Recently in Amsterdam I was invited to join a small group at a local pub. I am not a fan of beer, so my choice was a glass of red wine. But the rest of my new acquaintances knew their local beers - Dutch, Belgian, German... You gather a few Europeans and they can have…Read more Shared European identity? Being proud and embarrassed together
Inspired by the World’s Most Liberal City
Arriving at Schiphol airport in Amsterdam can be exciting and also overwhelming for it is three-in-one. Airport, shopping mall and train station. Leaving the customs area, you enter a very busy arrival hall. Straight from the airplane to the shopping plaza and straight to the trains located underneath. I speak English and have traveled a…Read more Inspired by the World’s Most Liberal City
The perks of being curious
Sitting between two total strangers, I am always grateful for being a small person. Especially on a budget airline with very small seats. This time on my right was an American middle aged guy who was dressed for a business trip and on my left was a young Asian guy who was obviously a Buddhist…Read more The perks of being curious
Still learning to be free and independent
How many 'Independence Days' do you celebrate? Or do you even have one? Latvia has two! The first is November 18 when we celebrate the original proclamation of Independence of 1918. The second is May 4 when we celebrate the proclamation of Restoration of Independence in 1990. Independent from what?! First time from Russian Empire.…Read more Still learning to be free and independent
30 years later I still cringe at the name of Chernobyl
They say it was a beautiful spring day. What did I do on April 26, 1986? Since it was a Saturday, I must have gone to school in the morning (we used to have school on Saturdays) and then had a weekend to enjoy. I was 12 years old and did not worry about too…Read more 30 years later I still cringe at the name of Chernobyl
Growing up in the Kingdom of Crooked Mirrors
Often people ask me what was it like to grow up in Soviet Union? What kind of childhood I had and how did it compare to the way they imagined it. They want to know the story behind the story. Winston Churchill coined the phrase "Iron Wall". Of course, there was a literal wall in…Read more Growing up in the Kingdom of Crooked Mirrors
“Son of Saul” is hard to watch but so worth it
There are good movies and then there are special movies. There are stories and then there are powerful stories. I love movies that tell a good story and engage my emotions and imagination. A good story draws you in and helps you to relate to the main characters. It helps you to try to imagine…Read more “Son of Saul” is hard to watch but so worth it
Our renewed attraction to “greatness”
One leader has promised to make "Russia Great Again", one businessman has vowed to make "America Great Again" and others in Europe and elsewhere are declaring the same. Then there are those of us who have never been so "great" and just want to keep our countries the way they are. Or keep our countries...…Read more Our renewed attraction to “greatness”
A good city is like a good party…
Bangkok, Hong Kong, Cairo, London, Beijing, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Manila... some of the biggest and most densely populated urban areas I have visited or spent an extended time. I smile when I think about many people I know in Latvia who complain when they have to go to the "big city" of Riga, our…Read more A good city is like a good party…
This one goes out to Brussels
So, this week I was away from the Internet for a few days and quite enjoyed it. No Donald Trump, no Apple and FBI, no crisis, no war, no bad news... actually no news. I was teaching in a remote place on Thailand - Myanmar border, surrounded by farms, villages and beautiful mountains. I enjoyed…Read more This one goes out to Brussels
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