Saturday, July 11, 2009
Moved to Wordpress
Like many other blogs, this one too moved to Wordpress. I like their lay-out and tools better than Blogger's. Now, you can read about my discoveries and adventures on SoupOfMedia. Hope to see you there!
Sunday, July 5, 2009
And Here Goes My Vote
Voting today felt like passing a language oral exam. I followed the printed signs reading Elections (Izbori) to the second floor of 2285 Mass. Avenue, Cambridge. There, anxious Bulgarians were waiting to enter the quiet room and cast their vote for their party of choice. And as they left one by one, they sighed with relief. I almost felt like asking, "How did it go?"
It went well for me. It was my first time voting in the Bulgarian parliamentary elections and I tried to absorb every scent and sound. Actually, the sounds were pretty synchronized as light-haired babies laughed and jumped on their parents' laps. Most of the voters were young moms and dads or to-be parents. They greeted one
another happily and promised to meet up for coffee or dinner soon.
The more I approached the quiet room, the more nervous I became. Then, a lady with unruly dyed blonde hair showed me the way, I took out my Bulgarian ID and received the voting bulletin.
Like at an oral exam, the room wasn't as scary as I thought it would be. There was a chair and several pens spread out on a wooden table. I looked around and cast my vote quickly. Unlike at a language oral exam, there was no 100%-right answer here.
It went well for me. It was my first time voting in the Bulgarian parliamentary elections and I tried to absorb every scent and sound. Actually, the sounds were pretty synchronized as light-haired babies laughed and jumped on their parents' laps. Most of the voters were young moms and dads or to-be parents. They greeted oneanother happily and promised to meet up for coffee or dinner soon.
The more I approached the quiet room, the more nervous I became. Then, a lady with unruly dyed blonde hair showed me the way, I took out my Bulgarian ID and received the voting bulletin.
Like at an oral exam, the room wasn't as scary as I thought it would be. There was a chair and several pens spread out on a wooden table. I looked around and cast my vote quickly. Unlike at a language oral exam, there was no 100%-right answer here.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Anna Karenina in the subway
Sitting next to me in the Boston subway today was a lady. Her activity represented the biggest turnoff for me next to seeing my name spelled wrong. She was blowing gum bubbles and reading Anna Karenina on her iPhone.
Anna Karenina must be read in print. It is probably one of the world's few books that you need to hold and whose pages you need to list impatiently. Actually, I am taking this back. All of my favorite books--Lolita, A Hero of Our Time and Me Talk Pretty One Day among others--have to be held and listed page by page. I just can't bear to see it happen any other way.
And this is coming from someone who gets all of her information online. Reading BBC news and the Onion is very fulfilling. Yet reading a book that makes you laugh or cry on an electronic device seems unsatisfactory. And unproductive. Mostly, because you can't afford to get the device wet with tears.
Photo Credit: Pensiero
And this is coming from someone who gets all of her information online. Reading BBC news and the Onion is very fulfilling. Yet reading a book that makes you laugh or cry on an electronic device seems unsatisfactory. And unproductive. Mostly, because you can't afford to get the device wet with tears.
Photo Credit: Pensiero
Monday, June 15, 2009
Twitter: Can You Be Popular But Not Mainstream?
I have always aimed at being popular but not mainstream. I want to be part of a growing conversation only when I can add a unique perspective to it. This goal of mine is becoming increasingly difficult with trending topics on Twitter.
Tonight, for instance, everyone is tweeting about the elections in Iran. Keywords #IranElection, Tehran and Iranians made it to the top ten trending topics. I logged on to Twitter and thought about how great that was. It instantly prompted me to get more educated in the issue and before I knew it I was reading BBC articles and simultaneously following the discussions on Twitter.
Election followers were giving their support for the Iranian protesters. They were advising one another to change hashtags not to be tracked by the Iranian government. I felt inspired by the togetherness of the international Internet community.
Half an hour later I looked at the Twitter discussion again. It consisted of the same tweets and, worse, same retweets. Actually, every other tweet was quoting what someone else had said. And then the thought occurred--I could so easily become part of this growing conversation. But I wouldn't add anything to it besides another link to a Boston.com photo or a BBC article. Suddenly, this felt so much like the trending topic about swine flu.
Online users want to feel connected and part of a conversation. I have no doubts about their good intentions to bring positive change. It still inspires me. Yet, as I couldn't see a genuine (and original) discussion about Iran take place, I tweeted my actual current activity--listening to Fun Lovin' Criminals.
Tonight, for instance, everyone is tweeting about the elections in Iran. Keywords #IranElection, Tehran and Iranians made it to the top ten trending topics. I logged on to Twitter and thought about how great that was. It instantly prompted me to get more educated in the issue and before I knew it I was reading BBC articles and simultaneously following the discussions on Twitter.
Election followers were giving their support for the Iranian protesters. They were advising one another to change hashtags not to be tracked by the Iranian government. I felt inspired by the togetherness of the international Internet community.
Half an hour later I looked at the Twitter discussion again. It consisted of the same tweets and, worse, same retweets. Actually, every other tweet was quoting what someone else had said. And then the thought occurred--I could so easily become part of this growing conversation. But I wouldn't add anything to it besides another link to a Boston.com photo or a BBC article. Suddenly, this felt so much like the trending topic about swine flu.
Online users want to feel connected and part of a conversation. I have no doubts about their good intentions to bring positive change. It still inspires me. Yet, as I couldn't see a genuine (and original) discussion about Iran take place, I tweeted my actual current activity--listening to Fun Lovin' Criminals.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Today: Bazaar, Next Stop: Babushka Deli
If you have ever entered a Russian supermarket in the U.S., you probably know why the whole delivery thing can't work there. No one visits these stores just for the food.
A Russian supermarket is an adventure in itself. In order to enter the space you might have to wait for a couple of minutes at the entrance until the white-haired babushki there finish their chat. Then, as soon as you open the deli's doors, you can hear oldschool tunes--either Russian music from the 80s or some Boney M hits. "Daddy Cool" is what I heard today when I went shopping at Bazaar, one of the several Russian supermarkets in Brighton, Boston.
Black caviar, classic Baltika 3 and kefir stared back at me from the supermarket aisles. Customers also stared back at me in search of signs to reveal whether I was American or Russian. Here, every product, let alone a human, could be a conversation starter. If the Polish cheese, the Czech beer and the Ukrainian flour were all worth paying tons of attention to, so was I.
The cultural immersion wouldn't have been complete without a shelf devoted to authentic Russian cosmetic and pharmacetical products. Just above that shelf were hanging birch branches used for visits to the Russian public banya.
In that Sunday morning, I could buy tree branches to go to the sauna with but I couldn't purchase my Baltika 3 beer. In accordance with state laws, the lady at the cashier said, they couldn't offer beer before 12 p.m. "Massachusetts is very conservative," she said to chase away the surprise in my eyes, and took the beer behind the counter.
A Russian supermarket is an adventure in itself. In order to enter the space you might have to wait for a couple of minutes at the entrance until the white-haired babushki there finish their chat. Then, as soon as you open the deli's doors, you can hear oldschool tunes--either Russian music from the 80s or some Boney M hits. "Daddy Cool" is what I heard today when I went shopping at Bazaar, one of the several Russian supermarkets in Brighton, Boston.
Black caviar, classic Baltika 3 and kefir stared back at me from the supermarket aisles. Customers also stared back at me in search of signs to reveal whether I was American or Russian. Here, every product, let alone a human, could be a conversation starter. If the Polish cheese, the Czech beer and the Ukrainian flour were all worth paying tons of attention to, so was I.
The cultural immersion wouldn't have been complete without a shelf devoted to authentic Russian cosmetic and pharmacetical products. Just above that shelf were hanging birch branches used for visits to the Russian public banya.
In that Sunday morning, I could buy tree branches to go to the sauna with but I couldn't purchase my Baltika 3 beer. In accordance with state laws, the lady at the cashier said, they couldn't offer beer before 12 p.m. "Massachusetts is very conservative," she said to chase away the surprise in my eyes, and took the beer behind the counter.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Sad day for British politics
Apparently, today is a sad day for British politics. That is how Sir Robert Atkins referred to the British National Party's (BNP) success at the EU elections.
Why so? Because the BNP is a far-right party with no non-white members. It won two seats in the EU Parliament at an election whose preliminary figures suggest the lowest turnout ever. In other words, the small percentage of people who cast their votes today supported the BNP's extremism. Wait, that sounds familiar.
The National Union Attack, the far-right party in Bulgaria, has been winning a big percentage of the popular vote. It has openly expressed itself against the rights of Roma minorities. According to Novinite Ataka holds three seats in the 2009 EU Parliament with three far-right deputies elected as MEPs.
Interestingly enough, the 2009 EU elections saw great gains in far-right votes across Europe. According to the Telegraph centre-Right parties constitute the biggest group holding 276 seats out of 736 in the European Parliament. It wasn't just the U.K. and Bulgaria. It was anti-immigrant and far-right groups from the Netherlands, Austria, Hungary, Denmark, Slovakia and Finland.
Not sure about the U.K., but could it be a sad day for EU politics?
Why so? Because the BNP is a far-right party with no non-white members. It won two seats in the EU Parliament at an election whose preliminary figures suggest the lowest turnout ever. In other words, the small percentage of people who cast their votes today supported the BNP's extremism. Wait, that sounds familiar.
The National Union Attack, the far-right party in Bulgaria, has been winning a big percentage of the popular vote. It has openly expressed itself against the rights of Roma minorities. According to Novinite Ataka holds three seats in the 2009 EU Parliament with three far-right deputies elected as MEPs.
Interestingly enough, the 2009 EU elections saw great gains in far-right votes across Europe. According to the Telegraph centre-Right parties constitute the biggest group holding 276 seats out of 736 in the European Parliament. It wasn't just the U.K. and Bulgaria. It was anti-immigrant and far-right groups from the Netherlands, Austria, Hungary, Denmark, Slovakia and Finland.
Not sure about the U.K., but could it be a sad day for EU politics?
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Auf der anderen Seite
Turkey and the EU--an inexhaustible topic these days. It has started a conversation on which Europe cannot seem to agree. While European nations are still discussing the circumstances around Turkey's potential accession to the European Union, radical Bulgarian politicians already expressed their strong opposition.
In a recent interview Nikola Rachev argued that the Turkish values and religious views are completely incompatible with the European ones. Although 25-year-old Rachev is a student at Sofia's Medical University and speaks three foreign languages, his argument is hardly the most convincing for a well-educated young individual.
Turkey is a modern secular democracy that has been developing at a fast pace. It will, undoubtedly, contribute a diverse perspective to the established EU mosaic. After all, one of the EU's goals is to help make different cultures and values compatible with one another.
Moreover, EU support will mitigate Turkey's political persecutions. The award-winning Auf Der Anderen Seite clearly reveals the need for such type of implementations.
Turkey and the EU--will we exhaust this topic by the next round of EU accession talks?
In a recent interview Nikola Rachev argued that the Turkish values and religious views are completely incompatible with the European ones. Although 25-year-old Rachev is a student at Sofia's Medical University and speaks three foreign languages, his argument is hardly the most convincing for a well-educated young individual.
Turkey is a modern secular democracy that has been developing at a fast pace. It will, undoubtedly, contribute a diverse perspective to the established EU mosaic. After all, one of the EU's goals is to help make different cultures and values compatible with one another.
Moreover, EU support will mitigate Turkey's political persecutions. The award-winning Auf Der Anderen Seite clearly reveals the need for such type of implementations.
Turkey and the EU--will we exhaust this topic by the next round of EU accession talks?
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Pay for information? No way.
"Information is not air," I remember reading in an article for my New Media class this semester. I stopped reading in surprise. "What do you mean it is not air?" I thought.
Then I realized that with the abundance of free information online I tend to think of it as air. In addition to my most visited web pages, I am actively using bookmarks, RSS feeds and Google alerts to keep up with latest news and emerging trends. Information on the Web is free and necessary. It is exactly like air.
Yet some sources limit that air. A couple of days ago I found a Wallstreet Journal headline featured in my Google Alerts. The link redirected me to the WSJ page and I saw the story's lead. But to read on, I had to subscribe.
Some reliable Web sources like the WSJ and Encyclopedia Britannica require paid subscription. When I encounter such a challenge, I just close the page and look for the same information elsewhere. The chances are that I will find it on the NY Times or Wikipedia.
Information is not air because one has to be selective when choosing sources. But the choice becomes easy when one of two competing sources is free and the other one paid. So despite your high-quality content, WSJ, I guess I will have to pass.
Then I realized that with the abundance of free information online I tend to think of it as air. In addition to my most visited web pages, I am actively using bookmarks, RSS feeds and Google alerts to keep up with latest news and emerging trends. Information on the Web is free and necessary. It is exactly like air.
Yet some sources limit that air. A couple of days ago I found a Wallstreet Journal headline featured in my Google Alerts. The link redirected me to the WSJ page and I saw the story's lead. But to read on, I had to subscribe.
Some reliable Web sources like the WSJ and Encyclopedia Britannica require paid subscription. When I encounter such a challenge, I just close the page and look for the same information elsewhere. The chances are that I will find it on the NY Times or Wikipedia.
Information is not air because one has to be selective when choosing sources. But the choice becomes easy when one of two competing sources is free and the other one paid. So despite your high-quality content, WSJ, I guess I will have to pass.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Lock your rooms, girls
If a friend called you crying to say that someone had gotten into her college room and gone through all of her belongings, you would think the economy is in bad shape. At least, this thought came to my mind when I heard the news.
Yesterday I learned that someone had entered my classmate's room on the first floor of our dormitory in search of valuable items. The burglar had gone through all her suitcases scattering jewelry, family pictures and underwear all over the floor. After a brief discussion with the college's public safety officer, we decided that the violator must have been an outsider. At this time of the year students prop the dorm's doors open to move in and out of school. That must have given the robber a perfect opportunity to sneak in and look for valuables.
Today I found out another friend's belongings violated. This classmate had left her sealed and labeled cardboard box in front of the student storage area where international students are allowed to store during the summer. Two days after she had placed the box there someone had decided to help themselves to her clothing and computer monitor.
These incidents, together with the many student emails announcing thefts, scare me. Stealing has definitely been on the rise on campus and the most obvious reason for it seems to be the economic downfall. Right?
Yesterday I learned that someone had entered my classmate's room on the first floor of our dormitory in search of valuable items. The burglar had gone through all her suitcases scattering jewelry, family pictures and underwear all over the floor. After a brief discussion with the college's public safety officer, we decided that the violator must have been an outsider. At this time of the year students prop the dorm's doors open to move in and out of school. That must have given the robber a perfect opportunity to sneak in and look for valuables.
Today I found out another friend's belongings violated. This classmate had left her sealed and labeled cardboard box in front of the student storage area where international students are allowed to store during the summer. Two days after she had placed the box there someone had decided to help themselves to her clothing and computer monitor.
These incidents, together with the many student emails announcing thefts, scare me. Stealing has definitely been on the rise on campus and the most obvious reason for it seems to be the economic downfall. Right?
Monday, May 25, 2009
Best things in life are free
I had spent the whole day helping people to pack, carry suitcases and move out their dorms. It hasn't been my first time doing it and, I hope, it won't be my last time. After all, this is what friends are for--to sit on suitcases while you zip them and to push cardboard boxes down the stairs while you catch them from underneath.
Late in the afternoon a graduating friend needed my assistance moving out. Only she didn't put it this way. She wanted me to help her track down a pair of brand-name boots she had lent someone. The boots were worn only three times, forgotten in the room and probably thrown away by the cleaning staff. She went berserk when she didn't find them. We looked through about seven trash bags full of rubbish and liquid wastes. The expensive boots were nowhere to be found.
Then, she decided, it would be funny but plausible to find the boots in the basement of some other dorm. So, she dragged me from dorm to dorm in search of the pair of boots while picking up other abandoned items there. Soon she acquired a fancy scarf, Armani Code perfume and a pair of black shoes. I went home to take a shower and wash away the dirt from the trash dive.
Less than two hours after we had parted, she asked me for help again. Only she didn't put it this way. She offered to meet me in one of the dorms because it had lots of new and expensive things. There was this brand new CD player that I needed to check out. Oh, and also, she was almost done packing and ready to move out. Although I was not interested in the CD player, I was still interested in helping her move out. So, I went, sat on her suitcase while she was zipping it, and carried her bags across the college campus.
A couple of minutes ago she thanked me for all I had done and offered me a bag of scarves. "I really don't need any of this," I responded and my heart sank as I realized she really didn't get it. I needed no objects to be her friend.
Late in the afternoon a graduating friend needed my assistance moving out. Only she didn't put it this way. She wanted me to help her track down a pair of brand-name boots she had lent someone. The boots were worn only three times, forgotten in the room and probably thrown away by the cleaning staff. She went berserk when she didn't find them. We looked through about seven trash bags full of rubbish and liquid wastes. The expensive boots were nowhere to be found.
Then, she decided, it would be funny but plausible to find the boots in the basement of some other dorm. So, she dragged me from dorm to dorm in search of the pair of boots while picking up other abandoned items there. Soon she acquired a fancy scarf, Armani Code perfume and a pair of black shoes. I went home to take a shower and wash away the dirt from the trash dive.
Less than two hours after we had parted, she asked me for help again. Only she didn't put it this way. She offered to meet me in one of the dorms because it had lots of new and expensive things. There was this brand new CD player that I needed to check out. Oh, and also, she was almost done packing and ready to move out. Although I was not interested in the CD player, I was still interested in helping her move out. So, I went, sat on her suitcase while she was zipping it, and carried her bags across the college campus.
A couple of minutes ago she thanked me for all I had done and offered me a bag of scarves. "I really don't need any of this," I responded and my heart sank as I realized she really didn't get it. I needed no objects to be her friend.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
You say goodbye and I say hello
Tonight I said my first goodbyes to the graduating seniors from the Class of 2009 and realized the time for Kleenex tissues has come. Tomorrow morning they are all leaving to London, France, Germany, Spain and other faraway corners of the Globe. And we don't know if life will meet us again.
Graduation is a time to celebrate education, successes and friendships. Yet this graduation for me is a difficult and sobering experience. It marks the moment when everyone takes her path in life and jumps into new adventures individually. It marks a goodbye to the past I was part of and a hello to a future I will be absent from. What can be more difficult to accept than this reality?
A friend told me tonight she didn't understand why I was crying. She said I should be happy I got to meet all those people. But that is exactly my point. I can't help holding back the tears because of memories full of happiness and togetherness. Indeed, I am happy I got to have such classmates but I also understand the extent to which I will miss them.
Now they are off to a new beginning away from the college life that we shared. And I can only repeat the words of Mary McAleese, the President of Ireland, told at the Commencement speech today to the Class of 2009: "A good start is half the work. Enjoy the start of the other half."
Graduation is a time to celebrate education, successes and friendships. Yet this graduation for me is a difficult and sobering experience. It marks the moment when everyone takes her path in life and jumps into new adventures individually. It marks a goodbye to the past I was part of and a hello to a future I will be absent from. What can be more difficult to accept than this reality?
A friend told me tonight she didn't understand why I was crying. She said I should be happy I got to meet all those people. But that is exactly my point. I can't help holding back the tears because of memories full of happiness and togetherness. Indeed, I am happy I got to have such classmates but I also understand the extent to which I will miss them.
Now they are off to a new beginning away from the college life that we shared. And I can only repeat the words of Mary McAleese, the President of Ireland, told at the Commencement speech today to the Class of 2009: "A good start is half the work. Enjoy the start of the other half."
Monday, May 18, 2009
Rock The Shocker
"Cuz I wanna take you downtown," sings Peaches in her first single from the album Impeach My Bush. And she definitely took us downtown with her show last night at the Paradise Rock in Boston.
Our tickets indicated 7 p.m. as the time when doors opened for the long-waited Peaches performance. Yet we were not allowed in before 9:30 p.m. Opening for Peaches was the London beatmaker Drums of Death wearing intense black and white make-up. By the time he started playing, the public was ready to rock on and welcomed his electro-pop mixes.
It wasn't until sometime after 10 p.m. when Merrill Beth Nisker got on stage. But what an appearance that was. Dancing on top of the stereo equipment and jumping on and off the stage, she infected the whole crowd with her energy. Peaches changed several times into insanely elaborate costumes. For photos please check out my friend's blog.
Our tickets indicated 7 p.m. as the time when doors opened for the long-waited Peaches performance. Yet we were not allowed in before 9:30 p.m. Opening for Peaches was the London beatmaker Drums of Death wearing intense black and white make-up. By the time he started playing, the public was ready to rock on and welcomed his electro-pop mixes.
It wasn't until sometime after 10 p.m. when Merrill Beth Nisker got on stage. But what an appearance that was. Dancing on top of the stereo equipment and jumping on and off the stage, she infected the whole crowd with her energy. Peaches changed several times into insanely elaborate costumes. For photos please check out my friend's blog.
Eurovision without vision
If your TV screen is showing half-dressed performers juggling fire clubs and singing “everybody move your body” to Armenian folklore beats, then you must be watching Eurovision.
Eurovision has been around since May 24, 1956 with ABBA as its most successful contest winner so far. The purpose of this international show is to celebrate diverse cultures and talents. Yet, by the end of the show, spectacular special effects and exotic costumes seem to be the only things celebrated. Aside from recent kitsch trends, through Eurovision viewers can't learn much about the musical heritage of the represented countries.
On May 17 Norway's Alexander Rybak became this year's winner at Eurovision with his song Fairytale. Rybak sang "She is a fairytale even though it hurts," while dancers around him performed a traditional Norwegian halling dance. This song perfectly exemplifies the unwritten rules of Eurovision--to win artists need to combine upbeat music, English pop lyrics and some native folk elements.
"You make me feel so special," sang Turkey's Hadise, "no one can kiss like you do." Her song Düm Tek Tek ranked 4th and incorporated sexual belly dancing moves accompanied by fire effects. Similarly enough, Azerbaijan's Always performed by AySel & Arash ranked 3rd in the contest. "Always on my mind, always in my heart," repeated the fast pace chorus of their song. The performance included a short instrumental segment busy with folklore rhythms as if to compensate for the sugar-coated lyrics.
The one country that presented a simple and catchy tune, Georgia, wasn't allowed to participate in this year's Eurovision. Artists Stephane & 3G performed "We don't want to put in" which was interpreted as a protest against the Russian government of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. The word play in the song title and Russia's former President's name was not welcome in a politically correct show like Eurovision. According to the European Broadcasting Union's terms no political lyrics or gestures are allowed at the Eurovision Song Contest. As a result, Georgia did not partake in the show.
As the world's most watched singing contest, Eurovision aims at celebrating the diverse cultural mosaic of Europe. What its structure ends up producing, however, are homogeneous and cliched performances.
Eurovision has been around since May 24, 1956 with ABBA as its most successful contest winner so far. The purpose of this international show is to celebrate diverse cultures and talents. Yet, by the end of the show, spectacular special effects and exotic costumes seem to be the only things celebrated. Aside from recent kitsch trends, through Eurovision viewers can't learn much about the musical heritage of the represented countries.
On May 17 Norway's Alexander Rybak became this year's winner at Eurovision with his song Fairytale. Rybak sang "She is a fairytale even though it hurts," while dancers around him performed a traditional Norwegian halling dance. This song perfectly exemplifies the unwritten rules of Eurovision--to win artists need to combine upbeat music, English pop lyrics and some native folk elements.
"You make me feel so special," sang Turkey's Hadise, "no one can kiss like you do." Her song Düm Tek Tek ranked 4th and incorporated sexual belly dancing moves accompanied by fire effects. Similarly enough, Azerbaijan's Always performed by AySel & Arash ranked 3rd in the contest. "Always on my mind, always in my heart," repeated the fast pace chorus of their song. The performance included a short instrumental segment busy with folklore rhythms as if to compensate for the sugar-coated lyrics.
The one country that presented a simple and catchy tune, Georgia, wasn't allowed to participate in this year's Eurovision. Artists Stephane & 3G performed "We don't want to put in" which was interpreted as a protest against the Russian government of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. The word play in the song title and Russia's former President's name was not welcome in a politically correct show like Eurovision. According to the European Broadcasting Union's terms no political lyrics or gestures are allowed at the Eurovision Song Contest. As a result, Georgia did not partake in the show.
As the world's most watched singing contest, Eurovision aims at celebrating the diverse cultural mosaic of Europe. What its structure ends up producing, however, are homogeneous and cliched performances.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Really? We don't need no education?
A couple of days ago I had a dream in which I owned a school in Varna. I had hired the brightest international professors to teach. My students were occupied with various extra-curricular activities. It felt great until I woke up in the morning and checked my e-mail.
My friend had forwarded me a link to a YouTube video of Bulgarian high school students in an English class from March 2008. They were yelling, insulting and even beating their female teacher. They were, what seemed to be, celebrating the cultural decadence and lack of values of their generation. The video was more than shocking.
I browsed through YouTube only to find an abundance of similar videos. During high school classes, students were demonstratively talking on the phone, dancing and playing games. By the teachers' faces, I could see this was the routine and not an exception.
I went back in time to remember my personal experiences in high school. Yes, students were chatting, passing notes or eating in class. Yes, they were napping, arriving late or leaving early without any valid excuses. Yet to me it seemed they were not paying attention in a respectful manner.
The student behavior that I saw online, however, exceeds all norms. After watching the video, I instantly put the blame on the students. Then, I decided, it was the home environment that played a major role in shaping such identities. Parents, who work until late at night (or even abroad) to provide for their families, don't exactly have the chance to be role models. More often than not, what they bring home is bitterness and anger. So, when it comes down to it, the governmental inefficiency is to blame the most for the current state of the next generation of young people in Bulgaria.
Naturally, this is no surprise for anyone remotely familiar with the Bulgarian government. But what I, personally, found surprising in my realization was its possible universality. I can easily picture the same situation taking place in other countries in Eastern Europe and the Caucasus. Another YouTube browsing and I discovered similar aggressive and degrading behaviors in schools in Romania, Russia, Serbia and Greece.
The implications of a such broader trend are truly scary. They even make me dream of not getting into academia but in politics.
My friend had forwarded me a link to a YouTube video of Bulgarian high school students in an English class from March 2008. They were yelling, insulting and even beating their female teacher. They were, what seemed to be, celebrating the cultural decadence and lack of values of their generation. The video was more than shocking.
I browsed through YouTube only to find an abundance of similar videos. During high school classes, students were demonstratively talking on the phone, dancing and playing games. By the teachers' faces, I could see this was the routine and not an exception.
I went back in time to remember my personal experiences in high school. Yes, students were chatting, passing notes or eating in class. Yes, they were napping, arriving late or leaving early without any valid excuses. Yet to me it seemed they were not paying attention in a respectful manner.
The student behavior that I saw online, however, exceeds all norms. After watching the video, I instantly put the blame on the students. Then, I decided, it was the home environment that played a major role in shaping such identities. Parents, who work until late at night (or even abroad) to provide for their families, don't exactly have the chance to be role models. More often than not, what they bring home is bitterness and anger. So, when it comes down to it, the governmental inefficiency is to blame the most for the current state of the next generation of young people in Bulgaria.
Naturally, this is no surprise for anyone remotely familiar with the Bulgarian government. But what I, personally, found surprising in my realization was its possible universality. I can easily picture the same situation taking place in other countries in Eastern Europe and the Caucasus. Another YouTube browsing and I discovered similar aggressive and degrading behaviors in schools in Romania, Russia, Serbia and Greece.
The implications of a such broader trend are truly scary. They even make me dream of not getting into academia but in politics.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Finish college in diapers
You are standing in the middle of the piazza, dressed in an absurd superhero costume or stripped only to your underwear and diapers. You are reading a scroll that tells a parody of your life in a poetic form. The public is throwing eggs and flour at you. Congratulations, you have just graduated from the University of Padova in Italy!
The graduation ritual of the University of Padova is one of a kind. The moment after their thesis completions, the students are officially exposed to all types pranks from friends. They include hyper-sexualized scrolls, singing, public embarrassment, alcohol and, undoubtedly, a great deal of laughter. Aside from the fun part of this unique graduation ritual lies something fundamental-the ability to laugh at oneself. In the end of the day, a degree in agricultural biotechnology, comparative law or technical physics doesn't guarantee life will treat you seriously. Continue reading
The graduation ritual of the University of Padova is one of a kind. The moment after their thesis completions, the students are officially exposed to all types pranks from friends. They include hyper-sexualized scrolls, singing, public embarrassment, alcohol and, undoubtedly, a great deal of laughter. Aside from the fun part of this unique graduation ritual lies something fundamental-the ability to laugh at oneself. In the end of the day, a degree in agricultural biotechnology, comparative law or technical physics doesn't guarantee life will treat you seriously. Continue reading
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Swine flu reached Amherst
I was riding the Five-College bus on my way back to Mount Holyoke when I saw a friend from Hampshire College. "Claudia! I haven't seen you in ages," I exclaimed and hugged her. "Well, yes, that is because I just came back from Mexico," she responded. Yes, I did freak out.
My mom called me early on Sunday morning to warn me about the flu. She had heard the news in Italy, knew the symptoms and informed me about precautionary measures I needed to take. I had to take a lot of vitamins and wash my hands non-stop. I told her not to worry, hung up and went out to socialize with people.
Now that "at least two, and perhaps six, students have tested positive" for swine flu at Amherst College, I am not sure I am going to the same tomorrow. Today, the president of Amherst College released a campus-wide e-mail announcing the possible swine flu containment. "We are asking that students with compromised immune systems, serious heart, lung, kidney or liver diseases, and diabetes contact Health Services for advice regarding precautionary measures," he wrote in the email. Minutes after I read about this on 22News, I received an email from Robert Holub, the University of Massachusetts chancellor. "This remains a rapidly evolving situation and we will continue to update you as new information becomes available," he wrote.
Although the rapid spread of the flu is scary enough in itself, there is a lot more to it that adds to the student panic. With graduation coming up in May, international students won't be able to invite family and friends from Mexico to their commencement celebrations.
Moreover, there will be further complications with those who tested positive for the flu but had planned on leaving the U.S. for the summer. Infected individuals must be put under a 7-day quarantine, which will undoubtedly prompt change in their travel plans.
To all this I say, I hope my mom is not watching the news.
My mom called me early on Sunday morning to warn me about the flu. She had heard the news in Italy, knew the symptoms and informed me about precautionary measures I needed to take. I had to take a lot of vitamins and wash my hands non-stop. I told her not to worry, hung up and went out to socialize with people.
Now that "at least two, and perhaps six, students have tested positive" for swine flu at Amherst College, I am not sure I am going to the same tomorrow. Today, the president of Amherst College released a campus-wide e-mail announcing the possible swine flu containment. "We are asking that students with compromised immune systems, serious heart, lung, kidney or liver diseases, and diabetes contact Health Services for advice regarding precautionary measures," he wrote in the email. Minutes after I read about this on 22News, I received an email from Robert Holub, the University of Massachusetts chancellor. "This remains a rapidly evolving situation and we will continue to update you as new information becomes available," he wrote.
Although the rapid spread of the flu is scary enough in itself, there is a lot more to it that adds to the student panic. With graduation coming up in May, international students won't be able to invite family and friends from Mexico to their commencement celebrations.
Moreover, there will be further complications with those who tested positive for the flu but had planned on leaving the U.S. for the summer. Infected individuals must be put under a 7-day quarantine, which will undoubtedly prompt change in their travel plans.
To all this I say, I hope my mom is not watching the news.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Keep the conversation going
If you had entered my 300-level sociology seminar two days ago, you would have seen a 86-year-old African American student talking about jazz. Good Dues Blues and Shoo Shoo Baby playing in the background, Luora was presenting her final research project on jazz music in front of the class and the professor.
Studying with diverse individuals has proved to be a highly valuable experience for me. And when I say diverse, I refer not only to the students' race, ethnicity, religion or political affiliation. I also refer to their age.
Mount Holyoke College runs a program (Frances Perkins program) for women of non-traditional age. Every woman over the age of 24 can earn an undergraduate degree on a full or part-time course schedule. Each year approximately 140 diverse and intellectually curious women enroll at Mount Holyoke as Frances Perkins scholars (FPs). And I was lucky enough to have Luora, the oldest African American FP student, in my sociology class Black Cultural Production and Consumption.
"Let me tell you mine experience," Luora started answering a classmate's question about the given jazz presentation. Everyone in the classroom beamed and listened attentively. We love her stories. We love it when she makes the abstract theories about, for example, black authentic identity, real for us.
Born in 1923, Luora is not only an active participant in our class discussions but also a carrier of her generation's worldview. In the classroom, she enables a discourse between at least three generations--her Civil Rights generation, our professor's Generation X and the students' Generation Y.
"Jazz is a conversation," she said in conclusion to her presentation. "It continues a tradition of communication." Undoubtedly, having her and other FP students in my academic program also continues a tradition of communication.
Studying with diverse individuals has proved to be a highly valuable experience for me. And when I say diverse, I refer not only to the students' race, ethnicity, religion or political affiliation. I also refer to their age.
Mount Holyoke College runs a program (Frances Perkins program) for women of non-traditional age. Every woman over the age of 24 can earn an undergraduate degree on a full or part-time course schedule. Each year approximately 140 diverse and intellectually curious women enroll at Mount Holyoke as Frances Perkins scholars (FPs). And I was lucky enough to have Luora, the oldest African American FP student, in my sociology class Black Cultural Production and Consumption.
"Let me tell you mine experience," Luora started answering a classmate's question about the given jazz presentation. Everyone in the classroom beamed and listened attentively. We love her stories. We love it when she makes the abstract theories about, for example, black authentic identity, real for us.
Born in 1923, Luora is not only an active participant in our class discussions but also a carrier of her generation's worldview. In the classroom, she enables a discourse between at least three generations--her Civil Rights generation, our professor's Generation X and the students' Generation Y.
"Jazz is a conversation," she said in conclusion to her presentation. "It continues a tradition of communication." Undoubtedly, having her and other FP students in my academic program also continues a tradition of communication.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Social media and indigenous people
In today’s global society, the maintenance of cultural heritage and celebration of diversity have become especially relevant topics. In this context, new media technologies definitely contribute to the communication rights’ expansion of indigenous people.
Firstly, they allow greater access to alternative sources of information. For instance, there is a wide range of blogs dedicated to the causes of indigenous people. (Indigenous Issues Today, Ushahidi, Noongar) They offer personal perspectives about the distinct realities of many indigenous people. As a result, these blogs play an important role in raising cultural awareness and recognition.
Similar is the function of news and music podcasts for indigenous people. For instance, Michael Kickingbear, a member of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, narrates and hosts a podcast titled Indigenous Peoples Music. This is a show that features Native American Indian artists and allows listeners to “experience traditional as well as contemporary styles of native music.”
Free and open-source projects like Wikipedia can also positively influence the expansion of indigenous people’s communication rights because they foster collaboration. By being open to constant improvement from experts as well as from the public, Wikipedia encourages valuable participation and social activity.
The Internet video portal for indigenous filmmakers Isuma TV brings positive change to the Inuit population. In addition to encouraging more independent filmmakers to tell their stories in a creative fashion, Isuma TV works on restoring “old videos whose irreplaceable cultural information is in danger of being lost forever.” Thus, it aims at reinforcing the Inuit collective memory and cultural heritage in a well-structured and widely accessible space.
Firstly, they allow greater access to alternative sources of information. For instance, there is a wide range of blogs dedicated to the causes of indigenous people. (Indigenous Issues Today, Ushahidi, Noongar) They offer personal perspectives about the distinct realities of many indigenous people. As a result, these blogs play an important role in raising cultural awareness and recognition.
Similar is the function of news and music podcasts for indigenous people. For instance, Michael Kickingbear, a member of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, narrates and hosts a podcast titled Indigenous Peoples Music. This is a show that features Native American Indian artists and allows listeners to “experience traditional as well as contemporary styles of native music.”
Free and open-source projects like Wikipedia can also positively influence the expansion of indigenous people’s communication rights because they foster collaboration. By being open to constant improvement from experts as well as from the public, Wikipedia encourages valuable participation and social activity.
The Internet video portal for indigenous filmmakers Isuma TV brings positive change to the Inuit population. In addition to encouraging more independent filmmakers to tell their stories in a creative fashion, Isuma TV works on restoring “old videos whose irreplaceable cultural information is in danger of being lost forever.” Thus, it aims at reinforcing the Inuit collective memory and cultural heritage in a well-structured and widely accessible space.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Iraqi Refugees: The Hidden Crisis
"These refugees wouldn't have existed if we hadn't invaded their country," said Maureen White, the co-chair of the Board of Overseers of the International Rescue Committee. She was referring to the two million Iraqi refugees who fled their country in search for shelter in Syria and Jordan.
Tonight, White gave the Mount Holyoke community a public lecture titled Iraqi Refugees: The Hidden Crisis. She made the point that it was time for the U.S. to accept its obligations toward the war victims of Iraq. White noted that most European countries, with the exception of Germany, Sweden and Denmark, have ignored the intensifying situation with the Iraqi refugees. These countries believe the crisis should be solved by the ones directly responsible for the war in Iraq. That would be the U.K. and the U.S.
In Iraq, the International Rescue Committee works to upgrade water services, renovate schools and improve public health institutions. It has launched humanitarian programs in Syria and Jordan where the majority of Iraqi refugees are now living. The committee has been also supporting organizations that provide "outreach services and aim to bring together and improve relations between the overwhelmed host community and Iraqi refugees."
Although the IRC is fully devoted to mitigate the humanitarian crisis with the Iraqi refugees, White acknowledged that the committee faces many challenges. "Even if you want to help them, they are afraid to come out. It is a tiny number of people that we are reaching," said White.
Tonight, White gave the Mount Holyoke community a public lecture titled Iraqi Refugees: The Hidden Crisis. She made the point that it was time for the U.S. to accept its obligations toward the war victims of Iraq. White noted that most European countries, with the exception of Germany, Sweden and Denmark, have ignored the intensifying situation with the Iraqi refugees. These countries believe the crisis should be solved by the ones directly responsible for the war in Iraq. That would be the U.K. and the U.S.
In Iraq, the International Rescue Committee works to upgrade water services, renovate schools and improve public health institutions. It has launched humanitarian programs in Syria and Jordan where the majority of Iraqi refugees are now living. The committee has been also supporting organizations that provide "outreach services and aim to bring together and improve relations between the overwhelmed host community and Iraqi refugees."
Although the IRC is fully devoted to mitigate the humanitarian crisis with the Iraqi refugees, White acknowledged that the committee faces many challenges. "Even if you want to help them, they are afraid to come out. It is a tiny number of people that we are reaching," said White.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Role of remittances in the immigrants' lives
First, there are the complicated immigration documents. Then, there is the purchase of the cheapest airfare ticket. Finally comes the fulfillment of the American dream with a pinch of nostalgia. This popular view of the immigrant's life, however, often ignores immigrants' reality in the long run.
The "Shifting Places: Interdisciplinary Approaches to Migration" panel took place last week in Shattuck Hall and discussed the role of remittances in an immigrant's life. The panel participants included Ana Croegaert, visiting Assistant Professor of Gender Studies, Luis Jimenez, visiting Assistant Professor of Politics, and Lynda Pickbourn, Ph. D. candidate in economics at the University of Massachusetts. Although the three researchers took approaches on migration from different disciplines, they left the audience thinking about the same thing-the power of sending money and ideas back to a home country.
"Money, how to manage it and how to get more of it was a common topic," said Croegaert about the family affairs of the Bosnian immigrants she interviewed. Croegaert graduated from Mount Holyoke in 1997 and has been working on a research project entitled "Balancing Debts: The Bosnia-Chicago Migration Circuit After Yugoslavia." Through her fieldwork interviews with Bosnian immigrants residing in Chicago she learned about the symbolic significance of the "kucha," a Bosnian word for home. She found out that Bosnian immigrants helped their parents maintain the kucha back in their home country. But at the same time, they were also building a new kucha in Chicago where their children would grow. After all, the kucha is, as Croegaert put it, "a site for identity creation." As a result, Bosnian immigrants invested in more than one household by regularly sending remittances home. This is how, Croegaert explains, the immigrants got introduced to the U.S. "debt-driven industry." Often times, this debt and real estate mortgages led to mounting pressures in the immigrants' family affairs. Continue reading
The "Shifting Places: Interdisciplinary Approaches to Migration" panel took place last week in Shattuck Hall and discussed the role of remittances in an immigrant's life. The panel participants included Ana Croegaert, visiting Assistant Professor of Gender Studies, Luis Jimenez, visiting Assistant Professor of Politics, and Lynda Pickbourn, Ph. D. candidate in economics at the University of Massachusetts. Although the three researchers took approaches on migration from different disciplines, they left the audience thinking about the same thing-the power of sending money and ideas back to a home country.
"Money, how to manage it and how to get more of it was a common topic," said Croegaert about the family affairs of the Bosnian immigrants she interviewed. Croegaert graduated from Mount Holyoke in 1997 and has been working on a research project entitled "Balancing Debts: The Bosnia-Chicago Migration Circuit After Yugoslavia." Through her fieldwork interviews with Bosnian immigrants residing in Chicago she learned about the symbolic significance of the "kucha," a Bosnian word for home. She found out that Bosnian immigrants helped their parents maintain the kucha back in their home country. But at the same time, they were also building a new kucha in Chicago where their children would grow. After all, the kucha is, as Croegaert put it, "a site for identity creation." As a result, Bosnian immigrants invested in more than one household by regularly sending remittances home. This is how, Croegaert explains, the immigrants got introduced to the U.S. "debt-driven industry." Often times, this debt and real estate mortgages led to mounting pressures in the immigrants' family affairs. Continue reading
Souvenirs--cultural appropriation or treasured memories?
When I visit a new country, I make a note for myself to enter at least one museum, taste at least one traditional dish and purchase at least one authentic souvenir. After all, what can be a better keeper than an African mask, a traditional wooden handicraft or a tribal bamboo necklace? Many things, actually.
Exotic souvenirs and primitive art have long attracted both tourists and collectors. For some reason, it seems people are attracted to the thought of capturing the authentic and taming it by incorporating it in their modern, 21st-century lifestyles. But rarely do we see this practice as a cultural appropriation.
For most of us the purpose of souvenirs is to evoke memories. Even the meaning of the actual word souvenir in French corresponds to the act of remembering. It is fascinating how a mere look at a physical object that is associated with a given experience can make a person travel back in time and space and relive that moment. "The marvel of souvenir buildings is that the identical miniature sparks in each of us extravagantly different webs of remembrance," writes cognitive scientist Donald Norman in The Design of Everyday Things. But souvenirs in the form of native art are not simply carriers of sentimental value--they are the cultural products of indigenous people. Continue reading
Exotic souvenirs and primitive art have long attracted both tourists and collectors. For some reason, it seems people are attracted to the thought of capturing the authentic and taming it by incorporating it in their modern, 21st-century lifestyles. But rarely do we see this practice as a cultural appropriation.
For most of us the purpose of souvenirs is to evoke memories. Even the meaning of the actual word souvenir in French corresponds to the act of remembering. It is fascinating how a mere look at a physical object that is associated with a given experience can make a person travel back in time and space and relive that moment. "The marvel of souvenir buildings is that the identical miniature sparks in each of us extravagantly different webs of remembrance," writes cognitive scientist Donald Norman in The Design of Everyday Things. But souvenirs in the form of native art are not simply carriers of sentimental value--they are the cultural products of indigenous people. Continue reading
Friday, March 27, 2009
Plants may die but objects rise
My mother is crazy about houseplants. She buys them from flower shops and collects them from friends. She waters them regularly and uses them for decoration for every corner of our apartment in Varna. Every corner, except for my room.
Although I appreciate the beauty of houseplants, I cannot take good care of them. Even the cactus, which I bought for my mom and whose growth was under my supervision, died. I just give houseplants what they need the least. As a child, I tried bandaging the ficus in our living room. As a teenager, I put wine in the flower pot because someone had recommended it for the plant's growth. Finally, I started talking to them because I had read an article claiming that flowers needed attention. Nothing helped.
That is how I decided to stick to inanimate objects designed as nature's gifts. A chair in the shape of a leaf, a bench with the wings of a butterfly--I can handle this. Nature-themed furniture relaxes me and has the ability to survive despite my negligent care. Wood decorations, lotus flower candles and tree paintings bring me the same vibe of nature houseplants bring my mother. But then again, they don't bring the same feeling of comfort. No one will want to sit in my flat, wooden leaf chair.
Although I appreciate the beauty of houseplants, I cannot take good care of them. Even the cactus, which I bought for my mom and whose growth was under my supervision, died. I just give houseplants what they need the least. As a child, I tried bandaging the ficus in our living room. As a teenager, I put wine in the flower pot because someone had recommended it for the plant's growth. Finally, I started talking to them because I had read an article claiming that flowers needed attention. Nothing helped.
That is how I decided to stick to inanimate objects designed as nature's gifts. A chair in the shape of a leaf, a bench with the wings of a butterfly--I can handle this. Nature-themed furniture relaxes me and has the ability to survive despite my negligent care. Wood decorations, lotus flower candles and tree paintings bring me the same vibe of nature houseplants bring my mother. But then again, they don't bring the same feeling of comfort. No one will want to sit in my flat, wooden leaf chair.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Welcome the People's Car
I am 21 years old, don't own a driving license and haven't even tried driving. But I just experienced one of the rare moments in my life that prompt me to change this reality. Tomorrow, on March 23rd, the world’s cheapest car will be officially launched.
The Tata Nano is designed by Tata Motors in India to target the mass of consumers with its highly low price. The People's Car will cost around 100,000 rupees ($1,950). Although it looks quite small, it actually has the capacity to seat four passengers. What is more, Tata Motors is working on Nano's eco-friendly electric-version, the E-Nano, whose design is believed to include solar panels.
The Tata Nano will not only bring convenience to Indian consumers, but it will also undoubtedly influence India's economy. According to statistics of the rating agency CRISIL, "Tata Nano’s launch could expand the Indian car market by 65%."
The main critiques of the cheapest car model address the correlation between safety measures and the rate of car accidents in India. The Nano won't include airbags and antilock braking systems because they are not mandatory safety-features in India. "India has 8 per cent of the world’s vehicle fatalities and less than 1 per cent of its cars, with more than 90,000 people killed on the country’s roads every year," writes Catherine Riley, The Times Motoring Editor.
The Tata Nano is designed by Tata Motors in India to target the mass of consumers with its highly low price. The People's Car will cost around 100,000 rupees ($1,950). Although it looks quite small, it actually has the capacity to seat four passengers. What is more, Tata Motors is working on Nano's eco-friendly electric-version, the E-Nano, whose design is believed to include solar panels.
The Tata Nano will not only bring convenience to Indian consumers, but it will also undoubtedly influence India's economy. According to statistics of the rating agency CRISIL, "Tata Nano’s launch could expand the Indian car market by 65%."
The main critiques of the cheapest car model address the correlation between safety measures and the rate of car accidents in India. The Nano won't include airbags and antilock braking systems because they are not mandatory safety-features in India. "India has 8 per cent of the world’s vehicle fatalities and less than 1 per cent of its cars, with more than 90,000 people killed on the country’s roads every year," writes Catherine Riley, The Times Motoring Editor.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Radio dilemmas
When I came back from my study abroad semester in Russia, I realized how much I had missed Pandora. The interactive yet simple online radio offered me all the music I had forgotten and helped me find some new performers matching my taste. But now I find myself bored with Pandora's suggestions and actively looking for alternative music Web sites, streaming live radio stations and podcasts.
Most of my friends use Pandora or Last.fm for background music while studying, cleaning and yes, even partying. These Web sites are indeed an indispensable part of the student life I know. The opportunity to create personalized radio stations was immediately heralded with excitement and enthusiasm.
However, I recently realized that Pandora was somewhat limiting my music experience. I am already 99 percent familiar with the songs I listen to and even though I create new stations and mix play lists, I still end up listening to Silence by Delerium at least five times a day. I discussed this with a couple of friends, users of Pandora and Last.fm, and they admitted that they sometimes also feel limited to certain genres and musicians.
Naturally, one can go beyond these two Web pages to look for further music explorations. For instance, some great online tools are Songza, imeem and Musicovery. But will one ever feel the element of surprise the traditional radio can bring?
Most of my friends use Pandora or Last.fm for background music while studying, cleaning and yes, even partying. These Web sites are indeed an indispensable part of the student life I know. The opportunity to create personalized radio stations was immediately heralded with excitement and enthusiasm.
However, I recently realized that Pandora was somewhat limiting my music experience. I am already 99 percent familiar with the songs I listen to and even though I create new stations and mix play lists, I still end up listening to Silence by Delerium at least five times a day. I discussed this with a couple of friends, users of Pandora and Last.fm, and they admitted that they sometimes also feel limited to certain genres and musicians.
Naturally, one can go beyond these two Web pages to look for further music explorations. For instance, some great online tools are Songza, imeem and Musicovery. But will one ever feel the element of surprise the traditional radio can bring?
Thursday, March 12, 2009
When years make sense
Whenever I encounter a year in my readings I tend to measure it according to my mother's year of birth. Roosevelt was first elected a president 28 years before and the Watergate scandal took place 13 years after my mother was born.
Last week I had a lunch conversation with a Belorussian student about our respective families. She is now a junior and had not been home, in Belarus, since her arrival at college. She told me that she was the only child of her parents. She told me that she missed sitting at the kitchen table while her mom was preparing dinner. She told me that her mom was her best friend.
How can you take someone away from her nostalgia and loneliness when you know how pure and real these feelings are? They bring images of warmth that the mind freezes and idealizes. They guide you through what is important in life and what will be kept forever virgin.
The Belorussian girl told me that she missed her parents but did not miss her country. She, like many other citizens of ex-Soviet republics, recognizes two distinct concepts of home country--the beloved one associated with parents, childhood memories, and friends, and the hated one associated with bureaucracy and corruption. It is the motherland versus the government.
Although I left the Belorussian girl to her nostalgia, I did tell her something reassuring during this lunch conversation. I told her that my mother had a birthday in a week, on March 12, and that I was about to send her a postcard.
Last week I had a lunch conversation with a Belorussian student about our respective families. She is now a junior and had not been home, in Belarus, since her arrival at college. She told me that she was the only child of her parents. She told me that she missed sitting at the kitchen table while her mom was preparing dinner. She told me that her mom was her best friend.
How can you take someone away from her nostalgia and loneliness when you know how pure and real these feelings are? They bring images of warmth that the mind freezes and idealizes. They guide you through what is important in life and what will be kept forever virgin.
The Belorussian girl told me that she missed her parents but did not miss her country. She, like many other citizens of ex-Soviet republics, recognizes two distinct concepts of home country--the beloved one associated with parents, childhood memories, and friends, and the hated one associated with bureaucracy and corruption. It is the motherland versus the government.
Although I left the Belorussian girl to her nostalgia, I did tell her something reassuring during this lunch conversation. I told her that my mother had a birthday in a week, on March 12, and that I was about to send her a postcard.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Work in Tanzania? Why not!
No doubt the economic downfall is threatening the living standards of millions of people worldwide. But could it lead to any positive results?
My friend Yana visited a non-profit career fair held at Columbia University last week. She told me that the administration there was highly overwhelmed with the number of people who showed up. This was, apparently, their biggest turnout in a long time.
Most of my fellow college students are actively looking for summer internships and post-graduate job positions on Idealist, an interactive Web page for non-profit organizations, volunteer opportunities and various causes with international dimensions.
Honestly, I think this is wonderful. Now that many students realize Economics, Finance and Business majors won't necessarily lead them to stable career paths in prosperous industries, they start to approach alternative professions.
I am witnessing a massive expansion of minds. Spontaneous questions and quick answers circulate in the college atmosphere: "Public education policy? Why not!", "Work in Tanzania? Why not!"
The economic crisis brought job losses in many industries like banking and investment. But maybe it also brought employment options for all those people unsure about their future careers.
My friend Yana visited a non-profit career fair held at Columbia University last week. She told me that the administration there was highly overwhelmed with the number of people who showed up. This was, apparently, their biggest turnout in a long time.
Most of my fellow college students are actively looking for summer internships and post-graduate job positions on Idealist, an interactive Web page for non-profit organizations, volunteer opportunities and various causes with international dimensions.
Honestly, I think this is wonderful. Now that many students realize Economics, Finance and Business majors won't necessarily lead them to stable career paths in prosperous industries, they start to approach alternative professions.
I am witnessing a massive expansion of minds. Spontaneous questions and quick answers circulate in the college atmosphere: "Public education policy? Why not!", "Work in Tanzania? Why not!"
The economic crisis brought job losses in many industries like banking and investment. But maybe it also brought employment options for all those people unsure about their future careers.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Salt it before you taste it?
In Russia, people insist on having their three-meal courses consisting of a soup, a main dish and a dessert. As soon as we received our soups in the Smolny school cafeteria, I would reach for the pepper and my Czech friend would reach for the salt. It was a habit, a mechanical action that came before we had gotten anywhere near touching the spoon. "You are being prejudiced," accused us laughingly our American friend sitting at the other end of the table.
We were being prejudiced against the soup. We hadn't tried it but we already knew it was lacking something. You might laugh over this incident but I took it very seriously and applied it to life, in general. If one salts a dish before tasting it, then what prevents one from judging a person without knowing him/her?
The principle behind this practice of adding salt and pepper to a meal was important. I admit that, even though I try to be as open-minded as possible, I do judge people prematurely. I still approach many life situations with preconceived notions. But as much as I want to taste the soup before I put pepper in it, I know it can always use some more.
We were being prejudiced against the soup. We hadn't tried it but we already knew it was lacking something. You might laugh over this incident but I took it very seriously and applied it to life, in general. If one salts a dish before tasting it, then what prevents one from judging a person without knowing him/her?The principle behind this practice of adding salt and pepper to a meal was important. I admit that, even though I try to be as open-minded as possible, I do judge people prematurely. I still approach many life situations with preconceived notions. But as much as I want to taste the soup before I put pepper in it, I know it can always use some more.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Russia not immune to the crisis
"We are not afraid of the financial crisis, are we?" asked the showman at a club in St. Petersburg, Russia, one November night. "Ne-e-et," responded the young crowd and continued swaying to the techno music.
Although the global economic recession causes morbid consequences to the rest of the world, it prompted Russians to invent new, themed jokes and have a nice laugh over the crisis together. During my fall 2008 study abroad semester in St. Petersburg, I encountered widespread media banter about the economic recession that ridiculed investment bankers and made fun of the whole industry. Still, the majority of the Russian people remained indifferent toward news about the economic downfall. It seemed like they were immune to it.
However, Russia is impacted by the recession and to a great extent. "In the current crisis, Russia is confronting virtually all the negatives at once-sharply declining export earnings from energy and metals, over-leveraged corporate balance sheets and a chorus of bailout appeals, a credit crunch and banking failures, a bursting real-estate bubble and mortgage defaults, accelerating capital flight, and unavoidable pressures for devaluation," Stephen Sestanovich, a George F. Kennan Senior Fellow for Russian and Eurasian Studies, writes for the Council on Foreign Relations. Continue reading
The Mount Holyoke News
Although the global economic recession causes morbid consequences to the rest of the world, it prompted Russians to invent new, themed jokes and have a nice laugh over the crisis together. During my fall 2008 study abroad semester in St. Petersburg, I encountered widespread media banter about the economic recession that ridiculed investment bankers and made fun of the whole industry. Still, the majority of the Russian people remained indifferent toward news about the economic downfall. It seemed like they were immune to it.
However, Russia is impacted by the recession and to a great extent. "In the current crisis, Russia is confronting virtually all the negatives at once-sharply declining export earnings from energy and metals, over-leveraged corporate balance sheets and a chorus of bailout appeals, a credit crunch and banking failures, a bursting real-estate bubble and mortgage defaults, accelerating capital flight, and unavoidable pressures for devaluation," Stephen Sestanovich, a George F. Kennan Senior Fellow for Russian and Eurasian Studies, writes for the Council on Foreign Relations. Continue reading
The Mount Holyoke News
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Where the chalk-faced children play
Tonight I was reading Charles Edward Russell's article The Tenements of Trinity Church and I encountered the wording "where the chalk-faced children play." I stopped reading, looked away from my monitor and thought about how much I miss seeing chalk-faced children play.
The first thing I do in the morning after my bathroom visit is turn on my lap top. Whether I need to check the weather forecast, play a song that has been stuck in my head or respond to an urgent e-mail, I reach for the Acer. Then, the rest of the day is almost entirely spent on Gmail. The scariest part of all, however, is that my current lifestyle serves as an example for the lives of most of my friends, fellow students and, surely, millions of young people worldwide. Where can I see chalk-faced children play?
I was happy with my childhood spent playing hide and seek in the neighborhood or domino on the beach. I have stored these memories in my mind and enjoy returning to them, idealizing them and putting them away as washed linens to be used in the future by someone dear. But what if the time comes when no one uses linens any more?
Recently I talked with a friend about the correlation between technological innovation and human happiness. I argued that my childhood wouldn't have been truly happy if I had spent it in front of a computer monitor instead of outside in the street. My friend, however, pointed out that modern social needs determine happiness in our childhood activities. So, if the society you live in holds certain values and skills as valuable, you want to capture them and you surely don't think you are missing out on other distractions. For instance, I certainly never thought I was missing out on travel opportunities because I had never left Bulgaria before the age of 18.
Even though I find my friend's argument logical, I cannot help but put away another set of clean linens in a back drawer of my memory. Tonight I am storing the image of chalk-faced children playing.
The first thing I do in the morning after my bathroom visit is turn on my lap top. Whether I need to check the weather forecast, play a song that has been stuck in my head or respond to an urgent e-mail, I reach for the Acer. Then, the rest of the day is almost entirely spent on Gmail. The scariest part of all, however, is that my current lifestyle serves as an example for the lives of most of my friends, fellow students and, surely, millions of young people worldwide. Where can I see chalk-faced children play?I was happy with my childhood spent playing hide and seek in the neighborhood or domino on the beach. I have stored these memories in my mind and enjoy returning to them, idealizing them and putting them away as washed linens to be used in the future by someone dear. But what if the time comes when no one uses linens any more?
Recently I talked with a friend about the correlation between technological innovation and human happiness. I argued that my childhood wouldn't have been truly happy if I had spent it in front of a computer monitor instead of outside in the street. My friend, however, pointed out that modern social needs determine happiness in our childhood activities. So, if the society you live in holds certain values and skills as valuable, you want to capture them and you surely don't think you are missing out on other distractions. For instance, I certainly never thought I was missing out on travel opportunities because I had never left Bulgaria before the age of 18.
Even though I find my friend's argument logical, I cannot help but put away another set of clean linens in a back drawer of my memory. Tonight I am storing the image of chalk-faced children playing.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Valentine to my grandfather
When Danielle, my French-Canadian roommate from college, came to visit me in Bulgaria for the winter holidays, I took her to the countryside to visit the village where my grandfather lives. He was excited to meet "a real American." As soon as we got off my father's white van to enter the house backyard, my grandfather approached Danielle with shaking hands, hugged her with a wide smile and kept petting her on the shoulder.
This scene well epitomizes my grandfather's character. He, like many old people in Bulgaria, does not believe in personal space and life without spontaneous affection. He, unlike many old people in Bulgaria, does not understand village gossip or intrusion in the family matters of other people. I would like to think that I inherited these traits from him.
My grandfather loves talking to his domestic animals. He tends to choose hard topics, too. Born in 1923, he feels especially passionate about historical and political events during the Second World War and the Cold War. I often think that if he had the chance to receive a good education, he would have become an excellent historian. But more often than not, he will just think aloud about the pursuit of happiness in family life. Sheep and goats stare him back with their humid eyes when he pours out his soul.
I called my grandfather tonight. Every time I call him, my eyes get teary from my physical inability to be in the countryside with him, hold his shaking hands and let him pour out his soul to me.
This scene well epitomizes my grandfather's character. He, like many old people in Bulgaria, does not believe in personal space and life without spontaneous affection. He, unlike many old people in Bulgaria, does not understand village gossip or intrusion in the family matters of other people. I would like to think that I inherited these traits from him.
My grandfather loves talking to his domestic animals. He tends to choose hard topics, too. Born in 1923, he feels especially passionate about historical and political events during the Second World War and the Cold War. I often think that if he had the chance to receive a good education, he would have become an excellent historian. But more often than not, he will just think aloud about the pursuit of happiness in family life. Sheep and goats stare him back with their humid eyes when he pours out his soul.I called my grandfather tonight. Every time I call him, my eyes get teary from my physical inability to be in the countryside with him, hold his shaking hands and let him pour out his soul to me.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Czech it out
If you're wondering how one piece of art can offend 27 countries simultaneously, then hire a Czech artist under the name of David Cerny, sit back and watch. He will surely take care of this task because he has the necessary background after angering the lares and penates of the European Union with his newest sculpture Entropa.
Officially launched on Jan. 15, 2009, Entropa constituted of a map of geographic symbols representing the 27 EU member states in a comic fashion intended to provoke Europe's sense of humor. The sculpture was supposed to honor the European Union member states, celebrate diversity and officially mark the Czech presidency of the EU. It was intended to artistically illustrate and complement the words of the Czech Deputy Prime Minister Alexandr Vondra spoken at the sculpture's launch ceremony, "Freedom of expression is a founding principle of democracy." Its effects, however, couldn't have strayed farther away from these goals and what it ended up provoking was mostly Europe's strong criticism. The exhibit proves that when a vision of art is placed in a highly sensitive political context, controversy can hardly be avoided.
The mosaic of European geographical shapes assigned stereotypical and prejudicial symbols to the 27 European Union members. The territory of France on the map is covered with a poster saying "GRÈVE!" that translates into "On Strike!" Romania is portrayed as a Dracula-themed amusement park with special sound effects. Spain is an empty construction site with a concrete mixer placed in the country's northern part. Luxemburg, a golden chunk, carries a For Sale tag with a telephone number to contact. The United Kingdom is the missing piece from the mosaic. Greece's territory is covered by a completely burnt forest. Worst of all, Bulgaria is depicted as a series of white squats (Turkish-style toilets).
Although Cerny saw the installation as an opportunity to learn to laugh over stereotypical images and transcend cultural boundaries, the rest of Europe was displeased with such unfavorable representations. But then again, the rest of Europe doesn't have Cerny's crude humor. Though not put on display at the European Council building in Brussels, the artist's previous works were equally controversial. In the garden of Futura Gallery in Prague, Cerny designed two nude sculptures that visitors can climb on a ladder situated between the figures' legs. They can peek into the figures' arses and watch a video showing Czech President Vaclav Klaus and the head of the National Gallery Milan Knizak feeding each other slop to the soundtrack of Queen's "We are the Champions."
"I seriously, we seriously expected that this will be taken as a joke, as a nice piece of work, as a nice installation, and nothing else," said Cerny about his latest project in a speech in Brussels. Unfortunately, the artwork was taken as something else by many who viewed it as humiliating and reinforcing negative stereotypes instead of eradicating them. Moreover, the production of this "nice piece of work" cost EUR 375,000.
After receiving complaints and widespread criticism about the exhibit, the Czech government officially apologized to the offended member states. "This is not how the Czech government or the Presidency view EU or any member state," said Czech Deputy Prime Minister Alexandr Vondra. This is, however, how the EU understood Entropa's political message masked in an inexplicable art form.
Source: The Mount Holyoke News, A&E
Officially launched on Jan. 15, 2009, Entropa constituted of a map of geographic symbols representing the 27 EU member states in a comic fashion intended to provoke Europe's sense of humor. The sculpture was supposed to honor the European Union member states, celebrate diversity and officially mark the Czech presidency of the EU. It was intended to artistically illustrate and complement the words of the Czech Deputy Prime Minister Alexandr Vondra spoken at the sculpture's launch ceremony, "Freedom of expression is a founding principle of democracy." Its effects, however, couldn't have strayed farther away from these goals and what it ended up provoking was mostly Europe's strong criticism. The exhibit proves that when a vision of art is placed in a highly sensitive political context, controversy can hardly be avoided.
The mosaic of European geographical shapes assigned stereotypical and prejudicial symbols to the 27 European Union members. The territory of France on the map is covered with a poster saying "GRÈVE!" that translates into "On Strike!" Romania is portrayed as a Dracula-themed amusement park with special sound effects. Spain is an empty construction site with a concrete mixer placed in the country's northern part. Luxemburg, a golden chunk, carries a For Sale tag with a telephone number to contact. The United Kingdom is the missing piece from the mosaic. Greece's territory is covered by a completely burnt forest. Worst of all, Bulgaria is depicted as a series of white squats (Turkish-style toilets).
Although Cerny saw the installation as an opportunity to learn to laugh over stereotypical images and transcend cultural boundaries, the rest of Europe was displeased with such unfavorable representations. But then again, the rest of Europe doesn't have Cerny's crude humor. Though not put on display at the European Council building in Brussels, the artist's previous works were equally controversial. In the garden of Futura Gallery in Prague, Cerny designed two nude sculptures that visitors can climb on a ladder situated between the figures' legs. They can peek into the figures' arses and watch a video showing Czech President Vaclav Klaus and the head of the National Gallery Milan Knizak feeding each other slop to the soundtrack of Queen's "We are the Champions."
"I seriously, we seriously expected that this will be taken as a joke, as a nice piece of work, as a nice installation, and nothing else," said Cerny about his latest project in a speech in Brussels. Unfortunately, the artwork was taken as something else by many who viewed it as humiliating and reinforcing negative stereotypes instead of eradicating them. Moreover, the production of this "nice piece of work" cost EUR 375,000.
After receiving complaints and widespread criticism about the exhibit, the Czech government officially apologized to the offended member states. "This is not how the Czech government or the Presidency view EU or any member state," said Czech Deputy Prime Minister Alexandr Vondra. This is, however, how the EU understood Entropa's political message masked in an inexplicable art form.
Source: The Mount Holyoke News, A&E
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Brainwashed
Next week's edition of my section in the college newspaper will be on St. Valentine's Day. A relevant, time sensitive and entertaining enough topic, you would think. Still in the process of editing the articles, I get the same odd idea from most of them--my writers have been brainwashed.
When they write about love and romance, they immediately associated it with the same vision--Mr. Right who plans a romantic dinner, surprises them with a pompous bouquet of red roses, treats them to a gentle massage with lavender oil and whispers sweet nothings to them. This couldn't have gotten closer to Hollywood's teachings and marketers' goals.
Naturally and unfortunately, this scene could be every 15-year-old girl's dream. But we are not 15 any more. On the contrary, we are enrolled in a higher education institution to learn to think critically about exactly that kind of media messages. Although the younger crowd doesn't have the necessary knowledge to filter such brainwashing visions, we are equipped with the adequate skills to do so.
Then again, maybe I am exaggerating and generalizing. Maybe it was just a word, a phrase, or a sentence that threw me in that train of thoughts. Certainly, it was another realization about media's enormous influence over our mindsets.
When they write about love and romance, they immediately associated it with the same vision--Mr. Right who plans a romantic dinner, surprises them with a pompous bouquet of red roses, treats them to a gentle massage with lavender oil and whispers sweet nothings to them. This couldn't have gotten closer to Hollywood's teachings and marketers' goals. Naturally and unfortunately, this scene could be every 15-year-old girl's dream. But we are not 15 any more. On the contrary, we are enrolled in a higher education institution to learn to think critically about exactly that kind of media messages. Although the younger crowd doesn't have the necessary knowledge to filter such brainwashing visions, we are equipped with the adequate skills to do so.
Then again, maybe I am exaggerating and generalizing. Maybe it was just a word, a phrase, or a sentence that threw me in that train of thoughts. Certainly, it was another realization about media's enormous influence over our mindsets.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Here Just For the Credit
"So, I don't want to do all of the talking myself today. I want to give you a chance to introduce yourself and say a couple of words about why you are taking this course," said my new professor teaching New Media Technologies and Social Change. "And don't be afraid to say you are here because you need the credit," she added with a smile.
My first communications classes for Spring semester began today in the University of Massachusetts (Umass), Amherst and confirmed my opinion about this school's culture. It consists of a rich selection of Communications courses, big classes, resourceful professors, and immature students.
Answers to my professor's requests varied from "Yeah, I am here for the credit," and "I am taking this class because it fits into my schedule," to "I saw the word 'media'" and, my personal favorite, "I want to do TV and stuff."
Naturally, every professor will want to receive a clear picture of her students' level and ambitions but to me this experience today was absolutely disillusioning. I am certain that there are people truly interested in the topics and materials for discussion, and would love to occupy one of the seats in the classroom. Moreover, they will make the most of it. I just regret that half of my class doesn't include such individuals but is interested in simply receiving their diplomas without applied knowledge to support these otherwise empty of meaning pieces of paper.
My first communications classes for Spring semester began today in the University of Massachusetts (Umass), Amherst and confirmed my opinion about this school's culture. It consists of a rich selection of Communications courses, big classes, resourceful professors, and immature students. Answers to my professor's requests varied from "Yeah, I am here for the credit," and "I am taking this class because it fits into my schedule," to "I saw the word 'media'" and, my personal favorite, "I want to do TV and stuff."
Naturally, every professor will want to receive a clear picture of her students' level and ambitions but to me this experience today was absolutely disillusioning. I am certain that there are people truly interested in the topics and materials for discussion, and would love to occupy one of the seats in the classroom. Moreover, they will make the most of it. I just regret that half of my class doesn't include such individuals but is interested in simply receiving their diplomas without applied knowledge to support these otherwise empty of meaning pieces of paper.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Hold On to the Rail
Tonight in Springfield was the second time I set my feet on an ice skating rink and tried to balance my body weight with zig-zag movements. The first time was in St. Petersburg after midnight. So, in your mind you are probably already begging me not to compare these two experiences. But I will, anyway.
I would lie if I said that I didn't have any expectations from ice skating in St. Petersburg. I paid the equivalent of $20 to rent skates and buy a ticket and had put the stakes high for the night. Dance music was playing loudly and I felt pumped up and ready to go. Until I fell once, twice, three times.
After a while, my friends and I concluded that this is an alternative club culture for the younger Russian crowd. Upbeat music, fresh outfit combinations, hidden alcohol in the lockers, flirty games and lots of awkward dance movements.
I would lie if I said that I didn't have any expectations from ice skating in Springfield. The cost for both the skates and the actual skating was less than $10 but the poor state of the lobby and broken bathrooms instantly lowered my anticipation to skate. The song "I believe I can fly" by R. Kelly well epitomized the DJ's interesting music choices. Although no one flied, people had fun falling down, throwing themselves at the transparent walls and holding on to the rail. Most charming, of course, were the youngest little guys wearing their black and yellow hockey outfits and racing around swiftly like bullets.
I guess what I tried to say with this comparison is that I am glad my first time ice skating was in Russia, and that it will be really beneficial for the Springfield ice skating rink to hire a new DJ.
I would lie if I said that I didn't have any expectations from ice skating in St. Petersburg. I paid the equivalent of $20 to rent skates and buy a ticket and had put the stakes high for the night. Dance music was playing loudly and I felt pumped up and ready to go. Until I fell once, twice, three times.
After a while, my friends and I concluded that this is an alternative club culture for the younger Russian crowd. Upbeat music, fresh outfit combinations, hidden alcohol in the lockers, flirty games and lots of awkward dance movements.
I would lie if I said that I didn't have any expectations from ice skating in Springfield. The cost for both the skates and the actual skating was less than $10 but the poor state of the lobby and broken bathrooms instantly lowered my anticipation to skate. The song "I believe I can fly" by R. Kelly well epitomized the DJ's interesting music choices. Although no one flied, people had fun falling down, throwing themselves at the transparent walls and holding on to the rail. Most charming, of course, were the youngest little guys wearing their black and yellow hockey outfits and racing around swiftly like bullets.
I guess what I tried to say with this comparison is that I am glad my first time ice skating was in Russia, and that it will be really beneficial for the Springfield ice skating rink to hire a new DJ.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Malls Represent Culture
Today I made a quick trip to the Holyoke mall for a long-hesitated lap top purchase. I arrived there at 5 p.m. and was already holding my new Acer at 5:17 p.m. The rest of my time in the mall I spent observing consumer practices and comparing them to those in Bulgaria.
In the US the purpose of malls is to provide a rich product selection in a consumer-friendly and practical way that adequately responds to the clients' needs. In Bulgaria, however, the role of malls is different. People visit them not so much to buy stuff but rather to immerse themselves in a social environment. That is why the structure of the malls in America and Bulgaria also varies to fit its customers' characters.
In the Holyoke mall, for instance, the food court is located on the first floor where you go once you get hungry from all the shopping you have done. Dressed in sweatpants and baseball hats, people examine the information signs to find out the exact location of the store they need.
Though smaller in Varna, malls are full of cafes, restaurants and entertainment centers on every floor. Priority here is not the actual shopping experience but the activities before and after it. People like to show off their new clothes and shiny shoes, and could spend a whole day in the mall watching movies, having coffee and playing pool or bowling.
I find these shopping practices representative of two distant cultures and descriptive of the different character of their targeted audiences.
In the US the purpose of malls is to provide a rich product selection in a consumer-friendly and practical way that adequately responds to the clients' needs. In Bulgaria, however, the role of malls is different. People visit them not so much to buy stuff but rather to immerse themselves in a social environment. That is why the structure of the malls in America and Bulgaria also varies to fit its customers' characters.In the Holyoke mall, for instance, the food court is located on the first floor where you go once you get hungry from all the shopping you have done. Dressed in sweatpants and baseball hats, people examine the information signs to find out the exact location of the store they need.
Though smaller in Varna, malls are full of cafes, restaurants and entertainment centers on every floor. Priority here is not the actual shopping experience but the activities before and after it. People like to show off their new clothes and shiny shoes, and could spend a whole day in the mall watching movies, having coffee and playing pool or bowling.
I find these shopping practices representative of two distant cultures and descriptive of the different character of their targeted audiences.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Candle for Gaza
It took me a couple of days after I arrived back on campus to feel intellectually at home again. I was in a circle of people, holding a candle and staring at the Pakistani girl in front of me reading a prayer for the victims of the war conflict in Gaza. That was my first time holding a vigil. 
"Let us not be too late for this crisis, let it not take the same trajectory that many did in the past, let it not be simply an object of intellectual engagement to be analyzed ex post facto, with people wondering where the conscience of the international community lay while the atrocities were perpetrated," she read. I was trying to listen but my eyes were glued on her breathing pattern and brown eyes, in which tears welled up. Then I looked around the room to recognize the emotion coming out of her voice communicate itself to the other participants.
There weren't more than 20 people in the chapel but they were all from diverse ethnic backgrounds and carrying the same hopes and dreams. Although the reason for keeping this vigil is truly horrifying, the actual event brought me inner satisfaction and humbleness. I felt proud to be sitting next to people who care and believe in peace. I was proud to share the flame of my candle with the next person in the circle.
"Let us not be too late for this crisis, let it not take the same trajectory that many did in the past, let it not be simply an object of intellectual engagement to be analyzed ex post facto, with people wondering where the conscience of the international community lay while the atrocities were perpetrated," she read. I was trying to listen but my eyes were glued on her breathing pattern and brown eyes, in which tears welled up. Then I looked around the room to recognize the emotion coming out of her voice communicate itself to the other participants.
There weren't more than 20 people in the chapel but they were all from diverse ethnic backgrounds and carrying the same hopes and dreams. Although the reason for keeping this vigil is truly horrifying, the actual event brought me inner satisfaction and humbleness. I felt proud to be sitting next to people who care and believe in peace. I was proud to share the flame of my candle with the next person in the circle.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Goodbye Adventures, Hello Routine
For the first time in my life, I think, I experienced culture shock. I am sitting at the Boston bus station and waiting for the Peter Pan bus to take me to Amherst, MA where I will transfer for the last time before reaching South Hadley.
For the last couple of months I visited so many places and gathered such vivid impressions that the stagnation I found here seems unbearable. As soon as I arrived I encountered the same tedious images -- same bald Customs Service employees at Logan airport who are not rude but can never be truly friendly; same disproportionally fat people eating huge amounts of McDonald's food; same monotonous voices coming out of the speakers to announce that there is a public parking available outside. No one is making eye contact except for the giggling Chinese ladies sitting behind the Fung Wah Bus line information desk. Right now the Magnificent Wind seems to be the only thing I have missed here.
I am experiencing this culture shock maybe because I headed back to the States with preconceived notions, or maybe because I am too weak to fight against the routine, or maybe because I am not in the best of moods. Whatever the reason, right there at the South Station in Boston I felt my soul slowly emptying.
For the last couple of months I visited so many places and gathered such vivid impressions that the stagnation I found here seems unbearable. As soon as I arrived I encountered the same tedious images -- same bald Customs Service employees at Logan airport who are not rude but can never be truly friendly; same disproportionally fat people eating huge amounts of McDonald's food; same monotonous voices coming out of the speakers to announce that there is a public parking available outside. No one is making eye contact except for the giggling Chinese ladies sitting behind the Fung Wah Bus line information desk. Right now the Magnificent Wind seems to be the only thing I have missed here. I am experiencing this culture shock maybe because I headed back to the States with preconceived notions, or maybe because I am too weak to fight against the routine, or maybe because I am not in the best of moods. Whatever the reason, right there at the South Station in Boston I felt my soul slowly emptying.
Next Destination: London
When I arrived at 4:30 pm in London's Heathrow airport, I was mentally prepared to spend the whole night here, waiting. My connection flight to Boston wasn't until next morning and I had the laziness to not check my flight details carefully beforehand. Fortunately, I decided to explore the city and remained totally blown by the beauty of this Western European capital.
I guess I have always underestimated London, Paris and Berlin -- the western European cities everyone visits. As my former roommate once said, "France is for pussies," and she chose to study abroad in Lebanon. But in my attempts to avoid the mainstream, I realized I had neglected some wonderful sightseeing destinations.
I was charmed to see the colorfulness of London, which as opposed to New York, wasn't reflected in people's street fashion but in other, more creative forms. Refreshing were the small car models, classical building architecture, red telephone booths and famous double-decker buses. Attractive were the diverse passers-by with their British accents. The city was rich in cultural heritage, filled with humid warmth and open for explorations. Somehow, it seemed to present the perfect amount of public and personal space. Go in a pub or to the movie theater, and you will be surrounded by people. (A huge crowd had gathered and cheered in front of the cinema across from the Leicester Square Garden. I think it was the movie premiere of Chandni Chowk to China.) Enter an antiquarian bookstore or walk along the romantic Hungerford footbridge, and you will find privacy.
London definitely charged me with positive energy and prepared me for the hours of waiting left at the airport.
I guess I have always underestimated London, Paris and Berlin -- the western European cities everyone visits. As my former roommate once said, "France is for pussies," and she chose to study abroad in Lebanon. But in my attempts to avoid the mainstream, I realized I had neglected some wonderful sightseeing destinations.
I was charmed to see the colorfulness of London, which as opposed to New York, wasn't reflected in people's street fashion but in other, more creative forms. Refreshing were the small car models, classical building architecture, red telephone booths and famous double-decker buses. Attractive were the diverse passers-by with their British accents. The city was rich in cultural heritage, filled with humid warmth and open for explorations. Somehow, it seemed to present the perfect amount of public and personal space. Go in a pub or to the movie theater, and you will be surrounded by people. (A huge crowd had gathered and cheered in front of the cinema across from the Leicester Square Garden. I think it was the movie premiere of Chandni Chowk to China.) Enter an antiquarian bookstore or walk along the romantic Hungerford footbridge, and you will find privacy.
London definitely charged me with positive energy and prepared me for the hours of waiting left at the airport.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Top 5 Photos Taken in Russia
These are my top five pictures I took in Russia during the study abroad program in the Fall.
1. near St. Peter and Paul Fortress
2. Gatchina
3. Tallinn, Estonia
4. Pavlovosk
5. Арка Генерального штаба at Dvortsovaya Square
1. near St. Peter and Paul Fortress
2. Gatchina
3. Tallinn, Estonia
4. Pavlovosk
5. Арка Генерального штаба at Dvortsovaya Square
Friday, January 9, 2009
Gas Crisis in Bulgaria
These days on the news in Bulgaria you can hear about two main stories -- the gas crisis and the crisis in Gaza. Though the word play is kind of funny, the last thing we can do while watching the news is laugh.
Nevertheless, the news story that shook us directly was the first one.
On Thursday 21 schools were closed in the capital due to the low temperatures inside the class rooms. Classes were cancelled in other regions of the country. Students living in dormitories in Sofia had to either move in with friends to escape the coldness in their rooms, or study and shower by candlelight. Factories throughout the country faced big losses because they have been forced to shut down for four days now.
The low winter temperatures, Russian-Ukrainian gas conflict and Bulgaria's poor governmental response to the gas crisis resulted in bringing more misery and stress in the lives of ordinary people.
Nevertheless, the news story that shook us directly was the first one.
On Thursday 21 schools were closed in the capital due to the low temperatures inside the class rooms. Classes were cancelled in other regions of the country. Students living in dormitories in Sofia had to either move in with friends to escape the coldness in their rooms, or study and shower by candlelight. Factories throughout the country faced big losses because they have been forced to shut down for four days now.
The low winter temperatures, Russian-Ukrainian gas conflict and Bulgaria's poor governmental response to the gas crisis resulted in bringing more misery and stress in the lives of ordinary people.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Never Again, AlItalia
You would think an air carrier has a limited number of screw-ups. For instance, they can lose your luggage once or cancel your flight, or not serve you lunch, or forget about the English translation of their on-board announcement. But, let me tell you, Italy’s AlItalia definitely breaks the record and wins first prize for most screw-ups.
On 27th August I arrived at St. Petersburg Pulkovo airport with only carry-on luggage and had to live for three days with the several clothing items I had in my backpack and lady’s purse. On 21st December I arrived at Sofia airport with these same belongings for 3 more days. Both times my red suitcase was wandering somewhere without me in the unknown company of AlItalia staff.
Of course, lost luggage is nothing new and, when eventually found and returned, makes for a good story. Cancellation of flights, however, is truly scary. When my friend residing in Italy called me the night before her flight to St. Petersburg to inform me that AlItalia had cancelled her domestic flight “with no alternatives available,” I thought she was joking. Less than 24 hours before her actual flight, she had received an email notification about these urgent travel changes. Apparently, it was “due to protests by Alitalia employees opposed to the carrier's takeover by Italian businessmen.” (www.fxstreet.com) Nearly 100 AlItalia flights were cancelled in November due to the same reason.
On 20th December when I was already standing in line for the security check at the St. Petersburg Pulkovo II airport, I looked up at the digital departures board only to see that my flight to Rome was cancelled. Panic. After a good amount of stress, I ended up flying to Rome though Milan where I had only half an hour to transfer. I hadn’t received any lunch or decent snack besides two thumb-size biscuits.
Having arrived in Bulgaria, exhausted, hungry and without my baggage, I sighed with relief, “Never again, Alitalia!”
On 27th August I arrived at St. Petersburg Pulkovo airport with only carry-on luggage and had to live for three days with the several clothing items I had in my backpack and lady’s purse. On 21st December I arrived at Sofia airport with these same belongings for 3 more days. Both times my red suitcase was wandering somewhere without me in the unknown company of AlItalia staff.
Of course, lost luggage is nothing new and, when eventually found and returned, makes for a good story. Cancellation of flights, however, is truly scary. When my friend residing in Italy called me the night before her flight to St. Petersburg to inform me that AlItalia had cancelled her domestic flight “with no alternatives available,” I thought she was joking. Less than 24 hours before her actual flight, she had received an email notification about these urgent travel changes. Apparently, it was “due to protests by Alitalia employees opposed to the carrier's takeover by Italian businessmen.” (www.fxstreet.com) Nearly 100 AlItalia flights were cancelled in November due to the same reason.
On 20th December when I was already standing in line for the security check at the St. Petersburg Pulkovo II airport, I looked up at the digital departures board only to see that my flight to Rome was cancelled. Panic. After a good amount of stress, I ended up flying to Rome though Milan where I had only half an hour to transfer. I hadn’t received any lunch or decent snack besides two thumb-size biscuits.
Having arrived in Bulgaria, exhausted, hungry and without my baggage, I sighed with relief, “Never again, Alitalia!”
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