Friday, November 23, 2007

Quick Links

My latest Daily News column was published in yesterday's paper. If you're interested, you can check it out here. This is the one that includes my thoughts on the recent Polish elections and Eastern/Central Europe's transition to democracy. Kind of neat that I got holiday billing in the WDN.

Also, my very first article from Poland –which includes the refrigerator anecdote– can also be found here. (And for those of you who have been following this story with keen interest will be happy to learn that today Isa and I became the proud owners of a very large, very old, and super inconvenient lodówka. It is sitting on our balcony, and now all we have to do is rig up a system where we can pass the power cord through the door or window back into our room. At least our food will be protected from projectile pigeon poop - hurrah!)

3 comments:

Tamina listening said...

What are your thoughts on Donald Tusk's refusal to sign the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights? What's the Polish feeling toward the new PM? He's also saying he'll pull troops out of Iraq. Have you had any interactions/conversations with Polish people about their involvement in the Iraq War?

I heart you.

hvr said...

Hu-ray for being published!

-Holly

Miracle said...

You certainly don't shy away from the tough questions, Erin. (You know, forgive me for saying, but I think that would make Bella proud...)

Anyway, the overwhelming majority of Poles I know have said how relieved they are that J. Kaczynski is finally out of office. In fact, most of them said that anything would be better than the twins at the head of the country. Tusk is much more pro-EU than the Kaczynski's party, and he is willing to see Poland's EU membership as part of the larger, integrated picture rather than as the whiny kid who wants all of the toys for himself. I don't known any of the details concerning the Charter...
However, yes, the Iraq war in unpopular here, but there are more immediate concerns on the minds of Poles. For instance, a HUGE deal are the current relations between Poland and Russia, especially over the US missile shield, the international oil pipeline project, and the ban on Polish meat in Russia. One other consideration that the Tusk administration might try and take up is the issue of making visas to the US easier. That would be gi-normous.

All in all, this is an interesting time to be living in PL. I hope this satisfies your intellectual unrest - haha. XOXOXO