It is good to return to a home country. Once in a while. It is also good to be able to leave.
I have just spent 10 days in my beloved Slovakia, with my parents and sister experienced one of the most peaceful and beautiful Christmas that I remember. Yes, time works wonders, a person realises many things over time. For instance that it is a waste of precious time to discuss politics with your loved ones, that the only thing that truly matters is being together while we still are, here and now, and enjoying it. Highlight No.1. As a family, we were cooking and baking together, I even hung up the washed curtains, I took it as manual relaxation. We were watching together some interesting documentaries, also fairy tale. I managed to see my colleague from Barbados on his Christmas visit of Slovakia. We had a fruitful two-hour debate about the Caribbean and Guyana where they found oil and which is the latest Klondike. I believe to visit him soon in 2025 in Barbados. Highlight No.2.
Back to Slovakia. Right after my arrival, I enjoyed lunch at the Chuť vidieka restaurant next to our office, excellent chef, excellent food and excellent personal service of his colleague, in my opinion it is one of the best restaurants in Bratislava. In the evening, I visited with my sister the pre-Christmas party of the Slovak Bar Association. Fellow lawyers living in their own bubble. Whatever happens, lawyers will be doing well. I don‘t deny it, I am glad to be a lawyer myself, but I am also glad that I am more or less behind this stage of my life and devoting myself to other things. I drove the standard 4 hours to my parents along the Bratislava-Kosice highway, which has not been completed after 14 years. Stopped in Banska Bystrica and enjoyed an unforgettable evening, a show by the world-famous DJ Paul van Dyke (PVD) in most probably the best night club in Central Europe, Ministry of Fun. If this was not true, PVD, used to performing in Ibiza, Miami or London, would certainly not have come to Banska Bystrica. Highlight No.3.
I was not surprised by the winter in Slovakia. I was surprised, but not shocked, by relatively high prices in stores in compared to the Czech Republic and Croatia which I have recently visited. I was shocked, but not surprised, by the Christmas visit of the Slovak prime minister to Russia and his meeting with the president,
That’s also why, after 10 days, I gladly boarded my flight to sunny Dubai and on to Thailand, and that I have the opportunity to come and go to Slovakia just for a visit. This possibility did not fall from the sky, I created it years ago when there was another prime minister in Slovakia and Slovakia was considered a black hole in Europe. It is good to have another option, a second home, plan B, for yourself and your family, because the smaller the country, the more people are affected by the bad decisions of politicians.
If you are interested in a similar plan B, through starting a company abroad or obtaining a residence in another country, including dealing with the respective tax issues, which is our specialty, let me know, I will be happy to share my 20 years of experience with you.
Dear friends, wishing you all the best in 2025.
Flight Dubai-Phuket, 29.12.2024
MV
