My (parked) car got hit and it made my day
Have you ever had one of those days when everyone is just nice to you? One of those days when you think that there must be something in the weather that puts everyone in a good mood?Today I was sitting in my office when one of my co-workers called me to tell me that her husband saw someone hit my car which I had parked down the street. I panicked and ran to see what had happened. Half my co-workers ran with me. It turns out that a lady had been backing up, didn't see the butt of my car sticking out from the parking spot and scraped a bit of paint off the tail end. It was no big deal. But she stuck around to see if she could find out who's car she hit.
Can you believe that?
She stuck around so she could be sure to give me her insurance information. And she was so nice about it (and she even spoke fluent English). I think she felt more embarrassed than anything and she was determined to right her wrong. She was so sweet I almost felt bad about causing her to have to go through all this. (Although I will have to get the whole tail-end of my car repainted, so I wasn't going to just let it go).
Anyway, the point of the story is that it was just such a nice feeling to have someone be so honest and kind and couldn't help but remind me that no matter how many horrible terrorists threaten to blow up airplanes, there are also a lot of good people in the world. And the fact that half my office was concerned enough to come out and try to help in any way they could, really made my day. I definitely had one of those moments where I feel like I really have made some friends and, after almost a year of being here, I don't feel quite so "desperate."
posted by Brooke @ 3:50 PM
21 Comments:
There are good and bad people in this world, and as someone said before, it is on US--good to stop THEM--bad to cause us harm..However, this that happend to you gives me a good hope that there are good people in this world and we are lucky to be around them. I guess,you deserved to be 'not-desperate' after surviving Belgrade for awhile : ))..Good luck Brooke, you have all the support from serbian audience..
The fact is, Brooke, when you leave Serbia you'll miss it because the people and culture will have gotten under your skin and become a part of you. Of course, it helps that you're receptive ;-).
And tell the truth, have you ever seen such attractive young people back in the states as you see on the streets of Belgrade? Americans have given up on their appearance and everywhere you go, from weddings in churches to baseball games, the uniform is the same -- t-shirt and jeans or something very similar. Year round shorts for some guys and always the trainers on the feet. Comfort rules over appearance to the point that slovenliness is totally acceptable. I think people in Serbia, for now at least, still dress for the occasion and like looking good, no?
Sorry to digress but I'm curious because, for example, my favorite cousin visited me here in the San Francisco Bay Area for half a year and one day, out of the blue, she asked me WHERE the good looking men are because she hadn't seen even ONE on the street that made her feel the way walking down a street in Serbia does. :-o
For 'open eyes said'..you re so full of urself..I am a serbian myself living in SF, and yes people are not good looking here at all but if you go down south 101, I ll tell you where hott americans are: santa barbara, LA (bit fake though),San Diego etc. There you go!
Open eyes, WILL YOU JUST SHUT UP ALREADY? I've been reding this blog for months now but your comments are contaminating it and spoiling it, can you just please stop? Like, just stop?
It amuses me that an invitation to Brooke to comment on a sociological difference between two places she knows well - a difference that was brought to my attention -- is regarded as negative. It wasn't mean spirited in the least. In the eye of the beholder...as they say.
Just recently I attended a wedding where I witnessed again exactly what I was talking about and I find the topic an interesting, self-evident, phenomenon but evidently you regard it as an affront. I actually think that Brooke is better than that and, being receptive, as I mentioned, she is no doubt taking in the culture in Belgrade and might well have noticed this among all the other things she'll have noticed.
I don't often dress up, myself, because I am far too relaxed about it having lived in America for so long, but I hope I have a sense of decorum about attending a formal occasion. In many places in Europe people take great care about how they dress every day, and certainly I've seen that in all of Yugoslavia, and it's a very general cultural thing. Did I say that NOBODY in the U.S. dresses? As a generalization I believe my comment stands up to scrutiny and if you don't find it interesting as to why, fine. I still do. There might be relevance to my comment in the story John Steinbeck related about his handyman, but I'm sure that wouldn't interest you, so I won't tire you with it.
I could say a lot more, but I've decided to let you have your wish and just "shut up." Javohl!
Brooke, thanks for another uplifting entry. I agree, it is very nice and uplifting to unexpectedly meet kind, honest and nice strangers.
Hmm... regarding open eye's comment, I guess he/she has a point. But I think it's more of a European issue and is really about how people dress, with Italy, in my opnion, being the top of the tops (and the UK being down towards the bottom). Of course, there are more obese people in the US (and Canada, mind you).
In my experience, I have found good looking people all over the world, but their attractiveness rarely has anything to do with how much time and money they spend on their clothing.
Yep just goes to show. Even though driving etiquette leaves something to be desired in this part of the world, there are nice, honest people everywhere.
I'm reading quite a lot of 'cultrual friction' at this blog - which isnt necessarily a bad thing, quite interesting to read.
On the dressing comment. Well as far as Serbia is concerned there is a (male) view that holds that most Serbian women look great until they make it to 30 and then they let themselves go.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder so frankly who cares which people are better looking - although if the 'charge' of obesity is laid at the US door its also an increasing problem in Serbia according to medical surveys.
Brooke,
Thanks for continuing to share your stories, despite a bit of conflict in the comment board. I always look forward to reading.
I agree with open eyes said that dressing in america sucks and that europeans do take care of themselves and thats how it should be. And I wouldnt agree with brooke that their beauty has nothing to do with getting ready before they leave a house..and for Mr.Bg anon, well serbian women look the way they do because they do 100 times more shit for you serbian men and children than one average american woman does..yeah, i lived with most of them and trust me now I understand my mother more than ever before (btw she looks awesome)..poor serbian mothers!!! Good bless from SF.
SF and eyes:
I don't know why Brooke bothers to say anything nice about Serbia. All you do is turn everything she says into something bad about the US. Is that really necessary?
Yes, Open Eyes. Walking in 10cm heels and way-too-tight clothes is better then being comfortable. I don't know what Americans are thinking.
The more I read your thoughts I realize the US is a terrible place and I am sorry you have been forced to live there with all the awful dressers and ugly people. Luckily the rest of us can not get a visa to the US and do not have to see such terrible things.
Alex and Milos--drama queens..calm down..noone is attacking Brooke--we obviously like her since we come so often here..and I have been commenting for a long time here and most of it was positive. And for saying that Americans dont dress well, sorry its true..and I say a lot of bad stuff about Serbs too--trust me I am not defending them at all--all I say is what I see and know--as most of us do. After all, it's my opinion and Brooke as an american knows that people here like to have that freedom to say what they believe in. ps. Alex, i believe this blog is not ABOUT saying nice or bad about serbia..good god..Cheers!
I actually work very hard at bringing people to the U.S. from Serbia and helping them when they arrive, because seeing more of the world is what opens your eyes. No need to be jealous and resentful about my living in the states, Milos -- you don't know the circumstances of my arrival or what brought me here. It was no piece of cake.
Yes, I agree that there are very nice people all over the globe and I don't believe I ever disputed that idea.
And I didn't say Americans were ugly, now did I? Boy, do some people over simplify! I implied, granted, strongly, that they don't make the best of themselves. That's very different. I know what my cousin was saying, though. As a woman, she never got the kind of buzz in her day walking around the SF area that she would walking down the street in any small town in Serbia, let alone in Belgrade, where it would never fail that she'd see a really nice looking hunk of a man during her day. A real man. It's not PC to be a real man in the U.S. The men have become feminized and the women have been defeminized (this is a generalization to make a point, in case you don't understand that and need it spelled out). You Serbs in Serbia might be annoyed at this, although it's beyond me why, but the fact is that I'm talking about how good looking some of the men (and the women) are in Serbia. It's not just about clothes, it's about caring to be attractive to the opposite sex but at the same time being quite unselfconscious about it, and conducting yourself as though you are happy in your own skin. The clothes are only a symptom of the underlying state of mind.
As for some of the rest of you - OK. Understood. The law has been laid down: ONLY SYCOPHANTIC COMMENTS ALLOWED. By all means, don't actually observe and discuss anything. I'm very happy to leave you to it. Enjoy!
As a Serbian-Canadian, (born in Canada, raised by Serbian parents, multiple visits to Serbia) I can't claim to be completely impartial in this discussion, and as much as I want to remain out of it and not comment, I feel compelled to share my own observations regarding Serbian vs. North American standards as far as looks etc. are concerned.
Based on my observations, Serbian culture does value making the most of one's looks and taking a bit more pride in one's appearance. However, I find that standards are even more unrealistic than our media-saturated North American ones.
It's true, there are far fewer obese individuals in Serbia. However, with sky high smoking rates, I wouldn't imagine that Serbia can rightfully claim to have a society of healthier individuals.
As far as men being 'real men' and women being 'real women', it seems that quite the pairing is emerging, of an increasingly modern and progressive view of these roles, while certain pockets of Serbian society still adhere to very traditional roles for men and women.
It's also very 'Serbian' to be extremely critical of others, and share observations that are more readily kept to oneself in North America,(while not meaning anything as a personal attack, simply observational, and helpful in intent). This trait can more often than not, be quite jarring to a typical North American.
We all can't agree, but from what I've gathered from the comments above, we're all entitled to share observations, and these are mine.
(You share a very positive story, and you get subjected to our rants, how's that for gratitude, huh Brooke? ;-)
Gordana, you are so right in everything you said.
You know, I wasn't even commenting to put down Americans and you understand that. I'll bet you know what I mean about seeing very exciting looking people on the streets of Yugoslavia. I can't put my finger on what that is, quite, but that's more or less all I was pointing out. My comment wasn't meant to be rant.
It stuck in my head that my cousin just ever so casually raised her head from the crocheting she was doing and said to me: "Kazi mi, molim te, gde su vasi MOMCI? Znas sta mislim -- kod nas ima dase kolko hoces po ulicama -- pravi, lepi muskarci, a celo ovo vreme ovde nisam videla ni jednog!" ;+ Oh, well...
Brooke,
I know exactly what you mean, life here in the UK is a little 'stressed' at the moment with everything unfolding here, but we do have to keep reminding our selves, this is a handful of people trying to ruin our lives, whilst there are millions of people who have dedicated their lives to others in this country alone.
I also dont get todays discusion on clothes, for example the anglo saxon countries seem to be critised for the way they dress, now without being rude; as a brit I can spot by the way they dress: the French, Germans, Eastern Europeans (as a block -not so presice - sorry), Americans/Canadians, Australians and Italians.
I can do this not because anyone in my opinion is better dressed, but dresses differently to what I would consider 'normal'.
The UK someone said is at the bottom, I cant really see why we stand out as the worst, I think its because we either dress really smart for formal occasions and work or really casually, in nice cumfy clothes, with appearance not mattering at all. I also would not want to be from a country which people think 'is the worlds best dressed' sounds like a nation where not much gets done for the sake of looking in the mirror!
any more sweeping irrelevant generalisations people? Like I think woth regards to women The Danish, then the Dutch are the most attractive nationalities! I wont give any scientific reasoning for this and the least attractive........
that was me Dave by the way Brooke!!!! : )
Dave, I think the UK is at the bottom because of those zippy sweaters and the funny wigs that the judges wear. But I'm not really sure...
Brooke,
Do I dare express my opinion here, since Dave's expressed his?
There's no such thing as "anglo-saxon way of dressing," not nowadays anyways -- in the "olden days" it usually ment frumpy.I didn't quite get the thing about the Dutch. They're my favorite people on Earth, since they're rather casual and tend not to care what others think of them.
Regarding "sweeping generalizations," I'm not quite sure what Eastern-European way of dress is supposed to be like -- I've seen some excellently dressed Eastern Europens here in London.
Brooke -- LL Bean/ Land's End, Ann Taylor/ J. Crew are my favourites too.
You have to be aware that many people in Serbia are quite willing to spend an equvalent of several month's salary in order to go to Italy and get a new outfit. I'm not judging them, I just think that it's rather silly. British women seem to have expensive shoes and handbag fetish, and are also willing to overspend their budget on clothes.
The Americans are the least likely to spend on clothes beyond means in order to impress. Personally, I've seen the best dressed people in NY -- simple, well-fitting clothes, classic colors, nothing frilly --they have style.
Milica
Milica
The thing about San Francisco is that it attracts freaks and geeks (and I say this with affection). There is a very high percentage of nerds and misfits there. The straight men there who are stunners usually dress sloppily since that's just the way it is, straight men in the US (despite the metrosexual trend) aren't supposed to care about how they look, and baggy clothes are the norm. Plus sloppy dress is more acceptable in SF than in other big cities in the US. So the good-lookers might be a little harder to spot than the typical European peacock. Now gay men on the other hand...
(I'm generalizing, of course).
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