An Interesting Mix in Slovenia
Letter from Ljubljana: Sonja Poschenrieder is enjoying the hustle and bustle in the city and peace and quiet in nature.
Jan 14, 2020
Sonja Poschenrieder (far left) gets together a lot with other Erasmus students in Ljubljana. Here they are shown making a snowman at Podpeč Lake.
Image Credit: Private collection
Sonja Poschenrieder in front of the flags of Slovenia and the European Union.
Image Credit: Private collection
In Ljubljana I have been meeting many people through Erasmus, and above all, I am really getting to know myself. In the city I can be more alone than in nature, which is something I really like about Ljubljana, as it combines both: a lively alternative cultural scene with beautiful nature, such as the 899-meter high Grmada mountain with the Visitation of Mary Church.
Chic cafes are lined up along the Ljubljanica river, and in spite of temperatures below freezing, people are still sipping their kava (Slovenian for coffee) outside.
In Metelkova, a center of alternative culture, we drink the notorious bear liquor and watch animated virtual reality films. During the day, a sign is up warning tourists, “Don’t take photos of people. We’re not a zoo.”
As part of a migrant tour, I went to the Rog, a former bicycle factory that was occupied by artists. We were invited to the cabaret and served home-brewed beer with solidarity pricing. Once a month there is a bazaar selling no-border crafts: women of all nationalities offer all kinds of feminist things – from the crocheted vulva to the symbol of the clothes hanger, which is intended as a reminder of illegal abortion.
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Metelkova used to be a barracks of the Yugoslav People’s Army. Occupied by artists since 1993, the area is now an autonomous cultural center, whose nightlife and street art also attract many tourists.
Image Credit: Private collection
The Grmada hill in the northern part of Ljubljana offers a beautiful view.
Image Credit: Private collection
The picturesque town of Piran on the Slovenian Adriatic coast is a popular destination.
Image Credit: Private collection
The Daktari is my new favorite pub. It is next to the Central Market, where I buy fresh fruit and vegetables for the week.
Other than that, my everyday life is busy with several seminars on gender and violence and ethnically sensitive work. I am glad that they are held in English because my Slovenian has unfortunately not yet improved very much.
Erasmus sometimes makes me think of class trips. A party, pub quiz, or international dinner is the order of the day. Trips to the sea, a bee farm, or a women’s prison were organized. I appreciate all of this – and at the same time feel exhausted. The main reason for my trip was to get to know Slovenia, its everyday life, the language, and the people. I often try to remind myself of that.
Everyone from the Erasmus flat share enjoys nature on weekends: Podpeč Lake is beautiful not only in the summer ...
Image Credit: Private collection
... but also in the winter, it is a picturesque haven of peace.
Image Credit: Private collection
I have been getting closest to people here during an internship at the Slovenska Filantropia NGO, where I can spend time with refugees over coffee and tea. I am learning a little Arabic and improving my French. Once when I was there, I wore a hijab for the first time, and I am learning about the cultures of origin of people immigrating to Slovenia, such as Palestinian dance or Iranian food. The internship is part of a university seminar.
Trips to the Podpeč Lake with my flat share are part of my weekend program. I live in an Erasmus bubble with students from seven other nations in the house. In the Vič district in the distance, I can hear horses neighing before falling asleep.
Further Information
Sonja Poschenrieder is sending us “Letters from …Ljubljana.” She is one of eleven students from Freie Universität reporting on their study abroad experiences. Here is an overview of all their letters. Sonja Poschenrieder’s other letters are here – and in German here.