The A-HAH! factor

Breathe in - breathe out. Big inhale, now exhale. Get ready, get set, BLOG. Thanks for joining me; I hope you'll check in from time to time. It's taken me over two weeks to actually get around to writing about beginning my year as a Fulbright Exchange Teacher here in Bratislava, Slovakia. High on the priority list were such issues as figuring out the SEVEN keys I have for the flat, the commute to my school, and just trying to communicate with...anybody. Most things seem to be mysteries around here even including the pencil sharpener at my school. I'm not kidding. When I first tried it, I assumed it was broken until Anna Cifrova, my principal, said, "Oh, I need to show you how that works." And she did: seems that you have to pull out the front portion while pressing in on another part, and manually turn the handle. So thanks, Anna, for that and everything else I can't seem to figure out on my own. I know, if you're even bothering to read this you most likely aren't too interested in pencil sharpeners, but it still amazes me. Remember those descripive writing exercises in schooL? Well, describe how the Sukromne Gymnazium's (my school) pencil sharpener works would be a great challenge. OK, sorry, enough about the pencil sharpener. But still...

I arrived here from Chicago last August 16. The last part of my trip was Munich-Bratislava, landing on time with luggage intact. I thought for sure I would be overweight but wasn't, although my backpack probably weighed in at 25 pounds, and somehow got heavier as I traveled east. Dada and Anna, Assistant Director and Principal respectively, picked me up and brought me to Sona's flat. Sona Oravcova, whose name I mispronounced for months until I actually met her, is my international exchange partner. We had worked out a housing exchange as well, so she is in Beverly (Chicago) and I am here. She will take my position at the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools as I replace her at Sukromne Gymnazium.

Sukromne Gymnazium is Bratislava's first private school, and in fact Monday's opening day will include a celebration of its 15th year. A gymnazium is a type of educational institution, not a place for physical activity as you may assume. We are an 8-year school, the equivalent of grades 5-12 in the states, with over 400 Slovak students. What we would call Middle School and High School, they refer to as Junior School and Senior School. Our students sit for an entrance exam, are required to take a minimum of two foreign languages, and all plan to go on and attend university.

I will teach every class in the Junior School, but only the girls because students are divided for physical education. (Oops, I mean Telesna Vychova which makes me not a PE but a TV teacher!) I'll see most of my students three times a week, including for swimming which I teach, but not for skating, which I do not. My duties also include after-school activity which is optional, and I think more recreational in nature. This gives me 24 lessons a week which is the way they break down teaching time. In addition, I may teach a conversational English class but that depends on sign-up interest because it, too, is optional. With or without English class, I will be teaching much more than back at Lab School, so Sona's got it easy. Just kidding! For better or worse, at least I will teach in English, with lots of gestures, I'm thinking. I'll also try to refrain from the technique of TALKING LOUDER IN AN ATTEMPT TO BE UNDERSTOOD. Should be interesting.

You know how we Americans mumble mm-mmm or uh-huh to indicate yes, agreement or understanding? Slovaks say, "A-HAH!" as if they have just solved Einstein's theory of relativity, and now so do I but for a different reason.THAT'S how you work the washing machine? A-HAH! THAT'S how you switch the keyboard to English? A-HAH! THAT'S how you sharpen a pencil? A-HAH! You get the idea; should be a radio station as in "This is W-AHAH in Bratislava, all A-HAHS, all the time."

Sona's flat is located in Stare Mesto, the Old Town, and although it is small the location is excellent. I am minutes away from shopping, tram stop to school, and I don't even need a coat to run across the namestie (square) to the National Theater. And these are all important factors for me, including the theater which is dedicated to opera and ballet. Tickets can be purchased behind the theater at the box office and go down in price as the performance date approaches. So, ten days before the show you can snag a ticket for about 150 sk. Currency is the Slovak Koruna, so for 150 crowns you're paying about five bucks for the theater, and the show changes nightly. Who needs Eurosport on the telly when there is the National Theate on the square? A-HAH!