Thursday, March 22, 2012

HEAVEN AND HELL JOKE

IN HEAVEN:                                                     
  1. The cooks are French,
  2. The policemen are English,
  3. The mechanics are German,
  4. The lovers are Italian,
  5. The bankers are Swiss.                               
IN HELL:
  1. The cooks are English,
  2. The policemen are German,
  3. The mechanics are French,
  4. The lovers are Swiss,
  5. The bankers are Italian.

HAVING FUN WITH STEREOTYPES...  AFTER ALL, MOST GENERALIZATIONS ARE GENERALLY TRUE, NO?

    GREECE AND PATIENCE

    ACROPOLIS FROM ABOVE
    Living in Greece, I noticed that Greeks are very impatient about things I considered not worth getting upset about, and extremely patient about things I thought were worthy of impatience (like being on time, government services, garbage disposal, riots).

    I am, by nature, an impatient person.  Anyone who really knows me, knows this! ;0)

    FIGHTING BACK--AT LAST!
    One of the greatest challenges to my impatience was living abroad.  Everything seems so different.  If you don't adapt, remain or become flexible, cool down, and change perspectives, your impatience can ruin wonderful experiences, create more stress, and can even be dangerous.

    After "banging my head against the wall" many times, I slowly began to let go.  I let go of trying to control situations and others.  I stopped judging so much.  I actually became (in comparison to before, at least!) LAID BACK.  Yes, it IS possible to change!

    Do I still lose patience from time to time--yyyyeeessss!  But I've learned to be patient with myself for not being perfect and get over it faster.  (If you aren't an overachieving, perfectionist, type "A" personality...impatience is probably not an issue for you.  You may need to learn to be less patient!  ;0)

    I'm very grateful for my experiences living in other environments and cultures.  Learning more patience was just one reward of challenging myself to change and grow in my travels and living as an expat.

    Sunday, March 11, 2012

    TRAVEL CARTOON


    Like many people, I am very concerned about our civil liberties being eroded!

    I am so glad that most of my travels happened before all these current security measures.

    Hey, I can remember when anyone could see you off from the gate at the airport!  Can you?  And we weren't "handled", searched, and X-rayed.  THOSE were the days...

    GREECE CARTOON

    OOOOOOPAAAHHHH!!!!   
    Will Greece "bite the dust?"
    How long before the other "poorer" countries end up on the same heap of broken plates?

    Ach, Ellada...