When I moved to London in 2008 and started in a new job, my new colleague inquired during the lunch: “Slovakia, hmm, is it safe now? I mean is the war over?”. I blushed in anger and my astonishment left me speechless. Doesn’t he know that we weren’t at war for the past 60 years? That the revolution of 1989 went down in history under the “Velvet Revolution” – without the single gunshot? Followed by equally bloodless Velvet divorce? Doesn’t he know anything about us? Seriously?
If you don’t find something interesting you are not looking at it the right way.
Of course he doesn’t, why would he? Who cares?! Can’t blame him. Too small, too East, too un-interesting. Millions went on moody video clips musing the sunlit mountains and the country of milk and honey, but they didn’t quite seem to reach or interest many. Yet people are curious beings and there is always something interesting totalk about. We ended up listing recent Slovak international football signings.
I became convinced that, if you don’t find something interesting you are not looking at it the right way. And if you cannot interest your conversation partner in a topic – be it your country – you don’t know an interesting enough fact. I shared this thought with my team and since then we’ve started collecting small pieces of knowledge, thatare obscure and strange, but many people found interesting. They won’t make you smarter, but definitely can make your conversation partner a little more intrigued.
So let’s get CEErious – I hope you enjoy!
Ondrej Gandel
