Food, Fun and Folks

I know, again with the food. This blog seems to be taking on a decidedly culinary point of view, but I can't help myself. Food is fun. It's an interesting window into a country's kitchen, and most importantly, it often brings people together. So, when I write about people, it often includes a bit about the chow we're sharing.

I just finished my first week with students, although it was a modified schedule. I still have not seen my Primas (first years, like our fifth graders) as they are on a class trip that includes cycling, rock climbing, kayaking and hiking. On Monday they are scheduled to hold a triathlon of sorts: run, ride, kayak before heading home on Tuesday. On Thursday and Friday I will begin teaching swim lessons with Jozef, my department chair who speaks little English. I think we'll be fine; it's obvious that he is a dedicated teacher, very invested in his students.

What's unique, though, is that we have no pool. Students go directly to a nearby facility first thing in the morning on the day of the lesson where we meet them. After the lesson we get them on the tram, students having purchased their own tickets, and return to school. I anticipate that this also will go smoothly even though it seems so unusual. My classes were great last week, exhausting, but fun. The students here are expected to be responsible and they rise to the occasion. Their schedules are similar to HS at Lab, coming and going at different times with possible free periods in between. I am describing the whole school here, remember, grades 5-12. And because the schedule is frequently changed, they also must be responsible to check the timetable in our offices.

Another unique aspect of teaching here is that no substitutes are used. We all shift around and cover for one other, having checked the substitution schedule (again with the timetable!) that morning, or sometimes the day before. I have an English class substitution Monday, which I will make a conversational session. It will be September 11 tomorrow, so I think I will have an effective topic for discussion. These students are eighth years, like our HS seniors, with well-developed language skills.

Last week was also the start of our food service in the canteen. For this, I had to go the Post Office to purchase my monthly ticket, which was about as scary as going to Tesco, the giant supermarket, the first time. I thought I had filled out the form correctly, but she DID NOT like the way I made my #1, you know like a straight line. It meant nothing to her and somehow seemed to really tick her off. I had exact change, hoping to gain her graces, but because of a service fee, that, too, was wrong and I think I completely ruined her day. Breaking a sweat, I took my stamped receipt and change and made a quick exit.

In Slovakia, employers are required to pay for their employees' meal while at work and that includes me because "I'm Sona". An amount is determined by a formula, and the employee pays for the remainder, about a dollar a meal. If the place of employment has no kitchen, many restaurants honor the system by preparing a special which can be immediately served. The third option is to be used in a grocery store, like food stamps. If you do not use the voucher, you lose the benefit so most people take advantage because they feel they would otherwise lose money.

So, we not only have a kitchen, we have a computerized system of choosing from among four items on the menu which is published in advance. I try to grab somebody and get them to translate so I have a clue, but there isn't always a person available who can explain. So lunch becomes a bit of a surprise! Last Thursday, for example, I knew it was going to be chicken-something-or-other, and that Friday would be a mushroom-thingee. For Monday I got crazy and ordered a traditional meal called buckti, similar to eating a fruit-filled pastry. Kelly, one of the teachers, tells me that Monday is sweet day, with one of the choices being a sweet entree.

I felt very guilty ordering this (as if I had ordered dessert for my meal) but I noticed that many teachers had also chosen this dish. We were served four very large prune-stuffed rolls which were sprinkled with powdered sugar and I could only finish one.

I've tried a few other things, too. Kofula is a soda that looks like root beer and try as I did to convince myself of this, I couldn't even finish half of it. Josh says it's an acquired taste; I guess so. Bought paprika chips when I first arrived; seemed like the thing to do. Don't bother. Taught that English class the other day and it went well. We had a very informal conversation talking about school, PE and my experience here. Someone asked what I thought about the food and away we went. When I bemoaned the fact that I had no oven, Eva, one of the students, said she would bake for me. Incrediby, this morning she brought in strudel made by her Gram! Poppy seed and apple, YUM! She said she knows how to make strudel because her Gram taught her, but there is something new out in the way of a shortcut and not too many people bother or even know how to make it the traditional way.

When the Prima trip returned they brought a delicacy from Piestany. The town of Piestony is famous as Slovakia's spa village because of its thermal springs, and the origins of the town go back to the Stone Age. Piestony's sweet treat is called oplatky and looks like two giant Holy Communion wafers sandwiched on either side of various fillings. A very small amount goes a long way; it would be good with a rich cup of coffee, also easy to come by around here.

But let's return to last Friday. Piatok marked the end of our first week and that called for a celebratiom which, you guessed it, called for food! Here in BA there is an International Evangelical Lutheran Church which celebrates Mass in English every Sunday. Most attendees are Americans, but the congregation is fairly diverse. The Church is connected with a number of schools and a mission, so there are many teachers and volunteers involved.

Fellow Fulbrighter (and fellow Catholic) Jon, teaches math at the Lyceum and plays guitar at Mass. Pastor David is a Californian and Asst. Pastor Josh hails from St. Charles. David's wife, Carla, plays harp at Church and is very involved in the ministery as well. So...last Friday David and Carla hosted "all the Americans" and then some, for enchiladas at their flat. Some of us baked or brought dishes, others brought wine, and still others brought the fixins' for Slovak Margharitas (vodka, no tequila). David set up his computer projector and we voted on a DVD to watch - Spinal Tap, followed by a little SNL with Chris Farley. Couldn't have had a better night!