Slovakia

The Slovak culture is still very tied to folk traditions, even as industrialization and modernization have kept the country current. In Slovakia, a person’s primary priority is to his/her family. Family and close friends provide a great deal of support and are highly valued.

You may find that your Slovakian student won’t open up and talk much at first. Not only does it take a little while for international students to adjust to speaking and thinking in English all day, but the Slovak people tend to be more private and reserved to begin with.

It is also possible that your student might not feel comfortable addressing you by your first name right away. In Slovakia, people tend to reserve first-name basis for family and close friends.

Fun Fact: Very few Slovaks actually lived in the capital, Bratislava, until the mid-20th century. Most residents were Czechs, Hungarians, Germans, or Austrians.