Ms. Wortmanová

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.