November 05, 2004
Jingle bells in Leijonakaupunki
Yes yes, Jingle bells have started already last week. Hohoho, Xmas carols when shopping, what could be better, provokes warm feelings and opens my wallet wider.. Orchard Road is the main shopping street, this year they promised to light up the whole street (oh my, oh my, I hope not by terrorist bombs). There has been recently some terrorist scare, Leijonakaupungin elite troops marched out to the streets carrying machine guns. I saw only pictures in the papers, fortunately, not live.. I would have felt over... Funny, why people think that more guns and people in uniforms create a sense of security. One of my scarier moments in life was when a bunch of Indonesian policemen (with guns) came to have lunch to the same restaurant as we. Guns are dangerous, doesn't matter in who's hands they are! Another news story from the papers - Buddhist Thai teachers in the South of Thailand will get guns and training to protect themselves and their pupils from muslim rebels. And this all is happening in the place where there's already too many weapons in the hands of civilians.. See Teemu's note about friendly security from the Finnish perspective. I think he pretty much sums up the points there...
I have been contemplating my 2 job proposals - one lecturer, another research associate. Both have their pros and cons and I'm afraid that at the end much more mundane reasons like, do I want to travel 1:30h to work (that makes 3h in public transportation alltogether every day!) or, do I get 42 or 21 days of holiday, or, could I start from December already, will be very weighty.
Minua ottaa vahan pannuun toi tilanne mista ma on kirjoittannut viimeisessa blogipostissa, siis en tuntu pajon lojalisuuta taman yhteiskuntan. Yksi lehtorin tehtavista on "tarkista etta opiskelijat olevat sopivasti pukeuttuneet" hmm.. Kuulosta vahan kun pioneerikamppi neuvostoliito aikoina.. As truputi nervinuosi del tos zodzio laisves situacijos, kuri aprashyta praeita karta, taigi nesijauchiu pernelyg lojali shitai visuomenei ir valstybei. Viena is destytojo pareigu - "uzhtikrinti, kad studentai padoriai rengiasi" Skamba kaip pionieriu stovykla senais gerais laikais..
I still have time till Monday to decide, so I'll see. Tomorrow I go to one strange private design school that I have been in contact for quite some time to see and participate in the student's final work evaluation. I guess (I hope) it will help me to decide whether this teaching is my cup of tea at all.
One more amusing thing from Leijonakaupunki realities - right now there's a campaign promoting public transportation for the people. They keep track of how much you use your electronic bus-card and have some kind of "lucky draws" once in a while. The main prize is A CAR! Not kidding you! Isn't it a bit paradoxical, some smartass could ask? Yes, but the object of most desire by Leijonakaupunki people is a car. So, ride MRT, win a car! ah.. I still have a lot to learn about this society..
Posted by gkligyte at November 5, 2004 08:20 PM