Interesting & Funny

Foreign guests find some of Slovenian customs funny and peculiar. One such custom that you’ll encounter nowhere else in Europe is wearing slippers when you’re home – don’t you ever think about it?

We Slovene tend to have at least a dozen pair of slippers in our closet. In different sizes, colors and patterns – a pair for us and a pair for our guests. Many foreigners find this very odd and at the same time amusing. But Slovenes are serious about it. We don’t like to have our feet cold or our floors and carpets dirty.

And we expect our guests to conform to this rule and take their shoes off. There’s no room to argue about it!

So, entering a house with shoes on is not common in Slovenia. Guests are expected to take their shoes off and that’s – that! We do not intend to be rude when asking our guest to take off their shoes. You even might find out that wearing slippers inside the house has its advantages, like:

• It’s cleaner than wearing your shoes/flip flops/high heels
• There’s no smell
• Slippers are warm and comfortable.

So next time, you are invited to a Slovenian home, don’t be surprised to be asked to take off your shoes and be given slippers. Smile and experience the custom like a true Slovenian.

Article 6 of the Constitution of the Republic of Slovenia states. “The national anthem of Slovenia is Zdravljica.” We translate the word ‘zdravljica’ into English as ‘a toast’. It is a poem written 1844 by our greatest poet France Prešeren wrote it inspired by the principles of ‘Liberté, égalité, fraternité’ – how inspiring it is for in 1991 newly emerged country.

Let’s listen to its words!

A Toast

The vintage, friends, is over,
And here sweet wine makes, once again,
Sad eyes and hearts recover,
Puts fire in every vein,
Drowns dull care
Everywhere
And summons hope out of despair.
 
To whom with acclamation
And song shall we our first toast give?
God save our land and nation
And all Slovenes where’er they live,
Who own the same
Blood and name,
And who one glorious Mother claim.
 
(…)
 
God’s blessing on all nations,
Who long and work for that bright day,
When o’er earth’s habitations
No war, no strife shall hold its sway,
Who long to see
That all men free
No more shall foes, but neighbours be.

From the above words you can figure out that Slovenians are a nice people. We care for each other and seldom have preconception. We want peace to reign in the world, we want no violence and no wars. We want a peaceful coexistence among all nations and all peoples. And we also enjoy our wines!