Hellos and goodbyes

The highlight of Mom and Dad's trip was meeting their Slovak pen pals for dinner at a Koliba. It's a traditional Slovak cottage. After exchanging emails for several weeks, they were eager to meet. Dad's partner Zdena arranged the festivities. Mom and Dad were treated to shots of slivovica, traditional foods, and live music. All of this lead to uncontrollable laughter and unforgettable memories.

Yesterday, we went to Bratislava. Matt arrived at noon! I still can't believe he's here. I'm a happy girl. After exploring Bratislava, the four of us went to a ballet. It was almost like Cinderella, except the ashy boy was rescued by a princess. Obviously, I like this twist.

Today, we had all of our baggage and no energy, so we went restaurant hopping! We went to three separate restaurants for hot chocolate and apple strudel, pizza and beer, and chocolate cake and tea. I know it's silly, but it was my favorite. I loved talking and laughing with my favorite people.

It was expectedly difficult to watch Mom and Dad grow smaller as our train left today. I'll miss them. I'll always remember Dad's energy. He wanted to be everywhere. Mom and I tried to keep up, and when we couldn't, we looked at each other and smiled. It was a very cold Christmas, but the memories will always make me feel warm.

Hungary for Christmas

It was a very merry Christmas in Budapest! My parents were my presents. We checked into our hotel and headed to the Christmas market. We sampled the mulled wine.

On Wednesday, we took a bus tour of the city. Our guide was stellar. We loved St. Stephan's church and the Fisherman's Bastion. We also took a tour of the Duhány Street Synagogue, the second biggest synagogue in the world. It holds 3,500 people. There was a mass grave with victims of the Holocaust and a few memorials nearby.

Today, we took on Banská Bystrica. We went to mass at the Virgin Mary Church. It was built around 1255. Then, we went to the village of Hronsek. There is a beautiful wooden church. It was built in 1725 without any metal. No nails! It's has amphitheater-style seating for 1,100 people. The inside was even more incredible than the outside. We're planning to have more fun tomorrow.

What the carp?!?

It's beginning to smell a lot like Christmas! There's a giant tank outside of Tesco. It holds a huge amount of live carp. The men scoop them out, put them in plastic bags, weigh them, and announce the price. People take them home and keep the live fish in their bathtubs until they are killed for Christmas Eve dinner. Most families have more than one fish. The children play with them, and they are removed when someone needs to shower. There are a lot of interesting Slovak Christmas traditions, but this one fascinates me the most.

Painting the town

Field trip to Vienna!!! I still can't believe that I can spend an afternoon in another country. I went with students who are studying German and English at my school to the 'Picasso to Monet' exhibition at the Albertina Museum. I especially enjoyed Woman with Blue Eyes by Dongen. Picasso's Woman in a Green Hat and Monet's Waterlilies weren't bad either! I sat in front of Waterlilies for quite a while with four of my Slovak students, and I was happy. What an experience!

We walked around Vienna and visited St. Stephen's cathedral. It's always been my favorite European church. The inside reminds me of a cave. It's dripping with beauty. We also went to a cafe, and my students insisted that I try sachertorte. It's Vienna's famous chocolate cake. I didn't argue.

Vienna is covered in Christmas. Every street is festive. The Christmas markets are filled with pastries, hot Christmas punch, ornaments, and happy voices. I was with my elementary-level students. They can barely speak English, but they did everything to make sure I had a good Austrian experience.

The place for lace

I have a new appreciation for Špania Dolina. I returned today with Simona for a Christmas program. The people of the town showed us how they make traditional Slovak crafts. We saw women making oblatky (thin wafers), Christmas ornaments, gingerbread cookies, scarfs, and lace. Simona and I even got to decorate cookies and make ornaments. Špania Dolina is known for lace-making. It was incredible to watch the pins and bobbins of thread become flowers. A few weeks ago, I walked through the same streets and down the same mountain, but friends make everything sunnier.

Mikulaš is coming to town

Last night, children throughout Slovakia shined their boots and put them near the windows. If they were good, Mikulaš filled their shoes with candy and fruit. Tonight, Mikulaš made an appearance in the square. He was accompanied, as usual, by an angel and a devil. The devil, called čert, threatens children to encourage good behavior. One of my students was disappointed because Mikulaš wore a Santa Claus suit. The traditional Mikulaš wears primarily white and carries a staff. Many people are adopting Santa Claus. It's unfortunate. I enjoyed watching the spectators more than the show. It was a child's paradise. Candy, balloons, and flashing devil horns were everywhere. When I walked around town today, I could tell everyone was on a sugar-high. They smiled from the inside out.

The town square is decked out. There is a large Christmas tree, and the fountain has been converted into a nativity scene. Greenery and lights frame the recently added Christmas markets. They sell hot wine, punch, and sausages. It smells incredible. The clock tower plays Christmas tunes. It's magical.

You've Got Mail

Ten of my beginning students have been corresponding through email with my family and friends. Pen pals! I love being in the middle of their conversations. I have become an expert on important vocabulary like "hug" and "slumber parties." I helped Ľubo with the crucial distinction between "beer" and "bear." Zdenka prints all of Dad's emails and marks all over them. She learns and laughs easily. I'm impressed that Richard seems to understand Jesse's wit. Ivana reminds me of Jill. She eats constantly but remains tiny, and she's got just the right amount of attitude. They all love sending and receiving photos. I look forward to going to the computer lab every Monday. This has definitely been one of my favorite experiments.

Last week, Zdenka brought me a bag of marshmallows. I made Rice Krispie treats! The marshmallows- and the resulting rice squares- were pink and fruit-flavored. I brought them to class today, and they seemed to enjoy them. Ivana was pretty nervous when she took her first bite. It was fun to watch their faces.

Bowled over

On Thursday, I went bowling with the people from the car dealership. Ľubo, the boss, is strangely amusing. He reminds me of Michael Scott from The Office. Everyone kept explaining the rules to me. "If you knock them all down, your next two balls count twice. Is it the same in America?"

There are many double standards for men and women. The women never speak in class, and they laugh at the lousy sexist jokes the men tell. When we were bowling, Marek asked me what I wanted to drink. "We drink beer, and the girls drink wine." I smiled and ordered a beer. Ľubo gave plenty of advice on bowling. There seemed to be a little pressure to let him win. He drank plenty of beer, and by the third game, I was the only person still focused on bowling. With a score of 106, I won! Obviously, they are not very competitive bowlers.

At the orientation in September, I met Richard and Kathy. They are from Delaware, and they're living in Nitra this semester. I went to visit them yesterday. They are delightful. It was nice to see Nitra and to visit with them. They call me their "Slovak daughter." I'm happy to be adopted.

D'akujem vel'mi pekne!

I am thankful to Petra, Jaro, and Simona, my new Slovak friends, for making me feel at home. I am thankful to my mom for giving me step-by-step instructions for mashed potatoes, stuffing, and chicken. I am thankful to Meg for giving me a recipe for gravy and for sending Stove Top stuffing for back-up. I am thankful to my students for listening to my retelling of the first Thanksgiving and our current traditions. I am thankful for the happy Thanksgiving memories I have and for the new appreciation I have found for American holidays. I am thankful for international phone calls and familiar voices. I am thankful for long-distance laughter. I am thankful for the simple pleasures of Slovakia, for sheep's cheese, house slippers, and Horalky. I am thankful for my time here.

Well done

I used the oven! My friend Sam came to see central Slovakia. It was the perfect excuse to make apple crisp. The oven has terrified me since the day I moved in. To start it, I had to turn the gas on, push a button on the far right, and stick a lit match down the center hole at the bottom. I was shaking when I lit the match, but it was definitely worth it.

I showed Sam around Banská Bystrica on Thursday, and we planned to visit Kremnica on Friday. Somehow, we managed to miss three buses. I can't explain it. The platforms we were told to wait at didn't actually provide buses. It was unbelievable. So, we went to a movie instead. We saw Lions for Lambs. It had Czech subtitles. Only the movies for children are dubbed. The Simpsons Movie was recently dubbed into Czech. The Simpsons never speak Slovak. The Czech voices have become too familiar, and every Slovak understands Czech.

Which way to Špania Dolina?

I experienced my first Slovak snowfall earlier this week. The first snow is always a little magical. I am curious to see what the winter will bring... hopefully enough hot chocolate and soup to keep me smiling.

Today, I visited Špania Dolina. I didn't entirely understand the bus schedule. I thought I would be dropped off in the town square, but I was dropped at the base of the mountain that Špania Dolina is on. I had a big hike to reach the small town. Less than 200 Slovaks live there. Many of their homes are on very steep hills. It snowed lightly, and the few children of the town threw snowballs at each other and laughed. I can see why it's a popular place to visit. It was a mining town for many years, and now it is known for its lace-making. I climbed the covered staircase to the hill-scaling church. The church didn't appear to be open. In the center of town, there is a monument to the 15 residents who died during the Slovak National Uprising... it's not a huge number, but it represented 10% of the town's population. Many of the mining towns have koplačka towers. They would use a resonating board to call the miners to work, like a giant alarm clock for the town. The koplačka tower in Špania Dolina is now part of a hotel and restaurant. I had a cup of hot chocolate and started hiking towards the bus stop.

Eger, Hungary... my kinda town

This weekend, I headed East. I visited a new friend in Košice, Slovakia. Sam is from Maine and is teaching in Košice this year. He showed me around his new town and I went to his web conference for U.S. and Slovak students to discuss the image of America. It was very interesting and a little depressing.

On Saturday, Sam and I went to Eger, Hungary. It is a town with an incredible history. In 1552, they were attacked by the Turks. The Hungarians were severely outnumbered, but with the help of the women in the town and some red wine, they were victorious. The wine stained the men's beards, and the Turks concluded that the people of Eger got their strength and courage by drinking the blood of bulls. Now, Eger is known for its Bull's Blood wine. What a legend! We visited the scene of the battle, the castle of Eger. It was the most incredible castle I've seen so far. Our next mission was to sample the famous red wine. We walked to Szépasszony-völgy, the Valley of Beautiful Women. There are hundreds of wine cellars carved into the mountainside where they sell the local wine. Each cellar has its own charm. We went into numbers 3, 17, and 10. When the sun went down, the town had a new mood. It was still buzzing but peaceful. Eger will always be one of my favorite places. It's a town known for strong-willed women and great wine. What's not to love!?

Všechsvätých (All Saints' Day)

Today is All Saints' Day. It's a day for families to gather together to remember people who have died. They put candles and flowers (always in even numbers) on the graves of their loved ones. I walked to the town square to check it out. There were a lot of families. It made me grateful for my own family... What a nice idea God had- to give everyone a mom and a dad and sisters and brothers!

I walked through the cemetery. It was beautiful. Cemeteries have always been a little scary for me, but this was a completely different experience. It was so peaceful. People also light candles in front of the church for people whose graves are far away. I lit four candles, too. I thought about my grandpas-- two great men who gave me two great parents. I also remembered my dad's best friend, Randy Campbell. I know he was admirable from the few memories I have and the many stories I have heard. Darlene watched Meg and I when we were young and was a good friend for my mom. I thanked God for these great people and walked home. I think this is a very nice tradition.

Fellow foreigners

On my first Waldo-less weekend, I decided I needed to get out of town. Yesterday, I headed to Banská Štiavnica to see the town's two castles. I was planning to make a solitary trek around town and head home... Who knew that I would spend the evening learning to make crêpes from two French guys?!

At the bus station, I was asking for directions to the town square. I found Benoît and Quentin. They are from the north of France and are studying in Bratislava for the year. We walked around the old mining town. I read that it is the most beautiful town in Slovakia. And it was a lovely town, but I think Banská Bystrica is even nicer. We saw the Old and New Castles and a small mining museum.

They rode the bus home with me and we played poker with Reese's Pieces. Benoît won with a full house. I taught them to play Old Maid and Spoons. We made crêpes with jam and Nutella for dinner. I flipped a few myself. It was an unforgettable experience!

What a treat!

Today, I took knives to school. Scary! My class of beginners carved a pumpkin. They had never done it before, so it was fun to see their reactions. They got out their cameras or their cell phones to take pictures. I taught them interjections. Gross! Yuck! Ew! Meg sent me a bag of candy corn, and I shared it with a few of my classes. They loved it. I have been telling all of my classes about Halloween traditions like visiting pumpkin patches, trick-or-treating, and going to haunted houses. They have been telling me about their traditions for All Saints' Day. I am eager to see the cemeteries that night- I've heard they are covered in candles.

I had another new class today. A man picked me up this morning and took me to a car dealership where I taught conversational English to six businesspeople. They were very friendly. We talked about everything from the Denver Nuggets to school shootings. They also told me about a meal served at some restaurants- raw meat on toast. The director of the company promised to take a group of us out so that I can try it. Fortunately, it goes very well with beer.

Czech it out

On Thursday morning, I was a mess when I had to say goodbye to Jen. It's a good thing Greg was still here to pick up the pieces and start a new adventure. We boarded a train and headed to Prague. Greg and I saw every inch of the city. We started with Charles Bridge and the Prague Castle on Friday. We saw the cathedral where we climbed 297 steps to get a better view of the city. I think the cathedral was Greg's favorite part. He videotaped everything! It was beautiful. We saw the changing of the guards at noon and spent the rest of the afternoon touring the royal palace, the museum, the convent, and the torture chamber that are inside the castle walls. In the evening, we headed to U Zlatého Tygra (The Golden Tiger). It's where President Havel took President Clinton to show him a "real Czech pub." The Pilsner Urquell was cheap and tasted great.

On Saturday, we saw the Astronomical Clock strike twelve. It wasn't too impressive. A lot of tourists gather around every hour to watch the giant cuckoo clock. The apostles pop out every hour and Death rings a bell. We walked to the Old Jewish cemetery and the Old New Synagogue. They were preserved during World War II by the Nazis because they planned to make a museum of the "extinct race." It's disturbing to see all of the grave stones piled on top of each other. In the afternoon, we climbed Petřín hill. I was not too eager to make the journey, but it ended up being my favorite part of Prague. There are a lot of trails and benches. It reminded me of Central Park on a mountain. There were a lot of people with their children and dogs. There's also a 60 meter version of the Eiffel tower and an old wooden church. The church was incredible. It was a nice way to end the trip. On Sunday, I had to say goodbye to Greg and ride the train back to reality. I miss the Waldos already.

Three's Company

Greg made it safe and sound. We've been showing him the sights in Banská Bystrica. We woke up this morning and headed to the Museum of the Slovak National Uprising. During the Nazi occupation, Slovaks resisted in Banská Bystrica. It is a big source of national pride. Many towns have squares and streets named after the uprising. The museum looks like a UFO. It was called "the best museum in the country" in Jen's guidebook. We weren't disappointed. The museum was filled with artifacts and the information was printed in English and Slovak.

We walked through the town and stopped for a kebab. We ordered mini kebabs and expected meat on a stick. It was more like a sandwich. We sat in the sunny square and watched people pass. The clock always plays a song at about 7 minutes before the hour. Every time we hear it, we smile. Jen and Greg went to a movie while I taught a few lessons. The Waldos definitely make Slovakia a nicer place to be.

A Tale of Two Cities

It was the best of times! Jen and I explored Bratislava on Friday and Vienna on Saturday. On Friday, we checked into the City Hostel, our first hostel experience. It was not as rugged as we expected. We had a private room. We visited the Bratislava castle, the Danube river with the New Bridge, the Presidential Palace, and the opera house. It rained all day, so we went to a pizzeria to warm up. We had pizza with eggs and green olives on it, drank wine and beer, and laughed our way back to the hostel.

On Saturday, we met Jan in Vienna. He was our tour guide when we took students to Europe two years ago. He is still a likable character and a great guide. He showed us the museum district, the Schönbrunn Palace, and an amazing outdoor market. The smells alone were satisfying. We met his sister Julia. Jan made us dinner, and we had interesting conversation. It was the first time I got the impression that Western Europe looks down on Slovakia. Jan and his sister made a few comments that were not too pleasant. They are educated people who seem very eager to stop prejudice, and they had some strange ideas about the country whose border is just 30 minutes away. I felt I had to defend my new country. I had no such feeling when they started questioning the U.S. president! Overall, it was a great day in Austria. This morning, we woke up early and headed back to Slovakia. It was a long day of traveling. We took a subway, a tram, two trains, and two buses today. We're ready to relax. Greg will be here tomorrow!

Sight-seeing sisters

Jen's here! I can't tell you how I laughed when I saw her step off the bus. It's been nice to share my town with my big sister. We have a long list of goals for the trip. Last night, we started by going to Evijo Pizzeria, the best pizza place in Banská Bystrica, and by drinking some thick hot chocolate. It was a delicious start. Today, we climbed the clock tower. We could see the quaint square from a new angle. We also celebrated Jen's Meniny (Name Day). I took Jen to my other favorite pizza/sandwich place. I like it because you can point to what you want and the man who works there tries to speak English. It always makes my day. Jen went with me to two classes today where we discussed marriage and attraction. We were eager to discuss the differences between our countries but found there weren't many. We all had similar views. After class, Jen and I made soup in bread bowls for dinner. It is a meal that will be recreated for all future guests. More adventures to come!

The bus stops here.

I am writing again because today was a big day! I rode the city bus for the first time. I find myself avoiding a lot of simple tasks. I know it's silly, but I get quite nervous. When I finally get the guts, I feel a huge sense of accomplishment. I celebrated the first time I went to the post office and the day I bought fruit from an outdoor market. There are new reasons to celebrate every day. Today, I rode the bus from my apartment to Tesco, Slovakia's big box store. I didn't need anything but milk, but I was curious to see the place. I paid 14SK each way; that's about $.58.

Tonight, I went out for tea with Beata. We went to an amazing teahouse where we sat on pillows and ate dried papaya. I was thrilled when we found chai on the menu. All tea is called čaj and is pronounced like chai. What Starbucks calls chai, Slovaks call masala. It tasted so delicious and familiar.

FALLin' for Slovakia

It's a beautiful time to visit Slovakia! Jen and Greg will be pleased. The mountains around the town are multi-colored. I took these pictures on my way to school today. I pass through two parks. It was just starting to rain. I always have sunglasses and an umbrella with me. You never know!

My classes are going well. I am really enjoying the class of beginners. We usually spend nearly the entire class in confusion, but they have nice personalities. It's funny that I can tell without understanding a word they say. I never thought I'd be teaching sentences like "The boy is happy."

The more advanced classes obviously tend to have more interesting conversation. Yesterday, I reviewed sports vocabulary and phrases. One class sang "We Are The Champions" and "The Star-Spangled Banner" when we talked about the Olympics. I loved it. Tonight, I had a different advanced group, and we had a heated discussion about the roles of a mother. There aren't a lot of feminists in this country! At least one of my students is hoping I never reproduce. My poor children! Overall, my students are amazing. They are eager to learn and pleasant to be around. Three of my students stayed after class today to tell me the restaurants and pubs I should visit while I'm here. They even marked them on a map. It's a nice change to work with adults.