Few days ago I entered Riga… the freshest crisis-hit capital of Europe. Dozens of ducks with their bright green feathers in one of main squares of city made me smile. Also blue Christmas lights in another central park. As average Latvian person before Christmas, of course, I entered one of the biggest shopping malls. It was full of people. People standing in queues near cash-machines, in bookshops and household shops offering wide range of cheap Christmas staff. Everyone looking stylish and beautiful. I started to feel pressure to improve my appearance with something that would demonstrate my success and welfare. It is always nice when others look at you with acknowledgment and appraisal. People in Latvia are a kind of obsessed with need to express their material welfare. Still… I stayed strong and did not succumb to temptation to buy one more thing. And another one… and more… although prices were cheap and offer great. I prefer simple life of Macedonia where almost everyone has nothing, where people drive old cars and old bicycles and put their energy in something else than obtaining new and new fashionable staff. Our celebrity magazines devoting six pages to describe wardrobe of some society girls, their Gucci and Versace made me just wonder: what the fuck people are you doing and what are you living for?
With some fear I visited “Pelmeni” – place offering traditional Latvian/Russian food for low price. Price was still good. Expenses for a meal were pretty much the same as in Macedonia. This gave me a hope. City in Latvia are not so beautiful and decorated than other Christmas. Just shopping centers are in mood of celebration… full with complicated and impressive decorations, with gnomes dancing and singing, and playing games not only with children, but also with adults. I wish they would organize their games outside malls on the streets of city. Where everyone can reach them and everyone can participate… especially those people who the most need positive emotions and fun… those who usually even do not enter in huge and fancy shopping places of the city.
Day after together with some “working class” friends we went to saunas and swimming pools in some SPA hotel at Jurmala. We were drinking champagne. Already second day… After SPA guys putted on suits. I had red dress and green shoes. My best friend was in sexy black, and her socks were black with red roses. I made nice princess’ hairstyle and we went to ball of students’ cooperation. We were looking great among all black dressed corporation guys 
Our friend and member of this organization explained me that I should try to look a kind of aristocratic: not to express too much emotions, not to do strange things, be polite, behave good, dance foxtrot… I was scared till the moment when I realized that some other Latvian girls around us are totally drunk and openly ignoring idea of good manners… I also learned to dance f…king foxtrot, something about Latvian nationalism, I realized that I really like corporation guys, as they all are really gentleman making me feel somewhere between princess and Cinderella. This life is so different from my Macedonian life. I like both. Am I not lucky? A person with not only beautiful life, but with two of them ))
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