Trips

This year my summer is not the busiest one but I will try to get back on track to fulfilling these 10 trips in my 20s with my closest friends.

Love my silly Americans :)

As you probably know I have been spending much time with my new American friends this year. They are working with the student christian organisation called Vsak študent and doing a really amazing job finding students all around Ljubljana on different faculties and inviting them to get to know our Saviour.

Then every week there are a few possible meetings to attend, either more basic Bible discussion or a bit more advance Bible study. Every now and then we do Together 4 Christ and also awesome Story of the soul. What I most like is discipleship, which means meeting with one or two of these Godly people on your own every week and growing in your personal relationship with Jesus, discussing your concerns and issues and trying to overcome them.

In the last couple of months I've spent more time with these amazing people than with anyone else. And in the middle of May there came Summer project. Another 35 Americans, eager to share their faith and explore our wonderful Slovenia. Those 6 weeks were priceless. Got to spend even more time with all of them on some more meetings and dinners four times a week. And through growing in faith and worshipping we got to have fun singing, bowling, eating and mush more.

Then there came a day during that time when 4 of the stinters had to leave for America, Rachael, Katie, Steve and John. Even though Katie and John are coming back in September it was so much more difficult to say goodbye to Rachael, who has been and still is such an inspiration and full of encouragements, and Steve, who was always just drawing everyone near and just being so osem. ;)

Then we had only one week left and suddenly the Summer project left to Salzburg and then home. And after that it felt like nothing is going on in Ljubljana anymore. Well not exactly but it for sure hasn't been as eventful.

Only three days later my dearest Sally had to fly back to America. It wasn't that bad since she's coming back in a year and so we will get to spend more time together.
But then this week is the worst. Sunday morning the Shirkmans said goodbye, not yet to Slovenia but to me because I won't see them anymore. But they are coming back in a year as well as Sally and I'm already counting down to that day so it wasn't the worst goodbye.

Then Monday came and with that two farewells. In the morning one of the worst. To my dear lovely Becca. We spent a lot of time together these past couple of months and she is such a blessing to everyone. I am extremely glad God worked in the ways so that we got to meet. Love you always.
Goodbye with Mike was pretty easy on Monday morning as I'll see him again in two months already. :) Can't wait.
And then the time came. In the morning, only 3 hours ago, the most difficult goodbyes of them all. First Joy and a few minutes later Ashley, since she walked me down to my car. It was super sad as we will not be together anymore. We have Skype but that is far from anything like we experienced in this past year. Especially these last few days. I am so thankful for you. And hope to see you again when I come visit in a year or two or you come back here. I thank God every day for sending you here, for your strenght and encouragement, words, hugs, everything. I love you forever and for always. You are the best. <3

Love you always!!

Prince Edward visiting Slovenia

If this is not the time to write a new blog then I don't know what is.

Yesterday we had the privilege to welcome the Earl and Countess of Wessex to Slovenia. It was their first visit to our beautiful country and as far as it goes they absolutely love it.
And I wouldn't be myself if I wouldn't dress up appropriately. I was thinking about my British Union jack dress at first but the chances to actually meet them were not good so I went with the themed outfit for the day.

Then I'm sitting in the old town and all of a sudden a few cars, almost like golf carts, come around the corner  and there they were. So I quickly packed what I had and persuaded my friend Neža to jog along. So we followed them and while they were in the City Museum I answered some questions for our TV channel and hours later I started getting texts saying how big a star I am and that I have to check THIS LINK.
And then prince Edward appeared with his wife again. The cars were waiting for them but I got some time to quickly snap a few pictures.

And that is it. The best day in a long time. It's not all prince Edward that made it so, not at all, a lot of the credit goes to my dear friends, Ashley and Neža, visiting my grand mother, going to church and for the great evening attending two concerts in the centre which were both absolutely amazing. 

Queen's 60th Coronation anniversary

God save the Queen!

Rule Britannia!

60 years ago, on 2nd June, over a year after her father, King George VI died, Elizabeth Alexandra Mary was crowned at the ceremony held in the Westminster Abbey.

So on 4th June this year when the celebration was held in London, UK, I held a small party myself, even though I was sick, and I also proudly presented my new British phone case.
Yes, recently it's really been all about the UK: viola case, my room, clothes, etc. And now my phone. Many of you know that my phone is not a good one, not even a 'smart' one so you can't buy a different case, different design. But luckily I have the best sisters and brothers who have the best kids and so my oldest nephew Luka made this amazing British flag out of FIMO clay. Thank you, Luka, for taking your time. And thank you, Nokia, for making the cases so strong and everything that even though one puts it in the oven and bake it so the clay sticks onto it there's nothing wrong with it now, or didn't do any damage to the oven or anything, like it can sometimes happen in a microwave you know.
So yes, here is the case and many more pieces, many more flags of different sizes to make some more fun, useful, British thingies like earrings, bracelets, necklaces and whatever else we think of.
In case you're wondering, that is a tealight holder. ;) Plus there are two heart shaped as well. Incredible. True art. :)

Hair tutorial

The whole hair tutorial step-by-step is now HERE!

Hope you like the look, found something similar to it yesterday on youtube and figured I could try it out today as there was time to spare (not really, no time at all).
It's quite easy, cute and very suitable for Summer as you have all hair off your neck. You can play it up with a bright scarf or cool it with one colour only. It has a certain retro vibe to it which I also love.

Photo: A. Sečnik

If you have any similar hair styles do share. Would love that. Thanks. :)

Trip to Potsdam and Berlin

On the second weekend in May Ana, Maša and me drove off to Potsdam to visit Ana's exchange roommates. The drive was awesome, the people there amazing and the fact that we could get away from our daily happenings and practices and were able to just relax was priceless.

I will spare the words and just put some pictures on and hope you'll like them. :)

ps: this (Sneky) is my nickname by Ana and Maša

 If you haven't been to Berlin or Potsdam I suggest you take a trip. Potsdam is a really beautiful city and is shadowed by Berlin which doesn't do it justice. Plus it's easy to get to it, even if you're staying in Berlin you can get to it with a train that is in your daily Berlin transport ticket anyway. :)

Concerts in Spring

So March and April were pretty busy this year. Especially because of all the different concerts that were going on.

In March we started with our Academy Chamber Orchestra and performed in Slovenska filharmonija with some marvellous pieces with amazing soloists. Feel free to listen to it and enjoy it here.

Screen shot.

Second up was again our opera, Orpheus, by Monteverdi. I must say that even though we had a lot of everything going on at that point, that was beginning of April, I loved every minute of it and would do it again with joy. You can read my previous entry about this opera here and listen to it again or for the first time here.

Practise. (phone pic)

Then it was time for our next big academic project. This year orchestra, choir and singers all joined for the remembrance of three great opera composer, Britten, Wagner and Verdi. We had the privilege to work with maestro Letonja, who conducted us with care, love and patience. I can only say that I hope I will get to work with him again. In this project I also managed to combine two of my passions, playing and singing. Choir conductor asked me to join the singing forces and because there was a lot of us violas for the second part of the concerts I was able to fulfil my choir class and go stand in the back with my fellow co-singers. You can see and hear our wonderful concerts (only one out of three we did with this programme) here.

Screen shot.

And last but not least was a concert with Slovene singer, composer and producer Gal Gjurin. That was a project we had with symphonic orchestra Cantabile, conducted by always amazing Marjan Grdadolnik. We had amazing arrangements going on and even though there were many songs it didn't seem long at all. Some songs need to be even longer, but we will work on that for the next concert. So thank you, maestro and thank you, Gal.
PS: I hope to incorporate my whip cracking techniques somewhere as well. :D