No matter how many times I go to the Sunday market in Divonne it is always interesting. Growing up in a city, I never really went to a farmers' market, although there was one in the area. In France most places have an open-air market twice a week; yes even in Paris.
Every Sunday vendors get up very early and set-up their stalls in Divonne. Most come from the Rhone -Alps region of France, but some others travel longer distances. They have everything from vegetables, fruit and meat to clothes and mattresses. The local shops such as the bakery and butcher are also open on Sundays. Going shopping at the market is a very different experience. You need to know what to buy. You need to know how to buy. There are no pre-package items. There are no frozen items. The vegetables which are available are those of the the season. In spring you find strawberries and asparagus. In summer there are many stands with apricots and cherries. In fall mushrooms and pumpkins are readily available. Today walking through the market, we saw all of the fall foods. Even in the bakery the pies are made most from pears and apples, two fruits which are in plenty of supply at this time of year.
One of the interesting places is the fish market. On display are many kinds of seafood. Some I would have no idea of how to cook. You find octopus, shrimp, oysters, and many types of fish. And if you like you can even eat oysters on the spot and have some white wine with them.
I completely understand why people go to the market on Sundays to buy fresh food. Not many stores are open in this area on Sundays. I don't get it why one would go there and by a mattress. Nevertheless there are people there selling mattresses and other small household furniture. Additionally, there are booths of baked chickens. These seem to be rather popular, because there are usually long lines in front of them. In summer you will find a large pan of paella. It looks good, but I have never ventured to try it. Now that it is turning cold, you can buy choucroute. Years ago, I was not a fan of choucroute, but I must admit on a very cold day, a good choucroute and some white wine are ideal.
Local markets are very interesting. The shopping experience is completely different than than in an American supermarket. As we were walking around, we noticed a new booth. A lady was selling an escargot product. She saw us curiously looking and reading the information, so she came to explain all about it. Vendors love to take the time to talk to customers.
Besides the different types of foods are the people from different countries. While Divonne is on the border of France and Switzerland, you hear people speaking English, Russian, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, Arabic, as well as French. The community around Divonne is very international.
30 October 2011
27 October 2011
Will Tunisia Follow the Turkish Model?
Nearly twenty years ago, soon after the fall of the Berlin Wall and communism, Russia's moved towards freedom and democracy seemed irreversible. At that time Russia committed itself to uphold democratic principles and to safeguard basic freedoms and the rights of its people. Today, those ideals do not appear to be true.
Democracy in Russia is in retreat. After serving two four-year terms as president Vladmir Putin selected Dmitri Medvedev as the candidate of choice as his successor. Because of constitutionally mandated term limits Putin was not able to run for a third consecutive term. In return Putin was nominated by Medevedev to be Russia's Prime Minister. In September 2011 Putin announced that he would seek a third non-consecutive term in the 2012 elections. It is expected that he will run virtually unopposed. The Russian constitution has been modified and the presidential term now is 5 years. Thus Putin could now serve two 5 year terms.
Today Tunisia is at the same turning point. The country has just held its first democratic elections in 23 years. In the recent elections the moderate Islamist party, Ennahda won the most votes. Because the party did not gain more than 50%, it will have to govern in coalition. While Ennahda is an Islamist Party, it does not seek an Islamic state. Talks are underway with secular parties. The new government will form a Constituent Assembly. The purpose of the assembly is draft a constitution. They will have one year to do this. Tunisia views Turkey as its model.
Turkey is a parliamentary representative democracy and has a strong tradition of secularism. For years, Turkey has tried to have a closer relationship with Europe, even wanting to join the European Union; only to be told the discussions who come at a later date. While the European Union drags its feet, Turkey can now look to the countries in North Africa, and be a model for them, as well as a leader. While the results from the countries participating in the "Arab Spring" are still unknown, the Turkish model should be one that all consider.
Democracy in Russia is in retreat. After serving two four-year terms as president Vladmir Putin selected Dmitri Medvedev as the candidate of choice as his successor. Because of constitutionally mandated term limits Putin was not able to run for a third consecutive term. In return Putin was nominated by Medevedev to be Russia's Prime Minister. In September 2011 Putin announced that he would seek a third non-consecutive term in the 2012 elections. It is expected that he will run virtually unopposed. The Russian constitution has been modified and the presidential term now is 5 years. Thus Putin could now serve two 5 year terms.
Today Tunisia is at the same turning point. The country has just held its first democratic elections in 23 years. In the recent elections the moderate Islamist party, Ennahda won the most votes. Because the party did not gain more than 50%, it will have to govern in coalition. While Ennahda is an Islamist Party, it does not seek an Islamic state. Talks are underway with secular parties. The new government will form a Constituent Assembly. The purpose of the assembly is draft a constitution. They will have one year to do this. Tunisia views Turkey as its model.
Turkey is a parliamentary representative democracy and has a strong tradition of secularism. For years, Turkey has tried to have a closer relationship with Europe, even wanting to join the European Union; only to be told the discussions who come at a later date. While the European Union drags its feet, Turkey can now look to the countries in North Africa, and be a model for them, as well as a leader. While the results from the countries participating in the "Arab Spring" are still unknown, the Turkish model should be one that all consider.
23 October 2011
The End of a Regime and the Dawn of a New Era
It is a historical day in two countries in North Africa. The Libyan government has declared national liberation and in Tunisia more than 3 million people are going to the polls to vote for a parliament which will lay the foundations for forming a new government.
Late last year a vendor in Tunisia set himself on fire. At the time no one paid much attention to this event. No one knew that it would be the start of the "Arab Spring". Zine El Abidine Ben Ali was the first to go. The former President of Tunisia fled the country for Saudi Arabia. Next protester gathered in Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt to demand that Hosni Mubarak step down. Afterwards protesters took to the streets in Yemen, Bahrain, Libya and Syria. In mid-February Mubarak left and the protest gathered momentum in Libya. Muammar Gaddafi took to the airwaves in a fiery and defiant manner urging his supporters to resist the countries new leaders, the National Transitional Council (NTC). First the city of Benghazi fell to the new leaders and then movement moved eastward towards the capital Tripoli. The NTC were able to convince the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to provide military support. While NATO did not send ground troops, it did provide significant military air power. Finally, on Thursday 20 October 2011, Muammar Gaddafi was captured and killed. While the exact details of his capture and death are still unknown at this point, 42 years of brutality are now hopefully over for Libya. The future of Libya is unknown. After so many years under a dictatorship, the country has no institutions, no government, and no constitution. The NTC have promised to write a constitution and hold elections by June 2012.
In Tunisia 3 million people went to the polls for the first time. This is estimated to be 90% of registered voters. Tunisians are electing a 217-seat assembly which will draft a constitution and appoint an interim government. There are more than 100 parties contesting in the elections, but Islamist Ennahda party is expected to win the most votes. The results are expected on 25 October 2011. Leaving the polling stations, voters were eager to show the dark blue ink on their fingers.
The elections in Tunisia are being watched closely around the world because the country is the first to hold elections after the fall of an authoritarian regime. The events in Tunisia may set the tone for other countries who have ousted leaders and are looking to hold elections in order to form a new government. Many voters have expressed the desire to have a government based on Islamic law, but emphasized that they want a modern Islamic society, not an ultra-conservative one. They feel it needs to be tolerant and open to in its dealings with other cultures.
The events of today will have ramifications for years to come, not only for their respective countries, but also for the global society . Therefore it is crucial that both countries make the correct decisions in these early days of democracy.
Late last year a vendor in Tunisia set himself on fire. At the time no one paid much attention to this event. No one knew that it would be the start of the "Arab Spring". Zine El Abidine Ben Ali was the first to go. The former President of Tunisia fled the country for Saudi Arabia. Next protester gathered in Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt to demand that Hosni Mubarak step down. Afterwards protesters took to the streets in Yemen, Bahrain, Libya and Syria. In mid-February Mubarak left and the protest gathered momentum in Libya. Muammar Gaddafi took to the airwaves in a fiery and defiant manner urging his supporters to resist the countries new leaders, the National Transitional Council (NTC). First the city of Benghazi fell to the new leaders and then movement moved eastward towards the capital Tripoli. The NTC were able to convince the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to provide military support. While NATO did not send ground troops, it did provide significant military air power. Finally, on Thursday 20 October 2011, Muammar Gaddafi was captured and killed. While the exact details of his capture and death are still unknown at this point, 42 years of brutality are now hopefully over for Libya. The future of Libya is unknown. After so many years under a dictatorship, the country has no institutions, no government, and no constitution. The NTC have promised to write a constitution and hold elections by June 2012.
In Tunisia 3 million people went to the polls for the first time. This is estimated to be 90% of registered voters. Tunisians are electing a 217-seat assembly which will draft a constitution and appoint an interim government. There are more than 100 parties contesting in the elections, but Islamist Ennahda party is expected to win the most votes. The results are expected on 25 October 2011. Leaving the polling stations, voters were eager to show the dark blue ink on their fingers.
The elections in Tunisia are being watched closely around the world because the country is the first to hold elections after the fall of an authoritarian regime. The events in Tunisia may set the tone for other countries who have ousted leaders and are looking to hold elections in order to form a new government. Many voters have expressed the desire to have a government based on Islamic law, but emphasized that they want a modern Islamic society, not an ultra-conservative one. They feel it needs to be tolerant and open to in its dealings with other cultures.
The events of today will have ramifications for years to come, not only for their respective countries, but also for the global society . Therefore it is crucial that both countries make the correct decisions in these early days of democracy.
20 October 2011
The Business of Education
Today, I read two articles on education. Now while, I am neither a parent nor a teacher, I still feel the need to comment on those articles.
The first article was from the BBC website titled "Digital textbooks open new chapter". The article stated that by 2015 South Korea plans to have all its curriculum material in a digital format. They call the project "Smart Education". Already South Korea is one of the world's highest rated education systems. The country is second in global rankings for reading, fourth for math and fifth for science. Family spending on education in South Korea is the highest in the world in proportion to family income.
According to the South Korean government, the program is not just about cost-savings. They believe this initiative will reach more students in rural areas.
At the same time as the South Korean educational system was rising in the global ranks, the US educational system was declining. President George W. Bush had a program "No Child Left Behind". The title of the program was clever, but the results have been not been satisfactory. The program required all government-run schools receiving federal funding to administer a state-wide standardized test annually to students. At the end of the day, it seems the program is only about more testing to students. The purpose of the tests is to determine whether the school has taught the students well. This is nothing about learning or helping more students to succeed. People are amazed when I tell them the statistics about the percentage of college graduates in the US. It is a cute trick that one way of presenting the numbers is to say the percentage of the adult population who attended college. This number is a far cry from those graduating from college. However, according to the census data in 1940 5% of Americans 25 and older had a bachelor's degree. In 2009 nearly 28% hold a bachelor's degree. The rate for black Americans is 17% and 13% for Hispanic Americans.
If those statistics are not dreadful enough, the next article was just shameful. The article was titled "Chinese Lose Promise for $52,000 as US Schools Exploit Need". With the economic crisis private schools, especially, are experiencing financial problems. The weak economy has reduced the number of well-off American applicants. Many private schools are using agents with misleading sales pitches to recruit students from wealthy Chinese families. The number of Chinese students attending private US high schools increased more than 100-fold to 6,725 in 2010 from 65 in the 2005-2006 school year.
It is not that I am against Chinese or any foreign students studying in the US, but using the "bait and switch" tactic is outrageous. Chinese students are interested in studying in the US to improve their English and some want to attend US universities. The article states that one school has a $55,000 fee, including $9,600 for English as a second language and $1,800 for orientation. Additionally, in some of the private high schools there are more Chinese students than American students. Chinese students traveled to the US to room with other Chinese students. This by no means will help their English. An even sadder point mentioned in the article was in some schools 70% of the American students had some type of learning difficulties, including attention deficit disorder (ADD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or Dyslexia.
From the two articles, one can see that the two education systems are going in different directions. South Korea seems to be preparing the next generation to use the technology that will be in place when the children are adults. On the other hand, there are schools in the US which are looking to cushion the bottom line. At the end of the day, it should be about the student. It seems some have understood this point and others have different agendas.
The first article was from the BBC website titled "Digital textbooks open new chapter". The article stated that by 2015 South Korea plans to have all its curriculum material in a digital format. They call the project "Smart Education". Already South Korea is one of the world's highest rated education systems. The country is second in global rankings for reading, fourth for math and fifth for science. Family spending on education in South Korea is the highest in the world in proportion to family income.
According to the South Korean government, the program is not just about cost-savings. They believe this initiative will reach more students in rural areas.
At the same time as the South Korean educational system was rising in the global ranks, the US educational system was declining. President George W. Bush had a program "No Child Left Behind". The title of the program was clever, but the results have been not been satisfactory. The program required all government-run schools receiving federal funding to administer a state-wide standardized test annually to students. At the end of the day, it seems the program is only about more testing to students. The purpose of the tests is to determine whether the school has taught the students well. This is nothing about learning or helping more students to succeed. People are amazed when I tell them the statistics about the percentage of college graduates in the US. It is a cute trick that one way of presenting the numbers is to say the percentage of the adult population who attended college. This number is a far cry from those graduating from college. However, according to the census data in 1940 5% of Americans 25 and older had a bachelor's degree. In 2009 nearly 28% hold a bachelor's degree. The rate for black Americans is 17% and 13% for Hispanic Americans.
If those statistics are not dreadful enough, the next article was just shameful. The article was titled "Chinese Lose Promise for $52,000 as US Schools Exploit Need". With the economic crisis private schools, especially, are experiencing financial problems. The weak economy has reduced the number of well-off American applicants. Many private schools are using agents with misleading sales pitches to recruit students from wealthy Chinese families. The number of Chinese students attending private US high schools increased more than 100-fold to 6,725 in 2010 from 65 in the 2005-2006 school year.
It is not that I am against Chinese or any foreign students studying in the US, but using the "bait and switch" tactic is outrageous. Chinese students are interested in studying in the US to improve their English and some want to attend US universities. The article states that one school has a $55,000 fee, including $9,600 for English as a second language and $1,800 for orientation. Additionally, in some of the private high schools there are more Chinese students than American students. Chinese students traveled to the US to room with other Chinese students. This by no means will help their English. An even sadder point mentioned in the article was in some schools 70% of the American students had some type of learning difficulties, including attention deficit disorder (ADD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or Dyslexia.
From the two articles, one can see that the two education systems are going in different directions. South Korea seems to be preparing the next generation to use the technology that will be in place when the children are adults. On the other hand, there are schools in the US which are looking to cushion the bottom line. At the end of the day, it should be about the student. It seems some have understood this point and others have different agendas.
19 October 2011
Housing
Every move is a pain, but an international move is even more demanding. It has to do with everything from size of resident to appliances. Normally, in the US when one moves into an apartment, everything is there except furniture. Kitchen appliances, and in some cases washing machines and dryers are in the units. In France and the Netherlands, usually all one has on the first day are bare walls. In some cases even the paint is coming off of the walls. On the other hand, in the United Kingdom it is rare to find an apartment without furniture. Most flats, as they are known there, are furnished.
Before moving to the UK, I knew that my flat would be smaller than my apartment in the US. I was moving from a one-bedroom apartment to a two-bedroom flat. Usually, a two-bedroom residence is larger than a one-bedroom unit, but this was not the case. I donated the furniture that I did not want to take with me. I tried to take only what was needed. Since the company was paying for the move, I took everything in that shipment. It was either leave it behind permanently or take it along. I had a bed, a couch, a small table with two chairs, two individual chairs and the rest were small items such as dishes, books, and clothes. And yes, it was too much for my flat. I had to ask the landlord to remove his living-room furniture and a bed.
Once I had all of my belongings in the flat, I quickly found out that I did not have enough closet space or shelves. Some items stayed in boxes the entire four years that I was there. I had to go to Ikea to buy bookshelves. Not knowing how long I was going to be there I did not want to invest too much money in things I might not need in the future.
After four years, I moved on to Paris. It took nearly two weeks to find a decent apartment. I was working with an agent, just like I had done in London, but it did not go as smoothly. I even had to change agents, because the first one did not seem to understand what type of apartment I needed. I visited apartments all around Paris and none suited me. Finally, I took the lesser of all evils. The apartment was in a great location. The building had character, but that was it. There was no furniture, no curtains, no light fixtures, and not even kitchen appliances. The one good thing was that the apartment was freshly painted. I did not have to do that.
Having just arrived in Paris and not knowing how long I would be there, I was not about to spend a lot of money on things I could not take with me. However, I at least needed, an oven, a dishwasher, a refrigerator, a washing machine/dryer, a micro-wave and a TV. The kitchen cupboards and light fixtures would have to wait. I bought portable lamps instead. Additionally, I needed a dinning table and curtains. There were only three closets in the three-bedroom apartment, but since one bedroom was empty, I used it as a storage room and many items stayed in boxes.
In Paris I had more space than London, but less storage and no appliances. I enjoyed my time in each of these wonderful cities, but I am happy to be on the shores of Lac Léman fully-equipped.
Before moving to the UK, I knew that my flat would be smaller than my apartment in the US. I was moving from a one-bedroom apartment to a two-bedroom flat. Usually, a two-bedroom residence is larger than a one-bedroom unit, but this was not the case. I donated the furniture that I did not want to take with me. I tried to take only what was needed. Since the company was paying for the move, I took everything in that shipment. It was either leave it behind permanently or take it along. I had a bed, a couch, a small table with two chairs, two individual chairs and the rest were small items such as dishes, books, and clothes. And yes, it was too much for my flat. I had to ask the landlord to remove his living-room furniture and a bed.
Once I had all of my belongings in the flat, I quickly found out that I did not have enough closet space or shelves. Some items stayed in boxes the entire four years that I was there. I had to go to Ikea to buy bookshelves. Not knowing how long I was going to be there I did not want to invest too much money in things I might not need in the future.
After four years, I moved on to Paris. It took nearly two weeks to find a decent apartment. I was working with an agent, just like I had done in London, but it did not go as smoothly. I even had to change agents, because the first one did not seem to understand what type of apartment I needed. I visited apartments all around Paris and none suited me. Finally, I took the lesser of all evils. The apartment was in a great location. The building had character, but that was it. There was no furniture, no curtains, no light fixtures, and not even kitchen appliances. The one good thing was that the apartment was freshly painted. I did not have to do that.
Having just arrived in Paris and not knowing how long I would be there, I was not about to spend a lot of money on things I could not take with me. However, I at least needed, an oven, a dishwasher, a refrigerator, a washing machine/dryer, a micro-wave and a TV. The kitchen cupboards and light fixtures would have to wait. I bought portable lamps instead. Additionally, I needed a dinning table and curtains. There were only three closets in the three-bedroom apartment, but since one bedroom was empty, I used it as a storage room and many items stayed in boxes.
In Paris I had more space than London, but less storage and no appliances. I enjoyed my time in each of these wonderful cities, but I am happy to be on the shores of Lac Léman fully-equipped.
14 October 2011
The Five-Year Hurdle
In the preceding post, I mentioned that the five-year mark is the moment of truth. This is the moment to decide whether to stay abroad or to return home. Most corporate assignments do not last more than five years. There are some reasons for this. First, the longer you are away from headquarters/home office, the more you are perceived as no longer a member of the department, team or group with whom you previously worked. Second, you have moved from a domestic career track to an international career track. Third, many US corporations send employers abroad just ahead of retirement, thus at the end of their assignments they are more likely to return home than stay abroad. Fourth, the cost of an ex-pat package has become extremely expensive and corporations are looking to cut costs.
But, if the decision is to stay abroad after five years, then you will have many more new experiences. The first five years are more about not losing contact with the home country and friends, and little about learning the nuances of the local country. Often during the first five years, one is traveling around the region and spending only a small amount of time in the local country. For example, I lived in United Kingdom for four years. I believe I visited Scotland and Wales each only once. Additionally, I did not visit many areas outside of the London area. Now that it is ten years since I left the UK, I still have not visited any of these areas. That was truly a missed opportunity.
A year before reaching the five-year date, my employer requested that I return to the US. I had worked for this company 11 years and the last 4 were in the UK. At that point, I was not ready to return to the US, so I took the decision to look for another job. First, I moved to Paris, and then a couple years later, I came to the shores of Lac Léman and I have been here ever since.
But, if the decision is to stay abroad after five years, then you will have many more new experiences. The first five years are more about not losing contact with the home country and friends, and little about learning the nuances of the local country. Often during the first five years, one is traveling around the region and spending only a small amount of time in the local country. For example, I lived in United Kingdom for four years. I believe I visited Scotland and Wales each only once. Additionally, I did not visit many areas outside of the London area. Now that it is ten years since I left the UK, I still have not visited any of these areas. That was truly a missed opportunity.
A year before reaching the five-year date, my employer requested that I return to the US. I had worked for this company 11 years and the last 4 were in the UK. At that point, I was not ready to return to the US, so I took the decision to look for another job. First, I moved to Paris, and then a couple years later, I came to the shores of Lac Léman and I have been here ever since.
12 October 2011
Living Abroad
Every year thousands of people leave their home country and move abroad. Some go for professional reasons, and some go for personal reasons. But if you had the choice would you leave your home country? What factors would impact your decision to go or to stay?
Moving to another country is not an easy decision and one that should not be taken lightly. If family members are going, then situation becomes even more complex. How will the children adjust? What schools will they attend? What will my spouse do? How will my spouse adjust?
Living abroad is not for everyone, but for those who are willing to try it then it can be a remarkable and life changing event. Of course, there are negatives and positives about one's home country and one's new country. Each person has to decide which is more advantageous for him or her. One important point to note is that traveling abroad and living abroad are definitely not the same thing. Think of traveling abroad as the summer internship, where companies roll out the red carpet. Think of living abroad as being employed by the company.
For the first five years one still feels more acquainted to one's home country, but once one passes the 5-year mark, one belongs more to one's new country and the international community than one's home country even if one moves from one country to another during these five years.
In the beginning everything will be new from understanding the postal system, the transportation system, the social culture, etc. After 5 years it will all be rather routine, but when you return to your home country the challenges begin again, you might not even know how much it cost to mail a letter or to use the local transportation.
With all the challenges of living abroad, there are many wonderful experiences from meeting new people to seeing new places. If you are considering living abroad embrace it and the experience will be life changing.
Moving to another country is not an easy decision and one that should not be taken lightly. If family members are going, then situation becomes even more complex. How will the children adjust? What schools will they attend? What will my spouse do? How will my spouse adjust?
Living abroad is not for everyone, but for those who are willing to try it then it can be a remarkable and life changing event. Of course, there are negatives and positives about one's home country and one's new country. Each person has to decide which is more advantageous for him or her. One important point to note is that traveling abroad and living abroad are definitely not the same thing. Think of traveling abroad as the summer internship, where companies roll out the red carpet. Think of living abroad as being employed by the company.
For the first five years one still feels more acquainted to one's home country, but once one passes the 5-year mark, one belongs more to one's new country and the international community than one's home country even if one moves from one country to another during these five years.
In the beginning everything will be new from understanding the postal system, the transportation system, the social culture, etc. After 5 years it will all be rather routine, but when you return to your home country the challenges begin again, you might not even know how much it cost to mail a letter or to use the local transportation.
With all the challenges of living abroad, there are many wonderful experiences from meeting new people to seeing new places. If you are considering living abroad embrace it and the experience will be life changing.
The Journey Begins
For some time I have debated about writing a blog. Actually, more than two years ago, I started a blog, but it is mainly a photoblog. Now I am endeavoring to write/develop a real blog. Why? Recently, I have been reading blogs by others and some I really enjoy. Some of the issues I read about are very important to me and I believe they can be developed further. I am going to weigh in with my two cents.
The name of the blog is "La Voyageuse" (The Traveler). I choosed this title because in one word it decribes me. While there will be entries on traveling, there will also be discussions on multi-cultralism, books, photography and many other dynamic topics.
The journey starts now from the shores of Lac Léman and who knows which paths and trails it will follow.
The name of the blog is "La Voyageuse" (The Traveler). I choosed this title because in one word it decribes me. While there will be entries on traveling, there will also be discussions on multi-cultralism, books, photography and many other dynamic topics.
The journey starts now from the shores of Lac Léman and who knows which paths and trails it will follow.
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