School activities 1

What I fancy on this school is the vast range of activities it offers to students. Sports are playing important role in the school life, but it doesn't stop there. Many schools in England are focusing only on one sport for boys (rugby, football or basketball) and one sport for girls (netball, swimming or hockey). Ashville tries to cover every common sport and leave the choice on students. Some every week day afternoon three is different sport fixture or practise. They even distinguish two types of physical education: one is called P.E., which consist of academic p.e. and then sports and the other one is called Games which aims to prepare a school team for particular sports. So every student goes through every sport and theory of sport and body behavior during p.e., but also work on his own interests in his favourite sport during games.

This Monday there was an annual staff vs. students hockey fixture. So I didn't hesitate and took part in it! Well it was only after I got to the pitch, that I realized that English hockey have nothing in common with our ice hockey neither the floor ball which I played several times at Lewis. Rules are quite complicated, there are many restrictions and the pitch is huge.

For example you can't touch the ball with other side of the stick, or with your feet. If it happens than the opponent gets the ball. That literally means that after one hour of playing I barely touched the ball, without ruining my teams changes to win. Who do you thing was the winner? Yes, it's obvious, that students are in better shape -their stamina can't be compared with 45 year old teacher. And of course their technique is developed during p.e and games so it was a small miracle that after the first half the score was 0:0. But after our endurance started to vanish the umpire whistled three goals in the second half and the game was over -I didn't even get sweat. Well at least I participated.

dva extremi

Dni si pekne plynu... ani nie prilis rychlo ani nie pomaly, just right! Uz poznam vsetkych 29 chalanov z mojho intraku (Mallinson house) a je tu celkom sranda. Samozrejme ze zatial viem pramalo z ich skutocnych vlastnosti, ale aj prvy dojem je dolezity. Vacsina z nich je z Hong-kongu, pripadne azie hrstka anglicanov, jeden cech a jeden nemec. Dost rychlo vsetci pochytili anglicky typ humoru -najprv ta urazia, pripadne povedia nieco nemiestne, ale vzapeti na to nasleduje I was just kidding. Dost sa tu "dba" na aroganciu a zosmiesnovanie druhych, ale kedze to robia vsetci tak sa proti tomu da rychlo obrnit a jednoducho si na to zvyknut. Tazke to vsak musi byt pre mladych cinanou, ktori sem chodia vo veku 13-14 rokov, ich anglictina je vacsinou velmi slaba, kulturne rozdieli ovela vacsie ako medzi Slovenskom a Anglickom, no a samozrejme ich vek... Asi najlahsia cesta ako to zvladnut je proste pridat sa do prudu a sekat frajera...

Zacal som ucit samostatne. Kvalita niektorych ucitelov na skole nie je bohvie aka a tak som rad ze si mozem robit veci po svojom a nemusim sa iba tupo pozerat ako niekto iny uci -je to sice uzitocne ale nie 20 hod. tyzdenne. Zatial mam na starosti year 10 (cca 15. rokov) a lower 6 (17nast). Ti prvi spomenuti sa mi snazia spravit peklo zo zivota zatial co ti druhy su uplne super.

Desiatakov je v triede 21 co je zhruba max. cislo na skole a sme v malej triede kde sa zmestime len tak tak. Nie je tam Smart board a meotar som dnes utieral od dobre stareho prachu... Pracujem s nimi na Transformaciach (posunutie, otocenie, zvacsovanie...) co je ako stvorene pre Smartboard, ale prave ja ju nemam. Zatial co v niektorych inych triedach sa ani nepouziva, pripadne sa pouziva len na normalne pisanie. Detska kecaju kedy mozu, uz som zopar poslal za dvere, davaja zostavaju zajtra "poskole" (Cez prestavku budu upratovat triedu) a jeden dostal green slip co je celkom seriozny zapis. Celkovo sa snazia robit vsetko co najpomalsie. Niekedy mam pocit ze nerozumeju ani jednoduchemu zapisu prikladov z knihy na ktorych maju pracovat (176/2,3). Vstupny test dopadol velmi slabo, neviem ci koli ich neznalosti, alebo nezaujme... Ich pristup je proste mam v pazi. Mna to neustale utisovanie a upozornovanie vyvadza z rovnovahy, neviem sa sustredit, bud robim chybi v matike alebo v anglictine, ziaci maju z toho zmetok a hodina je proste zabita.

Uplny kontrast je lower 6 (year 12). Tych mam v triede 11 je to uz vyber studentov ktori robia A-level maths (ekvivalent nasej maturity). Nie len ze su velmi bystri a chapavi (samozrejme ze nie vsetci), ale maju aj zaujem a da sa snimi perfektne diskutovat. Najdolezitejsie je proste ze sa pytaju ked nerozumeju, a pocitaju ked im dam zadanie. Niektore triky a finty sa tu ucia inac, takze vela krat si v podstate vymiename sposoby riesenia prikladov. Studenti maju prirodzeny respekt a zdravy zaujem. Po kazdej hodine som doslova ocareny a z triedy odchadzam s krasnym povznasajucim pocitom. Mam totiz dostatok kludu na to aby som veci mohol dobre vysvetlit, tym padom ziaci chapu co sa deje, za cim nasleduje ich samostatna praca a tym padom sa stiha spravit vsetko co sa ma. Proste radost ucit!

S tym prvym pristupom som sa uz stretol aj na slovensku takze si myslim ze som schopny to zvladnut aj ked tu som samozrejme ze vo vacsej nevyhode -nie len koli jazyku a tomu ze som cudzinec, ale aj koli mojmu postaveniu na skole -som len akysi asistent... Ten druhy pristup je pre mna zatial skoro uplne novy. Som si isty ze by som podobne nieco zazil vo 4-taku a 5-taku na seminaroch aj na Lewisovi, pretoze mnohi ziaci tam boli super, ale ucil som tam iba nizsie rocniky a tak sa to az to takychto krasnych extremov nevysplhalo.

Accomodation and the rest

Tak zakladne veci ohladne mojho rocneho pobytu su vybavene a ja som ako tak zabehnuty do skolskej rutiny. Takze sa mozem vrhnut aj na veci ako je tento blog. Este som nepisal o byvani, ze ano?

Kym nebudem mat hotovy dom na Kontrcinej Lucke, tak toto tu bude urcite najluxusnejsie byvanie–jednoznacne to je najvacsi veget aky som kedy mal. V amerike som sa mal super -skoro vzdy som mal izbu sam pre seba, tu vsak mam mali, ale zato trojizbovy bytik. Je sucastou boarding house Mallinson. Rozlozenie izieb je jednoduche: kuchyna, obyvacka, spalna + satnik a kupelka. Najvacsi luxus vsak je ze neplatim najom a zakladna vybava je sucastou bytu. V amerike som platil celkom seriozne najomne plus som si musel kupovat skoro vsetko okrem pracky… Tu mam aj pracku, aj susicku aj zehlicku -vsetko pekne dolu v suterene. K vybave domu patria aj pocitace, spolocenska miestnost a studovna. Nezaostavaju ani nastroje na mrhanie casu ako stolny futbal, tenis ci play station. Jedine co mi asi vadi je ze mam telku v obyvacke co znamena ze niekedy do nej cumim -zatial mam vyhovorku: listening to proper english.

Vynahradza to sportova hala, ktora je sucastou skolskeho arealu. Su vnej dve telocvicne a bazen. Tento weekend bol uplny zabijak. Hrali sme bagminton, basketbal, volejbal a samozrejme som bol aj plavat. Svalovku mam hlavne na svaloch, ktore su okolo pistal na nohach zbytok sa da zvladnut. Neviem ci som tam niekedy vobec svalovku mal?! Takze chodza je celkom "radost". Na zaciatok to bolo dost z hurta. Zatial nemame skoro ziadne povinnosti a v podstate sa tu ine ako sport ani robit neda. Co som este nevychytal je stena na lezenie. Na vsetko tu maju predpisi a pravidla a tak na stene sa moze liezt iba s autorizovanou osobou (su dve na skole) a nemoze sa tam liezt pokiel je v hale iny program (basket, futbal...) co vlastne znamena ze stena zapada prachom. Nevadi skusim omrknut skaly v okoli.

Uplny vrchol celeho tohto blahobytu je ze mam v skole tri krat denne jedlo, takze vpodstate nemam kde minat prachy. Najblisie az ked pride zima a budem si musiet kupit teple veci, plus po mesiaci, dvoch by som si asi mal kupit aj nove sako a nohavice, pretoze zatial chodim stale v tom istom. Vyzera to fakt super, aj co sa finnancii tyka aj vsetkeho ostatneho. Dom v Kotrcinej sa v podstate uz stavia!

Zaciatky na Ashville

Zaciatky na Ashville college

Anglicke stredne skoly su vacsi veget ako u nas, ale nie az tak ako v USA. Je to hlavne koli tomu ze studenti maju vacsiu volbu predmetov, ktore chcu studovat -teda aspon v poslednych rocnikoch, system je tu mierne iny, ale celkovo je to podobne ako u nas. Ucitelia ucia pomerne klasickym sposobom, ale pomerne velky doraz sa kladie na samostatnu pracu studentov a maju k dispozicii neskutocne technicke aj didakticke pomocky, takze celkovy obraz je neporovnatelny s nasim skolstvom. Do skoly chodia 13 rokov, z coho 1-6 je junior school, 7-11 senior school a 12-13 je 6th form. Nieco na styl naseho prveho stupna, druheho stupna spolu s ucnovkou a potom nadstavba na maturitu -v tych prvych rocnikoch sa iba hrajkaju. Dnes som bol na hodine v year 10 a robili tam zlomky!!! To su ziaci vo veku okolo 14-15 rokov!!! idu totiz do skoly ked maju 4 alebo 5. Dost som nechapal. Studenti z hongogu sa totalne nudili a anglicania robili trivialne chyby. Je pravda ze to bolo len opakovanie z minuleho roka, ale aj tak, u nas sa to uci v sedmicke... Bol som vsak aj v year 12 a ty makali na grafickych kalkulackach a z funkcii prave brali vysiu trigonometriu co je secant, cosecant... ja som to na Lewisovi ani nerobil.

Celkovo mam inac pocit ze ma trosku podcenuju, pretoze zatial mam nastarosti iba urobit nastenku "welcome to maths department" a iba chodim na hodiny a pozorujem. Plus ma na intraku zaucaju do tzv. duties, ale zatial ich este nerobim. Je to dost vela checkovania, ziaci maju presny rezim dna v ktorom je urceny aj cas na domace ulohy... ty najstarsi to maju OK, ale ty mladi maju fakt vela obmedzovania. Paci sa mi ze studentov so 6th form zapajaju do skolskych aj internatnych aktivit. Maju pomerne velke prava (hovori sa im Prefects), je to cela hierarchia.

Podmienky pre ziakov aj ucitelov su tu neskutocne. Maximum v triede je 24, ale v skutocnovsti je to 21, priemer je tak 12, mnohe triedy, resp. skupiny maju len 8 ziakov no a minimum je jeden ziak. Je tu jeden asistent na nemcinu (mlady chalanisko) a on ma hodinu iba s jednym ziakom...

Co sa tyka roboty -vacsi veget si ani neviem predstavit. Vsetci su tak busy ze na Nas (spolu s Language assitatmi s ktorymi travim najviac casu) nemaju cas. Ja zatial nemam ani duties na intraku ani timetable v skole. A tak sa snazim si vyplnit cas ako sa da. Na nastenke pracujem uz dva dni a este stale nie je hotova!!! Moc sa mi nechce, ale spravim to. Ovela viac ma bavi chodit na hodiny checkovat ich teaching stile a pomahat ziakom pocas samostatnych prac. Cele to vsak stoji na tom kam pridem. V podstate by som sa kludne mohol zasit niekam do PC room nic nerobi, ale to samozrejme ze nechcem. O samostatnom uceni sa tu este ani nehovori -ze potom neskor. Ono je to asi takto lepsie, lebo sa mozem kludne asimilovat, ale zase na druhej strane dufam ze budem ucit, vsak koli tomu som sem prisiel. Domaci ucitelia inac ucia celkom klasicky tak ako u nas... maju len perfektne podmieky a su (tym padom) ovela milsi aj trpezlivejsi.

Kazde rano tu mame tzv. assembly. Je to mix kazdodoennych oznamov, prikazov a budovanie komunity pomocou spolocnych modlitieb -vsetci musia nahlas spievat, este stastie ze nas je v hale cca 800 a tak sa tam lahko stratrim. Myslim si ze na Lewisovi bolo super ze nikoho nenutili modlit sa. Kto tak citi nech tak robi, ale kto tak neciti a musi tak robit, tak sa vlastne pretvaruje...co nie je zrovna najlepsie.

Dolezity ludia na skole su headmaster (riaditel), senior deputy head (zastupca riaditela) a chaplain (farar) -aj ked toho az tak nevidno. Ja sa najcastesie stretavam s hlavou Maths department a veducim Boarding houses. Najviac casu vsak travim so zahranicnymi asistentami na jazykoch. Headmaster aj deputy head su dost ironicki a conzervativni, ranne kazne su moralisticke a snazia sa byt velkolepe... ale chaplain je v pohode jeho prednasky su celkom k veci. Niekedy je to OK, ba dokonca az super, ale niekedy je to vymivanie mozgov! Alebo moralizovanie. Musim uznat ze sa snazia studentov vychovavat k zodpovednosti, slusnosti a vsetkym ostatnym uslachtilim cielom, ale sposob ako to robia mi moc nepasuje. Je to take zastarale a zkostnatele. Dost sa tu dba na uniformi a celkove vystupovanie, cize stale pocut "uprav si koselu", "zapni si gombik" alebo "nebez". Keby to bol jeden, alebo dvaja ziaci tak si poviem ze to ma zmysel, ale podoba sa to skor na kto z koho, resp. vsak nikto to tak nerobi.

No ale dobre nebudem ohovarat. podmienky su tu uzasne, vysledky ziakov dobre az velmi dobre a aj ich spravanie je dokonale uspokojive (cim nemyslim nasu dvojku zo spravania)
Najvacsia pecka je ich Smart Board. Pocul uz na slovensku, ale videl som to az teraz a sanka mi veru spadla. Vyzera to normalne ako biela tabula, ale funguje to ako pocitacova obrazovka, na ktoru sa projektorom premieta obraz z pocitaca. Daju sa vsak rukami, resp. prstami chytat a presuvat predmety, pohybovat sa vo windows, alebo aj pisat elektronickym perom. Vsetko nakreslene sa da zvecsovat, kopirovat a dokonca aj prehodit do pocitacoveho pisma... a to som to zatial vydel len na jednej hodine, uvideme co vsetko to este dokaze. Take moznosti, to sa nam ani nesniva.

S anglictinou nemam problem, ale ten ich yorksirsky dialekt je dost iny od americkej anglictiny na ktoru su zviknute moje usi, sem tam mi uplne ujde co vlastne hovorili (pri asseblies je to mozno aj vyhoda). Ako domacu ulohu si asi dam prelozenie celeho tohto prispevku...

Byvanie nemohlo byt lepsie. Moj boarding house (vola sa ze Mallinson House) je na skolskej pode cca 7 min. pesi od hlavnej budovi. Dostal som krasny aj ked jednoduchy trojizbovy bytik -kuchyna, obyvacka, spalna, satnik ako polka izby a kupelka. Je v nom zakladne vybavenie a dolu v dome je pracovna a vsetko ostatne co by som len mohol potrebovat. Housemastrova manzelka mi dokonca nakupila aj zakladne veci do kuchyne a dali mi intrakove uteraky. Ranajky, obed, veceru mam vskole... vyzera to ze prachy nebudem mat vobec kde minat. Spolu somnou je tu este jeden house tutor -v pohode chalanisko, hra Ruggby!

Skola je cca 30 min. pesi od centra Harrogate. Este som mesto moc neocekol, zatial som behal len po bankach a job centroch, ale vyzera dost super. Hned som skocil do sekacu aj do antikvariatu... uricite ho podrobim hlbsiemu prieskumu. York a okolie ma caka tiez.

Celkokovo teda, mam sa viac ako fajn, pozdravujem vsetkych ktori ste si precitali tento blog sluziaci skor ako hromadny mail. Dufam ze sa tiez mate super, a ze sa vam dari.

1.B during brake

The school year started and so together with this fact my life style changed. It is already an year plus tree weeks since I came back to Europe. The people which I called buddy's before I came back would hardly recognize me. Even I'm (nicely) surprised of the big change that happened. I came from the jungle with big dreams about far-away journeys and exotic lifestyles. I wanted to finish university but there wasn't even a slightest thought in my mind to actually go and teach in Slovakia. I knew that I want to teach but I wanted to go out and more less continue in exploring other countries. Well, but during the winter in dormitory I calmed down, and realized that, the life style I lived in USA wasn't the best for me. Sure, I knew it for a while but only now I was able to see it clearly. Some of you (like Monica from Chicago) couldn't imagine me in front of a class teaching math... Well with the visage I had in state one would need a lot of imagination . As I sad, lot of changes happened a in my life. Not only that my outward form is completely different, but also my inside belief is a little more realistic and calm. So it happened that my opinion on being a teacher in Slovakia changed too. I'll be honest, the main reason why I started to look for the job here, was because it was the easiest option, and also because I knew that work experience in this branch is necessary. And where should I get it? Wouldn't it be waste of energy to go aboard again, and start from zero, when I can start here and get a support from my parents and friends. Plus the knowledge of the system in your own country is important. Isn't it ? Such and much more, but similar train of thoughts was running in my head during the last year. So I decided to be a teacher in my native country. The rest was easy -well at least it looks like, because I was hired at the first school I was interested in. And it is also the best school I could get. I'm sure it wasn't that easy... I have to thank to God of Luck for his blessing... my qualities was recognized. Now I only heaved to fulfill them. The challenge is big. My employers are very bright persons, and my pupils are sharp as well.

Math lesson

Challenge is big, but that's what makes the life unique experience. Choosing the easiest options isn't the right way. (Yes I know I just confessed that I started to look for the job in Slovakia because it was the easiest option, yes, yes I'm not a superman... ) Going beyond your capacities isn't good either. The best is to stand on the ground but trying to reach as far as possible... That's what I'm doing now. Fortunately I'm standing on the stable platform, but to satisfy the expectation as mine so mine employers and also mine students I have to stand on tiptoes and stretch my hand above my head... Teaching is taking all of my energy and power. I need to use all of my knowledge and skills, and still I'm not doing the best job I think I could. It gives me the highest satisfaction I ever experienced. Non of the previous job was even close, neither none of the other activities, except traveling... I discovered that to be a teacher is my life profession. There is no necessity to say any strong words. One month is definitely not enough to say anything like "I will be a teacher till end of my life", and if the circumstances doesn't change I will probably be forced to do something else, or somewhere else. But what I know now is that I'm happy... Even I'm tired, and frustrated little bit because it isn't that easy. I didn't had any big expectation, and I was almost positive that it will be hard -why should I have it easy, when I wasn't really nice to my teachers... It isn't a problem it is only that I have to get used to. There will always be nice students who do everything somebody tells them, and there will always be also the opposite ones, and it is good that it is like that because balance is important. So I'm thankful to all of them, I'm thankful for their patients with me. I'm really trying to do my best. School is my life now. I don't do any thing else. I let go my PhD studies, and all other side project. Some of them I would like to get back... Now I'm just waiting when will my hectic life style calm down little bit so I can do sport again, that I could draw again, and of course travel again. Everything needs time. Now I have to focus to the topic. And my topic is called MATH. So all my daily activities turns around this subject. If I'm not dealing with actual mathematic problems, than I'm dealing with other school thinks... And there are always thousand of them, like tons of questions from the students, or doing the paper work, or attend the staff meetings, or just taking the necessary brake from neverending talking... The weekdays runs in speed of light and the weekends gives me just enough time the do minimum of necessary relaxation one need to survive. OK, OK now I exaggerated a little, but this is how I see it now. I'm sure that it will calm down latter. And that it will be only better. Even now I'm doing really good. The feedback energy is so big that it makes everything running alright. YEAH EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE ALRIGHT... EVEN MORE ALRIGHT THAT IT IS NOW. VOW

Morocco

I'm back from another exciting journey. It was shorter than the last one, but much more intensive and real, because I was limited with money, and because I visited different countries of course. It was also harder and more difficult, but therefore I like it more, and I have really nice and “strong” memories. The trip can be divided into 3 main parts: hitchhiking there and back –this was the most difficult part, because I was alone, so I was thinking a lot..., plus I made more than 8000 km criss-cross Europe, so I was thinking a lot..., I had to talk to many drivers, I had to stand many hours on the sun, and some also in the rain! ...but I like it, so it's not such a big problem for me as it could be for somebody else. I made it in 6 days from Bratislava to Algeciras and in 5 days back -well actually in 4 days from Malaga, but it took me whole 24 hours to get from Algeciras to Malaga -shit I waited 19 hours on one gas station (with 3 euros -witch I spend for the train from Bratislava to Galanta)!!! Second part was the days in Barcelona and Urie's house with nice Spanish people. It was different part because everything was secure, calm and Griss took care of me -thanks a lot. This was like a party & relax part, I liked it a lot, but it also meant some extreme for me. The third part was actual Morocco. This was the most hard core part - exciting trip to wild world of Arab's and Berber's. I met my two friends -Ivan&Lubka, so for this two weeks I wasn't alone. We went through a completely new and unexplored world. I smelt the aroma of Africa and tried the taste of poor and dry country. Country too close to Europe, so too jealous for wealth (off course nobody knew that we are from poor Slovakia). We don't have too nice feelings about the Moroccians people, because they are already too greedy and completely unresponsible, and spoiled by tourism! Beyond all they'r "hospitality" and "Bon Jour" there was graving for profit from us, or directly getting the cash. I can understand that they need to live from something, but if they're hiding business behind so famous unconditional hospitality, than I'm sad, and if it is just everywhere than I'm pissed of! Almost all of them had this mask: "Hello how are you? Welcome in Morocco…. Come to my hotel, or come and by this so I can have profit from you, or give me one dirham", and if we wasn't responding correctly, then they was pissed, and they was saying that we don't understand they'r mentality!!! One kid even sad "F*** of" after we sad we don't have much money… I know this little bit from Turkey, or Central America, but in Morocco it was just 100 times stronger, it was everywhere, and all the time. It's sad but we didn't met anybody who would be behaving really without any conditions!

But anyway it was an excellent and interesting trip. We explored the North Africa. First we went to Fez -this city lives still now like it does 1000 years ago!!! Big and Chaotic medina (old town) with lot of shops, and people. Lot of new smells and views for me… It remind me little bit Nicaragua because we met lot of travelers. From there we went to Merzouga, small town on the edge of desert -–small part of Sahara. AAAAAaaaa this was just too hot to bear, but we wanted to try it. For one night we made a trip into the desert. Strong and hot wind, plus send everywhere that's what I remember . Than we went to High Atlas mountains. First we visited famous climbing spot Todra Gorge and latter I hiked J. Toubkal (4160m). I did it alone because my friend catched altitude sicknes -she couldn't breath and start to feel really dizzy, latter she was vomiting and get a strong diarrhea too. It was really bad for here but , she get through it. During the descend from the peak I swapped my tent for beautiful berber carpet! From there we went to Marakesh, also big and old town, but already too modern and not so interesting as Fez. The last stop was amazing waterfalls called Ozzoud. Well but I thing the pictures will tell you more.

Here we start.... Small town Merzouga on the edge of desert Erg Cherbi, camel's and me and 45°C in shade (120 F). If you check the map is quite far away from Borders. Well the reason is very sad. All pictures since Ceuta till Fez (except one + one video) are gone... We burned them on CD, but this get broken on the way back, and we had only no back up CD... So we got only pictures since Merzouga till the end. This town is close to Algerian borders (witch are closed for everybody) so one could think that it is dangerous out there, but is not. The desert makes a safeborderr zone, because it's not so easy to cross it. Anyway we did a small trip to explore new surface for us.

Chill out

This is how we chilled under the date palm trees. It was so hot that we was not able to do anything. We did only the necessary stuff like getting the water, cooking food (only soup) and laying down. The wind was more hot than the standing air because it came from sunny areas. Don't get it wrong we red only for couple minutes and than we get too tired to read any longer...

Travelers

Travelers in Morocco! Well we all should bow down in front of Lubka because she did it all with almost no comments, no arguing... In the middle of the trip (High Atlas) it was finally too much for here -but I would like to see you with altitude sickness, bad diarrhea and dirt everywhere!!! It was hard for us as well. We slept under the plain sky, we et the cheapest food, drinked just iodine water and always moved with our baggage on the shoulders. No one from us will ever forget the first night in Morocco: it was in Tetouan. We came to the town at night and didn't wanted to stay there, but there ware no more busses leaving till morning. Of course there was also no good time to look for bugged hotels, so we decided to sleep close to Main Bus Terminal... Probably the most dangerous place in town. There was on old market place and mosque, so we just laid (well half laid half sit) down there. Just so with backpack under the heads. There was an old guard who told us to move closer to him, so he can watch us during the night. Thanks to him we closed our ayes at least for couple seconds. It was really loud and noisy place with lot of drunk guys. And marocains don't look friendly even if they are sober -at least not on the first look and during the night. There is no other girl like Lubka...

Desert

The desert!!! Something none of us saw and tried before. I sad tried, because to make a trip to a desert means to feel it with all senses. Ears, because of the wind. Touch, because of the sun and sweat on the skin. Taste and smell, because of the send in your mouth and nose. And of course ayes, even because there is maybe not much to see, but one will never forget the picture of desert.

Kids

This is what I like the most. Meet the other cultures, talk with new people -as far they come from that far I enjoy it! These Berber kids didn't talk much english but they're ayes was glowing and they're souls was clean...

High Atlas

High Atlas was definitely the most exciting part of the trip. It was also something like a middle of the journey - we stopped going south and after hiking the highest peak of north Africa we turned around and headed back north. We spend 3 nights in mountains -finally we get chilled little bit: While I was descending the J. Toubkal there was an ice storm!!! I was so glad I had my rain jacked -even I didn't needed it almost the whole trip.

Hitchhiker

As I sad we get there by hitchhiking, so we wanted to try it also in Morocco... well nice try but we gave it up pretty early. It didn't look always like this. No, the problem was money. They wanted us to pay for hikes -of course as much as possible. We didn't knew how much is enough so we decided rather to travel by buses and cabs cause they have fixed prices.

Hotel

The ***** (five star) hotel in Marrakesh looks like this. No I'm just kidding of course. But if you have 20 euros and you are 5000 km (3200 miles) from your home I'm sure you will call place like this five star hotel too. We had A/C -it was on the top of the roof with no wall as you can see. We had beautiful view of the town, we had original berber carpets on the wall, enough to eat, enough to drink... what else you would like to have?

Olive shop

Markets are other famous thinks in Morocco. Basically they sell everything you can imagine... many times delicious stuff other times just rubbish. We spended hours walking trought them... even we didn't had money to vast

Street of Marrakesh

We don't have much pictures from town because as I sad we lost the pictures from the beginning of the journey -in Fez we did lot of pictures of medina (old town) and town as well, and since than nothing else was so interesting... This one is from Marrakesh

Cascades Ozzoud

What is your definition of paradise? The cascades Ozzoud are pretty close to mine... I spend the last day here. Swimming in the fresh water, taking the sun bath (to get at least little bit tan) and gather enough energy for the trip back

Paradise

When I sad paradise I mean it!!!

meditation session

I spend one weekend with this peacefull group of people in northern part of Slovakia. It was really hard but usefull for my mind... I will begin the summer with 2 weeks of meditations with Banthe Sujiva from Malaysia also in Slovak's mountiens...