Chocolate dream

I love steamed dumplings with chocolate filling. If I had grown up in Slovakia, this is what I would have requested every year on my birthday. The gooey dumplings are coated in powdered sugar, cocoa, and melted butter. Unbelievable. It's another culinary delight that I experienced in Simona's kitchen.

Let's go Dutch

On a whim, I spent Easter weekend in Holland. Aaron, an American who has been living in Slovakia for nine years, invited me on an international road trip. His friends in the Netherlands come from Zimbabwe, Australia, Bulgaria, Albania, and New Zealand. They were eager to show me everything. In just three days, I experienced a Dutch comedy show, a boat ride through the canals of Biesbosch National Park, a trip to the tulip fields, and a walk on the beach of the North Sea. I also got a tour of Utrecht, the incredible city they're living in. I've never seen so many bikes in my life. I got a small shock from the alternative entertainment on display in Holland. My jaw dropped when we entered the red light district. One of my favorite memories was playing the Dutch edition of the windmill game on our way to see tulips in Lies. It was pretty competitive. Sometimes it is difficult for me to return to Slovakia after an adventure in western Europe, but it was easy this time. Aaron's obvious appreciation for Slovakia was contagious, and I returned "home" with a happy heart.

Teach 'em a lesson

Slovak women don't like Easter. On Easter Monday, men go from house to house, splashing women with water and hitting them with whips. In return, the women give them chocolate, eggs, money, and alcohol. Is anyone else confused? In the square, there's an Easter market with elaborately decorated eggs and the whips made from willow branches.

In my classes this week, students are planning hypothetical revolts against the Easter traditions. In their imaginations, the women splash the men with permanent green dye; they form an Anti-Splash Support Group; they drug the men and vacation in Egypt; they serve only non-alcoholic drinks and high-fiber snacks; and they drill holes in all the buckets.

Good as gold

It stopped raining today for the first time in eight days. It promises to start again tomorrow. The signs of spring are everywhere. Flowers are ready to burst in the square. It's great. Bring on the flip-flops and tan lines! Today I visited Kremnica, a town of about 6,000 residents, with my friend Sean. The town is known for gold mining. The square is on a steep hill and includes a plague column. Many European towns have plague columns to thank God for deliverance from the plague. Two-thirds of Kremnica's population was killed by the plague in the 17th century. We walked through the castle walls and climbed the tower in St. Catherine's church. Kremnica also has the oldest, still-running mint in the world. They have been making coins since 1328. I enjoyed spending the day in Kremnica. It was a great way to celebrate the sunshine.

Foreign feminist

Happy International Women's Day! I went to Simona's house for lunch. Her mom made us potato pancakes. Wow. Every time I am invited to eat with Slovaks, I eat until I think I'll burst. I love the food, but the portions are intense. This was another recipe I'll try to recreate.

This evening, I went on a walk. Every woman I passed had at least one flower. It's nice that women are recognized today, but I don't think it makes up for the work they do all year. It's not easy being a Slovak woman. Men seem proud to have no domestic responsibilities.

American pie

There are many Americans living in Slovakia this year through various Fulbright programs. I invited all of them to ski in central Slovakia this weekend. It didn't go exactly according to my careful plan. Heavy rain stopped our skiing ambitions. Instead, we went to a movie, walked through town, and played games. Conrad and Christina made an apple pie. There were nine people in my small apartment. It was loud and crowded, and I was beaming. We laughed about our triumphs and our failures. The combination of people was quite unique and it worked perfectly.