Bay Area MultiCultural Weekend

1. In early California a “Fandango” was a gathering of neighbors – sometimes lasting for 2-3 days, sometimes all week. People would come to a a rancho, camp together, cook and eat good foods, play music, sing and dance. They might show and trade horses and other products – but mostly it was to enjoy the human experience.

Early artist rendition of Early California fandango

Every spring for eleven years the San Francisco music group 'Coro Hispano' has presented a musical Fandango – the joyful music of early California. The oldest adobe meeting house in San Francisco was found on the grounds of the Presideo Military base. Since 1989, after the base was decommissioned, the Fandango has been held here. (This year the concert was held in an adjacent hall as repairs were made to the adobe.) The concert is bilingual, featuring a wide range of musical styles, singers, and dancers. Sentimental ballads, songs of belonging and of longing, La Golondrina, the Corrido de Cesar Chavez, Cancion Mixteca…and much more!

Coro Hispano Announcement

Music has been and is an integral part of Latino culture – a vehicle for declaring love, for reporting news, and for empowering social movements. Latin American music has a proud tradition with so much to admire. The range of people who are drawn to the Fandango is as interesting as the music – the only common denominator is a love for this rich genre of music- young and old, Anglo and Latino. The director, Juan Pedro Gaffney, a dedicated San Franciscan, somehow gathers enough money each year to put on two concerts. The second concert occurs on 'El Dia de los Tres Reyes' … the 'Day of the Three Kings' in January. It included more early Spanish language music , religious music, and also more music of Spain and other Spanish speaking lands.

Cesar Chavez - one of the founders of the Farm Labor unions

… But at this concert we all sang out together the refrain commemorating the life and work of Cesar Chavez…

“En las ciudades y campos, (In the cities and farms)

La esperanza nunca muere; (The hope never dies)

Ya lo dijo Cesar Chavez (César Chávez said it already)

“Compaeros, se se puede!” (“Companions, yes we can!”)”

2. Just down the street from us is one of the major Thai Buddhist temples in North America. It is home to the regional director (Pramaha) and several resident monks.

Wat Buddhanusorn

Once a year the temple gives back to our community by offering a free Thai Classical Cultural Night with a wide array of delicious foods, traditional music and dance. It is a gala event and we have been invited to attend several years.

Dancers waiting to go perform

This year it was held last Saturday night, and it was memorable! Graduating Thai University students commit to come to live and work with the local temple to teach the traditional culture to the children of Thai immigrants. They can learn the language, musical and dance skills, and Thai martial arts.

Thai Food

When we arrived there was a long cafeteria style line up of food- mostly donated by local Thai restaurants… We were encouraged to fill up our plates with some familiar dishes like Pad Thai and Red Curry… but there are always new taste adventures too - and free to guests...

Musicians

After dinner we were seated and the music began – Thai music is very different from the western tradition but pleasant to listen to. The music is played with a variety of percussion xylophone style instruments, stringed instruments, drums, gongs… and the music tempo and pattern is set by the leader who used a hand chime to change the pattern of the music. This video is very similar but we heard additional instruments as well. Example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InftPD_ah-c&feature=related

3. Links of the Week:

a. Please take a few minutes to meander through the files on The Encyclopedia of Life...To get started go to the "find" window - try entering "spiders" OR "elephants" or the critter of your choice: http://www.eol.org

b. We hear so much about unions in our news these days - It can be hard to find a fair and even discussion - here's one: I particularly agree with the last half of the article...

http://www.pissedonpolitics.com/?p=398

c. A new look at the post civil war era in America - and what it says about race relations today... Click on the triangle to listen to a brief radio rebroadcast

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89051115

Four Disconnected Topics: Week of 6/23/11

1.Milpas: I am growing “Los Tres Hermanas” (The Three Sisters) in my garden this year, just as the ancient Mayans of Mexico and countless generations since have done. I prepare the soil by forming small "hills" and plant several kernels of corn, bean seeds, and squash seeds in each. The corn is the fastest growing and is already 2 feet tall, the bean stems are twining around the corn stalks, and the squash appears to be happy in the partial shade provided by the corn. My "corn field" is only a few dozen plants nothing like the field shown below!

Milpa in southern Mexico

The beans are adding nitrogen for the soil and keep the soil from becoming nutrient depleted. In addition cattle are permitted to eat the cornstalks after the harvest and they contribute their manure. These three plant varieties really make a very happy family all growing together. In Southern Mexico I saw many small cornfields ("Milpas") where the corn is permitted to grow to maturity, the mature bean pods climb the stalks and dry in place, and the variety of squash grown is a 8-10” turban squash that we would classify as a winter squash for its good “keeping” quality.

Soaked corn is directly ground into fine meal, mixed with a bit of lime, and made into a dough called "masa" used for making tortillas, tamales, and other tasty foods...

2.Fighting Chaos: Most people that I know have a part of their home where chaos reigns! – For me it has been my garden shed and the small side yard beside the house. “This tool is broken but I might fix it some day.” – Throw it in the shed. “Do I have an arm full of old plastic flowerpots?” Stack them up alongside the house - right next to the broken pieces of tile. This week has been the time of reckoning! I hauled everything out of the shed, went to the Home Depot and bought 1" by 12" boards, built beautiful new shelves inside, and made the tough decisions about what to keep…

Sorry not to have a "before" photo to go with this "after" photo

Filled with success, I tackled the side yard – order out of chaos – more stuff for the dump. There is something powerfully symbolic about organizing my physical life that satisfies inner needs. My whole self feels more together for my organization!

Side yard - after cleaning

3. Quote of the week: Andrew Bacevich in Bill Moyers latest book: Bill Moyers Journal; The Conversation Continues

“When American power was at its apex after World War II, through the Eisenhower years, into the Kennedy years, we made what the world wanted. They wanted our cars. We exported television sets, our refrigerators – we were the world’s manufacturing base. (We were) an empire of production.

Figure representing prosperity

Sometime about 1960 there was a tipping point when the “empire of production” began to become the “empire of consumption”. When the cars started to be produced elsewhere, and the TV sets, and the socks, and everything else. And what we ended up with was the American people functioning primarily as consumers rather than producers. Americans are no longer masters of their own fate. – Our negative trade balance with the world is something on the order of $800 billion per year. American policy makers have been engaged in a de facto Ponzi scheme intended to extend indefinitely the American line of credit.”

A bargain for everyone - and on credit!

Many of these problems are the fault of we American consumers ourselves - we like a bargain! - and some developing countries were wise enough to spot this trend and produce what we wanted at bargain prices, undercutting American prices. There is plenty of blame to go around to both political parties and both branches of government - They have all permitted the trade imbalance to go unchallenged year after year, and have all kept a blind eye to allowed American companies to move their operations abroad to maximize profits. It will be tough for us to develop the economic discipline needed to get our economy back on track, back to producing new American jobs. What would it take to get Americans to seek out and buy American products even if they cost a little more... especially when everything from clothes to tools to appliances seem to be made elsewhere? Its going to be difficult for many folks to stop their addiction to “saving a few bucks” by shopping at Wall Mart and other “discount” stores. Every time we spend a dollar we are voting either to support American jobs or foreign jobs.

"Failing to do something can result in consequences"

Spotted on the wall of a Modesto Coffee House

4. Three links to book mark on your home computer:

Taegan Goddare’s Political Wire – Daily collection of links to political and current affairs news on the Internet: http://politicalwire.com/ I like this site because it is one of the most politically unbiased sites I know. Mr. Goddare reports fairly all sides of the issues.

Daily Kos: http://www.dailykos.com/ - Daily weblog with political analysis on US current events

Snopes: http://www.snopes.com/ - The Urban Legends Reference Pages, is a web site discussing urban legends, Internet rumors, e-mail forwards, and other stories of uncertain or questionable origin. It is the best-known resource for validating and debunking such stories in American popular culture..

June 17: Four Notes

1. Seasonal Images

Crain flies – Like giant mosquitoes – They look scary but they are big harmless detritus eaters –they live as adults only long enough to mate and lay eggs… I catch them carefully when they get into the house and release them outdoors. http://insects.tamu.edu/fieldguide/bimg215.html

Crain flies

See the small knobbed structures (Halteres) under the wings? they control flight balance...

Mocking birds – Singing incessantly this time of year- flying from one high point to another around their territory – defending their “turf” – very high strung birds!

Great White Herons graceful as their stand silently hunting in shallow water or flying overhead with their long neck pulled back

Wild oats– gleaming golden on the hillside - morning light!

Cactus blossoms – A surprise each morning: yellow – white – deep red…

Cactus Flowers: Many last just one day

One grandfather bullfrog sounding deep and resonant in his calls. Listen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M02_dnl9zCA

The drying of the soil is not a crisis for native plants. They have adapted to survive the long dry season – some die and survive in their seeds, others have developed long deep roots, others have developed viscous sap that can draw water from apparently dry soil. The on-going process of natural selection over many generations results in only the best adapted surviving to pass on their traits. That's what evolution is all about.

Summer hill top - Garin Park

2. I am currently enjoying the book: “Incognito The Secret Lives of the Brain” – by David Eagleman – Our brains are one of the last real frontiers of human understanding in science.

Young Tanzanian student

When I see something I compare it with my memory bank of stored images. When I see a butterfly, I say “Oh that’s a Monarch Butterfly” – and I fail to “see” the amazing form and detail of this particular butterfly before me… I see my brain-stored generalized image not this specific butterfly. It is incredible to consider how many stored visual images I have in my memory bank! … Faces - buildings – trees – word images – clouds… a myriad of details. Of course it is more efficient to look out at the world and interpret what we see in terms of our stored generalized memories – We would never get anything done if we saw everything in total detail each time.

Tanzanian students - recess break!

And in addition there are memory banks of sounds and smells and tactile sensations. Add in all of the other critical functions of the brain – detecting motion as a smooth sequence of images – reasoning –judgments – emotions – all this tucked into a mass of cells the size of a grapefruit…

Judy and our three pups: Willy, Roxy, and the new dog Rusty

The human brain is the most complex arrangement of atoms known to man … What a sad loss of potential that we humans don’t recognize that each human being – rich and poor – all racial and ethnic groups - male and female... all share the same basic miraculous brain structure and functions. We allow a little thing like "beliefs" to make us think that we are different... that one is superior to another...that its OK to use aggression to control another.

Czech school students and friend

3. Summer reading that I highly recommend:

“Bill Moyers Journal: The Conversations” - Bill Moyers… A large collection of short interviews with notable Americans in all aspects of modern American culture. Bill Moyers is able to ask the profound questions that bring each person to the heart of their beliefs and positions. Readable and interesting.

***I have been on a historical novel kick lately – here are three of my recent favorites:

“Ross Poldark”– Winston Graham…The first in a series of historical novels placed between the end of the American War of Independence and the Napoleonic Era. Carefully researched to include historical details of the time, the story of a young man during the copper and tin mining days of Cornwall. A real "page turner" - captivating!

“Night Soldiers” - Alan Furst… Historical novel describing the early period of the Second World War in Eastern Europe and Russia… Describes the delicate process of espionage rather than focusing on the details of war itself.

“Pillars of the Earth” – Ken Follett… placed in 13^th century England during the construction of the first great Gothic cathedrals – Fascinating description of the life of a master stone mason.

Our neighborhood Tibetan monestery/school: Giant status of the goddess of mercy

4. Links of Significance this week:

Fact Check.org: It is once again the season of political debates - and I urge you to put a book mark in this site: http://www.factcheck.org/ It is a non partisan site than in turn examines all assertions made by various politicians. It is invaluable when you are attempting to sort out truth from fiction.

Please take 2 minutes and 15 seconds for this one: http://www.moveon.org/r?r=209212&id=28091-782500-ZH7wcDx&t=1

Identity

"Who do you think you are anyway?"

That should be a simple question to answer – but I think back over my life and, as you would expect, the answer keeps changing. In recent years you hear the phrase “ Reinventing yourself” when people retire or change jobs. Sometimes the reinventing or re-identifying is thrust upon us like when we change from children to adolescents

Childhood in NE Kansas ( that's me on the right )

and sometimes it is imposed on us by changes in our vocation, social status, or health. Reinvention implies the development of a new idea that arises from a combination of inspiration and careful work – I think that fits reinventing yourself.

Me at 14, with my Mother and my sister Helen - Visalia CA

My first great reinvention happened when I went away to college – Up to that point, I knew who I was – I lived at home in a middle sized San Joaquin valley town – I liked school – I loved having adventures in the nearby Sierra Mountains - In my summer jobs I sprayed mosquitoes around valley farms…

Me working with the Delta Mosquito Abatement - Visalia

But when I went to San Francisco State College, I was surrounded by people who knew much more of the world than I. I was expected to know what kind of work I wanted to do for the rest of my life – and expected to have social skills I had never encountered before. It was a case of sink or swim – and through it all I struggled to adjust my identity to the new experiences– Those first years, besides learning my college course work, I learned a great deal about people and the wider world..

San Francisco - The college is in the far west of the city - close to the ocean

After graduation from college, I took my summer earnings and set out for a several month hitch-hiking journey across – Scotland – England – Belgium – France – Germany – Austria – Yugoslavia – Greece – Turkey – Syria – Jordan – Italy – Spain …I stayed in youth hostels most of the time – and this was a time of meeting many new people and seeing a wider world than my San Joaquin valley home. I encountered incredible new experiences - but there were, times that were challenging,– and I learned to be resourceful and solve problems as they arose. I had to redefine myself to make sense of all that I was learning.

Yugoslavia

I returned and completed my teacher training and while still green behind the ears I was hired for my first teaching job as a science teacher. Teaching is hard work but extremely satisfying. To be successful as a teacher it is necessary to be creative and to be willing to work and take risks. To keep the teaching fresh and new it is necessary to challenge yourself with new ideas. Sometimes they work splendidly and sometimes they don’t. A new teacher has to learn to "float with the punches". You learn from the successes and the failures. When an opportunity came along take it and then figure out how to do it before the work begins. I taught every form of Biological sciences. During the school year I was lucky when I could keep one day of the weekend free of school work. But then - there are those grand summer vacations ( when I frequently took advanced classes, seminars, etc. )... but there were also times for great travel adventures...

Me with a horse skull in my laboratory

Meeting Judy and getting married was a huge and positive reinvention of self – Falling in love changes everything - We have been married now for 43 years. Judy and I both keep changing in response to our life experiences and so our challenge has been to be sensitive to the new people that we keep turning into and appreciate anew each stage of our separate and collective development. The secret is to communicate - listening and talking - sharing and being open... We have had many blessings in our lives -sharing good times, common values and interests, guests visiting in our home, raising two sons, travel to beautiful and exotic places, developing our home and garden, satisfying work…and we keep discovering new things to get excited about...

Judy, Andrew and I on a Sierra Lake - Poling a log...

In my so called retirement – (I prefer to call it my encore profession)… I love my work with student teachers. I am currently working with Mills College and the national Teach for America programs – My role is a field supervisor who has the task of observing closely, confirming what is going well, and making constructive suggestions for improvements. I see so much good teaching and have learned so much! I am ready to start my teaching career all over again!

Part of a seminar group - Mills College CA

Weeds

What is the difference between "wild flowers", "weeds", and "herbs"? I have been pondering this difference as I am out digging my unwanted garden plants. I have a "kill on sight" list of particularly noxious villains, but many weed plants are quite attractive if seen in a certain objective manner. Of course weeds can be defined as any plant growing where we don’t want it to be… So even garden plants that show up where you dont want them can become a problem. “Weeds” – are whatever we choose to include in that group. Herbs are any plant with soft tissues.

Weeds do have special common characteristics. In the natural world when a tree falls in the forest the soil becomes open to the sunlight, as it also occurs with a fire, landslide, or devastating flood. Over great periods of time, some plants have developed by natural selection to take quick advantage of new opportunities. Most of this group are annual plants that produce vast amounts of seed that can be wind blown or carried in animal poop. Some are perennials that travel by root systems that can quickly spread to fill an area. All of them take advantage of their traits to grow and spread quickly – they are “opportunistic”.

Some human activities are similar to these natural activities – when a field is cleared and plowed for a crop, when a natural forest is removed for grassland or homes, roadsides, construction sites… These locations also provide great opportunity for opportunistic weed plants.

By rapid growth these plants steal space, sunlight, and soil moisture from the plants that humans desire to grow… and so we are at war with them.

To make matters worse many weed plants produce seeds that can survive in the soil for years. Digging up the garden may expose seeds that have been lying dormant. Or weed plants may have such short life spans that there can be several generations produced in one year...each time producing more and more seeds.

Many weeds have been spread accidentally or on purpose as a food crop. A plant that developed by natural selection in one part of the world can grow successfully any place in the world with similar growth conditions - Often displacing native plants already dominant in the location. There are many examples: Pampas Grass, English Ivy, the Wild Oats covering California Hills, and most of the common weeds.

Here are a few weeds that have been part of my life:

Johnson Grass: Native to Mediterranean Europe, this grass spreads by underground runners that grows and spreads so quickly that it blocks the growth of commercial crops. It was introduced as a food source for livestock is poisonous if too much is eaten.

Scarlet Pimpernel: Low growing, can cover large areas if not controlled. Flowers are open only when the sun shines. Native of Europe. A major pest in my back yard.

Goat Weed ( Puncture Vine): The curse of every bicycle rider! Found in southern Europe, southern Asia, throughout Africa, and Australia...and now introduced into the US. The seeds have a series of sharp spines -one of them always pointing upward - so that a bicycle ridden over the seed will be punctured. Perennial with a strong tap root, can with stand very dry summer conditions.

Wild Radish (Raphanus): Native to Asia , Annual or Biennial, Long taproot, May be wild ancestor of edible radish... Spreads rapidly by seed over large expanses - its tall thick growth crowds out other plants. Flowers when they first open are purple/red - but when they get older they become white. I sometimes find families out picking fresh green shoots to cook as greens - they are called wild turnip by some people.

Mustard (Brassica): Native to the entire Mediterranean region of Europe - Wide variety of varieties, all low growing annual plants. Some accounts say that the Bibles reference to the "Mustard tree" is a misinterpretation of the fact that a single seed can result in a large field becoming filled with Mustard in a few short years, so it is an metaphor for the power of faith.

Cheese Weed ( Malva ) - Native to Europe, Asia, and Africa... Wildly effective plant - produces many seeds each season - some varieties of Malva are used as food by humans. ( seeds have 21% protein ). The genus includes mallows and hollyhocks. Green leaves eaten in some cultures. The seeds have the shape of an old fashioned chunk of home made cheese.

Dock ( Rumix ): Also related to Sorrel. My Czech grandmother collected this herb every spring to make a spring tonic. After a long winter eating the foods available in winter - the vitamins in the first Dock of the spring would have a curative power! There are two varieties - the straight leaf dock and the curly leaf dock - they both have oxalic acid in them - curly more than straight...

Oxalis: A front yard filled with pretty yellow oxalis is so bright and cheerful in February - but so invasive. Each plant forms a little bulb that lies dormant until the next rainy season and then returns even stronger - This plant has a seed pod with a spring mechanism that can scatter the seed over extensive distances. Once established oxalis crowds everything and come back for more... This is top of my "Kill on sight" list

Bermuda Grass: Another arch villain - a few seeds of this in a lawn and the entire lawn is replaced with Bermuda Grass. it does produce a decent lawn in the summer if watered, but in the winter it turns brown and dead looking... Bermuda grass is always pushing the boundaries and attempting top grow into all surrounding flower beds, pathways, under rocks, around shrubs... "Kill on Sight"

Morning Glory: Perennial with deep tap root. You can cut it below the soil line a thousand times and it will still come back for more. Only solution is to dig the deep for the tap roots or use a weed killing chemical. Kill on sight at all costs!

Prickly lettuce (Lactura): Sometimes called Chinese Lettuce - has a milky sap - young plants are attractive - older plants become tall and produce vast numbers of winged seeds that are spread in the wind

Bristly Ox Tongue: Some poetic soul imagined that the leaves have the character of a cows tongue - Milky sap - Mediterranean

Dandelion: From the French : "Tooth of the Lion" - deep tap root that you must dig out completely or it will be back - leaves have been grown at a salad green, the flowers can be used for making wine, and which of us as a child did not blow the seed heads off into the wind.

Encounters with Czech Culture

The European war was a regular part of my life as a young child. I heard about the battles on the radio, newsreels showed images of the war's progress, and I heard adults speaking in hushed tones about the results of the war. Since my father's family came from Czechoslovakia there was often discussion about what might have happened to those who had not immigrated. From them we received no word. Year by year in family gatherings we have wondered about them and wondered if there might be some way to make contact.

Karlstein station - Early view of the Czech countryside

Perhaps it is the destiny of first generation Americans to be interested both in the culture they are born into and to be curious about the culture of the foreign born parent. (I grew up with a view of family that tended to emphasize the paternalistic).

Back while Czechoslovakia was still behind the iron curtain, Judy and I explored the possibility of travel there. We talked to a young professor in the Central Valley of California who had gone on a bicycle tour of Bohemia. He encouraged us to visit – as we walked out to the car he said, “ Oh! I can suggest someone you can contact there.”

Gathering around the family table - Such hospitality! - first visit

We wrote to a university student, Vladimir B., inquiring about a possible visit and received back an invitation to stay at his family home. We answered saying “ Oh no, we don’t want to impose on your family…” He answered “ But if you don’t stay with a family you will not really see Czechoslovakia. I really would like to invite you to come. "

And so we planned our first trip – we entered by train from Austria – through the "iron curtain" - there were wooden towers and serious looking guards with machine guns, and police dogs… it was necessary to pass through non smiling security checks… there were secret police cars in evidence on the streets - and watchful eyes observing us.

Our first view of a Czech town from the window of our train - "Before the change"

But once we were in Vladimir’s home – everything changed – people were warm and hospitable and anxious to speak to “Americans”… The visit was a wonderful experience! We had many memorable meals and conversations with family and friends in that home. Incredibly he took us in his Lada car on a long personal tour of Bohemia, Moravia, and Slovakia (the three states of then Czechoslovakia) - mostly staying with friends and every day - every night having fine experiences ... everything from castles to garden parties with roast pork and slivovitz to seeing first hand a Soviet military base... Since then there have been other visits with Vladimir – once just before the Prague Spring, and the third time shortly after the Velvet Revolution. (He was slightly injured in a street demonstration). I was so proud of the Czech people for their peaceful revolution - for the change they brought about.

President Vaslav Havel - before his inauguration at Hradčany ... I passed him on the street!

When I walked into the plaza of Hradčany (the castle grounds of Czech government ) – there was a statue of T. G. Masaryk – I couldn’t stop tears from coming to my eyes – This was just after the repressive years of communist rule - and to see the founding father of the Czech nation (someone my father had greatly respected )- touched me deeply. The Czech people had been through such a time of trial - and now there was now hope and new life possible.

T.G. Masaryk Memorial - Grounds of Hradčanské Square, Hradčany

Over an amazingly short period of years we have seen the birth of the Czech Republic, the development of a capitalist economy, and the resultant change in life style of values of the Czech people. It has been a monumental time. Since our first contact with Vladimir, we have returned to visit his home again, he and several friends came to California and stayed with us, he is now Herr Docktor B. – a noted genetic researcher living in Heidelberg, and the head of a medical genetics laboratory. We have much to thank Vladimir, his wife, and family for - they have given to us generously over the years.

Visiting in the B. family home the first time

-----

When Andrew was in his last years of high school we talked about having an exchange student in our home – and we were able to have one of the very first Czech students to do an exchange, come into our home for a year – this was Michael G.

Michael is in center playing clarinet, Vojta playing saxaphone

It was a rare learning experience to be with Michael for the year – a positive time for us all. Because of that visit, Michael has been back, his parents have visited us, and we have been the guests of Michael’s parents, and in Michael own comfortable apartment.

Visiting in Vojta's home during our last visit

Michael's mother is a multi talented woman! She is a marvelous cook, and we have had many memorable meals and conversations at their family table. Michael's father has been the technical director of the two Prague Opera houses – and when we visit we have also seen marvelous productions. Michael is now married with a wonderful wife and two small children – he has established a graphic arts business that is doing well and they have recently purchased a small farm property to use as a second home.

Prague roof tops

In our most recent visit – we travelled to Michael's sisters farm outside of Prague. Martin and Marqueta are two bright professional people who have a large family and have chosen to raise their children out of the city on a small farm. Martin in a specialist physician and must travel daily into Prague, Marqueta is a teacher and "manager" of the family. During our visit we discussed the possibility of them sending their son Vojta to live with us for a year in California –and so we have reexperienced the joys and tribulations of having a 16 year old in our home once more. This was two years ago, but Vojta keeps in touch and it is a pleasure to watch him mature and grow. Just now he is back for a visit...reconnecting with friends at the time of their graduation.

The Zlatnik family in the train depot in Praha ( Prague )

I'm not sure I believe in the idea that you can characterise a whole "people" with common characteristics - But I have come to some conclusions about Czechs in general. It is a miracle that despite long occupation by other nations - the Czechs have survived with a unique culture and language, a propensity for humor (a little dark at times), a reputation for inventiveness and design innovations, a tendency toward cynical-realism, a love of music, and a stubborn endurance. Our son Andrew says that every language is really a different way of encountering the world. The Czech language is indeed a rich language.

The past three decades have seen such rapid cultural changes in the Czech people - It is fascinating, that in microcosm, the story of the emergence of the Czech nation can be seen and told in the values, similarities, and differences of the three young men - Vladimir, Michael, and Vojta - each of them representative of the cultures of their times.

Tyn Cathedral towers

So now in the year 2011 – we still have not found our missing family - I have recently taken an interest in genealogy - but only as a means of locating living connections. My research has led me to a woman in Prague that appears to have relatives in common with us – and we are now waiting for more information... Stay tuned...