It is finally snowing in Slovakia. Almost one week after Christmas, we might get some white powder and go hit the ski slopes this season. It all started all of sudden while I went to see my friend's appartement.
The fun is that it is the first time I took out old car I used to drive - Renault Megane. It was parked in the garage for two months and it still has summer tires on... and there I am, on the fresh snow with these tires feeling like Santa on the sledge.
But fortunately everything ended well and the car is again in the garage and I am next to the fireplace. Wish you all that just nice memories of 2006 will remain.
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Monday, September 25, 2006
Life in big city is lonely...
Sometimes it gets so lonely that you are desperate. Today, at the bus stop, I have seen one gypsy guy talking to a girl on a city-light poster :)))
This one:)
This one:)
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
Revolutionary HRM tactics
Yesterday evening I went to pay a visit to my friends living in another Prague apartment.
I took a tram at about 9pm at the square where I live now. I went to the second train because those are usually less crowded and I wanted to sit down. Haha, I tried hard to hide my smile when I got on. Inside there were exactly 20 dirty gypsy construction workers occupying all the seats on both sides of the tram. I don’t need to mention the unbearable smell of dust and sweat everywhere the train :-) But I was doing everything to prevent laughing seeing this “crew” :-)
I was lucky and did not suffocate because at the next stop, their leader said “Hajdu!” and they all got off, leaving 20 seats what means an empty train. Plus, warmly welcomed space for fresh oxygen.
Later that evening with my friends we were laughing at this scene and talking about it in terms we all know really good. The team of 20 gypsies was actually on the teambuilding, to be more accurate they were teambuilding a building. This is a new trend in HR, you know. Funny and useless activities like bowling or other bullshit that HR agencies organize are obsolete. People now spend and enjoy together 12 hours of hard physical work, preferably on the lowest level in construction with no decision making powers – because this is what they will do in their jobs! They will arrive home exhausted and dirty because they just meet with dirty people doing dirty things (so it’s easiest to comprehend this while working in mud and dust). Of course that these guys I have seen in the tram were not gypsies but refined and educated Indian youths and all were hired for some IT implementation BPR SAP WTF DICK office job in Czech Republic. Every evening they go back to the slum on the outskirts of Prague, they have a bath in the river, then drink cheap rum. When they go to bed they all know this teambuilding event will finish soon and again they start to wear their suits and ties – but now in their career, they will be unstoppable ;-)
But my evening was niiiiiiiiiice (respect to Borat!). I took a bottle of wine, Zolo had already cooked lasagna... and we enjoyed a peaceful evening thanks to locally illegal substance :-) Zolo is not only a great cook, a great masseur and a great seducer but also a great football player and has some health problems with his knee. So Zolo, we all wish you'll be good soon, cheer up! Plus I want to have a beer with you :-)
PS: I have to say that I nothing against Indians; I met a few during my studies and they were all smart and in some way, funny too.
I took a tram at about 9pm at the square where I live now. I went to the second train because those are usually less crowded and I wanted to sit down. Haha, I tried hard to hide my smile when I got on. Inside there were exactly 20 dirty gypsy construction workers occupying all the seats on both sides of the tram. I don’t need to mention the unbearable smell of dust and sweat everywhere the train :-) But I was doing everything to prevent laughing seeing this “crew” :-)
I was lucky and did not suffocate because at the next stop, their leader said “Hajdu!” and they all got off, leaving 20 seats what means an empty train. Plus, warmly welcomed space for fresh oxygen.
Later that evening with my friends we were laughing at this scene and talking about it in terms we all know really good. The team of 20 gypsies was actually on the teambuilding, to be more accurate they were teambuilding a building. This is a new trend in HR, you know. Funny and useless activities like bowling or other bullshit that HR agencies organize are obsolete. People now spend and enjoy together 12 hours of hard physical work, preferably on the lowest level in construction with no decision making powers – because this is what they will do in their jobs! They will arrive home exhausted and dirty because they just meet with dirty people doing dirty things (so it’s easiest to comprehend this while working in mud and dust). Of course that these guys I have seen in the tram were not gypsies but refined and educated Indian youths and all were hired for some IT implementation BPR SAP WTF DICK office job in Czech Republic. Every evening they go back to the slum on the outskirts of Prague, they have a bath in the river, then drink cheap rum. When they go to bed they all know this teambuilding event will finish soon and again they start to wear their suits and ties – but now in their career, they will be unstoppable ;-)
But my evening was niiiiiiiiiice (respect to Borat!). I took a bottle of wine, Zolo had already cooked lasagna... and we enjoyed a peaceful evening thanks to locally illegal substance :-) Zolo is not only a great cook, a great masseur and a great seducer but also a great football player and has some health problems with his knee. So Zolo, we all wish you'll be good soon, cheer up! Plus I want to have a beer with you :-)
PS: I have to say that I nothing against Indians; I met a few during my studies and they were all smart and in some way, funny too.
Friday, August 25, 2006
For marketing you need a marketing personality
Yesterday evening I went out with my colleagues to do some teambuilding. The bowling sucked because of the lanes and no bowling shoes… but the evening was even funnier than I had expected. I was crying of the things my colleagues have been doing and saying. Rule number one is that if you go out with people from MARKETING departement they will do even funnier and sicker thinghs than they do in the office everyday.
Last time they only sent the email with topic “How to introduce yourself on the company line phone” which was just light fun. According to “the rules” you always have to say: “Media group MAFRA, Ctirad Svoboda speaking at the telephone. How can I help you today?”, loudly and clearly and change the name for yours. But anytime you notice somebody from marketing picking up the the phone, you hear them say “Kriz.” (a name) or just “Uhm?” They also wrote in the mail that you should not speak in higher voice depending on the distance of the caller (some people in the office tend to shout when they talk with somebody from another continent or any further than Prague). Their whole email was a joke. There is a woman in the office, about 50 yrs old called Mary, Head of sales, who believes them everything they tell her. She forwarded the message immediatelly to all her subordinates – poor girls and asked them if she really has to say “How can I help you today” ?
Back to the evening. After we finished with bowling (team of marketing departement guys won the prize, shit – they are going to be proud all next week for sure) we went to another pub called Backdoors. Petr (head of Mlada Fronta newspaper marketing and biggest clown) was unstoppable. Two girls ordered coffee with milk and he drank one of the milks from the shot glass just as the waitress was putting in on the table ? He was pippeting her coffee with his drinking straw and showing everybody around that he is not even touching it with his tongue – arguing that he got this skill when he was working with HIV bacteria in the same way. Then he was demonstrating “a mill” with his food (a disgusting trick when you pretend to mill the food in your mouth and it’s coming out). When the waitres brought him his drink and asked “Cuba Libre?” he just said “No, I just wanted a coke with white rum”.
All of these things might sound stupid and not that amusing but if you knew Petr with his sparkling eyes and rascal smile you would be in tears as I was. You might imagine my situation – being unusually silent at the table and asking myself all over again – Are these the same people who I work with in the office?
Last time they only sent the email with topic “How to introduce yourself on the company line phone” which was just light fun. According to “the rules” you always have to say: “Media group MAFRA, Ctirad Svoboda speaking at the telephone. How can I help you today?”, loudly and clearly and change the name for yours. But anytime you notice somebody from marketing picking up the the phone, you hear them say “Kriz.” (a name) or just “Uhm?” They also wrote in the mail that you should not speak in higher voice depending on the distance of the caller (some people in the office tend to shout when they talk with somebody from another continent or any further than Prague). Their whole email was a joke. There is a woman in the office, about 50 yrs old called Mary, Head of sales, who believes them everything they tell her. She forwarded the message immediatelly to all her subordinates – poor girls and asked them if she really has to say “How can I help you today” ?
Back to the evening. After we finished with bowling (team of marketing departement guys won the prize, shit – they are going to be proud all next week for sure) we went to another pub called Backdoors. Petr (head of Mlada Fronta newspaper marketing and biggest clown) was unstoppable. Two girls ordered coffee with milk and he drank one of the milks from the shot glass just as the waitress was putting in on the table ? He was pippeting her coffee with his drinking straw and showing everybody around that he is not even touching it with his tongue – arguing that he got this skill when he was working with HIV bacteria in the same way. Then he was demonstrating “a mill” with his food (a disgusting trick when you pretend to mill the food in your mouth and it’s coming out). When the waitres brought him his drink and asked “Cuba Libre?” he just said “No, I just wanted a coke with white rum”.
All of these things might sound stupid and not that amusing but if you knew Petr with his sparkling eyes and rascal smile you would be in tears as I was. You might imagine my situation – being unusually silent at the table and asking myself all over again – Are these the same people who I work with in the office?
Sunday, August 20, 2006
My today's workout
Weekend is for sports! I so wanted to play squash but could not find anybody... and I was bored to do push-ups (not the bras!) or sit-ups at home. I thought about some running in a nearby park but then I noticed a friend's bike. YEA! Let's go on a bike trip!
I set my journey by the riverside to a nearby village. I thought it will be nice - you know, the river is nice, the name of the village (Krallupy) also sounds ok, and I had a cycloroute all the way.. shit I was wrong!
The cycloroute began okay in the park, then it was just worse and worse. Imagine, one section was looking like this - a narrow path for one bike right next to the river - but the river was 3 metres below! One fault and you are done. This looked like a Czech version of the Dead Road from La Paz to Coroico which I did last year. The Bolivian one was right next to abyss of 100-200 metres :) But still I did not expect this today!
I arrived to the dreamy village and already had enough of biking for a week. I never thought that only 25 kilometres from Prague you can find such an ugly village!!! La Paz in Bolivia seemed hundread times nicer to me. I took a different route on a way back - at least I tried to, I had no map so I relied on indigenous peoples' advice. The return was neverending but so much nicer, a normal road with almost no cars, going through small villages and fields with sunflowers. Totally PEACE, brother.
When I arrived to Prague, I was ready to be buried alive. I checked my cyclocomputer for the result of today's trip - 70.05km!!! For the rest of the evening I am eating bananas and watching U TURN movie. And I guess I am going to buy Lance Armstrong's book because now I know again how it feels to be tough on bike!
I set my journey by the riverside to a nearby village. I thought it will be nice - you know, the river is nice, the name of the village (Krallupy) also sounds ok, and I had a cycloroute all the way.. shit I was wrong!
The cycloroute began okay in the park, then it was just worse and worse. Imagine, one section was looking like this - a narrow path for one bike right next to the river - but the river was 3 metres below! One fault and you are done. This looked like a Czech version of the Dead Road from La Paz to Coroico which I did last year. The Bolivian one was right next to abyss of 100-200 metres :) But still I did not expect this today!
I arrived to the dreamy village and already had enough of biking for a week. I never thought that only 25 kilometres from Prague you can find such an ugly village!!! La Paz in Bolivia seemed hundread times nicer to me. I took a different route on a way back - at least I tried to, I had no map so I relied on indigenous peoples' advice. The return was neverending but so much nicer, a normal road with almost no cars, going through small villages and fields with sunflowers. Totally PEACE, brother.
When I arrived to Prague, I was ready to be buried alive. I checked my cyclocomputer for the result of today's trip - 70.05km!!! For the rest of the evening I am eating bananas and watching U TURN movie. And I guess I am going to buy Lance Armstrong's book because now I know again how it feels to be tough on bike!
Sunday, August 13, 2006
Weekend Music
Hi again, this time after the weekend music festival. I should summarize a bit...
Franz Ferdinand was great. I loved their performance, they were playing all their hits like Dark of the Matinee or Take me out, etc. In the end of their show three guys from the band together played just the drums with crazy tempo.
Pet Shop Boys concert was one of the few I will not forget. Audio-visual-dance madness, I had my mouth opened all the time and I was astonished again and again. They changed dresses quite often, once they were golden cowboys, then soldiers with medals or "big hats" (the black hat covered all body)... just the guy playing the keyboards (or sampler, I am not an expert) was standing in his flashy yellow baseball cap and sunglasses and did not care about anybody :) There were two dancers and they were doing they job really well. Once they came dressed half in half - one guy had half of the jogging suit and half of business suit, the other guy the same dressed in the opposite parts and then together they were doing a sportsman or a businessman. I almost forgot to mention "the cube". It was a dominant object on the stage in the shape of a big white cube, of course. During the show, it was flashing on the edges, had video projected on it, it was unfolded and then united again, Pet shop boys were hiding behind it, etc. The show was indeed very funny, true legends of pop!
Okay I have written a lot already, let's be short now. On Saturday I liked Bodycount and their hard rock rap or what it is. Ice-T, who founded this band and was playing as well, actually started the gangster rap movement. He was crazy motherfucker! Yeaah :) During a show, a blonde girl with big silicone tits came on the stage, he took off her black leather bra, licked her balloon and made her give him a head, then he threw her out. OF COURSE it was not real, but it was really funny :)
And after this, on another stage, I have seen Hooverphonic :) Totally different kind of music, but my favorite band. The singer Geike Arnaert was dressed in jeans and red sweater, not really attractive. It seemed to me that the sponsor of the stage (Kenvelo - a Czech-Israeli ""fashion"" brand for teenagers) also sponsored her clothes. This was quite a shock for me! In the festival leaflet I read that she usually wears nice dresses and only if the conditions are bad (like rain and mud) she will wear a sweater. Her voice was still beautiful and I liked it, I was almost in the front because there were not too many people at all.
After I left the place, I met with Matej, my friend and we went to WAKATA to have more fun. In this small pub, three not really professional DJs or just some guys from FRANCE were responsible for great FUN, almost everybody was dancing and so did we. They played some reaggae, french oldies, ska, simply they played well and made me to wake up again :) This is it for the weekend music!
Franz Ferdinand was great. I loved their performance, they were playing all their hits like Dark of the Matinee or Take me out, etc. In the end of their show three guys from the band together played just the drums with crazy tempo.
Pet Shop Boys concert was one of the few I will not forget. Audio-visual-dance madness, I had my mouth opened all the time and I was astonished again and again. They changed dresses quite often, once they were golden cowboys, then soldiers with medals or "big hats" (the black hat covered all body)... just the guy playing the keyboards (or sampler, I am not an expert) was standing in his flashy yellow baseball cap and sunglasses and did not care about anybody :) There were two dancers and they were doing they job really well. Once they came dressed half in half - one guy had half of the jogging suit and half of business suit, the other guy the same dressed in the opposite parts and then together they were doing a sportsman or a businessman. I almost forgot to mention "the cube". It was a dominant object on the stage in the shape of a big white cube, of course. During the show, it was flashing on the edges, had video projected on it, it was unfolded and then united again, Pet shop boys were hiding behind it, etc. The show was indeed very funny, true legends of pop!
Okay I have written a lot already, let's be short now. On Saturday I liked Bodycount and their hard rock rap or what it is. Ice-T, who founded this band and was playing as well, actually started the gangster rap movement. He was crazy motherfucker! Yeaah :) During a show, a blonde girl with big silicone tits came on the stage, he took off her black leather bra, licked her balloon and made her give him a head, then he threw her out. OF COURSE it was not real, but it was really funny :)
And after this, on another stage, I have seen Hooverphonic :) Totally different kind of music, but my favorite band. The singer Geike Arnaert was dressed in jeans and red sweater, not really attractive. It seemed to me that the sponsor of the stage (Kenvelo - a Czech-Israeli ""fashion"" brand for teenagers) also sponsored her clothes. This was quite a shock for me! In the festival leaflet I read that she usually wears nice dresses and only if the conditions are bad (like rain and mud) she will wear a sweater. Her voice was still beautiful and I liked it, I was almost in the front because there were not too many people at all.
After I left the place, I met with Matej, my friend and we went to WAKATA to have more fun. In this small pub, three not really professional DJs or just some guys from FRANCE were responsible for great FUN, almost everybody was dancing and so did we. They played some reaggae, french oldies, ska, simply they played well and made me to wake up again :) This is it for the weekend music!
| www.flickr.com |
Friday, August 11, 2006
Live and Direct... LOVE PLANET PRAGUE!
Hi all! I am currently at a music festival of the name above. I cannot hear anything because on the Rock Stage MINISTRY is playing. This is USA hardcore band, totally haaaaaaardcooooooore! I like this music when I am falling asleep usually or when I work, but this is too loud :) Fucking my ears off!
But what is more important - next at this stage, there it comes, FRANZ FERDINAND! Come on! Scottish or where do you come from! Waaaaaaaahaaaaaaaaaa!
And then infamous Pet Shop Boys, this is gonna be A LEGEND! HAhahaha... and then I will drink and dance until the morning, hopefully. Tomorrow there is more! See yo later!
PS: Many thanks to Michal from my work that who is responsible for giving me a free ticket, neat! This is going to be the best first week in a new job ever :D
But what is more important - next at this stage, there it comes, FRANZ FERDINAND! Come on! Scottish or where do you come from! Waaaaaaaahaaaaaaaaaa!
And then infamous Pet Shop Boys, this is gonna be A LEGEND! HAhahaha... and then I will drink and dance until the morning, hopefully. Tomorrow there is more! See yo later!
PS: Many thanks to Michal from my work that who is responsible for giving me a free ticket, neat! This is going to be the best first week in a new job ever :D
Thursday, August 10, 2006
Once I will be a new Warren Buffet...
The first week in my new job has almost finished. Now I am employed by Czech media group called MAFRA. The group owns three newspapers, one music magazine, two radio stations, one music channel and print production.
I work in the department of distribution and marketing of two newspaper labels MF DNES and LIDOVE NOVINY. The former is the biggest newspapers in Czech Republic which sells about 300k issues a day – I do not count BLESK newspapers which sells 500k but it is a tabloid with main focus on Czech “celebrities” and their “scandals”. The latter is the oldest newspapers in Czech Republic which sells about 75k daily and is oriented on educated people – it brings more focus on politics, culture, education and human sciences.
Two departments are not joined together but the office where I work is called SALESDESK. Physically it is a big table (about 10 people) in a spacious office which is a result of process reengineering (German owners of the company). It is quite interesting because the people sitting here are both from marketing and distribution and everyday there is a small meeting held. Telephones must be hung out and everybody who comes late has to pay a fine (just symbolic 50CZK=2€). What is the agenda of these meetings?
First we talk about last day/week sales and about new acquisitions of subscribers. There is also a topic on media planning – which medias were used for promotion and to what extent. This can be made either cash or reciprocal – they advertise our newspapers content in their TVs and radio stations and we help them to get down from screens on the physical reality of daily paper. It is funny how different media formats work in this symbiosis. Actually you can get almost anywhere because you have the ability to contact people – so you can develop partnerships with sports organizations, cultural events, even with companies. Okay, enough of imagination for now :) Then the meeting becomes more interesting with debates on future plans. There is a wide whiteboard hanging on one of the walls with content of issued newspapers until the end of September. We suggest how the distribution will work according to these opportunities.
I always dreamed of working in media sector and now I am inside. I like the modern building we have, people seems to be nice, pretty girls are common… When I was younger I remember TV series called something like “Tomorrow’s News” about a guy who everyday received the newspapers already from next day so he knew what will just happen. He was a nice guy so he helped people of course :) If I stayed in the office a bit later I could also get some fresh copies :) I realized that I did not write anything about my position! I work in controlling as a junior… so when I will get more inside the topic, I think I will be telling these guys what went wrong or well and allow them what they can do in future! Hahaha! BTW, have I mentioned that I have received my own PRESS ID?
I work in the department of distribution and marketing of two newspaper labels MF DNES and LIDOVE NOVINY. The former is the biggest newspapers in Czech Republic which sells about 300k issues a day – I do not count BLESK newspapers which sells 500k but it is a tabloid with main focus on Czech “celebrities” and their “scandals”. The latter is the oldest newspapers in Czech Republic which sells about 75k daily and is oriented on educated people – it brings more focus on politics, culture, education and human sciences.
Two departments are not joined together but the office where I work is called SALESDESK. Physically it is a big table (about 10 people) in a spacious office which is a result of process reengineering (German owners of the company). It is quite interesting because the people sitting here are both from marketing and distribution and everyday there is a small meeting held. Telephones must be hung out and everybody who comes late has to pay a fine (just symbolic 50CZK=2€). What is the agenda of these meetings?
First we talk about last day/week sales and about new acquisitions of subscribers. There is also a topic on media planning – which medias were used for promotion and to what extent. This can be made either cash or reciprocal – they advertise our newspapers content in their TVs and radio stations and we help them to get down from screens on the physical reality of daily paper. It is funny how different media formats work in this symbiosis. Actually you can get almost anywhere because you have the ability to contact people – so you can develop partnerships with sports organizations, cultural events, even with companies. Okay, enough of imagination for now :) Then the meeting becomes more interesting with debates on future plans. There is a wide whiteboard hanging on one of the walls with content of issued newspapers until the end of September. We suggest how the distribution will work according to these opportunities.
I always dreamed of working in media sector and now I am inside. I like the modern building we have, people seems to be nice, pretty girls are common… When I was younger I remember TV series called something like “Tomorrow’s News” about a guy who everyday received the newspapers already from next day so he knew what will just happen. He was a nice guy so he helped people of course :) If I stayed in the office a bit later I could also get some fresh copies :) I realized that I did not write anything about my position! I work in controlling as a junior… so when I will get more inside the topic, I think I will be telling these guys what went wrong or well and allow them what they can do in future! Hahaha! BTW, have I mentioned that I have received my own PRESS ID?
Friday, July 14, 2006
I don't hate cars but cars hate me
Guess in what absurd situation I have found myself today. I am in Prague, doing an internship for a company that deals with car starters and alternators. Yes you are right, I am not really valuable so far, because I have no idea how these things distinguish not even how to sell them. And absolutely no idea how to sell them to France :)
But today I had a small task in which I could be excellent. Deliver some samples to an English speaking manager in Avia on one side of the city and then pickup some repaired computers on the other side of the city. I got a company car and headed for the first one. Oh what a nice car, silver body, black leather interior. All mine! The delivery went smooth, the manager liked the service, I think I did a good first impression as a professional because he asked me for my name and was pleased. That is always worth it because I could give him a call just to ask for a piece of advice concerning sales development which I am supposed to do on my internship
Then I left the company and headed back. Right opposite to main entrance to TESCO hypermarket, right at the lights, in the middle of an intersection, the engine of the car went off. I tried to start the engine but without success. Another few attempts, but no cooperation from the car. I am calling the company manager Vladimir to ask what is wrong with the car? He says it could be the immobilization system which rarely has some kind of problem and I should just wait a few minutes. Imagine my situation. I am stuck in the middle of the lights, I could not start the car which I am using for the first time in my life, this is the first helpful thing I could have done on my internship. Plus it is the internship for company that works with things that start the car. A lot of cars passed around me, I had only blinking lights and of course I was looking like the most stupid guy in Prague. Then the same police car went around twice but they must have been eating donuts because they have not stopped by.
Then one cool guy with nice blond chick stopped next to me, he jumped out, pushed me in the car to the side of the road. After few minutes he turned the key and engine started! Hooray I am saved, thank you czech man. I leave. After 10 minutes of driving, the engine just... stops. At least this time it was not in the middle of the lights or intersection, but right after the curve in the hill. I look like stupid again to all cars that pass me, sitting in the car. I was lucky that I was there only for another 10 minutes. This time Vladimir called me, then I waited for him at Tesco for half an hour and he came, we drove to car repair. Hehe, he got the same problem on the way there :)
We left the car there until the service finds the matter. Oh it is so bad that next Monday guy from company were supposed to use the car for a business trip! Now they have to drive in Kokot's Audi (to my Slovak and Czech speaking friends, it is really a surname of one guy in the work) which he sais has consumption of 14 litres per 100km. Hahaha.
But today I had a small task in which I could be excellent. Deliver some samples to an English speaking manager in Avia on one side of the city and then pickup some repaired computers on the other side of the city. I got a company car and headed for the first one. Oh what a nice car, silver body, black leather interior. All mine! The delivery went smooth, the manager liked the service, I think I did a good first impression as a professional because he asked me for my name and was pleased. That is always worth it because I could give him a call just to ask for a piece of advice concerning sales development which I am supposed to do on my internship
Then I left the company and headed back. Right opposite to main entrance to TESCO hypermarket, right at the lights, in the middle of an intersection, the engine of the car went off. I tried to start the engine but without success. Another few attempts, but no cooperation from the car. I am calling the company manager Vladimir to ask what is wrong with the car? He says it could be the immobilization system which rarely has some kind of problem and I should just wait a few minutes. Imagine my situation. I am stuck in the middle of the lights, I could not start the car which I am using for the first time in my life, this is the first helpful thing I could have done on my internship. Plus it is the internship for company that works with things that start the car. A lot of cars passed around me, I had only blinking lights and of course I was looking like the most stupid guy in Prague. Then the same police car went around twice but they must have been eating donuts because they have not stopped by.
Then one cool guy with nice blond chick stopped next to me, he jumped out, pushed me in the car to the side of the road. After few minutes he turned the key and engine started! Hooray I am saved, thank you czech man. I leave. After 10 minutes of driving, the engine just... stops. At least this time it was not in the middle of the lights or intersection, but right after the curve in the hill. I look like stupid again to all cars that pass me, sitting in the car. I was lucky that I was there only for another 10 minutes. This time Vladimir called me, then I waited for him at Tesco for half an hour and he came, we drove to car repair. Hehe, he got the same problem on the way there :)
We left the car there until the service finds the matter. Oh it is so bad that next Monday guy from company were supposed to use the car for a business trip! Now they have to drive in Kokot's Audi (to my Slovak and Czech speaking friends, it is really a surname of one guy in the work) which he sais has consumption of 14 litres per 100km. Hahaha.
Saturday, June 17, 2006
Monsoon, come soon
Almost same as Vierka wrote at her blog. I sit in Edo's house in Prague and outside it's raining like hell. I don't have any idea where all this water falling from the sky could come from but I am glad that the house is on the hill. It might turn to island if the rain won't stop!
Two hours ago I drove Caro and Blanca, two Mexicans that have also been in Lyon, to the bus station and they left to Vienna. Because I tried to be helpful and was guiding them through Prague for two days, only now I can say that just now my Erasmus stay is finally over.
I am trying to avoid writing about the "comeback shock" to Prague, about the way I perceive everything here to be worse than in France... I knew that this would happen :) But I probably should give Prague one more chance! Tomorrow Empty arrives so we will share our opinions on French - Czech cultural differences. And also he will have to help me changing tires on my car for summer ones, haha.
Also today, The lighting strikes above the Tatras (name of Slovak national anthem) since the parlamental elections take place. I have already sent my vote by mail. The result might cause that I will not continue driving my car over Czech-Slovakian borders, because either I stay and maybe sometime work in Slovakia (the improbable good elections scenario) or I will have to stay in Prague (the probable bad elections result). Come on, Slovaks, decide....
Two hours ago I drove Caro and Blanca, two Mexicans that have also been in Lyon, to the bus station and they left to Vienna. Because I tried to be helpful and was guiding them through Prague for two days, only now I can say that just now my Erasmus stay is finally over.
I am trying to avoid writing about the "comeback shock" to Prague, about the way I perceive everything here to be worse than in France... I knew that this would happen :) But I probably should give Prague one more chance! Tomorrow Empty arrives so we will share our opinions on French - Czech cultural differences. And also he will have to help me changing tires on my car for summer ones, haha.
Also today, The lighting strikes above the Tatras (name of Slovak national anthem) since the parlamental elections take place. I have already sent my vote by mail. The result might cause that I will not continue driving my car over Czech-Slovakian borders, because either I stay and maybe sometime work in Slovakia (the improbable good elections scenario) or I will have to stay in Prague (the probable bad elections result). Come on, Slovaks, decide....
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
AU REVOIR, LYON!
Time has come and I am leaving France... in about two hours. Some people already left, everybody was sad to leave.
It always feels so melancholic when things are in the end. Memories will remain forever. I hope.
Now I would like to use my favorite quote. "Everything is okay in the end, if it's not okay, it's not the end." This sentence is normally used when things are bad to think positive about future. It's funny because now I see the other meaning. Now I feel everything is allright. This must be the end.
THANKS TO EVERYBODY I MET HERE, I WILL NOT FORGET THESE TIMES WITH YOU!
PS: Why do I always have to have so many things???
It always feels so melancholic when things are in the end. Memories will remain forever. I hope.
Now I would like to use my favorite quote. "Everything is okay in the end, if it's not okay, it's not the end." This sentence is normally used when things are bad to think positive about future. It's funny because now I see the other meaning. Now I feel everything is allright. This must be the end.
THANKS TO EVERYBODY I MET HERE, I WILL NOT FORGET THESE TIMES WITH YOU!
PS: Why do I always have to have so many things???
Thursday, June 08, 2006
Zizou, Henry, Barthez and my other new friends
Yesterday evening we went to Saint Etienne, about 50km far from Lyon to see the friendly match between France - China. It was a good opportunity to see the French national football team before World Cup 2006, especially with €15 tickets from Jeff, our American friend but also honorable football referee.
What to say... game was quite okay, finally France won 3:1. But how much effort would you expect to put into a friendly match, three days before World Cup? Concerning me, I still prefer to watch tennis... or ice hockey... or swimming... or even women beach voleyball (after seeing one game of Brazilian women beach volleyball team, who will ever care about Brazilian men football team?).
The bad thing I noticed when observing crowded grandstand is that football attracts only men, juveniles and boys. Women usually say that they admire football players but I think they only watch their pictures in magazines and are not really attracted by their play. Which is the same situation when men like all nice and young actresses and in principle are not really concerned about their acting skills ;) But tell me, will women ever understand men's desire to play "games" at any age?
The good thing about football is that 90 minutes of match pass more quickly than I expect :)
So today I was in school in the afternoon and I watched Roland Garros which was on bar's TV. Czech player Nicole Vaidisova lost to some Russian... merde! In the tornameny she has already beated Amelie Mauresmo and Venus Williams. She was so close to winning again, only two balls and she would be in Grand Slam finals! I have wished this so much to her. Well she is only seventeen now, she really needs more experience. (I wonder about my life when I was seventeen:) This is how it works in tennis - Performance creates Confidence and Confidence results in Performance. The mystical combination, never let anybody to intefer into this cycle, because both also decrease at the same time. Nicole, see you again!
What to say... game was quite okay, finally France won 3:1. But how much effort would you expect to put into a friendly match, three days before World Cup? Concerning me, I still prefer to watch tennis... or ice hockey... or swimming... or even women beach voleyball (after seeing one game of Brazilian women beach volleyball team, who will ever care about Brazilian men football team?).
The bad thing I noticed when observing crowded grandstand is that football attracts only men, juveniles and boys. Women usually say that they admire football players but I think they only watch their pictures in magazines and are not really attracted by their play. Which is the same situation when men like all nice and young actresses and in principle are not really concerned about their acting skills ;) But tell me, will women ever understand men's desire to play "games" at any age?
The good thing about football is that 90 minutes of match pass more quickly than I expect :)
So today I was in school in the afternoon and I watched Roland Garros which was on bar's TV. Czech player Nicole Vaidisova lost to some Russian... merde! In the tornameny she has already beated Amelie Mauresmo and Venus Williams. She was so close to winning again, only two balls and she would be in Grand Slam finals! I have wished this so much to her. Well she is only seventeen now, she really needs more experience. (I wonder about my life when I was seventeen:) This is how it works in tennis - Performance creates Confidence and Confidence results in Performance. The mystical combination, never let anybody to intefer into this cycle, because both also decrease at the same time. Nicole, see you again!
Sunday, June 04, 2006
Sprained Ankle
Live from Lyon, France... I have just sprained my beloved ankle.
I went to the nearby park to practice my tennis hits against the wall. WOW I was in such a good form that I was looking for the afternoon when I will play with Radi and kick ass!!! YOu know when you just hold the racquet and pam-pam all the hits are good. Just one of the backhands kinda sucked and ended stuck in the net above the wall. I tried to get it. I placed my racket against the wall, put my left foot on it and tried to use it as a higher, slow rebound. Not high enough. Unfortunately, as my right foot touch-downed the surface again, it stepped directly on a nasty rock. I lay on the ground in pain, hurting my right wrist as well. In this moment, I flashbacked all those ugly videos I have seen when somebody gets hurt and sprains his ankle or brokes a leg. AAA!
In a few minutes I got up and get it to the tree, hid under the shadow and drank some water. I was thinking how I will get out of here, I was losing consciousness a bit when walking and I had a bike with me. It was actually the bike that helped me a lot. The left foot was pedalling and right one could rest because there was no body weight burdening it like it would be if I was walking.
So now I am in my room, I am cooling down my ankle with ice, I got something good to drink, some chocolate... I deserve those! "Physical pain is killing you (Psychological pain destroys you)" - that's what I realized when I was walking. I did not have any accident like this for a long time so I almost forgot how bad it is, to feel something physically hurts. There are so many diseases and harms that causes pain human body so I must say "Respect to all the people in hospitals, without health we are nothing". Don't you also feel it when you are in a hospital, from time to time? All the people there deserve to be visited by their families and friends and not to stay alone. (On the picture - the right "phat" ankle in comparison to left "tiny" ankle - Monday afternoon)
Okay, this is one of my characteristics - when something small happens I always seek the big picture :) I am sorry for that. Now I am lying in my bed and thinking that I would need to have a small application to turn everything on laptop screen by 90 degrees so my head can rest horizontally on the pillow. I am going to watch some Discovery Channel documents and eat cookies which are the only joys that an accident can give you :)
PS: Let's make some grammar clear.
Lie is an intrasitive veb (it cannot take direct object).
Lay is a transitive verb (it is incomplete without a direct object).
Lay is the past tense of lie.
If you want to ensure that you learn this, click for a small story about lie and lay. And I wish for everyone to get laid! ;)
I went to the nearby park to practice my tennis hits against the wall. WOW I was in such a good form that I was looking for the afternoon when I will play with Radi and kick ass!!! YOu know when you just hold the racquet and pam-pam all the hits are good. Just one of the backhands kinda sucked and ended stuck in the net above the wall. I tried to get it. I placed my racket against the wall, put my left foot on it and tried to use it as a higher, slow rebound. Not high enough. Unfortunately, as my right foot touch-downed the surface again, it stepped directly on a nasty rock. I lay on the ground in pain, hurting my right wrist as well. In this moment, I flashbacked all those ugly videos I have seen when somebody gets hurt and sprains his ankle or brokes a leg. AAA!
In a few minutes I got up and get it to the tree, hid under the shadow and drank some water. I was thinking how I will get out of here, I was losing consciousness a bit when walking and I had a bike with me. It was actually the bike that helped me a lot. The left foot was pedalling and right one could rest because there was no body weight burdening it like it would be if I was walking.
So now I am in my room, I am cooling down my ankle with ice, I got something good to drink, some chocolate... I deserve those! "Physical pain is killing you (Psychological pain destroys you)" - that's what I realized when I was walking. I did not have any accident like this for a long time so I almost forgot how bad it is, to feel something physically hurts. There are so many diseases and harms that causes pain human body so I must say "Respect to all the people in hospitals, without health we are nothing". Don't you also feel it when you are in a hospital, from time to time? All the people there deserve to be visited by their families and friends and not to stay alone. (On the picture - the right "phat" ankle in comparison to left "tiny" ankle - Monday afternoon)Okay, this is one of my characteristics - when something small happens I always seek the big picture :) I am sorry for that. Now I am lying in my bed and thinking that I would need to have a small application to turn everything on laptop screen by 90 degrees so my head can rest horizontally on the pillow. I am going to watch some Discovery Channel documents and eat cookies which are the only joys that an accident can give you :)
PS: Let's make some grammar clear.
| Infinitive | Definition | Simple Present | Simple Past | Past Participle | Present Participle |
| to lay | to put or place something down | lay(s) | laid | laid | laying |
| to lie | to rest or recline | lie(s) | lay | lain | lying |
Lie is an intrasitive veb (it cannot take direct object).
Lay is a transitive verb (it is incomplete without a direct object).
Lay is the past tense of lie.
If you want to ensure that you learn this, click for a small story about lie and lay. And I wish for everyone to get laid! ;)
Friday, June 02, 2006
Fashion fades. Style is eternal. (YSL)
In the meanwhile, have a look at this new (well, February 2006) campaign for French connection more famous under their marketing acronym fcuk - Fashion v Style. The advertisement was done by Duncan Jones, son of David Bowie and received 127 complaints the first week.
I would love to have his job! (even though I would become a yuppie metrosexual)
I would love to have his job! (even though I would become a yuppie metrosexual)
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Head spinning
Just a short post before I finish the work on tomorrow's presentation and finally go to bed.
Today, my Marketing des activites culturels class took place in Lyon, at Ecole de Danse which was founded in 1977. There was some talking in the beginning, I understood that culture needs to be subsidized heavily so the prices are kept low hence it stays accesible to a broader public. That makes sense - for a moment I was thinking if all museums should be made free because the more people visit them the more cultivated they become. Wouldn't it be good for our society?
Then we saw a rehearsal of dance performance. It was a modern dance (scenic?). One guy was actually singing with a deep voice and there were 3+3 dancers performing, nothing else. I think it is one of the most difficult arts to understand - what people want to express by their movements. But somehow it was really soothing and what they did felt to be so synchronized and aesthetic. The one thing they did was without any music or singing, the melody was just made from the sounds of their steps on the platform. I cannot understand how can the guys remember they choreography so well.
So I am going to work some more right now. Next time I would like to write about the my last weekend which was really great, but I need to find a little bit more time to do it.
Today, my Marketing des activites culturels class took place in Lyon, at Ecole de Danse which was founded in 1977. There was some talking in the beginning, I understood that culture needs to be subsidized heavily so the prices are kept low hence it stays accesible to a broader public. That makes sense - for a moment I was thinking if all museums should be made free because the more people visit them the more cultivated they become. Wouldn't it be good for our society?
Then we saw a rehearsal of dance performance. It was a modern dance (scenic?). One guy was actually singing with a deep voice and there were 3+3 dancers performing, nothing else. I think it is one of the most difficult arts to understand - what people want to express by their movements. But somehow it was really soothing and what they did felt to be so synchronized and aesthetic. The one thing they did was without any music or singing, the melody was just made from the sounds of their steps on the platform. I cannot understand how can the guys remember they choreography so well.
So I am going to work some more right now. Next time I would like to write about the my last weekend which was really great, but I need to find a little bit more time to do it.
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
$100 laptop prototypes
Have a look at those first prototypes of a notebook computer that would have a price tag of $100 and still would work. They are meant to be spread to poor countries like Slovakia and assist in education. It sounds sweet to run open source software and put some great products on them - especially Wikipedia comes to my mind! Well this might work but I think that all the school books that covered my basic studies were less than $100...
PS: Actually I just thought that it would be okay to use something similar to these let's say at High Schools (in Slovakia, od course) - students can use them to read many e-books (esp. in foreign laguages to improve!), use them for math calculations&graphs and the best - write homeworks which they then upload to teacher's computer. Internet could be a threat because of viruses and "internet surfing addiction" but on the other hand it could serve well for collaborative work. In conclusion, $100 those laptops would be perfectly affordable and the basic configuration should be enough to everything needed for education. Now the suppliers must only provide a new design for the product, so you would not ruin your social status - especially important when at High School. And if it looks at least a bit trendy - the better the chance it would be fond of and used everyday.
PS: Actually I just thought that it would be okay to use something similar to these let's say at High Schools (in Slovakia, od course) - students can use them to read many e-books (esp. in foreign laguages to improve!), use them for math calculations&graphs and the best - write homeworks which they then upload to teacher's computer. Internet could be a threat because of viruses and "internet surfing addiction" but on the other hand it could serve well for collaborative work. In conclusion, $100 those laptops would be perfectly affordable and the basic configuration should be enough to everything needed for education. Now the suppliers must only provide a new design for the product, so you would not ruin your social status - especially important when at High School. And if it looks at least a bit trendy - the better the chance it would be fond of and used everyday.
Monday, May 22, 2006
School school school
Sorry for no posts! I am quite busy with my school - at least for next two more weeks ;( From all 5 subjects I have chosen this term only one proved to be any good - International Marketing. I have this class for 2 weeks every day, the exam is on Wednesday (not to mention 2 case studies to hand out). The professor Atilla Yaprak is really a great guy.
Today we came to a nice topic about ALLIANCES - why are they formed? I learnt about 2 contradictory theories and I like them because they resemble the man-woman relationship :) The first one - Competitive Collaboration or Learning Raise Theory by Hamel says that the alliances are created only for learning and as soon as you have learnt enough and exploited the knowledge of your partner - you leave. Conditions to succeed are: intent, transparency and absorbency. How nicely it fits the first kind of relationships - when one is a "bastard" and only wants "something"! ;)
The other theory is Resource Based Theory (Barney) or Social Exchange (Das and Tang) and says the opposite. Alliances are meant to exchange resources of firms and they are dependent on each other. To succeed there is a need of reciprocity, trust, forbearance and commitment. This is when the couple complement each other (like the example: the wife cooks, the husband eats - kiddin' ;)
So this post was educational and even I, after the explananation, have a bit less to study for the exam :) Now I would like to declare that I also made a theory. Well of course I made a lot of them but this one fits here. It is called "Why I am stupid" or "The theory of infinite initiations" The answer is memory. If I for god's sake could remember things for more than one week maximum, then I could become a president (that used to be my dream).
I am glad that Schumpeter already said in Creative Distraction that "for innovation to take root, the most important thing to happen is that the current must be destroyed". For every learning to take place, you must unlearn what you know from before.
So my dears, this is the reason why I am so very creative - and also why the outcome is never really complex :)
Today we came to a nice topic about ALLIANCES - why are they formed? I learnt about 2 contradictory theories and I like them because they resemble the man-woman relationship :) The first one - Competitive Collaboration or Learning Raise Theory by Hamel says that the alliances are created only for learning and as soon as you have learnt enough and exploited the knowledge of your partner - you leave. Conditions to succeed are: intent, transparency and absorbency. How nicely it fits the first kind of relationships - when one is a "bastard" and only wants "something"! ;)
The other theory is Resource Based Theory (Barney) or Social Exchange (Das and Tang) and says the opposite. Alliances are meant to exchange resources of firms and they are dependent on each other. To succeed there is a need of reciprocity, trust, forbearance and commitment. This is when the couple complement each other (like the example: the wife cooks, the husband eats - kiddin' ;)
So this post was educational and even I, after the explananation, have a bit less to study for the exam :) Now I would like to declare that I also made a theory. Well of course I made a lot of them but this one fits here. It is called "Why I am stupid" or "The theory of infinite initiations" The answer is memory. If I for god's sake could remember things for more than one week maximum, then I could become a president (that used to be my dream).
I am glad that Schumpeter already said in Creative Distraction that "for innovation to take root, the most important thing to happen is that the current must be destroyed". For every learning to take place, you must unlearn what you know from before.
So my dears, this is the reason why I am so very creative - and also why the outcome is never really complex :)
Sunday, May 14, 2006
Photos from Ardeche and BubbleShare
So, the pictures are here. I am glad that I can show them using www.BubbleShare.com
It's probably the best service of sharing pictures from parties or other occasions on the net, at least the best I know. You can create albums without registration, add audio or bubble captions and of course also guest can post comments. All the pictures can be downloaded in one zip with one click and the interface is really intuitive and fast. Recommended!
This album is powered by
BubbleShare
- Add to my blog
It's probably the best service of sharing pictures from parties or other occasions on the net, at least the best I know. You can create albums without registration, add audio or bubble captions and of course also guest can post comments. All the pictures can be downloaded in one zip with one click and the interface is really intuitive and fast. Recommended!
This album is powered by
BubbleShare
- Add to my blog
Ardeche River Kayaking
This weekend we made a great action trip to south of France to Gorges de l'Ardeche. We started paddling on Friday afternoon, slept in the camping under the stars and on Saturday finished the Ardeche river experience totalling 30km in two days.
Our group counted 16 people with 8 girls and 8 boys - perfect ratio for two-crew kayaks. I have to mention that thanks to Jeffrey Davis who organized the whole thing, we got a super save for rental of equipment. We put all our things into plastic barrels and mounted them to the boats. Everybody practiced the steering of the kayak and 8 crews set sail.
Girls as captains in the front, boys as engines in the rear - the first-day paddling took us almost 5 hours. Everybody was getting a little bit desperate because the way to our camping seemed to be endless. Water was cold, everybody was wet, sun was on vacations - only Jeff and few beer-drinking guys were keeping the group spirit. One of the boats capsized in the rapids and the crew became so cold and hopeless that they called 112 emergency and got rescued. They got a ride to the camp in a van.
Showers in the camp were just a bit warmer than the river, but putting dry clothes on made a very positive sensation that nobody was feeling for a few hours. In the evening, we did a barbecue and opened few more beers to celebrate the first day without any losses. The legendary characters have beed born on this occasion - Beer Beast (Martin) and Beer Fairy (Maxime?). There were still some bottles full but everybody was quite tired and fell asleep in their sleeping bags. The night was warm, even that we slept outside.
The next day only 6 of 8 boats continued, the crew of remaining 2 hiked instead. This day was much more better than the previous one, everybody was already familiar with the steering basics and what made us much more faster. This time, it was our kayak that sank :))
In the wildest rapids on the river, I had a moment to choose the direction to continue - left or right - in the middle a huge boulder. I chose right because it looked more difficult, but unfortunately too late - we crashed to the boulder by the side of the kayak.
I remember seeing the boat turning over and Lucy falling to the river at the same moment as I. For a few seconds I was underwater being pushed by the current to the face of the rock. I managed to escape and then swiftly crawl-stroked to the floating upset boat. I was glad that I found Lucy at the side of the boat! I braked the boat, inverted it, got in. I pulled Lucy by her life jacket. Our guys that were below managed to save everything that left the kayak and floating down. I was excited, I jumped to the river once again, then opened a beer.
We enjoyed more of the beatiful landscape, the canyons high cliffs made me feel really like if I was in prehistoric ages. Even if it rained a little bit, also the sun showed ocasionally. In about one and half hour, we have finished our river cruise. Congratulations to every one of us that had the endurance to fight with the permanent chill, I bet that this will not prevent anybody to keep nice memories.
(Pictures later today)
Our group counted 16 people with 8 girls and 8 boys - perfect ratio for two-crew kayaks. I have to mention that thanks to Jeffrey Davis who organized the whole thing, we got a super save for rental of equipment. We put all our things into plastic barrels and mounted them to the boats. Everybody practiced the steering of the kayak and 8 crews set sail.
Girls as captains in the front, boys as engines in the rear - the first-day paddling took us almost 5 hours. Everybody was getting a little bit desperate because the way to our camping seemed to be endless. Water was cold, everybody was wet, sun was on vacations - only Jeff and few beer-drinking guys were keeping the group spirit. One of the boats capsized in the rapids and the crew became so cold and hopeless that they called 112 emergency and got rescued. They got a ride to the camp in a van.
Showers in the camp were just a bit warmer than the river, but putting dry clothes on made a very positive sensation that nobody was feeling for a few hours. In the evening, we did a barbecue and opened few more beers to celebrate the first day without any losses. The legendary characters have beed born on this occasion - Beer Beast (Martin) and Beer Fairy (Maxime?). There were still some bottles full but everybody was quite tired and fell asleep in their sleeping bags. The night was warm, even that we slept outside.
The next day only 6 of 8 boats continued, the crew of remaining 2 hiked instead. This day was much more better than the previous one, everybody was already familiar with the steering basics and what made us much more faster. This time, it was our kayak that sank :))
In the wildest rapids on the river, I had a moment to choose the direction to continue - left or right - in the middle a huge boulder. I chose right because it looked more difficult, but unfortunately too late - we crashed to the boulder by the side of the kayak.
I remember seeing the boat turning over and Lucy falling to the river at the same moment as I. For a few seconds I was underwater being pushed by the current to the face of the rock. I managed to escape and then swiftly crawl-stroked to the floating upset boat. I was glad that I found Lucy at the side of the boat! I braked the boat, inverted it, got in. I pulled Lucy by her life jacket. Our guys that were below managed to save everything that left the kayak and floating down. I was excited, I jumped to the river once again, then opened a beer.
We enjoyed more of the beatiful landscape, the canyons high cliffs made me feel really like if I was in prehistoric ages. Even if it rained a little bit, also the sun showed ocasionally. In about one and half hour, we have finished our river cruise. Congratulations to every one of us that had the endurance to fight with the permanent chill, I bet that this will not prevent anybody to keep nice memories.
(Pictures later today)
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
Weekend in Paris
Well, almost everything was said by empty, I put some pictures on flickr if you want to check that Paris is still beautiful :)
Some tips&tricks:
It's really easy to navigate yourself in Paris, maps are at every bus/metro stop so I didn't even need a map to find anything.
Public toilets are free!
If you want to rest from the cars&people in the streets , have a walk in the riverbank, it's really wide and presence of river is refreshing.
If you want to have a public bus sightseeing for one 1€ ticket, hop on bus no.69 and enjoy the view. For other European capitals, see article at TIME.
If you are a student, enter any school to get cheap coffee and croissant - a rather short student exchange stay :)
French really have problems with african immigrants, beware of your belongings in metro and tourist places!
The Eiffel Tower trick done by me and Juraj can be done only by Slovaks, maybe Czechs :)
Some tips&tricks:
It's really easy to navigate yourself in Paris, maps are at every bus/metro stop so I didn't even need a map to find anything.
Public toilets are free!
If you want to rest from the cars&people in the streets , have a walk in the riverbank, it's really wide and presence of river is refreshing.
If you want to have a public bus sightseeing for one 1€ ticket, hop on bus no.69 and enjoy the view. For other European capitals, see article at TIME.
If you are a student, enter any school to get cheap coffee and croissant - a rather short student exchange stay :)
French really have problems with african immigrants, beware of your belongings in metro and tourist places!
The Eiffel Tower trick done by me and Juraj can be done only by Slovaks, maybe Czechs :)
| www.flickr.com |
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
Why I would never want to live in France
Hello again! Here is my new experience with "french culture". Let's start with very interesting and recent survey - 50% of French totally disagree to following statement - "The free enterprise system and free market economy is the best system on which to base the future of the world." Only 36% of French agree. The numbers are even worse that in Russia! The average values from various countries in the world (including USA, China, Canada, Mexico, India, Russia, Nigeria...) is agreement 65% and disagreement 25%. Nice results, French comrades! See for yourself at GlobeScan Report, page 3.
For yesterday we planned a small trip to Parc du Pilat which is close to Lyon. Nothing special, but at least the spare day would be used for something. So in the morning (11am) we get into the car and I headed to Carrefour gas station to get some gas. Oops, it's Sunday, so it's closed. So I tried another one, the small station with higher prices (I thought that they might be open so they can make some profit!). Oops, nobody there, come on who would work on Sunday! In France, only Arabs do in their shops where you buy things from Carrefour at triple price. And also machines do work. The last gas station was equipped only with stands with credit card payment, so we got our gas. Oh by the way, the credit card could be only French Carte Bancaire, a regular international one does not work. Well they can close their shops, I don't care, but gas stations?? What a great progressive country!
In the evening yesterday, we had a small party to celebrate David's (Spanish) birthday. In the party atmosphere, Maria which is living in Lyon asked me, if I could give her a ride next morning back to city. I asked her&myself why, she can take the bus, can't she? I was quite surprised when she answered that on 1st May - Fete du Travail (Labor Day) there are no buses and no subway. Not just Sunday regime with one bus per hour, but absolutely no connection. You cannot get anywhere! (Well you can just call taxi or have a french bank card to get some gas.) Funny thing is, that Lyon's subway is even not human-operated but the driver is a computer - so it's nice that the machines also get some rest to relax and celebrate!
Today we made a small trip as well. Passing Carrefour, we saw something that really made all of us laugh. We came back to take a picture so I can share it here. Let's name the situation "Stupid French." and make it finish this post in which I have explained why I would never like to live in developed Western European but truly Socialist country called France.
For yesterday we planned a small trip to Parc du Pilat which is close to Lyon. Nothing special, but at least the spare day would be used for something. So in the morning (11am) we get into the car and I headed to Carrefour gas station to get some gas. Oops, it's Sunday, so it's closed. So I tried another one, the small station with higher prices (I thought that they might be open so they can make some profit!). Oops, nobody there, come on who would work on Sunday! In France, only Arabs do in their shops where you buy things from Carrefour at triple price. And also machines do work. The last gas station was equipped only with stands with credit card payment, so we got our gas. Oh by the way, the credit card could be only French Carte Bancaire, a regular international one does not work. Well they can close their shops, I don't care, but gas stations?? What a great progressive country!
In the evening yesterday, we had a small party to celebrate David's (Spanish) birthday. In the party atmosphere, Maria which is living in Lyon asked me, if I could give her a ride next morning back to city. I asked her&myself why, she can take the bus, can't she? I was quite surprised when she answered that on 1st May - Fete du Travail (Labor Day) there are no buses and no subway. Not just Sunday regime with one bus per hour, but absolutely no connection. You cannot get anywhere! (Well you can just call taxi or have a french bank card to get some gas.) Funny thing is, that Lyon's subway is even not human-operated but the driver is a computer - so it's nice that the machines also get some rest to relax and celebrate!
Today we made a small trip as well. Passing Carrefour, we saw something that really made all of us laugh. We came back to take a picture so I can share it here. Let's name the situation "Stupid French." and make it finish this post in which I have explained why I would never like to live in developed Western European but truly Socialist country called France.
Monday, March 20, 2006
Parties again...
Ok the week with many exams is gone, and a big positive thing were the numerous parties after - a reward :) First, the famous "Tous burre ensamble!" (Everybody drinks together) party here at our dorm, was very fine. On Saturday, another party at the school next to us. Three stages, one with Dj, one with bands, one with student orchestra :) Everybody drunk more than me (well I did not even drink because of the cool atmospehere). More than 1000 people I guess. Some of theme really crazy. Just look at the pictures...
Thursday, March 16, 2006
Vieux Lyon
Such a nice day yesterday! I went to my "french class" to St. Georges, Old Lyon. It is not a real class in school, I am just speaking french with Maria and she has to correct me all the time. I hope this will help to pull up my poor french!
When I was there, I took some photos of this ancient part of Lyon which is a mixture of the last 20 centuries and so an Unesco heritage, as the guide says. It has really nice atmosphere with cobblestone streets, historic renaissance houses, steep narrow alleys and of course quiet large churches. The sheltered passages that lead through blocks of houses can be found between the streets, they have served as a protection during WWII bombings. Two retro-looking funiculars climb the slopes of Fourviere mountain on which the quarter is built. One of them goes to Roman ruins, the other one to Basilique de Fourviere. Especially the Roman amphitheatre from 19AD is a great place! While standing on the stage at the bottom, I wondered how it was like to give the Powerpoint presentations in there? ;)
When I was there, I took some photos of this ancient part of Lyon which is a mixture of the last 20 centuries and so an Unesco heritage, as the guide says. It has really nice atmosphere with cobblestone streets, historic renaissance houses, steep narrow alleys and of course quiet large churches. The sheltered passages that lead through blocks of houses can be found between the streets, they have served as a protection during WWII bombings. Two retro-looking funiculars climb the slopes of Fourviere mountain on which the quarter is built. One of them goes to Roman ruins, the other one to Basilique de Fourviere. Especially the Roman amphitheatre from 19AD is a great place! While standing on the stage at the bottom, I wondered how it was like to give the Powerpoint presentations in there? ;)
Monday, March 13, 2006
Exams have arrived
So I had the first exam today. It was Business Policy and we had a case study of 20 pages, 5 questions and 3 hours. All of the students finished after those 3 hours... I personally spend 1 hour reading, 1 hour writing and 1 hour just thinking what the hell is everybody writing?! Well not my best performace, for sure.
When we were going back to dorm, we noticed a small rabbit sitting in the middle of road. We started to chase him so he gets lost but he was still running in circles. Probably he was too shocked or... it reminded me of a book of drawings, called The Bunny Suicides. Some samples:
Ok tomorrow morning I have another exam that will last 3 hours and now I am totally dead from today's gym. I need to see the slides, at least...
When we were going back to dorm, we noticed a small rabbit sitting in the middle of road. We started to chase him so he gets lost but he was still running in circles. Probably he was too shocked or... it reminded me of a book of drawings, called The Bunny Suicides. Some samples:
Ok tomorrow morning I have another exam that will last 3 hours and now I am totally dead from today's gym. I need to see the slides, at least...
Friday, March 10, 2006
Le Palais de la Biére
There is a place in Lyon called "The Beer Palace" and their advertisement says that they offer 300 different kinds of beers. We went out to check it out.
We arrived in "happy hour" which is until 9pm. The friendly waiter sat us to a table and then we ordered or I better should say "then we were ordering". He asked each of us what kind of beer we like, what beer we haven't tried before and brought us samples of what he recommended to us. Quite nice job, he devoted to us maybe 20 minutes for one order! So this was auite a drawback, we were dying of thirst until we could finally order. And also he said to me that I should not taste the sample he gave to Lucy because then neither of us will get the taste right. So I brainstormed with her and came to the conclusion that if we want to try the beer of the other we need to keep it in our mouth and kiss... okay I am just provoking you ;)
The beer was of course good - as always is. The only thing that prevents me from beiing a returning customer (besides time-consuming ordering process) is the price - 4-6€ for small, 8-10€ for large?? This was definitely the most expensive beer in my life :) Luckily I am going to see Prague in two weeks so I will visit numerous real palaces of beer that are there! Because for me, being a king of beer means that I can get more than two glasses in one evening ;)
We arrived in "happy hour" which is until 9pm. The friendly waiter sat us to a table and then we ordered or I better should say "then we were ordering". He asked each of us what kind of beer we like, what beer we haven't tried before and brought us samples of what he recommended to us. Quite nice job, he devoted to us maybe 20 minutes for one order! So this was auite a drawback, we were dying of thirst until we could finally order. And also he said to me that I should not taste the sample he gave to Lucy because then neither of us will get the taste right. So I brainstormed with her and came to the conclusion that if we want to try the beer of the other we need to keep it in our mouth and kiss... okay I am just provoking you ;)
The beer was of course good - as always is. The only thing that prevents me from beiing a returning customer (besides time-consuming ordering process) is the price - 4-6€ for small, 8-10€ for large?? This was definitely the most expensive beer in my life :) Luckily I am going to see Prague in two weeks so I will visit numerous real palaces of beer that are there! Because for me, being a king of beer means that I can get more than two glasses in one evening ;)
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
Nourriture... or what do I eat here
French cuisine... famous in the world!
First week I arrived I was eating in canteen of Ecole Centrale which is in the same campus. A menu for 2.8€, that was not bad for entree, main dish, desert and bread. I have to say that the dishes vere usually quite good tasting. But the steaks! Bloody hell! If you like your steak RARE then this canteen is the right place for you to eat. But I like mine MEDIUM WELL so I don't eat in canteen anymore. Am I really that principled person that if I experience once something I don't like, I don't come back trying again?
So now I more or less cook for myself because other places where to eat are quite far and more expensive. Well sometimes Jannik cooks for me his special and famous Spaghetti Carbonara (very near and absolutely the cheapest option :) and sometimes I have something small in schools cafe. But most of time, Carrefour is my ingredients supplier and I am the main chef.
My most favourite thing to cook is STEAK HACHE. Frozen steak, 1kg package, 10 pieces, quick easy, cheap and it's red meat! Everytime I come back from Fitness I want to eat this source of proteins. Plus mixed vegetables, broccoli, cous-cous or just bread, 15 minutes to prepare and finish eating.
Then it's PASTA. Million of variations - pasta carbonara, napolitana, bolognese, with pesto, with corn, with chicken meat and cream, with olive oil and olives, with mushrooms, with everything previously mentioned...
And SALADS. With tomatoes, olives, mozzarella (48 cents:), tuna chunks, boiled eggs and bacon strips, add vinagrette and olive oil and its done. Last time I also bough some norwegian SALMON + fresh dark french baguette and had it with the salad. This was the best thing ever!
I cannot forget small chocolate+vanilla cream desserts from whole milk, chocolate croissants, perfect muesli and fruit youghurts. I have to admit that Carrefour brand makes really good products! (Hidden advertising in here. Unfortunately without remuneration.)
All of these things are pretty basic and quite cheap because they are sold in larger or multiple piece packages. But they still taste very nice. When I recall my troubles while being in USA with food from stores that had no taste (or everything tasted the same), contained a excessive amount of sugar or salt, everything was sweet (meat, milk, bread) France comes as a much more better country to live. That's why "French women don't get fat" (name of quite famous book) - because they don't need to eat expensive organic high-tech low-calories natural-grown trendy food and they still eat much more healtier than American women. Well from what I see in my school, French girls are quite okay, you-know-what-I-mean ;)
At last, don't forget you eat to live and not live to eat!
First week I arrived I was eating in canteen of Ecole Centrale which is in the same campus. A menu for 2.8€, that was not bad for entree, main dish, desert and bread. I have to say that the dishes vere usually quite good tasting. But the steaks! Bloody hell! If you like your steak RARE then this canteen is the right place for you to eat. But I like mine MEDIUM WELL so I don't eat in canteen anymore. Am I really that principled person that if I experience once something I don't like, I don't come back trying again?
So now I more or less cook for myself because other places where to eat are quite far and more expensive. Well sometimes Jannik cooks for me his special and famous Spaghetti Carbonara (very near and absolutely the cheapest option :) and sometimes I have something small in schools cafe. But most of time, Carrefour is my ingredients supplier and I am the main chef.
My most favourite thing to cook is STEAK HACHE. Frozen steak, 1kg package, 10 pieces, quick easy, cheap and it's red meat! Everytime I come back from Fitness I want to eat this source of proteins. Plus mixed vegetables, broccoli, cous-cous or just bread, 15 minutes to prepare and finish eating.
Then it's PASTA. Million of variations - pasta carbonara, napolitana, bolognese, with pesto, with corn, with chicken meat and cream, with olive oil and olives, with mushrooms, with everything previously mentioned...
And SALADS. With tomatoes, olives, mozzarella (48 cents:), tuna chunks, boiled eggs and bacon strips, add vinagrette and olive oil and its done. Last time I also bough some norwegian SALMON + fresh dark french baguette and had it with the salad. This was the best thing ever!
I cannot forget small chocolate+vanilla cream desserts from whole milk, chocolate croissants, perfect muesli and fruit youghurts. I have to admit that Carrefour brand makes really good products! (Hidden advertising in here. Unfortunately without remuneration.)
All of these things are pretty basic and quite cheap because they are sold in larger or multiple piece packages. But they still taste very nice. When I recall my troubles while being in USA with food from stores that had no taste (or everything tasted the same), contained a excessive amount of sugar or salt, everything was sweet (meat, milk, bread) France comes as a much more better country to live. That's why "French women don't get fat" (name of quite famous book) - because they don't need to eat expensive organic high-tech low-calories natural-grown trendy food and they still eat much more healtier than American women. Well from what I see in my school, French girls are quite okay, you-know-what-I-mean ;)
At last, don't forget you eat to live and not live to eat!
Monday, March 06, 2006
Presentation... f**k it!
So today we finally had the last presentations for the most important subject this term - the mighty BUSINESS POLICY.
The course was very good (not like us :). It covered the basics for any businessman - Industry analysis, Porter's five forces and value chain, GE or Boston Consulting Groups matrixes. I think every student of "economics" should know about these things. For every manager or consultant, they represent the same as a Bible for a priest or Kamasutra for a lover. ( I don't know these books :)
But in Prague, University of Economics, we have no idea what these things are! I mean we have subjects on finance, accounting, management... but actually no one teaches us how to look at the company we work for, our competitors, our environment to survive, to make money, to profit! How to make business! Which is our future job, I suppose.
This is still a very wide difference between "the western world" and our "transition country", at least in school. We are not taught how to analyse the sitation we are in, to be creative, to make decisions, to be entrepreneurial, to exploit our capabilities, to be successful. We learn "how to know things". I hope that this is gonna change a we will also be able to develop and progress economically thanks to persons that are not just "studying so they are wise" but persons that study "to find a way how to put the ideas into existence".
Okay that's it. The big credit for today's presentation goes to Jannik. When presenting, he forgot his vocabulary for a while and while unable to finish the explanation, after 30 seconds he desperately said: "fuck it. sorry!". I was in tears :)
Jannik. Of course, in the bowl there is wine!
The course was very good (not like us :). It covered the basics for any businessman - Industry analysis, Porter's five forces and value chain, GE or Boston Consulting Groups matrixes. I think every student of "economics" should know about these things. For every manager or consultant, they represent the same as a Bible for a priest or Kamasutra for a lover. ( I don't know these books :)
But in Prague, University of Economics, we have no idea what these things are! I mean we have subjects on finance, accounting, management... but actually no one teaches us how to look at the company we work for, our competitors, our environment to survive, to make money, to profit! How to make business! Which is our future job, I suppose.
This is still a very wide difference between "the western world" and our "transition country", at least in school. We are not taught how to analyse the sitation we are in, to be creative, to make decisions, to be entrepreneurial, to exploit our capabilities, to be successful. We learn "how to know things". I hope that this is gonna change a we will also be able to develop and progress economically thanks to persons that are not just "studying so they are wise" but persons that study "to find a way how to put the ideas into existence".
Okay that's it. The big credit for today's presentation goes to Jannik. When presenting, he forgot his vocabulary for a while and while unable to finish the explanation, after 30 seconds he desperately said: "fuck it. sorry!". I was in tears :)
Jannik. Of course, in the bowl there is wine!
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
Happy Hour Today
What a cool idea to do happy hour evenings every Wednesday in the school's bar! We might have two bars in my university in Prague, but they usually don't serve as a place for parties. They are boooooring!
Here in EM Lyon, the bar is run by students that have been elected to do this function. The team changes every year or so, I think. So when the bar begins to us ("students"), active and creative people, doing something more than just serving beer is quite understandable. So that's the reason for the happy hours :)
The elections for many of the school clubs take place every year and are preceded by pre-election campaign. Basically, the guys in charge for this year give some rules to follow to competing teams to embarass them in the school. At least I think it's like this. It has been almost two weeks since the those students are running in school with plastic dicks or red girl underwear on their heads and doing funny dances during the breaks....
Okay, this is not very interesting! Right now I went to TV room to see football game between France and Slovakia. What a coincidence :) The French were very sad that thay have lost 1:2! This is quite lucky for me that Slovakia beats France maybe for the first time ever... and it brings me into a good mood when I am here!
Here in EM Lyon, the bar is run by students that have been elected to do this function. The team changes every year or so, I think. So when the bar begins to us ("students"), active and creative people, doing something more than just serving beer is quite understandable. So that's the reason for the happy hours :)
The elections for many of the school clubs take place every year and are preceded by pre-election campaign. Basically, the guys in charge for this year give some rules to follow to competing teams to embarass them in the school. At least I think it's like this. It has been almost two weeks since the those students are running in school with plastic dicks or red girl underwear on their heads and doing funny dances during the breaks....
Okay, this is not very interesting! Right now I went to TV room to see football game between France and Slovakia. What a coincidence :) The French were very sad that thay have lost 1:2! This is quite lucky for me that Slovakia beats France maybe for the first time ever... and it brings me into a good mood when I am here!
Monday, February 27, 2006
Week of skiing drinking in the Alps
I'm back from a week of "skiing" in French Alps, accurately from "skiing" in Val Thorens. Of course I was not alone! A typical Erasmus group - Germany, USA, Slovakia, Czech, Mexico, Spain, France, Finland, Lebanon - rented a very nice "gite" (mountain house in France), brought several cases of beer (and everyday needed to buy another few), put the sauna on and was enjoying one week of university holidays.On "skiing":
The resort was heaven! I did snowboarding as always and enjoyed it a lot. Back-country snowboarding (going off slopes) proved again to be one of the best things on Earth, when you float on the snow like a surfer on the ocean wave. Only bad thing - the victim of the week was Mike (the American) who has been stolen second snowboard in this season - at least it wasn't Burton this time!
On Torino Olympics:Been there - nothing special. We passed 14km tunnel de Frejus between France and Italy (40€ return ticket!) and parked a car in Bardonecchia where snowboarding events took place. Regular tickets for the day were sold, we have been offered better seating for 90€ (oh sure) or to go and see curling finals (oh sure). So we better took train to Torino. City was quite nice, but I think Firenze or Venice have much more to offer. Nobody besides tourists spoke English (I wonder how could they organize Olympics there?), people were eating icecream and life passes as usually in Italy - no problemo. In the evening, Lou Reed ("Perfect Day", Velvet Underground etc.) throw in a concert and the atmosphere became much more appealing to me!
On "other activities":
I mean drinking of course!
So many drinking games we played and they all worked out. One of the highlights would be "Night of Marco", the mexican boy. When we went asleep, he woke up, and stepped on Martin sleeping on the floor, not because he was drunk but because we were 15 instead of 7 in the house. Then he dropped a wooden ladder on him, Martin cursing in English-Czech already. Suddently, I hear Jeff shouting: "Stop it Marco, you cannot piss here, stop pissing!!!". Hehe, Marco, drunk as he was, went to the neigbouring room and started to piss on the floor next to sleeping German boy. In the morning, he couldn't remember anything, but he was for sure the first Mexican to piss on a German!For this, he was punished by Lebanese commando everynigh since that by becoming their "charmutta" (a bitch) ie. been attacked by guys in bed, sauna, everywhere :)
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