So here I am in beautiful downtown Ljubljana, mildly jetlagged after a day of travel and a day of presentations. Slovenia is a small country worried about preserving its culture because it is surrounded by large and powerful neighbours. Kids are force-fed Slovenian literature and politics in school. Sounds familiar to a Canadian. But - so different from us - they seem to lap it up! My kids all complained about the Struggle For Responsible Government, that hardy perreniel of the Canadian curriculum. And I sympathized. Hey, I was sick of it thirty years ago. But here everyone seems to revel in their struggle for freedom, independence, self-government. One of the schools I visited today had a Richard Scrimger Day, and there were songs and dances in traditional Slovenian costume. And the kids were smiling. They must have heard this stuff a thousand times but it was still fresh.
Yes, they watch South Park and Simpsons and Family Guy. And their jokes reflect it. They are part of the world American culture. But they are Slovenian too, proud relicts of the old Austro-Hungarian empire. They listen to Blink 182, but they also listen to something called Turbo-folk (imagine oom-pah-pah with a Euro-pop chaser. That's it in the picture -- scary, huh?) And one of the TV channels seems to show indoor soccer 24/7.
Sounds crazy but I tell you I'm getting hooked.
8 comments:
Do they have iPODS?
No, they have sausages. More on that next post. RS
I'm glad you like my shoes, let me tell you what I think about yours:
I do not like Scrimger's blue shoes
I do not like them through and throughs
I do not like them on my feet
I do not like them on the street
I do not like them in Slovenia
I do not like them with a hernia
I would not eat them on a plane
I would not eat them while I'm sane
I do like like green eggs and ham
I do not like them Scrim-I-am
I do not like them as a shoe
But for now they'll have to do
If you think my shoes fit you well, then your shoes may be a size or larger than you need since they're a little larger than I'd like, that's really only thing I have against them. Well that and you wore down the left one much more than the right.
I read the entry this time, It's like looking in a european mirror...
A-Bomb
I'm glad you like my shoes, let me tell you what I think about yours:
I do not like Scrimger's blue shoes
I do not like them through and throughs
I do not like them on my feet
I do not like them on the street
I do not like them in Slovenia
I do not like them with a hernia
I would not eat them on a plane
I would not eat them while I'm sane
I do like like green eggs and ham
I do not like them Scrim-I-am
I do not like them as a shoe
But for now they'll have to do
If you think my shoes fit you well, then your shoes may be a size or larger than you need since they're a little larger than I'd like, that's really only thing I have against them. Well that and you wore down the left one much more than the right.
I read the entry this time, It's like looking in a european mirror...
A-Bomb
Oh dear. As a matter of fact, A-Bomb, your shoes are okay, but a bit small. I have no comment on the left right weardown -- makes no sense to me. Maybe I do some somnambulistic hopping. Enjoy, and be patient. I'm home in a few days. Ill see Sam this weekend.
RS
Hey. Of course we have iPods. We are not 10 years behind you. :)
of course you have i-pods, Nina. But don't get on your high cultural horse. Is Slovenia's music scene its best feature? In my time here I have not met ANYONE who was proud of it. RS
Well that's true. :)There's just a few Slovenians who actually like our music. I don't. But check out Siddharta or Dan D or Big Foot Mama. They aren't so bad.
By the way, i loved your presentation today in library.
You know i said the other girl's name was Clare and I was laughing all the time. Yeah, that's me.
But Marilyn asked if we have iPods and not about our high cultural horse.
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