Hello all,
Believe me when I say this is the first opportunity I have had to actually sit down and write this! So far my trip has been the best and worst time for different reasons. The most important thing is that I have finally arrived in Ljubljana! It is still really hard for me to realize that after over a year of anticipation, I am finally here.
As soon as I flew into the airport I could tell that Slovenia is exactly what I was looking for. Ljubljana is so beautiful and surprisingly easy to get around. It is very hard to get lost in the city. You can always tell where you are at in relation to the city center. All roads lead towards the center’s circle and consequently everything branches out from there. I cannot think of anything equivalent to the center in Kansas City but I know I will be spending a lot of my free time “downtown”. The center is a fairly commercial district with functional and fancy shops lining the streets. It is very nice because no cars are allowed on the streets in the center, pedestrian traffic adds to its appeal. There is also a market close by and of course many historic buildings and churches. The main building for my school is also very close to the center. A city campus is going to take some getting used to considering I have always been confined to a closed campus at UMKC but I am definitely up for the challenge.
I am currently staying at Hostel Celica and that is an experience all in its own! I originally planned on staying here only for a few nights but it looks like that is not the case. A word of advice for anyone planning on living in a foreign country…MAKE SURE YOU GET YOUR RESIDENCY PERMIT BEFORE YOU LEAVE!!! I made the mistake of thinking it was no biggie and that is definitely not the case. Apparently applying for this permit 6 months in advance is not considered enough time for embassies and consulates to get their act together. Therefore I am stuck living in a hostel until the Slovenian embassy sends my visa to the Slovenian embassy in Zagreb, Croatia. This whole process has made me very frustrated for a number of reasons. First of all, my residency permit was ironically finished the day after I arrived in Ljubljana. It’s just so wonderful to be in Washington D.C. specifically to pick up the permit and NOT getting it, to hear that it’s done the next day! Shipped from Slovenia of all places agh! Foreign relations, you fail. Another aggravating aspect of this process is that for some reason now that I am in Slovenia, they cannot send my permit to Slovenia. It must be sent to a Slovenian Embassy instead. So roadtrip to Zagreb for me! I am currently waiting for word that the permit has reached Zagreb and then I’ll be off to the Slovenian Embassy there. The funnest part of all this nonsense is that I had to trek around all of Ljubljana talk to at least five different administrations to obtain this information. The dorms would not admit me without the permit and the day just got crazier and crazier. I am very fortunate however because staying in the Hostel allows you to meet a multitude of different travelers. Thank heavens that I was able to meet some new friends who helped me learn how to get a bus pass, find the right buildings, and help me drag my luggage to hell and back after being rejected from the dorms. I’m pretty sure I would be lost and crying if it wasn’t for them.
The wonderful thing about living in a hostel is that you get a new roommate every day. Everyone has a story and I feel more culturally intuned already! Upon arrival I was terrified of being the lone English speaker and have to fend for myself. It’s quite the opposite though! The hostel puts on a “get to know each other party” which is centered on two teams competing to make the best Mojitos! It’s really hard to refuse drinking with good company and I’m getting quite good at making mojitos :P There is also a cluster of underground clubs right next to the hostel so it’s nice to go with friends and listen to a variety of techno, punk, trance, rock, and rap! Needless to say I had a great first night.
I’ve also made a great new friend, Vanessa from Germany is going to the University as well and we have been spending a lot of time together learning about the city and getting things done for our upcoming semester. I’ve taught her to play some card games and she’s slowly but surely teaching me how to roll my own cigarettes. I am so ready to move into the dorms as well so I can meet other students! I love the hostel but most of the guests are here for only a few days so you always have friends but they are only temporary. Living out of a suitcase isn’t very fun either.
I’ve come to find that the city is just like any other place. You just have to trust your gut and don’t be stupid. I have met a few interesting characters already but I just keep walking and ignore them. Today while walking back to my hostel some random creeper asked to use my phone and then when I said I did not have one asked if I wanted sex. I just said no thanks and kept walking. Who knows if he was a male prostitute or just a drunk. Either way I wasn’t very concerned because of the openness of the streets, there’s no way he could have caught me.
Tomorrow I begin my language class with Vanessa. 8 a.m. bright and early! We scoped out the route today so everything should be good. I can’t wait to learn a bit of Slovene so I don’t feel like such a fool. Here is what I’ve learned so far in my brief stay here.
Croatians and Slovenians don’t really get along. Croatians are known to be out of control and considered stupid. I’ve stopped telling people that I am Croatian until I find someone who thinks differently.
Slovenians are very practical people. Neutral colors and a calm and collected attitude is what I have observed to be the norm. The older generation enjoys looking their best while out. Fur coats and nice slacks are normal. So many of the older Slovenian men remind me of my grandpa, its amazing!
Drinking is no big deal here. Beer and wine is had regularly for most meals, and you don’t see many drunk asses stumbling around the streets. This brings about the notion in my head that having such a high drinking age in the States contribute to its problems controlling the younger generation. Young adults here handle their liquor well and aren’t out of control compared to what I know it to be in the U.S. I can’t wait to visit Croatia and see if it’s the same. Union and Lasko are both Slovenian beers and are so yummy.
And apparently I have a very funny accent. Midwest’s finest :D
That’s all for now, time to get my night started!
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