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A self-portrait of Aggedy Ran, from her wonderful collection on Flickr.
Although she came and went quickly, she left some interesting things behind. Aggedy Ran (the name is a play on this) is an American artist/blogger who spent the past summer in Slovenia. She wrote a lot of long posts about her experiences here. Here’s a selected list, so that you can pick what interests you:
* Arrival in Ljubljana
(Just general info)
* Medicine in Slovenia
(includes a visit to Ljubljana’s notorious oncology center)
* Serbs: Why are they so crazy?
(majorly skewed anti-Serb, pro-Slovene rant)
* Slovenian foods
(motovilec, pumpkin seed oil, herbs)
* A very bad time at Club K4
(Although a previous trip was better)
* Being an Artist in Slovenia
(it’s “VERY VERY VERY different than being an artist in the States”
* A trip to Ambasada Gavioli
(a club in Izola)
* Business in Slovenia
(about the “unholy union” of business and politics)
* Heating in Slovenia
(exactly what it says)
* Americans Abroad
(an anti-American rant)
* Back in the U.S.
(”being here is strange”)
Comments
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(majorly skewed anti-Serb, pro-Slovene rant)
If telling the truth is majorly skewed anti-serb, so be it!
I find myself agreeing with most she wrote about the war even though she may have simplified some minor details
And just when you think there’s no one who criticizes the dirty aspects of Slovenia more than you…
Good read, anyway.
In the comments, she admits that she got her info about Serbs from 3 Slovenes and a Bosnian, so I’m really not surprised by what came out.
I also like reading more critical stories. I think it’s because I’m just tired of the whole “Slovenia’s great, Ljubljana is like Prague!” posts that foreigners usually write.
A very true an succinct description of the Slovenian art scene. Haven’t read the rest, yet.
daerice.livejournal.com/51156.html
Dear MM
From your living in Slovenia - a who or a what is the fabled Agencija 41, the second largest corporation in Slovenia, second only to Mobitel 
I’ve read up a bit on her LJ and she got quite a few things wrong - it is interesting to see her perspective, but the knowledge she possesses if flat out wrong quite a few times.
D. (living in Slovenija for almost 30 years, and now very afraid of Agencija 41, a small marketing agency doing Mobitel’s marketing almost exclusively :))
Hi Daerice! Don’t we know each other from somewhere?
Michael, would her real name by any chance start with an A and finish with an A too? Uau, Slovenia is small!!!
She also left a very nice collection in flickr www.flickr.com/photos/daerice/sets/1080121/
…with great comments in each photo
There are other great sets dedicated to Ljubljana (night, snowy days, monuments, festivals and women), and from trips to nearby countries
I have read a few of her comments about Slovenia’s economy and all what I can say is “Oh, another smartass who stayed here for a couple of weeks here, got a few ‘opinions’ from this and that people and now he/she thinks he/she knows the mystery”.
It’s like the “Iraq”. We have bunch of academics and journalists who tells us how Iraq is unsafe and yet an overwhelming majority of these people has never been in Iraq themselves (or if they have been they tend to cruise around the main hotels)…
The problem today is that too many people want to be “too smart”.
So perhaps this Aggedy should perhaps stick to what she knows best…
Wow!
Here I am thinking that just a few close friends are reading my LJ and then I find it here!
Holy Hell . . .
All I can say is that these are personal descriptions of what I felt there. Most all my info came to me via Slovenians who were willing to speak English to me.
I’ve already been lectured by some Bosnians and Croatians about my errors. Checked some of my info on Wikipedia and modified what was incorrect, and left the rest as it was.
As I said in my post, “I am telling it as it was told to me.”
I regurgitated what I was told by the Sloveve people I came into contact with.
Anyway, I have a feeling that opinions on the business world are very subjective there, and well, just about everywhere.
Further, I don’t feign to understand ‘the mystery’ of any government, mine or Slovenia’s. I was just passing on juicy gossip, not writing for Associate Press.
It is my journal, for goodness sake! My opinion, discussed and linked here without my permission.
Aggedy Ran
I was surprised to see how little she learned about Slovenia during her two years stay. I guess it was due to the man she lived with (Marko). The first places he took her to were K4 and Metelkova? And she came from Seattle! Only at the end of her stay, they also visited Ambassada Gavioli … While there are still so many other beautiful clubs in Slovenia.
It is also amazing to read so many wrong data of Slovenia, which apparently she got from Marko’s friends. For example, she wrote that Metelkova was occupied by Russians, and that since then it was a lawless zone with no access of fire-departmant supervisor or police. LOL!
She must have gotten realy confused by Marko’s political stand as well. She had lot of trouble to get some information on work-permit. Didn’t it occur to her that it was because of bad government for the 12 years? Yet, she could get all the information through internet (www.mju.gov.si/). But, didn’t Marko know that?!
It was also funny to read how she was searching for a specific Ministry. I mean, there a name of a street as well as a street number on every building in Slovenia. It is not like in US (and Western Europe as well), where there are only street numbers on buildings.
There are really plenty of good things she missed. Unfortunately.
Whataver, you overblown bufoons. Agg spent 14 months in Slovenia, she learned more about some things than others. In any case, she showed us how an outsider would perceive Slovenia and that’s all that’s really important. If you can’t bear too look in the mirror, there’s no need to smash it.
It’s also very funny to hear everybody reacting like that, while most Slovenians seem to know oh so much about USA and the life in the USA, but they’ve never lived here or even visited for a longer time. Pot, meet kettle.
Any way, this is one of the best descriptions of Americans I’ve ever read. Aggedy Ran wrote:
I told one of my Dutch friends how embarrassing it is
to be American when I see the rest of the contingent
that represents my country.
She said that she could understand because they are so
easy to pick out. “You can see and hear them coming
from a long way off, waddling down the streets,
talking too much, and too loudly. They are often rude,
or just so unaware that they don’t even realize how
they are being rude, and they seem really dumb! Very
under-educated. Also, they are so self-absorbed that
they don’t know how they are being perceived, or. .
.they don’t care.”
She said that in her class there were three Americans
from the South who were quite fat, but even worse they
were extremely dumb as well. “They don’t do their
homework and they don’t care. They think it is funny,
but now they are holding the whole class back since
the teacher must give them extra attention to catch up
with everyone else,” she thought they might have been
embarrassed about this, but told me incredulously,
“they aren’t, in fact they think it is funny.” She is
most amazed by their apparent willingness to waste
everyone elses time and energy. “They really don’t
care at all,” she said.
By the way, if anyone is interested in the telecomunication business in Slovenia (and why the CEO of Mobitel was fired), I recommend to read an interview with Žiga Turk, the last edition of magazine Glas gospodarstva (august/september).
To Miss Aggedy Ran: Sorry, Aggedy but that’s just the problem. I personally don’t care what you write about personal characteristics of Slovenes, Bosnians, Croats etc…
Although I have to say that I am suprised to hear now that these opinions were not based on your own observations during your stay here, but “as it was told to me”. But OK. Irrelevant.
What really made me angry on your blog was the chapter (now locked?!?) titled “Business in Slovenia”. I read it a couple of days ago and I have to say that I don’t remember reading anywhere any note that these observations of yours came from second hand “as it was told to me”. If I remember correctly you have been telling it in the first person, like they came from your own observations: new government installing politicians for new directors, making the economy the state economy… I can’t help myself to think the same as Lale - were you by any chance taken to Metelkova or K4, where currently “our most modern economical experts” seem to be gathering these days?? The same who brought Slovenia’s economy in a total collaps from 1945 - 2002 with their five year plans, would like to abolish taxes, give the power to the workers and re-create the same environment you can see today on North Korean National TV. I say this because your writings have been incredibly similar to the statements with which these incompetent “buffons” like coming forward in the medias to slander our current government (which is by coincidence the first one after 1945, which tends to be non-communist nor left-wing).
Sad reality ouf our economy is however totally different. Politics was very heavily involved in the Slovene economy from 1945 till 2004. Many eldery Slovenes, (including me) remember only too well what they (we) have to go through in late 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s. Who controlled who or what and who planted incompetent “apparatchiks” into the economy and other layers of our society (charity, sport, medias etc.).
Here the new government is in my humble opinion doing a very good job, no matter what colour it is. For the first time the government is taking a more liberal and careful financial and economical policy (what is the right approach as economy and public finances never have been the right place for “various experiments” by these or those people who usually come forward as having solutions to all our problems) and enabling more free enterprising. Something what other governments in the past never did.
So next time before you write about such delicate matters as economy, about which you haven’t done any proper research or investigations, I suggest you take them with a large pinch of grain salt and do not take them for granted. Even if they were told to you by your so-called “friends”, who in this regard played a very bad trick with you for not enabling you to hear the other side of the story.
Mercator, Posta Slovenija, Luka Koper, Petrol etc. were not taken by “apparatchiks” or “political puppets”, but by real businessmen. The new director of Mercator is not a politician like one might get an impression from your blog He’s a manager, who worked as Director of the Finances for one of the most succssfull, if not the most successfull, Slovenian firms called GORENJE Group. -> www.gorenjegroup.com/default.asp?id=2
But we all remember who was the manager of the Mercator before, don’t we? And how he got there. Many people in Slovenian remember only too well one very nice “TV conversation” between Zoran Jankovic, a former grocerist, who over the night became the manager of Mercator and Mr. Anthony Rop, the former Minister of Finance and thanks God also the former Prime Minister, which was secretly caught by a TV camera. I challenge someone to post that clip on this forum.
I am saying all this because if someone was reading this chapter of yours on your blog he might get an impression our economy right now is a complete shambles (a combination of Myanmar and Bangladesh economies, to say at least), although the statistics and every sensible businessman in Slovenia will tell you that the economical situation has improved since new government took power in December 2004. Some are perhaps not happy with the speed, but all people never will be happy no matter what government. But a waste majority of them agree that the direction in which the new government is going with their reforms is the right one and this is what matters most.
So in such context you have to understand my statement to stick with the job you know best.
To Mr. Crni: Probably the only “Slovenians” who seem to know too much about everything are probably people of your kind who seem to have opinions about Slovenians and Americans for every thing, i.e. people who write their thoughts on paper before even thinking them.
But to get back on the track - I have also been bombarded by all kinds of news and advices when I went to work in USA and later in the Middle East during 2001-2006. However I have found that a large amount of things I have been told are relative alias untrue. America is not a police fortress, people don’t get killed en masse on streets, they are no less educated (stupid) than average Europeans, they have no more fat people than in Europe etc….
Like all people they have qualities which I did not like, but that’s unevitable and always present with you in every country you tend to visit.
What I can say with great certainty is that they are absolutely more friendly by character than average Europeans. In very few countries I have felt so welcomed like during my three years long stay in USA. It were not just people who helped me with my English and adapting me into the new environment, but also my co-workers, their parents, their wifes and even their children who helped me tremendeously.
I don’t know if my staying in America has made me an expert for “American affairs”, but I have found them to be just ordinary people who, like we, are struggling through ordinary life the best they know. In some aspects we Europeans could learn a lot about them. This i learned from my own experiences and not “what other people have told me”.
>>Agg spent 14 months in >>Slovenia, she learned more >>about some things than >>others.
Aja? Like what?
>>Checked some of my info on >>Wikipedia and modified what >>was incorrect, and left the >>rest as it was.
My Godness… Yes, Wikipedia … Hm… Ja… Why not taking a good book about Slovenia (or Croatia, Bosnia etc.) rather than checking Wikipedia, which is anything but a reliable source for such questions? That is if you are really genuily interested in these questions?? If you are not, than I don’t see why you decided to write about them at the first place.
>>It is my journal, for >>goodness sake! My opinion, >>discussed and linked here >>without my permission.
Pretty strange excuse for someone who is writing a public web blog (public journal).
Anyway, I am getting an impression that this young lady from USA likes to criticize, but herself doesn’t like to receive any criticism.
So I end my discussion here about this. I have said (written) what I wanted to say (write).
>>But, didn’t Marko know >>that?!
Verjetno jim je “fasisticna Janseva vlada” izklopila telefon in internet, pa spet uporabljajo golobjo posto in kurirckovo posto.
Jeebus, dude. She published her observations in her livejournal, not in the Wall Street Journal. Are investors going to get their information from her little story? Maybe you should take what you read on the internets with a grain of salt.
If you had actually read her stuff, you would have noticed that she is an artist and therefore the most relevant things she learned in Slovenia are about the art scene and things like that.
I couldn’t help but notice that your English spelling and grammar are surprisingly mediocre for someone who allegedly spent 3 years in the States. Perhaps you should organize your thoughts and letters before writing them.
I am a left wing liberal American, and I don’t make any bones about it. I despise the right wing, the Bush admin. and all his cronies. That’s my opinion and as an American I’m entitled to it. I openly criticize all governments because I think they deserve it. Slovenia is no exception.
If you read all the posts on my LJ since April 2005 you would have understood that.
Of course my friends in Slovenia were alternative, progressive people, lefties, artists and like-minded individuals!
Obviously I was going to be more interested in their opinions than those of older right wing businessmen.
About the economy, I can only say what I experienced. It was harder to work inside of, than the U.S., more difficult for the people I knew, and had quite a bit more government interference than would ever be acceptable in the U.S.
I’m no expert, just stating it as I experienced it. These conclusion were pretty obvious to me AND the other Americans I met there.
If that bothers you, then maybe next time you meet an American looking for a job in your country you can offer them one.
My journal is full of statements like “Marko says” or “I was told” or “it seems to me” and I never used the language of an expert.
The tone of my writing IS very personal, even intimate, because it is my journal. Maybe my critics should familiarize themselves with the definition of ‘journal.’
I find it funny that some Slovenians are so defensive about my criticisms. . .
Actually I love Slovenia!!!!! I think it is a fabulous place, and if you explored my flickr pages you would see a great many tributes to your country and its people.
www.flickr.com/photos/daerice/sets/72057594070134390/
www.flickr.com/photos/daerice/sets/72157594167637754/
www.flickr.com/photos/daerice/sets/1627850/
www.flickr.com/photos/daerice/sets/72157594145827715/
Further I was enchanted by the nature, the incredible variety of song birds and wild flowers in the forest. Slovenia is like an enormous enchanted garden. My heart will always ache for beauty of its land.
I cried for days when I had to leave, and I will surely return to visit many times.
In my journal I vented my frustrations more, because it is intimate writing, meant to depict the personal process of someone trying to adapt to a foreign culture. It might have been easy for Klemen to adapt to American culture because it is more open to foreigners, being a country entirely composed of immigrants.
By contrast Slovenes are a tightly knit, extremely old ethinically specific culture.
Does anyone want to deny that????
Sometimes people were rude to me, the way of doing many things was odd to me, I found socializing hard to manage on many occasions. The language is a challenge to learn.
Sorry if that offends you!
Good God! It offended me and I still feel that part of my heart will always be in Slovenia. I have a great love for many people there, regardless of the rude ones I met. Mostly because I understand that in all places there are some good and bad people.
If a few Slovenes want to get all high and mighty, exploding in defensive rhetoric then what can I say?
I will not apologize for my experience, it was what it was. If you don’t like that, then think about how you treat the next foreigner you meet.
Slovenia has also offended some Native Americans, see here:http://www.flickr.com/photos/daerice/104249408/in/set-72057594070134390/
You might say I am an ‘equal opportunity’ critic. Slovenia does not get excused from my directed opinion. If you don’t like, then don’t read it.
Most Sincerely,
Agg
>>>>>>Jeebus, dude. She published her observations in her livejournal, not in the Wall Street Journal…..>>>>>>
I was always under impression that everything what is openly and or publicly published in the medias (including internet) can be subjected to a certain degree of criticism by the readers. If you are afraid of the criticism, than my advice would be either don’t publish your “intimate thoughts” publicly (which from thispoint are not “intimate” anymore due to obvious reasons) and you write and publish about subjects which you know you “can hold water”. Obviously Mrs. Aggedy Ran as an artist feels she is competent to comment the economy in Slovenia, otherwise she would not dedicate an entire chapter to it.
>>Maybe you should take what >>you read on the internets >>with a grain of salt.
I do. That is why I only critized one chapter from her blog, which I considered it needed some clarifications and corrections since there are not only Slovenes who are reading it.
>>>>>>>>>….that she is an artist and therefore the most relevant things she learned in Slovenia are about the art scene and things like that.>>>>>>>>>
Exactly. And this is why I have decided to comment only one chapter from her blog: “Business in Slovenia - (about the “unholy unionâ€? of business and politics)”.
I did not comment her other insights, inputs, articles, comments, opinions etc. about Slovenia, Slovenian people, Slovenian art scene, Slovenian neighbours, Slovenian night life …
>>>>>>I couldn’t help but notice that your English spelling and grammar are surprisingly mediocre for someone who allegedly spent 3 years in the States.>>>>
Unfortunately the nature of my visit in United States was not to learn English language nor photographing or visiting the beautiful countryside.
>>>>>>>Perhaps you should organize your thoughts and letters before writing them.>>>>>
I hope now is better.
>>>>>>I am a left wing liberal American, and I don’t make any bones about it.>>>>>
Why should you make any bones about it? Also why it is so important in this case whether you are a left wing liberal or right wing American??? Does the sun shine for a left wing liberal American differently than for a right wing liberal American?!?
What we are talking here is something what is beyond political beliefs. One thing is the truth and another thing is manipulation or populism.
>>>>>I despise the right wing, the Bush admin. and all his cronies. That’s my opinion and as an American I’m entitled to it.>>>>>>>>>>
Who do you despise is again totally irrelevant. We are talking here about basic facts and not about who you despise and who you don’t.
>>>>>I openly criticize all governments because I think they deserve it. Slovenia is no exception.>>>>>>>
I have nothing against “criticism” or “critizing the governments (be left-wing or right-wing)” as long these critics are supported by facts. In your case your critics were based solely on words you have heard from a friend called Marko and you took everything what he has said about the economy in Slovenia for granted without checking for yourselve for some basic information about Slovenian economy and who are the new managers of the state owned companies. So I guess if he would say that next week there would be an apocalypse you would believe him??? I think not. Well, at least I hope not.
To summarize: If you critize something than it least do it properly, i.e. after equipping yourselve with proper information from both sides. If you won’t do this, than everyone smart will have you for just another “smartass” or “bullshitter” and won’t take your seriously.
How would you feel if I would critize all your artwork in advance without even seeing it? probably very insulted, especially if you do your work with pride and pleasure.
>>>>>If you read all the posts on my LJ since April 2005 you would have understood that.>>>>>
Understand what??? That you based your opinion about Slovenian economy on opinion of one man or a small group of people? Was anyone of them by any chance an economist? Anyone who actually earned some money in his leave and not just theorize behind the university desks about how this and that should be done.
>>>>>Of course my friends in Slovenia were alternative, progressive people, lefties, artists and like-minded individuals!>>>>>>>>>
Yes, the “avantgarde of the people”. Unlike you Aggedy we Slovenes have experienced the “alternative”. For about fifty-five years. The “alternative” or “avantgarde of the working people” as they like to call themselves called it “paradise2. We, the common people, did not find anything “paradistic” in them.
It is actually funny if I think it deeper… I have always been under impression that artists are the people of art, peace and public consciounce - id est not hate. Artists out of all people on this planet should listen both sides and be the lighthouse of the people’s awaraness and consciounce. But the way how you behave today you are really not that much different from the people that you despise. Just the color is different… Everything else is the same. Includind hatred.
>>>>>>Obviously I was going to be more interested in their opinions than those of older right wing businessmen.>>>>>>>
He He He! Out of all things that you have attributed to me in this short sentence I am only old.
>>>About the economy, I can only say what I experienced.>>
Interesting… “Experienced”, you say? So perhaps you can share us all how did you experience on your own skin the change of the managership of the Mercator and some other state owned companies???
Your friend and you, as declared left-wing liberals of course, were suddenly not been able to buy any ice-cream anymore in the Mercator or what?
>>>>>knew, and had quite a bit more government interference than would ever be acceptable in the U.S.>>>>>>>>
(Un)fortunately (as for who) Slovenia is not U.S. Different rules require different adapting. Your friends from metelkova should know this very well since all these years (until 2004) they have been sponsored very generously by the left-wing liberal governments. Not to mention how licked they have been with the government. And still are, just that now the generous pipe has been closed. No more fancy seminar trips to Iraq etc.
>>>>I’m no expert, just stating it as I experienced it.>>>>>
OK. Since you experienced all this, I challenge you to write us all how did you “experience” the change on the tops of some Slovenian main state owned companies, which you (and your friend Marko) described as second to “scandalous”.
These conclusion were pretty obvious to me AND the other Americans I met there.
If that bothers you, then maybe next time you meet an American looking for a job in your country you can offer them one.
>>>>>>>My journal is full of statements like “Marko says� or “I was told� or “it seems to me� and I never used the language of an expert.>>>>>>>>
So this Marko is for you like an encylopedia or what? Madchen für alles? You never checked any of the facts he has told you??? So if your friend says a third person is stupid you automatically believe him and don’t check for yourselve whether you could get be-friended with that third person or not?
Funny double standards if you ask me!
>>>>The tone of my writing IS very personal, even intimate, because it is my journal.>>>>
I would hardly call a public online journal “intimate writing”. Intimate thoughts perhaps. Intimate writing?!?
>>>>Maybe my critics should familiarize themselves with the definition of ‘journal.’>>>>
Perhaps.
>>>>>I find it funny that some Slovenians are so defensive about my criticisms…>>>>>
“Slovenes” are not defensive (nor so defensive) about your criticisms. We just don’t like “bullshitting”.
>>>Actually I love Slovenia!!!!!>>>
This was never questionable.
>>>>>>I think it is a fabulous place, and if you explored my flickr pages you would see a great many tributes to your country and its people.>>>>>>
This is all nice and beautiful, but unfortunately has nothing to do with the topic that we are currently discussing.
Personally I am also not that much interested in about what other people think about us. Those who like us, they come back. Those who don’t, search for other place. Simple as that.
>>>>>>>In my journal I vented my frustrations more, because it is intimate writing, meant to depict the personal process of someone trying to adapt to a foreign culture.>>>>>>>>>
Ja… OK… I really don’t say what to say to this… I fail to see any connection between this and the red thread of our main discussion -> “about the “unholy unionâ€? of business and politics)”.
So let’s stick to the basic and not venturing into the area of flowers, birds, language etc.
>>>>>>>>By contrast Slovenes are a tightly knit, extremely old ethinically specific culture. Does anyone want to deny that????>>>>>>>>>>>>
You will find these mentioned specifics present in all smaller nations, which were/are surrounded by “historic nations” and which had to fight for centuries for basic rights such as freedom of language and education. This is how we (they) survived. That day when we will forget this, we shall disappear. Simple as that.
>>>>>>If a few Slovenes want to get all high and mighty, exploding in defensive rhetoric then what can I say?>>>
For a start you can try to melodramize less. No one is accusing you here of anything nor I don’t think anyone here is feeling offended by your weblog just because you are an Americanwoman and described our bad and good sides.
But as I said before I (we) don’t like “bullshitting” aka “smartassing”. I am sure you would feel the same if you would hear me here “philosophing” wide and open about your artwork without head and tail - that is what I would have been told about your artwork by a third person. It would be not only childish but also irresponsible from me. And insulting for you.
>>>>I will not apologize for my experience, it was what it was.>>>>>
Just curious… Has anyone specifically asked you to apologise??? I can’t see that anyone asked you for this. So why do you keep putting words into someone’s mouth?
>>>>>If you don’t like that, then think about how you treat the next foreigner you meet.>>>>>
Oh, mein Gott! If she will be Americanwoman I will offer her a box of Twinkies and if he will be an American I will offer him a baseball glove. Will this content all “the foreigner”?
>>>Slovenia has also offended some Native Americans>>>>
What’s the point? These photos were taken at the costumes carneval.
>>>>You might say I am an ‘equal opportunity’ critic.>>>>>
Critic, perhaps. Equal, not. “Equal opportunities” means when you give also a chance to the so-called “other alternative”. You had plenty of time (14 months) to do that, but instead you choose only pointless critics based on the opinion of one man. Is that “equal opportunity”? I think not. If I can afford to be a little bit rude here I would say this is “hypocriticism” and not a critics based on the plain facts, which is always welcome.
>>>>Slovenia does not get excused from my directed opinion. If you don’t like, then don’t read it.>>>>
Again, nobody specifically asked nor demanded from you to excuse us from anything.
Nor, to be totally honest, I did not read your entire blog, so I can’t comment it. I simply click those things which interest me. And the first thing I clicked and read was the chapter about “Business in Slovenia” and I simply felt an urge to pinpoint a few things, which I felt they should be said.
I’m not going to respond to that first long, angry rant. The entire point being that every person has opinion, regardless of the amount of information they have.
No one can withold their own musing and conjecture. We are human, our brains ponder, at least mine does. I write what I think in my journal.
Further, even if I were totally biased, I would still have the right to post it online.
Get your own blog if it means so much to you.
The second post is the biggest lie that entered this discussion so far.
The job market in Slovenia is not based on merit. Although some skill is perhaps required, the real reason people get hired, has much more to do with social and family alliances, business contacts, politics, and who you have as friends.
I never applied myself to a job hunt so vigorously as I did in Ljubljana. I took my CV everywhere, I went to interviews and even did volunteer work to get myself out in the market and in contact with more people. I was eager and ready to work.
The response was quite feeble. However, I knew that being an immigrant would make it harder and so I didn’t give up easily but continued to search.
Your job market is not like it is in the U.S. No matter what you think.
In Slovenia you can’t get a job just because you an excellent worker, a skilled, educated person, or a willing laborer. First because there aren’t that many jobs, and secondly because something more is required. . .as I was saying.
When I was just about ready to give up looking for work, someone gave me a job. Why? because of a family connection.
No complaints here -
I am very grateful to have been able to work in Ljubljana.
I realize how privileged I was to have that chance. I am very grateful to the kind people who believed in me.
Finally, I did try to learn Slovene. I studied it intensively, but I guess you wouldn’t know that since you didn’t take the time to read all my posts from Slovenia “Mr. equal opportunity”
Regards,
Aggedy
I’m not going to respond to that first long, angry rant.
Of course you won’t. You weed a very tangled web.
The entire point being that every person has opinion, regardless of the amount of information they have.
I see. So now they are opinions. Yesterday you called them “criticisms”.
Inside of your chapter it was not your “opinion”, but opinion of your friend Peter. This you confirmed yesterday and the day before. So how can you say now this is your “opinion” or “criticism”?!?
No one can withold their own musing and conjecture. We are human, our brains ponder, at least mine does. I write what I think in my journal.
I am sorry to disappoint you, but you don’t always write in your journal “what you think”. You yourselve have said in your first replies that these opinions were forwarded to you by your friend “as I was tolf by my friend”…. Remember?
So how can you say now they are your opinions if you haven’t properly checked them? Do you base your opinions by reading Wikipedia and listening to the CNN or Fox TV only???
Further, even if I were totally biased, I would still have the right to post it online.
Sure, you have all the rights of this world to do this. But by doing this, you also give all other people of this world the right to criticize yours “foolish” and “less foolish” statements about the current situation in Slovenia’s economy.
Unless of course if “left-wing liberal Americans” or “right-wing liberal Americans” and their European friends think they are the only entitled persons of this world who are entitled to criticize everything and everyone and not receiving their share of criticisms.
Get your own blog if it means so much to you.
Why?!? I don’t need my own blog to write down some basic information about the current situation in Slovenian economy. You can find these information on many government and non-government portals.
The job market in Slovenia is not based on merit. Although some skill is perhaps required, the real reason people get hired, has much more to do with social and family alliances, business contacts, politics, and who you have as friends.
I agree. In most cases, it is so. Sadly, but true. But this can hardly be the fault of the current right-wing centrist government which is on power for only two years. Now did your friends tell you anything about what was the employment situation (incl. clientelism and nepotism) in Slovenia until 2004? Who employed who with false diplomas et cetera?
I never applied myself to a job hunt so vigorously as I did in Ljubljana. I took my CV everywhere, I went to interviews and even did volunteer work to get myself out in the market and in contact with more people.
I am sorry to hear that. Sometimes enthusiasm is simply not enough. One also need a lot of stamina, lot of patience and a bit of luck. Being immigrant it was probably more difficult for you as you didn’t speak the lingua properly and I presume you also didnt plan to stay for a longer period of time in Slovenia, so these two reasons could be one of the main reasons why the employer didn’t take you. Why hire someone who is gpoing to leave in a few weeks or even months??
The response was quite feeble. However, I knew that being an immigrant would make it harder and so I didn’t give up easily but continued to search.
Your job market is not like it is in the U.S. No matter what you think.
But of course. U.S.has around 300 million choices, Slovenia only 1,9 million. But in the kernel both markets work the same. It is also very difficult for a foreign immigrant in U.S. to get any decent job in the first years unless you are “Albert Einstein”. Priority have natives. What in a way is OK.
First because there aren’t that many jobs, and secondly because something more is required. . .as I was saying.
It’s the same all over the world. More or less.
I am very grateful to have been able to work in Ljubljana.
You didn’t look for a job outside
Finally, I did try to learn Slovene. I studied it intensively, but I guess you wouldn’t know that since you didn’t take the time to read all my posts from Slovenia “Mr. equal opportunity�
A tako… Potem doticna, jezicna gospodicna new bi imela nic proti, ce bi pisala svoja sporocila v slovenscini, kajne?
It’s hard to read the entire blog if already the first chapter which you click to read is full of cock-and-bull stories.
I have no idea why something can’t be both a criticism AND an opinion, they are not mutually exclusive.
I’ve enjoyed our little debate, but I’ve got a lot to do this weekend. Feel free to continue posting your criticisms here.
Have Fun!
Ciao,
Aggedy
I have no idea why something can’t be both a criticism AND an opinion, they are not mutually exclusive.
Yes, maybe that’s just the problem: “you don’t know”.
Au revoir
Oh for Pete’s sake, Klemen. Listen to yourself. You’re possibly the most pompous, opinionated, boring prick to ever post on this blog. In fact, I think you rightfully deserve the laurel of the “Biggest Idiot to Ever Post on Carniola”, that until now was firmly in possesion of that guy who shot photos at Rock OtoÄ?ec, had them published by XinHua, and then denied Michael the right to publish them here.
Repeating your (heavily biased, if I might add) opinion over and over and over again doesn’t make it any truer. Regardless of what Goebbels might have said. It just makes you sound like a broken record. Get a life. Read a good book. Listen to some nice music. Open up Aggedy’s site and enjoy the art. And go to Metelkova sometimes, you might find it’s not all junkies / North Korea loving commies there.
P.s.: I sure hope you don’t go through my post sentence by sentence, “analysing” it, putting words in my mouth and declaring your hatred for anything that doesn’t fit into your narrow little perspective of the world according to Klemen. I sure have no intention to answer you. And, Aggedy, I hope this doesn’t change your attitude towards Slovenia. As you (and even Klemen) said, there’s obnoxious people everywhere.
“Some people prefer to be right than happy” (Mexican saying)
Agg, you are like flower, thanks for sharing!
Listen to yourself. You’re possibly the most pompous, opinionated, boring prick to ever post on this blog.
As long as your are the smartest person on this world, we are safe.
….that until now was firmly in possesion of that guy who shot photos at Rock OtoÄ?ec…
You are bla-bling again, Cornelius. Or in simple understandable translation: you’re “bullshitting”. I have no idea what Rock Otocec has gotta to do with this, so move on…
Repeating your (heavily biased, if I might add)
If it was not your intention to provide any counter arguments to my “heavily biased” arguments/statements than I can only ask myself why you have posted here at the first place. To show me your repertoar of abusing words?
To tell me that you are the only morale authority on this world who is more than comfortable to criticize everything from A to B just because “I am a left-wing liberal American” and thus allowed everything???
Including to talk nonsense about things he or she doesn’t know or understand very well?
Sorry, but that’s not Socialist Republic of Slovenia any more, where only a small clique of people was allowed everything and the rest had to be an obedient mob.
Get a life. Read a good book. Listen to some nice music. Open up Aggedy’s site and enjoy the art.
There’s very “little art” on Aggedy’s site, at least on those links which Michael provided. From what I could tell she is ranting (or critisizing as she would say for herself) most of the time about everything - most critics are based on what one bloke Peter has told her, of course. She naturally did not have time to check for some of the facts. She said she has the right to criticize. Sure she has. But so she should realize that critisizing is not only her domain and that when she is critisizing someone or something she is also bond to expect some counter-criticism. If you can’t take this, than I suppose it’s for the best that you don’t criticize at the first place.
From what I could tell she was caught quite by suprise that someone dared to object her opinion and I suppose this is also why she didn’t have some arguments to support her “facts” from her blog but instead wandered into the personal area like “but I always liked Slovenia”.
Like that was ever my point. Bhhh…
“analysing� it, putting words in my mouth and declaring your hatred for anything that . . .
Declaring my hatred??? Which Agitrop School did you attend, my dear Cornelius?
How can I hate anyone (for example Aggedy) if I even don’t know this woman??? Amazing.
Remarkable to where simple criticism can bring you today on internet.
I sure have no intention to answer you.
Ok, but I don’t know why you have then answered at the first place. From what I could tell you didn’t have anything smart to say any way, so why bothering at the first place???
To tell me the main point of your post, which is - as it is usual for some people who are “too chickens” to accept some criticism - that you are cool and I am not. That anyone who doesn’t agree with your perception of the world is an boring, dark, evil idiot. ?!
And, Aggedy, I hope this doesn’t change your attitude towards Slovenia.
It’s funny and yet alwys interesting to see how everytime someone criticize some foreigner about some of his critical opinions, he always get back some quasi defensive statements about how he or she likes Slovenia, how everyone else is boring but he or she is cool and bullocks like that.
Cornelius, I only commented her chapter about Business in SlO. I didn’t comment her artwork, staying in SLO, love for SLO, political beliefs, religious beliefs, American way of life etc. So what’s your point? To call me here an idiot. OK. Are you happy now? But don’t moralize or patronize me with your “cute and imaginative vocabulary”.
Oh man… I am just tired of bunch of foreigners coming to Slovenia thinking how they know everything and starting to lecture and critisize us wide and open about things they don’t understand and naturally without even checking up some of the basic facts! I agree with some of Aggedy’s critics posted on her website, but some are simply a lot of bullshit. If your head is too narrow to accept this than I can’t help you. Sorry. Move on. Read a book. Or listen some good music.
“Some people prefer to be right than happy� (Mexican saying)
Cecilia: Sometimes being happy is just not enough. Sometimes one should also make some “right” decisions. Spoiled kids don’t know this, but Mexicans out of all people should know this.
Trying to be always right has never been a “right” decision…we all should know this