LanguagesPosted by Gyte Mon, December 15, 2008 22:48Browsing wonderfulness of Google I found the best site to learn languages. It has most commonly used phrases in Russian, Italian, Danish and Dutch. The most wonderful thing is small spice of culture (therefore, it is not just Google translator working, but real specialists of local culture).
I am announcing the best Phrasebook of the Year:
The Zompist PhrasebookSome excerptions of it:
Just a small glass, please
Tol'ko ryumochku, pojaluysta.
Solo un bicchierino, per favore.
Bare et halvt glas, tak.
Slechts een klein glas, alstublieft.
My God, I didn't mean microscopic.
(Never a problem in Russia. Therefore there is no phrase.)
Per l'amor di Dio, non intendevo microscopico!
Hallo mand, der skal der være mindst en tår deri!
Mijn God, ik bedoelde niet microscopisch.
I understand your language perfectly.
Ya govoryu po-russki kak gruzinskiy pederast.
Parlo italiano come un cameriere di un ristorante cinese.
Jeg forstår dig fuldstændigt.
Ik spreek Nederlands zoals een Fransman Engels.
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I admire you above all for your purity of spirit and your appreciation of the arts.
V rot, kiska.
Sarebbe proprio il momento di un bel pompino, carina.
Vil du med i seng?
Wil je mij pijpen, schattebout?
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Where is the Cathedral?
Gde banya?
Mi scusi, la cellula del partito?
Hvor er den lokale bodega?
Hoe kom ik bij de hoeren?
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Impressed as I am with the New Wave in cinematography, I must say that this particular film seemed both pretentious and unsatisfying, and that the director's imagery, though compelling, is no substitute for a true cinematic message.
Kino -- dyer'mo.
Un vero film di merda.
Møgfilm.
Ik moet kotsen van die film.
DenmarkPosted by Gyte Sat, December 13, 2008 17:04Crisis seems to be left the only topic in the business
world. Saving expansion to the better times, laying of employees and sending
“We do not look for an employee anymore” note to all applicants to the job
opening become new trends. How to save costs while keeping sales up – that is
the question.
Outsourcing is, of course, simple and well known solution to
it and many Danish companies (according to Eurostat, highest percentage in
whole EU) use it. Yet there is also a downside for it. Recent survey by Deloitte
called “Why settle for less” shows that 39 per cent have terminated the
outsourcing contract and came back to in-house operations. Extremely high
number that seems to be caused simply by mismatched expectations.
In many cases a company, that decides to outsource any
activity, chooses among usual outsourcing countries (mostly in Asia) and the
only interest they have is price per hour. Unfortunately, overlooking such
factors as quality understanding, efficiency, ability to work without control,
meeting deadlines and amount of communication needed in order to finish the
project often ends in costing more than expected. Sometimes so much more, that
coming home and paying twenty times higher salary is cheaper.
That does not mean outsourcing is a no-go. Settling for less
is. There are few more things to be noted:
- Do not go for usual
“outsourcing countries”. They may be the cheapest, but they also know it.
When price per hour is low, there is always a way to put on some extra
hours. Try to negotiated price per whole project or get estimates of hours
that will be used.
- It is not necessary just
IT and manufacturing. Even though these two areas are among most popular
ones in Denmark, it does not mean other activities have to be done at
home. Many services are easy to outsource, for example creation and
printing of marketing material, translations or data analysis. Our
customers are always surprised, when we tell that it is cheaper to not
only design and print, but also ship catalogues from Lithuania to Denmark
( as opposed to ship them from somewhere in Denmark to other part of it).
Shipping is usually big additional costs when outsourcing to a country far
away, but not in this case.
- Culture is important. From
our customers and partners we have heard many stories about “different
understanding”. Quality means one thing in Denmark, but not the same in
Turkey, India or China. Generally, there are some studies that group
countries in some clusters, where things are understood similarly. For
example, Baltic region in Europe is considered one big cluster and we
always advice our customers from Denmark to choose another country from
this region. Salary can be 6-8 times lower, but efficiency, understanding
of quality and need for specifications will be the same as at home.
- Language seems to be one
of the key problems. Most of Danes speak English very well, but not being
able to speak danish and having to
translate specifications or tasks descriptions was named as number one
difficulty by our customers. Search for a partner in similar culture and
who can speak your language and outsourcing will be piece of cake.
- Start outsourcing smaller,
routine tasks that are relatively not risky. Once the relationship is
build and partner seems trustworthy, you can gradually go to more difficult
jobs. Best out of this strategy is that it is totally a win-win situation:
you minimize your risk and the company you outsource to has time to learn and
adapt to you. Our most satisfied customers started exactly the same way:
first outsourcing the simpliest tasks, then giving more difficult ones and
finally using consultancy and advice.
- Pay attention to
flexibility. It may give you way more value if the company you will
outsource to can offer something else, not just low cost. Maybe they
deliver so fast, that it is worth paying extra. Maybe they can be the ones
that check let’s say spelling mistakes
or quality of material. It
surely requires trust, but can also take of lots of weight off your
shoulders.
Finally, remember that
outsourcing is not always an answer. Consider “what” and “how” before seriously
making the decision. But if you do your homework and plan actions carefully,
very high chance that the day you decided outsourcing will always be marked by
a happy face on your calender.
DenmarkPosted by Gyte Wed, November 19, 2008 09:56Everyone talks about it. Nearly everyone feels it around. Quite a few face it. Finding jobs is getting harder and harder, losing jobs - every day thing. Even Christmas with its shopping craze will probably be "lean Christmas".
However, statistics say (and they are not always right) that Denmark, together with Indonesia, India, Norway and some other are the most positive countries, with customer trust index (even after falling a bit) exceeding 100 (neutral number).
At the same time, Lithuanians fall into depression from 94 points before to 76 points now. Funny thing, Lithuanians are going to save in all areas (clothing, leisure, books, food, transport), but smoking and alcohol levels will stay as it is now.
(Source: http://desertyote.deviantart.com/)Not so good thing about crisis (or maybe good... depends a bit) is that it basically depends on trust and expectations. If people become positive, invest, spend money as opposed to sell their house, stocks, keep money in a sock under bed and search for another job, because they are about to lose current one. This, of course, creates huge price falling storm in real estate, stock market and higher competition for jobs. Which, in longer run, creates even more depression and even worse expectations.
The problem here is that people need to be more optimistic than pessimistic, to live through such scenario and not kill themselves. And Baltic countries have history in being depressed and cry about anything that is not dead easy. At the same time Denmark, with its constant cheery happiness (probably cause by lower expectations, some say) and India, with its "that's my karma" have enough optimism to think "oh, not so good today, but will be sunny tomorrow".
So my proposal is, to start optimism classes in Lithuanian schools and university, have "sunny room" in each working place (as opposed to smoking room) and force people to smile into mirror each morning and train their smiley muscles a bit. That will drag them out of crisis automatically. Should I have gone to politics? What do you think?
DenmarkPosted by Gyte Sun, November 16, 2008 14:59I remember quite some time ago I wrote about running in Lithuania and how terribly it failed. Not only I got hundreds of comments, but people were making fun of me, imitating me and laughing out loud... Later, however, I found a park were running was acceptable, but still rarely met fellow runners (and usually they were foreigners).
I have to say, I moved to Denmark having big expectations in this area. Yet still, they were exceeded.
Running, stretching, biking or similar activities in public areas are not only acceptable, there are TRAFFIC jams in the most popular running places. People who run slower need to move to the side in order to let the huge amount of faster runners etc. Same with bikes on biking lanes. Don't mind cars, they probably never drive faster than 40km/h and stop from far away if they see any pedestrian. But bikes - or runners - can be serious danger sometimes.
(Source: http://jchanders.deviantart.com/)Similar thing could be said about gyms. Should be kinda same thing? No way. Here people don't come to gyms to talk to each other, demonstrate newest fashion or pretend they work out, because it is cool. They actually exercise, sweat, look red and don't mind that at all. Because they come to exercise, not to look like role models and get laid.
I even joined a running club - even though I said I'd never do that. Because seriously, exercising in Denmark is so much fun.
DenmarkPosted by Gyte Mon, October 13, 2008 20:40It is not an easy job to plan wedding. It is even more difficult job to plan international wedding.
The problem so far is not just to get ton of guests from Denmark to Lithuania, to organize evens and representation of the country for them, to get them to see the best of the country they visit and not to get lost. This is easy in comparison to clash of traditions.
The image I got of traditional danish wedding: after the official ceremony (which is more or less same), everyone gets to reception, which is boring as hell standing for few hours in the same place in ugly tent with all the people you didn't even want to invite to your wedding, but they came anyway. And finally the whole reception moves to some place where you sit around 12 hours moving about one time (to dance the wedding waltz).
You also eat same foods, no matter who organizes wedding and where and what personal taste they have. It is a must to have one snack, meat with potatoes and brown sauce and wedding cake made of marzipan and with many flags.
It really scares me how Danes always have something "that just have to be like this". Why do you put mayo on mackerel in tomato sauce? Why do you put curry sauce on herring? Why do these go on dark bread, not white? Why do you have only two options for Sunday: stay at home or go for a walk? Why late nights snack must be kebab or pizza slice (pay attention to strange grammar)? Why weekend party must end up with someone puking? Why party once you grow up is only sitting around the table?
I understand when tradition is funny and amusing: like jumping from a chair on New Year, looking for almond in rice porridge on Christmas Eve or kissing bride or groom on wedding while the one of newlyweds is gone. But "just because it has to" is something that is probably the last thing to choose in international wedding.
So, we are just back to where we started - what TO choose?
DenmarkPosted by Gyte Sat, October 11, 2008 14:21As my "fights" against Sprogskole continue (and are going better, I have to say), I decided to start looking for a job.
I have to say, I kind of have a job right now, which makes me not so pressured and not so desperate. I am working for a company I partly own. But working from home and not meeting my employees for months (because they sit in another country) is making me feel like isolated lonely wolf, looking so nostalgically into forest.
So, all in all, I am looking for a job.
And I learned few things that are different here in Denmark.
1. In Lithuania, sometimes I got a job just because I was the only candidate who wrote letter of motivation. To any position. Here in Denmark, nobody even looks at your application if you don't write the letter and just send your CV. Yet again, this small difference always made me feel like a freak in my own country, because nobody else saw any reason to bother and write anything, because "
any boss would choose the one with most experience and who asks for lowest salary".
I suppose, today, when situation is getting worse, people may change their mind and learn writing the damn letters.
2. When you graduate (in most countries in this world) you get this teeeeny paper called Diploma. In Lithuania it is something you just have. You get it, hide it deep, write down the fact that you actually have this paper among your possessions on your CV and that's it.
Here, obviously you drag out your grades (the appendix of diploma, which is use instead of toilet paper in Lithuania) and show it to all your potential employers, count averages and so on.
It is funny I complain, one might say, since I have pretty good grades. But thing is, it is just so foreign for me I have strange inner feeling to fight it. Maybe small cultural shock? But that is a topic for a new post...
LanguagesPosted by Gyte Sun, October 05, 2008 22:16There is a whole long story, how "poor Gyte" tried to get into Danish language school and how it didn't succeed so well. It didn't succeed because of the well know and hated danish habit to be slooooooooooooow.
To make the long story short, I registered as extremely willing to study danish languages in the middle of August. I got a date for interview at the beginning of September. Interview, which was one big nonsense, since I just could have filled their form and pay money on the very first day, without wasting my own and their time. However, after interview I was promised to start lessons within one week. Which extended to one month.
But now I am finally a student and finally started the (probably) long way towards language perfection.
First lesson was extremely entertaining. It is as much school entertainment as you can get as an adult. Universities are different - there you need to have basic knowledge about everything, understand things, use academic language, ask smart questions, give even smarter answer and show your smart ass everywhere where it is possible.
See, language school (known as Sprogskole over this part of the world) is totally different. You come to the class and try to say your name. Fail terribly in that, because the very first sentence you try to say contains sounds only Danes can pronounce. At least it is ONLY danes, so all the hungarians, chinese and americans also say something that sounds any other language but danish.
Then second sentence is where you come from, which is easier. I am pretty sure it is there only to give poor beginners the light at the end of the tunnel and not make them consider to go to e.g. Sweden which has BOTH cheap cars AND easily pronouncable works.
All in all, it is highly recommendable and cheaper enterntaiment than Tivoli. Also, doesn't close for winter and - hopefully - give some very sweet juicy fruits at the end of studies.
DenmarkPosted by Gyte Sun, October 05, 2008 21:46July 14th.
We woke up 10 to 5 (in the morning, people!). Half past we already running around with huge suitcases and pockets full of melting cheese desserts. We are leaving Lithuania, country of wonderful traffic jams, diary products from heaven and hell and politics that is, basically, one big joke. Yes, I am local.
We didn't get late (thanks to my feelings of responsibility), but it appeared, the tickets we bought from wonderful Airbaltic were not exactly what we wanted to buy. All in all, not paying too much attention to details, we had to pay 200 euro fine for overweight.
The flight went fine, we even got drinks for free, which was nice small present from no-frills airlines and very small - but still compensation for tricky ticket system.
So we landed, got out of the airplane and went to fish for the suitcases, our pricy pricy luggage. One comes, another. But not third. We wait and wait. And a bit more. Then patience dissapears and we go to customer service desk. There is a line already, which doesn't move so fast. patience patience. Which we don't have already. I go back to check - MAYBE - our suitcase actually came. No.
So we register lost suitcase andare told, that it should come soon.
Then we leave the airport we realize - it was a good thing. The suitcases, 60 kg we already have, are more than enough to make as sweat and our fingers red as danish flags. We travel Istedgade - street famous of prostitutes and drug dealers and it seems like the longest street in the world.
Half a kilometer and our clothes are soaked in sweat, backs in pain and even my hair becomes curly from all the hard work. Literally.
It's monday morning, people go to work, to business meetings, busy days like any other. Yet we, two strangers for this city, drag our heavy suitcases, count kebab stores (and there are many) and cannot wait to finally come to our destination.
Our destination is small sidestreet to famous Istedgade. The house is painted in funny colours, with small horses and similar ornaments and big open windows - through them you can see actual apartments and take a look in people's lives. Our apartment is one of those you can easily peek in. We come with noise (BANG! our suitcases on the floor) and sit down on the floor. here we will spend next half of the year. So the travel begins.
