Midpoint Break in Komárno, Slovakia – Arrivals and Departures

(posted by Zsofi Budai)

Continuing with the LE tradition, CEVP will hold midpoint break in Komárno, Slovakia, this year. Please read the following few lines to learn some important info about arrivals and departures.

First, you should know that the Hungarian name for the city (which is mostly ethnically Hungarian) is Komárom, and Komárno is the Slovak name. This is not to be confused with the Hungarian city called Komárom that is actually across the Danube (the border between Slovakia and Hungary). Hungarians in Slovakia refer to both cities as Komárom, but if they mention the name they are most likely talking about Komárno (SK).

If you are currently teaching in SLOVAKIA, your host family will drive you to the hostel in Komárno on Friday, July 20, between 4:00 and 6:00 PM (they should have already arranged this with Imre).

If you are currently teaching in HUNGARY, you should take a train to midpoint break. Your host family will help you figure out which one to take (and you can always look it up on www.elvira.hu) – they already know about midpoint break, but you should remind them in advance anyway. You should plan to arrive on Friday, July 20, in the late afternoon or evening. The tricky part is that the train you take should go to Komárom (HU), NOT Komárno (SK), since the latter is way easier to reach from Hungary and also much less expensive to travel to. If you let us know in advance (i.e., a few days before you travel) when your train is to arrive there, someone will go and meet you at the station. That would most likely be Janelle, Balazs, Zsofi, or me (I know that none of you have met me, but you should know what I look like from the country background guides and my introductory blog post). The hostel is pretty easy to reach from there – we just need to walk across the bridge into Slovakia. However, the bridge is quite long and all, so it’s a fair amount of walking. I hope everyone heeded Janelle’s advice and packed lightly! Otherwise, it is possible to take a cab if absolutely necessary.

As for the hostel – it’s the same one we stayed in last year, and it is actually a HUGE step up from Martos (but I love Martos). It is called DANUBIUS, and it is located on the Dunarakpart (Dunajske nabrezie in Slovak). That just means it’s right by the river. If you’re coming over the bridge from Hungary, you’ll need to turn left once you get into Slovakia (but someone will be with you to help you navigate).

We have a bunch of activities planned for Friday night and Saturday (including dinner/lunch with the incredible Imre!). Balázs and Zsofi are both from Komárno, and they know the city inside and out.

On Sunday, you will all travel to your second session villages.

If you are going to teach in SLOVAKIA, your host family will pick you up at the hostel on Sunday morning around 11:00 or 12:00.

If you are going to teach in HUNGARY (this is always more complicated), you’ll need to walk (or take a cab, if you must) across the river to the train station in Komárom (HU) and go from there. We’ll have everything arranged with the host families by then so you know exactly where you’ll need to go when.

See you in Komárno!