20th of May 2018
Just a thought
The corruption
It gives me the creeps when I think about the corruption that is like pest plague in the country where I was born. Iceland is the land of corruption these days and has been since before the bankruptcy 2008. There is no end to the greed. Those belonging to the richest families in the country continue to buy and sell the country to those in favour, even to foreigners. This all goes on while there are people starving, there are people homeless, there are people killing themselves because there is no way out.
Now the government tells the unions that everything is stable and the common people cannot get paid more!
Just thinking about this makes me sad and furious.
In my new land, Portugal, there is also corruption everywhere.
During the process of trying to move from my apartment and build a house which would keep me warm during the cold months, has opened my eyes and yesterday I had to look me into the eye and ask if I really wanted to fall into the pit with the corruption. I almost did but something held me back and now I am free.
Looking at the trend here and learning more and more about the way business is done makes me sick.
How can a teacher coming from an ordinary family have 40 thousand EUR in the pocket?
How can this same person buy a house and renovate for 70 thousand EUR without going to the bank?
How can a house and an apartment change hands and nothing is documented?
The same man who sold me the apartment 7 years ago has now made this swoop with people who just 2 years ago were complaining to me about how little money they had.
Did they win the lottery?
No they did not.
How can people on minimum wages afford to buy things for several thousand just like blinking an eye?
Oh, there is an explanation. The Portuguese way. Don´t pay taxes. Let idiots like me pay the taxes so the money payed behind the table are available to buy new houses, new cars or whatever.
This year I will pay almost 8 thousand EUR in tax. One third of my pension it is.
I am happy to pay taxes. No society can survive without them.
What makes me furious; those who consider it just normal and wonderful to cheat on me and the system and tell me and those law obeying idiots that we should shut up and be happy.
I almost fell into the trap.
I walked with closed eyes towards becoming in a small part a participant in a system I loathe.
It does not matter if it is a small or a big part.
I am grateful for the power that took over and made sure that I could not do what I would have regretted for the rest of my life.
Disappointments can be a blessing.
I am grateful to the lady who decided not to sell me the land I fell in love with so many years ago.
The disappointment was that I had almost fallen into a horrible situation with open eyes and there would not have been any way back.
Gratitude is what I feel now.
Gratitude for the protection I got from somewhere.
I don´t know why, but something is protecting me, something higher that me makes sure if I open my eyes that I don’t make too many mistakes.
On Tuesday is my birthday, a new beginning and a new year on the 22nd. How will this year be?
Have not got a clue!
I am excited.
New adventures are around the corner.
New beginning is like an empty page.
Empty page which will be filled with happiness and joy, no doubt about it.
I will pay my taxes with a smile and be grateful for my contribution to the community that takes care of me.
Shame on those who cheat.
Hulda Björnsdóttir
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