I have had a FANTASTIC past two days!

but I'll start from the beginning and see if I can remember everything that has happened. :)

Yesterday we woke up early as a family so we could get as much packed into the day as possible. We were off to the northern part of slovakia (I think at least, it was very close to the polish border). I liked this trip the best so far of all the things I ve seen and experienced in Slovakia. We took the back way there through several small towns and villages (or 'willages' as they all say here in their slovak accents). It was really cool being able to see the smaller villages because this is what makes up the majority of Slovakia. There are very few larger cities, in fact Zilina is the third largest with only 85000 people. The smaller places differed from the large cities quite a bit. The architecture was very old, the houses very, very, very small (and when I say small I mean one room max!) and older looking and there were tons of gardens. The gardens were quite large and almost everyone of them had someone working in it. Tilling the picking and watering all by hand. My family said that most people in the villages grow all their own vegetables and things. The little villages were quaint and cute surrounded by absolutely beautiful scenery. You could see the mountains in the distance and the houses were dispersed between giant hills. The closest we have in canada would be around the Calgary region in the foothills I think.... but I really liked it.

So after driving for an hour and a half or so on some very small and winding roads we made it to Orava. Here we went to the Orava Hrad (castle) which was super! cool. I really liked having the opportunity to learn about some of the history and I think my family enjoyed sharing it with me. We did a tour and it was all in slovak but Matej (my host bro) would translate some of it for me so I got the jist of what was going on. My cousin came too (jacub) and so it was actually pretty fun. It was good bonding for us I think. Each time I go out and do something with my family it makes it a little easier and it makes me feel a little more at home. I look forward to the time when we have memories and stories to share together. (and I know that time will come sooner than later). We stopped for lunch before heading to the next part of our journey and I had a traditional slovak dish, Hlushky, or something close to that. It was very good! It tasted and looked just like perogies all cut up and smothered in cheese and sour cream. It was very interesting but also very delicious (but not very good for you I think)....

After the castle we drove a little further (we were 5km from the polish border) and we went to an Aqua park which was really fun. Its at a resort kind of place where there are hotels and skiiing in the winter, so there were quite a few tourists. The park itself is not like anything I've ever seen in Canada but it was really nice. The slovak people are really smart you know..... its pretty much the hot springs in the mountains but they built a whole water park around it. So there are like five or six sizeable pools full of water (some hot, warm, and luke warm) and each one has something different in it. There was a giant water slide and fountains and a wave pool and these jet bed things and a whirl pool and so it was very fun.
After a couple of hours in the pool we decided we had had enough so we headed towards home. We stopped in tersava (thats how it sounded but thats not what its actually called) a very beautiful town known for its scenery. Here we had supper and went to a friends house for the evening. The people here seem to really like to entertain one another. At there house we just sat and talked and I tried to make out some words. I can pick out a word or two every couple of sentences but other than that I have no idea what is going on. I think sometime s I must look like a deer in the headlights because they always ask me "are you alright" "are you sure?" hahha but usually I am fine, just concentrating on what they are saying. When they all start talking so fast it all seems like one giant word to me!
Finally after an action packed day we headed for home. On the way home we say the castle at night which was also very beautiful because it was all lit up. And that brings that day to a close.

The next day (today) I got to sleep in, which was nice. I always feel very tired it seems. I think it is because even if I sleep a very long time its not a very good sleep because i always wake up in the night and things. Right now I know I am nervous for school tomorrow because I have no idea what to expect and no idea what on earth I am doing. So Im thinking once school starts and the rotary orientation meeting next weekend is over and done with i will be a little more relaxed and I will be able to sleep better. But we will see.
okay sorry I got distracted... back on track... In the afternoon I had a delicious lunch at home with my host parents, we ate outside and it was a bbq slovak style. They thought that it was so cool that they were having a bbq but it was just this little tiny grill thing on the back porch. It was very cute! Then for the afternoon we went over to our neighbors for a visit. This was very interesting. I met all the neighbors from the area as they were all there. they say they have get togethers like that often but today was special because it marked the last day of holidays and teh end of summer. It was really fun! My neighbors have three girls so I got to meet them and they were thrilled that I knew english and they were very excited to have me speak to them and to hear about canada. I am just glad to have made some more friends, I gave them my phone number so sometime they said they would take me out! I am very happy to have some friends (especially because they are girls!).
I really liked hav ing the chance to just sit back and watch everyone all afternoon. Seeing how they interact and what they talk about and things. What everyone said was true, I must admit, they do drink an awful lot here! As the evening went on I think they went through 6 or 7 bottles of wine and there was also beer and hard liquor too. it is like it is second nature to them though, theyve all grown up with it. The mother of our neighbor's is definately a 'food mama'. I ATE SO MUCH! she kept offering and offering and offering! It was very nice but oh boy... even when i said no thank-you she would put it in front of you anyways! it was all very good though, I enjoyed it!

Now I am in bed writing to you, but I should sleep soon. It is eleven here and I must wake up at 7 tom for school. I can't believe school is here already! I am very excited but also very nervous about it.
On a somewhat random note before I say good night....Man oh Man am I learning a lot! and I haven't even started school yet. I am in awe, its kind of difficult to put into words. Its like a roller coaster ride though. I have hours where I am very very happy and then moments when I am sad and missing home (more so the familiarity of everything that comes with home I think) but at least my mood always seem to go back up. And on top of this crazy roller coaster ride Im on, I am completely overwhelmed with gratitude. I am so unbelievably grateful for what I have been given! and I think 'holy shit!' I am in Slovakia, on the other side of the world! completely submersed in another language and culture. It is surreal and amazing! And to think this is only the beginning! WOW!
I think this is the start of something more though... I have a feeling that this will not be the end. That when I am done here I will be travelling to all kinds of other places to see all kinds of people and cultures and ways of life. Im lovin it so far, all of it, the downs included, Mind you I have no idea what I will think in a few months, so you might want to ask me again then!

bye for now!

p