Re: Slovaks, where is your home?, Reader feedback, Jan 12 - 18, Vol 10, No 1
I'm one of the many young people at whom Andrea's message is aimed. I know quite a lot of young, educated Slovaks here in the States who have left Slovakia for now, but the majority of them hope to return "some day".
The economic reforms as well as EU integration are producing more and more interesting job opportunities, certainly more nowadays than any time before.
As a matter of fact, with the Slovak crown rapidly strengthening against the US dollar, one may opine that it won't make too much sense one decade from now to emigrate just for the "economic" reasons. I believe that pre and early teenage Slovaks will have many more opportunities in Slovakia than we ever had.
On the other side of the coin, though, are the intangibles. Here in the heart of America we enjoy a totally stress-less life compared to the one we would lead in Slovakia. There is so much less fabricated negativism in the US than in Slovakia overall. That has an unbelievable influence on a person's psyche. And as a future responsible parent, I do want my children to live in a society that is not drowning itself in negativity and honestly believes that there are no boundaries to a person's success.
You can change the material part in Slovakia, but I'm afraid it will take a long time for ordinary Slovaks to respect each other the way people respect and treat each other here in the States. Here is the bottom line: Would you want your children to feel respected and given unlimited opportunities to excel? I know most of us would. So I think the Slovak frame of mind needs to be changed to provide our children with more dignified, respectful examples so they grow up in a 'healthy' society. Every one of us is capable of this behavioural change, regardless of social class or level of income. If we can achieve that, our lives will improve dramatically on all fronts.
Miso,
USA
