Every week The Slovak Spectator brings you a selection of three short stories from across Slovakia from which pessimism and negativity are absent.
Shiffrin shared a video of Vlhová teaching her Slovak, and one expression proved quite difficult
American skiing superstar Mikaela Shiffrin shared a video on her Instagram feed entitled “Slovak Lessons with Petra.” In the video, her close rival and friend Petra Vlhová challenged Shiffrin to pronounce some Slovak words that are notoriously tricky for English-speakers to pronounce.
Petra Vlhová, a native of Liptovský Mikuláš, started by saying her full name, which Shiffrin has nailed flawlessly after years of competing together in the World Cup.
Next, Petra introduced a real tongue-twister: the phrase "gulôčka v jamôčke." She explained its meaning to Mikaela in English, adding a bit of context.
Shiffrin attempted to repeat the sentence in Slovak several times, grinning widely as she practised. Petra chuckled and remarked that the Slovak language has many peculiar words that can be tricky for foreigners.
Finally, Vlhová presented another challenge: the word "čučoriedka." This word also brought laughter from the American, but she successfully pronounced it, earning Petra’s praise for her effort.
The Slovak spirit of Advent and the joy of St Nicholas in Paris
This year, Slovaks gathered for a Slovak Holy Mass at the Church of La Madeleine in Paris. (source: French Embassy in Slovakia)
This year, Slovak compatriots gathered again at La Madeleine Church in Paris for a Slovak Holy Mass. Following the service, St Nicholas, accompanied by his helpers, delighted the youngest attendees with gifts and surprises.
The heartwarming event brought the children joy and allowed the community to come together over a bowl of St Nicholas kapustnica (cabbage soup). The celebration was made possible through the collaboration of the Slovak Catholic Mission, the Embassy of the Slovak Republic in Paris, and several Slovak associations in France, including the French-Slovak Friendship Association, the Association of Natives of the Czech Lands and Slovakia and their Friends, the France-Slovakia Federation, and the Slovak Educational Center in Paris, Petit Slavik.
The Slovak who won over Italy with his Neapolitan pizza
(source: Instagram/gatto_matto_family)
Tomáš Maráz, a native of southern Slovakia, has no direct ties to Italy, yet he crafts pizza like an authentic Neapolitan, the TVNoviny website reports. Even renowned Italian professionals admire his skills – and at a recent prestigious pizza-making championship, he proved it by outshining the competition.
After years of working in restaurant kitchens, Tomáš decided to venture out on his own, drawn to the art of Neapolitan pizza. “I wanted my pizza to embody the historical and cultural essence of Italy,” he commented. Achieving the perfect quality, however, wasn’t immediate – it took him over a year of meticulous effort to refine every detail.
Although Tomáš was initially reluctant to compete against seasoned experts, he eventually decided to give it a try.
The championship in the Dolomites, however, brought more than just participation, but victory. His winning pizza featured sour cream instead of the traditional tomato sauce, which initially raised doubts among the Italians. But once it came out of the oven, everyone was captivated by its aroma, and after tasting it, they were hooked. “The emotions are indescribable. The feedback I received confirmed that what I do truly matters,” says Tomáš.
Five feel-good stories published by The Slovak Spectator to read
Slovakia played an unexpected role in a South American triumph.
Former Slovak goalie Peter Budaj is now making waves in NHL as a goalie coach.
Mikuláš or the Devil: Were you obedient?
Serbian Slovaks' art is inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list.
Martina Gánovská, a chemistry teacher, won the Dionýz Ilkovič Award for her work developing extracurricular activities for students.
Salvaging thatched roofs in Slovakia.
Meme of the week
Caption: When you show what you have to drive after your licence is suspended for hitting a traffic light.
The meme of the week was created by humorous website Zomri, which is known for its sharp political satire in Slovakia.
Andrej Danko, who is a deputy speak of parliament and leader of the far-right Slovak National Party (SNS), one of the three parties in Slovakia's current governig coalition, had his driving licence revoked following a collision with a traffic light in Bratislava in January. Hobby horsing, meanwhile, is an emerging sport, especially in Scandinavia, where they even do it competitively; in a few years, it could be in the Olympics. Perhaps Danko saw his chance.
You can send me your tips on good news stories about Slovakia or funny memes at: kseniia.husieva@spectator.sk. Thank you!
