Adjustments, adjustments. Guess that's the word of the year for us. Even during our stay in the Holy Land (Ramallah), we did not have close neighbors. Our flat above the library at the Friends School was quiet at night, except for a few musicians who were in the flat next door occasionally. Once we moved to the upstairs of the Swift House the following year, we were alone on the property, as there were offices downstairs. My point being we did not need to be quiet just because we had neighbors.
Now that we are living on the 7th floor of a large apartment building we do, indeed, share walls and floors with others. I have been surprised how quiet the building is, and rarely hear voices or TVs, dogs barking, etc, through the walls and floors. I guess maybe that's because we are usually the ones making the noise. We have a neighbor below, an older woman, who must be getting tired of us (already)....... Yes, I'll admit the kids are noisy, can be loud and running and jumping happen inside our flat from time to time. Justin has outbursts of loud singing that go over the top for me as well.
Our flat is heated by radiators that are connected by exposed pipes (they are painted white to match). Now I know that the pipes also are connected throughout the building! Our neighbor is clanging on the pipes when she is annoyed with our noise. I don't know how long she has been doing this, but I just made the connection yesterday. It happened again tonight and now we are certain that this is a request for us to be quiet. I'm trying to be courteous and explain the shared wall and floor idea to our kids, but I can't help but begin humming the oldie sung by Tony Orlando & Dawn - Knock three times on the ceiling if you want me, twice on the pipe if the answer is no......... So it ends up making me smile. Maybe we can get her to smile someday when she gets to know us better.
21 October 2007
Head Lice - 'Tis the Season?
Anyone who has been through an episode of head lice infestation can certainly relate to my dismay at discovering a louse in our house (or Justin's hair).
The day the school sent out a parent newsletter with a paragraph titled "head lice occurrence" was when we made our creepy discovery. To make matters worse, Justin was scheduled for a class field trip the next morning. We tried to let Justin know that he wouldn't be able to go on the class trip (tears) and decided to make a trip to the pharmacy for a treatment potion the following morning.
The school director told Doug that we could certainly get Justin on the bus at 9:00 if we just got some special shampoo right away. Justin and I hurried to the Lekaren (pharmacy) about two blocks away. I asked the nice lady if she spoke English - nie was her reply. I would never call my communication at a time like this sign language. That is so much more sophisticated. This is more like charades and just as silly except for the urgency of the situation. I point to my head, pretend I'm shampooing and then point to Justin's head. She smiles, nods her head, and returns with a box labeled Parasidose anti-poux Shampooing that has a picture of a couple of little crawly things in a target circle. I paid my 137.40 SKK (about $5), smiled and said Da kjueme and we hurried home. My next task, get the hair shampooed, use the blow dryer and walk Justin to the bus for his trip to the Bratislava Zoo. I had two choices of language for the instructions: Slovak and French. I know neither. I looked real closely at the French instructions, after finding my reading glasses, and saw Mode' D'Emploi--appliquer 3 minutes, rincer, and that phrase was repeated. Looks like, wet hair, shampoo, wait three minutes, rinse, do it again...... How hard was that? The deed was done, we made it to school by 9:00 a.m.
Later I was talking with the school administration and heard that head lice is a huge problem in all of Central Europe. She also said the shampoo doesn't work, as the lice have developed resistance to the chemical. So much for having the deed done. I continued to wash sheets, towels, clothes and bedding (remember my tiny washer and no dryer), all the while wondering if we were going to be rid of them.
NO! They were still present the next day. Start the process again....... This time I called upon my very linguistically gifted Slovak friend to help me at the Lekaren. By mobile (cell) phone, she talked to the pharmacy clerk and explained the situation and was there any other product that would kill the lice. I watched her walk away and return with a box in her hand -there were some really happy children on the box with all their heads touching. Looked good to me. It was called Paranit and came with a lice comb (isn't that special). The price?-- 639.50 SKK ($30). Five times more than the last loser cheapo shampoo. My friend continued to review the instructions on the new product with the clerk while I forked over the cash. The language choices on the instructions were not too much better than the last product: Slovak or Czech.
I guess I am now an expert because I think (hope?) I've beaten these things. I've used shampoo on wet hair, this licorice-smelling stuff on dry hair and the special comb on Justin's head while he watches a movie and I painstakingly comb his scalp to remove anything that thinks it will come to life in a few days. We will repeat the process in about 5 days. I'm open to any stories or suggestions from my blog friends......
The day the school sent out a parent newsletter with a paragraph titled "head lice occurrence" was when we made our creepy discovery. To make matters worse, Justin was scheduled for a class field trip the next morning. We tried to let Justin know that he wouldn't be able to go on the class trip (tears) and decided to make a trip to the pharmacy for a treatment potion the following morning.
The school director told Doug that we could certainly get Justin on the bus at 9:00 if we just got some special shampoo right away. Justin and I hurried to the Lekaren (pharmacy) about two blocks away. I asked the nice lady if she spoke English - nie was her reply. I would never call my communication at a time like this sign language. That is so much more sophisticated. This is more like charades and just as silly except for the urgency of the situation. I point to my head, pretend I'm shampooing and then point to Justin's head. She smiles, nods her head, and returns with a box labeled Parasidose anti-poux Shampooing that has a picture of a couple of little crawly things in a target circle. I paid my 137.40 SKK (about $5), smiled and said Da kjueme and we hurried home. My next task, get the hair shampooed, use the blow dryer and walk Justin to the bus for his trip to the Bratislava Zoo. I had two choices of language for the instructions: Slovak and French. I know neither. I looked real closely at the French instructions, after finding my reading glasses, and saw Mode' D'Emploi--appliquer 3 minutes, rincer, and that phrase was repeated. Looks like, wet hair, shampoo, wait three minutes, rinse, do it again...... How hard was that? The deed was done, we made it to school by 9:00 a.m.
Later I was talking with the school administration and heard that head lice is a huge problem in all of Central Europe. She also said the shampoo doesn't work, as the lice have developed resistance to the chemical. So much for having the deed done. I continued to wash sheets, towels, clothes and bedding (remember my tiny washer and no dryer), all the while wondering if we were going to be rid of them.
NO! They were still present the next day. Start the process again....... This time I called upon my very linguistically gifted Slovak friend to help me at the Lekaren. By mobile (cell) phone, she talked to the pharmacy clerk and explained the situation and was there any other product that would kill the lice. I watched her walk away and return with a box in her hand -there were some really happy children on the box with all their heads touching. Looked good to me. It was called Paranit and came with a lice comb (isn't that special). The price?-- 639.50 SKK ($30). Five times more than the last loser cheapo shampoo. My friend continued to review the instructions on the new product with the clerk while I forked over the cash. The language choices on the instructions were not too much better than the last product: Slovak or Czech.
I guess I am now an expert because I think (hope?) I've beaten these things. I've used shampoo on wet hair, this licorice-smelling stuff on dry hair and the special comb on Justin's head while he watches a movie and I painstakingly comb his scalp to remove anything that thinks it will come to life in a few days. We will repeat the process in about 5 days. I'm open to any stories or suggestions from my blog friends......
17 October 2007
Grocery shopping as I know it.....
The new TESCO supermarket superstore opened up on October 13. Our family made the one-block trek to check it out 20-minutes after the scheduled opening. Wow! Such a big, beautiful store and so close to home. It was truly a new day for me in the grocery arena of my life in Bratislava. The kids got balloons and I got a keychain with two (2) tokens for the grocery cart locks - see what I mean?
Among our purchases was a hair dryer for me. I should have bought one long ago while we lived in Ramallah, but never got around to it. Now, being in a colder climate, it seemed like the right time. We bought fresh pastries and yogurt and cold milk from the dairy case instead of the long-life box.
I also picked up the Tesco flyer which highlights the specials for the next week. Sitting at the kitchen table with my English-Slovensko dictionary and the flyer, I began to empower myself by translating the words. Ahhhh, what a feeling! I translated sour cream, orange juice and gave myself notes on a few items to remember next time.
My exhilaration didn't last too long the next week, for I still had to carry everything home. I realized I had bought way too much heavy stuff. I have to learn to space out the bottled water, Diet Coke, cooking oil and milk. But really, it is great to have a much wider selection close by. I even found some yellow cheddar cheese, labeled "English Cheddar". All the cheeses are white and have names I don't recognize.
09 October 2007
Slovakia & The Holy Land
Four days until the new, GIANT Tesco supermarket opens. This will be a huge convenience for our family and very welcome BUT I wonder if the tiny supermarket that now butts up to the Tesco rear parking lot will be able to make it. From what I can tell, it is a family-owned franchise and it is small, with a limited selection. Reminds me of Wal-Mart in America putting the little guys out of business....... This morning I walked to the another supermarket, the Rema 1000, so I could get some Tide (more laundry to do......) and welcomed the thought of a closer place to stock up.
What does this have to do with The Holy Land? Our first trip to Rema 1000 was the day we arrived, and we took a walk to check out the supermarket and nearby pizza restaurant. We walked past rows of "Communist bloc" apartment buildings, none of which are any more remarkable than the next. The landscaping is haphazard, occasionally someone has made a little garden, but the trees are overgrown and the grass and weeds grow next to each other. I noticed the familiar shaped leaves and color of an olive tree. Who planted an olive tree in Bratislava? I don't believe this is a usual place - Central Europe - let alone in a city, next to a formerly public housing project. Even more surprising, I saw olives growing on the branches. The tree is obviously in need of pruning and I doubt will be harvested, with the fruit taken to the local olive press to be made into oil for the use of any residents here.
One thought leads to another and I have found myself missing friends, acquaintances, landscape and the climate and history of Ramallah, Jerusalem and Bethlehem. Doug and even Justin mention longing for the best parts of belonging to that part of the world. I also long for the best parts but still cringe at the worst. Since arriving in Sovakia, our passports have been inspected only a few times: to open a bank account, purchase a mobile phone, drop Anya off to the Ikea play area. Some trips to Jerusalem from Ramallah were especially tedious, with our passports being inspected 3, even four times.
Just about one year ago we were harvesting olives with a family in Bethlehem. After learning the rich symbolism the olive tree has and the significance to family history and the land, I can never forget it. I think God has reminded me through this seemingly "random" olive tree in a most unlikely place to pray for peace and justice in The Holy Land. I hope some of you, my dear friends and family, can take a moment and pray for the same.
Carolyn
http://hartofeurope.blogspot.com
What does this have to do with The Holy Land? Our first trip to Rema 1000 was the day we arrived, and we took a walk to check out the supermarket and nearby pizza restaurant. We walked past rows of "Communist bloc" apartment buildings, none of which are any more remarkable than the next. The landscaping is haphazard, occasionally someone has made a little garden, but the trees are overgrown and the grass and weeds grow next to each other. I noticed the familiar shaped leaves and color of an olive tree. Who planted an olive tree in Bratislava? I don't believe this is a usual place - Central Europe - let alone in a city, next to a formerly public housing project. Even more surprising, I saw olives growing on the branches. The tree is obviously in need of pruning and I doubt will be harvested, with the fruit taken to the local olive press to be made into oil for the use of any residents here.
One thought leads to another and I have found myself missing friends, acquaintances, landscape and the climate and history of Ramallah, Jerusalem and Bethlehem. Doug and even Justin mention longing for the best parts of belonging to that part of the world. I also long for the best parts but still cringe at the worst. Since arriving in Sovakia, our passports have been inspected only a few times: to open a bank account, purchase a mobile phone, drop Anya off to the Ikea play area. Some trips to Jerusalem from Ramallah were especially tedious, with our passports being inspected 3, even four times.
Just about one year ago we were harvesting olives with a family in Bethlehem. After learning the rich symbolism the olive tree has and the significance to family history and the land, I can never forget it. I think God has reminded me through this seemingly "random" olive tree in a most unlikely place to pray for peace and justice in The Holy Land. I hope some of you, my dear friends and family, can take a moment and pray for the same.
Carolyn
http://hartofeurope.blogspot.com
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