My last week we went out Thursday; Ivanna invited me and I organized it. I was hungover “opiza” (monkey) in Slovak. And so was Ivanna. I taught Cleveland Group last, so Mark and I were the only ones at school. It was the last class at 19:15 and Zuska told me to give them a video (lesson). No one from staff was there, since it was Ivanna’s day off.
It was classic – I put in the video and told them to meet us at the Metropol beer garden afterwards! I said, “We’ll be at the pub! Metropol.” Pointing in the direction. “You know, something to drink, to eat…” Laughing, Mark and I walked down the stairs and over to Metropol, saying, “Where else could you do this?”
We were there first. Soon Ivanna came and the waiter was very nice. Only Slovak (speaking). Then a little while later, who shows up but Cleveland (Group), Zuska’s mom, Zuska, and Andrea and Adrian. Only Sonja didn’t come. We were cracking up at another new waitress who was grumpy, and didn’t have anything anybody wanted to order. Zuska wanted a Slovak specialty (suchre) or dry white wine which they didn’t have! Zuska gave her totally friendly razzing, saying she gets it in Kezmarok and has grown up in Košice. I had not good goulash; Mark and Ivanna not good Kielbasa. We each only did one drink, as were all three of us tired from last night and Cleveland had to drive home.
Saying Goodbye
Adriane has a furniture shop business. He buys Slovak furniture and sells it. Andrea works at British Air Cargo and Zusana teaches. It started pouring down rain as we were sitting under the huge umbrella. And it was singing in the rain on the way to the car dancing around the fountain. Milan came to drive us home and said Goodbye.
At home I tried to get finished packing or at least organized more. Boyfriend called, totally surprising me that he will fly into Milano and stay ten days!!! And he will still have travel miles to use for Boston in the summer and will come to Thailand 🇹🇭 in winter (to meet me) in December! He also told me that’s all the tickets he is buying!
But I don’t know. The time we went to Oktoberfest together, he told me it was the last time we were going to Europe together.
Too Much Information
Now (on the train) I passed the flat, hand farming and logging regions of Slovakia, as well as two castle ruins on hills that I got moving photos of.
Yesterday was the day of stress from hell. Read all about in my email as well as who’s sleeping with who at Berlitz. Once you start finding out all that info, too much information, and the inside office haps, it’s time to move on!
I was well informed from the scoop on company finances; to the changes that will take place in the office next week; to the businesses making that are making money and paying (for classes); to the businesses going down, and crashing.
Things Don’t Work Rationally Here
It was funny. One night Christine was calculating logically how Peter has so many rooms to pay rent on, so many student hours, and X-number of teachers. I said, “Stop. He’s not paying rent, the building is in bankruptcy, half of the students don’t pay for classes, and the teachers get a salary cut. This is Slovakia. Things don’t work rationally.”
Peter also lets children take lessons for half price- 3,000 SK instead of 6,000 SK – for 30 units (of lessons) because he needs the money, is his logic. Yet, he has adults who don’t pay, and firms who can’t pay.
So my last a.m. was a visit to the foreign police lady who listens to polka music 🎵 on the radio, and works in the dark (natural light) which so many people and companies do here. It drives me crazy!! Even the Slovak insurance company, Computer Klub, and Slovak Berlitz students work in the dark. The doctors office does too.
