slow day other side of the world

[Jack]

Anyone else notice how slow today seemed to be?  No?  
Well in reality it seems things, business, traffic, life in North America was pretty much an average day. But on the other side of the world things were a bit different today. Many business's were closed, many people did not work. Throughout most of the FSU today capped the end of a four day holiday that began Friday evening. Yesterday and today there were many gatherings of people. People celebrating, people being joyful, much laughter, dancing and drinking.  

Ever notice how Russian people and people of the FSU, really enjoy their holidays?  You give these people a holiday, give them a reason to celebrate, and you'll see a wonderful side to these people and there culture. I love to be around Russian/Ukraine people during their celebrations.

It's only my opinion but I think due to the hardships the Russian people have endured over the last 900 years have caused these people to really appreciate the times when they can meet and celebrate life.

I think the 75 years from 1917 to 1991 were also very difficult as there was little in life to look forward to for much of the population. Anytime there was a holiday, now that was something to look forward too, and they did!

Many men who have brought over Russian brides can see this same attitude and feelings in their ladies in her new homeland.

And how many of you guys knew when you married a Russian bride that you would also be doubling the  number of your holidays?

[tim360z]

... in response to slow day other side of the world, posted by Jack on Mar 8, 2004

Jack Baby,  1917?  Life was very tough prior to 1917...before the memsheviks and bolsheviks, no doubt about that.  Before the Russian revolution they had been held in thrall by the czars.  Its all simple history.  The Russians theoretically outlawed slavery prior to the USA,  but...semantics of czars as they kept feudal serfdom in effect until the fall of the czars.  

Anyway...celebrations are all part and parcel of the culture.  A Holiday and a reason to celebrate is like a soothing balm to a people who have known incredible cruel totalitarian regeimes.  A chance to celebrate is an affirmation of life.  To drink,  to dance, to sing,  to clap hands, and to smile and to feel happy and wonderfully alive.  

Communists were only an extension of the life known under the czars...but for most,  life was a little better after the czars.

[Jack]

... in response to 1917-1991???, posted by tim360z on Mar 9, 2004

Timmy, I agree that the Russian people had a difficult life prior to the 20th century but after the revolt of 1917 what was once a very religious country and culture, almost overnight were not allowed to publicly acknowledge any religion. And in no other time in Russia's long history did any one ruler murder the ten's of millions of people as what was experienced during the purge of Russia under Stalin's leadership.

[tim360z]

... in response to ok, maybe 1917 to 1953., posted by Jack on Mar 9, 2004

Yes. Prior to the Bolsheviks the Russian peasants did have the succor of the Greek Catholic Orthodox faith in which to find some comfort and...nicely calendar placed Holidays for the peasants to celebrate.  

Uncle Joe?  Funny you mentioned him.  It is only within the past 2 months,  due to increased access to formerly secret Russian archives, that historians are realizing that an additional 40 million Russians were killed in WW2.  Many due to Uncle Joe.  

Womans day is also the anniversary of the 1917 revolts in many cities,  like Petrograd etc,  which were mercilessly quelled by the czars cossacks.  I always had thought "womans day" was made a holiday in honor of all the widows created on that day by the czars cossacks.

[wsbill]

... in response to slow day other side of the world, posted by Jack on Mar 8, 2004

When America economy turns sour again and more layoffs start kicking and it demoralizes the American worker their job is moving overseas and their life isn't quite what it use to be.

Well then, maybe then.  Will they see the light that where their true happiness lays is within their families and not in a big fancy SUV which sort of had a way of excluding the bigger whole of the family.

Americans put their finanical interest first cause we do have the wealth effect, the ruskies if poor will put their families first.

You do have to admit it, the Russians kept alive the arts (Dance, paintings & classical music).  They kept order to their social system...kudo their KGB, I suppose.

Now our Homeland Security is doing it's best to supress our way of life, and trying hard to reform American values or non-values.

America, when I say America - I think of the big liberal cities/companies/people which project a negative lifestyle on to the rest of America are the biggest problem we have in our society.

I guess that's what attracts up to the Eastern Europeans, they have squeched the queer movement as well as the feminist movement and kept the human hirachey in order.

Animals have a pecking order, but clearly mankind demise is because it has lost it's way.

Now we're developing machines to do work which is genderless and will eventually one day put more people out of work and perhaps only then will we recognize - our family comes first.  doubt it..

[Zoidberg]

... in response to Re:... Just wait your turn...., posted by wsbill on Mar 9, 2004

...that family is the most important thing in the world. I am sorry to say it did take a life threatening health problem to get me to think that way. That was 14 years ago and today I am happier then I have ever been. Do I have that SUV? nope... Do I want one? nope... I am not even close to being rich as far as money goes. I have a decent job (been here for 15 years), I own my home (100%) and my 2 cars. They may not be nice to look at but my cars get me around (well one of them does! . I am 40 years old, never been married and my mom lives with me. I support her but people here tend to judge me as the 40 year old still living with mommy... Well she lives with me and I wouldn't have it any other way.

One of my MAIN reasons for starting the search outside of the US was to find someone with the same values on family. I have been all over the world and I have always loved seeing the close families that I hardly saw here. Now I am engaged to a woman that part of why she wanted to know more about me was because I lived with my mom. She respects that I am taking care of my mom and will not send her off to an apartment that maybe she wouldn't want to live.

Yeah, I know there are exceptions to rule but overall the Ukrainians/Russians respect family much more then we do as a whole. On my very first letter to Sveta I told her all about me and what I was looking for. I stressed family and how important it was and that I will never be rich unless I win the lottery. I'd rather spend my free time enjoying the time I have on this planet with the people I love and care about. Of course I need a decent job so we can still do things but I don't need lots of money to enjoy my life. I need my family and friends around to enjoy my life.

I was wrong about never being rich, as I reflect where my life is now and where it is heading I feel I am the richest man in the world. I know in our home we will celebrate everyday and I will show my wife how special she is everyday of the year, not just Woman's Day or Valentines Day or Christmas or.....

Z

[Streetwise]

... in response to slow day other side of the world, posted by Jack on Mar 8, 2004

Sorry Jack, I'm sure you're right about this four-day holiday thing, but I spoke with three lady friends in Ukraine and Latvia over the weekend; all three of them were not only working on Friday, they also had to work Monday as well, even though it was "Woman's Day!"  

Maybe it's only in Russia... ?

[Jack]

... in response to Ahem Ahem..., posted by Streetwise on Mar 9, 2004

Ahhh streetwise, sorry to hear of the misfortune of your three lady friends. You did notice in my post that I spoke of many people who did not have to work, not all mind you, but many. And with regards to working on Friday, as mentioned, the holiday seemed to have begun Friday evening, after people got off of work on Friday.  There were many people who did not have to work on Monday, an observed national holiday, the International Day of Woman.

Streetwise everyday I am doing business with people in Moscow, St. Pete, Kiev, Odessa, Kharkov, Volgograd, Dnepropetrovsk, Novosibirsk, etc, etc. This past Friday, Saturday, Sunday were very busy with the delivering of many flowers and gifts. Yesterday NONE of the people I normally work with were working, not one. They were all celebrating, spending time with family and friends. I am sure there were some people, such as the case with your three ladies, who had to work but from a percentage point of view there were a lot less people working yesterday than normally for a Monday. Now today, it's business as usual, everyone is back to work.

[AJ277]

... in response to slow day other side of the world, posted by Jack on Mar 8, 2004

LOL Jack!
*T* says that Ukrainians celebrate all thierr Holidays ., AND every other countries as well.
=P

and if they are unsure of when those are,, they just make them up!
(she could be right LOL!
as last year in Dnepro they were having a holiday  about our freedom day , or patriotic day or  something similar -- She asked me how we usually celebrated this holoiday-
I told her for one-  we dint have it- other than the more famous independence day on July 4th.. and that two-
we had never had ANY type of holiday ever on the date they were celebrating!!! lol  
So she decided maybe they were mistaken about our American Holidays , but there SURE isnt going to be any Ukrainian  trying to fix it and lose a holiday there over it!!  

anyway they had a good celebration I hear =)
and they trained for Monday on both saturday and sunday =)

[Buddabelly]

... in response to slow day other side of the world, posted by Jack on Mar 8, 2004

My girl celebrated Woman's Day at home with just her parents and sister.  Just the 4 of them but they had a great time she said.  It's so true, they love to have a reason to celebrate.  Maybe it's because many of them don't have the money to do much but they can celebrate things together.

They really seem to like the simple things... I have always been shocked at how when it was snowing there, every girl I met said "oh, I love it, it's so beautiful!"  I remember most American women usually saying "damn! it's so wet out, it's miserable, I'll get my hair wet, what terrible weather!"

Sent many roses on Woman's day.. went over very big indeed.. Thanks Jack for helping me find Sergey ;-)  $4 per rose and $10 to deliver.  Can't beat that!

Later,
BB

[wsbill]

... in response to Boy, so true about the celebrating-, posted by Buddabelly on Mar 8, 2004

I was in Kiev and the guy wanted to give me back change from my $1 USD - Metro Station at Tolstoy...gee, you got me to thinkin about how great that was.

Trying to buy a flow with sign language. oh boy. Show'em that $1 dollar and their like a little doggy in front of a doggy treat.

Did you guys ever taste the air - how crisp it was...course compared to my midsouth humidity...anything tastes good.