Brnin' both ends

In just two days, I was able to show Meg and Jill all of my favorite hangouts in Banská Bystrica. They drank tea with my students, tasted and loved brydzové halušky and trdelník, climbed the clocktower, and introduced Simona to maple syrup.

On Saturday morning, we took a bus to Brno, the second biggest city in the Czech Republic. It is a city filled with legends. There is a man trapped in a wall, a dragon in the waterways, a demonic wheel, a premature bell tower, and a vengeful sculptor. We wandered through the streets and stopped on sunny benches. It was very relaxing.

I had to say goodbye to Meg and Jill in Bratislava yesterday. It's really very difficult when the laughter comes to an abrupt halt. But I know that we'll think about our time in Europe and laugh about it for many years.

Oui love Paris.

On Tuesday, we took a train to Paris. It takes less than 12 hours to fall in love with Paris. We ran through the narrow, shuttered streets to all the major attractions. We waved at the gargoyles of Notre Dame, chilled with The Thinker, marveled at Monet's waterlily masterpieces, snacked on crêpes, and nearly collapsed under the Eiffel Tower. We loved it all. The Eiffel Tower has always been romanticized, and it surpassed all expectations. We stopped for lunch, and Meg was hit over the head with the language barrier.

Living like queens (but keeping our heads)

Meg and Jill met me in London! It felt like I'd never left home. The laughter and conversations picked up where we left off in September. London was much more modern than I expected. Huge glass buildings blend with ancient stone churches. It felt a lot like New York City. We spent four days in London. We saw it all: Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, the London Eye, the Tate Modern Museum, Shakespeare's Globe Theater, Buckingham Palace, St. Paul's Cathedral, and Abbey Road. We also had a tour of the Tower of London where three of Henry VIII's wives lost their heads. Nottinghill was another favorite. We strolled through the markets and ate at a cafe. Britain is not known for good weather or good food, but we weren't disappointed. The skies were blue, and we loved the "English breakfast" and the outdoor market with cheese samples. Meg and Jill were not too keen on the fish and chips. Our favorite memories were made on our pub crawl. We stopped at every tube stop on the way to our hotel, found a pub, and toasted our friendship.

Spoons + sunshine = smiles

I taught my students to play Spoons. They were very aggressive, and we laughed a lot. I like to imagine they'll go home and play with their families. I may have started a craze! In order to make it a learning experience, I taught them crucial vocabulary like: to shuffle, to deal, spades, hearts, three of a kind, etc.

The weather has been positively delightful. Last week, I was reintroduced to my shadow. After gray skies for most of December and January, the sun has emerged. I've heard March will be freezing, but I'm optimistic that spring is nearly here. Two of my students wore sunglasses in class this morning because it was so bright in the classroom. They're silly!

Hot dog!

The European dog sled championship was held in a nearby ski town called Donovaly today. Simona and I went to check it out. We stood in the cold and watched them run by for hours. It may not sound appealing, but I was awestruck. I've never seen anything quite like it. Simona expected them to run faster. Her imagination got in the way. Zdenka Predná sang a few songs for the crowd. She's a famous Slovak singer who got her start in 2005 when she placed fourth on Slovensko hľadá SuperStar, the American Idol equivalent. You can watch her sing "I Will Survive" on YouTube. I have a feeling she doesn't really know what she's singing. http://youtube.com/watch?v=f67jC4nMnik

Earlier this week, I reunited with my fellow Americans. Fulbright held a mid-year conference for Americans living and working in the Czech and Slovak Republics. It was interesting to hear about their experiences and impressions. I feel very lucky to be teaching in Banská Bystrica. Some people are trying to stay optimistic about living in tiny, remote villages. After a few days of business, I went to a winery to taste Templářské , a tasty Czech wine, with my new friends. Nora is the Fulbright director of educational exchange in Slovakia. Jessica is teaching art in Bratislava this year.

Masopust in Medzibrode

Simona invited me to Medzibrode, her grandmother's village, to see an end-of-winter tradition called Masopust. Between Epiphany and Ash Wednesday, there are many celebrations and carnivals. Today, masked people marched through town with a small band. We sat in her grandmother's small kitchen/living room and waited until they sounded close.

We had goulash for lunch, and Simona and I helped her grandma make filled donuts over a wood-burning stove. The experience was unforgettable and the food was heavenly. Her grandma is the tiniest person I've ever seen. I kept thinking how funny it would be to see Jesse standing next to her.

On this video, they are making donuts with poppyseed filling. Slovaks use concentrated poppyseed in many recipes. I've had it in many desserts and in pasta. I think it's just okay, but Slovaks seem to love it.