Oct
25

The 3 Things I Will Miss Most and Least About Europe

8 Comments

What follows are some random musings about the things I will miss most and least about Europe, at the extreme ends of the emotive scale.

Top 3 Things I Will Miss the Most:

1. Country Gourmet – there’s just so much good food here. And I’m talking flavorful, vibrant, nutritious, delicious Grade A+ food. In fact, I’d be willing to bet a commoner in Slovenia eats better than many a wealthy person back in the States.

2. Saunas - like this one with a view over Lake Bled that I can personally recommend (Wellness Živa). Say what you will, but the Euros know how to relax.

3: NCP – Nice, Cute, Practical. Yup, that about sums it up. Goes for most of the people you’ll meet, as well as places and physical objects. I love that you can get along with almost anyone here, crime is a non-issue and Slovenia is about as safe as it gets.

Top 3 Things I Will Miss the Least:

1: Bureaucracy – You know, like when you have to run around like a dumbass to five different places just to take care of one minor detail. Slovenia’s probably even worse when it comes to this than most EU states, I swear the bureaucrats here make up rules on top of rules solely to justify their own existence. Barf.

2: Moralizing – It’s a sport on this continent. Everyone knows best about everything, from nuclear power, the death penalty to American international economic policies. It’s just that well, I would believe you more if you had more than one suspiciously cliche perspective to offer. Who defends Europe? Oh that’s right, NATO does.

3: Defenders of the Social State – sorry for speaking out of turn, but if you ask me, socialism is dead. Things are not the way they used to be and they never will be again. Get used to it. You can’t rely on the government to provide for you any longer. Do something progressive instead of whining and pining. Start a Social Business instead!

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Posted in Blogging Society Travel
8 Comments Posted by Nick Taylor

8 Responses to "The 3 Things I Will Miss Most and Least About Europe"

  • Nick Taylor says:
    October 25, 2011 at 8:37 PM

    please don’t be shy people, express your opinions! I know many won’t agree with this list

  • My Kafkaesque life says:
    October 25, 2011 at 9:14 PM

    Thought provoking post :) I agree with the good points you made. Although I feel it tends to be a bit boring in good ol’ Slovenia, but you can definitely relax like nowhere else. As for the bad sides, I agree with you on bureaucracy, it’s a pest. The moralizing pisses me off, too, but I would say Americans tend to be this way too, just in a different way, maybe they moralize and try to change something, Slovenians can talk endlessly, be sarcastic, but at the end they don’t dare to do anything.

    As for your last post, I respectfully disagree. I think what Germans call Soziale Marktwirtschaft is something we need to preserve. Welfare needs to be reformed, but I believe that most people are by nature not lazy to work, it’s just that there are not many jobs for young people in Slovenia and it makes folks bitter. Social state is then something they cling on to. It would be fine, if there’s more jobs in exchange for less welfare, but the reality is cruel – there is no such thing in Slovenia. And it won’t be any time soon. Am I proving the “Moralizing” point to you right now? :P

  • Nick Taylor says:
    October 25, 2011 at 9:35 PM

    Brilliant, Nino! I couldn’t agree more, yes Americans can also be loud mouthed and opinionated, but the difference is exactly that, that they might actually do something about it instead of analyzing everything to shreds!

    As for the social state, I also agree that jobs should be more plentiful, however they need to come from innovation, not the State. Instead of complaining about how there are no jobs, my main point is that we need to think about what kind of job we want to create for ourselves! With demographics the way they’re trending Nino, you and I will be lucky to have ANY retirement…

  • Lars says:
    December 20, 2011 at 10:00 PM

    Two commenters making equally complimentary points. Which then leaves my view in-between; namely that the modern Slovenian State need not create the modern jobs directly — but it surely owe it to the land and its people to provide and maintain such an environmen wherein innovation can thrive. This, I am sure, is what Slovenia lacks; the environment, which the writer has in fact hinted at when he mentioned *bureaucracy*. Let us not forget, friends, that Outfit7 is Slovenian and represents the sort of modern firms we believe would create the modern jobs for the young. But the said firm has relocated its head office from Lj to Cyprus, and it did so just when it became successful enough to begin inspiring young Slovenes with dreams that belong to that sector. What could have caused that promising firm to basically run away from Slovenia? Tax? Cyprus boasting more talents for employment than Slovenia? I say no to the two propositions. For “environment” is of course the only likely reason. It becomes obvious the State should get rid of bureaucracy and do something about the crippling lack of good transportation links to Slovenia — to begin with. Enough said for now, friends.

  • Lars says:
    December 20, 2011 at 10:17 PM

    Errata: |1| “complementary” not “complimentary” |2| “environment” not “environmen”

  • William D. says:
    February 4, 2012 at 2:04 AM

    I like the relaxed atmosphere in Europe, but I really hate the bureaucracy and mentality towards socialism as you mentioned. If I could travel without getting my genitals fondled, I’d love to look at going back and forth between Europe and the US as sort of an ideal way to live….pick up and move different places at times. But that’s probably wishful thinking on my part.

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