Who are you?
Naomi Huzovicova
Where are you from?
I’m from a small town in the Rocky Mts of Canada.
Where have you moved to and how long have you been there?
I moved to Slovakia 14 years ago.
Why did you move abroad?
I finished my last semester of college in Austria and was engaged to my now Slovak husband. He wanted me to see what it was like here to help understand where he came from. And here we still are.
What challenges did you face during the move?
The first six months were difficult. My fiance was working in Austria still, I was working a new job that I felt somewhat incompetent at, I was in the city though a country girl at heart. On weekends I was often gone, so I didn’t really have friends (Slovaks are hard to get to know). It was lonely.
How did you find somewhere to live?
Through a friend of a friend of a friend, I went to live with an older lady. Her son wanted someone around just in case. She spoke no English, I no Slovak, and each had a few words of German. Somehow we managed to communicate. After a few weeks though, I left, as what was presented as a living companion ended up being expected as almost a caretaker. And found another place to live through a friend of a friend of a friend – how things work here.
Are there many other expats in your area? Was it easy to make friends?
I knew a few expats through my job, teaching English, but because I was teaching out at offices, I didn’t see the other teachers a lot.
There are a lot more expats now than there was 14 years ago though. Although I live in a small town, so I don’t actually know many.
Slovaks are reserved, so it can be hard to get to know them. And I’m shy, so that doesn’t help.
What is your relationship like with the locals?
In one way, I’m just another person among them. A parent with kids at school, a neighbour, another woman at an exercise group.
In another way, I’ll always be different. I speak the language but with obvious mistakes, so I can’t communicate the same way I can in my native tongue. I’m still learning how things work that everybody else knows. And I have a lot of different mindsets, views that are just different.
What do you like about life where you are?
I love the local folk culture and traditions, and the opportunities for my kids to learn it. The history of the country and people. The beautiful nature here.
What do you dislike about your expat life?
It can get lonely. I miss small talk with strangers (not something Slovaks do). And smiling at or being friendly with strangers. And being far away from my family.
What is the biggest cultural difference you have experienced between your new country and life back home?
It’s hard to say what the ‘biggest’ cultural difference is. How Slovaks and Canadians interact with strangers. How warmly children should be dressed, haha.
What advice would you give to anyone following in your footsteps?
For an English speaker, the Slovak language is pretty complicated. Learn it properly from the beginning, instead of putting it on the backburner, like me. It’s much harder to go back and unlearn mistakes. Work, friendships, all communication – and ease or difficulty of it – hinges on language.
What are your plans for the future?
The future is an open door! I have a number of dreams, like writing a cookbook, but nothing set in stone.
Check out Naomi’s blog Almost Bananas for insights into everything Slovakian
I understand the loneliness you must feel sometimes. I’ve been an expat in a number of countries, including Moldova and Armenia, where it is also not easy to learn the language or to make friends with the local people. The difference for me was that is was temporary (1.5 and 6 years) because of my husband’s work. I quickly became a member of an international community which is always very helpful. Integrating permanently and feeling at home as you are doing is more difficult, I am sure. I hope you have found good friends!
I have made good friends, thank you, it’s just sometimes a long process. Of course, with four kids things are never boring!