A Few Welcomed Changes
I like living in a block of flats—most of the time. Sure, it can be a bit noisy, and sometimes you may feel you are a bit too close for comfort, such as when you hear your neighbor sneeze or blow their nose, but overall I like having neighbors close by. Most of our neighbors are very nice people who always greet you in the hall way. Blocks are getting older and some hold up better than others but no matter what it looks like on the outside, inside people take care of their homes.
It has been more than 2 years since I was in Zlate Moravce, the small town where my in-laws live. Walking around I see improvements in several areas of town. One thing I like is that block flats are being redone. And what an improvement! Looking at an old block that is obviously in need of repair, it would be easy to say just tear it down and start again, atleast that’s the thought I’ve often had. But I have to confess that seeing how well a block looks when it has been redone is really amazing.
Here’s a picture of two blocks, one that has been done and the other not. They are essentially they same type (model) of block. Before, they looked identical, now that one is redone, the difference is vast.
The block where my grandparents-in-law live is in the process of being redone. Apparently how it works is that 50% of the residents have to agree to the reconstruction, and then rent/mortgage increases by a certain amount over the next 20 years.
Another nice change is that many grocery store clerks are friendlier and provide better customer service. Several times I have been greeted with a “dobrý deň” when it was my turn to check out, or if I was the first to greet, I get a positive response. This is important to me. I really want to see the shopping experience improve in Slovakia.
Other changes are that one of the historic buildings in town has been completely redone and has new visible businesses inside on the ground floor, and that where the river flows through town, the riverbed has been cleaned and rocks nicely placed at the bottom.
Some things that have not changed that I would like to see is better management and care of public places such as some parks that have been completely neglected with overgrown foliage and dirty ponds, or playgrounds that have broken or dangerous swing sets, and have pieces of broken glass littered in the grass.
Maybe when I come back again I’ll be pleasantly surprised.
4 Comments on “A Few Welcomed Changes”
margarete as the old saying goes good things just take a little longer to happen ....i personally have not been visiting in slovakia for more that 4 years on and off ,,,but do see litttle things happening where i stay ... when i visit i am always the smiling american and say dobre den to everyone ...i used to get those " what is this guy's problem looks" or no response at all now a little nod and a smile from someeone goes a long way i do know this in the impersonal tesco i wore my new t shirt with the words "pomoc ...stratil som sa " on it ...it gets a little smile from people and by the way this was the first phrase i learned in slovakia... the next was bohuzial ...hovorime len trochs slovensky... dalsi pozor joe
April 30th, 2010 at 01:50 PM
Very nice, Joe. :) You've got a great attitude to being the foreigner in Slovakia.
May 1st, 2010 at 08:14 AM
Joe - You are right, you get back what you put in.. I guess comparing customer service with the USA is a a little unfair, as the USA has the best customer facing staff anywhere. I find people here very friendly, but they let you be in shops, not desperate for a sale, unlike the USA. As for changes, I have been here only 8 months, but I can see changes. I live close to Nitra and Levice, both dominated by the cheap, high rise housing you have shown. These areas are poorly looked after, lots of graffiti (which I hate) and litter which is in-excusable. The cities in parts are run down, but that changes as you go further north. The villages seem better looked after. Things are changing, as myself, and my wife return to live here, bringing good ideas from other countries, and as other younger generations return, things will change. Changes take time, and with the older generation still having a "no, you can't" attitude... it takes time for the youth to start to improve and change. Hopefully with the good parts of other countries, and not bringing the awful traits of other countries.
May 16th, 2010 at 07:21 AM
Interesting blog. I am from Slovakia although now I live abroad, so as I talk about my host country a lot it's interesting to see the view of a foreigner on my native land. I do not visit Slovakia a lot so I also spotted a positive change in customer service. I do not need the staff to be all smiles, I actually find it a bit forceful but what I want is a polite approach and being helpful and in the past that was not something you could expect automatically. With regards to public places it all comes down to money, sadly, and those who have them in their hands. In my hometown many historical buildings have been nicely restored because they are now used for commercial purposes. However those which rely on state funding can end up in trouble. The cleanliness is also a matter of people and their behaviour, it's can't be always blamed just at local council who are not here to pick up litter after someone every five minutes. It can make me really angry when I see someone neglectfully throwing litter on the ground even though the bin is a few steps away from them. I've heard many Americans find Slovaks to be cold, on the other hand we find you to be a overly emotional which can be a bit of a turn-off. I also like your idea with the T-shirt, by the way :-). So, have a good time in Slovakia!
July 30th, 2010 at 11:57 PM