How the World Turns

My next step is planning a trip to Vysne Repase...to see, in a sense, where it all began. Hopefully, I will accompany Valent and Pavol the first weekend of November.

Pavol has already given his mother a full report about my visit and my mention of different foods we still prepare in the United States. I was so surprised when I rattled off our typical Christmas Eve meal and he didn’t wince an eye. In fact, he knew exactly what I was talking about when I mentioned my grandmother’s special cabbage soup “machanka”. No one, not even friends of Slovak descent in the States, has ever recognized that name. I went on to tell him about my grandmother’s practice of preparing paska at Christmas and Easter, and how she would bake each grandchild his/her own paska (a round, white bread with raisins) at Easter every year. He knew paska as well and was quite surprised himself at my description since his own wife wasn’t entirely familiar with all of the dishes prepared in his family. So, I understand Pavol’s mom is going to prepare me some pirohy (pierogi) and maybe a few other surprises. I really can’t wait. The Czechs don’t do pirohy and I couldn’t seem to find them on a menu in Bratislava so perhaps it’s a food coming from northeastern part of Slovakia, close to the border with Poland.

After spending most of Sunday with Pavol, Mirka, and little Sara, Pavol drove me back to Bratislava and accompanied me to my traveler’s hostel. Before departing he gave me an absolutely fantastic photography book, How the World Turns, with pictures of life and specific individuals in a small village in eastern Slovakia. The pictures are deeply moving, filled with emotion, each telling a story and bringing you so close you could touch the human spirit. I have to say… it might just be one of the very best gifts I’ve ever received. As I began to flip through the pages of pictures, tears welled up in my eyes: making this trip, tracing family roots, connecting with distant relatives, learning about the past … this was a longtime desire of my heart. I can only say thank you Lord for making this possible! What a beautiful journey it has been...