New Year's in Slovakia

     Stastny Novy Rok! Happy New Year in Slovak! I had the privilege of spending several days, including New Year's eve, in Slovakia with a dear friend from school, Emilia, who is Slovak. We stayed at her grandparents' house in a small village in what felt like mountains to me - remember I am from a very flat land! It was beautiful and quaint. On New Year's Eve we ate a traditional meal with cabbage soup, fish, and other yummy things! We played some games - UNO and I taught them one of my favorite card games, Peanuts or Nerts (depending on who you ask). Then we joined a few of their neighbors for Champagne, fireworks, and they even sang some traditional folk songs. In the following few days, we relaxed, played cards, watched American movies on tv that were dubbed in Czech, read, and visited a cute town where Emilia was born.

     The best/most interesting/sometimes frustrating part was that there were at least 5 languages being spoken the whole time! I now know about 20 works in Slovak - but that doesn't get you very far! Emilia's sister's boyfriend (got that?) also did not speak Slovak - so he spoke English to me and Emilia, German to his girlfriend, and French to Emilia's boyfriend (who techinically speaks Czech - which is pretty similar to Slovak). I tried to speak some Spanish with Emilia's boyfriend, but we communicated much better when someone translated for us. I learned a little more German - listening to and attempting to speak with Emilia's sister and her boyfriend, which was good. Overall, it made me quite jealous of those who can easily switch conversations between two or more languages! I loved that before each meal someone would pray in whatever was their native tongue, which made me reflect on our amazing God who created, understands, and can be praised in each of these many languages!!

                                         Castle in Nitra                   Old Fortress in Malá Lehota

Ready for dinner! 

Banská Štiavnica