Ahoj! I made it back safely from Bratislava. I enjoyed the opera even though I didn't understand any of it. I thought one woman was angry because another woman was getting a lot of attention from the men. Then, the two women started embracing, and not in a sisterly fashion. I don't know...
I think Bratislava is a beautiful city, and I plan to return often this year. I especially enjoyed visiting the castle. I've decided to see at least 10 Slovak castles this year. It should be an easy task. Every town has its castle.
Yesterday, I was invited to Lena's house. She is one of my colleagues. I told her I was interested in cooking, Slovak style. The grocery store has been overwhelming, so I've been eating mostly bread and cheese! She taught me to make a delicious meal with crab and cod. It had ginger, soy sauce, and ketchup in it. Slovaks like their ketchup. It was served with rice. I'm planning to make it when Jen visits in two weeks! For dessert we had chocolate ice cream with whipped cream and caramel sauce. I cannot believe the way these tiny Slovak women can eat.
I think you are supposed to bring flowers to a hostess, so I did. You should never bring an even number. Even numbers are only used in funeral arrangements. A dozen roses may be insulting!
After lunch, we took Lena's two children for a hike. We hiked up a mountain near the train station. At the top, there is a huge open meadow. It was so beautiful. My flat looks even better from a long distance! I couldn't understand the children, but I think that was okay. Everything they said sounded beautiful, but I have a feeling it wasn't always pleasant. I had a great time.
Lena told me that women have the suffix -ová on their names. It comes
from the suffix -ova, which shows
ownership. So, a man named John Smith would have a daughter named Jill Smithová because a girl belongs to her father. When she
marries Jack Jones, her name will be Jill Jonová because a woman belongs to her husband. You can probably guess how I feel about this tradition. I think it's strange that a girl doesn't have the same last name as her brothers.
Today was the first day of classes. We just interviewed the students to see what level of classes we will need. They are lower than anyone expected. I am going to be teaching a beginners' class. I tried to explain that I don't speak ANY Slovak, but no one seems concerned. I think the school year can only get better. I don't think I'll be bored.
Yes, that's me. . . Marta's parents invited me to spend the weekend in Myjava. They have been so good to me! I am grateful that Juro, her brother, was here to translate. It is difficult to get to know people when you can't speak to them. I do know that Marta's mom is incredibly generous and quick to smile. Her father is soft spoken and has kind eyes. I feel very welcome here.
There is a market and folklore celebration here this weekend. We watched the dancers and walked through the crowded stands. Then, Juro and I climbed to the top of the church clock tower. It was much more peaceful there. You could see the large cement 
buildings. He called it "the Socialists' copy-paste architecture" because they're all exactly alike. We walked through more of the stands. These cookies are a Slovak tradition. I guess they look a lot better than they taste. There were wood carvers, basket weavers, and iron workers. We visited the town's museum. And, we toured a farmhouse from the 19th century. It has been preserved, and the people who run it maintain the old ways of life. After some mild protesting, I dressed in the outfit that is from this region. I felt a little silly, but it's nice to be surrounded by tradition. Our host gave us bread with pig's fat, onion, and
salt. It was always offered to guests. It tasted better than it sounds. We drank tea made from herbs that are grown there. Tinka, Juro's girlfriend, and I also took shots of slivovica. I really like Tinka. She makes everyone smile. We went out for a delicious Slovak meal. It was a good way to end a good day.
