WES confirmation!

After all, everything is not so bad in my life. Sometimes I have such great days! As today!

Today, my dear readers, I got American evaluation of my Swedish diploma. And the U.S. Equivalency is Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Industrial Engineering and Management!!!!!.

I am so happy and pleased. I toiled as a Trojan and had really hard time during 5 years. And now I don’t need to re-do anything, the education that I got is equal here and additionally I have World Education Service confirmation on that. I am so delighted! Finally I did something in my life that is right.

I am so sorry, that I might sound not so prudent and boastful, but I just so happy and want to share my happiness with you, please allow me to be it just for the moment.

The Exit.

Today wasn’t the best dag in my life. I was supposed to start one of my business courses at College here, but the course was canceled. I woke up early, drove all the way to Weston ( it is approximately 30 miles) and faced the nice lady who politely informed me that there are no classes today.

Well, I hung may be 20 minutes on phone trying to figure out the reason and why I wasn’t informed. At last I was enrolled to the similar one which starts a little bit later.

On my way back, when the traffic was on its top, I couldn’t change the lane in time before my exit (for that was needed to cross from line 2 to line 6) and I was force to do a very precarious traffic maneuver. I prevailed upon the situation, but I would never repeat it again. Thanks for the driver who let me pass.

And to be faithful to my promise when it comes to keep being objective in my opinions (to judged people it is the easiest what ones can do) ; I have to admit, though the traffic is more heavy and many American people wouldn’t pass Swedish driving test, the attitude and traffic manner among drivers here have more courtesy.

I dwelled on this topic with my French girl- friend during the Pilatus session. She is prudent and amiable person and has leaved in many countries, Sweden is included. When she had complied with my assertion, she looked at me for a moment and then added:”In Sweden if you are in the wrong lane it is your problem and nobody else” and then “and even in general understanding”.
It struck me, God gracious, such a profound remark!

At the end, we are all on the same road called “Life” and it is Ok to have different “driving” stiles, as soon as you are not hurting anyone. It is essential to remember that we are all just mere Homosapiens and it is humane to make mistakes; it just heartless to react on arrogant way. You never know, may be one day you are going to do your “Exit” and you would expect that the drive, beside you, help you pass.

The flooding.

The hurricanes period has started, though I haven’t seen ferocious storms yet. So far, all that I have witness is a lot of rain, rain and rain.
I rather have rains then relentless sun and so high temperature that I feel motionless, powerless and all your brain vaporizes outdoors.
Yesterday rain caused to high water level and many streets were flooded. Many houses’ front bridges were under water.

Don’t f...k with Google account.

Depression after my terrible mistake has stagnated. I didn’t expect that I would react so strongly. Of course when you do something that you like, you put your soul in it, spend your energy and all of sudden everything disappears in matter of seconds, what do you expect?

I keep over and over wondering what was exactly I have done when I managed to delete my blogs? I was just supposed to cancel one of my redundant e-mails addresses and it happened to be connected to my Google account, which disappeared immediately. All my tries to recover it were fruitless. It was terrible, I almost got a shock.

The awful situation that I put myself in has deteriorated by indifference and inhumanity of Google’s procedures. I filled in all required forms twice and explained that I need just my blogs back and that it was important for me. But I never got my blogs back. I didn’t get a chance to speak with human either.
All my searches about whom I should contact in situation like this, ended up in dead end. The only I could do to fill in all those obscure applications and hope that the computer system or somebody has mercy on me. All my hopes were in vain.

Now I have to recover so many notes that I have saved in my Word document, unfortunately not so much, just 5 or 6. And I have already started over again, but psychological it is not so easy.

The Ice Bar in Stockholm.

During my Stockholm trip I visited the famous Ice Bar. The entrance price was high 175 SEK from one person which included one drink. Ok, I can cope with that. The environment is of prodigious beauty and it reminds you a ‘The Snow Queen” fairytale.

They told us that the bar management tries to change its theme every year by replacing different statues and polishing the design.

Everything was lovely; we got these fancy coats with tremendous mittens. Relaxing music was spreading around the bar and the spotlights were playing with the ice walls, reflecting by diving patent and surrounding magic atmosphere.

Regardless of all this, I ought to mention that I was disappointed when it comes to quality of drinks. They were tasteless. It was anything but good cocktail that you expect to be served at this place. I would prefer to call that as hooch or moonshine, whatever you like.

Obviously the management of the Ice Bar is so concentrated on design that missed the premier purpose of this place.Thank for the temperature (-4C), (though you have warm cloth, you can’t endure long time there), folks tend to pay no attention to the consistent of their drinks, but yet it diminishes your glamorous memory of your extraordinary experience.

Lady in Red.

Finally! I am overjoyed! I got my car. After so many tries and market surveys, we could finally make our chose. Car here is a indispensable necessity and not a luxury. In the society where everything is related on drive-in, even cash machines, although Americans call them ATM machines, it is difficult to make it without it.

My initial thoughts were to buy an Americans one, just to understand how it feels to drive one, but after many driving tests (at car’s deals places), I wasn’t comfortable with their driving ability. It didn't feel right, so I had to stick to my previous versions of Europeans models.

Market of pre-owned cars is enormous here, thanks to the poor economy, but still nobody gives you for free. Please, do not forget that you have to add 6% of taxes on top of your merchandise, which is not included in sale's price.

For those who are recently arrived to US, it is painful to see how price is increasing when you step in front of cashier. The idea that you have to pay more, right just in moment when you are happy that you have found a bargain is painful. Nepp. No free lunches.

Anyway, I like my car. We bought it in Miami and I was suppose to take it home, which meant 1,5 hour driving trough all irksome and dangerous Americans’ motorways.I got nervous and sweaty because it was my first experience when it comes to this type of driving.
Motorways here are with 6 lanes (just in one direction) and people are not following so much traffic rules; left-right or change-line signals are here exclusively rare and most of folks took driving license test on parking place. When I arrived at home, I felt like I need a big whisky. And I couldn’t get even that, because I am having my 10 days healthy –wealthy diet, when you suppose to clear your body by eating all these boring stuff and all kind of alcoholish drinks are prohibited.

Las Vegas, day 3.

My dear reader maybe has started wondering about the main purpose of the visit. Well, did I forget something? The main magnet of folks the attraction of people-watching, the magic dream of winning one million dollars and maybe more?! Everybody comes to Las Vegas with the same dream, but unfortunately I am too perspicacious to believe in that. According to statistics, a man has a higher chance of being hit by a truck or end up in a car accident than to win 1 million dollars.
My sober pessimism, which I have now and then, my life experiences and maybe the lack of extra money which I can afford to lose; makes me anything but a gambler. Therefore I am not acquainted with the rules of many popular games. I can’t even play Black Jack or other games. It is universally acknowledged that the House always wins. Even if you win some money, you are going to lose it anyway, in an unrealistic hope of winning a fortune.


I played a little bit, won probably $20 in all three days and lost them all. To be honest, I am not a lucky person; I never was. I never won any big money during my whole life or anything else in particular on that account.


The main reason to visit Las Vegas for me was to use that unique opportunity to see all these world famous shows. It was beyond my comprehension when it comes to the variety available. You can choose whatever you want, it doesn’t matter what your interests are: from circus to opera; from strip shows to ballet.


You may contradict with me by asserting that there are lots of places like these. Well, let me know when you will find a place where you can hear Dolly Parton, Better Midler, see Ice ballet from Russia, experience Chinese acrobats and an aquatic spectacular, look at Cirque du Soleil (with 5 themes to chose), different mystery shows and (my favorite) enjoy the magnificent “Phantom of the Opera”, which facilities are built for that purpose where shows take place.

Due to our less than thorough planning we could squeeze in just two shows: Phantom of the Opera” and Cirque du Soleil on water.



The Cirque du Soleil show was spectacular and magnificent. It made me feel as a child who was transferred to a fantasy world.


For a short video of Cirque du Soleil, click on the full screen


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYaLLX_bF7c


“Phantom of the Opera” was splendid and touching (I cried). Every time I hear that music my mind escapes to a magical world of endless happiness. Every tone of song gives me the edge of sensation of an unearthly happiness. I can’t describe what is happening in my mind but I know for sure that it is beyond my comprehension. I want the music to never stop and it makes me sad that this feeling can be produced just only by this music (and my sensation of running and reading of Jane Austen).


For a short video of “Phantom of the Opera”, click on the full screen


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G39Xj57qV7g


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ej1zMxbhOO0

Tips: by staying in the same hotel where the show which you want to see, is taking place, you are always entitled to 25% of discount. It is also possible to buy tickets at half price on the last day before the show. If you don’t mind to sitting in different places (not beside each other), you can get an additional discount and it can be really near the stage. So, do not hurry to buy tickets three weeks before (only if it is a matter of life and death or you have lots of money), wait until you are in place and you may find a bargain. The list with shows updates every day.