Brno – Dva diametrálně odlišné příběhy dvou mladých mužů z rozdílných stran světa, kteří přišli z různých důvodů a věnují se rozdílným profesím. Jejich pohled na Brno a život v něm se však v mnoha bodech podobá, a zároveň ukazuje, co musí cizinci žijící v Brně překonat a o co je jejich život bohatší.
Nela Studýnková
neluska@mail.muni.cz
Milen Simeonov, 34, arrived in Brno 10 years ago because he was disillusioned by the political and economic situation in his native Bulgaria and he felt hopeless about his future. Today, he earns a living here as a nail designer and part-time striptease dancer.
Austrian Andreas Machold, 30, arrived in the Czech Republic six years ago, saying it was his mission from God to help educate a new generation of Czechs through an activity center that he’s now run in Brno over the past year.
These are two of the Czech-speaking foreigners, of general number almost 14 thousands, who today live in the city today. Their focus of life in Brno is diverse and maybe it could by hard to imagine, for people born Brno , how much. “I simply made a resolution, took a friend, car, some stuffs and went to the Czech Republic to find a better place for my life,” says Simeonov, who wanted originally go to Karlovy Vary in West Bohemia, “but I liked Brno, I told myself, I would like to stay in Brno .” On the beginning he was not too selective and he tried to do many different jobs like for example moving dirt “I didn’t choose, I made anything to earn some money and stay alive. I worked also like a gigolo, I didn’t have problem with such work,” says young man, who has never learned Czech in a school, “I had no options to study Czech language, because I had noc contacts, I didn’t know where should I learn, so I learned from people, who I worked with, in the pubs or from my Czech friends.” Still after 10 years he fells the languages is the biggest problem, what he has to battle with in Brno : “If I knew better Czech I could find better job. The language is very important because of work.”
Milen says he feels happy, despite he works all the time: “I am not opposed to spending time with friends, but I am still very busy. I know it is good for me and it took long time untill I became successful, but I still only work,” says Milen, who design nails during the day and dances at the night. He says striptease dancing is a very interesting and enjoyable job, but just a job: “It takes me about 20 hours a week. I dance three – four times a week, show takes almost two hours, but I need to be prepared and look attractive, so much time I spend in fitness centre, solarium, on cosmetics.” He earns enough to venture on buy an own flat. Habitation is also very complicated, “people simply don’t trust us” says Simeonov, he think the Czech people don’t want to rent a flat because they are afraid of them. Situation for him got much better, Simeonov says, after Bulgaria became a member of European Union: “Now is execution of working license much easier then before” says Simeonov, however doesn’t plan to stay in Brno . He is thinking about Canada , because his friend lives there: “He is still very happy and successful. I saw the political situation in Czech Republic is still worse and I don’t believe it will change in future. I want to become a famous nail designer” says Milen Simeonov. Young man from Bulgaria likes to meet new people independent on nationality or color of skin.
Andreas Machold lives in Czech Republic more then six years and has no problem with the situation there. He still sees the marks of communism: “We can’t be wonderstruck, so long time influence every people and I think the time brings positive changes.” Machold sees the biggest different between Czechs and Austrians in basic things: “Czechs so often complain of everything, it seems it is impossible to do, what they should do, but finally they overrule it. Oh yes, and Czechs are reckless drivers,” says young man, who came to Czech Republic and never has a problem with working license:” The first year, I was in Czech Republic, I studied, so I didn’t need a working license and then I started to work for a company, what ensured all form and licenses.” What he misses most from home are the mountains: “In the countryside of my home town in Steinmark are big mountain, which I like so much. But Brno evokes me the place, where I was born because of the church on the hill and the castle. It looks very similar.” Roman Catholic believer isn’t interesting as much in the differences between the two cultures, he like to know new culture and people: “I visited many countries and I am always trying to be integrated.” Adreas Machold speaks German, English, French, Spanish and very well Czech: “To learn Czech was the most difficult for me. I was just studying Czech language for first year in Czech Republic . I always want to do well, what I do. I think I can speak well and I don’t have problem to make myself understood.” Andreas spend his free time in an activity centre, which he helped to establish: “I see my work is purposeful. Our centre is growing; more people are interested in our activities. Nobody, who come, have to believe, but most really are.” Machold says he likes to live in Brno , he is happy here: “I don’t know about anything, what would I miss, when I leave. For me are most important people, my family, my friends.” He looks on his life here like on mission and when he get a new one, he is ready to go to another place: “I like to be here, but I will go when the Lord tells me to go,” he says. When he could wish, what country should by his next stop, he dreams about Guadalupe in Mexico : “I knew a friend who told me about this amazing place and I still think of this town, but I don’t grasp to go. When it comes, it comes.”
To meet and talk to foreigners, who live in Brno , is very interesting. It bring a new view on the city and it helps to understand how do live foreigners there. One place could be perceived with many different ways. No better no worst, just different. And the differentness makes our world so amazing and interesting.
1 comment:
wow nice blog
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