What ever happened to uli - Orchid Board

dennis · #1 08-11-2007, 08:19 PM

and the rest of the europeans. have not seen them around in a while

Tricho · #2 08-12-2007, 09:41 AM

Must be the July/August heat wave, we (europeans) just go crazy!

cb977 · #3 08-12-2007, 09:44 AM

I was wondering about her myself! She might be catching up on all that sleep we deprived her of in the chat room

Tindomul · #4 08-13-2007, 10:14 AM

lol. Maybe they are all on their famous Euro vacations. I've heard they take months at a time from work in the summer.

Tricho · #5 08-13-2007, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tindomul1of9

I've heard they take months at a time from work in the summer.

Well, if you find exactly the place where people can and really do that please take the time to tell me. I know a lot of persons that would like it!

Tindomul · #6 08-13-2007, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tricho

Well, if you find exactly the place where people can and really do that please take the time to tell me. I know a lot of persons that would like it!

Well, those are just the rumors we here in the USA hear on the news and from folk that travel abroad.
Tell me, do you still practice Siesta? I know Italy and Spain did it in the 80's.

Tricho · #7 08-13-2007, 06:33 PM

No, it is not really a tradition in Portugal, although in the south it was more common. we call it sesta in portuguese.

I understand that it seems like a odd habit for northern cultures. The reason to do the siesta was that the majority of the work were usually done in the fields, were the sun and the common 100 F would rapidly extenuate anyone. So people worked earlier and later than usual (in winter there is no sesta), trying to sleep when the hot was hotter. (actually in the south of Portugal people use an expression that I find funny, they call it the pure hot, meaning hot weather all the day and night)

Now, almost all people work with air conditioner (like Florida) and there is no more sesta!

In the North there was no reason to do this because the climate has a strong atlantic influence. The majority of Spain and Italy (and a lot of mediterranean countries) are hotter due to the mediterranean influence.

There are jokes in Portugal, made by portuguese (in the north, of course), about the slowness of people in the south. But it is very funny to see the same people getting extenuated and almost ill when they try to do something in the hot weather of the south. Well, you can imagine the same scenario on US.

Sorry, I divagate...

shakkai · #8 08-13-2007, 04:28 PM

At work, they offer a 'term-time' working hour contract, which gives you the month of August off (school summer break) as well as all of the term and half-term breaks.

They just published a report comparing paid annual leave in various countries... it paints a really bleak picture of the US!

3/2007 / 2007 / EEEPB / Files / Media - ETUI-REHS

Legally Required Days of Paid Annual Leave in Other Countries:

France 30
Spain 30
Sweden 25
Finland 24
Norway 21
United Kingdom 20
Netherlands 20
Italy 20
Germany 20
Canada 10

The minimum mandated by EU regulations is 20 days... a far cry from nothing in the US!

Ross · #9 08-13-2007, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shakkai

At work, they offer a 'term-time' working hour contract, which gives you the month of August off (school summer break) as well as all of the term and half-term breaks.

They just published a report comparing paid annual leave in various countries... it paints a really bleak picture of the US!

3/2007 / 2007 / EEEPB / Files / Media - ETUI-REHS

Legally Required Days of Paid Annual Leave in Other Countries:

France 30
Spain 30
Sweden 25
Finland 24
Norway 21
United Kingdom 20
Netherlands 20
Italy 20
Germany 20
Canada 10

The minimum mandated by EU regulations is 20 days... a far cry from nothing in the US!

OK, since you started this (referes to teachers in Michigan, USA), what about paid day off for opening day of hunting season? How about "in service days" where teachers study up on what they are going to do for the next block of days? Paid of course. What about The process of taking a year's annual salary and spreading it over 10 months instead of 12? After all the teachers deserve a break so they can go hold a 2-month part-time job in addition to the regular salary. How about paid health care (100%) during the full 12 months even though they only work 10 months? US teachers (at least in Michigan, where they are in the top 2-3 in the US) get plenty for what they have to offer. I know - I pay huge school taxes on top of other taxes. But you've got me beat there in England don't you?

shakkai · #10 08-13-2007, 05:05 PM

This is just the legally mandated annual leave.... I work for a large multi-national computer company, and I get 26 paid vacation days, plus 9 national holidays. You won't hear me complaining!!! Having worked in the US for a small company where we were lucky to get 5 days paid vacation, this is something I certainly don't take for granted!

You probably don't want to get into working hours, either.... Working 'full-time' here means 37 hours a week here in the UK (actually, legally it is anything over 35 hours a week). France is also 35 hours per week, I believe.

The only thing I can say about teachers, is that the 'good ones' probably put in more than 40 hours a week during term times - with no over-time compensation. So, maybe it evens out?