Let’s Have a History Lesson!

I started and then stopped a blog entry when I went to Bratislava last week. Since then I completely have lost my train of thought. Thus, the list format once again.

I.

Poland always has had a good relationship with the US – more so than other countries in the region. Polish special forces took part in the 2003 invasion of Iraq, making it one of only three US allies to take part in the initial fighting. Poland was also one of the earliest and biggest contributors to the fight in Afghanistan, with 1,600 soldiers.

However, the Poles are increasingly worried about Obama’s “conciliatory” foreign policy towards Russia. They view Russia as a massive, irrational threat to the region, as evidenced by Russia shutting off its oil pipeline through Ukraine during a cold spell last winter. The pipeline supplies 1/5 of the natural gas consumed in Europe.

Obama recently announced his decision to withdraw from plans to build a missile defense system in Czech and Poland, a plan which Russia had strongly opposed. And unfortunately, Obama made the announcement on September 18th, the 70th anniversary of the Russian invasion of Poland. Whether or not Obama made the right decision, Obama and the US are severely declining in popularity in Poland.

II.

In Bratislava, I stayed at a “boutique” hotel with cool art and chocolates in the rooms (yeah, it doesn’t take much). However, the best thing about the hotel was that you could request a “lady’s chamber” - a small room which looked like a dollhouse, with a slanted ceiling and dormer windows. I stayed in a big-girl room on this trip, but maybe next time.

III.

There has been tension between the Hungarians and Slovaks since Hungary was stripped of most of its land after WWI. And relations recently have become “frostier” according to the Budapest Times. This summer Slovaks passed a law making it illegal to use Hungarian or “incorrect Slovak” in public places. This may not have been a huge deal, but hundreds of thousands of Hungarians live and run businesses in Southern Slovakia. In retaliation, the Hungarian Minister of Foreign affairs recently was quoted referring to Slovakia as a “younger brother that needs to be taught European manners.” Snap!

IV.

I have mentioned before the pull-over-happy crazy traffic cops and their penchant for bribery – whether it be in the form of cash or cake. I was driving with my boss Gerry to the hotel, and a cop stopped us right before we were about to drive over a bridge. Gerry and the cop then proceeded to have a standoff: the cop browsed Gerry’s (Irish) passport and twirled his pencil; Gerry refused to reach for his wallet. After fifteen minutes, Gerry gave up. Outcome - Slovak cop: +EUR 50; Gerry (& everyone else in the car): -15 minutes of our lives.

I Am Back

Oh, I'm back. B-school apps were annoying, but first-round is done, and I plan on a straight copy & paste to get me through the second round. Which will explain things if I don't get in anywhere.

It is amazing how a silly process which requires only a couple of recommendations and a few essays about the thing you know most about – you – can be so stressful. I am sorry to everyone to whom I have been a biatch this month as a result of doing apps on weekends and trying to figure out what exactly is my “career vision.” I also want to let it be known that I wrote I was the “longest tenured employee” at the Sherborn Sandwich Company under my employment experience. Even Karen, the woman who left for a rival sandwich shop after another coworker began having an affair with the local cop with whom Karen already was having an affair, started after me. I am full of interesting things to write about; unfortunately, most of them do not answer the question “what is your greatest mistake and why?”

I think I will celebrate with a Hungarian langosh / pallinka bender. Scratch that. This weekend, I am going camping with coworkers in Dachstein in Austria, which is more akin to The Sound of Music. My coworker Robert emailed around a packing list, which includes these items:

- Head-torch – I actually have one of these in Boston. My eccentric (crazy) aunt gave it to me for Christmas years ago. It is a combination head-lamp / head-magnifying glass. I have never used it but have kept it in case I ever want to go spelunking.

- Pallinka – Robert, are you serious? Pallinka is a q to v potent, and I can barely converse after drinking it much less scale a mountain. I plan to abstain (sike!).

- Some food (chocolate bars, sweets...) – Man, I like how you think!

Just call me Fraulein Maria.

18th Budapest International Wine Festival

Literally every weekend there is a wine festival in Hungary, and the biggest one was this weekend at the Buda castle. Susan and I met up with a couple of her coworkers, picked up a wine glass and a pouch to hold it in, and tried...more wine than I have ever seen before in my life. My favorite was the Oremus Tokaji, the sweet Hungarian white wine.

In addition to the wine, highlights of the evening included:

Neutralizing the effects of copious wine consumption with toki pompos, Hungarian pizza with sour cream, bacon, cheese & onion.

Procuring a salsa dancing partner - although Susan's coworker may not have remembered agreeing to this, I have a witness.

My cabdriver asking me if I liked the Boston Celtics when I told him I was from Boston. Umm YES?!?!

Lame

Hi friends,

This blog is going to take a little hiatus while I spend the rest of the month doing business school applications! Oh yes, my brain needs to focus all of its creativity on the apps, especially given the following excerpts from my essays in their current form:

HBS is the next step and ideal training ground to help me achieve my career goals given the program’s general management and leadership focus.

No matter which problem I choose to solve, I need strong business fundamentals and interpersonal skills to execute my vision.

I realized I wanted to expand my perspective outside of my Ivy League finance bubble...*

*Oh yeah, I am applying to Ivy League MBA programs - may want to change that sentence...

I would be laughing too if this wasn't ACTUALLY THE STATE OF MY ESSAYS!

Haha, ok, it's a little funny.

On the other hand, maybe I will post more frequently as a procrastination method. Only time will tell.

Hungarian Randomness

I.

Last week I was at my friend's apartment and ended up hanging out with Shaney, one of the construction workers rennvoating the apartment. Shaney is a soft spoken, unassuming guy except on the topic of "communist run" companies such as the BKV, or public transportation system in Budapest. It is a game for Hungarians to ride the metro without a ticket, and Shaney is no exception. Last time Shaney was ticketless and got stopped by a controller, instead of pretending to be foreign (which he usually does), he put on his sunglasses and pretended to be a deaf mute. The controller wasn't buying it, but Shaney kept on staring straight ahead as the increasingly irritated controller yelled at him. Then at the next stop, Shaney blindly put his hands out and stumbled down the stairs and onto the street.

II.

I always see Asian tourists taking pictures around the city but yesterday I saw a family take turns photographing each other drinking from a public water fountain.

III.

It is a law in Hungary that you need to drive with your lights on, no matter what the weather or time of day. I don't like this rule because the more often I drive with my lights on, the more likely I will forget to turn them off when I park the car. However, if I ever try to dodge this rule pulling out of the parking garage on a bright, sunny day, the parking attendant Andrew raps on my window with a concerned look, "Safety first Alex, safety first."

IV.

Over the past two weeks, I have seen a plethora of eye patches around the city. Now I don't know if it is a fashion trend or if there are a lot of blind or injured people all of a sudden, but I do know that I might need to get one. In case I ever get stopped on the metro and need to pretend to be a deaf mute.

Szia Jackie!

Last Friday night I said goodbye to my wonderful friend Jackie who is moving back to NYC. This brings up a lot of questions: with whom will I eat sheep's cheese on the side of the road? Who will make CDs for future road trips and educate me on 60's funk & soul? One solution - Jackie, you gotta come back.


We go to Corvinteto, Budapest's only rooftop bar.


Awwwwwwwwww, so cute. Then per usual the night devolves.


Better Bobby hold onto my purse than me as I have a history of losing it.


I seem to be wearing the same dress in all of my pictures from Budapest. I promise I wash it.


I think the question is why not pick someone else's nose?


My "sad" face attempt because Jackie is leaving. But it just comes off as...strange.

Unusual Forms of Exercise Observed in Hungary

1. Running (lumbering)in moon shoes.

2. Wearing crazy high heels to work the calves muscles.

3. Outrunning the underground metro.

4. Pedaling a three person bike.

5. Dancing to gypsy music.