Research, an individual intrest concerning my new enviorment.

I made some searches in aftonbladet.se and gp.se yesterday about Slovakia and Presov. I was intrested in what swedish media cover about Slovakia but it was poorley. The most articles was about Slovakias currencychange to euro in the turn of the year and a buscrash.

When I did my search about Presov I suprisingly found a handballresult about Tantran Presov-Kiel published 2004-12-06 in aftonbladet. Sadly, Presov lost the game to Kiel. Final Standings 32-38. Another Article about Handball were about Tantran Presov again published one year later in aftonbladet, meetings in the first knockout round in cupvinnarcupen. Presov was going to meet a team from Bosnia-Hercegovina, Dobej.
   So now Iam curious about the winner of that game. Did Tantran Presov won the game and reached the quarterfinal. ojojoj....very exciting. If someone knows about the results in this game and which team qualified to the next round will be honouered with a beer. If u find the result just make a comment.

I also read experiences from foreign exchange students studying abroad in webpage called IRIS. Five reports was about the university of Presov where I am going to study and 60 total for Slovakia. The reports contained questions about motivation and preperation, orientation, support and integration, accommodation, costs and the overall experience. I think the costs were something similiar what I had expected, 200 euro a month. Mostly of the reports from the students that been studied in Presov graded high about the academic satisfaction and the overall satisfaction. Another funny thing about reading the reports were that two norweigans had been studied in Presov so Iam not the first scandinavian but probably the first swedish exchange student in the university of Presov.

Todays temperature update: 30 degrees but can rise up to 32. 

Slovak Saying: There is always room for good people. Remember that.

An easy day!

Today I have not done much. The day started regulary with breakfeast and then me and Katka went to Hela, Katkas sister. We had bought souvenirs to her and Slavos children, Nika and Matus from Croatia. They got each one a shirt. It was nice to see nikas smile when she got the shirt. First time, for me I give something to a 4-5 year old so it was nice. During the day Slavo came from work so it was great to have chance to meet him aswell.

After the visit we were so nice to buy dipers for Helas children and then we went for lunch. It was a lovley gulaschsoup, much more delicious then the one in a can I just to eat in Sweden, I think the brand is Felix or findus. Well, well now I am having a cup of coffee and taking it easy!

I looked at the adds for food and liquear and found an expensive price for my favourite vodka st. Nicolaus! It costed 7 euros for 0,7 liters:) I have actually found a liter for like 6 euros!!! hehe, well to swedish prices, both are quite good prices of course but once u live here, I do not wanna pay more.

Temperatureupdate: It is 30 degrees today and temperature is getting higher I assume, woho, Iam melting!

Something very funny from the croatiantrip was a girl sunbathing i remebered today. She was very let's say picky. She spread her legs very much, in swedish translation "vresade" and when me and my family saw that we all fell in to laughter and had to comment it with each other: She is really good at spreading her legs, right? Yes, that is a talented girl;)

I have a link for everbody with the sense of farting humour, like me then! ;) Enjoy!!!

http://www.mojevideo.sk/video/a16/sprdol_sviecky.html

Hvala for all the good times in Croatia!

The week in Croatia, Porec was a real pleasure, The weather, the blue sea and the nights out were to all satisfaction.


To describe the city Porec more in detail it is a small city surrounded with the blue sea and when you are walking on narrow cobblestone streets with historical architecture buildings inside the center you feel the historical atmosphere. The old citywall and the Basilica also gives the impression on walking in a city with lots of history. I definitely liked this historical environment. When you are standing in these settings it makes u realize how it looked like once upon a time.
 
Overall we sunbathed a lot because of the warmth weather and the Swedish lifestyle is used to 20 degrees and rain so it was exhausting when the temperature rose up to 35 degrees. The siesta was of major importance before dinner! According to drinks we tried some Croatian brands of beer (Karlovacko), rosewine and vodka. The rosewine produced in Porec was a great refresher. Especially one day at lunch after we drank rosewine we come up with a nice idea. Our heads become hot of the sun so we decided to dip our heads on the water to cool down .




We had a big laugh at this particular way of bathing.


To the sightseeing, of course we visited the Basilica and walked along the city of Porec to see the nice buildings. There was a Island just outside Porec that we got to by boat. The Island had a castle that we a look at and took pictures of. In our surroundings at Zelena Laguna we walked the stairs up to a modern chapel sited at a hill. The chapel looked like a skyscraper, 25 meters high, 90 steps. The Chapel also functioned as a viewing tower and the view was amazing. We could see Porec, Rovinj, Umag and the guide also mentioned Malmö but Iam not sure about that An another new experience was the taxiboat. We took the taxiboat in the evening for dinner to Porec and the lights in the night of Porec made it very beautiful coming in with the taxiboat by the sea meeting the city.

 Now Iam back in Slovakia. Me and Katka taking a resting day and will meet Hela and Slavo at five o’clock. Time to eat some meat! Bye bye

Congratulations!


Proudly showing the diploma


The winner is: Miss bachelor; Katka


Graduation day


Me and Katka walking in Presov


Katkas Graduation day.

The last couple of days I have been in my soon becoming universitycity. Me and Katka spend two wonderful days in Presov.
First day we woke up early at 4:30 to because of be in time for some documents at 9-11. The day passed by with some walking and shopping. I bought the follow-up by Lance Armstrong, Every second counts and suprisinlgy we found a slovak-swedish language book. The book is filled with phrases and words. Iam really happy for that book. But the heat was crazy hot, something Iam not experineced with, it felt like I was melting, figurativle.34 smoking hot degrees in the shade but as we were we walking in the city we did not always walked in the shade and this was the begininng. The day after I suited up for my sweethearts cemony as a graduated bachelor. The suit wrapped on my body in the sticky weather quickley become something similiar to a sponge but as we entered the cermonybuilding I was reliefed, thank sweet mercyful god for the invention of air condition. The cermony was academical containing funny dresses and hats in a very serious and important atmosphere. It was great to see my honey get the diploma!

Other news concerning the studies is my acceptance reply for the EILC in Kosice. I hope everything turns out well now with no other complications. According to accomandation, Katka found a great flat located near to school in a calm neighbourhood with a reasonable monthly price for the rent. We will look at the apartment after croatia to make our final decision. Let us hope it will be as good as it sounds!

Today is the day before me and Katka goes to Croatia for one week of holiday. We will meet up the rest of my family which is traveling from Sweden in croatia. Iam looking forward to meet my family, it will be awesome. So I will not be able to write in my blog for a week but when I come back, pics will be uploaded and stories will been told of this wicked trip!

By the way, it is so hot today too. The fan has been my survival and enduring friend this day standing within 1meter blowing out refreshing, cooling wind. So what happens today then? I will buy my favourite vodka for the trip so my family gets the chance to taste this delicacy flavour of Nikolaus Vodka!;) The shopping will follow with the packing and travelingfever so to end up, Have a great week because we will!


A nice night out

Yesterday, Katka, Hela and me was out. We had a really nice time together! We started our partynight at a place called sacramento that was a great place to sit at. We ordered in some shots and I also drank a beer. I also have to say the pizza I had was amazing, so nice! The name of the pizza was: the farmers pizza which contained ham, sausage, salami and an egg. We were siting at Sacramento, joking, talking and laughing. It was hilarious! Later when Sacramento closed we went to the place called Ibiza and there we ended the night. It was really nice there too, it was crazyfun!

So for tonight we are going to take it easy, I think we will see the movie, duplicity. It will be a calm evening!

Counting the days to Croatia now too. It is just one week til we will lay on the beach sunbathing with clearblue water. Greati, great, great I say about that!

Oh, yeah, I had an massage yesterday too. The massage was for 30 minutes and costed only 5 euros. A really good price! ANd the one massaging me gave me a tip about getting a better posture. It will be improved by horseriding so I will try that soon I hope! It could be fun.



 

Adventures of Mattias and Katka

Yesterday me and Katka took the bus to michalovce. From michalovce we changed bus to reach our destination. The problem was that we were not really sure were to go off the bus so Katka asked the busdriver and he did not knew but surprisingly a woman siting very close heard Katka and said that she could help us to show the way because she was stepping off at the same busstop. So when it was time to step off the bus we went off all together and then she said that she had to buy a flower at store quickly so if we just wait a moment she would be able to give us directions. Iam telling this because when she left us for a couple of minutes she gave us two bags which contained ID and keys she told us later. We were quite surprised she just left the bags at that time and later she let us know that she does not do this, leaving her personal belongings to strangers. She said that we must have been very thrust worthy for her. Later on she told us she was a teacher in German language so I tried to speak some german but I did not really remembered what I learned in German class at high school so It was better when Katka and the woman spoke in Slovak. She told us she also been studying abroad in Vienna as I am about to do and what Katka did in Sweden. The woman studied there for 30 years ago and she had still a really good friendship with a girl that she met during her time in Vienna. It was a nice story to listen too and I have to say she was so friendly and nice helping us with taking the best way to ruins up on the hill. I always get so happy when I meet this people like surprisingly happy.

The ruins of the Viniansky castle were a tough one. We walked up the hill for like an hour up and up. It was steep and we fought us up and were happy to have reach the top. The ruins were really nice to look at. Later on we walked down to the lake and when we got there we had been walking for 2hours. It was amazing to buy a beer then, felt deserving so I bought one more those beers were justified. This adventure reaching the castle of me and Katka were great. We enjoyed it a lot.

We were heading for the bus to catch so we could get home bus we missed it. We felt pissed about it but I got a brilliant idea. Let us check the hotel that was just nearby the busstop and see who much a hotel room cost for a night. Katka asked and it cost 30 euro for one night. I thought to myself, let us do this, be spontaneous! So we did it. We spent a perfectly nice afternoon, night and morning at the hotel. When we had dinner we sat outside and very close a company of many nationalities sat together, probably businessmen. What was funny about this was to listen to the English they were speaking, the accent and especially one Russian. He had such a strong accent. And it was nice to hear a language I could understand.

Today we have been to Michalovce and I done some shopping. I bought a book in English, Risk by Dick Francis and a shirt. Katka also bought some gifts for Nika and Matus.

The castle


Me xploring


The explorer


A nice view


Me at the lake


The Lake at the Hotel


The Hotel


Incredible prices



Yesterday I was out with Katka in a great pub. The inside was like siting in a cottage, like in the winter. It is a perfect feeling to get winterish when it so hot in this country and to the beers, wow. The price of an ice cold beer served in a half of liter glass is amazing, 0,66 euro. And you know what, the price for a 4cl shot is about the same. Around 0,70-1,50 euro, it feels like I am in heaven when I realize I will stay here for one year and go to the pub and pay this prices. I assume I can live with it;) So back to when I was out with Katka. I was thinking about which beers I tried and I have to put them in a list. The beers I drank is, Zlaty bazant, Kozel, Kelt, Saris, Smedny mnich (means: thirsty monk), Strbrno, Staropramen. My favourite this far is Zlaty bazant. It is a mediumlight beer and has rich taste. I love this beer in this hot weather and it is perfectly served with St. Nikolaus Vodka. The St. Nikolaus Vodka is definitely my favourite among the stronger alcohol. It is so smooth! The beer I did not prefer at all was the ukrainan. The taste was strange and had not the same quality as to the Slovaks and Czechs but for the record, the stronger alchohol is cheap there. All the beers I tried of Slovak and Czech are in worldclass taste and quality. Yeah it is great beers and the prices are incredible. I enjoy it so much. And the feeling to go out and drink and it does not cost anything is amazing. It feels so good to sit in the bar and spend time there. It is a clear difference for me when I am in Sweden. I think I will like it here very much.

So how much did I pay when we were finished to go? 4beers,1shot, 2 Kofola (Slovak soft drink), 2 cakes and 1 ice cream totally cost was 6 euros. It’s pretty goody!

Today I have bought a book. It is a textbook for beginners learning Slovak. So now I will really try to study hard so I can learn Slovak. It is a nice motivation to be able to speak the language because then I can communicate with Katkas family. I think the pronunciation will be the toughest part, sometimes the words katka teach me feels like toungetwisters but I will get it. One word I think is really fun to say is spelled like this “toto” and it means this. It is a lovely word and especially when Matus, the one and a half year old son to Katkas sister says it. It is cute when he points at something with his finger and say toto, toto. I like it. Katka also learned me the word prepa’c today and it is very useful. It means excuse me and it is good to use when you want to pass by someone.

I think we will go rollerblading today and in the evening meet Slavo and Hela. So bye bye for this time.


The beer list
Zlaty bazant Kozel Kelt Saris Smedny mnich Strbrno Staropramen

Slovak Word I learnt:
Toto: this
Prepa’c: Excuse me

Slovak for you


Na zdravie


Blagoff Mandarin! Ukrainan Vodka: 1,72 euro


Homemade applecake! yammy


My first traditional sunday meal

Every sunday, the traditional slovak shall eat meat, potato or rise. This sunday I had the chance to feel like a real slovak and i I took it. I tried the slovak sunday meal and it was nice, maybe because it is similiar with swedish. But I think it is a nice tradition to eat meat every sunday. On the plate there is also a cauliflower and I liked it fried. In the small bowl I had cucumbersalad. 

So now I had tried the slovak cousine and in next week I will try to cook some swedish trational dish. I will see what that will be. 


Traditional slovak sundaymeal


Kosice


Apollo Bridge in Bratislava


A beautiful picture of the castle in Bratislava by night


All u need to know about Slovakia

I have found a great website about slovakia. It is very helpful and the name is: The foreigner's Guide to Living in Slovakia. The website is created by an american woman that has lived in Slovakia for five years working as a teacher. She tells about the adapting in day to day basis and in generally about the culture. I think it is intresting reading for everybody, even for those that do not have plans to visit Slovakia will get knowledge and more awareness about the country. 

 

The website: http://www.fgslovakia.com/ 






List of words and meanings I know so far in slovak language.

si zlata: you are so nice
voda: water
Dobre dievča: good girl
Dobre chlabec:  good boy
Prestaň: stop it 
Som hladny : Iam hungry
Iam thirsty:  som smädny
Hot: Horuco
Djakuem: Thank you

Prosim: Varsegod

Rad vas pos na vam: Nice to meet you

Na zdravie: Cheers


spinning too much


This was my weakest punch.


they were happy


a bit of the partystreet


Sunbathing and having a good time

Me and Katka had the pleasure to go with Slavo, Hela and kids to a nice damn. In slovakia it is called the slovak sea because it big but we swimmed in the big pool. The place was great with a long street sourronded with bars, pubs and restaurants. Longer up u caould also go with merry go rounds. Me and Katka went with one but it was spinning so much. I got really sick out of it. Slavo and I played a boxing game. The one who hit the hardest got the highest points and of course I won.

This was a real partyplace and one bar was open nonstop so u never had to stop partying. It was really great to have the 1 liter beer and slavo had bought 2liter beers. I think it is perfect to possess on the beach or a for pick nick. U do not have to bring a lot of bottles then and it has a screwcork on it so the bubbles do not go away. Brilliant in my opinion for this kind of activites. I will also remember the nice meat I had in the restaurant. It was on a wooden stick and a sausage and pork. I enjoyed every single second, yammy, yammy.  

I got of course quite burned in the sun. My shoulders got a nice red stingy touch. Well, it is better today but the sun is really stronger here. I  just hope I get a nice tan before I go to croatia. 

Today we do not have any plans. I think we will go rollerblading in the afternoon.



Slovak word I learnt:


si zlata: you are so nice
voda: water
Dobre dievča: good girl
Dobre chlabec:  good boy
Prestaň: stop it 

 


Crossing the ukrainian boarder

Today we took the bus to the ukrainian boarder. Then we walked in to cross. The woman that checked my passport had a reallz bad english. I thought she said Where are you? and I said Iam standing in ukrainian soil. She looked very angry at me and then I got it. She asked where are you from and I said Sweden. She was looking for so long at my passport asking so many questions about why Iam going to the ukraine and why Iam in Slovakia. I was quiet nervous and just wanted to cross. So finally she gave me a very strict look and nodded nochalant that I could pass. She was one of the most unpeasent people I ever met. 

Then we did some shopping. It was a street with small stores along it. I bought some slippers and some Vodka. The vodka costed 1,72 euro, a very nice price. Then Katkas dad also bought ukrainian beer in a 1 liter bottle. So nice of him. We were supposed to buy 2 liter bottles of beer but did not have it but it will be nice to try the beer, of course!!! 

Then we had to wait a while before we could cross the boarder back to Slovakia. They doublechecked everything and was really slow but Katka said it could be worse, it was really hot to stand there waiting. When it is getting cooler in the air we will go further in Ukraine to a city.

In just a half an hour we will go camping for two nights at a damn. It will be nice to swim and sunbath. We will go with Katkas sisters family. So I will write about that when I come back from the trip.  


We were out yesterday with katkas family and had nice evening. They liked my gothenburg jokes and my jokes about norweigans. They also told some slovak jokes and some sayings. It was nice to listen too and we had a great all of us. It was good to get know each other better.

Slovak word I learnt

Som hladny : Iam hungry


Nikolaus Vodka in a perfect company


Yesterday me and Katka met Katkas sister Hela and her husband Slavo. They are so funny and Iam so imprest by there hospitality. They made a really nice dinner and to loose up the mood I got served the slovak domestic vodka named Nikolaus Vodka. That was so easy to drink, so diffrent compared with the swedish production. The Nikolaus was so smooth for the throat and slided down like a happy child going in the waterslide. I have to say, I was in a cheerful mood!

Yeah, we talked, drank and laughed with each other. It was sucha nice comfortable, atomsphere, very joyful.

I remember Slavo told me a really fun story about a friend of him raising and breeding up animals. I have to write this one down. Yeah, Slavos friend was trying to get two goats to breed but the femalegoat was not in the mood so he took the femalegoat in her ears to keep her in control and stand still. Then the malegoat was able to start the breeding. Slavos friend was still holding the female goats ears and the female goats head was between his legs. As they were breeding his hands started shaking. Then, his son opened up the door and saw everything. It looked like a threesome and he was getting a blow job from the goat. hahahaha. I was laughing so hard when heared it, totally hilarious. 


All together, this was memorable, perfect evening. Iam looking forward for next time and that will be tomorrow I assume. 

We also played a slovak game but I cannot tell u about it. I do not want to spoil this game in my blog, it will be a nice surprise for the ones who want to play with me when we see each other.

We also were rollerblading before we got to Hela and Slavo and it was really nice to get some exercise. I think we will rollerblade today too aswell but before that we are going to Ukraine. I will tell u more about the trip to Ukraine the next time I will write. Ukraine here I come, Yeah!

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