Image of Latvia

Nation image is one of the main issues Institute of Latvia (Latvijas Institūts http://www.li.lv/) is dealing with. They spend approximately 200 – 300 thousand lats every year to make researches (what people elsewhere think about us), find new conceptions to make videos to present Latvia, brochures ect. What is Latvian image?

Researches results shows that Latvia generally is very little recognizable, especially out of Europe. It is recognized mostly in different specific fields. Like people who are interested in culture, may know Latvia because of our Opera singers, people who are interested in sports, know Latvia in ice hockey field or they know Tatiana Proporcuka who two years straight won the New York marathon. But when asked where is Latvia or who is Latvia’s president, respondents mostly keep silent. Is it good or bad? Well, lets put it this way…there are more than 200 countries in the world…can you just name a half of them? And about how many countries you know more than location and capital? Even less, right? There are only few countries that are recognizable everywhere…and Latvia is one of them.

Latvia - a sex tourism country?

A little time ago Latvia was widely recognizable in Europe as a sex tourism country (and still is) This was a big issue even in government level and it was a top theme in media. Why it is so?

Actually I am getting annoyed that most people (especially Latvian guys) blame girls who kind of “get laid for a drink” (and they refer it to all the girls) for that …Maybe, partly it is true. There are a lot of beautiful and naïve girls coming from farer regions of Latvia who believe all these stories drunk Italians or British telling them…and they believing in big true love and bright future in sunny Sicilia follow them to the hotel…stupid, but how can you blame these girls? I would blame these stupid men who think with another head. I bet all these girls never felt like heroes after they realize that they have been fooled. But these tourists go back home, tell stories to their friends…and friends come…

This summer I spoke to one British guy who came here with friends for a bachelors party and was complaining that everything is getting more expensive and most people are looking at them like sex tourists, but they are here just to relax. No girls (yeah, right – bachelors party and no girls). I kind of smiled at myself and thought that finally these social ads (maybe) are working…

Stay in Latvia or find an other place to live?

Government predictions right now is that by year 2015 as more borders will be open, there will be 250 thousand Latvians living somewhere else around the world. Right now the official number is about 60 thousand. Why do people choose live somewhere else?

I on my own few years ago moved to New York…I had all my life there. And I was almost happy! And I didn’t feel like coming back to live here in Latvia anymore. Actually I even didn’t want to. The only reason I ever came back was my family…and the reason I didn’t go back to New York was because the stupid US government didn’t give me visa… Right now I feel happy living here and the only thing I would change is the weather…I wish more sunshine!

I understand people who move somewhere else to find better life. Like my girlfriend Baiba says, “it’s all about money”. Latvia is one of the poorest European countries and the average salary here is ridiculous. There are either very rich people (not too many) or poor, no middle class. There are only few people who can save money, put it in the bank...Like my mom...she is a kindergarden director, she makes above the avarage...and still – she lives from sallary to salary...no chance to save. And belive me – she doesn`t even have a car...she cant afford it! Thats not normal...so I understand people who leave for better sallary...

Baiba says – people leave to „fulfill some specific needs or desires one cannot fulfill here or because they have obsession with international environment”. Ok, maybe… But my girlfriend Marita, whom I met in New York (she’s Latvian) thinks „living abroad is just a bit different and you’re only better off if you’re the kind of person who’s after new experiences. And be warned - once you’ve been somewhere for a while you’re back to square one and looking for the next place to go to, has happened to me twice already...” Becomes – that`s addicion? I don`t know...livig in different countries, chaging place you call home again and again...Maybe thats ok for someone...but not for me...not anymore. Here is my home, here is all my life – my family, friends, Latvians (here I am citizen and thats important for me) and I would never change it for anything else.

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