First post-communistic generations in EE

[Jaga]

When I came to Poland last year I realized how much did change. Since I left (1993) the new generation of Poles grew - people who do not remember Solidarity times that much, people who went to school which was free from communistic ideology, young people who may stay unemployed, because the current government gived them freedom but not work and security.

How do they feel about Poland about the world? Their life would be so much more different that their parents?

I cannot answer this question because I am not in Poland anymore.

Here is a bit more about unemployment problem among young people:
culture.polishsite.us/articles/art160b.html

[Jaga]

Here is more about the first post-communistic generation in Russia:

blogs.washingtonpost.com/russianchronicles/

St. Petersburg: The Future of Russia
When I first saw 16-year-old Vanya Vedernikov this week, my first thought was that the impish six-year-old from 1995 had turned into a pretty impressive young man. He's tall and athletic, speaks English well, and is polite enough to gamely field questions from the American journalist who shows up once every 10 years. In response, all he asked for was a decent translation of a White Stripes song title: "What does 'Seven Nation Army' mean?" he asked me. "I can't figure it out."

Here, I thought, is the embodiment of the Russian future. Vanya was only two when the USSR collapsed; his is the first generation with no memory of life under the Soviet Union. He and his classmates at the Gymnasium for Global Education No. 631 have traveled extensively abroad. They're Internet-savvy and fluent in European and American pop culture. They've got the world at their feet, and their whole lives ahead of them.



Photo Gallery: Sixteen-year-old Vanya Vedernikov is part of the first post-Soviet generation of Russians. (David Hillegas)So, when I met Vanya and three of his classmates to talk about Russia's future, I thought I knew the script in advance. I expected to hear them say that things were good in Russia, and destined to get better. My own experience in the last three months had led me to believe this was the case -- why wouldn't a group of worldly, well-traveled 16-year-olds feel the same way?

But as we sat talking at a Chinese restaurant near their school, the students -- Tonya, Pasha, Misha and Vanya -- sounded much more wary of what the future might hold.

Pasha, a young man with close-cropped hair and an upright, almost military bearing, said, "In the USSR, the government was very attentive to people, and to their interests." For example, he said, "Education was free for everyone. If you passed exams, you could go to any university you wanted. But nowadays, it's difficult to get in."



Photo Gallery: Misha, Vanya, Tonya and Pasha (l-r) are in their last year of high school together in St. Petersburg. (David Hillegas)Tonya told us that today, as opposed to in Soviet times, people have to rely more on themselves. "The first that has changed," she said, "is the mind of the people. Now people just think about themselves -- there's no united country anymore."
.....

blogs.washingtonpost.com/russianchronicles/

All the students expressed concern about Russia's economic situation. "Practically all the economics in our country are influenced by the course of oil prices," said slender, mustachioed Misha, "And now we're exporting to practically every country. So when fuel oil runs out in our country, it will be a very big problem." I wasn't under the impression that Russia's oil reserves would run out any time this century, but the students were convinced otherwise. "I saw it on the Internet," said Pasha at one point.

Hearing their litany of worries, I was prompted to ask: "Are you all really as pessimistic as you sound?"

[jimpres]

Jaga,

It's like children who live with there parents during their early years. Then after they complete school they must go out and find work and take care of themselves. The mother and father are no longer providing for them. All of Russia is now experiencing this situation. The government (mother and father) are not longer providing everything for the people.

[Pawian]

admin said:

Their life would be so much more different that their parents?

Their life is more interesting, even exciting today, but at the cost of safety.

It already starts at the kindergarten level.

I can give the example of my kids in preschool age. They both go to a kindergarten. They like it very much because there are so many interesting activities and they enjoy every minute spent there. Apart from regular educaton or fun classes, it is possible to attend extra classes (English, chess, clay, dance, religious etc). Kids stage plays, go on trips to museums, theater, even a Christmas decorations factory. They get tasty things to eat.

I didn`t have such things in my kindergarten. I remember we were playing with wooden blocks and sometimes went to a nearby park. We used to eat potatoes with curtled milk or kasha. Yuk!

However, it was safer then. Kids could walk alone in the street and parents weren`t afraid. I am not only talking about some freaks who might hurt kids, but also about heavier traffic today. Cars speed around the city and it is really dangerous to cross. Probably I exaggerate, but even when we are on a sidewalk or a pedestrian crossing, I am afraid some drunken driver might suddenly swerve or not stop and run us over.

So, we have gained a lot but we have lost something too.

I think the gain is bigger than the loss.

[Bob S]

Pawian, et al in the forum. In life there is always a trade off between what is done and what could have been done. There is no such thing as a free lunch and everything has to be paid for in one way or another. There is no such thing as free "schooling, health care, jobs, food or anything else: all these so-called free things are paid for by someone, something or somehow.

[Jaga]

pawian said:

Their life is more interesting, even exciting today, but at the cost of safety.

It already starts at the kindergarten level.

I can give the example of my kids in preschool age. They both go to a kindergarten. They like it very much because there are so many interesting activities and they enjoy every minute spent there. Apart from regular educaton or fun classes, it is possible to attend extra classes (English, chess, clay, dance, religious etc). Kids stage plays, go on trips to museums, theater, even a Christmas decorations factory. They get tasty things to eat.

I didn`t have such things in my kindergarten. I remember we were playing with wooden blocks and sometimes went to a nearby park. We used to eat potatoes with curtled milk or kasha. Yuk!

However, it was safer then. Kids could walk alone in the street and parents weren`t afraid. I am not only talking about some freaks who might hurt kids, but also about heavier traffic today. Cars speed around the city and it is really dangerous to cross. Probably I exaggerate, but even when we are on a sidewalk or a pedestrian crossing, I am afraid some drunken driver might suddenly swerve or not stop and run us over.
So, we have gained a lot but we have lost something too.
I think the gain is bigger than the loss.

Pawian,

how interesting! I was so impressed to see that kids in the daycare are doing so many things we never did. THey do the pictures from pieces of cereal or marshmallow, but this is probably the same in Poland now.

As for the traffic, I agree very much. Yes, I still remember times that petroleum was hard to find and the streets were almost empty.

It almost looks that the life all around the world, at least in the USA and Europe is becoming so similar!

[Pawian]

admin said:

It almost looks that the life all around the world, at least in the USA and Europe is becoming so similar!

That`s the blessing of globalization in work ha ha ha ha ha

[Jaga]

pawian said:

That`s the blessing of globalization in work ha ha ha ha ha

and we all speak the same English language
ha ha ha

;D ;D ;D

[Pawian]

admin said:

and we all speak the same English language
ha ha ha

;D ;D ;D

Are we some maniacs or what?

ha ha ha ha ha ha ha