Thursday, February 14, 2008
Church Website
So here is my placement's church website: http://www.ecavhybe.sk/
The church has a media committee that regularily updates the site. It's a pretty great page! Lots of pictures and video clips. I have been in a fair share of pictures on here already, so check them out if you're interested. The website is all in Slovak, but you can still wander around and check things out. To get directly to the recent photo updates: from the main site page, there is a column to the right of the church picture, click on the first link that says "NAJAKTUÁLNEJŠIE FOTKY". This will bring you to a listing of the most recent photo groupings (one if even named "Ashley"). Hope you enjoy!
Also, here is a direct link to one of the photo pages: http://www.ecavhybe.sk/index_soubory/Page323.htm
-This is a picture of some of the young people from the church. The two girls in the middle row kneeling are my two host sisters (the one in the blue bandana is Katka, and the one in the pigtails is Janka).
The church has a media committee that regularily updates the site. It's a pretty great page! Lots of pictures and video clips. I have been in a fair share of pictures on here already, so check them out if you're interested. The website is all in Slovak, but you can still wander around and check things out. To get directly to the recent photo updates: from the main site page, there is a column to the right of the church picture, click on the first link that says "NAJAKTUÁLNEJŠIE FOTKY". This will bring you to a listing of the most recent photo groupings (one if even named "Ashley"). Hope you enjoy!
Also, here is a direct link to one of the photo pages: http://www.ecavhybe.sk/index_soubory/Page323.htm
-This is a picture of some of the young people from the church. The two girls in the middle row kneeling are my two host sisters (the one in the blue bandana is Katka, and the one in the pigtails is Janka).
Sunday, February 3, 2008
A Helpful Conversation
During my time in Koseca, my good friend Chris came to visit me and it was so great!! It was a quick visit, only two days, but we still had a lot of fun. My Slovak friend Juraj offered to take him to Slovak landmarks, make him Slovak food, and was very anxious for Chris to see his home country. While Juraj was quite excited to show Chris parts of Slovakia, I was much more concerned about just being able to hang out with him and talk/catch up. Juraj was persistant in asking what Chris thought about Slovakia, if he liked the food, what he thought about the language, and much more. I had to ask, “Why do you care so much, whether Chris likes Slovakia or not?”
A conversation branched from this comment. “Because it’s my home country, and I want him to have a good experience here, and have a good opinion of its’ people and beauty. Don’t you care if people like your country?”
I thought about this for a while, and realized that I actually didn’t care. And for this I felt very sorry. I thought that if I really DID care that much about peoples’ opinions (as much as Juraj does) of my home country, I would be so beaten down and discouraged that I wouldn’t be able to get out of bed in the morning.
“Really? The U.S.? NOBODY likes the U.S., Juraj. I CAN’T care, or I’d go crazy.”
A lot of things were put into perspective for both of us in this conversation, I think. What do I really think about the U.S.? I thought about my attitudes toward my home country that had developed since I’d begun traveling. After spending a semester studying abroad in Europe in 2005, I thought America was awful. I had no outside perspective before, and after spending four months talking to people who thought the U.S. was unjust, money-hungry, and ridiculous (mainly because we elected G.W. Bush…and not just once) I was willing to join in on every “this is why America is terrible” conversation. I joined my very liberal, Bush-hating generation very willingly and spoke harshly without putting much thought behind what I said. It wasn't so much the people I was angry about, but the political and economic situations that my country made. After my semester abroad, when others spoke poorly of any place in Europe, I defended Europe. If others spoke poorly of the U.S., I joined in. I was extremely unfair. The experiences I had abroad were really amazing and eye-opening, but they originally made me really angry because I had been exposed to the reality of the world (U.S. being dominant and the effects) and didn't know how to handle it.
After gaining some more perspective, and having time to reflect on experiences, I realize that the U.S. has its problems and faults. Of course, every country does. I’ve realized the impact and force my home country has, and the conflict and problems it inflicts onto the rest of the world. But I’ve also learned to love my home country, and Juraj (and many other Slovaks I’ve met along the way) has taught me what it means to be loyal to your home country. They’ve taught me a lot about appreciation, and about staying loyal to your roots (regardless if they are in a small country like Slovakia, or in a powerhouse country like the U.S.). It’s been a challenge for me and will continue to be, but I’m happy that the Slovaks have helped me gain some perspective. I’m glad that I’m developing more mature and realistic opinions about the U.S., Slovakia, and the rest of the world. I’m realizing more and more how damaging and real prejudices can be, and how much it can hinder us from connecting and communicating with each other, as societies and as people.
My friend and fellow YAGM volunteer has been working in a church community in Slovakia, and she has spent so much of her time in the pastor’s home. The pastor and his wife have a four-year old son, and she is asked to look after the son from time to time. This four-year old boy has been telling her for months, “You’re stupid! Why don’t you just go back to America! You can’t speak Slovak, and you should just go away, I don't want you here!” It’s so hard to believe, coming from a four-year old boy who most likely knows nothing about America, yet he already has such a negativity towards Americans. Where did he get it from? There are so many influences out there that have lives of their own, and it’s scary. I’m working on being prejudice-free, whether the prejudices are against other countries or my own. I’m apologizing to and currently missing America, my home country that I miss very much, and to all of the truly amazing people in it.
A conversation branched from this comment. “Because it’s my home country, and I want him to have a good experience here, and have a good opinion of its’ people and beauty. Don’t you care if people like your country?”
I thought about this for a while, and realized that I actually didn’t care. And for this I felt very sorry. I thought that if I really DID care that much about peoples’ opinions (as much as Juraj does) of my home country, I would be so beaten down and discouraged that I wouldn’t be able to get out of bed in the morning.
“Really? The U.S.? NOBODY likes the U.S., Juraj. I CAN’T care, or I’d go crazy.”
A lot of things were put into perspective for both of us in this conversation, I think. What do I really think about the U.S.? I thought about my attitudes toward my home country that had developed since I’d begun traveling. After spending a semester studying abroad in Europe in 2005, I thought America was awful. I had no outside perspective before, and after spending four months talking to people who thought the U.S. was unjust, money-hungry, and ridiculous (mainly because we elected G.W. Bush…and not just once) I was willing to join in on every “this is why America is terrible” conversation. I joined my very liberal, Bush-hating generation very willingly and spoke harshly without putting much thought behind what I said. It wasn't so much the people I was angry about, but the political and economic situations that my country made. After my semester abroad, when others spoke poorly of any place in Europe, I defended Europe. If others spoke poorly of the U.S., I joined in. I was extremely unfair. The experiences I had abroad were really amazing and eye-opening, but they originally made me really angry because I had been exposed to the reality of the world (U.S. being dominant and the effects) and didn't know how to handle it.
After gaining some more perspective, and having time to reflect on experiences, I realize that the U.S. has its problems and faults. Of course, every country does. I’ve realized the impact and force my home country has, and the conflict and problems it inflicts onto the rest of the world. But I’ve also learned to love my home country, and Juraj (and many other Slovaks I’ve met along the way) has taught me what it means to be loyal to your home country. They’ve taught me a lot about appreciation, and about staying loyal to your roots (regardless if they are in a small country like Slovakia, or in a powerhouse country like the U.S.). It’s been a challenge for me and will continue to be, but I’m happy that the Slovaks have helped me gain some perspective. I’m glad that I’m developing more mature and realistic opinions about the U.S., Slovakia, and the rest of the world. I’m realizing more and more how damaging and real prejudices can be, and how much it can hinder us from connecting and communicating with each other, as societies and as people.
My friend and fellow YAGM volunteer has been working in a church community in Slovakia, and she has spent so much of her time in the pastor’s home. The pastor and his wife have a four-year old son, and she is asked to look after the son from time to time. This four-year old boy has been telling her for months, “You’re stupid! Why don’t you just go back to America! You can’t speak Slovak, and you should just go away, I don't want you here!” It’s so hard to believe, coming from a four-year old boy who most likely knows nothing about America, yet he already has such a negativity towards Americans. Where did he get it from? There are so many influences out there that have lives of their own, and it’s scary. I’m working on being prejudice-free, whether the prejudices are against other countries or my own. I’m apologizing to and currently missing America, my home country that I miss very much, and to all of the truly amazing people in it.
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