"Random Ramblings of the Recently Resuscitated"
(For being semi literate I am sure enjoy the alliterations :-))
Enjoy the Medicinal Musical Melodrama at the end of this whimsically wry writing.
Apologies I am still working on the musical portions of this update when I am waxing lyrical I will let you know, in the meantime you will just need to imagine the music in your head until I can upload it here.
Here are just some observations I have made since my arrival to Slovenia. They do not fit into a nice neat story, travel log or into a major cultural analysis, just little tidbits of observation. Since I am on another of my hospital holidays, I have time to put my obscure thoughts from keyboard to screen. (No more of that pen to paper stuff in the modern world). I will be sure not to send this off until I am out of the hospital, would not like my critics or those who feel tortured by my writings to contact the hospital and ask them to pull the plug, to keep me from further expressions.
1. Before I arrived in Slovenia, I was told and read about the Prostitution trade and how many prostitutes were from Eastern Europe working in Central Europe, mainly in hotel bars. My second night in Slovenia I stayed at a hotel in the town of Kranj. With the hotel came a coupon for a free drink. When I went into the restaurant/bar I saw two younger women sitting at the bar and they both smiled at me. I did not see anyone on the working side of the bar, so I did not go in. About 30 minutes later, I went back into the bar and again no workers just the two young ladies. I left again and got my laptop and figured I would keep myself busy until a staff person showed up and I would not have to deal with the two ladies. When I came back with the laptop and set it up, one of the ladies approached me and asked me if I wanted a drink. I said I would wait until the bartender came back, to which she responded she was the bartender. I had erred, they were both staff, they were just sitting on the customer side of the counter. They were not ladies of the evening. So lesson one do not take everything you are told literally.
2. I went into a shopping center to shop and on the way in the electronic revolving door was not revolving automatically, so I pushed it open and went about my shopping. Upon my return the door was still not automatically revolving, so I pushed it open again. I then went to the cash machine next to the door. As I waited my turn 6 persons walked up to the revolving door, stopped, looked at it, and walked away, some back to their cars and some to other doorways on the other side of the shopping center. It was not until the 7th person came that they pushed on the door to open it. Lesson two, some people are timid or afraid to take chances, many conclusions on this behaviour can be drawn.
3. I was in another shopping center which also included a Cinema/Kino/movie theatre. I take a medication which causes me to need to use the toilet often (TMI?). Upon getting to the entrance of the toilets, there was a very long a line/que of men and boys, not a good thing when you got to go (you've got to go). It ended up not being so bad though, the line/que was not for the toilets it was for the wash basins. They were all washing their hands, the toilets were free. Not only are the streets of Slovenia clean but hygiene is very important too. Where in many places I have been washing hands leaving the toilet has been optional, in Slovenia it seems to be standard operating procedure. By the way all seating in Slovenian cinema's are assigned reserved seating.
4. The Slovenians pride themselves on their being able to speak English. They feel by learning English they can go anywhere in the world and be able to communicate with others. Only to be disappointed when they go to Italy, France, Spain etc and find that the peoples of those countries do not seem to see the need to learn a second language.
5. While the Slovenians speak and understand English well, it has been nice to be in the hospital and have Doctor's be more direct in their diagnostic descriptions. Instead of saying I have a diseased anterior left artery and two others that are patented etc., they say in a more direct, honest and understandable fashion: "Your arteries are big mess." I find that much easier to understand and more refreshing than the Medical English.
6. One quick comparison, in Ireland when you go to a Pub people are quick to chat with you and include you in the conversation. In Slovenia, it takes 3 to 4 meetings before they say hello, but when they do they are very kind and sincere.
7. Menu items lost in translation: Chicken Chest sandwiches (hmm rooster's have chest, chicken's have breasts) safe to say it probably is breast and not chest. At a Chinese restaurant two menu items: 1. Ants that climb mountains, 2 Family that eats each other (I wonder if it is for the Donner family that crossed the Sierra's in California in the 1800's or maybe they mean family that eats together) any way I went with the sweet and sour prawns.
8. By the way I am not much of a fish eater, but the fish and shellfish they have here has made it enjoyable for me to eat fish and the red meats here are not as tender or sweet as they are in the USA, Ireland or Germany. So for those of you who like fish and especially prawns/scampi/shrimp, this is a good place to eat. And the vegetables and fruits are quite good and most fresh.
9. Doctor's in Ireland told me I needed to have 3 portions of fiber, and 3 portions of fruit a day and I should limit myself to 1 or two portions of alcohol. I asked if Whisky could be my fiber and wine my fruit but they said no, so it is good the fruits, vegetables, nuts, olives etc are all quite satisfying and of good quality in Slovenia.
10. Customer service here is one at a time. They do not have peripheral vision. So if you want to be served make sure you make direct eye contact. They are very focused people the best I can tell and take care of things one issue at a time and do it well. It will be interesting as I develop my ideas here and multi-tasking and broader vision is required.
11. One thing I have found consistent with Slavic peoples from Czech republic, Poland, Slovenia is that they will not make a decision until the decision must be made or shortly thereafter.
12. Based on my experience and conversations, we in the western world know so little about Central Europeans and they know so much about us. I can travel anywhere in Western Europe, Asia, Africa or South America and feel like I know some of the history and cultures of those areas. Central Europe is completely new and foreign to me. It is a bit embarrassing, but it also shows me I have so much more to learn. Yes I know the first world war started here, and there was isolation, socialism and communism here, but I know nothing of their history, literature etc. and the many contributions they have made to world society over the years. Their experience is very different from Irish experience. Where Ireland was essentially mono-cultural from 2000 BC to 1100 ad, Central Europe has been the center of the world and also the crossing point for many cultures. Native populations up to 500 BC, 300 BC rulers of the world via Macedonia and Alexander the Great, then Celts, then Romans, then in AD's Slavs, French, Austro-Hungarian, Turks, Italians, Germans, Russians, etc. They are only now discovering their own identity in the last centuries and even more so in the last few decades. As they are learning to be free and not subject to the influence of outside "empires" that being said they are also wanting to be part of a bigger forum by being members of the EU. So it is an interesting time and place in history. In a way, they have been lost in history as a result of being overwhelmed by larger nations. And our/my understanding of this area is from learning about Russia, Germany, Italy, Rome, Greece, Turkey (their occupiers) and not the countries and peoples themselves. A little historical aside: France, Germany, Spain, UK, Switzerland were all lands made up of individual clans/kingdoms that eventually choose to join together into a larger country. The Slavic countries were controlled and absorbed by larger outside powers, but when given the opportunity have opted to develop their own identity on a more localized and homogeneous level.
13. The official language of hospital staffs in Europe seems to be Slavic. When I was on my hospital holidays in Ireland the cleaning and serving staff spoke Czech, Polish or Lithuanian here it is Slovene.
14. One surprise for me is that Slovenians are not used to meeting Americans, every where else I have been in the world, most people consider American's to be a dime a dozen, they are everywhere and not new or interesting. For me here in Slovenia I am a novelty, which is probably my biggest un-anticipated surprise. They wonder why I moved here, so I have gotten used to making the following presentation:
I have done all in life I had wanted and I still have some life left in me, so I researched the 188 +/- countries of the world and based on my desire for climatic, cultural and geographic differences, Slovenia was my best choice. When they ask what I plan on doing here, my honest and standard answer is. "I could have come here to be an astronaut but that would have done me no good, since there is no Slovenian space programme. There are many things I know how to do and many I can learn so my desire for my first months in Slovenia is to discover where I best fit in and where I can be of value, what I end up doing, I have no idea, but whatever I end up doing I will enjoy. What I refuse to do, is to believe that I know better than they what is best in their country, nor will I import western ways of doing things without first understanding their ways.
15. When I left the USA for Ireland, I found my use of the English language adjusted from USA English to British and Irish English; with taking over running of hostels, I then developed tourist English. My English is now going through a 4th phase, English as a Second Language English, I am finding I am having to limit my vocabulary and use simpler words, with each word having more meanings, than when I am in a native speaking land where many words are used to express the nuances. It is sort of like Autocad lite English (Reference to Autocad, is architectural/engineering program used by professionals and the lite version for people like myself who worked with architects and engineers but did not need to know all the ins and outs of the designs, just the general outline and concepts). For the Slovenians who learned English through reading, I need to speak English by using the Slovenian pronunciation for the English letters Yawn Vain is John Wayne, Vega (pronounced like the car) with Table, is how they say vegetable, and many more words like this. If at first they do not understand my English pronunciation of a word, then I pronounce it with Slovenian sounds and this works most of the time. They know the words they just pronounce them their way and not our way.
16. As for understanding of Central and Western European Cultures one of the challenges is sorting through the propaganda that was controlling facts from the 40's to the 90's. Western world was told and taught about all the evils of communism and socialism whilst Central and Eastern Europeans were told of the evils of democracy and capitalism. Both extremes were misrepresentative of the other. So now it is interesting to find things were not as bad here as we were told and things were not as bad in the western world as they were told here.
17. Clothing optional: In USA hospitals you are provided with a hospital gown which is revealing of ones backside and awkward. In Ireland you must bring your own sleeping/bed wear. In Slovenia they provide you with new pajama's, and towels daily and slippers and a robe for the duration of your stay.
(The Naked Truth) In the sauna's in Ireland if you do not wear clothes you will be arrested. In Slovenia, if you wear clothes in the Sauna you will be ejected. The swim areas in both countries require swimming gear.
18. I am impressed with the quality of woodwork in Slovenia, the furniture, stairs, walls, cabinets etc. are all done with excellent workmanship, materials and effects. I am quite impressed.
19. Slovenia and the Football (Soccer) World Cup. Slovenia with a population of 2 million will be one of the 32 teams competing in the World Cup of Football this summer. They are in the same bracket as the USA. So hopefully, it will help give Slovenia some exposure. Slovakia will also be in the competition. I have told the Slovenians this will be helpful, since so many people confuse Slovenia with Slovakia, if the two teams play for the Championship, people will either realise they are two different countries, or such a big country they have two teams.
20. The phlebotomist here are quite skilled. I think they have all trained in nearby Transylvania. They have a very refined bedside manner. And they leave no telling marks. They don't come and exit through the window as in the past, some traditions get lost with progress.
21. I am getting a clearer understanding of the source of the conflicts in the "Balkans". Similar to Israel/Palestine, Ireland/Northern Ireland, it is an issue of religion and culture and Empire v Sense of Clan. For the south central Europe they have been under the influence of western and eastern Christianity and Islam. When the Roman Catholic Church was divided between Constantinople/Istanbul and Rome the dividing line separated the Balkans down the spine with Slovenia, Croatia, Monte Negro and Albania under Roman influence and the balance under Eastern Orthodox influence. Then the Turks invaded and brought Islam. With the prior influences of Rome, Greece and the Slavs, then came the Austria-Hungarian, German, French Empires. So it became a jigsaw puzzle of religions and cultures. Since this area was at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and Africa it is quite a mix of cultures and religions. While the USA is the melting pot of immigrants this area of Europe is the melting pot of the remnants of empires past.
So those are my tidbits of the moment
Now here are some of the observational tidbits I have come to know about myself or life from my perspective.
1. If one learns from their mistakes, I am one of the most learned {( or is it learnt?) hmmm more to learn} persons in the world.
2. I have never learned anything I knew before.
3. For me, life is like a box of Lego's, I can always re-build. Using the same material and building blocks you can end up with many different results, and if the results are not satisfactory one can always start anew. Actually I live by the LEGO system I Learn As I GO (LAIGO) and you can aslo by Learning As You GO (LAYGO)
4. Gravity always wins: I am not one who is much for rules but I have found this rule to be unbreakable and attempts to break this rule can result in breakage. And the other rule: two solid objects cannot occupy the same area at the same time. Outside of these two rules most other rules should be seen as guidelines and not absolutes. For example in math 1 + 1 = 2, but if you get two people working together then the math changes 1+ 1 = more than two, where two people doing something together can achieve more than if working individually, in many circumstances. At the same time 1 + 1 can equal less than 2 if the individuals are working at cross purposes.
5. My favourite medical warning on a medication: In Ireland, I was prescribed sleeping pills/tablets, the warning on the box stated: "Danger may cause drowsiness" Hmmm if it does not cause drowsiness, it is not doing what it is supposed to do. I wonder if they will put warnings on Band-Aids (plasters) stating: "Danger may stop bleeding and protect wound from infection." On ladders: Danger may make it easier for you to reach places you cannot reach whilst standing on the ground." On Automobiles: "Danger may get you to your destination faster than if you walk." Actually this warning is more akin to "Warning after take off this plane may fly" If I am taking a sleeping pill/tablet it better do more than cause drowsiness, if it does not cause sleep it is not doing it's job.
6. Never let yourself be defined, once you are defined you loose your identity. We are not one thing we are many things and most of which are undefinable and sometimes contradictory that is what makes life and humanness fun and interesting.
7. My two favourite comic jokes: A drawing of two ladies at work playing solitaire at their desks, one is on the phone explaining: "I am sorry, our computers are down and we are having to do everything manually". The second one: a man at his desk on the phone stating: "I am sorry, this is the production department, you must have been talking to the promise department." My two favourite bumper stickers: "Hire a teenager while they still know everything." and on the back of a Recreational Vehicle "We are spending our children's inheritance." My two favourite personal theme songs: Free Electric Band and Signs, Signs Everywhere signs.
8. My favourite age is the age of 4, this is when children know the language but know no boundaries or restrictions in it's use and are able to express themselves sincerely without filters. My son Evin had one I thought showed wisdom beyond his age. At the age of 4 he and I went to see the movie "Titanic" there is a scene where the girlfriend is on a ships door floating in the frigid waters as her suitor holds unto the door freezing as he says something like this "I will be with you forever, I will always be there for you etc. ..." the scene goes quiet, the cinema is filled with the whimpers, tears and muffled cries of the female audience which was then broken when Evin stated clearly and audibly "yeah right!?" which brought the cinema to laughter. Honesty over sentiment. Another time was when my eldest daughter was also 4 and we were at a family gathering, asked why her mother was not in attendance, she responded honestly and sincerely, "My mom does not like anyone here." With my favourite age being 4 and my finding myself in the hospital with people 20 years or more my senior, I realise I have the body of a 70 year old and the desire to live in the world as a 4 year old. Last year I had an Irish friend who turned 70, he said "Had I known I was going to live this long I would have taken better care of meself." I will be lucky to live to 70 but I hope in the remaining years I can capture the youthful outlook of a 4 year old and absorb everything I espy for what it is and not what I want it to be.
9. We can learn a lot through observation and the observations of others. I remember one time driving down the road with my younger daughter Caitlin. I made some sort of comment about a "drifter" type looking male who was walking down the road. My daughter took offense to my comment. I do not remember her exact words, but the result was from that time on I looked at people differently. No one is better or worse than another, we are all different, have different circumstances and arrive where we do for different reasons. Differences should be celebrated and not derided.
10. My favourite mutual tease moment (well moment with a long pause it took me awhile to come up with a comeback) came with Caitlin too. She was studying in Monmouth Oregon near Salem. We were driving by the State mental hospital where "One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest" was filmed. Caitlin commented that she looked forward to visiting me there someday. It took me awhile to think of a retort but I finally gave my response which was that: "I would be more than happy to visit her there from time to time"
11. Talking about mindless chatter I had a brain scan, the Doctor's said they could find nothing. Which I was pleased to hear, No need to worry about mental illness and it explained the voices in my head, nothing more than echoes. Further research revealed the location of my brain. I must avoid sitting on sharp objects, if I want to avoid brain damage.
12. Today was my radio active day. Not sure if it was AM, FM, analog or digital, but isotopes were put into my body to examine what parts of my heart might still be alive and recoverable. The rhythm of my heart beat whilst not melodic is sufficient for me to keep on living. With all the information now gathered the Doctor's now need to help me find a balance between my Aortic Aneurysm, Low strength heartbeat, clogged arteries, etc. there are a number of "Catch 22's" so it will be interesting to see what they come up with. Hopefully, my radio active day will have me singing a more positive tune. All these test were part of the process the doctor's need to perform as they get to know my body and its condition before they make recommendations and take action. If you know the tune to the Song Getting to Know You, here is a melodic explanation of my Radio active day.
13. Every place I have been people from those places let me know how their place is different only to confirm for me that they are the same. They all say the people from the main city are arrogant and the people from the countryside are slow minded, that neighboring countries are inferior or feel superior and there is nothing interesting about their location. That their politicians are selfish, business people are not good, etc. What I have found is that the places where outsiders have moved in, or insiders have moved out and comeback are more progressive and adaptable to change than where the population is predominantly local. I am just one of 35 +/- foreigners that live in a city of 40,000 in Novo Mesto. I find it interesting too that when I ask Slovenian people where they are from 90% of the time they are from the place in which I have met them. And if they have a partner, spouse, etc over 95% come from the same place. They seem to be very comfortable with familiarity. They are inquisitive but nervous about the world beyond their experience.
14. Many complain to me that westerner's do not know much about them, but my concern to them is that many of them base their understanding of western culture on movies and TV which do not in any way accurately reflect true western cultures. We do not have super hero's living and operating in our major cities, not everyone uses a gun, and cowboys do not ride into town and solve your problems, etc. And America is not one big conglomeration of cities, it is actually less dense (population wise than Europe). Oregon itself in land area is the size of the old Yugoslavia but population wise one 10 th the number. That being said it seems to me many American Tourist give them impression that Europe is just one big Disneyland, placed there for their enjoyment and in other parts of the world there are evil people who do not like Americans and do not understand how nice Americans are.
15. One perspective I have difficulties dealing with is the European's comment that they find it interesting the USA does not want others to have nuclear weapons, but at the same time the only country to have used them on others is the USA. They see a contradiction there. It makes it hard therefore for the USA to have credibility when they talk about nuclear issues, when they are the only ones to have literally gone nuclear. No offense to myself or American friends and relatives here, just making the point the way we look at things and the way others perceive it can be quite different.
16. Being in the hospital is helping me with learning Slovenian. I am getting better at repeating the same phrases and working on the pronunciations. I am getting better on rolling my "R's" and combining my consonants. Many Slovene words do not have vowels, Vrt = Garden, Trg=Square, and many words have multiple consonants which makes my tongue move in directions it has never moved before. Then there is the 'sh' and 'ch' sounds when on their own I can handle with not a problem, but many words have them adjacent to each other, which requires more tongue agility than I currently have, but must develop if I am to be understood.
17. I think they are finding out I am a bit strange. After my radioactive test I asked for a DVD copy of that test as well was my cardiography exams so I can send them on to a friend of mine in Poland who is a Radiologist and does autopsies. I have promised to send her all my medical records and will donate my body to her hospital at my death for use in medical research. Figure that is a better use for my body then a hot oven or a metal box, plus wherever I go I wont be taking my body or anything else with me except my memories, I hope. There is a great fear of death in Slovenian society, they avoid celebrating Halloween thinking it is a death festival. Best I can tell we all die, nothing I want to embrace any sooner than need be, but it is not something I hide from. Not good to hide from reality. And the reality is we come into the world with nothing we leave the world the same way with only memories and experiences in between and if we were fortunate enough to have children the knowledge that our life's will continues from our genes to theirs. What they do with the pair of genes they got from their parents is their business. I have survived 3 potentially life ending events, so I am quite lucky to have the time I have and hope to make the best of the rest of it.
18. Overwhelmed by my own doing. In the past I have been overwhelmed by circumstances I did not control. Final exams and papers for getting my university degrees. relationship, employment, and domicile changes etc. This move to Slovenia was totally of my own doing and volition. It was absolutely mentally, emotionally, physically overwhelming in months 2 and 3. The last month has been more manageable. My heart problems occur when I have too much stress this was the case with my first heart attack and then again after a year of a broken back, kidney stones, Mother's passing and ending of my 11 years in Hostels and Ireland. The Doctor's here now have my data and know what they are dealing with. It is more likely I will die accidentally than from a heart problem, so I will not let this latest incident interfere with my enjoyment of my steps in the present on my path to an unknown future.
19. There are many things that make this type of move overwhelming. Everything is new, every place, food, drink, bed, doorway, step, road, sign, building, word, sound, flora and fauna is new (except for McDonalds). Orientation is based on familiarity, when you first move to a place their is no familiarity. Not knowing anyone and not having someone to share the experience with. Location of signs and words on signs. Language, sounds, music, movement and attitudes of peoples is all different. Every one of our 6 or more senses has something new to sense, evaluate etc. but overtime, these new stimuli become manageable, familiarity starts to develop and one can begin to relax, enjoy and experience. This is hard enough as an adult, I wonder what it was like when one is born and comes out of total darkness and enters into the first bits of stimuli which are all foreign to it and no history to rely upon to understand what is around you.
20. I am therefore even more impressed and appreciative of the over 75 people who came to the hostels I managed to assist. It is not easy to leave the familiar for the unfamiliar, but to do so and succeed is a life rewarding and confirming experience.
Out of the darkness we came, into the darkness we will go, what happens in between is what constitutes our life. For some it only last seconds, for most years, but eternity for none. And that is the reality of it all.
Maybe just like there was something on the other side of the womb, there will be something on the other side of this life, but I am not dying to find out anytime soon, but when I do, I will.
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On our grave stone we will be remembered for the three things in life we had nothing to do with birth and death date and name. We can only hope that we will be etched in the memories of others and that the memories we left were positive or at the least helpful to others we created or met on our life's path.
Bet you all will be happy when I do not have so much time on my mind and I am busy with life and not thought. :-) anyway those are my musings of the moment. I hope you are all well and making the best of your time in the light. I will let you all know before I depart this world especially those invested in pharmaceuticals, when I pass their will be a temporary surplus of medications, so it might be a good time to sell or buy depending on the status of your investment portfolios.
Medicine the Musical Melodrama
Having been the only one young enough in my ward to know how to use computer electronics and with access to music. I became the DJ of Soba (room) 16. To my roomies, I am now known as the Kardiak Kid.
Here are some of the more popular songs:
Cardiac patients ask their doctor in song "How do you mend a broken heart"
Most requested directions, where is the "Highway to Heaven"? "Stairway to Heaven" while an option, most seem to prefer to drive than walk. Consideration should be given to remaking the song and changing it to "Escalator to Heaven" Not too many request directions for "Highway to Hell" unless they are just making sure they do not take the wrong turn in life and end up there by accident. Or may be to make sure certain acquaintances are not on the same road as themselves.
Doctor's on Stethoscopes sing to themselves "Rhythm of the heartbeat" while they listen to "Every Breath You Take".
Nurse ask patient where were you when you first started feeling symptoms? Answer, "Heart Break Hotel"
