stories from latvia
inside - This is my 81st day in London. I haven't seen my family for so
long first time in my life. With the usual way of life completely lost, some
impression of life's insignificance came to my mind. I felt how small and
short-lasting I am on the Earth. But since last week I know the date they will
come to visit me. Everything's turned round again. I feel inspired and can do
more than ever before. How strange! We have been here all the time, we have
been exchanging letters; the distance between us isn't any obstacle nowadays.
But how much depends on a presence! (But at the same time - I'm the same
insignificant and short-lasting on the Earth...)
outside - We have grown insensible to the everyday events, as there are
too many of them. And the few greater events - both festivities and disasters
- in London somehow managed to escape my presence. Maybe I'm thinking of home
too much? There was a Latvian Christmas bazar in London. They told me how it
has been the old days. How many people were coming to it, how much they could
earn, how they spent the money on sustaining their identity. It wasn't like
that anymore. And it is so sad to realise, that some more tradition is on its
decline. Losing its position rapidly. (But its just the natural way of
things...)
future - I won't see it. My son either, I'm afraid. I hope that it will
have solutions for the basic problems we have today. Otherwise there will be
no life at all. (Could this all be started once again - anew?...)
Aldis Putelis <aldisp@lanet.lv / aputelis@ssees.ac.uk>
Riga, Latvia - Thursday, December 05, 1996 at 11:49:35 (GMT)
inside - I've got a new job, and have moved to
another city, another country, and completely
different lifesyle. I guess I've become closer
to the Western civilization, with all its pro's
and contra's.
outside - 1) Back home, in Latvia:
We've had quite a shock during our 'revolution',
transition, collapse of Sovie Union, change of
economic system, etc. I'd say that life has got
better, but many people won't agree it has. But
it certainly has got very, very different. I
believe these years were unique experience.
Nothing after that, since 1992 or 93, can beat
it. I don't think anything have seriously affected
or surprised me in the last couple of years.
2) Here, in Italy.
Actually, it's related to point 1). I am shocked
and terrified by the support communists get in
this, otherwise beautiful country. I am not
really ineresed in local politics for the reasons
above, but it's had not to notice. I wish they
would all come to USSR 10 years ago. It would
change their minds.
future - I don't believe there's any other way than
technocratic. Everyone hears, and almost
everyone occasionaly produces, a lot of
critics on this, but nobody has found anything
better yet. So, I don't think people will ever
find harmony with nature - we lost it when we
became humans.
I do believe that there won't be war in 100
years. With a bit more imaginaion, I can
believe that there won't be hunger in 100
years. I hope we'll beat cancer, AIDS. But
somehing might replace them. I don't think
that life will ever be fair. There always
will be winners and losers, rich and poor,
pretty and ugly, and so on. And I don't
think life will ever be easy. But it will
certainly get better.
Yury Shatz <yury.shatz@fao.org>
Riga, Latvia - Friday, November 29, 1996 at 19:25:02 (GMT)
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