Slovakia

My name is Jessica and I am a Peace Corps Volunteer working in a small town in Eastern Slovakia.

Before coming to Slovakia (formerly part of Czechoslovakia), I knew little about this country. A single image came to mind-warmly dressed peasants working their fields with simple hoes and rakes. But the reality of Slovakia is far more complex than I had imagined. Slovakia is a country in transition, struggling to redefine itself after gaining independence in 1993.

While many families still maintain large, private gardens and village homes, young people flock to the cities for greater economic, cultural, and social opportunities. The change to a democratic economy has been slow and often painful. For this reason, many young people here hope that Slovakia will someday be admitted into the European Union, thus allowing Slovak citizens more freedom of movement and job opportunities.