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It's a very strange feeling, being able to look at my own country only through the filter of news and newspapers. Of course I go back from time to time, but that's really more like being a tourist (doubly strange, because I used to be at home there, and will be again once I return for good).
Anyway, like in most of Europe (I suppose), inflation and recession are being felt more and more in Austria. Any increases in income are eaten up by inflation, and people actually have to start worrying about being able to afford such luxury as holidays abroad, a second car etc (which is ridiculous, I know, but once you're used to such things it's hard to downgrade...) I keep trying to imagine whether I'd feel it, too, how strong the impact would be, but somehow this remains a totally theoretical exercise, because I'm not there.
This doesn't mean that there isn't any inflation in Turkey, because there is, and people suffer from it. Turkey certainly isn't a welfare state, quite the contrary actually, but they are aware of the extremely low income level that reduces people to poverty, especially in urban areas. (They're even poorer in the countryside, especially the small farmers in the East and South-East, but at least there they don't pay rent and can have their own chicken and vegetables) Therefore they articficially keep up the value of the Turkish Lira and keep the prices of basic goods, especially food, consistently down.
In addition to these measures, the Austrian state looks well enough after its diplomats: as soon as the buying power of the Euro decreases in our country of residence, they increase our allowance. So it's really a kind of protected environment, and I'm not surprised that so many colleagues can't adapt to the living conditions in Austria once they're back. Not only does the salary decrease dramatically, because they're only paid regular salaries without any allowance whatsoever; it's also that many become accustomed to a lifestyle they could never afford at home, and feel quite deprived when they have to go back to normal. That's why I think two postings are more than enough.
Anyway, hearing about inflation and people spending an ever-more significant part of their income on things like heating, clothing and food, is strange.
Likewise, voting in the upcoming parliamentary elections will be weird, for the exact same reasons. Yes, I read the papers and I listen to the news every day. But it's not quite the same as living there, living in the atmosphere that is an important factor in the decision whom to vote for.
Not that the current political situation would make voting easy in any case: After the great coalition of socio-democrats and conservatives (very catholically inclined) broke up in 1999, leading to the catastrophic coalition between conservatives and the so-called liberals (who in reality are ultra-conservative and more than a little nationalist), the elections of 2006 brought a renewal of the great coalition. Nobody really liked it, especially not the concerned parties, and it obviously didn't work, because instead of 2010 we're to vote again on 28 September 2008.
Economic instability, rising unemployment and general insecurity often lead, as history teaches us, to overwhelming victories of rightist and ultra-rightist forces.
Austrians especially are always ready to blame their problems on minorities, whether Jews or immigrants doesn't really matter. It is therefore more than probable that we're steering towards a second edition of a conservative - ultra-conservative coalition which, the first time it happened, led to EU sanctions against Austria. I don't think that we'll see a repeat performance of those sanctions, not after rightist victories (think Berlusconi) in other important EU countries. But I honestly wouldn't like to see Austria drift in that direction.
What I would really like to see is impossible, I suppose. I'd like to see intelligent immigration politics, but how can that be done after we've committed so many errors in the past? It's obvious that we have committed a great many errors. Otherwise, how could one possibly explain that the majority of Turkish and ex-Turkish people (those are the group I know best, but other groups like Serbs or Bosnians aren't much different) are unqualified workers and thus don't/can't climb the economic and social ladder? How else can one explain the fact that third-generation ex-Turks obviously feel the necessity to 'import' illiterate wives barely above the age of consent? How else can one explain that people who have been living inAustria for decades are unable to speak or write correct German?
They have been marginalized, and now they turn the tables and marginalize themselves, making a virtue out of necessity. We fear that which is strange and unknown, and therefore we force it towards the periphery of society, but we're still afraid. And those on the margin say, 'Hey, I may be despised, but at least I'm feared, so let's keep the situation as it is.'
And one thing feeds the other, until we stand there, immobilized in our mutual fear, and then, if the economy goes downhill, the state uses its greater power to suppress what can't really be suppressed, instead of trying to find creative, intelligent solutions.
It's sad, really sad. And I, personally, don't draw much comfort from being confronted, on a daily basis, with Turkish people trying their damnedest to get to Europe. Somethimes it's pretty hard remaining impartial and rational.
End of rant. I'll do some work now, or at least what little is waiting to be done.
Anyway, like in most of Europe (I suppose), inflation and recession are being felt more and more in Austria. Any increases in income are eaten up by inflation, and people actually have to start worrying about being able to afford such luxury as holidays abroad, a second car etc (which is ridiculous, I know, but once you're used to such things it's hard to downgrade...) I keep trying to imagine whether I'd feel it, too, how strong the impact would be, but somehow this remains a totally theoretical exercise, because I'm not there.
This doesn't mean that there isn't any inflation in Turkey, because there is, and people suffer from it. Turkey certainly isn't a welfare state, quite the contrary actually, but they are aware of the extremely low income level that reduces people to poverty, especially in urban areas. (They're even poorer in the countryside, especially the small farmers in the East and South-East, but at least there they don't pay rent and can have their own chicken and vegetables) Therefore they articficially keep up the value of the Turkish Lira and keep the prices of basic goods, especially food, consistently down.
In addition to these measures, the Austrian state looks well enough after its diplomats: as soon as the buying power of the Euro decreases in our country of residence, they increase our allowance. So it's really a kind of protected environment, and I'm not surprised that so many colleagues can't adapt to the living conditions in Austria once they're back. Not only does the salary decrease dramatically, because they're only paid regular salaries without any allowance whatsoever; it's also that many become accustomed to a lifestyle they could never afford at home, and feel quite deprived when they have to go back to normal. That's why I think two postings are more than enough.
Anyway, hearing about inflation and people spending an ever-more significant part of their income on things like heating, clothing and food, is strange.
Likewise, voting in the upcoming parliamentary elections will be weird, for the exact same reasons. Yes, I read the papers and I listen to the news every day. But it's not quite the same as living there, living in the atmosphere that is an important factor in the decision whom to vote for.
Not that the current political situation would make voting easy in any case: After the great coalition of socio-democrats and conservatives (very catholically inclined) broke up in 1999, leading to the catastrophic coalition between conservatives and the so-called liberals (who in reality are ultra-conservative and more than a little nationalist), the elections of 2006 brought a renewal of the great coalition. Nobody really liked it, especially not the concerned parties, and it obviously didn't work, because instead of 2010 we're to vote again on 28 September 2008.
Economic instability, rising unemployment and general insecurity often lead, as history teaches us, to overwhelming victories of rightist and ultra-rightist forces.
Austrians especially are always ready to blame their problems on minorities, whether Jews or immigrants doesn't really matter. It is therefore more than probable that we're steering towards a second edition of a conservative - ultra-conservative coalition which, the first time it happened, led to EU sanctions against Austria. I don't think that we'll see a repeat performance of those sanctions, not after rightist victories (think Berlusconi) in other important EU countries. But I honestly wouldn't like to see Austria drift in that direction.
What I would really like to see is impossible, I suppose. I'd like to see intelligent immigration politics, but how can that be done after we've committed so many errors in the past? It's obvious that we have committed a great many errors. Otherwise, how could one possibly explain that the majority of Turkish and ex-Turkish people (those are the group I know best, but other groups like Serbs or Bosnians aren't much different) are unqualified workers and thus don't/can't climb the economic and social ladder? How else can one explain the fact that third-generation ex-Turks obviously feel the necessity to 'import' illiterate wives barely above the age of consent? How else can one explain that people who have been living inAustria for decades are unable to speak or write correct German?
They have been marginalized, and now they turn the tables and marginalize themselves, making a virtue out of necessity. We fear that which is strange and unknown, and therefore we force it towards the periphery of society, but we're still afraid. And those on the margin say, 'Hey, I may be despised, but at least I'm feared, so let's keep the situation as it is.'
And one thing feeds the other, until we stand there, immobilized in our mutual fear, and then, if the economy goes downhill, the state uses its greater power to suppress what can't really be suppressed, instead of trying to find creative, intelligent solutions.
It's sad, really sad. And I, personally, don't draw much comfort from being confronted, on a daily basis, with Turkish people trying their damnedest to get to Europe. Somethimes it's pretty hard remaining impartial and rational.
End of rant. I'll do some work now, or at least what little is waiting to be done.
