The beer garden visits and the time spent with Ivanna and Zuska have yielded plenty of scope. Also the day with my (Slovak) family! Now I must organize my thoughts, write the new impressions and match things up with the magazine. I have to figure out Slovakia and then move on to Paris, Vienna, and Munich. It’s a pity and too bad for my writing that I didn’t even visit the three museums there.

About my (Slovak) family, they are so nice. The last week in Košice totally went by fast! It was stressful too. Bibiana, Chris, and Damon (and Robin) were gone. Gerald went to Bratislava for the week on Tuesday to teach a lady. (The wife of the guy who gave Peter the 150,000 Slovak Krowns to pay us last month.) She is taking eight units a day. They forgot the book, so Zuska had to fax it to them. (Typical Berlitz, it turns out to be, in my future.)

Peter was in Košice this week and was making life difficult for everyone, especially Janka who put in her notice. She is the only one who knows how to do the computer (this turns out to be typical Berlitz). Now Ivanna will train and work 7-3 instead of 11-8 and will get a raise from 5,000 to 7,000 (Slovak Krowns) a month.

Most of the communication about life in Kosice transpires during our beer garden visits after class. It’s really fun talking with the students and the staff. And I love being able to cover the bill for everyone.

 

Winter – Spring 1999