I’ve lived in Skofja Loka for 2 years now, still speaking basically no Slovenian. The question I get frequently is “do you speak any Slovenian?” The language (if you can call it that), is difficult, to say the least, I think that’s why they keep asking me. It’s split about 50/50 the young people tell me, “don’t bother.” The older folks say I should learn some, easier said than done. 80-90% of the people I come in contact speak English with me and are fine with it. I need to speak when there is a group of people, they may speak English, but there not going to just for me, so maybe learn some huh? Most of the shows on TV are in English, not like in Italy where maybe 1 or 2 channels are in English.
Skofja Loka’s is changing, it’s become bike friendlier, tourist are discovering our town and many coming for return visits. Continue reading “SKOFJA LOKA IS A HAPPENING PLACE, NOW WITH CREATIVE TOURISM”
Month: June 2016
LJUBLJANA & OTHER TALES
I love Skofja Loka, but sometimes I get a case of small town fever. So I’ve been riding my bike weekly and sometimes twice weekly to Ljubljana, round trip about 52 km. The new spring leaves were on most of the trees, then it snowed 10 centimeters on April 27th. Well the heavy snow broke tree branches on nearly every tree I saw. Continue reading “LJUBLJANA & OTHER TALES”
U.S.A. & Portland vs EU & SLOVENIA? (vote Bernie Sanders)
I have lived & worked in America for 57 years. I had a few jobs as a teenager, but mostly I’ve been self-employed running several different business’s. I feel my experience in business and life in America, gives me some insights to the opportunities & struggles of living in America. I’m asked all the time if I miss America. So I thought it could make an interesting post, both for me & you. 3 years of living in Europe has given me a first hand experience of living a more social agenda.
The
EU USA
SIZE 4,422,733 SQ. KM. 9, 857,306 SQ. KM
POPULATION 508,191,116 320,000,000
GDP $19 trillion $18 trillion
GDP per person $32,000 $53,000
America exports to the EU totaled $262 billion & imports from EU totaled $387 billion
The imbalance is, America consuming more than it produces. (equals larger carbon-footprint & more)
Trade with Slovenia is similar: Slovenia imported $305 million in goods & exported $700 million worth of goods, to America.
Continue reading “U.S.A. & Portland vs EU & SLOVENIA? (vote Bernie Sanders)”