Ahoj! You might have heard this expression before in the movie “Pirates of the Caribbean,”  the greeting between the pirates. However, “Ahoj” is actually a Slokavian word, which can mean “hi” or “bye”. 

Slovakia is a small country located in Central Europe, that borders 5 countries: Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Ukraine. Slovakia was actually part of Czechoslovakia, but in 1993 Slovakia became an independent sovereign state. Becoming the ninth newest count in the world. 

I had a chance to interview Anna Porto, an Italian teacher at the West Haven High School, who was born and raised in Slovakia. 

What would you recommend to someone when they go visit Slovakia?

“They should visit the Tatra mountains, there are a lot of natural springs, so go hiking!” Porto said. 

What food should people try?

“People should try something with Cabbage, there are a lot of Cabbage dishes,” Porto said. 

Slovak cuisine varies slightly from region to region across the country, but one of their national dishes is called Bryndzové halušky, which is potato dumplings with sheep cheese and bacon.

Do people in Slovakia speak multiple languages?

“Yes, you have to learn at least two foreign languages, or world languages at school. It’s always one romance language so Spanish, Italian or French, and then it is either German or English,” Porto answered. 

What do you miss about Slovakia? 

“I don’t miss the weather because it’s the same as here. I miss my family and friends,” Porto commented “I also miss coffee shops, there are no good coffee shops here.”

What would you like someone to know about Slovakia?

“Slovakia is beautiful, and is a very different, small world. It’s a small old world,” Porto said. “Slovakia is also booming right now, because they have a lot of car industry, so they are growing and growing, but the nature is beautiful. So go visit different countries that you never heard of!”