Hanging in there

The post will  have to be brief because I am having great difficulty grasping the language, and need to get back to my room to try to find some way for my brain to accept this challenge.

In the meantime, one quick story.....

Today, we headed to the "Red Castle".  Now, I'm sure that there is a better word for the name, but that is the English translation and, quite frankly, I don't have time to research it to give you the correct name.  Amy and I headed out the door at 3:00 and boarded the bus that was already nearly full.  Prior to entering the bus, I asked the one professor  what her name was (in Slovak) after introducing myself, and asked her what town she came from.  (the reason for the question was because she bears an amazing resemblance to one of my relatives...but I'll have to elaborate on that in a later blog.)

In any event, it was obvious that I didn't speak Slovak.

We headed out to the castle, and when we disembarked, and headed into the castle grounds, there were some confusing moments when it became obvious that we had boarded the incorrect bus.  What is rather amusing is that the one instructor actually did a head count three times.  Besides Amy, there was another young woman with us, which should have increased the numbers by three, but somehow, these women missed that fact.

During the tour, the one instructor came up to me and began to converse to me in Slovak, asking me the typical drill questions for newbys.  I am proud to say that I could converse with her through about three questions:  my name, where I lived and my profession.  Also told her that I was pleased to meet her.  That was certainly exciting for me as I continue to fall short in the classroom when it comes to answering questions.

Oh, one exciting thing for the day:  Amy was interviewed by the Slovak Television crew and should be on television tomorrow night at 7:00 p.m.  That would be 1:00 p.m. Eastern time, not that any of you would pick up Slovak television to see her, but thought it would be worth mentioning.


I'll leave you with some photos of the day.

Slovak Language Course: Day 2

Just thought I'd share a photo of our Slovakia home these next few weeks.  It really does stand out in the countryside.

We're still having a tough time sleeping despite daring to keep the window and door open at night to try to get some sort of air circulation in the room.  We've been told that the weather is supposed to get cooler....so we are definitely looking forward to that.

Our classes went fairly well today.   For those of you wondering, we are not the only mother-child attendees.  We have a Swedish mother and her son as well as a mother and daughter from Thailand in the class along with us.  And I hear tell that there is another mother/son in the other set of classes.

We do have a great group of participants, although the other American,  (a retired man was born in McKeesport and claims to have a Slovak town named after his Slovak ancestors) has been a bit annoying.  Actually, he seems to feel the need to answer any question that I direct to the teacher in a very condescending tone.  I thought that perhaps his tension was only felt by me, until Amy mentioned to me that she noticed his abruptness as well and was going to say something to him about just leaving me alone.  Not to worry....I'm up for the challenge.

I can't quite understand why this man is in the class if he already knows Slovak. And, to be quite honest with you, if there is a town named after his Slovak ancestor who supposedly was an earl, then why did he emigrate to America?   If one had a entire village named after him, I'd think he was pretty important and wouldn't decide to go trotting off to another country.  Don't you?

Lunch was certainly a surprise.  We have to order out meals the day before so they know how much to prepare.  I have had a difficult time finding items that do not have peppers in them.  (Remember that I am violently allergic to green/yellow/red peppers.)  So, I ordered the fruit for today.  Sounded safe.  And it was:

Yep...that was all mine.  4 Bananas, 4 nectarines, 2 oranges and 2 apples.  Obviously, I didn't eat it all.  Amy ordered a ham dish that actually was pepper free as well.

So, we shared her meal, ate a couple of pieces of fruit, and brought the rest to the room for snacks.  

When the classes were complete, we headed into Modra as part of the program, by foot.  But it really was only a walking tour with a group, then we were on our own.  Amy and I decided to eat dinner in town since dinner here is limited to one choice and it was not pepper free.

We had some great Bryndza pirohy, 

and I enjoyed a glass of wine, which, by the way, only cost me .5 euro for a glass!

Nope...I'm not shocked by the price.  I'm actually trying to open my eyes wide enough so that I don't look so tired for the photo!

After dinner we walked along the town.  For now,  I'll say Dovidenia while leaving you some photos of Modra to admire.

Was it a Sign?

Yesterday, Amy and I decided to walk around the area to escape the heat of our room, and we looked up and saw this lovely rainbow among the clouds.  We were certainly surprised to see it since there was no sign of rain anywhere.  But it sure did bring a smile to our faces.

The area around us is really quite lovely.  We are amidst some famous wine makers here in Slovakia. One can see grapes growing for miles.

The morning began with the chirping of little birdies demanding their breakfast.

Look carefully and you can see their little heads at the top of the nest.  I was entertained for awhile watching their mommy come and go to feed them.  Whatever type of bird this is, it moves in and out very quickly, making it difficult to capture a photo.

I want to clarify that the birds are OUTSIDE of our windows, not inside.  And, the staff was sure to hose off the area around the rooms to keep any type of birdie debris from building up that might cause sanitation issues.  So, no bird flu to worry about, OK, Becky?

Our intro to the Slovak language began today, and I can tell you that they don't beat around the bush here, that's for sure.  We have a delightful instructor who had us laughing and kept us interested for several hours. I'll have to keep this brief since I need to go and study what I learned today.

Actually,  if I had not already known some Slovak, I think  I would have been truly lost today. Our class is small.....only 7 other people.  2 Swedes, 2 from Vietnam, one German, a man from Great Britain, and an American fellow who is considerably older than me.

It dawned on me today that it had to be easier for me to learn this language since the woman would speak in Slovak but then followup in English.  If I didn't speak English, I would have certainly been very lost!

We had a lovely "ice breaker" this evening with a Slovak group entertaining us while we were finally given some information and a schedule!  Yeah!  It looks like we'll be quite busy and there is an excursion planned for nearly everyday while we are here as part of the exposure to the Slovak culture.

Tomorrow we start with class in the morning, then head to Modra in the afternoon.  Amy and I actually walked into the town tonight.  It is about 3 km from here, but the air had cooled off and it was a great break from the heat in our room.

Oh, and I almost forgot to mention that when we "registered" today at the desk, I was informed that I only owed 37,54 euro instead of the 44 euro that I had been expected to pay.

You have to admit....change is really a great thing!
Dovidenia Zatra!

The Jury is Out!

Amy and I are presently at the UJOP University Center on the outskirts of Harmonia in Slovakia.

Pretty much in the middle of nowhere.

At first glance, the room seemed nice enough, although there is no sign of air conditioning anywhere and no fans in sight.  The room does have large windows....but there are no screens.  Which would normally not be a big deal here because we have noticed that there are not many flies in Slovakia, so screens really aren't necessary.  Except, Helga did warn me to always keep the sheer curtains drawn over the open window to keep the birds from flying inside. Now she is on the 6th floor where there are limited bird hangouts, but she still exercises caution.

I entered the room and walked over to the window to open it to see if I could get some fresh air, and I spotted several of these:

At first, I though they were hornet nests, but when a bird came flying at high speed, and suddenly disappeared into one, I realized that these are bird nests.  And there are several within a couple feet of the window.  So, contrary to the conditions at Helga's regarding birds, the possibility of feathered company is much more significant here. So, dare we keep the window open with so much activity going on?

To be honest with you, the birds do seem to be primarily interested in the nests and not in random flying patterns. But considering our propensity for experiencing unusual events, I really don't feel too comfortable keeping the windows unattended.

Amy was pretty down in the dumps, so we decided that, despite the heat,  we would walk to the nearest little town, Kral'ovce for some lunch.  After scouring the menu for several minutes attempting to determine what fare was being offered, Amy asked the waitress if she spoke any English.  She went back to talk to two other women, and suddenly we heard some commotion and "Nehovorim po Slovensky?"  which means, "They don't speak Slovak?"  The waitress then came back with an English menu which, quite suspiciously, had different prices for the same food.  There had been several items that I could identify in Slovak, and the same items on the English menu were 1 euro more.

But there was no going back now.  And, the difference certainly didn't break the bank.  But, I'll admit that Amy is not very happy and she suggested that we just bail on this program, change our tickets and meet Marty in Scotland in a week.

I've suggested that we at least give it a try and see what tomorrow brings.  She seems calmer knowing that there is a back up plan in place.

In the meantime, we do have a refrigerator in our room, so we can open the door periodically to cool down.

And, thanks to Helga, we partook of some laughing cow treats this evening.

And, to be quite honest with you, I could probably use some calorie control after the last few days of feasting at Helga's.

I'll keep you posted!  Dovidenia.

Always be Prepared for Some Excitement!

Today was a solo adventure for Amy & me. Helga informed us last night that she would be going to the market in the morning and that Amy and I could go into the city alone. After reviewing the bus lines for the easiest route, Amy and I felt up to the challenge.

So, we began the day with a fabulous breakfast made by Helga.

According to Helga, the American translation for this breakfast delight is "Sandwich". I can't remember the Slovak name, but I will tell you that it was really quite tasty. And the raspberry yogurt tasted more like dessert than breakfast, but who's complaining! Let me just mention that the coffee is fabulous as well!

But, really, enough about food.

We hopped the bus, exited at the President's Palace and headed towards St. Martin's Cathedral.

It was still early, and the temps had not gotten out of control yet, so the walk to the Cathedral was quite pleasant. Here you see Amy standing on the steps at the base of the Cathedral. I am still trying to adjust to the new camera that I brought with me. She really did look much closer through the view finder!

Just for the record, the interior of the churches are not air-conditioned. They tend to be only a bit cooler than the outside, unless one ventures down into the crypts.

That's all well and good, but really, who wants to hang around dead bodies for any extended length of time just to stay cool?

We headed out and didn't make it too far when we decided to cool off with an iced coffee at McDonald's. I know that I swore that I would never enter a McD's in another country, but this one offered a scenic view, delicious iced coffees AND........Air conditioning! Who could resist that combo? Plus the prices were extremely reasonable.

A bit more sight-seeing and we found ourselves at Michael's Gate where we decided to view the museum. I thought the prices were rather steep for viewing swords and some artillery, and the place was stuffy and hot, and as we made our way up stairs and more stairs, it only got steamier.

But then, we found ourselves at the top. There was an open door, and we walked outside to find an absolutely spectacular view of the city!

The view was well worth the price, heat and climb to the top. Plus, the volunteer on the 3rd floor informed us that the ticket was also good for the Museum of Pharmacy. Two for one price, she boasted.

Now, could you beat that?

So, we headed over to that museum which was only a few doors down from Michael's Gate. The woman inside was not even a little bit friendly, but she was probably roasting inside, so who can blame her for not being cheery? It could have been the heat, or it could have been the group of Americans who were apparently touring the city earlier in the morning. Who really knows?

The place was filled with decanters of herbs and oils dating back for centuries. Surely an alchemists dream. I would have taken some photos, but the crabby attendant was following us around, and I didn't want to annoy her anymore than she already appeared to be.

So, off we headed, back to the bus station, so that we could meet Helga in her flat. The plan was to go to the "garden" to see her "Mam" who was really looking forward to our visit.

So, Amy and I were headed back to Helga's on the bus when suddenly, we heard this extremely loud BANG, the bus stopped suddenly, and I spotted a spark just outside the window where Amy was sitting. I don't know if I mentioned that the buses actually run like the trolleys with attachment to an overhead wire, so they run on electricity.

I suppose with enough heat, anything can happen, and so, today, the connecting wire broke away from the bus, several blocks from our destination, and I could see the live wire tossing and turning from above.

Exciting, don't you think? Out on our own, heading home....pleased with our ability to get in and out of Bratislava successfully, anxiously awaiting our destination, only to find ourselves trotting along the road toward's Helga's flat. Because, it was obvious that there would be no bus coming to the rescue, because there is only one connection line on either side of the road.

So, about a half an hour later, after traipsing along in the hot sun, we finally arrived at our destination. We gulped down some water, refused food from Helga because we were so hot, and headed back out with Helga to the garden as planned.

Helga's mother lives in a small two room structure on a small piece of land that has trees and room for some fruits and vegetables. Helga's father bought it many years ago so that he could have a place to garden. When he retired, he moved into this small house, and after he died, about 5 years ago, Helga's mother moved in.

This "garden" is located between two industrial buildings that would really like to see this personal land eliminated.

The people who live in this garden have no septic or sewer systems because the government will not allow one to be installed, and the corporations that are encroaching on this space really don't care to see such a system put in for these people. The area has also been infiltrated with Roma, and the people who live in this garden area must worry about the Roma stealing their fruits and vegetables if they do not live in on the property, as well as stealing any metal that they can sell for cash.

I only mention this because the sound of a "garden" sounds so serene, but there is much more to the story than what the word implies. But Helga's mother seems quite content to live in this garden, and really, that is what is really important, isn't it?

The trip required a 15 minute bus ride, and, luckily, by the time we headed out the lines were fixed. After getting off the bus, we walked another 20 minutes to the "Garden".

Helga's mother was thrilled to see us, and we were so glad to have made the trip. She insisted on making us Viener Schnitzel for lunch which we enjoyed outside under some shade. There was a slight breeze to make it tolerable, and we really did have some a delightful afternoon with Helga as translator.

We spent several hours in the Garden before making the 20 minute hike back to the bus and returning to Helga's place. Helga insisted on making some Slovak specialty: Parene Buchty.

These are steamed dumplings with jam filling and sweetened curds on top. I think it is a good thing that we are headed out to Modra-Harmonia tomorrow, because I'm going to look quite "Buchty" if I keep eating like this!

So tomorrow we will go to Mass in the morning before getting picked up by Stanko who will drive us to our destination. I really thought that this time in Bratislava would be the calm part of the trip. We'll just have to wait and see what adventures await us tomorrow!

Steaming in Slovakia

Here's today's lesson for the day:  100 degrees is HOT!

Ok, so you may think that I'm a wimp, but it was reported yesterday on the news that 115 people collapsed on the streets of Bratislava due to the heat. And, here at Helga's house, there is no air conditioning, the windows only tilt open a bit from the top and there are no fans to circulate the air.  I will admit that a cold shower never felt so good!

Oh, and let me add  that buses in Slovakia are not air-conditioned either. So forget the idea of cooling off in transit.

On a happy note, we managed to find some relief by walking along as many treed streets as we could muster on our way to see Bratislava Castle.

This fountain is in the Medical Park.  Looks tempting, doesn't it?

The gardens behind the Presidential Palace were beautiful as was the front of the Palace.

On this stroll through Bratislava we popped into the oldest Greek Catholic Church in Bratislava, devoted to SS Cyril and Methodius.  I never realized that it was these saints who were responsible for implementing Cyrllic Script.  I'm not so sure that I'm thankful for that as I have as yet to master the art of translating it in church documents. 

When Marty and I were here in Bratislava we were not able to enter the castle as it was being refurbished.  Today, we were able to go inside and walk through the recently finished halls.  We were all rather disappointed.  Amy mentioned that she felt like it looked like we were walking through Ikea. Although the white walls and gold gilding look quite elegant,  we certainly hope that there are plans to add some interior decorations, and, perhaps, some historical items.

The best part of the tour was climbing up several sets of very steep steps in order to peer out the windows of the highest turret in the castle.  The views were outstanding.

Oh, and there's one more lesson to add to today's adventures.  Restaurants in Bratislava are air-conditioned. We took advantage of that by stopping for lunch at the Restauranti Hrad and enjoying some fabulous Slovak food while listening to American Music (which wasn't so fabulous......Boy George singing Carma Camelia).

And, we just had to stop into Kafee Mayer for some refreshment a few hours later.

I could be worried about those calories, but, honestly, I really think that they melted off today!  I'll know in a week whether or not I can still fit in my clothes!

Here's hoping for cooler weather!

Family Time in Bratislava

Well, here you see Milan and Beatrice, greeting us with some bubbly upon our arrival.

Never mind the fact that this was about 3:00 a.m body clock-wise for us.

We enjoyed the celebration nonetheless, and soon found ourselves being offered plates of tempting delights. 

Really, who could refuse a bite? 

With Helga as translator, we managed to really enjoy these cheery people who were just so excited to welcome us into their home.  One could get spoiled from so much attention.

Despite all of the happy greetings, it soon became obvious that we needed to get some sleep since two crying babies on the plane denied us of anything substantial.

But  before heading over to Helga's place for some much needed sleep,  we managed to get a group photo. 

 Fun stuff, for sure!

The Adventure Begins

Greetings Blogger followers!

Today begins our much anticipated Slovak Language Adventure. Just to get you up to par on the plans here, Amy and I registered for a Slovak Language Course through Comenius University of Bratislava in Slovakia. 3 weeks of learning the language as well as the history and culture.

Why Slovakia? As Amy would say....we're discovering our roots. Because I am 7/8 Slovak, and have had a love of the country for many years, Genealogy is in my blood, and this opportunity seemed way too good to pass on.

This is the only summer where Amy was free from work or studies, so it seemed the perfect opportunity for her to experience a mini study abroad since her schedule did not make allowances it. She probably didn't originally plan on having her mom around, but she seems pretty excited about us spending this time together.

The application process was painless, the money transfer was certainly interesting...with me out an extra 44 €, due to European bank fees that my bank did not seem to know about, but communication has definitely been lacking. I finally sent a list of questions about 3 weeks ago:

• when do we move in to the dorm? 
• is there air-conditioning? 
• where is the nearest supermarket/pharmacy? 
• are there laundry facilities? 
• where is the nearest bus stop? 
• Could I have a street address? 

Let me mention that this course is being held in a small town about 30 km north of Bratislava. I have been unable to find the precise location of the University in this town and would feel more comfortable knowing exactly where to go.

A few days later, my questions were addressed.

• we can move in on July 9 (the day the course begins) or earlier at an extra charge 
• no air conditioning in the dorms 
• The Supermarket/pharmacy is about 2 km away; 
• laundry facilities are available with payment 
• the bus stop is a 5 min. walk. 
• The address continues to be a town without a street number for direction. 
• I can pay the 44 € that I owe upon arrival. 

I was so surprised by the moving-in answer that it took me a minute to realize that I never mentioned anything about when to pay the money that I owed. I had already agreed to pay the money upon arrival. It's just too bad that I didn't confirm exactly when the arrival was supposed to be!

When I asked about a schedule, I was told that it would be posted everyday on the chalk board. So, your guess is as good as mine regarding what adventures await us.

Luckily, I have relatives who live in Bratislava. My cousin, Helga, has offered to have us stay with her until we can officially move into the university on Sunday. Her brother-in-law will pick us up at the Vienna airport and drive us to her apartment as well as to Modra-Harmonia where we will be staying for the course. After my flight was booked, I was told that tomorrow is a holiday in Slovakia: the feast of SS Cyril and Methodius, and that bus schedule that the university sent to me is worthless!

Thank goodness for Helga!

Dovidenia for now!