Slovenia

Slovenes appear reserved at first but are very friendly upon acquaintance. They place a high value on their relationships with family and friends. Slovenes are very proud of their cultural heritage and their country. People lose respect by being late, rude, aggressive, boastful, pessimistic, or xenophobic. On receiving a compliment, the Slovene may say: I invite you for a drink! Indicating they gracefully accept the compliment. Children are treasured, and motherhood is revered. Pets are also treated with great affection. Slovenes are inclined to work hard, both at work and at home. Building their own home and having a garden are popular pastimes. The streets and public spaces are kept clean and tidy. Homegrown food is a valued commodity. Flowers are often on display on window sills.

Slovenes smile, shake hands, and greet each other with Kako se inmate? (How are you?). The casual term is kako se imas? Sometimes Slovenes nod their head when shaking hands. If their hand is not clean, they will use a verbal greeting, apologizing for not shaking hands. Women are called Gospa (madam), and men Gospod (Mister). The degree of formality is reflected in using different pronouns- vi or ti for you. When parting or leaving a room, people usually say Na svidenja or adijo.

Open displays of affection are rarely seen among anyone other than young people. Two girls or women may walk along the street arm in arm. It is not polite to place one's hands in the pocket while conversing. Good manners are essential, for instance, holding the door open for others, not eating while speaking, and taking off the hat when you have arrived somewhere.

While family and friends enjoy visiting, it is customary to call ahead. It is prevalent to invite friends to the home, especially on Sundays and holidays. Guests may take a bouquet, a bottle of wine, or a small gift for the children. Refreshments such as coffee, juice, pastries, or biscuits are generally offered, and visitors are careful not to stay too long. Hosts usually accompany the guests to the street or the car. In many Slovene households, offering to remove one's shoes before entering the house is a good idea. Slovenes also enjoy meeting friends at cafes or inns for coffee or a drink.

Grooming in public is important to Slovenes. Contemporary Western styles are worn. People wear furs to keep warm, including a fur hat called polhovka made from the skins of the dormouse worn in southern regions. The clothes worn reflect the occupation and status.

Village women working at home wear a long dress with a full-length apron. Village men wear overalls or heavy pants, a blue coat, and boots.

Many young people board in dormitories in the city during the week to attend school. They, therefore, are familiar with modern youth fashions, including blue jeans. In the urban setting, men wear sports jackets and slacks with a collar and tie to work. Women may wear suits, dresses, slacks, jackets, and fashion accessories.

The many influences on Slovenian cuisine include Italian, Austrian, south Slavic, and Hungarian cooking traditions. A typical meal may consist of meat (chicken or beef), soup, green salad, and apple, cherry or cheese strudel and coffee. Pork, veal, chicken and turkey are popular on the menu. Organ meats are also valued. Green salad with oil and vinegar dressing is eaten in all seasons.

Staples are potatoes, onions cabbage, celery, carrot, apples and walnuts. Mushrooms and berries are collected as additions to the meal. Home-made wine, brandy, sauerkraut, pickles, sausages, dried fruits and juices augment the diet. A healthy autumn meal may include blood sausage, potatoes, pickled turnips and dark bread. Slovenes also enjoy pastries, cakes and chocolate.

Tea was once only used medicinally, but is now popular alongside coffee. Herbal teas are used for preventing or treating illness. Health spas are frequented and appreciated.

Traditionally, Slovenes eat in continental style, with the fork in the left hand and the knife in the right hand. Breakfast is usually taken early in the morning, a mid-morning snack, then lunch (kosilo) being the main meal at mid-afternoon. A light supper (vecerja) is eaten in the evening. Families try to eat the main meal together, though changing patterns of work, more convenience foods, and modern cooking facilities have changed this. People like to raise their glasses when drinking together, and toast each other's health with Na zdravje!.This toast customarily is offered before a meal. After serving, the host offers the blessing: dober tek! (Your health!) or zivijo! (long live!). Guests are always served first, but no-one begins eating till the host does. Glasses and plates are re-filled often.

The many influences on Slovenian cuisine include Italian, Austrian, south Slavic, and Hungarian cooking traditions. A typical meal may consist of meat (chicken or beef), soup, green salad, and apple, cherry or cheese strudel and coffee. Pork, veal, chicken and turkey are popular on the menu. Organ meats are also valued. Green salad with oil and vinegar dressing is eaten in all seasons. Staples are potatoes, onions cabbage, celery, carrot, apples and walnuts. Mushrooms and berries are collected as additions to the meal. Home-made wine, brandy, sauerkraut, pickles, sausages, dried fruits and juices augment the diet. A healthy autumn meal may include blood sausage, potatoes, pickled turnips and dark bread. Slovenes also enjoy pastries, cakes and chocolate. Tea was once only used medicinally, but is now popular alongside coffee. Herbal teas are used for preventing or treating illness. Health spas are frequented and appreciated.

The living arrangements and family size are changing. Ten years ago, it was common for two or three generations to live together. It is now more usual for the young couple to move out and set up a home. Many remain childless or have only one child. Family ties are still strong. Both parents may work outside the home and share child-care and household responsibilities. Most people in the cities live in apartments, while in rural areas, people may live in tiny privately owned houses. Many city-dwellers have a small retreat in the country for holidays, where they often grow productive gardens.

Young people often go out to movies, fairs, and dances. They may visit museums, parks, sporting events or walk in the town or village. A large number of young people live in Ljubljana area while they attend high school or university. People usually only marry after their education is completed. The wedding may involve both a civil and a church ceremony. Church weddings are becoming more popular. Rural weddings involve a traditional component; for instance, a bridal carriage decked with flowers may transport the bride and her family to the ceremony.

Slovenes like outdoor recreation such as hiking, biking, swimming, horseback riding and fishing.  In winter they ski and skate. Skis were invented in Slovenia at the same time as in Scandinavia. Maturitetni plesi (Proms) are traditional in elementary and secondary schools and are organized for graduates every year in spring.