The first world news I can remember is the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. I had lived in Europe (and travelled through Germany) a couple of years before that, and I knew something was about to change: though I didn't exactly know what (and, for that matter, why it was changing). All I know is that the geography of Europe, which I had so eagerly learnt about, was now becoming something completely different. The two Germanies suddenly became one; Czechoslovakia, on the other hand, was now two different countries with very suggestive names. A bunch of countries popped up: Some rather peacefully, such as the Baltic States; and others amidst war and genocide, as witnessed in the Yugoslav wars.
I'd like to hear the stories of the TA's from Eastern Europe (and East Germany). What were the 80's and the 90's like? What was the transition like in your country? What are we, outsider, often mistaken about? What do we get wrong, and what do we get right? Do you have any war stories?
I'd love to hear you guys :)
Comrade Stalin
I should have purged that traitor Khrushchev. It should have been the capitalist west which should have fallen!
lenazi
i managed to escape to argentina in 1945 and have been fine since.
Lira
quote:
Originally posted by lenazi
i managed to escape to argentina in 1945 and have been fine since.
Actually, there's a rather peculiar Argentinian beggar where I live. He fled Argentina a few months before the free elections in 1983, and he's still looking for political asylum, or something of that sort. I tried to listen to him once, but he started an endless rant about the government and the Catholic church that didn't really go anywhere :(
boris_the_bear
i peed in the sink several times with hot water running over my dick. it felt great! true story.
edit:
wrong thread, sorry :confused:
Demoted
I was three/four when all that went down.
So I was busy with dad. He told me all about the iron curtain. With his hands.
lenazi
quote:
Originally posted by Lira
Actually, there's a rather peculiar Argentinian beggar where I live. He fled Argentina a few months before the free elections in 1983, and he's still looking for political asylum, or something of that sort. I tried to listen to him once, but he started an endless rant about the government and the Catholic church that didn't really go anywhere :(
shhh don't sen teh lettar
Lebezniatnikov
The Berlin Wall falling is one of my earliest fully-formed memories, actually, and a predominant reason in why I chose to learn German over Spanish.
Lira
Where are Moongoose, Gauss, and Paul Andrews? I'm quite sure they, among many more other TA's, can post something interesting about their lives here.
quote:
Originally posted by Lebezniatnikov
The Berlin Wall falling is one of my earliest fully-formed memories, actually, and a predominant reason in why I chose to learn German over Spanish.
Almost the same here. I always tried to learn German on my own and, unlike Russian, I didn't have anyone around me with whom I could speak. Andd, after a while, I must admit there was some bad faith as well, since my parents used to think I'd be better off speaking Spanish rather than German, and I acted as if that were true. Eventually, I did decide to learn German and even got some nice material, but my German is still very basic.
kadomony
GLASNOST!
Zer0
As for Baltic states, it went pretty well in terms of casualties during that 1985-91 period. If I remember correctly, there were some lives lost in Latvia or Lithuania in that particular time. For my nation Estonia, that period was mostly about Singing Revolution, which was inspired by that drunk ass Gorbachev`s "more liberal" perestroika politics.
As for me and my family - we took part in the Baltic Chain. It took place in `89 and I was for about 3-4 years old back then. Still remember it really well - one of my brightest childhood memories. Eventually, we were all releaved, when soviets finally left after 50 years of occupation. Wankers.
