Gpysy

My latest interest.... THE GYPSY! I have read about gypsy in books and seen them in movies portrayed as nomads who roam around in carts, having some kind of mysterious power and women dressed in long dresses, wearing long beaded necklaces, bangles and chains. However, from last summer, met people from the eastern europe and they had the worst comments ever on the gypsies. So I have decided to do some research on this group of nomads.

Gypsy also known as the Roma people are found all over the world, with different namings for Roma people. There are estimated of about 10 millions Roma people around the world with more than half a millions residing in Europe and United States. Roma people differentiate themselves based on their geographic residence and language and cultural differences. It is believed that Roma people originates from India (based on genetic and linguistic evidence). It is said that Roma people, being the low-caste Hindus were being recruited into an army of mecenaries, granted warrior caste status, and sent westwards to resist Islamic military expansion. Or perhaps the Muslim conquerors of northern India took the Roma as slaves and brought them home, where they became a distinct community. Generally, for centuries Gypsies were being enslaved, discriminated and forced labor. Even now, I believed they are very much being discriminated.

Discrimination follows with sterotyping. The gypsies are often associated as beggers, prostitutes and thefts. They are often viewed as a burden to society; Roma kids doing poorly academically and adults engaging in crimes like pickpocketing. They live in squatter communities (slumb in another word) and have a high percentage of unemployments. However, there are Roma people that are thrives and prospers like the Kalderash clan, which reside in Romania and traditionally worked as coppersmith or metal related work. Many gypsies also thrives on as pop singers in countries like Bulgaria.

Ok... that's it for gpysy now. Will write more about it later when I can get hold of pictures of them =p.

Home MADE....

Singapore, a city island. It has evovled so much from the time of Atap House (houses with wood and metal roofs) to everything concrete and high rise. Singapore's population has also boom to 4.5 million but sadly it is still an aging population with more young adults wanting to set up family at a more mature age and having lesser kids. I think problems with developed countries are that people starts to think about more materialistic aspect kind of indulgence, people begin to take things they have for granted. Then the next generation of kids will be brought up with a mind set that they can own everything in the world as long as they want it, so government needs to set up program which will remind them that there are such things known as suffering and poverty.

I have been to so many places around the world, have I learnt to appreciate more of what I have? Sometimes I really feel so blessed with what I have but at times I'm just a spoilt princess who wants more. Brand names clothings and accessories, trademarks gadgets and the IN things that everyone wants to own, I guess it voice down to human's greeds ehz? One greed satisfied but more greeds coming up. Don't like to be so.

Currently, enjoying all those homemade stuff. People here has everything homemade. They made their own yogurt, roast their own walnuts, made their own jams and breads. Lifestlye here is mellow and slow, nothing at all like singapore. Small town, even though traffic is not working at times, bad transmission of tv programs and old cars and services that are not quite up to date, it's still cool and a fine place. Everyone seems to be so rooted to this little town. When I'm in their "downtown central", it seems like everyone knows everybody there. I actually like lifestyle like this, people here are more simple and real. Then again probably I'm just born lazy. Don't like to live in competitive world. But sadly, everywhere in this world is developing and evolving into the same urbanise jungle. Trees and traditions are lost due to urbanisation. Kind of hate Mcdonalds, because with the appearance of Mcdonalds in one ciity it meant that this city will be the next clone.

Don't get me wrong. I don't mean development is not good. Development and advancement of a country is always encourage. People, hopefully, will be able to enjoy the fruits of these developments. Just hope that with developments and improvements of the world, good old traditions will still be preserved and people will appreciate life more. Not creating illusion of wants as needs... which many humans now do.....