Sorry about the title being in French, but had to be ready for my French students tomorrow. Just trying to get in to the mood.
If any one needed convincing about the power of the internet to spread information then just talk to me. Apart from a huge spike in my viewings last May when I wrote blog post Six things you didn’t know about Latvians, I have been getting about 2000 views per month. Yesterday, thanks to a reporter on Delfi.lv I received a little over 56000 views and as I write I have received nearly 30000 views today. I received more comments on Delfi than articles about Vladimir Putin or some pop/rock stars. I don’t get why an article about an old, well not very old, Englishman living in Latvia should provoke such a storm of interest. Subsequently news about me has appeared on a couple of other news websites including the local Limbazi24 website.
I the main, the vast majority of comments are positive and are a pleasure to read. However some are quite negative, unpleasant and very personal and demonstrate that they haven’t read all my blogs. I hope that all my blog posts have been balanced and measured. I have tried not to offend any one, but realise that people may disagree with me but the beauty of living in a democracy is that we are allowed to have different opinions.
Should you disagree with anything I write in the future I will welcome the opportunity to engage in a discussion with you and will hold my hands up and admit defeat if I am proved incorrect. Thank you to all my readers you make the effort worthwhile.
An Englishman in Latvia 
As you may notice I follow your blog almost from the first day. My advice is to not listen to these negative comments, they hate everything. They hate other Latvians abroad, foreigners, neighbors and almost virtually everything.
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Hey don’t listen to the negative. What a great way to learn more about other people & places. I love reading it! Xxx
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I would be happy with 1% of your daily views 😀
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No matter what you write, you’ll get some negative comments. If you say you love Latvia, you’re an idiot; if you point out things you don’t like, it’s ‘go back to your own country bloody foreigner’ – you can’t win as I think I’ve told you before! Anyway, ride it out and focus on the positive. I’ve had far worse than this and made it out alive 😉
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It is amazing the connections that also happen over the internet. It was only because someone who had done some translating for me that I knew about your blog.
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Don’t take negative comments so close. Those people, writing them, as we say in Latvian: “Livin’ in Internet, eatin’ in a front of monitor and shitin’ (sorry) in comments”.
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Oh, engaging in a discussion 😀
That probably sounds (and is) patronising, but – don’t. Discussion is art long forgotten here.
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I’m always surprised how much negative comments there are in portals from Latvians. I can’t believe I’m living here in Latvia. I’m Latvian and I can suggest you – ignore them and keep doing your stuff! There’s plenty on NORMAL people here in Latvia, you just need to decide – whether you see those negative ones or positive ones :). Good Blog!
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“the beauty of living in a democracy is that we are allowed to have different opinions.”
Has anyone said that you’re not allowed to have different opinions?
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No, but if you read some of the comments on Delhi.lv, it would appear some people don’t like others having different opinions to themselves.
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That’s how I found your blog – after reading a Delfi article. And I absolutely love it. There are not many English people moving to Latvia, normally Latvians move to England. 😀 so it’s fascinating to read about how you see Latvia, latvians and our traditions.
I’m totally making my boyfriend read this as well. I’m a Latvian living in England and my boyfriend is English. He definitely could learn new things about Latvia from your blog. He also would like to move to Latvia one day so someone else’s experience should prove that it is not impossible.
thank you 🙂
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I’m really happy you enjoy reading my blog and if it helps your boyfriend then that’s a bonus.
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I found your blog by reading the delfi article too – when you compare, what they put in that article and what you write in your blog entries, the one in delfi is more superficial and shallow – it doesn’t do justice. As for the comments – ignore the overly negative ones – there are a lot of people out there, who write for the sake of writing something and not because they have an opinion about it. For them – everything is bad and you can’t do anything about it. Arguing is pointless, because most of them are not very reasonable to begin with.
What I like about your blog, is that I have a chance to see my country through foreigner’s eyes and realize, how many good and great things we have here that do not exist elsewhere. We – Latvians – sometimes tend to be too critical about our country and it is nice to have someone to remind that not all is bad as it seems. Thank you for that! 🙂
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I pleased you like my blog, it makes the effort worthwhile. You’re right about the negative comments, they’re just not worth thinking about. Inta and I looked through the comments on Delfi and I was so pleased about all the positivist. Just feel sorry for those few who see negativity all the time. What a waste of a life.
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Congratulations! 🙂 I am so proud and happy that found your blog before this madness! Take care and keep calm!:)
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If I may just say, I actually think you are incredibly kind and… honest in your descriptions. You really don’t need to worry about not being measured or balanced enough. Keep up the good work.
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Thankyou
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