Ostrog Monastery, Montenegro

People. There are only two seasons in Thailand. Winter and summer. Now is the summer, rainy season. Everything around is wet. Landing is difficult, there is rice and tea plantations in the water everywhere, and if there are no plantations, there is a city or canals. Therefore, the flying experience I have accumulated over the years is very useful, so far not a single landing field on which I have completed my flight has been more than 50x50 sq.m. Sometimes even less. There was a funny incident this morning. The private flight has been booked, which means- attention! It’s someone's birthday or some other important event. Before takeoff, they give me an elegant bouquet of roses to hide. A beautiful Thai lady with red-brown dyed hair, within my height or slightly shorter arrives to the take- off area, together with her lively and cheerful man. He had beautiful sunglasses and, of course, like the rest of the 99%, had never heard of the country where I come from. I'm already used to saying that I'm from Russia or Scandinavia. Usually I choose the second option, probably because I look pale to compare with locals. But now about my passengers. Judging by their behavior looks like there will be a marriage proposal. After taking off, they took pictures, filmed videos, changed their accessories, squatted down creating a picture as if one of them was flying, changed places. All that was done very actively and it was fun ... I have my fingers crossed that it doesn’t rain. Forecasts showed that rain clouds are getting closer and closer to the mountains. We have been in the air for 40 minutes, politely looking at the guy, I remind him about that. Both young people are happy with everything I am saying. He looks rather like he's not going to propose. Well… my the task is simple – I am looking for a place in the city where it would be safe to land the aircraft. This morning the currents has been ungrateful- they pulled me either to the direction of the mountains or turned to the city. Somewhere the site for landing looked too small, but somewhere there was a pasture with a lot of cattle. Smaller- bigger. Oh, I look on the ground where a man and a woman are beating the grass with sickles and there are no cattle there. At that moment we were already in the air for 57 minutes. But still ,there is no proposal. The bouquet of roses stays untouched. Okay, I have to bring both cuties to the ground. I also hear the raindrops that are starting to hit the balloon. Obviously I am not looking for adventures, and I am starting to land towards the senior couple who are beating the grass. From the emotions and body language of the woman, I can see that her bison is somewhere in the vicinity, she waves so that we fly further. An unwritten law of many years - "always choose the least of two troubles." I do not see her buffalo anywhere close, the area is dry and wide enough, there is no need to worry about the safety of the balloon and people, and the road is right beside. Smoothly, centimeter by centimeter I am approaching the ground. The lady continues to express her dissatisfaction, and my passengers, the couple from Bangkok, are translating what she is saying to me. The basket touches the ground, and I am starting a conversation with the help of translators. A little explanation of the specifics of balloons: it starts raining and that it's not safe to fly in the rain. That I have no steering wheel to turn for the better place, that I will immediately turn off the burner and the buffalo will not hear me at all, and that the team will fold everything up in three minutes, and that we really, really didn't want to bother her, but please let us stay and pack everything up. Well, the lady is already smiling and replies that the main thing in Thailand is kindness and a smile. She smiles with wide, white teeth and her lips are plump. Everybody has same smile here. I love their smiles, strong teeth and plump lips. I am smiling as well and asking the couple to translate to her that in my country we have buffalos too, and that they are afraid, but only at the beginning, later they come closer to be friends. But hey! What should I do with these roses? They have to be given to the beauty from Bangkok! But it's not up to me to do this, I have to give a sign to the guy with cool glasses and nickname Ed, so that he does something with a bouquet of flowers and I am giving bouquet to him. Now the funniest part of the flight began. He looks at me, then at the roses and asks if I want to give him flowers? I laugh out loud saying that maybe there is a place in the whole world, where the pilot gives a beautiful bouquet of roses after the flight to the guy instead of female- passenger, but certainly not here, and in my country, they don’t do that either. He laughed very loudly. Then he asks me, “What should I do with these flowers?” My answer is that he could give them to his beauty. Then he laughed even louder, very loud, but I couldn't understand why. Maybe because he was embarrassed, or because he himself did not buy these flowers, or didn’t order them, or because it was an ordinary flight, without much intention. It is unclear who putted these flowers in the basket. Then he takes the flowers with both hands and gives them to his beloved one, as in a fairy tale, and she bursts into laughter together with him. We all laugh at our funny misunderstanding about that he thought that I wanted to give him flowers. An incredibly cool and energetic couple. In general, the coolest people in the world fly balloons and nationality does not matter. The order here is that arriving at the start, I am going straight to the basket, I am flying, and after I am going to another vehicle that picks up passengers and the pilot and drives them from the field to the celebration place. Diploma of first flight and morning champagne. Apart from a good sparkling BRUT, I have not seen anything else here. Everything is the same every morning. From 08:00 to 08:30 you have to drink champagne :) After the ritual, we hug like old friends (not with all passengers, though), these guys had the vibrations that I am very familiar with - take life as a joy and crunchy pumpkin chips, crunch deliciously and sweetly! About Thai people. They are the same as all people, but there is a difference. They are active. Speaking of work, they don't put it off not even for a minute. They said and they did it right away. It is very hot and humid here, but people are surprisingly mobile and hardworking. They work like little ants. We fit together and I have a feeling that I belong here. They adore children. Teodore swims in love every day. When entering the store, you get something like a small gift just like that. Soda, water, fruit, cucumber or tomato, but they will give you at least something. They are not intrusive, rather very warm and sincere. It does not matter where we are from, the main thing is a child, he is a blessing, joy and love for them. I agree with them in this matter. What are their views on where is safer for the child? Of course, in the arms of the mother. Everywhere. In a car, on a scooter ... As locals say, maybe 10% are using a car seat because only rich people from Bangkok can afford it, but here the locals don't know what it is. Within a month I found only one place where I could buy a car seat. An example for comparison- a decent car can be bought for 60,000 baht (1,500 euros) here. A standard car seat costs 15,000 baht (400 euros). To the locals the price is completely incomprehensible, because a good scooter is even cheaper than a car seat. It was a legend of the first month being here, but through this situation I got to know better a part of their culture and perception. Since the country is full of warm-hearted people, the balance is maintained by dogs- they are shameless, they are impudent, they roam in packs, it seems to me that the kindness of these people is as big, that even a shameless dog will not be hit. These dogs are really annoying me. When I drive on the streets in our area, they already recognize my car and no longer lazily move their paws along the road, they must know who is the boss of the area. Local cars are driving even 5 km / h, if they see that there are dogs lying on the road. They have already realized that if my car is driving, there will be no Thai slowness and they are jumping off the road just in time. Their snouts and temperaments are such that they are considering people too weak, so they took over human authority. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe only in Chiang Mai and area of many kilometers around it is so, but it feels like that, and I really don’t like them. Street food allows you to live with 1-2 euros per day. In case you are on tight budget, or if you want to travel, instead of spending money on food for higher class, you can eat the food for lover class or ordinary people. I am eating everything here, and especially a lot of street food. Here, on the streets, there are a lot of spices, smells, aromas and different tastes, the head is dizzy from the variety of tastes and pungency. Sometimes I come across something so spicy that I start to feel like a local, because I am dealing with spicy food very well. Spicy but good. Today I feel as a "bourgeois" ... pizza (for the first time since we are here), ice cream and coffee from McDonald's. Coffee cup is 2 times larger; the culture of drinking coffee is different here. The most popular coffee is soluble instant coffee and in granules. However, the taste is different from what we are used to. A few granules are equal in strength to our 2-3 teaspoons. I really don't want to talk about food, but this is the first thing that comes to my mind. Yesterday on the street I bought something similar to a main course, of which 90% I did not recognise what it was at all. Distinct twigs, small berries and bushes, a bouquet of spices ... it was such a joy and a feeling - well, HOW can you come up with something like that? Sometimes it seems to me that they are putting everything, everything, everything that comes to mind in the food. Worms, cockroaches and giant flies are roasted like seeds. But I'm not that brave yet. I just watch them being fried, I smile, but for now I am just observing. What I like most here is their unobtrusiveness. No one calls you anywhere, no one tries to convince you to buy their goods. Of course, with my white fluffy head and pale skin, I am falling out of context here, but I don't feel like someone is staring at me. Pharmacy. You can weigh yourself for free. Which is what we did at the evening. So far so good :) Here you can get EVERY possible medication, there is no prescription system here. Teodore had a dry cough at night, and I am looking for a solution. I am not sure why I wrote about these three things today; I really don't know. P.S. In a month, there was only one brave man who tried flirting with me. I do not distinguish between the age of women and men here. I have two categories, the young seem to me being 25-28 y. o., even those who are 40 and 50 seem young to me. I can’t even distinguish between mother and daughter, for me they look the same. The second class, which is clearly after 60, but it may well be already 85. Of course, I don’t know how old that brave man was, but in my opinion, he was right into the first category. The guy was working in the balloon crew. Every morning I have 7-9 of them. My task is simple- to come, light the burner, climb into the basket, fly and land so that the crew can assemble the equipment. That morning I landed in the smallest square I have ever landed on. It was a road, a ditch, a wet rice plantation, and a ball of electrical wires that are tangled in such a way that I'm sure an electrician definitely has a Ph.D. This morning I wanted to stay a little longer with the balloon, so I sent the passengers to the bus and said that I will be joining in 5 minutes. While I was there, with a balloon, the bus left for the hotel with passengers. Then the brave guy said that I would have to go with him. What was the meaning behinds his words, I did not quite understand. I do everything that they tell me to do, and very rarely I am asking questions. Questioning I gave up while being here. They do not understand English, and my knowledge of English language is not at the level of Oxford. I am a self-taught person who is trying to learn more. Then the guy leaves and shows me with his hand to take my pilot's briefcase. Let's go! Oh, let's ride a scooter. I cannot describe the feeling. We wander 10-12 km through the winding suburban streets of Chiang Mai. His smells, aromas. Warm and cool air waves. Everything I see is so alive! Well, don't even ask if they have helmets here. :)) I saw someone wearing a helmet, but in general, just like with a car seat - no stress, these are small, unimportant things in life :) After a 4 km ride the guy asks me if I ride a motorcycle. I nod my head. He also nods and says that he feels it, and points his fist at his heart. There are not many questions and answers here, everything is better with feelings. This is it for today. Happiness doesn't come. Comes the ability to see it. / E. Safarli /

This name, or as we say - a nickname - will follow the person and be part of their personality for their whole life. Only a mother can feel the energy and the vibration with which a child is born. For the first two weeks, here in the office, I thought they were giving nicknames to each other, and they are so accurate! Someone is called “Square”, someone is called “Peach”, there is one called a “Slow one” ... I thought - Wow! The nickname matches so much with the person's personality that there is nothing to add or take away. So finally, this week, I asked the question- is it common in the offices across Thailand to give nicknames to everyone? They laughed heartily in response, amused by my assumption. Then they explained to me that the "nickname" is given at birth by their mother. The whole week, wherever I went, I carried this thought with me. I couldn’t contact my mom at this moment, but I really wanted to ask her which nickname she would have given at this first moment when I was in her arms - how she felt me? I look at my colleague, whom her mother gave her the nickname “O- Ae” which means - slow as a snail. Why is that? Why this nickname? And the explanation was simple- because the date of birth was expected at the end of November, and she was born only in mid-December. Therefore, the mother's feelings about the girl were like that. The other guy’s mother called him “Tao” - a square. I am looking at my other colleague, an adult man, and yes, his body seems to be formed as a square. I can continue to describe everyone, every person I am meeting. Now I am thinking about my children. What would I call them the first time holding them in my arms? Which fateful nickname would I give them? Picturing them in my mind, and immediately the nicknames come for both of them. They are so different… For the third week, every morning after the flight, I have breakfast with a respectable gentleman who came here to work for a month. The owner of the hotel invited him to observe the work of the hotel. He agreed to a month, and then he will rest for 10 months. I already know this gentleman more than some of my good friends. He showed me pictures of all children, children of children, videos of their performances, told me about each child, about husbands, wives, cars and a looot of their personal details. He also said that he spends 2 million a year on travel, since this is the period of his life when it is time to spend. This year he may even spend more, because he is going together with the lady, with whom he has been married for 49 years. They are going to Scandinavia- Norway and Finland and the trip is already planned. And since the lady never agrees to stay in hotels with fewer than 5 stars, the trip this time will cost more. We talked about the cars as well, since he owns 5. One of them is old “Jaguar”. By the way, “Jaguar” is my favorite car brand. Then we discussed the film “Gran Torino” and Clint Eastwood's acting in it, and many, many more conversations over breakfast. His mother gave him the short name “Su”, which means “Cool” in the Thai language. His long name is Surapol. The most popular way of communicating here is with LINE messenger, where all my colleagues are visible under their nicknames. And I want mine too. I'll call my mother to find out what name she would give me, and then I will have one as well, just like my colleagues. Have a good weekend! I’m still here- ULEin :)

Each of us has its own little "Comfort box" where we live and feel safe. At the level of the senses, we are looking for a similar energetic vibration. We are looking for our own. Like the pieces of a magnet, we pull closer to each other, tighten and form into one piece, larger or smaller. And it doesn't matter how big the pieces of magnets are in this formation. More important is the feeling that you have found your own, similar ones.

First emotionally and then physically. Dizziness, hot weather and she could not walk anymore. Like not at all. We went to the ZOO and it was there, where our nanny took a few steps and could not go further. I understood that in the tropical heat above + 30 C it would be impossible to carry both of them. Moreover, it was clear to me too, that the main reason and the primary one is mental state, but the physical condition follows behind. At this time of the day, instead of usual nutrients we are having, we got a sudden iron drop in the body, and it can really make you feel dizzy and sick. It is clear that Lena could not stay here. Obviously. But what should I do? I urgently needed to find a kindergarten. Together with my colleague, she took care of our visas and followed closely so that I wouldn’t run away together with the nanny. She is not only a colleague, but my boss as well. She keeps her finger on the pulse and is understands space in a flash. Additionally, she is in charge of controlling the entire movement of passengers. She needs me, and that's why she's doing everything so I don't have to think, like a babysitter. In our office the two main topics in these days were “nanny”, and “where to find a child car seat for a reasonable price”? At that time, I did not have spare 400 euros for the car seat to spend, so the whole office began the search and soon we went to see with our own eyes the local kindergartens. After having visited several, I was very pleasantly surprised by many things-children in the kindergarten have beautiful uniforms and matching backpacks. All of them had spacious playgrounds in the premises with a slide and games. Spacious, about 60 sq m. Separate rooms for study, for games, a dining room, and the sleeping space located further away. In fact, I was overwhelmed by the feeling that in Europe we are looking a little bit down on others, but it turns out that here, with all its simplicity, they are much more ahead of us. By the way, I've been dealing already with three kindergartens back home. We have 90% of kindergartens from Soviet times, where nothing has changed, not a lot of renovation in the premises, but in general everything feels as it was back in those times. Additionally, in new private kindergartens, which are built either in the middle of the field, or in a private house, the kids are brought to play in the yards of multi-storey buildings, because there is no playground. As it was when I lived in an apartment building on the first floor, where all the neighbours were growling and frowning that the kids were using their playground. Or even worse in Old Riga, where kindergarten is located on some narrow street, where there isn’t direct sunlight, no playground, just a pretentious name and high price. And it seems to be glorified and expensive, but the premises are narrow, and illogical in every possible way. When you enter the door, the cold air blows directly on the children, it feels like I'm leaving the child at the train station, but for some unknown reason the kindergarten is trendy. Also worth of special attention is the attitude towards children of our educators and nannies, which very often makes you wish for better. In comparison the kids are really taught here. This is really a school. Teachers fold their palms together teaching them to greet, and say goodbye to the educators and other children. They are teaching them to do various daily activities independently. The parents come with the child to the kindergarten gate, teachers take over from there and do everything themselves, which is correct, as it seems to me. This prevents the “circus”, that I went through with Erlend and Gabriel in their kindergarten periods, from happening. Every morning in the wardrobe near the lockers there is a screaming and crying, prolonged goodbyes of parents, tears, snot, whims. Mom doesn't know what to do, and the teachers or nannies, by and large, don't bother with what happens in the locker room. Deal with everything yourself! After the hysterics of the kid, who has been going crazy for God knows how much time already, because he understands that his mother is not experienced enough and is gaining the upper hand over his parents, they are now trying to send him to a group with all the children. In contrast here, in my opinion, everything is really simple, clear and logical. There is also free time for kids from 16:00 - 17:00, when the big TV screen at the playground turns on, which is also a rather funny moment - a cinema for such babies. Whoever wants to can watch and whoever doesn't acn playing. Officially it's their "free time". In Thailand, kindergartens, schools, and the education system in general is very expensive. Their idea is based on natural selection. If you have money, you will have education, if you don't, you stay at home and the probability of “getting into people” is reduced to zero. Starting from kindergarten, parents pay a significant amount of money. If we convert the amount to our money, it is 100 euros a month. For the locals here it is a lot of money. Then in primary school, starting from first grade, the amount of payment increases many times. Thailand dos not have the concept of free education as we do. Education here is something special, something very, very expensive. The university is already a level when the “intelligentsia” is sifted out from the “middle class”. Mass entrance examinations are held, and if a young person studies at a university, then his status rises above the masses. Parents strictly check the child's grades and achievements, at least those parents who are in my circle of friends. Money doesn't grow on trees here, only bananas. 😊 We found our kindergarten in the second half of September, but we had to wait until 2 October. Formalities. And it doesn't matter whether they spent one week at the kindergarten or the whole month, everyone is obliged to pay for the complete month, this is the order. Okay, so far so good. But I have to be at work at 05:20 AM, and Teodor is still asleep at that time, how to deal with this? I am offered different options: One of them is that I take Teodor with me and while I am flying, the team is taking care of him. This option was dropped immediately. This is nonsense! How am I going to carry my little boy with me every morning? We are looking for another solution. Suddenly, a team member introduces his daughter, who is currently on vacation from school until October 15th. She can come to the rescue. My colleague noted in advance that her daughter speaks just a little English. Our meeting with a new potential nanny is scheduled 2 weeks from now on October 2nd in the office. Before that there are no options. Only the night of October 3rd to October 4th when Lena flies away. From the day when decision was made to go home, Lena's health suddenly improved. A smile appeared on her face, and I saw that in her thoughts she is long gone, waiting to finally be in the plane. Then in another and another, which would fly her to the homeland. A girl who looks like the one from the cartoon Lilo & Stitch finally is coming. She is smiling, and smiling very sweet. As soon as she entered the room, it was already clear to me – HER! She will be the one. I asked her to write her “nick name” on a piece of paper. She wrote GIFT in block letters. I was stunned at that moment. When I thought about my children, about what nickname I would give them, then Teodors would have this one. The meaning of “Teodors” from the Greek language is God's Gift. From the moment of conception, I feel him as my great gift of life, which I received from the Universe. With his coming into my life, I became more beautiful in different ways. I changed my whole life upside down and every turn was difficult to do, but pleasant in the result. What? Now, from October the 2nd I have 2 gifts at once? 😊I smile and understand that she knows English at a level in which she is just aware that such a language exists. But we have a mediator, a translator, my boss’s “godmother”. She is useful and she needs me, because the way I do my job suits all parties involved. They don't want to let me go, so they do everything they can. Agreement on paper. Opening hours, number of days and payment. Everything is simple. On the evening of 3rd of October, dad and also the team's driver, (by the way his nickname is Pi-pi. I don’t know how parents could feel that a new-born baby will be dealing with cars in the future), brought his Gift to another Gift. 😊 The girl does not need to be taught or told anything. She has a brother of the same or similar age at home. Using my hands and google translate, I try to explain that Lena and I will go to the supermarket. With cosmic speed, like two Cinderellas, we are putting on our shoes. This is the first time within a month, when we break out somewhere without a child. We have been taking care of the baby the whole month, and both of us were tied. Where can you run with a small baby at home? We jump into the car with the feeling of adolescence. Now what? Freedom? YEEE! My head is spinning! But we understand that we have only a couple of hours available. It is already an evening and soon we should be back, because our two “gifts” are still strangers to each other. So ... Both of us have a shopping list to buy some little Thai souvenirs. We agreed that in Lena's suitcase would be room for several of my envelopes. As a writer, I love paper. For as long as I can remember, postcards are my weakness. I probably over did it, by sending my mom about 12 different postcards, thus wishing to show my mother everything that I have here. 😊 Thanks to Lena's departure, I did the job that I had thought to do in Latvia for past 3-4 years. Dividing people into groups. It was work for many hours. I wrote starting with the most significant ones, which, of course, is my family. Strange, but I also included people who are not physically a family, but I feel them as such. I wrote down dates of birth and name days of everyone. Now I also want to order a calendar with each birthday with a photo, so that I know who has a celebration. So, after finishing the list, I realized that Lena’s departure is a great opportunity to send some cute little things that will remind about me and Thailand to my friends, and to please them. Souvenirs, coffee from Starbucks. What is so special about it? It’s the feeling that you can buy some kind of trinket, a cup of coffee and enjoy, like a delicious delicacy. For Lena and me this is our last evening. We ourselves know how those who stay and those who are already on the platform feel ... At night, until the last moment before taking Lena to the airport, I am still in a hurry to sort my envelopes, little souvenirs and things, in which I put the true feeling that I feel here towards each of them. The list was made not by the mind, but by the heart, where, of course first of all, is my family and not only on the physiological, but on the level of feelings. It is still night- time, when we drive to the airport. We are talking a little. We had no sleep, and didn’t have time for talking last evening. I drove as if I had lived in Chiang Mai for whole life. Everything is going like clockwork, despite the fact that the first and only time I was at the airport, was when we arrived. But I find the way without a hitch. Lena is no longer here, only the body is present. And only an agitated mind, like a monkey in a glass cage, lark around and asks what will happen if something happens in Bangkok? What if ... if ... if ...? I am looking at her and thinking, Dear Little Fool! Very soon, and without a sarcophagus you will be at the gate in the airport of Riga. We ourselves know how long the road THERE takes, and how quickly the road goes HOME when we return. At the airport entrance, Lena lifts the suitcase with great force and is ready to take off immediately. I hugged her and tears rolled down to my cheeks. I am the only one who is crying. Staying behind on the platform is always more painful ... After the airport I am going directly for a morning balloon flight. I can’t stop the tears. Everyone knows that I just said goodbye to the nanny. Here we have our own relationship, like in a family. For each next question – “how are you feeling”? I'm bursting in tears. Oh Lord, I'm not in shape to fly today. I didn’t sleep, I’m upset, I can’t hold the tears. A bright sun-drenched morning. Sunglasses are saving me again. My “godmother and boss” pats my elbow, and asks if the team can start turning on the fans? I swallow tears that are rolling down my cheeks. Big, big tears on my cheeks. I can't say anything. I nod my head. It really hurts this morning. Because sometimes you don't need anything else, just a person besides. And Lena, from the moment I saw her, felt as an equal partner in the situation. My student girl comes. She is not saying anything. She is looking at me and is standing nearby. Humanly and reliably. I cannot stop crying. The tears are falling like rain here in Thailand. Huge, giant drops. When I lift the balloon, I must see the opening into which to direct the fire. This was the first time in my life when raising the balloon, both hands was busy, and tears were falling down. It felt like five elements collided at the same time. Water flows down my cheeks and I don't see anything through my glasses. In front of me- the fire, which will lift us into the air. There is earth and metal as well. Once, in some ancient book of Indian wisdom, I read about five elements that are present in every person, whether in one proportion or another. At that time, I felt myself as a metal mixed with water. And here I am. I am holding the metal handles and I am getting wet in the water... The flight is wonderful! A group of smart, versatile people from Australia and Singapore are sharing their adventures in other parts of the world, and, as if knowing that the eyes under the glasses are swollen and my heart is bleeding, are telling me that there are still a lot of things ahead in my life. It sounded so embarrassing, I even asked - I am sorry? The answer was that I look like a person who has great events ahead. They definitely will be waiting for me in Singapore! After the flight, they are writing their home addresses, phone numbers and places I must visit in Singapore in my notebook. A girl from Australia wrote in capital letters- FIJI ISLANDS...