Czech and Slovak - Are they Mutually Intelligible Languages?
Posted by Margarete on Mar 12
Are the Czech and Slovak languages similar enough to be mutually intelligible? Well, I think it depends on who you ask. If you ask me, I’d say, definitely not.
From the time I moved to Slovakia and over the four to five years I lived there, many times Slovaks would insist that Czech is so similar to Slovak, that once you knew one language, you’d have little difficulty understanding the other. Well, I thought, that sure would be cool. I’d learn Slovak and then I’d be able to automatically understand Czech.
Those of you who have traveled and shopped in other parts of the world where the systems of measurements and units are different know that you sometimes have a double challenge: asking for what you want in the local language and knowing how much to ask for. Converting the different kinds of measurements can take some getting used to, but obviously this gets easier with time and practice. Slovakia utilizes the metric system, the same as other European countries.
For many of us, genealogy is fascinating. It allows us to get in touch with our own personal histories and to pass it along to others. For some, visiting the land where their ancestors lived becomes part of the genealogy experience. Walking the land where ancestors lived and visiting cemeteries may bring one closer to family than a piece of paper ever could. And if there is still living family to meet and visit, the experience can be extremely exciting and emotional.
Nut-roll koláč is probably the most commonly-known Slovak dessert. For me it had become a mountain to climb and conquer. Why? Making good koláč is not easy, at least it’s not easy for me. To get the dough just right you have to know what you are doing and that takes experience. Additionally, any time you are dealing with yeast things get exponentially more complicated. For me the risk that my entire attempt may be sabotaged by uncooperative yeast always looms.
Jan Kocur – A Story of Slovak Pride, American Patriotism, & the Golden Age of the Slovak League of America
Today marks the 70th anniversary of the beginning of World War II, a fight against Nazism and totalitarianism that cost the lives of more than 50 million and destroyed the lives of many millions more. A 
Art is not doing its job unless it gets an emotional response from you. I’ve heard that said once and if that is indeed the definition of art, then the sculpture to be officially revealed later this week in Brussels, done by a Czech artist in honor of the rotating Czech presidency, is a great success.
December 6 is the feast of Mikuláš. It’s not a holiday but it’s ranked high by most children in Slovakia as a special day to look forward to. Children often wake up to finding a chocolate figure or some other small gifts in their shoes that have been cleaned the night before. It’s also common to receive peanuts or tangerines if they are available in stores. If someone has not been a good boy or girl they might receive a potato or a wooden spoon in place of the good stuff. Traditions vary from region to region.
It’s that time of year when the Christmas markets around Europe are starting. In the five years I lived in Slovakia, I’ve visited vianočné trhy – Christmas markets in Bratislava and Nitra but almost all the larger towns and cities will have one, usually from the weekend beginning with Advent until December 24th.
In just a few days U.S. law is going to change that will effect Slovaks. On November 17 the U.S. is ending travel visa requirements for citizens of Slovakia, Czechia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, and South Korea. After this date Slovaks will be able to travel to the U.S. without having to apply for a visa first.
Today is Veterans Day. If you know a bit about the history of Veterans Day, you may know that its purpose is to raise awareness of the past and continuing contributions of those who have served in the Armed Forces. Veterans Day originally came from Armistice Day, which was the signing of the Versailles Treaty by the Central Powers (including Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Ottoman Turkey) and the Entente Powers (including Britain, France, the U.S. and Russia), which took place on the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918. This Veterans Day marks the 90th anniversary of the end of World War I.
Exactly 40 years ago to the day, on August 21, 1968, Soviet tanks rolled into Czechoslovakia in a concerted effort to put down 
When it comes to the Olympics and tallying up medals by country, it all depends on your perspective. Is it the total number of medals won? Or the number of golds won? Or if medals were points, such as bronze one point, silver is two, and gold is three, the total point count? Or is it another method entirely?
Many people who navigate to this Website do so searching for information on what are the average costs for items in Slovakia today. The best way to find that information is to do a little shopping of course. Even though the cost of goods and services is fluid and prices change all the time, I wanted to provide this information for those who are planning to spend time in Slovakia and are curious about budgeting.
What are the best castles to visit in Slovakia? Which ones are must see? Are you going to Slovakia soon and want to know what amazing castles should you see along your trip? Or have you recently returned from Slovakia and have something to recommend? What about you native Slovaks out there? Is there a fascinating castle or ruin somewhere hidden in the countryside that most people don’t know about?
Back in April I had the unique opportunity to speak at the Slovak Embassy in Washington DC. I was invited by the 
Many people—including a lot of Americans—don’t know that Czechoslovakia has ceased to exist. Since most adults learn their basic geography in elementary school and have had little reason to revisit geography lessons after that, for my fellow Americans I would say most have a vague idea that there is a country called Czechoslovakia but don’t know how it relates to the Czech and Slovak Republics.
Bratislava castle is in the midst of a reconstruction project and according to an 