Scribble #9: Designated Driver Part Dva

There is no middle ground in Slovak driving, and this is particularly true when it comes to guiding an automobile through snowy and icy weather. Particularly ice. This winter's weather has been amazingly unpredictable and we even had a temperature difference of around 18 degrees during one week. This may not be such a big thing in Canada, which is a country that was never properly finished, and as a result the weather there can be safely described as 'a bit mental'. And we never had to take a pickaxe to our car in order to get four-inch thick layer of ice off. Also as a reference to how big Canada is... from Sala, we can reach three capital cities within three hours. In Canada, if you start off at Edmonton, you can reach Calgary in about the same time. And trust me, you really, really don't want to.

There is practically nothing that a lot of Slovak drivers (particularly those with 'BA' in their number plate) will slow down for. Blind corners, overtaking up a hill, leapfrogging in front of oncoming traffic - these are all taken for granted. Ice really isn't. And neither is snow. Driving limits are 50 km/h in a town, 90 on the open roads and 130 on the motorway. Drivers either go at a snail's pace in winter, or at a ludicrous speed that will either make them or another person end up in a ditch as all of them drive bumper to bumper. For instance, you suddenly find that you've hit ice and you are losing control of your car. You slip it into neutral and don't make any sudden turnings but instead steer it gently into the skid. Then you get hit by the guy behind you because he's decided to panic and put his brakes full on, thus sliding into the back of you. You now totally lose control of your vehicle and end up going into a ditch, while he keeps going on his merry way. I saw this time and time again, with people trying to flag passers-by down, with half of their car's rear end missing or stuck in the nearest tree.

Driving in snow, even with winter tyres, is something to be respected - I know, since I have hit a ditch once and had a few close calls. Winter tyres are lovely, but they are not made out of some sort of magical substance. Mrs. C has grown up in Canada, and has hit the ditch on numerous occasions, and this may not be her own fault either, as the roads can get so bad that the only way that you know where to go is to follow the person in front. If he happens to seemingly fall into a large hole in the road, then you kind of end up following him, no matter how hard you try not to. On the other hand, Canadians get skidpan training, which I think would be a lot of fun to do.

There have been quite a few times where I've glared back at the glaring high beams in my rear-view mirror, especially when on ice and that person is a little too close for comfort. But there's nothing you can do about it, except for going at a snail's pace yourself. I'm just glad the weather's warming up and the snows are melting. Roll on spring and 20C, that's what I say...

Scribble #8: How Not to Go About Your Business

One major gripe that I have about Slovaks is their work ethics, where basically they have the 'anything goes just so long as we don't have to confront anyone about it' (otherwise known as the AGJSLAWDHTCAAI) method down pat.  Case in point - timing.  It's all about the timing.  There really isn't any.

I've just started a new job here and I kind of found out that I had to come in on a Saturday morning about ten minutes before the end of Friday shift finished.  This constituted as 'overtime' - which I had not been asked about whatsoever.  For me, it was unusual because the week before I had been asked and gladly accepted.  This time, I hadn't.  Plus the fact that Mrs C. would put my head on a pike outside the factory if I did go in, since we were planning a weekend together.  After I had calmed down a bit, I walked into the office, put on the blue plastic bootie covers that the Japanese like so much, took a deep breath, took another one and then asked my manager, very calmly, if I was expected to come in tomorrow.

She looked at me.  Then pointed to the Human Resources lady.

I asked her the same question.

HR: Yes, you're to come in tomorrow.

Pause.

HR: Is there a problem?

Yes, there is a problem.  The fact that I feel like an indentured servant and that if I hadn't happened to look at the board ten minutes prior, I wouldn't have known, we wouldn't be having this conversation and I would probably be in a lot of trouble on Monday, due to lack of knowledge of what the heck I'm supposed to be doing, I didn't say.

JC:  Yes, [myself and Mrs C.] were planning a weekend away together.

HR:  Okay, then.  That won't be a problem.  We'll just shuffle these people around and...

To which, ten minutes later, she actually asked the shufflees to come in on those times, as she should have with me - at least to my way of understanding.

Slovakia runs on the JIT principle - that you get told what's going on Just In Time.  You may get a phone call on a Wednesday for a big planning meeting on a Friday - and don't forget to summarise everything you've done for the past couple of months before then.  And that's okay.  Because on the upside, they're flexible enough to move people and times around.  And it's also okay for important people within a meeting to just get up and leave and not come back for another hour or so.  The non-confrontational part of this shines through, as no-one wants to say to your face that, actually, it really isn't okay and yes, I really do have a problem with that.

When a foreigner puts his foot down, it then becomes passive-aggressive, which is never a good thing.  Items on the agenda may be done 'in your best interest', leaving you out of the loop, making you feel hurt and distinctly unworthy - especially if plans or projects had gone on for a long time.  It creates a chaotic situation that everyone just has to get along with.  This makes me think that it is the inability to actually trust one another which really bogs the country down - it takes forever to really get to know someone as a friend here, no matter how friendly you or they may be to each other.  Unfortunately, it reflects on me as well, as it takes about the same time for people to get to know me - the introvert who would much rather be writing to you than have a conversation with you, but who - somewhat ironically - likes to hear himself talk once in a while.  But, once you get there, then you really, truly, absolutely have a definite friend, who will put time and energy into you.

I'm finding this out pretty quickly for myself as we're just starting a new life in a little place called Sala.  There is a lot of history connected to the town, but more importantly there is a certain group of people here that we are increasingly getting close to.  We've seen glimmers of what actually happens in their lives and we're excited to get these tasters and know even more about them.  This creates a type of intimacy that you know in which you can be open about your opinions, which in turn can be rebutted or fuelled.  And quite frankly, this makes it fun.