Paradise Found in Spišská Nová Ves

REFLECTIONS FROM GERI:

As we leave eastern Slovakia, we are struck with the beauty of the area, the generosity of the Rotarians, and the special memories and mementoes we have from our four days and five nights in Spišská Nová Ves (SNV), a city of 40,000 residents who love their country, religion, families, music, good food, nice vino and delicious pivo. This is where the snow-capped Tatra Mountains hold court over the horizon and the Slovenský raj National Park hides hiking trails that follow rushing streams to magnificent waterfalls. This is where few American tourists come, and it’s where we experienced history five times the age of our own country.

Our first day's schedule listed, "A meeting with the mayor." Little did we know that the tall doors of historic Town Hall would swing open on our behalf and that we would be escorted one by one down the red-carpeted center aisle to our seats of honor in the front, as a pianist gave a gorgeous rendition of “Let It Be.” The royal treatment continued with a private serenade of Slovakian songs, a beautiful version of "Memories," a speech by the mayor, and the opportunity to sign the city’s enormous guest book. A tour of the seven clock bell tower after the formal welcome had us walking up 155 narrow steps, which is not easy in a pencil skirt and nylons! Lunch in the lower level of the courthouse reminded us of the value of freedom, as the place where we sat had been a prison during the Communist occupation. Finally, our visits to the theatre and national television studios were a fascinating end to a spectacular day.

Our adventure here in SNV continued with opportunities to be part of so many different things. From castles to churches, from traditional food and dance, to sharing our story with students in a bi-lingual college prep school – we were exposed to so much, and we loved it all! We have danced and laughed and learned and hugged. The small but mighty Rotary Club in Spišská Nová Ves is an amazing group of generous people who have enriched our lives.

Once again, it is tough to say goodbye.

[Ed. Note: While Geri enjoyed some well-deserved R&R in SNV one day, the 'fab four' - Alanna, Shannon, Ed, and Justin - set off to explore the forested wonders of Slovenský raj, which literally translates to Slovak Paradise. I have a feeling that being out in the woods really gave them much joy and soul-restoration. My hunch is founded upon the fact that they were so delighted by the natural world they found themselves in that they called me before it was even 6am my time to share their joy with my sleepy self. And with views like the one on the right, I don't blame them! Truly, they must have found a piece of paradise in Slovakia.]

Sunshine in Slovakia

The day after the District Conference Gala in Prague (5/18), we packed up our bags to move on to the next phase of our journey - traveling through Slovakia. Leaving the Czech Republic behind and crossing the border into its sister country was uneventful, but little did we know how much Slovakia would capture our hearts. 

Slovakia is simply beautiful. Gorgeous countryside, generous people, delicious wine/beer/food and fantastic weather!

As soon as our team crossed the border into Slovakia, we had sunshine for the first time in days. You can imagine how happy each of us felt to see and feel the sun again… after all, we are Floridians! :)

For a few days, Nitra became our new home. Nitra is one of the oldest towns in Slovakia and the country’s agricultural capital. Upon our arrival, we were greeted very warmly by Sandy, the incoming President of Rotary Club Nitra-Harmony. Our first night kicked-off with some entertainment by Rotarian Mario and his very talented a cappella group, followed by fun times at the local Irish pub – the only one in town.

Every day was packed with enlightening vocational experiences, traditional Slovak meals, much pivo and vino consumption, and even more laughter. We had great team time as we ate breakfast together each morning at MediaHaus, a multipurpose facility that is managed by a local Rotarian. Our vocational time was well spent and very informative; we had many conversations with government officials, attorneys, law professors, and notaries in both Nitra and Bratislava. Additionally, we toured Minitube, a biotech production facility that manufactures plastic products used for artificial insemination of domesticated animals (yes, many jokes were cracked), because a local Rotarian works there as the Director of Sales for Central Europe.

We thoroughly enjoyed presenting to both clubs (Nitra and Nitra-Harmony) and meeting their members - very friendly, personable, hard-working people who were excited to host us and learn about our backgrounds and GSE journey thus far.

Nitra is less than one hour away from the Slovak capital of Bratislava. On Tuesday, May 20, we spent the day enjoying the sights in Slovakia's capital city with some members from District 2240.

Our last full day is one I (Alanna) will always remember fondly. Sandy took us to the tiny township of Oponice where we visited the Château Appony, which holds a magnificent collection of old texts in their beautiful library. The collection was started in 1774 by Count Apponyi and today holds over 17,000 books with over 400 original 1st editions.  We learned a lot about the various events and resulting devastation that occurred in the region over the course of history. Our team was deeply touched and moved after hearing the personal story of our guide who has dedicated his life to the reconstruction and restoration of this truly amazing literary collection.

The later part of the day concluded with a lovely serene experience at Topoľčianky Park. That night, we ate a delicious Italian meal of spaghetti prepared by Sandy’s husband at their lovely home with picturesque views of town. We drank plenty of vino, took pictures, shared laughter and made wonderful memories. It was an amazing night with new friends that we will cherish forever. Shakespeare’s words couldn't be truer about our time in Nitra: Parting is such sweet sorrow.

For a great website that offers a beautiful overview of Slovakia, go to http://slovakia.travel/

You can more about the city of Nitra and the surrounding areas on the city's webpage: http://www.nitra.eu/.  

[Ed. Note: This post is a joint effort by Alanna, Hailey, and Justin.]

Prague

Prague is a sprawling city with such an intriguing and varied history of events you would think were scripted for a television mini-series. Although the weather was a little cool and overcast during our visit, we did not let that squash our enjoyment of the capital of the Czech Republic. 

Our first full day in Prague was one of our "vocational" days, where the team split up to have more individualized experiences directed toward our professions or interests. As an accountant, I had the opportunity to meet with the head audit partner of a large international accounting firm. I found it interesting to compare and contrast my experiences as a CPA in Orlando to that of one in the Czech Republic (and in case you were wondering, there are more similarities than differences).

After my morning meeting, I met a distinguished Rotarian from one of the Prague Rotary clubs for lunch. For over an hour, I sat glued to my chair, captivated by the incredible modern history of the country told through personal stories of this deep-thinking gentlemen. WWII, a communist regime, a bloodless revolution, a division of two countries, and the continued progression of a modern nation. I was riveted by the highs and lows (and some very low lows) of the country's recent past. Before we had arrived in the country, our GSE team had done some research about Czech history, but hearing it first hand from one who lived and struggled through those events is quite another experience - both moving and powerful. In only the first week of being in this country, I find myself more appreciative of the many freedoms I can so easily take for granted at home in the United States. (I have a feeling this will be a common theme throughout our experience, for both myself and the other members of the team.)

The rest of the afternoon was free for exploring and absorbing the city. The team regathered with our Rotarian hosts for dinner downtown and then headed to the Municipal Theatre for a Prague Spring Music Festival concert in the famed Smetana Hall known for its art nouveau design and architecture. From fantastic balcony seats, we listened to works by Janáček and Dvorák and were awed by a world-premier piece specifically commissioned for the music festival and composed by a living Czech composer, Adam Skoumal, whose piece featured an incredible virtuoso violin performance!

The next morning, we met a friendly English-speaking guide "under the tail" in Wenceslas Square and spent the majority of the day on a guided tour of the city's staple attractions: Prague Castle, St. Vitus Cathedral, Charles Bridge, Old Town Square, and the Astronomical Clock. The evening marked the beginning of the annual Rotary District Conference, so we made our way via tram outside of the city to a monastery which houses a rustic (and rowdy) pub/restaurant known for its locally brewed beer. Here we toasted "Na zdraví!" with Rotarians from all over the District, made friends while practicing our Czech and Slovak phrases, and met future hosts for later stages of our trip.

Saturday, May 17th was the big day of the District Conference and when we gave our presentation to the District. After our part, we watched the artistic and moving documentary of the District 2240 GSE team's experiences and reflections from their month in a Central Florida last October. It is really well done and you can view it here: http://vimeo.com/95851825#at=0. Finally, we celebrated in the evening with a fun-filled Gala, and I sure am glad I brought a suit to match the special occasion!

The following morning, our team loaded up in two cars of Rotarians from Nitra, and we began the 4-hour journey to Slovakia for the next stop on our two-country tour!

-Justin

The Municipal Theatre

Smetana Hall

The famed John Lennon wall where Czech youth and communist party members engaged in a back-and-forth graffiti war following Lennon's assassination in 1980 -- another example of the nation's struggle for freedom

Prague is centrally located in the Czech Republic (which is roughly the size of South Carolina), a 3.5 hour drive anywhere in the country