 |
| Proud |
 |
| the Rebel |
 |
| Soldiers |
 |
| Shy |
 |
| We, the people... |
 |
| Come with us |
 |
| Rejoice |
Monday, April 30, 2012
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Masks and injuries
Here again.This week wasn't a very eventful one, but I didn't manage to write because I had a lot of work to do. I worked first for others. I like helping; people who deserve it. Of course I haven't finished but I still have got time, so I postpone successfully till the last moment, as it's in my nature.
School was all right. I managed to surprise my students and colleagues with a new office look. What impressed everybody was my make-up. It seems I am known for not wearing make-up. I have to admit I really neglected this for work. Usually I prefer sleeping some more minutes in the morning than waking up earlier and putting on make-up. But...seeing my very decorative cousins on Easter, made me think that maybe I should pay more attention to this aspect. After all, they are not the only ones with cute genes in the family.
A boy expressed their surprise asking me if I "masked" myself. Of course there was also the daring one, alluding to my attractive look. But the reviews were generally complimentary and polite, so I didn't have reasons to complain.
I met with the drama club students and mobilised them for another play. They didn't protest at all, I think they enjoy this. One of the boys had his neck full of hickeys. Joking, I told him he should talk with his girlfriend to do the same thing for him when we'll have the play representation, saying it would fit in the play. He plays a cheating husband. He was funny when he blushed and quickly zipped up his jacked.
He has really developed a personality. I remember him last year when he first acted in a play. He was very shy and inflexible. I really thought I couldn't do the play with him because he was horrible. But practicing and talking, watching his colleagues, he managed to loosen up a little. After the first representation, everything changed. He got a lot of confidence in himself and his personality began to show up. Now he comes up with a lot of versions for his characters and has very good directorial suggestions. I saw him changing a lot in the past year. He used to be a a chubby, very straight-faced student, who kept wearing his shirt buttoned-up, almost strangling him. Now he is a very talkative person, always joking and ready for anything. I am always glad when I see that I can help students come out from their shells.
There were also some bad news. One of my students, broke a leg playing soccer with his friends. He is not the first to injure himself like this. I really don't know how they manage this. They don't seem to play that rough. Another student got hit by a speeding car at the school gate. He had descended from the bus, had put his hood on and didn't see the fast approaching car when he crossed the street. He was thrown into the air and he hurt his leg and head. I last heard that he was in a big hospital. I hope he will be all-right. He is a good, quiet student and this is a really bad moment for him - a month till his high-school final exams. I hope he will manage to recover until then. If not, his university plans for this year, will be ruined.
School was all right. I managed to surprise my students and colleagues with a new office look. What impressed everybody was my make-up. It seems I am known for not wearing make-up. I have to admit I really neglected this for work. Usually I prefer sleeping some more minutes in the morning than waking up earlier and putting on make-up. But...seeing my very decorative cousins on Easter, made me think that maybe I should pay more attention to this aspect. After all, they are not the only ones with cute genes in the family.
A boy expressed their surprise asking me if I "masked" myself. Of course there was also the daring one, alluding to my attractive look. But the reviews were generally complimentary and polite, so I didn't have reasons to complain.
I met with the drama club students and mobilised them for another play. They didn't protest at all, I think they enjoy this. One of the boys had his neck full of hickeys. Joking, I told him he should talk with his girlfriend to do the same thing for him when we'll have the play representation, saying it would fit in the play. He plays a cheating husband. He was funny when he blushed and quickly zipped up his jacked.
He has really developed a personality. I remember him last year when he first acted in a play. He was very shy and inflexible. I really thought I couldn't do the play with him because he was horrible. But practicing and talking, watching his colleagues, he managed to loosen up a little. After the first representation, everything changed. He got a lot of confidence in himself and his personality began to show up. Now he comes up with a lot of versions for his characters and has very good directorial suggestions. I saw him changing a lot in the past year. He used to be a a chubby, very straight-faced student, who kept wearing his shirt buttoned-up, almost strangling him. Now he is a very talkative person, always joking and ready for anything. I am always glad when I see that I can help students come out from their shells.
There were also some bad news. One of my students, broke a leg playing soccer with his friends. He is not the first to injure himself like this. I really don't know how they manage this. They don't seem to play that rough. Another student got hit by a speeding car at the school gate. He had descended from the bus, had put his hood on and didn't see the fast approaching car when he crossed the street. He was thrown into the air and he hurt his leg and head. I last heard that he was in a big hospital. I hope he will be all-right. He is a good, quiet student and this is a really bad moment for him - a month till his high-school final exams. I hope he will manage to recover until then. If not, his university plans for this year, will be ruined.
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Tangled affairs
Last night was karaoke night in a local club. It was very interesting. In the beginning the club was half empty and there were only women with the exception of the DJ and waiters. All the men were at home watching an important national soccer match. So, we had to enjoy ourselves with some jokes, low music and drinks until the match was over. Soon after, the club began to fill and and fill and fill...There was no more space to move around. It seemed that all the younger population of the town was there. A lot of acquaintances and off course former students...It was a memorable night and we had a lot of fun. There were some new additions to the group and they really seemed to have fun. One of them was a former colleague who has lost her husband to a tumor this winter (after many years of pain and surgeries). She felt somehow guilty that she was going out while she is still in the mourning period. But everyone of us knew that she needed this, she had been too long in a tense situation which would break many people. This was for her spirit.
At a certain moment she saw an acquaintance and wondered if the person saw her. I'm sure the guild feeling came back and this stopped any idea of singing, but she enjoyed the atmosphere anyway. Going to the club she was saying that she wasn't going to stay long. But once she began enjoying herself she forgot about this resolution.
Our group doubled in size, a lot of people joining us. Among them was a former secretary from the school I' m teaching. There is an entire story with her. She worked for two years in the school and during this time she had an affair with the husband of an acquaintance (my mother's best friend's daughter).
The secretary wasn't very discreet and she began telling all the details of her affair, everything that was happening, to a colleague of hers. As it happens, that one is a friend of mine. She began telling me about her colleague and her affairs, because she was married and sleeping with another married man at the same time, as a study material. We were talking about her behaviour around school and her unrequited confession as examples of a mental illness. She seemed to exhibit signs of mental distress, and she had even confessed of being committed for a while for mental problems. My friend was telling me all about these, from a professional point of view, both of us having psychology studies.
That's how I got a lot of information about her love life, without knowing whose husband she was seeing. I put everything together the moment when all hell broke loose. The wife, the daughter of my mother's friend, found out about the affair. It was funny to find out then a lot of information about their circle of friends. For example, I found out that the wife went together with her marriage godmother and looked for her to confront her. Not finding her, they egged her car. They also went to another place she was working and found the wife of the business owner. They let her know what kind of person she was- a thief of husbands. That woman was suspecting her husband of also having an affair with her, so she took advantage of this and pressured him to fire her.
Being fired from there and not having the secretary job either because of personnel cuts, she went abroad. This put an end, somehow, to her affair with the husband of my acquaintance. But overtime she returns to town they "reconnect" and my acquaintance begins to panic and boil. She didn't divorce her husband, in spite of having proof of his infidelity (recordings from his phones in which she had put microphones). She motivated this with the fact that she couldn't divide yet the business they have together. In fact, I think she is still stuck with him. She married from love and she can't let him go yet. (I wonder what she saw in him. He is shorter than her and fat for his age, while she is beautiful. She had been a fashion model for years. Maybe that saying -"Love is blind" is true after all.)
This morning, while sill in bed, I received an interested phone call. It seems the wife, my acquaintance, was at the club too. I didn't see her. And she wanted to ask me to let her know what I can find out about "the purpose and duration" of her husband's mistress in town. She saw the other one at my table and wants me to have my ears peeled to anything she says in my circle of friends. Ufff...
A, and this is not all. I promised you entanglements int he title. Here they come. I told you about the friend, the marriage godmother, with whom the wife egged the mistress's car. She is also a very beautiful woman, petite and blond. She is married with a cop in a high position in the county. He is a kind of a relative of mine, through marriage. So I have known him for some years and I know he is a very appreciated person in his professional circle but also in the family group. I found out that he also leads a double life. While his wife was very furious on my acquaintance's husband for his affair and saying like a proof of her abilities that she "would cut his balls off" if she finds out that he is cheating on her, he had several girlfriends. I found out that he was in fact the one who introduced the secretary to his marriage godson. I think, this happened after he got to know her better first. It has a logic. He had to know the merchandise if he wanted to recommended her, isn't it? It doesn't matter that he has a beautiful wife, two small children and a reputation to protect. Maybe he needs to prove that he is the best not only at work, but also in his personal life and other women are like decorations on his chest.
A, I think there will be new developments on another front too. That former secretary came to our table with another colleague of ours. His wife had to work this night. When I met her yesterday, I was joking telling her that I will take care of him in her absence and present him some nice ladies. But after all, he seems not to need any introductions if he came with that one. His wife is a very fiery person and if she suspects anything wrong, there will be some "sparkles". But maybe, there is nothing there. I really like this colleague and I don't want him to stray and have problems in his marriage. Maybe he brought her to introduce her to another one at the table. We'll see.
And things go on like this. I will be waiting to see what follows in this real- life soap opera.
At a certain moment she saw an acquaintance and wondered if the person saw her. I'm sure the guild feeling came back and this stopped any idea of singing, but she enjoyed the atmosphere anyway. Going to the club she was saying that she wasn't going to stay long. But once she began enjoying herself she forgot about this resolution.
Our group doubled in size, a lot of people joining us. Among them was a former secretary from the school I' m teaching. There is an entire story with her. She worked for two years in the school and during this time she had an affair with the husband of an acquaintance (my mother's best friend's daughter).
The secretary wasn't very discreet and she began telling all the details of her affair, everything that was happening, to a colleague of hers. As it happens, that one is a friend of mine. She began telling me about her colleague and her affairs, because she was married and sleeping with another married man at the same time, as a study material. We were talking about her behaviour around school and her unrequited confession as examples of a mental illness. She seemed to exhibit signs of mental distress, and she had even confessed of being committed for a while for mental problems. My friend was telling me all about these, from a professional point of view, both of us having psychology studies.
That's how I got a lot of information about her love life, without knowing whose husband she was seeing. I put everything together the moment when all hell broke loose. The wife, the daughter of my mother's friend, found out about the affair. It was funny to find out then a lot of information about their circle of friends. For example, I found out that the wife went together with her marriage godmother and looked for her to confront her. Not finding her, they egged her car. They also went to another place she was working and found the wife of the business owner. They let her know what kind of person she was- a thief of husbands. That woman was suspecting her husband of also having an affair with her, so she took advantage of this and pressured him to fire her.
Being fired from there and not having the secretary job either because of personnel cuts, she went abroad. This put an end, somehow, to her affair with the husband of my acquaintance. But overtime she returns to town they "reconnect" and my acquaintance begins to panic and boil. She didn't divorce her husband, in spite of having proof of his infidelity (recordings from his phones in which she had put microphones). She motivated this with the fact that she couldn't divide yet the business they have together. In fact, I think she is still stuck with him. She married from love and she can't let him go yet. (I wonder what she saw in him. He is shorter than her and fat for his age, while she is beautiful. She had been a fashion model for years. Maybe that saying -"Love is blind" is true after all.)
This morning, while sill in bed, I received an interested phone call. It seems the wife, my acquaintance, was at the club too. I didn't see her. And she wanted to ask me to let her know what I can find out about "the purpose and duration" of her husband's mistress in town. She saw the other one at my table and wants me to have my ears peeled to anything she says in my circle of friends. Ufff...
A, and this is not all. I promised you entanglements int he title. Here they come. I told you about the friend, the marriage godmother, with whom the wife egged the mistress's car. She is also a very beautiful woman, petite and blond. She is married with a cop in a high position in the county. He is a kind of a relative of mine, through marriage. So I have known him for some years and I know he is a very appreciated person in his professional circle but also in the family group. I found out that he also leads a double life. While his wife was very furious on my acquaintance's husband for his affair and saying like a proof of her abilities that she "would cut his balls off" if she finds out that he is cheating on her, he had several girlfriends. I found out that he was in fact the one who introduced the secretary to his marriage godson. I think, this happened after he got to know her better first. It has a logic. He had to know the merchandise if he wanted to recommended her, isn't it? It doesn't matter that he has a beautiful wife, two small children and a reputation to protect. Maybe he needs to prove that he is the best not only at work, but also in his personal life and other women are like decorations on his chest.
A, I think there will be new developments on another front too. That former secretary came to our table with another colleague of ours. His wife had to work this night. When I met her yesterday, I was joking telling her that I will take care of him in her absence and present him some nice ladies. But after all, he seems not to need any introductions if he came with that one. His wife is a very fiery person and if she suspects anything wrong, there will be some "sparkles". But maybe, there is nothing there. I really like this colleague and I don't want him to stray and have problems in his marriage. Maybe he brought her to introduce her to another one at the table. We'll see.
And things go on like this. I will be waiting to see what follows in this real- life soap opera.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Mangalia
I also visited the local stud-farm. It is very big (650 hectares and 347 horses). It used to be bigger but it seems money are less for this kind of things. They have several lines of very valuable Arabian thoroughbred. I was surprised how tamed they were. Of course, they showed their personality demanding respect through their sounds and movements, but they also were very curious about the visitors and willing to let you pet them gently. It was interesting to find out that the Egyptian ones are smaller in height. You don't realize this when you see them in movies. I was told stories about how they throw the heavy wood and metal gates aside with a back kick. And about how one of them was stolen after the Arabian prince, who had intended to buy it, died. It disappeared in the night and nobody heard anything about it since then. They found the traces of it being extracted from the farm, but couldn't find the ship with which it was, most probably, smuggled away from the country.
It was a lovely walk through the farm, especially with the blossomed trees around. We visited the pregnant mares and found them very agitated.
A male pony had escaped. It wasn't at its first "prison break". It seems it was a master of escapes. Although neutered, it gave quite a chase to the men form the farm in its attempts of getting to the mares. It was funny to watch it being chased all around the fields either by the dogs, children or men from the farm. It seemed so happy and free. It was like a black and white hairy arrow.We found out later that it went to its stable by itself and went in following another pony. So, all that commotion was only for its fun.
We visited all the stables with different breeds and generations. I liked these two horses who seemed to kiss. I was told they were very good friends and they did this all the time. This doesn't mean that sometimes they don't turn around and kick each other. Temperamental love!
I learnt about a Romanian breed, which took 30 years to be perfected. It is a very tall and strong. I understood that an Arabian horse can pull around 2 tons while this ones can pull 4or 5. They're huge.
Visiting around, we went also to the nursery. There a very friendly foal played with us a lot. It was very attracted by my purse and began chewing on it. Like every youngster, it was looking for sweets.
At the end, our host took out a stallion. Thy have to be taken out at least twice a week and they have to do this with only one on a row, or else they'd kill each other. I offer you some images of his gymnastics. It stretches its legs and shows off its muscles, but also has time to look towards the mares' enclosure to see if they notice it. I was surprised how disciplined it behaved. It could have easily jumped over the fence, but it didn't. It also went towards the stables by itself when it saw the caretaker heading that way. It was like a good student who knows the rules and respects the teacher.
Friday, April 13, 2012
Explosion of life
| ||||
 |
| Daring beauty ready to face the world |
 |
| Fresh grass exploding of life in the sunshine |
 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A corner of Heaven The forest was filled with noise and life. I wanted to catch in the act two woodpeckers marching up a tree,but I was too slow to pull out my camera and they had already went to the top. |
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Countryside
I've been to my grandfather's for two days. Half way from the minibus to my grandpa's house, a heavy spring rain marinated me to the skin. It seemed the rain and the strong wind blowing from the opposite direction didn't want me to go that way. Thy tried to stop me and I refused. I shouldn't have. It was very cold and grim. Also I managed to acquire enough flea bites to be paranoiac about every itch for a month.
My arms hurt from the help I gave in seeding the onion, but it was pleasant enough to watch the show given by the forest birds. They are so funny in the spring...They seem more expressive now than the rest of the year. You can almost understand their messages. I think they feel the need to express themselves through noise and gestures as to prove that they're alive after the long numbing winter.
I enjoyed hearing the noises made by the petite hen when disturbed by noises around its eggs-full nest and all the other ones which fill the air of a peaceful village (cock singing, turkey choir, bees buzzing, Gypsy sellers calling).
So my stay there wasn't that unsatisfying after all, if I think better.
Returning home, I met with some relatives who came to town for a funeral and it was nice to be with them and their stories. I got to find out about my cousin's experience of one year of work in Italy, and his non-existing plans for the future...about a their vision about the dead people hooking up in the chapel after everybody else has gone home...and others. This reminded me how close I am to my family and how much we feed on each other for comfort and safety in this troubling world.
My arms hurt from the help I gave in seeding the onion, but it was pleasant enough to watch the show given by the forest birds. They are so funny in the spring...They seem more expressive now than the rest of the year. You can almost understand their messages. I think they feel the need to express themselves through noise and gestures as to prove that they're alive after the long numbing winter.
I enjoyed hearing the noises made by the petite hen when disturbed by noises around its eggs-full nest and all the other ones which fill the air of a peaceful village (cock singing, turkey choir, bees buzzing, Gypsy sellers calling).
So my stay there wasn't that unsatisfying after all, if I think better.
Returning home, I met with some relatives who came to town for a funeral and it was nice to be with them and their stories. I got to find out about my cousin's experience of one year of work in Italy, and his non-existing plans for the future...about a their vision about the dead people hooking up in the chapel after everybody else has gone home...and others. This reminded me how close I am to my family and how much we feed on each other for comfort and safety in this troubling world.
Friday, April 6, 2012
A "different" school
This week has been another experiment in education of the Romanian politicians. Today I've got a taste of it. I assisted to a class of sexual education. The students seemed very well-informed, despite the misspelling of anatomic names. The class became amusing when they were challenged to make advertisement for a contraceptive means of their choice. They were very funny, and even rhymed. The funniest was for Smiley -the condom. It became a very lovable cartoon character.
This reminds me of one of the teacher's advice for the students- not to put a condom over another...
At that moment, I remembered a joke about a shepherd and a condom. Maybe you know it. A fair lady has a flat tire in the middle of the countryside. Looking around she sees two shepherds with a flock of sheep. She asks them to help her with the tire and at the end offers a rewards in money or nature. Of course, the shepherds choose a repayment in nature. She accepts with only one condition - to put on a condom and not take it off as not to get her pregnant. They do everything and then she leaves.
A week passes, and the two shepherds are still there with their proverbial calm on their faces and silent demeanor. Finally, one decides to talk: "We helped her...she paid us...it was great...but I have a problem...." After a while, the other one decided to ask:" What is ...your problem?" The shepherd looks at him with a tormented face:"I don't want to get her pregnant, but I don't know how much more I can resist. It has been a week since I have this on. I am sorry for her, but I have to pee!"
This reminds me of one of the teacher's advice for the students- not to put a condom over another...
At that moment, I remembered a joke about a shepherd and a condom. Maybe you know it. A fair lady has a flat tire in the middle of the countryside. Looking around she sees two shepherds with a flock of sheep. She asks them to help her with the tire and at the end offers a rewards in money or nature. Of course, the shepherds choose a repayment in nature. She accepts with only one condition - to put on a condom and not take it off as not to get her pregnant. They do everything and then she leaves.
A week passes, and the two shepherds are still there with their proverbial calm on their faces and silent demeanor. Finally, one decides to talk: "We helped her...she paid us...it was great...but I have a problem...." After a while, the other one decided to ask:" What is ...your problem?" The shepherd looks at him with a tormented face:"I don't want to get her pregnant, but I don't know how much more I can resist. It has been a week since I have this on. I am sorry for her, but I have to pee!"
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Turkish men and Europe
Sorry for not writing in a while. I've been extremely busy. Last week I had to entertain two Turkish men, partners in a project. They were very agreeable but spending 16 hours a day with them proved very tiresome. On Friday I left, I left them with other colleagues and I left to the mountains with another group of Turkish, Irish and Slovaks. We were a group of around 30 people. It was great but sleeping only a few hours a night for two weeks, can get exhausting. We had the chance to meet a beautiful lady with an autistic son and a daughter - Miss Romania. She touched our hearts talking to us about her efforts and pleading for social inclusion of these children. I managed to see Peles and Bran, which I didn't see before in my travels. I tried to learn some Irish dances, without great success, they are too complex for me. I enjoyed listening to some nostalgic Slovak ladies singing beautifully and then laughing contagiously with a Tokay glass of wine in my hand. I got to know a bit this people, about whom I didn't have any knowledge before. I discovered that they are kind of a combination of Hungarians and Russians and a soul bigger than both countries.
All was great until the day before their departure. The head of the Turkish team, decided to surprise us with a demand of changing the plans. It was very "nice" of him to do this and also to make us other financial surprises. Not even the other teams intervention, could convince him to be flexible and find a solution for a compromise. But I think that this development of the situation showed us all what was in his mind.
His behaviour of hitting on a colleague, me and another Slovak lady, beside the fact that he is married and has a teenage boy, and his way of talking and behaving towards our team, composed in majority of women, were very revealing. Discussing with the others, we concluded that some Turkish men feel threatened bu women in charge. They are not used to this, they are used only with subdued women, as those for their team, whose voice you couldn't hear. For example, one of the Turkish ladies was a good English-speaker and very smart, as I had the chance to find out in some private talks, but while men were around, she didn't say anything. The other partners thought for the entire time we spent together that she doesn't speak English at all and she is very shy. The head of their team, also had a very offensive behaviour towards the other Turkish lady in the group, although in front of her he was saying she she was the financial authority who was managing their finances. The fact that there were only two women in a group of 11 people in the Turkish team, also was saying something.
Taking to the Slovak team, we concluded that the Turkish want to join European Union, but they don't really want to respect its principles, rules of equality among sexes.They are very traditionalist although they want to show off a thin layer of modernism. They really have a problem with women in charge. I don't know if misogynistic is the best word for this, but this is the only one which comes to my mind when seeing their behaviour.
All was great until the day before their departure. The head of the Turkish team, decided to surprise us with a demand of changing the plans. It was very "nice" of him to do this and also to make us other financial surprises. Not even the other teams intervention, could convince him to be flexible and find a solution for a compromise. But I think that this development of the situation showed us all what was in his mind.
His behaviour of hitting on a colleague, me and another Slovak lady, beside the fact that he is married and has a teenage boy, and his way of talking and behaving towards our team, composed in majority of women, were very revealing. Discussing with the others, we concluded that some Turkish men feel threatened bu women in charge. They are not used to this, they are used only with subdued women, as those for their team, whose voice you couldn't hear. For example, one of the Turkish ladies was a good English-speaker and very smart, as I had the chance to find out in some private talks, but while men were around, she didn't say anything. The other partners thought for the entire time we spent together that she doesn't speak English at all and she is very shy. The head of their team, also had a very offensive behaviour towards the other Turkish lady in the group, although in front of her he was saying she she was the financial authority who was managing their finances. The fact that there were only two women in a group of 11 people in the Turkish team, also was saying something.
Taking to the Slovak team, we concluded that the Turkish want to join European Union, but they don't really want to respect its principles, rules of equality among sexes.They are very traditionalist although they want to show off a thin layer of modernism. They really have a problem with women in charge. I don't know if misogynistic is the best word for this, but this is the only one which comes to my mind when seeing their behaviour.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)