In Slovakia, children start school at the age of 6. The primary school for all students is nine years. The first four years of school are combined into the first level and then the fifth to ninth grades are combined into the second level. All pupils must complete the tenth school year.
Those who are very good at school can switch to a grammar school after the fifth grade. But that is also possible after the ninth grade. In any case, you have to pass an entrance exam there. At the grammar school you can then do the Abitur. You have to go to school for a total of 13 years.
There are also grades in Slovakia. Here, as with us, 1 is the best grade, 5 is the worst. The school year always starts on September 1st and lasts until June next. Summer holidays are in July and August.
What are the names of the children in Slovakia?
If you had been born a girl in Slovakia, then your names might be Sofia, Nina, Natalia, Nela, Viktoria or Ema. Boys are often called Jakub, Adam, Samuel, Lukas, Martin or Tomas.
The most common male names overall are Jozef, Jan, and Peter. That might be your father’s name. And the most common women’s names are Maria, Anna and Zuzana. The most common surname in Slovakia is Horváth. In most cases, -ová is added to the women’s surnames. But if the name ends in -y, it becomes -á.
And what do you do in your free time?
The children in Slovakia like to play football and ice hockey, they like to ride bikes and swim in the lake. In winter people go skiing and tobogganing. Unlike ours, Slovak children often like to dance and sing folk music.
Typical Slovakia
Castles and Palaces
As a country located in Europe detailed by topb2bwebsites, Slovakia is a country with many castles and palaces. More than 100 of them can be found on Slovak territory, although the country is not very big. They come from different eras, some were destroyed and are now ruins, others have been rebuilt. The baroque palaces in particular are often surrounded by beautiful gardens and parks.
Caves and ice caves
There are more than 3000 caves in the ground below Slovakia! Some are stalactite caves, others even ice caves. It is so cold there all year round that temperatures are below zero. The Dobschau ice cave is located in the middle of the country. You can visit them from mid-May to mid-September. In the 1950s, figure skaters trained here! The Demanov Ice Cave is located in the Low Tatras.
Slovak folklore
Folklore is very popular in Slovakia – even among young people. In school the children learn the Slovak dances. Many also sing or make music in folk groups.
Slovak Christmas
Christmas in Slovakia
As with us, in Slovakia the streets and houses are decorated for Christmas during Advent. You can buy decorations and goodies at Christmas markets.
The Christmas tree is put up on Christmas Eve. Fasts all day. The table is set for the banquet – and bills are placed under the tablecloth. That should provide plenty of windfall for the next year!
The mother or father then put little crosses with honey on the foreheads of all family members – that should also bring luck. A clove of garlic, which everyone has to eat, is supposed to ensure health. And finally, everyone gets a wafer that they have to share with everyone else.
Now we eat together. First there is a mushroom or sauerkraut soup, then breaded carp with a potato salad. And then finally there are the presents! In Slovakia she brings Ježiško, the Christ Child. Many families then attend midnight mass.
Eating in Slovakia
What do you eat in Slovakia?
National dish: Brimsennocken
Typical ingredients in Slovak cuisine are pork, potatoes, sauerkraut and dairy products. The Slovak national dish is also made up of parts of this list. Brimsennocken are cooked from potatoes and served with sheep’s cheese and bacon.
A dough is prepared from raw potatoes and flour and then cooked into small dumplings. You mix this with sheep’s cheese, the brimsen, and add bacon on top. You can find a recipe for Brimsennocken in our participation tip ! There are also sauerkraut dumplings.
Sauerkraut soup
Sauerkraut is used in many recipes. The sauerkraut soup is particularly popular. It is called Kapustnica in Slovak. In addition to sauerkraut, smoked meat comes in, as well as mushrooms and prunes. Other popular soups are goulash soup, bean soup, garlic soup, and lentil soup.
The main dishes are Wiener schnitzel, goulash, roast beef or potato pancakes. Flour dishes such as Buchteln or poppy seed noodles are also popular.
