A Sunday in a Village

We left off last Friday after International Women's Day.  We had gotten word that Friday night's activity schedule would be altered due to a 70th birthday party of one of Tim's basketball friends.  Basketball started at 4:30, followed by an elaborate party with a full meal, held in the same back room of the pub where they always meet after Friday night hoops.  Of course it was all men (an odd thing for International Women's Day - LOL!), but Tim reports the following: many speeches, much toasting, lots of delicious food, and a good time by all present!  Volleyball was at 6:30, but Tim missed that.  :-)

Saturday was a day of 'deep-cleaning' at the flat - sweeping, scrubbing floors, laundry, dusting, some mending, and general cleaning.  The sun came out for a while in the early afternoon, so we went on a nice, long walk across the railroad tracks and outside of town too.  It was great being out in the fresh almost spring-like air and sunshine!  We also had a big school task to work on: role-play scenarios for the oral English language Maturita examination (for seniors to graduate - given late in May).  And Beth emailed her master's thesis for proof-reading, and it was really fun reading that too.  It's on the medical effects of saunas and sweat lodges, so quite interesting!  

Sunday we went to church, and Zuzka translated for us.  :-)   Then at 11:30, a colleague of ours picked us up to take us to her village for the day.  Janka, her husband Marian, and their darling 2 1/2-year-old, Livia, live in Liptovská Koková, which is nestled in a picturesque valley in the High Tatras about a half-hour to the east.  We had a delicious Sunday noon meal of chicken noodle soup, chicken in a cheese sauce, and rice.  

After dinner, we went on a walk through the village, which is a very typical traditional Slovak village in the Tatras.  Our 'tour guides', Janka and Marian, pointed out the construction dates that are on many of the houses.  Often, the houses belonged to people who had gone to America to earn some money, then they came back to build these nice homes in their hometowns.  I think this one says 1910.

In front of the Lutheran church.  This village is predominantly 'Evanjelicke' (Lutheran), but it does also have a Catholic church.  

Just your typical yard in the village, with lots of chickens and a cat!  People in the village can have any animals - some have sheep too.  (We heard them baa-ing in barns, but didn't see any!)   

Another yard in the village - as is typical, the lots are long and narrow, and buildings just keep getting added back farther and farther.  These buildings are of many different vintages, some very old ones!  Some families would just add new buildings for additional family groupings.  

At this edge of the village, there are beautiful mountain views.  Janka goes running along here - Wow!!  So beautiful!!

This was kind of a crazy scenario -- first this car sped down the street past us, squealing the wheels, then screeching to a halt almost hitting these guys, friends of theirs.  Well, evidently there is an old tradition in this village on certain Sundays preceding Easter, where young men go around to houses asking for money and eggs.  The tradition is rooted in long-ago times when young men volunteered for military service in uprisings, and they needed money and food to support themselves (no central army or government provided for them), so they sought support from the villagers.  Well, now, it appears that sometimes the young men are given alcohol, and these two in traditional costumes might have had a bit too much!  

This is the town hall, with the Slovak and Liptovská Koková emblems, and flags for the European Union, the nation, and the town as well.

Livka was a little charmer - just darling!!  Here she is wearing my house slippers!  :-) 

Family picture!  :-)   We had such fun with them!!  

Monday evening we went to church choir!  In December we went to that one church choir rehearsal, and it was really fun, but we didn't go again once we found out they were only preparing for events taking place while our kids were here and when we already had other plans.  So this Sunday after church, the pastor had someone translate for us and invited us to join as the choir now was starting again to prepare for Easter season music.  Well, it was awesome!   There were 6 basses (including Tim), 3 tenors, and 4 total women.  I asked what part the women were singing, and they said all soprano, so I said I'd sing alto.  They were surprised I'd 'solo' on alto, but of course I wanted to hear all 4 parts in the score.  The music was Taizé, which I'd heard of but didn't really know.  It was beautiful harmony, and the group sounded really good considering the imbalanced parts.  They asked me to help with setting tempos and directing a little bit, but I mostly just got them started and let them go - they did nicely!  I did a little note-correcting and added some dynamics.  Needless to say, I really enjoyed getting a tiny 'fix' of directing again!  :-)  After that, we headed straight to volleyball, and it was fun that there was another guy who did double-duty at both choir and VB too!  

Tuesday and Wednesday I was at the basic school in the morning again - today it was 'bell-to-bell' for three classes there.  Today after school Katarina came over, and together we booked flights for her trip to Iowa with us!!  We are all so excited about having her come to visit the U.S.A. for the first time!!  :-)   Tonight we'll Facetime with Beth and book her tickets too, so hopefully the girls can get seats together for the flights.  

The last interesting note is about the Maturita tests that have been held at school for the upperclass students this week.  The 'leaving examinations' for Slovak language and written English were held all over the country on certain prescribed days this week.  The actual exam packets (like ITBS booklets) had to be picked up by the school principals just before the testing times, which are government designated.  We are very impressed by how seriously these tests are taken by students and staff alike.  The scores are very important, so it is a huge deal here.  Every student was dressed up to take the tests, like for a formal job interview - girls in dresses, skirts, nylons, and heels, and the guys in suits and ties.  The teachers who were assigned to monitor the testing were likewise dressed in their professional best attire.  Certainly, this was a big contrast with the sloppy sweats, jeans, T-shirts, and hoodies that are typically worn by American students for their big ACT or SAT tests!!  We hope all our students did very well on this first portion of the Maturita.  There are other segments/subject areas to be taken at later dates.  Today Tim helped with an audio recording for a speaking portion of one upcoming test, and we are both scheduled to do more reading tomorrow in preparation for religion and math test recordings.  We continue to learn so much here!