To Charleston from Banska Bystrica – Today is the second to last day of our exchange trip and we have accomplished quite a bit. We signed agreements with the City government, agreements with the Universities, and agreements with the Theodor Roosevelt Hospital. It is named that because Eleanor Roosevelt gave the money to build it at the end of the Second World War.
I am here as a member of the Charleston WV delegation, but also because I worked here from 1996 to 1999 with US AID funds to help rural villages make the change from a planned economy to a entrepreneurial one. As a result of my previous experience, I am often asked by Slovaks if I see any changes and if I do, what they are.
Many things remain the same. Slovaks are a very hospitable people. We are wined and dined, showered with presents, and asked to share in their festivities, from art performances to church services, and speeches at the drop of a hat. We have visited castles, were invited guests at private homes, watched sports and had a great time.
Some things have changed. The air quality improved. Pollution by some of the big factories has decreased as these inefficient giants closed after the Velvet Revolution. But the biggest change is one that some might not understand or notice. Now - not all the houses are the same color. Under communism, most houses were built out of blocks of concrete, making all the houses the same brown color. There were no flower boxes. The only way to differentiate between them was a number. I once asked a woman why she didn’t want to put flowers outside her windows and she replied that it was dangerous to be different, to stand out.
Now – we drive through the neighborhoods and I see houses that are orange, yellow, blue and white. Lots of them are still brown but there are flower boxes etc. that indicate that their owners are no longer afraid to stand out and be individuals.
There are some other changes. A few more people speak English, there are lots of stores selling every kind of item – all to be paid for in Euros. Some small manufacturers ring the city and a shopping mall – Europa – stands at the end of the old town square where all the other buildings are 400 years old.
There are still lots of challenges for our friends, the Slovaks. Gypsies are much discriminated against made second class citizens. Their children are made to attend schools for the mentally-handicapped, they live in ghettos untouched by city services, and if they have jobs, they are menial. They often survive by begging and stealing.
Another challenge for the Slovaks is both an opportunity and challenge. The scenery is beautiful and offers many opportunities for tourism development. The High Tatras have always had ski resorts, but now big developments are planned by wealthy investors and the government is torn between the environmentalists and the investors. Does this sound familiar to those of us from West Virginia? Maybe as the Sister City relationship develops, we can work together on these challenges and as creative people, help solve these problems for everyone.
Christine Weiss Daugherty
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