Raving about books

I received two books for Christmas. One was from A, with whom I was giving hints to buy me something from Roald Dahl. I originally wanted "My Uncle Oswald" which A himself read in Czech and instantly enjoyed, and which my French-British co-teacher was raving about for its hilarity. What I received has a couple of stories from Oswald's diary. "Switch Bitch" is no less funny. I was laughing from cover to cover and immediately hailed Roald Dahl as the author for providing me the biggest laugh this year.

Not far from this category is a book given to me by my sister-in-law, Michaela. One would think that a user's manual for foreigners is anything but funny or entertaining. Terje B. Englund's "The Czechs in a Nutshell" is exactly that-- funny, entertaining, insightful and according to expats.cz, "honest without being too judgmental." I have been living in Prague for almost two years. I thought this gave me enough time to understand the Czechs' society and the Czechs themselves in general. Let's not forget that I'm also married to one but it's only now, after reading this book, that I have a clearer view of why they are what they are. If you're a foreigner living in CZ or married to one, this is a good read. It has a lot of info about CZ's history, culture and tradition, not to mention the great people that came from this country or at least had their roots from here.

Come to think of it, I didn't even know Madeleine Albright is actually Czech by birth. My sister had a copy of Madam Secretary's memoir, which she was talking nonstop about when I was still living in Cebu, and which I found no time to read. But anyway, it's another book and of course, another story.


PS: I read on Inq7 that Rizal's Noli Me Tangere is now available on Penguin Classics in a new English translation. That means our own Rizal joins the league of Austen, Dickens, and this "canonizes the novel as one of the classics of world literature." I have to admit I've completely forgotten its story, one that was required to read back in my university years. (Is it still required?) So now we all have a chance to get a copy and read it again...

Snow at last

Everything outside was covered with frost when I got up yesterday morning. "Winter is finally here," I murmured contentedly to myself. Not that I was looking forward to it. Just that before yesterday the climate in CZ wasn’t anything wintery. It was like spring. Even the trees started to have buds. It was simply unusual.

Then yesterday afternoon, when we were serial-meeting A’s friends in Brno, we decided to hop from one pub to another. The sight that met us outside took my breath away. The gray and dull streets were transformed into a white winter wonderland in just a couple of hours while we were inside! Snow was falling at last...

Czech Christmas

A Czech Christmas means:

1. Cookies in different shapes, sizes, and of course, different kinds. This is sort of like a national obsession especially for women as some of them bake 15 kinds for this occasion.

2. Vanočka or the Christmas bread, which is tradionally baked the night before Christmas.

3. Fasting on Christmas morning for you to see "the golden pig" later. (This one doesn’t apply for everyone though. I don’t know if other families practice this. Ours certainly doesn’t.)

4. Fried carp and potato salad as the traditional Christmas food. If we literally pig out (yup, because we eat roasted pig) in P.I., here it’s completely the opposite. Everybody tones down their daily diet of meat and feast on fish instead.

5. For kids, Ježišek or baby Jesus brings gifts instead of Santa. The kids gather in one room. When they hear the bell ringing from the other room, it means baby Jesus already dropped by to give them gifts.

6: And lastly, Christmas is on December 24th here. That means today. If we in P.I. and maybe the rest of the world celebrate it tomorrow, here tomorrow already means boxing day for some.

Have a merry Merry Christmas everyone and cheers to the coming year!

The Christmas wish list

Daisy tagged me to post my wishes for Christmas. I'm in the mood to indulge people so here goes:

I wish for good health for me and my family. I was plagued with sickness last year I just don't want to be marooned to the house for weeks anymore. I'd like this year to be as healthy and bouncy for everybody especially those closest to me.

The summer vacation in P.I. Weeks of sun and fun is something A and I have been looking forward to. I wish we could be there next year without hitches whatsoever.

Something material like a flat. I really really hope we would find one that fits both our taste and our budget.

What else? Let's see...... Well, this year's been good to me and A so I don't really have much to wish for. I just hope life would still be generous to us next year and the years after.

Having said my hopes for 2007, I'd like to thank 2006 for treating us so well. It's been one amazing ride. The highs pretty much overwhelmed the lows. I'm extremely grateful for everything and everyone I have in my life. And what a life it has been.

Nostalgic Czeched

If there was a thing called certified Christmas addict, I am such. I get so pumped up as it gets nearer and nearer. I love singing and listening to Christmas carols. I love looking at the bright colored trees, houses and streets. I just love everything about this season. The only downside is that I abhor the stress that shopping for presents brings. I also get nostalgic with the mere thought of Christmas. How can something as beautiful as my Christmas memories make me sad?

Let's travel back down memory lane. I'm taking you to my town 20 and something years ago when everything was as uncomplicated as my childhood. Back then nobody had a TV and only a very few families were lucky enough to own a Betamax. Our family wasn't one of them so my chilhood was about climbing trees, playing with friends and lots of imaginative plays. You could say it was an ordinary life even for a kid but life changed dramatically the moment September came.

Yes, September is (un)officially the start of Christmas in P.I. The excitement builds up as the day comes nearer. Even if I hated it when my Mom ordered us to clean every nook and cranny of the house till it shone, I didn't dare refuse much less pout because it only meant we would be decorating the entire house with Christmast blings. I also remember one of my most favorite times was lying on the floor with my feet up on the humongous AC-DC stereo, tapping them to the beat of Jingle Bells and other Christmas carols. It seemed like my entire year was spent looking forward to Christmas again.

I don't remember how old I was when I knew Santa's real identity. How I knew I don't remember. What I can recall was that day my parents asked me to make a list of the things I wanted from him. I started writing "bike" (I learned how to write when I was very young. My Mom was a teacher.) when Mom said maybe it was too heavy for Santa to carry and that maybe I should only ask for things that he can put in his sack. Didn't I tell you my Mom was clever and I got this trait from her? :)

One of the best things I also remember was the fact that we had a long Christmas break, like over 15 days. I loved school but I also loved just playing in the rain or trying to catch fish in swamps or even in huge potholes filled with water. Most of the time we would catch only leeches. I freaked out everytime.

Food was the greatest luxury Christmas gave to me. We were not poor but cakes and sweets were nonexistent until Christmas. This was the time of the year when I can pig out and there would still be a lot of food left on the table. And the parties my parents tagged me along to attend were both awesome and hilarious for me. Awesome in the sense that older people were simply different and they could do things I couldn't. Hilarious because the women would end up crying all the time especially while singing a Christmas song, any Christmas song. This was funny and also a mystery to me back then. Now I know why. Nostalgia and middle age, it's a fatal combination that would lead to a tidal wave of emotion you simply cannot contain to yourself.

I can see clearly now that I'm indeed my mother's daughter. I got not just her obsessive-compulsive side but also her melodramatic tendencies. Christmas is the time when I can't sometimes contain these tendencies I just let them all out. One time I was walking down Namesti Miru when I heard a Christmas song and I was on the verge of crying. Nostalgia is of course a bittersweet feeling. Sometimes the happiest memories are best relived and expressed in tears.

(Above pic: The huge Christmas tree inside Centrum Chodov. )

Saying thanks

I'm having a mental constipation. I want to write about something other than my mundane day to day life but the words just don't come out. Some other time maybe. Anyway, I have an excuse to write about me, myself, and I again today as it is no ordinary day.

It's my birthday. I'm thirty-two going on sixteen. Yes, I do sometimes forget I'm supposed to act my age but c'mon, life is too short for me to take it too seriously.

My parents-in-law called last night to sing Happy Birthday to me in Czech. Mamka was the soprano and Tatka the alto. When I woke up this morning a gift was under our Christmas tree. A obviously put it there last night when I was snoring my last younger day away. One of my co-teachers took time making a birthday card behind my back for others to sign and wish me well. Our kids gave me a lovely surprise when they suddenly encircled me and started singing the immortal birthday song. How sweet can they all get? I'm extremely grateful for these gestures of showing they care.

So I'm saying thanks for everything-- big and small-- that I have in my life...

... for another year and another Christmas that will soon be here
... for my family whose imperfections can never be at par with their greatness
... for A , who must have done something horrible in his previous life for him to be (un)happily hitched with me now :)
... for having wealth in what matters to me most-- family, friends, love and life

And if a few of my wishes could be granted, I would want them to be...

... good health to people that are dear to me
... Eva's Dad to live several years more so he can experience what she's been wanting for him to experience in life
... the same blessings A and I received this year

and of course,

... world peace.

Life for rent

Tonight as I was on my way home from school, a small accident happened. I was sitting on a bus looking at the window when out of my peripheral vision I saw a big man coming to sit next to me. He was desperately trying to balance his way as the handrails were plastered with people when the driver hit the brakes so suddenly and sent what must be close to two hundred pounds of a man to come slamming all his weight on to my face so hard my world went blank for a second. The back of my head made a loud crack as it hit the back of the chair I was sitting on. I literally saw stars. Hundreds of them.

I was still reeling from the impact when I got off the bus. I carefully crossed the street with three other people when a loony driver marginally missed us. I know he already saw us from the distance but didn't even bother braking, much less slowing down.

This world is swarming with idiots.

When I related the whole thing to A, it was only when I realized I could have been in serious trouble if I was an inch taller or if I wasn't slouching on my seat. It could have been my nape which hit the back of the chair. Also, I could have been hit by that darn car if I was a bit slower and it was a way faster.

Surprisingly, I am unscathed from the incident except for a light bruise on my left cheek. I'm still alive! I can't help to think life is like something for rent. The only difference is you'll never know when your contract expires. Mine is obviously still valid but I have no idea for how long. I only know I intend to have a rockin' life til my bones break and I can rock no more.