[venusss]

Okay, reading on Greece AND Italy AND Spain AND Portugal... it seems collapsing. Everything. It is over.

And yet, I am trying to convince myself to work on my school stuff (yeah, reading on economy is fun in the hysterical kind of way. History works in funny ways...). Trying to write thesis... but my mind is in doom and gloom mode.... "who knows what will be in May?".

I just don't know. It hits me hard today. I am myself pretty emotionally vulnerable and not sure I can deal with this uncertain, very uncertain times. I worked so hard on my education, but what if it will be useless and I better learn how throw a molotov?

How can one keeps themselves going when times get - objectivelly - tough?

(and not watching news will not solve it. It would only make me flunk school, I have to be with it. And the EU-pean dream would be still collapsing....).

[Ygrec23]

Originally Posted by VenusHalley

Okay, reading on Greece AND Italy AND Spain AND Portugal... it seems collapsing. Everything. It is over. And yet, I am trying to convince myself to work on my school stuff (yeah, reading on economy is fun in the hysterical kind of way. History works in funny ways...). Trying to write thesis... but my mind is in doom and gloom mode.... "who knows what will be in May?". I just don't know. It hits me hard today. I am myself pretty emotionally vulnerable and not sure I can deal with this uncertain, very uncertain times. I worked so hard on my education, but what if it will be useless and I better learn how throw a molotov? How can one keeps themselves going when times get - objectivelly - tough? (and not watching news will not solve it. It would only make me flunk school, I have to be with it. And the EU-pean dream would be still collapsing....).

Oh, Venus, Venus,

You're not exactly in the eye of the financial vortex, Venus, but you're so close you get the willies too. Completely understandable. I'm sure it IS hard to pull your eyes away from the international Dance of Death that seems to be going on in slow motion in Europe. Something, maybe a little, like 1938 and 1939.

But you know you'll get through this. Deep inside, you know it. There may be big changes, but there won't be war. And that's big in itself. For you personally, the issues that would come to my mind are employment, income, and work satisfaction. The social issues (and I'm sure you're hot on those) are tougher: equity, suffering, conflict, severe political change (look at Orban over there in Hungary), and disorganization.

You know you're not a bad candidate for immigration to the States if you want. And despite everything, at least to date, we're still not doing too badly compared with the EU. I'm sure many other international possibilities are open to you as well. I don't know what your preferences may be, staying in your own country or wandering the world as a cosmopolitain.

Yes, it's true, the number of your choices may diminish because of this ongoing crisis. But they'll still be substantial. Someone with your power of mind, linguistic capabilities, education and energy will ultimately make their way in this world if you put your mind to it. No, I'm not snowing you. My words are not, as we used to say here, "bushwa." I'm giving you what I honestly believe is a measured, serious view of your possibilities. I could well be wrong, but I really don't think so.

Take care!

[venusss]

But you know you'll get through this. Deep inside, you know it. There may be big changes, but there won't be war. And that's big in itself. For you personally, the issues that would come to my mind are employment, income, and work satisfaction. The social issues (and I'm sure you're hot on those) are tougher: equity, suffering, conflict, severe political change (look at Orban over there in Hungary), and disorganization.


Oh, I have this "would rebuild world with my bare hands if it was to crumble" thing about me... but it is still scary. Grew up during democratic transition. In schools teachers never really knew what lies to feed us... is the EU a great thing or not? Should we stand with the USA when it came to Iraq... so the social side of this is confusing.

And yes, I worry about employement. I will do in the end... but I sorta pictured it differently when I entered Uni. I would work in some institution and it would be well paid and meaningful and would work on this end-of-the-history-peace-without-end-sustainable-development-world project (yes, I am exaggerating a bit, but back in 2005 we were still quite optimistic here). SO I feel I am working on a useless degree...

And as for war... I hope we can make it without breaking into war. Democratic peace theories say so.... but what if one of the problem states turns not-quite-democratic? What if people just go retarded? I shall hope we know better.

You know you're not a bad candidate for immigration to the States if you want. And despite everything, at least to date, we're still not doing too badly compared with the EU. I'm sure many other international possibilities are open to you as well. I don't know what your preferences may be, staying in your own country or wandering the world as a cosmopolitain.

I am the cosmopolitan... although I prefer to have anchor in here Central Europe....



thanks... you have good points and I will try to be more rational, or at least not as doom and gloom. Because if us most knowledgeable start running in circles in panic... what are the others to do? I am not saying future of EU is in my hands... but well... us students of international relations have more chances to influence the world than other people. So I guess we all should try to keep calm (because I am not the only one who is losing it on my faculty. Doom and gloom is the new realism).

thanks again. Thanks a lot.