decimal eggs

Flying South is Painless?

2010-02-03T19:54:00.007+02:00

Growing up with a healthy diet of Northern Hemisphere television often left me confused. On television, during winter, all the birds flew south. This made only half sense to a six year old, only partially aware of where televisions shows were made.

Of course birds would leave a cold place during the winter. What bothered me was, why south?

From the perspective of an Australian six year old, south was Melbourne, Tasmania or Antarctica. Places which were colder, much colder. Why on earth would the birds fly somewhere colder during winter? It didn’t make any sense.

My logic and reason eventually came to my rescue and explained to me that if you were living in the Northern Hemisphere, then south was towards the equator and much warmer places. So TV continued to be correct, as long as you were looking from the right perspective.

Now, 15 years later, it’s not quite making sense any more.

In the middle of Riga, firmly placed in the Northern Hemisphere, during the middle of winter, when the ground is frozen and covered in several feet of snow.

Why are the ducks still here?

Ducks are birds. Birds are supposed to fly south for the winter. Not just for warmth, but to find food too.

Could TV be wrong?

So why do these ducks stubbornly stay, nested in the snow.

Strange indeed

Shake Me Up, At December’s End

2010-02-02T22:29:00.005+02:00

After eight months living and working in a different country, you would assume that one would have a handle on life, culture and the way things worked.

Coming to Latvia in June, with very little time for personal preparation, I told myself:

"Things will be different. The way of life will be different, but people have lived in this part of the world for many hundreds or thousands of years. So if they can live here, so can you. It is just a matter of learning their ways."

This worked very well. I adapted to life, didn't feel too far out of my depth personally and general felt happy about how I was able to integrate into a different part of the world.

However, like most things, it isn't always that simple.

I remember speaking with a friend, who had moved from Eastern to Western Europe for a year as a Member Committee member for AIESEC. For her, culture shock came seven months into her experience. I was quite interested to hear this, but perhaps I didn't quite understanding what she meant.

At the eight month point in my international experience, I now have more of an idea of what it means to experience culture shock such a time into an international experience.

It is not a brick wall which you hit, or a slap in the face to make you feel uncomfortable. It is more of a gradual feeling that washes over you, without you quite realising that it is happening.

It is the slow realisation that there are very different cultural values which exist and you cannot quite synthesise with your own.
It is seeing how a country or a people could develop and not understanding why so many others don't seem to see things the same way.
It is noticing that seemingly no matter how hard you try, your ideas and intentions don't always take the shape you imagine

There is nothing inherently wrong with any of this. The shock is that there is some sort of invisible barrier which you can't quite penetrate. It's not impossible, because you can see how it could be done, but it isn't always in your power break through. Until you realise that this is what is happening, it is a frustrating world in which to live. Life makes sense, but your approach to change doesn't quite work.

The really positive part is that once you recognise that this is what you are experiencing, life becomes a little easier. You can start to distinguish between elements of culture that is not within your power to shift and the other stuff that is within your control.

I'm not quite at that stage, yet. I still need my time to understand exactly what I am going through. But as they say, admission that there are things out of your control is the first step to finding a solution.

You Could Pay It So Much Later

2009-12-17T18:34:00.009+02:00

Finally, I have found a cafe in Latvia that does exactly what I want it to...

"Reasonably priced coffee that doesn't make me grimace with every sip!"

The cappuccino which Index Cafe sells is, in actual fact, a flat white. A very thin layer of foam and no chocolate. This only sweetens the deal!

The cafe itself is perfect, not too big, cozy atmosphere, pleasant music and funky staff. They have free wifi and complimentary meringues - how can you go wrong!

The only complaint I have is that I pay for the coffee upon ordering, not as I am leaving.

There is nothing particularly wrong with this and it certainly won't make me stop enjoying a well deserved coffee. I simply miss an easy space to congratulate the Barrista or cafe workers on a wonderful coffee and excellence experience.

Perhaps this comes from having worked in the food and beverage industry, but if I have really enjoyed a coffee, I like to give a small bit of praise to the people that allowed me to have such an experience.

I know I could just go and say thank you (which I probably should), but it doesn't seem as natural or easy. If Index Cafe simply collected the bill at the end of the experience, then I have no doubt they would get quite a few more comments of praise - and certainly a few more tips.

(Topics I've Got You) On My Mind

2009-11-13T12:23:00.002+02:00

Everyday during this experience there are plenty of ideas and observations which crowd my mind. Just being in a different environment opens you up to different thoughts about the world, people, cultures and global topics.

While I slowly try and turn them into blog posts, for the time being I thought I would list the topics which are currently facinating me about Latvia

Absence of advertising and big American fast food resturants. Comparing this to more 'western' countries and if these things need to be the mark of a developed country.
The difference between ethnicity and nationality. Particularly the relationship between Russians, Latvians and Russo-Latvians.
The performance of the Latvian government and how they seem incapable of directing the country through the crisis.
The development of politics in a country and the impact of not having a history of self-determination.
The hangover of Soviet influences and how that impacts Latvians' behaviours towards preferring group/communal environments.

Hopefully I can write my thoughts in a more detailed way soon.

Warm Day In The Cold

2009-10-30T19:07:00.002+02:00

Its amazing how quickly your body changes its perception of the environment around it.

Walking to work in the morning, I get to see the temperature displayed (Thank you Turkish Airlines). In the last weeks, it has been as low as 4 degrees Celsius and as high as 9 degrees. This is around 8:30 - 9am.

Strangely enough, when it is 9 degrees (or even 6 or 7), I say to myself:

"gee, its warm today"

15 months ago, during my last winter in Australia, 9 degrees was cold, very cold, cold enough to dive into the back of your wardrobe and dig out 8 different layers of clothes and turn on every heater you've ever owned.

Now, 9 degrees is warm and feels nice.

Perception is a strange thing.

Paint It White

2009-10-12T22:22:00.003+03:00

This morning, as I traveled by bus from Riga to Valmiera, an interesting train of thought floated through my mind.

It started with seeing ice on cars as I walked to the bus stop in the morning. This was the first time since I was in Latvia that I had seen a morning frost. The middle of October and we were experiencing our first temperatures below zero.

As I was travelling by bus from Riga to Valmiera in the morning, I watched the Latvian landscape speed by. At first I thought:

"Wow, there is a lot of ice covering the ground, it must have rained, then frozen."

As I kept travelling, the ice was whiter, thicker and covering more and more of the landscape. I thought to myself:

"Perhaps this is snow?

Surely not, its far too early for snow.

But it looks like snow, it has to be!

I don't really know what snow looks like, so it could just be a lot of ice."

When I finally arrived in Valmiera, I was able to examine it far closer, to discover, that on October 12th, I had seen my first snow covering of the year.

It was a wonderful sight. I will find it hard to believe that I can get sick of the sight of a white blanket covering the landscape, even though people assure me that I will.

For the time being, I will enjoy everything painted white.

City of Glass

2009-09-25T15:43:00.017+03:00

With special thanks to AIESEC Vilnius, I have now managed to spend some time in Vilnius, capital of

Lithuania

. While I was there to chair their Discover09 Conference, I did get a chance to soak up some of the Vilnius scenery.

Vilnius

My walk through the city opened a big question for me.

Is the economic development of a city reflected in its architecture?

The very first thing that stands out at me is the architecture in the city. I've never studied design or really know anything about it (apart from watching too much "How I Met Your Mother"), but walking around Vilnius, it is the buildings that stood out for me.

Vilnius

My first thought was:

I thought Riga was supposed to be the economic centre of the Baltics!

By looking at Vilnius, I found it very hard to believe.

Sure, the centre of Vilnius is similar to Riga, characterized by shorter buildings, which date back many years. If I spent more time visiting other parts of the city, I perhaps would have seen a cityscape very similar to what I encounter in Riga.

However, surrounding the city, I could see the familiar sight of skyscrapers, stretching their way into the sky. These sheer, slender structures cut at different angles and seemingly made entirely out of windows: Giant glass monuments to modernity.

Vilnius

It was this sight that brought the skyline of Riga into stark contrast. By comparison, Riga is deserted.

Riga

Not wanting to make a value judgment on the cities of Vilnius and Riga, I did some brief research to understand the economic realities of both Lithuania and Latvia. Both these countries are characterized by having the majority of their economic activity centred in their capitals.

The following graphs show the GDP, GDP Per Capita and Inflation of the Baltic States over the last 6 years.

Baltic GDP

Baltic GDP Per Captia

Baltic Inflation

(For all graphs, EE=Blue, LV=Pink, LT=Yellow)

When you bear in mind that Latvia’s population is 2/3s that of Lithuania, it is clear that Latvia is slightly ahead in economic development. (However, the population of Riga is ~800,000, compared to Vilnius at ~540,000).

Why then, does Vilnius boast a skyline of a major economic centre, while Riga, more closely resembles a city at the turn of the century: The last century?

Riga

This is a strange question, one which could require a deeper understanding of the economy of both countries and cities. I would also be interested to see how the environment affects the mood of the people in these cities. I know which one conveys a vision of progress and modernity, and its not necessarily what the economic figures say.

Pictures in the Riga

2009-09-16T22:00:00.015+03:00

My Arrival in Latvia

(L-R: Jana, Agnese, Karina, Jake, Liza)

View from the Skyline Bar, Reval Hotal Latvija

Old Town of Riga

The Esplanade

Freedom Monument

(Brivivas Piemineklis)

Nativity Orthadox Cathedral

Riga's Park

Fountain in Riga's Park

The Scence for my Autumn Photo Project

Sandcastles at Jurmala

Flower Shops near my Apartment

Cafe Rooms and Coffeespoons

2009-09-13T13:47:00.003+03:00

Since I was about 10, I have developed an increasingly sophisticated taste for coffee. I remember starting to have a cup at the morning tea after church on a Sunday. Some Blend 43 and a few spoonfuls of sugar. Over the next 12 years, I progressed to enjoying the cafe coffee culture and decided to restrict myself to quality espresso coffee.

This is something that has been seriously challenged as I have moved to Latvia. Now, while I haven't succumbed to the "mass produced, caffeine infused, brown coloured water" which is served up at commercial, franchised cafe chains, I have changed my standards to some degree.

In my first few months, I developed my "coffee face", or a look of disappointment when I had the first sip of a coffee. However, I am discovering, that some of the problem is the difference in the taste of milk, possibly caused by the cows having different diets and drinking different water,(Thanks to Kate for pointing this out to me). So I've adjusted my perception of the taste of coffee, so as not to be disappointed by European milk. This is quite a life saver, because I can now find coffee shops to enjoy.

But aside from the taste, I am also missing the cafe culture that I loved in Sydney (and in Melbourne). The small little shop, privately owned, with a few tables, a small menu and some peace and quiet to enjoy a Saturday morning. There are a few cafes in Riga, but I need to go to specific places to get the cafe environment. Unlike Sydney or Melbourne, where you can almost turn around and point to find a place.

It is an interesting insight into cultural differences when you look at environments are creates for socialising and leisure. It also reflects differences in business culture. In Australia, at any coffee shop in a business district, you can see business meetings taking place. Meetings with clients, bosses meeting with employees, co-workers meeting to review plans and discuss ideas. This is not a phenomenon I have seen in Latvia, which has lead me to see how much I loved that aspect of Australian culture.

I can't write a post on my changing attitudes to coffee and thoughts on coffee culture, without mentioning the lovely gift I carted home from Malaysia. It is definitely changing the way I consume coffee in the office.

Thankyou Electrolux.

I'm sure I will enjoy the next 9 months further indulging in my favourite aspects of the coffee culture.

The Song Of This City

2009-09-11T22:39:00.004+03:00

I have never really understood exactly what it meant to sense the feelings and emotions of a city, or a people. The time I have previously spent abroad has never been long enough to allow me to develop anything more than a superficial impression of a place.

But now, after 3 months in Latvia, and returning from 3 weeks in Malaysia, I have a real sense of what that means. Life feels comfortable, I feel in my place at home or in the office. I am also starting to pick up on some subtler elements of culture.

There is a certain rhythm or melody to Riga which I can't quite express. It is something of a slow, melancholy tune, which I can begin to grasp only when I glimpse attitudes of entrepreneurship, optimism or hope.

I would love to compare this feeling I have to the Riga of 12 months ago, before the crisis began to bite. To know if this feeling is the effect of a global economy shaking the foundations of a young country, or if it is a deeper, more culturally ingrained attitude.

Perhaps in another 12 months fortunes will have swung back the other way and I will be able to find that answer. But for now I will have to be content with trying to hear the song of this city.

(I Like You) Just The Way You Were

2009-08-01T11:07:00.005+03:00

Guinness.

Its a marvellous beverage. A dry stout, very Irish. It has a deep, rich taste, almost a malty, coffee flavour. It is the only beer which can be described as "thick, rich and creamy". It is a favourite, particularly when you are just looking for a quiet pint to keep you company as you contemplate life or watch the world go by.

Unfortunately, I have discovered that the Latvian version of Guinness is somewhat akin to dark water. Not quite so romantic and not nearly as delicious.

Alas.

At least there is plenty of other good beers to be enjoyed here.

Standing the Habit

2009-07-24T23:38:00.003+03:00

Latvians have an interesting habit, one that you can observe while taking the bus to and from work everyday.

As the doors close and the bus pulls away from the bus stop, anyone who is getting off at the next stop stands up and immediately moves towards the doors. Regardless if the stop is a mere 60 seconds down the road, or if there are several minutes to travel.

There is nothing particularly wrong with this, it is just an interesting observation, the sorts of cultural differences that you would never imagine.

Although, it is rather uncomfortable when you are catching the bus with someone and mid-conversation they say they are getting off the bus. Only for them to stand several feet away from you, for several minutes, waiting for the bus stop, with an incomplete conversation and awkward goodbye hanging in between.

Sweet Child O' Stalin

2009-07-18T14:20:00.003+03:00

One of the key differences that I am beginning to notice after 6 weeks, is the effect of a highly organised and institutionalised bureaucracy.

Australia has its fair share of bureaurcracy. Anyone who has dealt with the administration of a university will understand. Bureaurcracy exists in all Australian public institutions and as much as we might bemoan it, it really has very little effect on the ease of our lives. Certainly there are situations where you have to fill out too many forms, but by and large, it isn't all that bad.

Over the last few weeks I have had a number of experiences which have shown me just how deeply integrated bureaurcracy is to the Latvian society. By extension I believe this is something common in all ex-soviet states. Certainly, when you raise the subject or explain the situation with Latvians, the response is something along the lines of:

"well, in soviet times...".

The first frustration I have had is trying to submit my residency permit. Latvia is part of the Schengen area, which means that on my Australian passport I can stay within Schengen for 3 months without a visa. However, to stay longer, I need to have a residency permit for Latvia. When I was first compiling the documentation, I was told that I would have to go out of Schengen in order to submit the documents. This meant to the UK. Now that wasn't such an issue, mostly it was just expensive. Luckily after doing a little more reasearch, I discovered that I didn't have to leave Schengen, only Latvia. This meant to submit my documents I could travel to Lithuania or Estonia, a far more convienient option.

I found it very surprising that people working in the immigration department were so misinformed on something that seems quite fundamental. Talking with some of my friends we decided it was a confusion due to Latvia joining the Schengen area in 2004. People automatically assumed that what was outside of Latvia before Shengin, would come to mean outside Shengin. Thank goodness for the help of the Latvian Embassy in Estonia.

However, I still find it rather confusing that while I am legally staying in Latvia, I have to travel 3 hours to Vilnius to submit some paperwork, so that it can be transported back to the immigration department in Riga to be processes. All that happens in Vilnius is they take my money and put my documents in the post. The ineffeciency is astounding, not to mention the environmental impact or the issues of sustainability.

Now, while this is probably something reasonably common, my second experience, although more trivial has left me more utterly confused. I was in my local supermarket collecting my groceries when I made my way to the checkout. The conveyer belt was blue, with pictures of the sun on it, quite different from the usual black. But since there was nobody in the queue and the lady there wasn't doing anything, straight up I walked.

I was told, in no uncertain terms, that I couldn't use this checkout, as it was reserved for mothers with babies and prams. Now, this is a fair enough policy and infact probably quite useful for mothers with prams. I would not have been worried by this at all, except for the distinct lack of mothers, babies or prams anywhere close to the aisle or possibly in the whole shop. I was told I would have to go and wait in another queue behind a line of several people.

I was outraged! It was probably lucky that this conversation was in Latvian and being translated by my Latvian teammate. Having worked in retail for a number of years, I do not subscribe to the notion that "the customer is always right". I do know however, that if you want to create a customer experience which will continually bring people back and generate a positive brand imagine, then you certainly do not send customers to wait in a line. Especially while one of the employees is sitting doing bugger all, waiting for a mother with a pram to suddenly appear.

This had no explaination other than blind adherance to a policy. There was a complete lack of ability to comprehend the purpose behind the policy and to act in an according manner.

So, after waiting dutifully inline at another register, I walked from the store with my Latvian teammate trying to explain the situation...

"well, in Soviet times..."

It ain't empty, its my city.

2009-07-02T21:52:00.009+03:00

After my first month in Riga, I have become increasingly good at fielding these questions:

Why Latvia?

How do you like it?

How is it different to Australia?

However, while I have developed answers to all of these, this last question has been causing me some trouble. My impression after 4 weeks is that it isn't all that different at all.

Certainly there are the obvious things. Food, Housing, Climate, however, none of those are so significant that it has any real impact on your life, its just a different reality to which you can quickly become accustomed.

So while I am wading into my understanding of Latvian culture, one thing has caught my attention.

the subtle nature and character of Latvia and Latvians.

By this I mean that I am used to a society that is in-your-face. There is competition for your attention. Celebrities are those which have big personalities, Shock Jocks rule the radio and advertisers compete to outdo each other in the boldness stakes.

In Latvia, there seems to be a departure from this philosophy.

The expressions of people seem to be reasonably subdued. A question is met with a slight movement of the head. Jokes are to the point (much in contrast to the rambling Australian yarn).Traffic is mostly orderly, without the flashes of anger and expression that you would expect in any (reasonably) large city. Emotions and reactions are conveyed in a far more measured, considered and even tone.

Similarly, I have noticed this characteristic in the marketing which you see in the city. I haven't had the chance to explore Riga deeply, but one of the first things which strikes me is the distinct lack of large scale advertising.

Billboards, shopfronts, posters - they all exist in Riga, but they are far more inconspicuous.

This isn't to say there is no advertising or marketing in Riga. Not the case. It just doesn't have the same, in-your-face, look at me look at me feel about it.

At first I thought this may be a difference of Europe compared

to "Anglo" styled cites. Taking my examples from Sydney, Melbourne and my impressions of the United States and London. However, my visit to Zagreb quickly changed that perspective.

This led me to wonder how a society develops so differently. This is something that I am wanting to spend more time discovering.

My initial thoughts revolved around the fact that Latvia has been under occupation for most of its existence. Perhaps this has had an effect on the psyche of the country, which has manifested itself in how the people express themselves. But I'm not entirely convinced.

In any case, it an environment I am enjoying and one that I am looking forward to experiencing more and hopefully discovering a little more about its origins.

There is much to say for some subtlety.

The Strangest Thing

2009-06-13T19:57:00.002+03:00

Things which you would normally take for granted are sometimes the hardest to work out. Its the stuff which you know and do without a second thought, like where to take out the rubbish.

I've been living in my apartment for nearly 2 weeks now, but I am yet to find out where to take my rubbish. There are no familiar wheelie bins outside and no dumpster in the vicinity. Its really quite curious. Come to think of it, I haven't seen a general garbage bin area in all my 2 weeks here in Latvia. Really strange when most of the accommodation is blockhouses and you would imagine there was a need for a common garbage receptacle so it can be collected.

Mind you, this does have some advantages, I've yet to be woken up by the garbage truck at 5am, which I suppose is something to be happy about.

I suppose this is one of those things which is supposed to challenge you when you live overseas (abroad).

You Just Buy Me Flowers

2009-06-06T23:34:00.004+03:00

I don't know if is a greater romantic spirit or simply the effects of spring, but I am becoming increasingly intrigued at the number of stalls for selling flowers and the number of people buying them.

From my bus stop to my house in the evening I pass at least 10 flower shops, all fully stocked. But even in the centre, on every corner you can find a small stall with somebody selling flowers, often along with other associated nick nacks.

But this isn't a mystery of who is buying all the flowers, because walking through the streets of Riga and everytime I am on the bus, I can regularly see people carrying a bouquet.

I'm still not quite sure on what the need for so many flowers is, but it certainly is nice to be living in a city where it seems people are giving people flowers on a regular basis. This is a topic which I think I will have explore further. Is this something that relates to Latvia's Pagan heritage? Or is this a common occourance in Northern /Eastern Europe? It certainly displays some sort of attitude which is different to that is Australia, one that I am quite happy to enjoy.

Long Day's Night

2009-06-03T22:41:00.003+03:00

My first thought arriving to Riga, as I stepped off the plane, was:

"Wow, I really am a long way north"

It being 10:30pm but light enough so you would think it was 5 or 6pm.

But I am starting to understand what sort of effect this has on your lifestyle. Living in a city with such long days, its amazing how alive the city feels, right up until 10 or 11pm. People are walking around the streets and there is plenty of patronage at coffee shops and the like.

I'm still adjusting to the concept of being out so late and not being at a pub, but I am truly enjoying the culture it creates. However, I am thinking 6 months down the track where being so far north is not going generate the same sort of feeling.

Stay tuned...

decimal eggs

2009-06-01T23:15:00.003+03:00

Welcome to my second attempt of blogging...

Decimal Eggs starts with a very different purpose, this blog is for me to share my thoughts and experiences living for a year in Riga, Latvia.

As of May 29th 2009, I moved from my home city of Sydney, halfway across the world to live in a country that I knew very little about. Through my next 12 months exploring and discovering life in Latvia, follow my thoughts on how I challenge the assumptions I have made about the world.

Its also a way for my friends and family to follow my experience, without me having to become a facebook addict. You can also follow me on twitter.

Enjoy