August

September

October

AUGUST

Wow, I have really been in Slovakia since 16.08.2007 and I live MY exchange year here… It is somehow strange, that I am here now… But also very nice. I will be simply telling you what I have seen and experienced… The first weekend after my arrival, on Saturday, we did a 30-km long Biketour and have visited a castle… yes, I did it and I have to say it was not that bad. On Sunday my hostfather Boris, my hostsister Paulina, a boy I do not know well and me we went to a small trek in the mountain. There was a summer toboggan run and climbing park. Well, from beneath it looked so easy, so Paulina and me we just did it… Well, it was not so easy at all, but funny… The following week was slow, I did some shopping for the school, were in the town, centre of Žilina, at one evening we spent a night in a cottage in the mountains etc. On friday began then the event: Paulina, Boris and me we were about to start our Slovakiatour:

On Sunday we were back home. It has been quite tiring but also very nice and interesting. You can check many pictures at my homepage www.karo-goes-slowakei.piczo.com.

Today, the 3.9.07, was my first day at school. My hostmom has driven myself and Lucia, my older host sister, to the school. I have been intorduced to a bunch of teachers, all of them could have say a few words in Slovak (or some English), very sweet. Then I came to my class, I have been introduced and of course, my teacher has sat me to the first row. Well, the girl next to me has tried to say a few words in German, nice. The teacher left the room afterwards, five girls came to me and started talking, in English.

As I said that I like dancing, they asked we whether I would like to join them at a dancing school. Nice, isn’t it? My German teacher said she would like to talk to me every day little German, and has invited me for a visit at sundays, oho…

At the end there was a mass at a school yard. Oh, I forgot to tell you, that I am at a catholic school. Well, a catholic mass in Slovak, very interesting, nothig understood, but whatever. After the mass I had to do some formal stuff, and afterwards the Religion teacher, who was extremely nice and tried to speak German to me, drove us home, cool, isn’t it?

SEPTEMBER

The last time I wrote this diary it was about my first day at school. Now is the school an every day life. My schedule is OK, I have afternoon lessons as well. It is not that bad. I eat the lunch, as the most students do, in a school canteen. Well, it is very… interesting. It tastes okay, but we never get vegetables or similar, unfortunatelly…

The school here is similar to Germany. We have classes, no courses, and the same subjects. Unfortunatelly three times a week physics, chemistry, biology and even maths. The students do wear house shoes, not me, they all have lockers and every morning while taking the clothes off they put also the house shoe on, I find it funny.

The classes are like this: the teacher stands in front of the class, talks and mostly dictates. For me it’s not that good as I do not understand a lot. If the teacher writes something on the table, it takes me ages to write it down, as the scripture looks slightly different and it is difficult to read… No working material or papers, all the time just front teaching.

In many subjects one student is chosen to answer the teacher’s questions, very strict. And the Slovaks do write much more tests than in Germany. Well, unfortunately I do not understand very much besides English, Maths and German, but it’s like language courses in the 6th grade in Germany… In the other subjects I do understand what the teacher is talking about, but not more. But I know it will come…

So, what could I say generally about Slovakia… yes, the public toilets – you are very often not able to lock them, also not in the school, it’s getting on one’s nerves, but you can get used to it. Generally it’s here like in Germany, I mean from outside. Of course are here a few places that are not being cared of, but it’s okay. There is Lidl, Kaufland, New Yorker, Orsay, baumax, billa, DM etc. But unfortunatelly only one H&M in Bratislava…

Oh yes, and I found out, that many people do not put safety belt on while driving in the car. My hostfamily only sometimes and in other cars you do not see always people with safety belts. But, no worries mum, I put always my safety belt on.

And I live in a town of 84 000 inhabitants. No matter what I need, I am in 5 minutes in the centre with so many shops and everything, that’s perfect. And I need to wait for a bus 2 hours like in Germany, but maximum 15 minutes, I am not used to it. And the supermarkets and shopping centres are open also on Sundays and bank holidays.

Well, and after one month is it getting better with the language, relatively… I will write down a few words I have been fighting with:

zmrzlina, pronounce: smrslena, it means ice cream
sprcha, pronounce: sprkha, it means shower
štvrtok, pronounce shtwrtok, it means thursday

Well, the pronounciation is not that difficult, but the grammar... On Tuesday I have been with my tutor, who is also my Slovak language teacher, in one exposition opening, there were so nice pictures there. An artist, who is German as well and who married a Slovak wife, has been living in Slovakia since 8 years. He told me that Slovak is the 2. most complicated language after Chinese… I do not know if it’s true, but it’s really difficult, mainly the grammar… But it’s working relatively well with me. Confusing is that the Slovaks say instead of “áno”, which menas yes, only the shorter version “no”. Confusing mainly if I talk to them in English, hihi.

But if someone introduces me and says this is Karoline, a German student, the Slovaks find it always perfect. They are fascinated, that someone from a large Germany comes to the small Slovakia. The Slovaks are really fascinated. And every Slovak can say at least 1-2 German sentences, really… And what’s so funny: if I introduce myself and say my name is Karoline, then the Slovaks always say ah, KarolinA, nice to meet you. Actually everybody calls me KarolinA, but I like it, it’s better than Caroline. Well, that’s it, I will be back soon, many regards KarolinA.

OCTOBER

Inspired by my dream tonight to establish YFU Iceland, and after a very cool call with YFU Jana (this was not dream :), I am finally continuing my writings… Wow! I havent‘ done it almost for 2 months, so there is extremely a lot to talk about. I can tell you only the main things…

So, where should I start?

After trying to play Soccer and later on Karate, I ended up with Kickbox together with my host sister, cool, don’t you think so? I also go to the fitness studio with my host parents and also on my own. And sometimes to Pilates exercise…

On 26.10. I went to Wien with my school. It’s been so nice, Wien ist cool. It’s been a lot of culture, so little bit boring, but otherwise super. And it was TOTALLY strange to listen and to speak German. I always replied in Slovak, even if the Austrians asked me in German. And some things could not come to my mind in German… Everything what I did is too much to talk about. The time is going so fast, the counry is cool, it’s been the right decision, with no doubt.

My hostfamily is also very good. They are trying to do much with me. Well, the parents do like hiking… Hm… Me and Pajka, my younger host sister, we have to, or we always come with them, and finally it’s always very nice. The countryside, the mountains… In the mountains, there was already snow two weeks ago… New pictures are on my homepage…

The religion teacher told to my older host sister, that the teachers think I put effort and try to do my best, that I am very motivated… That makes me really happy…

What else I noticed about the Slovaks: if anyone at the school has anything, e.g a chocolate bar, he opens it, goes a round in the class and gives a piece to averyone who wants, and than he takes a piece as the last one. They make this ALWAYS if they have something sweet. Even if they have sandwiches they ask if anyone wants a piece, they are totally generous. Here it can not happen that you eat your piece of cake and wait if someone wants a piece. You will be almost forced to take a piece. It’s totally sweet… And extreme… It’s not only in the school, it’s everywhere, in the family the same.

If someone in the school has a Nameday, he brings candies and spread them ove the class. And at the beginning of each lesson he goes to the teacher, offers him the candies and let the teacher gratulates him… The same for Birthdays…

23.11. is my closing ceremony of the dance school. My older sister has lent me her dress, really nice. I go there with my tutor, as I have invited her to it. It will be definitely funny…
What else is to be told? My Slovak is getting better and better, I speak 85 – 90 % Slovak. Of course I say some words in English sometimes, but I tought it would be much harder and will take more time…
Well, I have surely forgotten more than a half of what I wanted to say, but nevadi, nie? (=it does not matter, no?)
Ah ja, I am doing REALLY WELL. Of course, I do have periods, when everything is extremely difficult, demanding and one thinks there’s no more way, but I think this is how it sometimes works during the exchange… And with the friend, that’s getting slowly better… It needs some time, ale máme čas, že? [we do have time, don’t we?]