write an e-mail to that person asking if you are welcome before you even start seriously contemplating about going.

When I first came to study to Graz I wasn't in the least surprised by it as I had known about the Austrian social graces beforehand. The only thing that was awkward for me, as it is unheard of in Croatia, was the fact that you even have to call your parents to ask them if they can babysit for you.

Be that as it may, one has to respect the culture of a foreign country and adapt to it no matter how strange you find something from your perspective.

Let me move on to the second topic on hand-politics. Mandel was talking about being once a stalwart supporter of the Democratic Party, but feeling now let down by that party and turning to the Greens.
Anyway, I figured it it would be quite useful to know more about these two parties as a way of gaining new insights into a country I know laughably little about. So, I did my homework and here are its results:

1. the United States of America Democratic Party

BASIC INFORMATION:

-one of the two major parties in America
-it traces its origins back to the Democratic-Republican Party, founded by Thomas Jefferson and other influential men in 1792

THE PARTY'S PRINCIPLES:

-liberal
-it favours civil liberties, social freedom, equal rights and opportunity, free enterprise with government intervention (mixed economy)


to read more, visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_of_America_Democratic_Party

2. Green Party of the United States

BASIC FACTS:

-the third party in American politics since the 1980s
-has won elected office most at local level

THE PARTY'S PRINCIPLES:

-emphasizes environmentalism, decentralization, local autonomy, social justice (commitment to put an end to poverty)

to find out more, read: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Party_%28United_States%29

Before I finish this post, there is just one more thing on offer-a useful word I've learnt from Mandel's blog:

1. in the interim
a)in the time between
b)after
c)before

Ireland from a Polish perspective

New week, new report about what Krystian was doing in September 2006. He was out and about exploring the Irish landscapes, skylines and monuments, which is archetypal for an archeologist.

His chosen destinations were:
1. the Ring of Kerry (if you wish to find out more about this tourist trail in county Kerry, visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ring_of_Kerry
2. the Ring of Skellig (if you wish to find out more about the hidden gem of the Ring of Kerry, visit http://www.myderrynane.com/skellig_ring.htm
3. Ballina (if you wish to find out more about the home of the famous river Moy, visit http://ballina.mayo-ireland.ie/)

As usual, he made the most breathtakingly beautiful pictures of the raw beauty of the Irish countryside, which cannot be pinned down. My all-time favourite picture of this journey is the one of the Skellig Islands:
How much mightier are pictures than words.

Anyway, he updates in these entries also his view of the situation in Poland. Poland has been facing a brain drain since joining the EU. The young high -fliers emigrate chiefly to Ireland, Germany, Italy, England and the Netherlands as Poland does not offer them any noteworthy possibilities to live a fulfilled life.

Krystian says that Poland is not a state created for the citizens as the citizens are its servants rather than its guardians. Red tape and corruption are as perennial to Poland as Polish is. To cap it all, the big fishes who constantly break the law aren't punished while the ordinary people are.

While reading about this topic, I felt anew that the state of affairs in Poland is similar to Croatia. I mean, it is proof positive that Croatia is also infected with unefficient red tape, unscrupulous politicians and the young fleeing away as soon as an opportunity comes their way.

The question which poses itself is: "Will anyone come back?"

I am dead certain that the successful young people won't. Why should they? Ok, because of love for their home country, but you don't live from love. You do from money and as everything evolves around money these days, why should anyone abandon a place where he/she earns twice as much as back home. After all, it is not the end of the world to live apart from your family. You would part from them sooner or later, so why not sooner to a place where you could imagine some of your dreams coming true. The only one who loses from you going is your home country as it is certain to face the young population withering away.

life with a French man

It is summer of the year 2006 and Kim's children went camping.

It was instructive to read about the camping like it is practiced today. What I want to say is that before reading Kim's blog, I had that idyllic picture of camping burnt in my brain. Camping used to be for me something that:

a) is practiced in a remote, appealling place in the countryside
b) cuts you out from all civilization and helps you get back to your roots

How wrong had I been. Camping today is, in fact, a very high-tech affair. Camps are brimful of computers and all the other devices, so that the children don't get so much in touch with nature anymore. What a pitty!

Oh, and there is also boatmail in some camps, where all the post you have for your child/children will be delivered to him/her/them by a boat.

Kim was also talking afresh about the problems with her ex-husband. This time it was about child support, to be more precise the ex-husband not paying it on time.

As the system of child support is a single catastrophe in Croatia (basically if the ex-husband says he doesn't have money, the state leaves him alone), I wanted to inform myself about the situation in America. It cannot be worse than in my home country, or can it?

Here is where you can find out more:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_support_in_the_United_States

the American in Croatia

What I am fond of in Fred's blog is that he writes about the darker sides of moving abroad. Most expats only ever say that everything is sweetness and light in a foreign country and this sounds so far-fetched to me.


Thanks God, Fred's blog is much more true-to-life and accordingly one can feel for what he is talking about. Like in the entries I've read recently where he is going through a rollercoaster of emotions.

On some days he is painfully aware that not knowing Croatian fluently (which is a very hard thing to achieve, believe me) hinders him from finding a decent job and meeting new people. So, he just wants to get back home where his family is his safety net. Other times he wishes to stay mainly because the love of his life lives in Zagreb, but also in view of the fact that succeeding in Croatia would equal proving everyone of the people who doubted him wrong.

Finally, after having a bad patch for quite a long time, there is light at the end of the tunnel for him. He will most certainly become an English teacher for Berlitz, a language instruction school. (if you want to read more about it, visit: http://www.berlitz.com/) Moreover, he starts to make new friends, which is one of the most significant steps one has to take in order not to feel alone in a foreign country.

Anyway, there is an entertaining quiz ,the URL of which Fred offers on his blog, you just should take. It is all about living a good life and this quiz helps you to identify the areas in your life that are strong and those that are weak. You can access it via:

http://www.monkeyquiz.com/life/life.html

Believe me it is not another of those stupid tests. On the contrary, it is very accurate (at least in my case it was) and might help you lead a more satisfied life. So, why not try it out.

nerd's eye view

Why is it that I always have the feeling that Mandel's blog teaches me so much.

This time it is all about food. You see, Mandel isn't only a freelance writer, no, she is also an amateur restaurant reviewer who isn't afraid of tongue-lashing. She and a couple of friends aka the Jackson Street Eatres visit predominately East Asian eating places on an regular basis and Mandel reports about their quality. So, she sometimes writes passionately about cinnamon rolls which will haunt you as they are absolutely delicious while on other occasions she describes meals which will make you cry for the money vasted.

What I've discovered from reading this entries of her's is that I'll definitely try out some East Asian food some time soon. Cinnamon rolls I adore already, but they are anyway not an Asian product.

Lets turn our back on food and concentrate on Mandel's political views. I said in one of my previous entries that those were strong. Now I can safely say that she is against the war in Iraq. I will not voice my opinion about it just know, but I will give you more information on Memorial Day in the USA. You may ask yourself now what this has to do with Mandel being against the war in Iraq. Well, she contemplated about her views on the war in Iraq on Memorial Day.

Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the USA celebrated on the last Monday in May. It commemorates all American women and men who have died in military service for their country. If you wish to know more about it, visit:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memorial_day

Ireland from a Polish perspective

Finally, I'm back again reporting about Krystian and his adventures on the Emerald Isle.

This time while reading his entries I came across magnificently beautiful pictures of Cork he took during a visit. To see them was very significant for me as this has been my first opportunity so far to catch sight of the places Monagan wrote about in his book. Although each picture has something larger than life about it, my all-time favourite can only be this one:

He continued his journey of discovery by visting the Killarney National Park in south-west Ireland. The pictures he made there just go once again to show what a charming country Ireland is. My best-loved picture of the Park is this one:

If you by any chance are keen on informing yourself about the Killarney National Park, which is, by the way, Ireland's oldest national park, visit:
http://homepage.eircom.net/~knp/intro/index.htm

Krystian also wrote about more disturbing issues in the entries I've looked through, where he voiced his fear of new religious clashes in Northern Ireland due to the Polish community increasing. Why is that?

Simply because the Polish are Catholics and the more of them settle down in Northern Ireland, the more will the Northern Irish Catholic community grow. As this topic intrigued me, I surfed the net and came across this page which broaches the same issue as Krystian:
http://www.radio.cz/en/article/72885

Basically, the article says that Northern Ireland has never really had a history of immigration due to the troubles and because of that fact certain groups don't wish to treat foreigners with respect. On the contrary, they abuse them and use them as scapegoats. What is important to note is that this whole issue hasn't its root in religious hatred, but in the xenophobic mistrust towards foreigners.

I just hope that this xenophobic mistrust won't escalate.

life with a French man

Welcome to the French "joie the vivre". What is that...

For Thomas it is the joy of the moment, indulging in the small gestures and events that make our life worth living.

Such a thing seems, unfortunately, to me to be a relict of the past. Most of the world is enslaved to materialism and we have almost but forgotten the beauty of the moment. Walking near the sea, running in the woods, being thrilled to bits when someone thinks of you etc are mundane pursuits for the majority of people nowadays.

Why, oh why, can't we realise that money isn't everything and most important of all that money doesn't buy happiness. I hope we do before it is not too late.

Another way of looking at this phenomen can be found on:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joie_de_vivre

The second topic Kim wrote about is divorce and how it is an war without taking care of the weapons used in her case. I can comprehend how difficult it is for her to cope with that as my mother and I went through something smiliar a long time ago. Our home was broken, the only way out was a divorce and then a man, who I don't even like to call my father, started to torment us, spreading lies about my mother, who was so sad about it that she became as thin as a rake.

Luckily, my "father" left us in peace and has never asked about me since. I know most people cannot understand how I hate him so much, the blood of my blood. I don't expect of others to comprehend it, but is just the way I feel. I don't know better, I suppose. That's the story of my life.