According to MCAT Test Centers, Slovenes have a number of easily recognizable national features – they are very independent, serious and hardworking, and at the same time modest people. The Slovenes themselves with pleasure and a sense of humor make fun of their fellow citizens – they say that the inhabitants of Gorensk are stingy, the inhabitants of Shtaersk are big revelers, the inhabitants of Primorsk are overly cheerful, and the inhabitants of Bela Krayna are rustic and modest. Excessive pride and some arrogance are attributed to the people of Ljubljana, but in any case, all these characteristics are clearly exaggerated. Slovenes are very hardworking – the working day usually starts at 7-8 in the morning and ends at 15-16, and, consequently, there is a lot of free time. In restaurants, everyone pays for himself, even a woman may consider it humiliating for herself if she is offered to pay her expenses. Here they treat their family with special care and clearly divide life into personal and public. After 22:00, the city usually freezes – residents go to bed early. Therefore, phone calls late in the evening are not accepted. The restraint of Slovenes is manifested at every step – it is customary to greet with a handshake, even in the family public hugs and kisses are not accepted. When visiting, Slovenes take off their shoes, and guests are offered light slippers. Until 9 o’clock in Slovenia they say “dobro yutro”, then “dober dan” (good afternoon). Young people use the word “dan” as a greeting. In the evening they wish each other “lahko noch” (good night) or say “on a date” (goodbye). Many words have common roots with Russians, so communication with local residents, even in remote areas, is not difficult. In Slovenia, there is a real cult of flowers. There is almost never a fence around private Slovenian houses, but elegant front gardens, neat personal gardens, orchards or green hedges are almost always laid out. Most of the hotels are quite comfortable and modern. They are divided into categories L – luxury, A – comfortable international class, B – with shower and toilet in the rooms, C – shower and toilet on the floor. Accommodation prices are quite high – a single room usually costs about 20 euros even in small hotels. The rooms themselves, in turn, are divided into 2 categories – the “first category” provides a shower and toilet in the room, the “second” – a shower and toilet on the floor. There is a certain scale of restaurants and catering establishments, however, not always corresponding to the present state of affairs. High-level establishments are called “restoration” (restavracija). A level lower are establishments such as “gostilna” (gostilna) or “gostishche” (gostisce), but often they are in no way (except for prices) inferior to restorations. Small eateries are called “krepcevalnica” (okrepcevalnica) but offer a fairly extensive and high-quality menu. “Pivnitsa” offers light snacks and beer, as well as stronger drinks. Coffee and all kinds of cakes are served in kavarnas, while ice cream and sweets are served in slascicarna. Prices in all establishments are relatively low, and the products are of high quality. A characteristic feature is that prices for meat dishes are usually indicated without the cost of a side dish. In hotels and restaurants, the service charge is included in the bill. Tipping is customary for waiters taxi drivers, porters and gas station workers in the amount of up to 10% of the bill. The measurement system is metric. In the market, goods are weighed in kilograms or decagrams (1 decagram or “dag” is equal to 10 gr.). In restaurants, the price of fish is indicated in dag. Mains voltage 220 V., 50 Hz. Sockets are standard European.
Slovenia: Money and currency of Slovenia
Money, CURRENCY EXCHANGE Since January 2007, the means of payment in the country is the euro (Euro), equal to 100 cents. In circulation there are banknotes in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 euros, as well as coins in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents. The remaining tolars can be exchanged for euros at most banks in the country.Banks are open from 08:00 to 18:00 with a break (usually from 12:30 to 14:00) on weekdays and from 08:00 to 12:00 on Saturdays. Day off – Sunday, and in some banks – and Monday. You can exchange currency at banks (the commission is usually 1%), post offices, hotels (the highest commission is up to 5%), exchange offices (“changers”) and travel agencies, as well as at the train station in Ljubljana (around the clock and without commission). The course can vary considerably in different places. Credit cards and traveler’s checks are accepted in most expensive restaurants, large banks, shops and hotels, but not all of them work with foreign credit cards, although recently the number of such has been growing rapidly.
