Official Reception Booklet
r e v o c s i D ! a i k a v Slo
Dear Intern,
Congratulations!!! You are about to embark on an adventure in a country situated in the centre of Europe. Some of your fondest memories will be created while you are here. You have become a part of a useful opportunity that will enhance your personal and professional development. In these pages you will find some useful information about this just beginning adventure! In order to avoid complications and to make your experience as pleasant as possible read this booklet, which has been written exclusively for this purpose. Please keep it, as it is very useful and helpful as a survival guide during your staying here. So...
Welcome to Slovakia! Please keep in mind our goal as an organization is to change people through international exchange experiences and to contribute to the development of our countries and their people with the overriding commitment to international understanding and cooperation. You are already starting this great process possibly to change yourself and all the individuals around you.
Let`s Discover Slovakia! AIESECly Yours, AIESEC in SLOVAKIA
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Table of contents General information About Slovakia Work Culture Language Money Geography Culture Travelling AIESEC in Slovakia
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General Information • Official Name: SLOVAKIA (SLOVAK REPUBLIC) • Capital City: BRATISLAVA (population 450 000) Other major cities: KOŠICE (230 000), PREŠOV (85 000), BANSKA BYSTRICA (65 000), ŽILINA (65 000), • Population: 5 400 000 • Independence Date: 1.1.1993 • Religion: ROMAN CATHOLICISM • EU Accession: 1.4.2004 • Currency: EURO ( 1 eur = 100 cents) • Government: PARLIAMENTARY REPUBLIC o Prime Minister: Robert Fico o President: Ivan Gašparovič • Language: SLOVAK • Emergency numbers: 158 – POLICE, 155 – AMBULANCE 150 – FIREBRIGADE • Electricity: 220 Volts • Calling code: +421 • Internet domain (TLD): .sk • Time Zone: CET (GMT+1)
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History
About Slovakia
Present-day Slovakia was settled by Slavic tribes around the 5th century. They were politically united in the Moravian empire in the 9th century. Later on Slovaks fell under Hungarian control from the 10th century up until 1918. When the Habsburg-ruled empire collapsed in 1918 following World War I, the Slovaks joined the Czech lands of Bohemia, Moravia, and part of Silesia to form the new joint state of Czechoslovakia. During World War II Slovakia became a puppet state. The country was liberated from the Germans by the Soviet army in the spring of 1945, and Slovakia was restored to its prewar status and rejoined to a new Czechoslovakian state. After the Communist Party took power in Feb. 1948, Slovakia was again subjected to a centralized Czech-dominated government, and antagonism between the two republics developed. In 1969, the country became a federation of the Slovak Socialist Republic and the Czech Socialist Republic. Nearly 42 years of Communist rule for Slovakia ended when democratic political reform began. However, with the demise of Communist power, a strong Slovak nationalist movement resurfaced, and the rival relationship between the two states increased. By the end of 1991, discussions between Slovak and Czech political leaders turned to whether the Czech and Slovak republics should continue to coexist within the federal structure or be divided into two independent states.
Economy
Slovakia’s economy increasingly resembles that of a so-called developed country. With the highest sustained GDP growth in the European Union, reporting 10.4% in 2007 and the highest rating from V4 countries, the Slovak economy is considered a tiger economy known as the Tatra Tiger. Slovakia has been a EU member state since 2004 and it has adopted the euro currency at the beginning of 2009. Its capital, Bratislava, is the largest financial centre in Slovakia. Unemployment has fallen considerably, although long-term unemployment remains stubbornly high. In the long term, improving education outcomes, including by reducing the impact of socioeconomic background on outcomes, will be central to sustaining high economic growth and social cohesion. GDP per capita at purchasing power parity was $22,600 in 2008, which is 70% of the EU average. Currently, worldwide crisis has had some kind of impact on national economy, unemployment has risen a bit (13.1%), but according to numerous analytics economy reached a bottom already in last year and this year is about to grow again.
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Work Culture Power distance Each country has some kind of hierarchy within society, which is determined by power distance i.e. kind of cultural difference of statuses between employer and employee, salary difference between them and so on. Power distance i.e. difference in society is quite considerable in Slovakia, however not so awfully huge. For sure within companies you can easily recognize who is the boss and who is a subordinate employee, but massive majority of employers do not behave like kings with humiliating impact on employees. Absolute most of employers care about employee` satisfaction, opinions or recommendations. Is Slovakia a masculine or feminine country? Briefly said, Slovakia is somewhere in between. It is neither a pure masculine country, nor a pure feminine one, we can rather find it somewhere in the middle within these two dimensions. Women have emancipated largely in society, they might have
leadership positions either in society or in companies without any problems or prejudices. Equality within society between man and woman in Slovakia is absolutely normal; it is not influenced by religion or politics at all. Individualism or Collectivism? Slovak people are said to be very hospitable and kind. For our culture collectivism is typical, that is noticeable also in companies. People tend to employ their relatives, they tend to find some friends in work place who they could spend leisure time with. A lot of people do not strictly separate work and private life relationships, they do not think so individually. What about religion? Most of Slovak people are roman Catholics, however religion does not play the most important role in our lives. Churches are situated everywhere in cities, even each village must have one. The most religious are predominately older people, younger generation has mostly other priorities.
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Language The Slovak language (slovenský jazyk, slovenčina) not to be confused with Slovenian, is an Indo-European language that belongs to the West Slavic languages (together with Czech, Polish, Silesian, Kashubian, and Sorbian). Slovak is spoken in Slovakia by 5 million people also in the United States (500,000), the Czech Republic (320,000), Serbia (60,000), Ireland (30,000), Romania (22,000), Hungary (20,000), Poland (20,000), Canada (20,000), Croatia (5,000), Australia, Austria, Ukraine, and Bulgaria.
English Expressions Hi! Good morning! Good evening! Welcome! (to greet someone) How are you? I'm fine, thanks! And you?
Slovak Expressions Ahoj! Čau! Dobré ráno! Dobrý večer! Vitaj! (formal: Vitajte) Ako sa máš? (formal: Ako sa máte?) Mám sa dobre, ďakujem. A ty? (formal: A vy?)
Good/ So-‐So.
Dobré / Ani (zlé), ani (dobré)
Thank you (very much)!
Ďakujem (veľmi pekne)!
You're welcome! (for "thank you")
Nemáš za čo ! ( formal: Nemáte za čo!)
Hey! Friend!
Hej! Priateľu (Kámo)!
I missed you so much!
Veľmi si mi chýbal/+a feminine)!
What's new?
Čo nové?
Nothing much
Nič nové
Good night!
Dobrú noc!
See you later!
Tak zatiaľ!
Good bye!
Dovidenia
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Asking for Help and Directions I'm lost
Som stratený (feminine : Som stratená)
Can I help you?
Môžem vám pomôcť ?
Can you h elp me?
Môžeš (formal : môžete) mi pomôcť?
Where is the (bathroom/ pharmacy)?
Kde je (kúpeľňa / lekáreň)?
Go straight! then turn left/ right!
Choïte rovno! Potom dolava/doprava!
I'm looking for john.
Hl’adám Johna.
One moment please!
Moment, prosím!
Hold on please! (phone)
Počkajte, prosím!
How much is this?
Koľko to stojí?
Excuse me ...! (to ask for something)
Prepáčte...!
Excuse me! ( to pass by)
Pardón!
Come with me!
Poď so mnou !
Slovak letter
English pronounciation
Numbers
Slovak Translation
Ľ, ľ
Lh (soft L)
1
Jeden
Š, š
Sh (e.g. show)
2
Dva
Č, č
Ch (e.g. cheap)
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Tri
Ť, ť
Th (soft T)
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Štyri
Ž, ž
J, (e.g. journal)
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Päť
Á, Í, É, Ú, Ó, Ĺ,
(Long vowels)
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Šesť
Ň, ň
Nh (soft N)
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Sedem
Ô, ô
Uo
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Osem
Ä, ä
E
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Desať
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Money The official currency of Slovakia is EURO and one euro is made up of 100 CENTS. Size of each note depends on its value – the higher the value, the bigger the size. Special sign of Euro are coins backsides of which represent each EU country. As you can see coins below, Slovak national emblems are double cross, castle and mountains. Traditional EU symbol is a bridge embodying freedom and connection of all EU member countries! Currency
AUD CAD DKK GBP HRK C HF NOK PLN SEK USD
Country Australia Canada Denmark United Kingdom Croatia Switzerland Norway Poland Sweden USA
Exchange rate 1,56 1,49 7,53 0,88 7,36 1,49 8,23 4,06 10,23 1,44
First of all what is necessary to highlight is price level in Slovakia. Generally, Slovakia is considered as a country, where prices are pretty low, especially compared to western EU countries. It is very difficult to generalize normal daily or monthly spending, as everybody is different with miscellaneous demands and expectations. Please bear in mind that below stated prices are averaged and might differ a bit depending on particular selling place. Prices are in Euro incl. VAT.
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Basic groceries Product
Price (Eur)
Product
Price (Eur)
Bread
1,10
Milk (1 l)
1,20
Beer – bottle (0,5 l)1
0,40
Eggs (10)
1,40
Beer – can (0,5 l)
0,55
Ham (1 kg)
5 – 8
Butter
2,20
Juice (1 l)
0,70
Chicken
5,30
Candies
0,60
Mineral water (1 L)
0,70
Flour (1 kg)
0,60
Apples (kg)
1,20
Sugar (1 kg)
1,20
Going out Cheap Meal
3,10
Movie ticket
6-‐8
Expensive Meal
8,50
Ski pass (whole day)
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Draught Beer (0,5 l)
1,20
Hockey Ticket
4
Kofola2 (0,5 l)
1
Ice-‐cream
0,50
Shot (vodka, liquer)
1,10
Caffe
1,20
Other Stuff Cigarettes
3,20
Postcard
0,2
Newspaper
0,50
Magazine
2
Mobile Phone Card1
10
Flat monthly rent
100-‐250
Bank account opening
0
Cheapest hostel
3-‐4
hich is refundable in shops ular in Slovakia, close similarity with Pepsi or Coca Cola
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Geography Slovakia and Hungary. The weather in Slovakia changes throughout the year as there are four season in this country. Summers are generally warm with temperatures up to 35 degrees celsius and winters are cold, cloudy and humid with temperatures often below zero. There are four different types of climate in Slovakia mostly due to the mountains. There is the Danubian Lowlands climate, Eastern Slovak Lowlands climate, the climate of basins and the climate of mountains and villages of Orava and Spiš.
Slovakia is a landlocked country in central Europe with mountainous regions in the north and flatlands in the south. The landscape of Slovakia is very mountainous, with the Carpathian Mountains extending accross most of the northern half of the country. In the north there are the High Tatras, a popular skiing destination with a lot of scenic lakes and valleys and the highest peak in the country, the Gerlach peak. Major rivers are the Danube which flows through Bratislava, Váh and Hron. The river Tisa creates a natural border between
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Culture Art Art has a great tradition in Slovakia. Many works of art are displayed in museums throughout the country. There are also many theatres in Slovakia, for example the Slova National Theatre in Bratislava or the Andrej Bagara Theatre in Nitra. The best known slovak hero is Juraj Jánošík, an outlaw who took money from the rich and gave it to the poor. A lot of ballads and poems were written about him by slovak writers. Sport The national sport of Slovakia is ice hockey, therefore the hockey championship is always the most important sports event of the year. Slovakia has a lot of famous hockey and footbal players which most of people interested in there sports should know. Cuisine Slovak food reflects the agricultural roots of the country. People usually worked all day therefore the biggest meal of the day was lunch which was always quite heavy. The most common ingredients are meat
(especially pork and chicken), potatoes, dumplings, various dairy products and cabbage. Different types of sausages and cheeses are very popular. Bryndzové halušky - potato dumpling with sheep cheese- are considered to be the national dish along with kapustnica - a soup made from sour cabbage. Folklore Slovak folklore is very diverse. Tradinional slovak music, dances and handicraft are a great pride of our nation. The traditional folk costumes are very colorful and sometimes heavily embroidered. They differ a little bit in all the regions. There are a lot of artistic groups in Slovakia that are keeping the traditions and they perform on numerous folk festivals. Another thing worth mentioning are the castles. Slovakia has many of them and they are definitely worth visiting. There are two castles in Bratislava - the Bratislava Castle which is one of the landmarks of the city and the Devín Castle - a beautiful ancient ruin of a medieval castle.
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Travelling If you travel by bus - you can find the schedule on www. cp.sk - you ask for tickets in the bus - the average cost is 0,05 eur/km - it takes 7-9 hours to get from west to east If you travel by train - you can find the schedule on www. cp.sk - you have to buy tickets in advance on the train station or on the internet - the average cost is 0,04 eur/km - it takes 5-7 hours to get from west to east
Places to see Bratislava The capital of the country and its cultural and business centre. There are 2 castles and lots of museums and a few theatres in the city and a beautiful old town. Castles Bratislava castle, Devín castle, Spiš castle, Trenčín castle, Bojnice castle, Liptov castle, Červený kameň castle, Kežmarok castle... Wooden churches These churches are one of the most interesting monuments you might see in Slovakia. They were constructed just from wood with no nails. Four churches in the Prešov region belong to the UNESCO world heritage list. Another UNESCO site is the village of Vlkolínec with original wooden houses. National parks Slovakia has 9 beautiful national parks. In them you may find unspoilt nature with lots of gorges and waterfalls.
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Trips around Slovakia!
Below are briefly described the closest and the most interesting destinations. You need to get there somehow and be accommodated somewhere, therefore here useful links, which you can check: The cheapest accommodation • www.hostelworld.com • www.booking.com • www.hostels.com The cheapest transportation • By train: http://cp.atlas.sk/vlakbus/spojenie/ • By bus: http://www.studentagency.eu/ • By plane: www.ryanair.com or http://www.csa.cz/en/portal/homepage. htm?userLanguage=en
Prague
Prague (Praha), the capital city of Czech Republic, is one of the most beautiful cities in the Europe with old historical downtown full of numerous historical building, architectonic treasures or unique memories, which are worthy to see. Prague used to be a capital city of former Czechoslovakia 20 years ago. Ever since it has been changed a lot, you can feel this mysterious atmosphere everywhere in downtown. Altogether in Prague live 1.5 mil citizens, it is centre of Czech culture, economy and business contributing to Prague`s outlook as an interesting and significant metropolis. You can experience many places full of busy work and night life or calm oases according to your wishes. You can easily get there by train. Massive majority of visitors are very satisfied and recommend their visit to others as well. For checking out particular memories and places, please check http://www. prague.net/sightseeing, where everything is written in English.
Vienna
Vienna is an ideal-typical European city similar to Barcelona, London, Milan, Paris or Rome, but unlike the others it is very compact. Vienna (Wien in German, Viedeň in Slovak), is the capital of Austria. It stands on the banks of River Danube and is the gateway between east and west Europe. Its music, theatre, museums, and parks make it a popular tourist centre. It has a population of over 1.5 million citizens. Vienna has a rich history. Its university opened in 1365, and is one of the oldest in Europe. From 1558 to 1806 it was the centre of the Holy Roman Empire and it became an important cultural centre for art and learning in the 18th and 19th centuries. Vienna was the music capital of the world for many centuries. Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, and the Strauss family all came to work here. It is now the home of one of the world´s most famous orchestras, the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. Its State Opera House is also world famous. It is very close vicinity with Bratislava. The most common way how to get there are trains or buses. Check out more at http://www.wien.info/en!
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Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary with. 1.7 mill. inhabitants. In the past there used to be two separated cities, thanks to which Budapest became a single city occupying both banks of the river Danube. Regarded as one of the most beautiful cities in Europe with its extensive World Heritage Sites including the banks of the Danube, the Buda Castle Quarter and the Millenium Underground Railway, the second oldest in the world. Like Vienna, Budapest is very close to Slovak border. Most common way how to get there is by bus or by train. To find out more check very useful following link: www.budapest.com
Warsaw
Warsaw Warsaw (Polish: Warszawa) is the capital and largest city of Poland. Its population is 1.7 mill. Inhabitants. Warsaw has a great history, however it is not visible as nicely as in other big metropolises, because Warsaw was during WW2 completely destroyed and many districts also within city centre were razed to roots. On the other hand centre is full of modern buildings, skyscrapers with really remarkable architecture. Warsaw Pact was signed during communism by ‘eastern countries’ as a counterpart against NATO. Warsaw is easily reachable by train or bus. http://www.e-warsaw.pl/2/ index.php
ith numerous w s lp A t u o b a What r to d ski resorts? O hiking trails an gary in some n u H in n fu t a have a gre u n Lake? Are yo to la a B t a r o a sp t ry? What abou to is h in d e st re inte in ntration camp e c n o c it is v to then is very close to g in th ry e v E ? Poland Slovakia!
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AIESEC in Slovakia AIESEC in Slovakia came into existence already long time ago during comunism ages. After the velvet revolution held in 1989 i.e. collapse of comunistic regime AIESEC experienced large extension. Up to now, we have 6 local committees nationwide in Slovakia. During these years we have been working much, resulting into numerous awesome achievements. Nowadays we have around 300 members. If you have already decided to come in Slovakia as an intern, it is our great pleasure and we make you sure, that we will do everything to make your stay in Slovakia as comfortable, unforgettable and satisfactory as possible. If you are just considering, whether to come, we hope, this booklet will help you to make the right decision!
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