This week the sun shone and I ran every day. The very first day I ran, several gipsy guys were up on the hillside in the trees clapping as I ran past. Some evenings I see a couple or some guys running; people with dogs or children; boys playing soccer ⚽️ or just climbing trees. Once during the day, there was an entire class of school boys who also ran -just two laps- and their coach who was saying something to me each time as I ran by. I just smiled at him.
Once the snow melted, I discovered this running track right outside my apartment!
Economics of Slovakia in 1999
The interesting time was at our staff meeting on Monday. Peter, the owner from America was present. As you can read in my notes 📝, he was there to explain why he didn’t have the cash to pay us. And to explain how he was negotiating paying customers to pay us (Berlitz) in the coming days. Apparently, and as no surprise, Slovakia is cash poor and in an economic pit, falling deeper every week.
U.S. Steel, the parent company and one of our (Berlitz’s) biggest clients is still in the process of buying out V Shet Steel Co. U.S. Steel is waiting till the Slovak firm hits rock 🪨 bottom to make the purchase. Then they can buy it for almost nothing (literally). Meanwhile, we can’t get paid. Peter said there is over 400,000 SK in outstanding invoices. Somebody who has cash is going to pay him 150,000 SK today or tomorrow to cover our pay. He must travel to Ruzemberok or Bratislava to get the cash.
View from my Košice apartment window
He’s looking for teachers to go to those two towns to teach, if his contracts go through. Beer 🍻 talk. He has negotiations in place with Slovak government officials in Bratislava who are paid by the E.U. to learn English, in order to join the European Union. The Slovak Army is paid by NATO to have their generals learn English. That’s a requirement in order to join NATO – so they can retrain troops.
Very interesting up-close perspective, first hand on the economics of Slovakia in 1999. As (Berlitz teacher) Jae said, “If we all based our lives on beer 🍺 talk, half of us would be married by now.” I thought it was pretty damn funny!
Monday 12 April, 1999
