POZOR!

I suppose when I hastily put this picture on our Blog, I should have known that it might get some reaction. I suppose I knew I would eventually have some explaining to do...

Try to imagine for a moment. You've been living in the US. You are working two jobs... educational jobs. So in other words, nobody respects what you do and how much you sacrifice. Everybody complains about the educational system in America while in the same breath demanding this system to conform to the customer/business model.

To add to this, you come to a strange country, where everyone speaks a strange language. To try to fit in, you adapt to some of the local customs....like wild boar hunting.

You go hunting and bam! You get one. You discover you like it. It thrills you beyond measure.

You find out that you are quite good with guns.

So the local hunting club invites you to join. And in spite of their generous offer, you show up to their exclusively male meeting wearing pink. Naturally, they put you at the head of the table, knowing that beneath your smile and feminine charm lies a cold, ruthless dead eye.

So she finally snaps.

How else to explain her gun toting smile?

After all, she believes in the right to bear arms... she's just being a good American.

And there is no security like that of a warm gun.

So, I decided that there really was only one reasonable solution.

Yeah, that's right. Get my own. For defensive purposes only, of course.
A perfect example of Arms Proliferation.

on closer inspection...
Yeah, that's right, automatic for me!
OK! Joke over... it's all just a big sham!

Well, not the stress of the US...

nor the comments on the US cultural values being diametrically opposed to its own educational system.
nor the analogy of rationals of how arms proliferation occurs.

The sham is Heidi really bearing arms... or me for that matter.
But several people have asked... so I wanted to mislead even moreso before setting the record straight.

So how to explain these weapons?

Sit back and relax... we have some catching up to do.

Next to Heidi is Thomas and Svitlana.
(and then another couple... I don't recall their names.)
This picture was taken at the Moravske Budejovice town ball. We have been fortunate to make some good friends here. Thomas and Svitlana especially so. They have been nice enough to include us on some recent adventures...

Just so we can finish one strand, the picture of the guns were taken on the first nice spring day here. Tom and Svitlana invited us to the Vranov dam. A beautiful area... another strand for another time. Anyway, they brought their kids and the son brought all three of his toy guns. So we all walked around carrying them, because of course he got tired of doing so. I found it odd as they looked quite real. I informed Tom that to have toys that looked this real in Chicago would be a major problem. He found it interesting and I still felt uncomfortable... but then decided to accept it, perhaps it's not so odd here... even though they are toys. At the end of the day we stopped for some wine... and to admire the weather and show off the weapons.


Thus ends the mystery of how it was that Heidi would so casually pack heat.

But all this perhaps begs some other questions. Like what's up with this town ball?
I will in the next blog explain the many ball's that take place here.
I can then also mention...
How I won a smoked pig's head at one of the said balls.
How Tom and Svitlana made soup out of it.
And lastly the Easter tradition of woman whipping.

below: local male youth wander the street easter morning
Yes, whipping... in short, men walk over to the neighbor's house and lightly whip his neighbor's wife's posterior. Then she gives them a ribbon, a shot, usually slivovice, and some chocolate. Look, it's a long and interesting cultural thing... I'm not justifying it, just an observer.

Oddly many females don't roam the streets that day. The guys above are all holding woven willow branches, usually tied with ribbons denoting each conquest. Like I said... I will explain soon.
And just so some of you don't worry to much. While the tradition seems... problematic to our values. There is no serious corporeal punishment. It is symbolic. yes yes, perhaps too many... I know.