Logicless Logic

we are not in the right east.

South East Asia is not the right place to be. I'm really glad I cut class to head to Eastern Europe with the guys. Here, the learning experience is in real life. And there are hot girls. In Vienna, I learnt much of it's history from the city tour. Walking around in the city, while looking at the monuments and listening to the explanations is really much better than sitting in a classroom, with no disrespect to the teachers.

Bratislava was a hotbed of pretty ladies and awesome architecture, as is Vienna. At night, the city seems to have a totally different face. The aesthetics of the buildings are played up with lights, making the scene even more surreal. It was a shame we were only there for 3 short days, one of which was spent in Bratislava. The only regret was perhaps the fact that I have school now. And I am not attending it, hence I have to do a make-up essay, which after learning so much about the histories and politics of the 3 countries (I am currently in Budapest), is only half complete, with 1800+ words.

Budapest is also filled with lots of lovely sceneries, of different varieties. If you know what I mean. Of course you do. Buildings, and CAVES! Caving was an epic experience, where we had to go on our hand, knees, chest, butt and every part of our bodies, squeezing through holes I never knew I could fit through. Our guide, Silar has had 12 years of caving experience, and works through the year. I swear he can fly in a cave. And his holiday (which he will be taking in December for 2 days) consists of going to Vienna to EXPLORE MORE CAVES! Talk about loving your job.

Went for a communist tour in the afternoon, and learnt a boatload on the Communist past and young democracy of Hungary. Our guide had lived in the transition period, and in fact is still living in the transition period, where Communism was suddenly replaced by Capitalism. This quick change meant that the older generation could not keep up, and it would take another few generations for Hungary to be a fully democratic country. Yet democracy, as illustrated, has its own problems, and in my opinion, there is no better system. Democracy is just the system the world has chosen, and hence, the system one has to adopt if they still want to stay connected with the world.

Many parallels can be drawn between the history, culture and political systems of Singapore. Maybe not culture. But city states, filled with immigrants, aiming to be the hub (in the case of Vienna, cultural, and in Singapore, whatever the hub it is they are aiming for next) of the region. In the case of Hungary, the past political system of communism resulted in several similar features to Singapore, for example the housing, where the guide talked about her small kitchen and house, which looks just like one another. Which is the HDB isn't it? Perhaps I am looking at this through my own eyes, and not so much an open mind, but from the exterior, I think the buildings are aesthetically more pleasing that the HDB flats in Singapore. Nevertheless, I hope for the happiness of the Hungarian people, that things like corruption can be weeded out of their government, and they can find the most suitable people to represent their voices. (Which brings about another set of problems I am too tired to talk about now.) (Note to self: Wiki Nagy, Hungarian hero of the people. And they respect George Bush as well.)

Heading to a city tour tomorrow, and then heading off to Krakow at night. I hope this will become a meaningful and fun learning experience. That's what exchange is all about isn't it?

Eastern Europe, as of now, presents a face of Europe that is not all the glitz and glamour that people might assume it to be. Though, the women, surely, makes up for everything. The number of beautiful women I have seen in these past 6 days is just astonishing. I hope this continues for the rest of my life.

justin.

posted by justin @ 4:38 AM