My internship took place in beautiful Slovenia!
Slovenia, a picturesque European nation, is nestled between Italy, Austria, Hungary, and Croatia. Its stunning landscapes encompass the Julian Alps, idyllic lakes such as Lake Bled, and vibrant cities like Ljubljana, the charming capital. Renowned for its rich cultural heritage, Slovenia boasts a unique language, Slovene, and has been influenced by various cultures due to its strategic location. The country's medieval castles, including Predjama Castle built into a cliff, add to its historical allure, making it a captivating destination for nature enthusiasts and history aficionados alike.

Ljubljana, Slovenia's enchanting capital, is adorned with cobblestone streets and colorful buildings along the meandering Ljubljanica River. Its iconic Triple Bridge, designed by architect Jože Plečnik, is a unique architectural marvel connecting the old town to the modern city center. Don't miss the imposing Ljubljana Castle, perched on a hill, offering panoramic views and hosting cultural events. For a touch of whimsy, visit Metelkova Mesto, an alternative art space filled with graffiti and sculptures. Ljubljana's vibrant outdoor markets, like Central Market and Open Kitchen, offer a taste of local delights and a chance to mingle with the friendly locals.

We visited so many places, mostly the one that are well know for tourists.

We visited Lake Bled, which is approximately 1.5 hours away from Ljubljana by bus. However, please be aware that the bus station sometimes sells more tickets than there are seats, especially during the summer. So, my advice is to consider taking a train (which might be slightly more expensive than the bus) or purchasing tickets in advance. Arrive at the platform at least 30 minutes earlier and keep your fingers crossed (laughs).

Lake Bohinj is truly beautiful, and we also took a cable car up to the mountain, which cost 30 EUR for a round trip. Alternatively, you can take the cable car up and then walk down, depending on your level of fitness. The view from up there is absolutely stunning and highly recommended. Both lakes offer opportunities for swimming and enjoying water activities like paddle boarding, making them fantastic destinations for water enthusiasts.

We embarked on a journey to explore the fascinating Postojna Cave and the remarkable Predjama Castle. Postojna Cave, located near Postojna in southwestern Slovenia, stretches an impressive 24,340 meters (79,860 feet) in length, making it the country's second-longest cave system. The entrance fee of approximately 30 EUR is well worth the visit, and they offer various packages to choose from. While traveling by bus to Postojna, be prepared for crowds as it tends to be quite busy. Conveniently, there's a bus connection from the cave to the castle for just 1 EUR round trip. On our return, we opted for the train, which proved to be a more comfortable choice than a crowded bus.

IAESTE Slovenia arranged a hiking excursion to Velika Planina, assuring us that "it's easy, everyone can do it." However, if you're not accustomed to walking or new to hiking, you might encounter some challenges. Despite this, the trip was enjoyable, and we were grateful for the car transportation provided, a welcome change from buses or trains. At the summit, a charming village awaited, offering a glimpse inside traditional dwellings and a delightful encounter with numerous cows. Overall, it was a truly pleasant and memorable outing.

IAESTE Slovenia organized another memorable trip, this time to the picturesque coastal town of Piran. Our adventure began with a visit to Moon Bay, where we had the opportunity to take a refreshing swim (for peoaple that are a little bit more adventures theres is also nude beach, marked with three letter FKK). Following that, we embarked on a leisurely stroll through Piran, relishing the breathtaking vistas that this charming city had to offer. The combination of a relaxing swim and a scenic walk made for a delightful and enjoyable experience on the Slovenian coastline.

IAESTE also took us to Beer and Flower festival in Laško, so we had a chance to listen to slovenian music and have fun with the locals.

I was working at the architectural firm known as Studio Kalamar d.o.o., under the leadership of Architect Andrej Kalamar and his dedicated project team based in Ljubljana. Established in 2003, Studio Kalamar specializes in designing a diverse range of structures, including business, production, and public buildings. The studio's scope extends from comprehensive urban planning endeavors to intricate solutions on a smaller scale. Despite its modest size, with only 10 employees, Studio Kalamar boasts an impressive portfolio of projects spanning across various locations in Slovenia.

For my initial task, I was tasked with creating a 3D model of existing buildings, and later, my colleague enhanced the visualization by incorporating various improvements and modifications.
Then I was assigned to work on some improvements for an existing project. It has 3 parts, Baywatch tower, lockers and showers and photo point.
My last project was roof above the cars. I made all the floor plans, construction plan, roof plan and also 3D model for the client.

I found my salary of 800 EUR to be adequate given the local cost of living. This allowed me to not only meet my needs but also to enjoy my time in Slovenia, engaging in various activities and gaining valuable experiences.

If you are going to eat a lot outside or go on trips you gonna need more money.

English proved to be sufficient for effective communication, as a significant number of people in Slovenia possess a good grasp of the language. This made interactions with colleagues, as well as in restaurants and bars, seamless.

And you can understand some words in slovenia as a czech/slovak citizen. So sometimes when you can remeber some english words, just try them say in czech/slovak. Maybe they will understand.

I was staying at Rožna Dolina, at dormitory. Dorm 14 is usually used by erasmus students or student from different exchange program. It's a dormitory, so I expected there will be nothing, just bedding, but no pots, pans, cutlery etc. So I took them with me from home. But at dorm 14 it's everything, but don't count that you will be staying there. So take it with you, just to be sure or you can buy everything at IKEA or Pepco/Tedi.

I was paying approximately 250 EUR for a month.

Good to know: IAESTE will tell you to come few working days before your start of internship because of some paper work and some stuff. But we didn't do anything. Why am I mentioning it? If you move in the dorms last day of the month, you will have to pay for last 5 days of the month. I moved in on 29th June (2 days of the month) and I payed approximatelly 40 EUR! So if you don't want to pay that much, plan your stay according to your period of training. The same thing works in the beginning of the month.

Second thing good to know: you can only get accomodated during the working days from 8 am to 2pm, the opening hours. So plan your arrival to Ljubljana according to this, I have to stay a first night at the hostel.

An email from the dormitories themselves will be sent to you, ensuring that you receive accurate and precise information.

I love IAESTE Slovenia, as a member in IAESTE Czech Republic I got a chance to meet them before my arrival to Slovenia. So it was great to see them again.
One of the IAESTE members pick me up at the train station and helped me with my big, heavy suit case. (praise be). He took me to my hostel and than we got some lunch, showed me a city and of course, we went to Union Pivnice for some beer.

IAESTE organized for us quite a few events: hike to Velika Planina, visiting the coast of Piran, international dinner (so take something from Czech Republic with you, some food or alcohol), Festival in Laško,... We also had weekly meeting, so every week we went to a pub for a beer/limonade. We also had couple of times game nights, every dormitory (at least I think) have a football table and room that you can hang out with your friends.

Like I already mentioned, the dormitory was full of erasmus students, so it wasn't really a problem. You just have to go out there and have fun! :D
There was also a group for students staying throught the summer on telegram, so when someone went somewhere he invite everyone else as well.
They were going every week on Wednesday to karaoke bar (Holidays Pub) so good opportunity to meet new people. One time I met 2 girls from Brno. So it was a nice suprise.

At Rožna Dolina there are multiple fields, so you can play football, volleyball, and basketball. You just need a ball, so ask at the reception of your dormitory.

Also, Slovenia is well known for hiking so you can go for a hike every week. Really nice and "easy" hike is to go to Velika Planina and visit a village on the top.

Slovenia is not far from the Czech Republic, so there weren't many things that surprised me. Slovenia is heavily influenced by Balkan culture, which is evident in the abundance of burek varieties available on every corner, whether traditional or with cheese, and even pizza burek.

What's truly remarkable about Slovenia is the "BONI" discount system offered at selected restaurants. This year, it was available throughout the entire summer, though availability may vary. You have a wide range of options, from pasta and pizza to kebabs, noodles, and burgers, typically priced at less than 5 euros. For instance, you can enjoy a whole McDonald's meal (burger, fries, apple, salad, and dessert) for less than 3 euros – a fantastic deal! Furthermore, some places even offer free meals.

Personally, I didn't use this option extensively. For lunches, I often joined my colleagues at the Maxi Gourmat store, where warm meals were available for approximately 5 euros.

It's really no problem to communicate with the Czech Republic. The data worked perfectly fine and you are in the EU still.

The only problem was wifi in the dormitories, sometimes it was not working very well. But you can manage.

Plan your arrival according to the dormitory policy, see section Accomodation.

Use BONI more than I did, it will save you some money.

This summer there was a lot of rain and storms, so totally bring your umbrella, even rubber boots. The roads have a lot of puddles after the rain.

You can't miss sunscreen! Even some head covering.

Some warm clothes (a jumper) for the Postojna Cave, the temperature is only 10° C.

Bring with you some cutlery and some things to the kitchen, you don't have to go to IKEA the first day. :D

Mosquito spray, bug spray (repellent).

Experience, new friends, fun!

I love it. This was my second internship and it's always something else!

You should do it yourself and you will see that its really good experience! ♥

IAESTE Slovenia is great! The cooperation before my arrival, great! They answered to every question that I had.
A lot of trips and program during the summer! ♥