Time flies when you're having fun...

Hi there! Yes, I know… it’s been a long time. All I can say is that it is pretty crazy how the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas flies by. In general, the past few months have whizzed by. I don’t know where they’ve gone.

And, of course, there are certain promises made which I have yet to make good on. I still intend on writing a few pieces on family, tracing roots, and time (how we are slaves to it, my frustrations with people’s busy schedules here).

But, turning to the moment at hand, I find myself blogging on a dark, rainy night. I actually spent an hour after work visiting the Christmas Market at Namesti Miru (Peace Square) and then being persuaded to get Thai food at this place called “Tiger, Tiger”. I have to say, “Tiger, Tiger” serves up some mighty tasty pad thai kung (w/shrimp)! Of course, you sort of pay American prices, but it’s worth it! By the way, if I can take a moment to complain, the dollar continues to lose value against the Czech crown. When I first came 1USD bought about 22.5 Kc. Currently 1USD buys about 20.9 Kc. And, back when I was here in 1997, my dollar got me about 32-36 Kc. How times have changed!

Life has been full here. On the one hand, I absolutely can’t wait to land in the little dinky airport of Binghamton, NY and to find myself cozy in my family’s home, preparing to celebrate Christmas. But, on the other hand, here I am, actually feeling pretty settled, building friendships, and not so ready to pick up and leave. I guess part of me, the realist that is, is worried about the reality of continuing my new friendships at a distance. I know how I tend to get busy and although I really care about people, I often fail to write or call. I’m thinking though that this blog might come in handy. :)

It’s been quite an interesting time here in Prague this time around. At first I had a hard time looking at the city without thinking of the people that made it so special for me in the first place, and realizing they were no longer here (including, a rather dashing Viennese boyfriend). But, with time and persistence, God has proven himself ever faithful in blessing me with yet new friends, dear friends from Prague, Hungary, Indonesia, South Africa, Australia, and a few other places. And, least I forget, I even have a few new distant family members in Slovakia. Little did I think that Slovakia would have such a impact on me, but it has.

This past Sunday there was an international bazaar put on by the Women’s Diplomatic Association, and I happened to stop by the Slovakia table. Well, I made a purchase (can’t release details at this point), and the sales guy threw in a T-shirt, which I only realized once I got home read in Slovak: “Slovakia, little big country.” Now, some of my Korean American friends (Mark Kim) might be laughing, but that logo sounds absolutely perfect to me. Indeed, in a sense it sums up some of my feelings about the struggle in my heart between the city and the country. I have to say, I’m at heart a country girl, who is drawn to city life, but can’t fully pull herself away from the country. A mix of both is essential for me.

Learning about Slovakia in an academic sense, you read a lot about how Slovakia was in many ways behind the Czech Republic, which was a center of industry even prior to WWII. In fact, the Nazis exploited this fact and relied heavily upon Czech factories for supplies during the war. This long running industrial tradition definitely helped the nation economically. When the two countries peacefully separated, Slovaks chose this route mainly because they did not want to undergo the harsh economic reforms that Czech leaders forecasted were necessary.

In the sports’ arena, I also understand that the Slovaks have a bit of an inferiority complex. (My brother is all over this point.) Although the Slovaks field a mighty talented national ice hockey team, for some reason, they always fail to beat the Czechs. Can you imagine? Today both countries are undergoing strange political times. The Czech Republic doesn’t really have a functioning government, and this situation has been ongoing since the elections earlier this spring. Slovakia, for its part, is in the midst of a populist backlash. Yes, they are recent (2004) entrants to the European Union, but they still have a ways to go in terms of building strong state institutions, developing responsible leaders, and rooting out corruption. I say all this as a backdrop to my emotional attachment to this “little, big country”, with which I have an ancestral connection. Warm people and snowy mountain tops go along way in winning one over. :)

What else? This past weekend I got to meet a pretty neat young college student from Azerbaijan. Nazila was so impressed I knew her country’s capital, Baku, that she decided she needed to find out what more I knew. Hahaha. So, our conversation stretched from Baku to media crackdowns to Russia to Anna Politskaya to the Litvinenko poisoning to the Masons (Of course, all in logical succession). :) Oh, I almost forgot, but we also touched upon some more sensitive subjects such as Armenia and the Jewish diaspora in Azerbaijan. When I broached the topic of Armenia, I think the response was, "Well, we don't like them." My experience in the Balkans and in interacting with people from the Caucasus has taught me the fine art of walking on egg shells.

But back to a topic we both were very excited about, Nazila and I are teaming up in a quest to figure out the real meaning of free masonry, what they do, what all the secrecy is about... :) I think it’s pretty cool that I now have an Azeri partner-in-crime in this little endeavor. Nazila happens to be in Prague as a student on scholarship, studying economics in Czech. Yes, the Czech government gives out a certain number of scholarships to foreign students, brings them here and teaches them Czech, tests them in the subject matter in Czech, and then grants them a spot at a uni if they pass with high marks. Did I mention they only learn Czech for 6-8 months before applying for a university spot? To me, it’s all madness! I can’t imagine, but I’m awfully impressed by these young students to say the very least.

I think that’s all for now folks. Raymond, I hope you’re happy! I’ve got pictures a plenty, but unfortunately too little time. I’ll see what I can do. I’ve got some great shots of sheep and the hillsides of northern England :)