Optimism in Odessa. What Odessa perspective on life can teach Ukraine

If the theater begins with a hanger, the journey in search of the Odessa optimism should not start with Deribasovskaya street and Privoz market, which residents of Odessa called the world’s largest. We will not argue, especially since the flavor of this southern Ukrainian port city offers to the visitor in that moment, when he notices one small detail: for all local citizens of Odessa — “most-most”. And it’s better to just believe.

The focus went to Odessa to understand what is Odessa optimism, and find out why cherry has a sacred meaning for Odessa, why scams never be optimistic, and humor will never lose control.

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Modern Supply, of course, is not the one which composed legends. Sparkling jokes and Odessa merchants, famous for its rhymes on the verge of a foul, — here almost you will not meet, but clearly visible in the culture marketplace of Odessa, which is intertwined local traditions, and unspoken rules of life adopted in the environment of ordinary people.

One woman on the supply that sells to small everyday things, when I asked her a question that she Odessa optimism, replied, “Sell more and earn money” and then proceeded to read women’s romance. Seeing my smile, she said, looking up from the book, wisely said: “And what else? Here’s my optimism, no other!”

Following the saleswoman was more verbose and just said that believes that tomorrow will be better.

But plans no order, still nothing happens. As it is, and so it goes. Everything is God’s will. The roof not jump. Tomorrow will be food day.

And suddenly switched to politics.

— While in Kiev you will not change all this pornography, nothing good will. You were in “Roshen” our? Saw what his store?

— Maybe it’s the bar itself higher set? — try to parry.

— Yes what kind of strap he — man heads goes. How many guys his life fills in the Donbass, and then they live happily ever after.

Realizing that discussion of politics just will not lead to optimism, I changed the direction of the conversation.

— Maybe you have friends there, who is the optimist? — show on a long shopping arcade in the hope that it communicates with other sellers.

And then the clerk comes alive and feeling fresh stentorian voice begins to call a marketplace of colleagues in Bringing.

— Lenka, turn around for me — are you an optimist?

— Caring

— So I understand.

— Vadim Petrovich, you are an optimist?

— Now no longer. I half past one night. Count, worked a double shift. What the hell is the optimism at this time.

— Now, — she raises a finger, turning to me already, it was, apparently, the very unexpected question.

— Allen, come here to me. You’re optimistic?

— What, no? — throws on the move a friend of our local “speaker” and quickly disappears into the crowd.

— Oksana, come here. You’re an optimist? — not appeased her.

— Somewhere! — a sly smile, answering the young blonde.

Gray, Lyosha, you guys are optimists?

— Of course! — grinning, answer the guys in the work uniforms.

— In what way? — I say I am, realizing already that in the Odessa optimistic deal to be not so simple.

— What do you want me to put? with Odessa accent responds, without hesitation, one of the guys.

“Oh, it’s in Odessa to answer a question with a question,” I think. And not having to ask a new question, I see how guys, waving goodbye with your hand, something fun discussing, dragged a box with the goods away.

It would seem that nothing new on the supply didn’t say, but in these short responses, you can recognize several conventional types of Odessa optimism — realism, apathy and soroptimism. First, when a person does not have long-term plans and the roof does not jump, but still hopeful that tomorrow will be better. The second is similar. But more like the philosophy of “as goes and goes.” And the third looks more like the definition gives the word “optimism”, “Wikipedia”: “a Look at life from a positive point of view, confidence in a better future. Optimism says that the world is wonderful and from any situation there is a way”.

Scam — not optimistic

Despite the fact that the previous responses of the dealers with the Importation was not too philosophical to draw conclusions about what “biggest market in the world,” no philosophers, still early. In food part we got a Georgian philosopher, seated on several boxes and visibly allocated among selling fruit and vegetable sellers their proud posture and serious gaze, which he appreciatively looked at passers-by. The white-haired Georgian who moved a few years ago in Odessa, said:

The optimist should never think that everything is bad or something is wrong! Optimistic person always wins. Because they believe that any situation can find a way out. But! The man who plays a double game, will never be optimistic.

Hmm! An interesting twist! — I’m surprised. What do you mean double-cross? How to determine what is right and what is not?

— That’s right — when you will do the same as you do with others. That was Yanukovych. Steal. And what road found? He kills his life for money. Because his son died. You need to look up, but don’t forget the leg glance. To see which way to go!

Georgian philosopher with the Importation paused, ran a hand through his thick black moustache and put a fat point:

— Fun — not optimists.

To add to this goal the exact statement I had nothing. And wise Georgians have helped to reach a new level of understanding of optimism. I tried to remember the stories of people who led a double play. They all do, sooner or later, earning millions donated are often the most expensive in my life – loved ones, family and friends. But most importantly — have lost the optimism that internal ease of life, which is the backdrop for a man who knows that, despite the difficulties, everything will be fine. This is not surprising. When sitting inside the fear of losing the accumulated or to be disclosed in the deception, people can’t help becoming suspicious of everything positive in life. The same reason creates and prejudice that life did an unjust thing. Because if otherwise, you have to honestly admit that what you have earned and amassed by fraud, you need to return. It turns out, the suspicion and lack of faith in justice — what lies on the opposite end of the optimism scale. Thus, if we follow the logic of wise Georgians, the conclusion is this: I want to believe the best — play fair with life. Otherwise, all that Shine such a man is eternal suspicion.

Cherry optimism

The color of any medium is formed more than one generation. And the roots of the historic sites, and with it the special of optimism, which are known inhabitants of Odessa, to be found in tradition. Ukrainian culture begins with the embroidered shirts. Or with towels. They, as it turned out, are not only sacred meaning, but also the imprint of the peculiarities of mentality of each region of Ukraine. Including Odessa. The symbols on the towel, which anciently embroidered girls before you get married, are the keys by which to read, he believed in the Ukrainian families that were considered talismans and even they worshiped.

The researcher of Ukrainian vyshivanok Valentina Sergeevna finds that cherry is not a random symbol on the Odessa towels, and a vivid indicator of the mentality of the locals

Valentina Sergeevna, Stellmach 80 years, the greater part of her life, she has been researching the symbolism of the towel. We met her in the Odessa branch of the philosophical school “New Acropolis”, where she presented the book about the symbols of towels and showed collected from all parts of Ukraine different types of them.

She’s got towels from Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Kyiv and Odessa regions. While everyone has his own symbolism. So, on some depicts the fairy-tale birds, who protect our lives, represented as a tree, and the family and love look like a Cup which is embroidered in the shape of a flower with a large open flower.

Valentina Sergeevna tells how one day the woman of the house saw a doormat on which barely stood out recognizable characters. “That woman — says the researcher, — I was very surprised when I asked her to give me that rag”. Later, when she managed to restore her embroidered characters, it turned out that this enormous painting, which depicts the ancient calendar hleborodov more times of Tripoli culture. Using different symbols on it are shown not just the seasons and natural cycles, and months and even weeks and days, helping to determine when to sow, to reap or to harvest.

Features historic sites, according to Valentina Sergeevna, also in the depicted symbols.

— On the towels, which I found in the Odessa region, the special symbols. Their main distinguishing feature is the cherry. Odessa past generations it was a symbol of health, life and spirituality. We can say that cherry — a symbol of God and all Living things. Remember “the Cherry orchard” by Chekhov. When it was cut down, life came to a standstill for the main character.

Colors at the Odessa special towels. Unlike towels from other regions of Ukraine that are usually embroidered in moderate tones, at the Odessa are presented more bright green, blue and crimson colors. That, according to the researcher, also demonstrates the Odessa special expressiveness and attitude to life.

But now, according to Valentina Sergeevna, Odessa is not the same.

— When I go to Odessa, go as someone else’s city. This whole insemina in the Windows, and the attitude of people to each other is quite another. One in Odessa, about which wrote Paustovsky, Babel and sang songs Rocks anymore. My husband, Yuri, a real inhabitant of Odessa, once wrote these words about Odessa:

Over a Cup of good Moldovan wine
Fatigue of the day on a hanger hanging,
Come on, not spending a lot of time in vain,
Let’s write a song, Bear, Odessa:
About the sailors of Odessa, about the fishermen of Odessa,
About mothers, which shines the light of hope…

Adventurers and optimists

“I went from reason and came to sense, from security to adventure, from reality to dream.” These words of Erich Remarque can perhaps describe the essence of Odessa, the founders, once made this city their new home. Can we say that this is also one of the faces of the Odessa optimism? The adventurer did not follow the rules, he is free from internal constraints. The optimist, however, also defies reality, not trusting people, who see in life only suffering and pain as something inner, free yourself. And for others, it is to some extent an adventurer, because risk standards for their own dreams for their, completely different, unlike external, internal reality.

Odessa humor in this sense is very revealing. The Odessa jokes is atypical, they have always something that breaks the foundations of humor. This is what we also told the waitress with a typical Odessa name on the badge “sleeper” in one of the cafes under the name “Whitebait”, which tried to incorporate unique Odessa flavor. However, later she secretly admitted that in fact her name is Light.

— Are you an optimist? we asked the waitress.

— Pessimists waiters do not work, smiling, replied Sonya-Light.

We complained to her that never met a native of Odessa in Odessa, she in Odessa joke:

— Want to meet inhabitants of Odessa, go to Israel or America.

Vadim and Vova believe that humor is a sign of kindness

Odessa — a loose concept

In Israel and America we decided not to go, especially as it turned out, the inhabitant of Odessa — a loose concept. It is not a nationality, because in Odessa there live representatives more than 100 nationalities, but rather a state of mind.

Agreed with this and our next hero — Crocodile Gena, who we met, going down to the beach. He played the accordion at passers-by in sight of the old Odessa song.

Gena the crocodile (life of Gennady Fedorovich) on the question of whether he is a native of Odessa, said:

— I was born in Leningrad and live in Odessa for 50 years. I think if you Odessa, I am from Odessa! — he answered.

Crocodile Gena 25 years of sailing on military vessels. Arkhangelsk. Magadan, Sakhalin, America, Africa, travelled the world, so follow his words sounded promising:

— When people complain that Odessa is bad to live, I say, Ukraine is a Paradise on earth. The best place in the world.

And then he told about his understanding of the Odessa optimism.

— Are all comedians. We have definitely April 1st all over each other joking. The humor always comes first. And despite the complaints of some, in Odessa all is well. To me 84 years old, working three jobs, and when they say that there is no money — people, money is not the lazy. For example, I have 24 acres. I recently brought my wife a bunch of cherries, she says, “Where should I put it”. Answer: “let him do it to people to sell we will not.”

Then conspiratorially leaned over to me and said, running his hand around:

I’m here to earn good money. Those who work, those in Odessa to live well. A lot of work.

Seeing that I need something more interesting about optimism, he paused and then said:

That is my optimism. You drive a car. Red light — stopped, stood. Go on. Green light — you did not notice and slipped. And in life. Do not pay attention to failures. Just look at the luck! Then you will be optimistic.

Optimism is out of control

After receiving a positive charge from Shrek, we went to the beach. The sea was still cold, but the people on the beach gathered a lot. Between campers went to local vendors shrimps, smoked fish and cold beer. One of the local shill to buy Odessa “nishtyaki” catchy chants: “Young-e-Ezh, who forgot to buy Balde-e-urchin?”

Seeing as she’s in the third round passes, we decided to ask her a question for which he came to Odessa. I had, of course, to appease its purchase of shrimp. And tanned from Odessa told us the story.

I was an Intern in Moscow. I do education Builder. And there is everywhere a passport to go. And I used, as here. Well, if a COP stops me: “Girl, can you?” And I answered him with Odessa accent: “I listen to you. Can — is how to understand? What do you want?”. Says, “hohlushka. Saying Odessa. I was at sea you”. Tell him, “And I’m constantly on the sea. What do you want?” “What are you doing here?” — “Work”. “Where?” — “In construction”. — “Your documents!” “So they’re home!” – turn on the offensive. — “Why are they home?” — “Where they have to wear? In my pocket is only money, nothing more”. — “Let’s go.” — “Honey, I have not seen. There you have coffee, 100 grams of pour? Then let’s go. No? Then I have no time, late for work”. — “Well…” Laughed and behind me. So we resolved the issue, finishes his story beach girl. — Here it is — Odessa optimism. He always wins any control.

The woman wished us a good day and went back to draw the crowds for its upbeat chants: “Young people who forgot to buy the frisky?”

Good optimism

Having a charge of the Odessa sun and beach “frisky”, we went to meet the train. By the way I was thinking about why humor is thin and flat. What determines a sense of humor and how it is associated with optimism. As if in answer to my question life has prepared another surprise.

Familiarity with the Odessa boys Vova and Vadim was absolutely unexpected. I stood and versed in Pathfinder, how to get to the right street, and they asked for a lighter. The result was invited for coffee. In the house, near which we met, they rented an apartment.

— You know, humor is a sign of intelligence! — Vova started a long way to explain the essence of Odessa humor. — People without a brain because a joke or not. In fact, the feeling, walked beside the optimism is, of course, humor. We in Odessa, for example, the humor of life. Even in Soviet times, when there was a shortage, so many jokes went on this topic.

And suddenly, on reflection, added:

— I guess we are good. Would be wicked, wouldn’t have been born humor in it. Would react very sharply and aggressively. Kindness somewhere near optimism. I think so…

• See also: In search of happiness. How to learn to appreciate every minute of life

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Optimism really deserves a separate study. In Odessa it is not the same, the indigenous inhabitants will not meet. But if humor, adventure, a positive Outlook on life, despite the difficulties, both economic and political, help people to believe the best, think about what it is that human quality, which in itself can be beneficial for the whole Ukrainian society. Especially now. A person must decide to live, disappointed, or to know that even if difficulties arise, it is only to make the next positive was perceived with greater joy. If to look at the world with a smile, it never fails.