Page 51 - Bulletin, Vol.82 No.3, December 2023

8. When were you happier –at the 10. What are your best or most
UN with the job you had (perhaps not interesting memories from your work
your favourite job, but in a for the Organisation?
prestigious Organisation), or after The statistical work was not so
you retired and were able to do what challenging, but the IT work was a great
you loved to do?
opportunity for me to acquire new
I was quite happy in the UN. I liked my knowledge, despite the fact that it was
colleagues in the two divisions that I had very demanding and that I had to do a
worked for. I took the opportunity given lot of overtime. However, In 1987 I was
by the UN to study and acquire working given extra 6 weeks compensation leave
knowledge in several languages. by the Director, and I travelled all over
Besides I made friends with Greek, former Yugoslavia and Greece.
Yugoslav, Hungarian, Bulgarian, and
colleagues from other Eastern European
countries and learned to do their 11. If you could start again from
traditional circle dances. scratch, or from the moment you
arrived here "just passing by", would
9. What are your projects? Are you you start again on the same life path
writing anything or doing any or would you do something different?
research? Tell us about your Do you have any regrets that your
activities.
talents could not be fully appraised
After retirement, I devoted a lot of time by the Organisation or during your
for some students preparing for their career at the UN?
Masters and carried on research in
International Trade. I had more time to I have no regrets. My adopted daughter
was more important for me than a
practice and give shows in Greek, career with the UN.
Hungarian and Bulgarian traditional
circle dances. I also got involved in 12. How important is Geneva in your
theatre and took part in two theatre life? You've decided to stay here after
pieces. you retire. Do you feel part of
Geneva? How do you feel here?
I could devote more time for my adopted
daughter who after doing her Masters in My adopted daughter is Swiss and many
France returned to Geneva. We did a lot of my close friends are Swiss. Geneva
of hiking all over Switzerland for the last has become an integral part of my life
20 years. because I’ve been living here for nearly
50 years, more than any other country I
After COVID I decided to stop teaching have lived in before.
and now spend more time in historical
research. I’m still interested in 13. And the last question: these
International Trade and follow closely meetings at Carrefour International -
international developments through their importance, for retired
various quarterly reviews at the UN internationals and for the people of
Library. Geneva. Do you think it will be

AAFI-AFICS BULLETIN, Vol. 82 No.3, 2023-12 49

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