Óvoda

Macho in front of his óvoda 

Since he moved to Slovakia, Macho doesn't go to preschool anymore. Now he goes to óvoda.

showing how he's going to use his "claws"

Óvoda is a cross between preschool and daycare, but it is public - operated by the state. Óvoda is actually the Hungarian name for this program because Macho attends a Hungarian school in a Hungarian village. There are also Slovakian preschools in the Rožňava area and even an English preschool.  At Macho's óvoda there are about 12 children enrolled, and the ages range from 2-6 years. Kids are there from 7am to 4pm. They play and do crafts. They take walks. They eat lunch and 2 snacks. They change into pajamas and take a nap after lunch.


That nap part is the reason why Macho doesn't stay at óvodá until 4pm. He doesn't mind taking a nap after lunch. He likes his little óvoda bed. The problem is that Mom doesn't like it when Macho's not tired enough to go to bed at home at night. When he takes a nap at óvoda, he can easily stay awake until midnight.


So, every day, Mom comes and gets him after lunch. When she comes Macho likes to show her all of his new friends. "This is Gabika, and Robika, and Csabika, and little Kriszti, and big Kriszti, and Petike, and Tundeka, and Lyuzska . . . " Then he says goodbye to everyone in Hungarian, "Sziasztok!" They all reply in English, "Bye, Macho!"


Today nobody came to óvoda except Macho and Lyuzska. Everyone else was home sick. 


Macho didn't want to get in the car to go home because his shadow looked so cool. "Mom, do I look like a vampire? Why do vampires turn into bats? I am like a little baby vampire bat!"

Vampire shadow

Košice Zoo

Train Ride

Jammy and Macho never traveled on a train before.  They have ridden trains at parks and zoos and museums, but never a real train that would take them to another city.

There is a train station for the village where they are staying, so this is a perfect chance to try it out.

First, they had to wait.

. . . and wait.  The train won't wait for you, so you have to come early and wait for the train.

Finally, the train arrived at the station!  ALL ABOARD!!

A train in Slovakia is a lot like a bus, but better.  There is more room, and the boys got to see the countryside from a whole new perspective.