My work in Belgrade has been quite interesting as I managed to get to talk to the parts of the energy sector which the ministry, power company etc don't reach. Of course this means the really important part: the consumers.
So my last meeting was a lady representing consumers. She was trying to set up an independent set of consumers' associations which would be more active than the "official" ones. More power to her elbow! She said that she had worked in the police department in the Ministry of the Interior, but had retired now, but still wanted to work actively. As a lawyer, she seemed well-qualified and we had several really interesting discussions and I had no problem with trying to help her.
Then just at the end, she said something to the interpreter, saying not to translate. Of course, as soon as she was out of earshot, the interpreter told me that she had said she had been some big shot in the equivalent of the CIA. We both understood that as being in the Yugoslav equivalent of the KGB, which doesn't have quite the same fearsome reputation as the Russian one. But nevertheless, it was clear that she was not as simple as just working for the police, as she had said.
Why do some people have to boast? Why say anything? How or why does someone in that business decide she wants to represent consumers?
Lots of stereotypes here. Are any of them valid?
