luhay

This is a very good website with info on foreign countries: life, work and real estate www.escapeartist.com

I rarely write in this forum except to seek (useless) information, but this topic is very close to my heart and I decided to join the discussion. I have spent many years traveling and living in European countries, even in Bulgaria that was mentioned above (many expatriates there now). Anyone considering moving to a foreign country should spend at least two months there, making friends, living and working alongside the locals, and then you would know if this indeed is your place under the sun. Otherwise, once the initial excitement is over, the experience can become dreadful. People in most countries are struggling, their incomes are low and their standard of living is lower than the US. It's a hard transition for those of us form the US. Even the outgoing, joyful Spanish and Italians have their problems, but we don't see that in blockbuster movies or in travel books. As for me, as soon as I realized that happiness is inside me, I quit seeking it through my passport and decided to take Frank Sinatra's advice and to settle in NY, because this IS the best city in the world!

I live in NY and I found out about the balls only last year. Apparently, the Viennese Balls are as popular as the Carnival in Venice or the Feria in Sevilla. I think this is a party worth checking out, we live once! http://www.theculturedtraveler.com/ARCHIVE...Vienna_Ball.htm

Has anyone attended any balls in Vienna during the ball season? If yes, which balls would you recommend? I would welcome any tips/suggestions. Thanks

Thank you all for getting back to me, I appreciate it.

does anybody know if there are any armenians in Peru? I couldn't find any organizations or churches on the internet.

Thank you, guys!

Please help! I am looking for a Children's CD, and one of the songs goes like this: "Shokegarke pouf, pouf, pouf, arak, arak ge vaze......". I need to find out the name of the singer and possibly where the CD can be purchased. My friend recently had a baby and I want to surprise her because the child is way too young for The Beatles. Thanks in advance.

SOUL MATE NOT HOME I'm dead tired, and yet I want to live. I want to experience this radio advertised peace-of-mind. I want to experience this prime-time television joy. And yet, it is all empty. The electronically carried whispers are false. I want to dive into a half-frozen ocean, a place where I can feel alive. I want to dive into a half-frozen ocean, a place which will listen to my cry. I want to live, and I want to hear the real you. A Routine Life Look at the time. Has it arrived? Punch the clock. Time to work, input equals output. Punch the clock. Sleep. Alarm. Loop.

I forgot to shrink the images . Sorry about that

http://homepage.mac.com/levision/.Pictures/Open%20Market%20and%20Globalized.jpgGlobalized Open-Market Earth http://homepage.mac.com/levision/.Pictures/Where%20Do%20You%20Live.jpgWhere Do You Live http://homepage.mac.com/levision/.Pictures/City%20for%20Sale.jpgCity For Sale http://homepage.mac.com/levision/.Pictures/City%20Faces.jpgCity Faces

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f274/ypgny/Invite4.jpg

Away, away, ye men of rules, What have I do with schools? They'd make me learn, they'd make me think, But would they make me love and drink? Teach me this, and let me swim My soul upon the goblet's brim; Teach me this, and let me twine Some fond, responsive heart to mine, For, age begins to blanch my brow, I've time for naught but pleasure now. Fly, and cool, my goblet's glow At yonder fountain's gelid flow; I'll quaff, my boy, and calmly sink This soul to slumber as I drink. Soon, too soon, my jocund slave, You'll deck your master's grassy grave; And there's an end--for ah, you know They drink but little wine below!

Come, send round the wine, and leave points of belief To simpleton sages and reasoning fools; This moment's a flower too fair and brief To be wither'd and stain'd by the dust of the schools. Your glass may be purple, and mine may be blue, But, while they are fill'd from the same bright bowl, The fool who would quarrel for difference of hue, Deserves not the comfort they shed o'er the soul. Shall I ask the brave soldier, who fights by my side In the cause of mankind, if our creeds agree? Shall I give up the friend I have valued and tried, If he kneel not before the same altar with me? From the heretic girl of my soul should I fly, To seek somewhere else a more orthodox kiss? No, perish the hearts, and the laws that try Truth, valour, or love, by a standard like this!

He who dies (Ode to life) Pablo Neruda Slowly dies he who becomes a slave to habit, repeating the same journey every day, he who doesn’t change his march, he who doesn’t risk and change the color of his clothes, he who doesn’t speak to he whom he doesn’t know. Slowly dies he who makes of the television his guru, Slowly he who avoids a passion dies, he who prefers black on white and dots on is rather than a togetherness of emotions exactly those the make the eyes shine, those that make the heart beat before error and feeling. Slowly dies he who doesn’t overturn the table, he who is unhappy in his work, he who doesn’t risk certainty for uncertainty to follow a dream, he who doesn’t permit himself at least one time in his life to flee sensible counsels. Slowly dies he who doesn’t travel, he who doesn’t read, he who doesn’t listen to music, he who doesn’t find grace in himself. Slowly he who destroys his own love dies, he who doesn’t allow himself to be helped. Slowly he who passes his days lamenting about his own misfortune or the incessant rain dies. Slowly dies he who abandons a project before beginning it, he who doesn’t ask questions about topics he doesn’t know, he who doesn’t answer when he is asked something that he knows. Let’s avoid death by small doses, remembering always that being alive requires a much larger effort than the simple act of breathing. Only burning patience will bring within reach a splendid happiness.

Thank you, Boghos, I appreciate your help.

Wretched exiles, rare survivors Of a brave and martyr race, Children of a captive mother, Heroes with no resting place, Far from home in squalid hovels, Sick and pale from lack of sleep, See them drink to drown their sorrows, Hear them sing and singing, weep! Drink… For drunkenness erases Former troubles, present woes, Bitter memories effaces, Gives a broken heart repose. Heads grow heavier, a mother’s Look of anguish disappears And a son’s appeal is smothered, For the mind no longer hears. …. Winter winds intone a descant, Terrifyingly they swirl, Whirl and lift the song rebellious, Carry it across the world. Fouler still the sky is seething, Chillier the frowning night, Ever louder the Armenians Sing, the storm attains its height… Thus they drink and sink… Survivors Of a brave and martyr race, Children of a captive mother, Heroes with no resting place. Far from home, barefoot and ragged, In slum squalor shorn of sleep, See them drink to ease the agony, Hear them sing and, singing, weep! P. Yavorov (1900)

Foreign tourists might be confusing hospitality with customer service. Turkish people are very hard-working and extremely customer-service oriented. I believe those visitors' experience is limited to tourist areas and resorts. Only those who have actually interacted with locals in a casual setting may be able to comment on this, but I doubt there are many tourists who choose to stay a month or so in Turkey.

Children's wisdom about marriage.... HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHO TO MARRY? ( 1 ) You got to find somebody who likes the same stuff. Like, if you like sports, she should like it that you like sports, and she should keep the chips and dip coming. -- Alan, age 10 ( 2 ) No person really decides before they grow up who they're going to marry. God decides it all way before, and you get to find out later who you're stuck with. -- Kirsten, age 10 WHAT IS THE RIGHT AGE TO GET MARRIED? ( 1 ) Twenty-three is the best age because you know the person FOREVER by then. -- Camille, age 10 ( 2 ) No age is good to get married at. You got to be a fool to get married. -- Freddie, age 6 (very wise for his age) HOW CAN A STRANGER TELL IF TWO PEOPLE ARE MARRIED? ( 1 ) You might have to guess, based on whether they seem to be yelling at the same kids.-- Derrick, age 8 WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR MOM AND DAD HAVE IN COMMON? ( 1 ) Both don't want any more kids. -- Lori, age 8 WHAT DO MOST PEOPLE DO ON A DATE? ( 1 ) Dates are for having fun, and people should use them to get to know each other. Even boys have something to say if you listen long enough. -- Lynnette, age 8 (isn't she a treasure) ( 2 ) On the first date, they just tell each other lies and that usually gets them interested enough to go for a second date. -- Martin, age 10 (wise beyond his years) WHAT WOULD YOU DO ON A FIRST DATE THAT WAS TURNING SOUR? ( 1 ) I'd run home and play dead. The next day I would call all the newspapers and make sure they wrote about me in all the dead columns. -- Craig, age 9 WHEN IS IT OKAY TO KISS SOMEONE? ( 1 ) When they're rich. -- Pam, age 7 ( 2 ) The law says you have to be eighteen, so I wouldn't want to mess with that. -- Curt, age 7 ( 3 ) The rule goes like this: If you kiss someone, then you should marry them and have kids with them. It's the right thing to do. - Howard, age 8 (this one has very good morals) IS IT BETTER TO BE SINGLE OR MARRIED? ( 1 ) It's better for girls to be single but not for boys. Boys need someone to clean up after them. -- Mike Schaffer, age 4 (bless you child) HOW WOULD THE WORLD BE DIFFERENT IF PEOPLE DIDN'T GET MARRIED? ( 1 ) There sure would be a lot of kids to explain, wouldn't there? -- Kelvin, age 8 And the #1 Favourite is........ HOW WOULD YOU MAKE A MARRIAGE WORK? ( 1 ) Tell your wife that she looks pretty, even if she looks like a truck. -- Ricky, age 10

Hi all, does anybody know any friendly armenians in Buenos Aires? I know there is a large community over there and I might be going at the end of February. Thought it would be nice to say hello to fellow armos, network a bit, see if they cook the armenian dishes differently (after all, it's all about food with us armenians, isn't it? ). thanks