Simple math

Here, in Spain, they pay you 2500Euros for each baby.
There, somewhere, they pay 15 million to Angelina Julie for a picture of her twins.

Conclusion: 2x2500 = 15000000

Eurovision 2008

Well, Eurovision 2008 is finished with some strange results. Russia is now the winner and perhaps will stay there forever. Why, you just need to take a look at the results. All ex-russian countries vote for it!!!

This is somehow stupid. Russians for Russia, Scandinavians for Scandinavia, Spain for ...
During the contest, the Spanish presentator could predict more than 90% of the votes saying this one is going to vote for these, ...

And the contestants, a majority of them, were singing in English. Why?

Not sure if people vote for meaning, seems that things are changing...

It's all over. Lets wait for the next year and comming songs...

Lento

In Spain, nothing goes fast, even at a rather acceptable speed.
You know, after two years of being here, they attached our names to the office entrance. However, seems that they forgot to update the data bank, you know. The names belong to the people who left here more than a year ago. Then perhaps our names will be added next year. Exactly when we are leaving.

Las cosas van lento aqui en españa. Tranquilo...

Arrival

I came to Barcelona two years ago. I had a connection in Paris but missed the flight due to the tight schedule. After arriving in BCN, I started to look and search for my name to see if someone is there to pick me up (In fact, they told me so). Nobody was waiting...



- "Thanks God, my iranian mobile works here. Lets call my colleague", I told myself, and called him.



- I was there waiting for you. But as you missed the flight, could not wait anymore. Now you can take a taxi to this address: ....



....

....

....

After reaching the destination:



- The taxi driver told me that he does not know the address. So he was moving along the street, turning...

- He fooled you. I'm sure he knew. He has been moving just to charge you more...

Semana Santa

Spain is a religious country. Here, you can find a lot of holidays with religious reasons, you know. It may look hilarious but last year we received a calendar with a lot of holidays. A monk gave it to us while he was collecting money for his church. Every single day was full of occasions and it was confusing you know.

Going to the main topic, I wanted to say that the ceremonies of semana santa (Easter, saint's week) are almost the same as what we have in Ashura. All those shows of the people in especial wearings are the same as Ashura ceremony in Iran. You know, they are of the same root.

There is, however, one big difference...

Happy NOWROUZ (Finglish)

Ye saal e dige gozasht. Saali ke mogheye oomadanesh, khosh haal boodim o kolli aarezoo dar sar daashtim. Migoftim ke khodaayaa, too saale jadid, be man ino bede va ino; inaa (?) ro ham doost daaram daashte baasham, komakam kon ke in kaar ro shoroo konam yaa oon kaari ro ke shoroo kardam tamoom konam.

Va kholaase kolli harfaa ke mogheye tahvile saal mizanim yaa hadde aghal too delemoon hast.

Kheiliaa tooye in ye saal, be kheili az chizaaee ke mikhaastan residan. Khodaa ro shokr.
Kheiliaa ham be ba'ziaash residan o az inke natoonestan be ba'zi az ahdaafeshun beresan gele mikonan.

Khob ye saale dige oomade o ye forsate dige. Na!!! Ye saale dige oomade o ye omre dige. Pas hich jaaye negaraani nist.
Yaademoon baashe, too in saale jadid, mesle hameye saalaaye ghabl, khodaa hameye oon chiz haaee ro ke mikhaaim behemoon mide. Faghat baayad ye kam havaasemoon ro bishtar jam' konim. Va yaademoon nare ke age baraaye chizi talaash kardim vali giremoon nayoomad, khob shaayad talaashemoon be andaazeye kaafi naboode. Shaayad ham be dardemoon nemikhorde va hamoon behtar ke giremoon nayoomade vagar na ye dardesare dige be hameye dardesaraamoon ezaafe mishod.

Bahaar daare miaad, va kheili chizaa ro baa khodesh miaare: Salaamati, sarsabzi,... va az hame mohemtar, khaateraatemoon ro: Eidi , Barnaameye koodak, maahie ghermez, shirini o aajil, mashghe eid , hamkelaasi haaee ke chand roozi nemididimeshun va delemoon baraashun tang mishod (raasti kojaan?), va faamil ke dige haalaa saali ye baar ham be zoor mibinimeshun...


SAAL E NO MOBAARAK

Re-start

I'm back to you, after a long time. There is no excuse. It was just something like no mood for blogging or no time to think.

The other reason is that I was so busy. In fact, I had to push my projects ahead. It was my first priority. Now, it seems to be another chance to re-start.

I was told that the new posts are not as good as before. Then I needed some time to think more. Now, I have decided to move it ahead with new posts on my experiences in Spain. Perhaps the motivation is that I'm not sure if I'll stay here for a long time. Then, it is better to write it as you feel, you know.

Happiness (worldwide!)

Ruut Veenhoven, known as professor of happiness, has spent more than 30 years on happiness. He has categorized all those happy and unhappy countries. Happiest ones are Denmark, Switzerland, Austria,... while unhappiest people are listed to be Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Moldavia, Ukrane, Armenia, Georgia, Bulgaria, Pakistan, Russia (Ref. Metro daily, Spain, 18 Jan 2008).

He introduces three factors which are deterministic in making a nation happier than others: Democracy, Living status (health,...), and creating a climate of tolerance in the whole nation.

But do you believe that such kind of formulation is the right one?
I doubt it because for example Spain is ranked as number 26 in this listing.

What factors determine the state (or level) of happiness?