French toast

Ako je vidieť z mojich anglicky písaných blogov, moja angličtina má ďaleko do dokonalej. Po anglicky som začal hovoriť v roku 1996, keď som začal pracovať s Američanom. Takže viem hovoriť, čítať, komunikovať, ale gramatika je slabšia. A samozrejme nie všetky slovíčka a výrazy sú mi známe a jasné.

V sobotu večer sa spýtala Kristín (bývam u manželského páru Kristín a Joe), či si dáme na večeru „french toast“. Viem čo je „french“, viem čo je „toast“, ale čo je „french toast, tak to teda neviem. Pomyslel som OK, opekaný chlieb ako opekaný chlieb.  „Frech“ asi nejaká špecialita čo si Kristín priniesla z ročného pobytu vo Francúzku.  

Že či si dám toast z celozrnného chlebu alebo škoricového. Mam rád takéto otázky, keď neviem, čo má byť výsledok a ja sa mam rozhodnúť čo majú byť tie správne ingrediencie. Škoricový. Kristín si tiež vybrala škoricový, Joe celozrnný.

„Urobím k tomu aj vegiburger“ (placka podobná hamburgeru, ale vyrobená zo zeleniny), dodala Kristín.  Škoricový chlieb a vegiburger?!?! Toto bol prvý menší kultúrny šok toho večera.

O chvíľu v miske rozmiešala vajíčka a začala v tom namáčať chlieb a opekať. Normálny chlieb vo vajíčku a že „french toast“ – ale ta hrôza, že to robí zo škoricového chlebu, v podstate z vianočky alebo niečoho podobného.  Druhy kultúrny šok večera.

Keďže toto nie je môj prvý pobyt v USA a Američanov poznám už dlhšiu dobu, tak si hovorím fajn, ten chlieb aj tak nebude cítiť vo vajíčku plus vegiburger, tak z toho bude večera na slano.

Sadáme si k stolu, každý máme par kúskov „french toast“ , pár kúskov vegiburgerov, domácim nalievam vodu, ja si dávam pomarančový džús. Dobrú chuť.

Tretí kultúrny šok večera – domáci si na tie ich chlebíky vo vajíčku dávajú sladký javorový sirup! ...tak si to dám aj ja, ale nevydržím a hovorím im o mojich kultúrnych šokoch z večere, keď miešajú sladké a slané. Joe a Kristín sa len usmejú a povedia, že počas ich ročného pobytu v Maďarsku si všimli, že my Stredoeurópania sme upätí v pravidlách čo a ako jesť.

Potom sa Joe začal usmievať a povedal, že oni pijú pomarančový džús len pri raňajkách a nikdy nie pri večeri. Takže aj oni mali jeden menší kultúrny šok.

White House Forum

Once again with great support and help of my American teacher and wonderful companion for long car rides – Dave Beckwith, I was invited to White House Forum on First Suburbs, Sustainability, Inclusion and Economic Growth.

“At this event, organized by Building One America, prominent members of the administration –

such as Transportation Secretary Ray Lahood and Counselor to the President Pete Rouse – joined with national experts, local elected officials and other leaders from 22 metropolitan regions in the United States for a half day forum.

The purpose of the meeting was to identify the strengths and assets as well as the significant social and fiscal pressures facing older suburbs and small towns across the country – including diminishing tax bases, escalating property taxes, declining school and municipal services, and deteriorating infrastructure. The forum focused on how the federal government’s housing, urban development, education, environmental, and transportation agencies can target our limited tax dollars to stabilize these vital but at risk communities”. So, Big event.

Myself with Dave Beckwith and Cris Doby

I already visited White House twice through official White House Tours, so all security measures did not surprised me. I send organizers all date they needed time ahead, we came to White House hour prior scheduled beginning of Forum. We passed security control and took a couple of pictures. When we entered building, my American friends received green tag, I received pink one…and I had to let them go and stay wait for “escort”.  What they mean? Heavily armed policemen? Special agents with a weapon discreetly concealed under the jacket? May I look around or should I keep my eyes down? They will stay with me all the time? Even at restroom?

When I worked I Chechnya after Russian – Chechen wars I had bodyguard, so I learned to be accompanied by armed person, but I was his boss. But those tough guys at WH are probably more strict, without sense of fun and I have to follow all they orders.

Ten minutes of waiting and then uniformed policeman said “hey, they are coming” ...so they are coming….. Young, smiling, nice lady appeared. “Hi, welcome. I am ...(I forgot her name), I will show you way to meeting room.” And she went with me to the meeting room and then she left.

Without escort I was free to enjoy be in building where important decisions are made, thinking how many walls is between me and president Obama, how many of people I met on corridor actually met president, how it should be to work in Administration, and what will my mom say to her friends about my White House visit.    

Slovak man in US

In last two years European Community Organizing Network (ECON) and Central and Eastern Europe Citizens Network (CEE CN) brought a couple of community organizers from US to do trainings and consultation in CEE region for citizen’s engagement / citizen’s participation groups.

http://econdave.blogspot.com/

One of US trainers and consultants – Joe Szakos from Virginia Organizing offered to host Europeans in his organization to learn more about community organizing, leadership development, capacity building, building of network, campaign and strategy planning…

At the beginning of May I put together e-mail with some ideas what I want to learn, how I can use learned back in Europe…few weeks of waiting …..and finally July 2^nd I arrived to US.

First days have been full of tastes of America. American breakfast, American lunch, American dinner…. and spirits of America - Independence Day party with reading from Independence Declaration, party games like “horseshoes“ , baseball game in Lansing with “baseball meal” – hot dogs, coke, chips.

To have a flag on house in Slovakia is a sigh of strong nationalism, but see our flag on house in US was nice  

I should not eat salty chips, but I loved those big party packages

Independence Day is really big deal for Americans. Going home from baseball game I have seen people sitting outside in parks, on streets, in front of their houses to enjoyed fireworks together with neighbors. White people, Afro-Americans, people with Asia background, all together. One America.

Weekend and Independence Day is over, time to start my internship. I will stay till end of the September in organization call Virginia Organizing based in Charlottesville, Virginia. City with 42 000 inhabitants located in the middle of Virginia with nice landscape around. City has lovely, tiny downtown Main Street, with cafes and restaurants.      

Virginia Organizing is a statewide non-partisan organization that encourages people to learn democratic skills and become active in their community. I would like to use opportunity being with them for a couple of months to explore various methods of community organizing that should enhance my work with European Community Organizing Network when I return to Slovakia. 

I will be shadowing community organizers on Virginia Organizing staff, attending community meetings and workshops, visiting other organizations.

While I am in Charlottesville, I am staying with wonderful Szakos family. Joe with his wife Kristin and two daughters stayed in mid 90´ in Hungary so they know “our” European culture, central European society and plus we have a couple of mutual friends.