TV

It’s great having a TV, though I’m limited to watching shows that are visual and not mental, since I can’t understand much. Some, like Walker, Texas Ranger, or Malcolm in the Middle, aren’t much different. But the Simpson’s are reduced to trivial and boring, as their voices don’t have any character, and the jokes are lost in the language.

So, I find myself watching a lot of documentaries, sports and cultural events. The most common seem to be of WWII. The attack of some castle, which by the end has been restored, seem to be the most common. On the screen, the black and white pictures of ruin and destruction, with soldiers huddled down in the snow are becoming regular and common images for me. These aren’t just limited to TV, either. In the park on the corner are old guns, which the kids play on. In the forest behind the town is a large memorial and graves from the Slovak Uprising. And the Jewish Cemetery and Synagogue are locked up and abandoned.

You’ll also find things on Slovak TV that you would never see in America, such as theater performances, symphonies and two hours of African drumming at some high school theater. And, there are those shows that are identical, American Idol (called Slovak Superstar) and Big Brother,(Velky Brat). My favorite show, though, hands down, is the game show BINGO, of course sponsored by the TIPOS lottery. An array of people, from ancient farmers to young students, sit patiently in their rows, waiting for their number to be called so they can mark off their square and have a chance to answer a question to win an extra 1000 Slovak crowns, (about $30 US). If you think it sounds exciting, you should see the look on their faces. My college soils class was more lively. So is a grave yard, come to think of it. I have never seen more boredom broadcast live into your living room every week. I love it.