Serbian Friend - Holy Theophany - Badnjak
For the Serbian Community as well as the Russians, today is Holy Theophany. While I worked at Siemens from January 2008 - June 2009 I had the privilege to work with an Serbian American. He was a world class professional soccer player for nearly 10 years, who sustained an injury to his knee that put him out of play. He later came to America with his wife and they became citizens. They have two boys, both born here and both avid soccer and basketball players. A previous layoff caught Davor - and I followed soon afterward. We have stayed in touch by e-mail.
Davor is a good friend. He is very humorous, in that way of Eastern Europeans - short sentences, to the point, dropped articles, very few adjectives. I had a hard time understanding him at first - I still do over the phone. If I was facing him, I had no problem. We communicate mostly by e-mail now since I frankly told him I couldn't understand him over the phone. He understands - he said he couldn't understand me almost all the time due to my Southern accent. I laughed and told him we were even.
Despite his limited English skills you can tell by listening to him he is a very intelligent man. We went on walks around the Siemens complex at lunch and talked of many things - Bosnia, Islam, Orthodoxy, family, work, books, American politics, travel, places he has been in the world and of course his favorite subject, soccer. I learned from him. He is almost 20 years my junior yet the age difference did not seem to matter. He is huge man in stature - around 6'6" tall, slim like a soccer player. He walked fast and I almost had to run to stay up with him. A man of passion, he would sometimes tear up when I would get down in the dumps and talk of leaving Siemens ( I never liked the type of work, though I always was reminded how much a blessing it was after 14 months of unemployment). He wept when I said goodbye during his layoff day.
Davor is back at Siemens now ... the power and metals industries must be picking back up again. He has tried to get me back over there but Siemens doesn't want to pay me what they did two years ago. I told them if they want me back they have to at least match what I made when I left a few months ago, which is less what I make now at GTRI.
So when I opened Wikipedia this morning the featured article was on Badnjak. I was very intrigued by the Serbian custom of the burning of the Turkey Oak trees during Holy Theophany. It commemorates the fire that-according to folk tradition-the shepherds of Bethlehem built in the cave where Jesus Christ was born, to warm him and his mother throughout the night. So I wish for you all that many sparks fly for you this new year - much warmth, happiness and prosperity.
A Badnjak Saleswoman
Davor is a good friend. He is very humorous, in that way of Eastern Europeans - short sentences, to the point, dropped articles, very few adjectives. I had a hard time understanding him at first - I still do over the phone. If I was facing him, I had no problem. We communicate mostly by e-mail now since I frankly told him I couldn't understand him over the phone. He understands - he said he couldn't understand me almost all the time due to my Southern accent. I laughed and told him we were even.
Despite his limited English skills you can tell by listening to him he is a very intelligent man. We went on walks around the Siemens complex at lunch and talked of many things - Bosnia, Islam, Orthodoxy, family, work, books, American politics, travel, places he has been in the world and of course his favorite subject, soccer. I learned from him. He is almost 20 years my junior yet the age difference did not seem to matter. He is huge man in stature - around 6'6" tall, slim like a soccer player. He walked fast and I almost had to run to stay up with him. A man of passion, he would sometimes tear up when I would get down in the dumps and talk of leaving Siemens ( I never liked the type of work, though I always was reminded how much a blessing it was after 14 months of unemployment). He wept when I said goodbye during his layoff day.
Davor is back at Siemens now ... the power and metals industries must be picking back up again. He has tried to get me back over there but Siemens doesn't want to pay me what they did two years ago. I told them if they want me back they have to at least match what I made when I left a few months ago, which is less what I make now at GTRI.
So when I opened Wikipedia this morning the featured article was on Badnjak. I was very intrigued by the Serbian custom of the burning of the Turkey Oak trees during Holy Theophany. It commemorates the fire that-according to folk tradition-the shepherds of Bethlehem built in the cave where Jesus Christ was born, to warm him and his mother throughout the night. So I wish for you all that many sparks fly for you this new year - much warmth, happiness and prosperity.
A Badnjak Saleswoman