Three weeks, countless memories & an incredible Slovenian adventure: Laura's IFYE Adventure
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- 3 min read
Crumlin YFC member, Laura Murray recently spent three weeks in Slovenia as part of the International Farm Youth Exchange (IFYE) Programme, experiencing Slovenian culture, farming, rural life and everything this beautiful country has to offer.
Laura’s three-week adventure gave her the opportunity to stay with three different host families, meet young people from across the world and experience life on traditional Slovenian farms.
Week 1 - Exploring Ljubljana and Western Slovenia
Laura spent her first four days in Ljubljana with her first host, Janja, who had organised a jam-packed itinerary to make the most of her time in Slovenia.
The first few days involved exploring the western region of Slovenia, travelling through scenic mountain passes and visiting some of the country’s most beautiful natural spots. Laura had plenty of opportunities to cool off along the way, taking a dip in Lake Bohinj, the Soča River and Moon Bay Beach.
Laura also experienced some Slovenian culture during her stay in Ljubljana, attending a ballet performance of Don Kihot at the Ljubljana Opera Ballet.
On Sunday, all the IFYE exchanges came together for a group day at Martinovi Farm & Winery in Krška Vas. It was a great opportunity for everyone to meet, share their experiences and learn more about each other's home countries.
Laura was delighted to introduce her fellow exchangees to a taste of Northern Ireland, with some Tayto Cheese & Onion crisps going down a treat! This was enjoyed alongside delicious food and wine produced on the farm.
Week 2 – Life on a Slovenian Dairy Farm
For week two, Laura travelled to the rural village of Luče, where she stayed with Tilen and his family at Kmetija Stoglej, one of the first tourist farms in the Savinja Valley.
Laura was joined by Austrian IFYE exchangee Christine for the week, giving them the chance to experience traditional Slovenian farm life together.
Kmetija Stoglej is a traditionally run Slovenian dairy farm, and Laura enjoyed getting an insight into the daily life of the family and the work involved on the farm. The week also provided plenty of opportunities to explore the surrounding scenery.
After spending time enjoying the incredible landscape, Laura once again found a way to cool off, this time in the Savinja River. Food was also a major highlight of the week, with plenty of delicious meals prepared by Milena, Tilen’s mother. Laura and Christine even had the opportunity to help prepare some of the ingredients.
Away from the farm, the group visited some of Slovenia’s most famous attractions, including Lake Bled and Logar Valley, with a stop at Rinka Falls. They also travelled along the Slovenia–Austria border, passing the Jezersko ski area.
To finish the week, Saturday was spent at the ZSPM National Farming Games.
The event combined traditional farming methods with team-building activities and proved to be an extremely competitive and entertaining day.
Laura was there to cheer on the IFYE team, made up of fellow exchangees from Estonia, Thailand and Taiwan!
Week 3 – Farming, Foraging and Student Life
For her final week in Slovenia, Laura stayed with Tadej and his family on their farm overlooking the town of Trbovlje, in the Zasavje hills. The farm was home to a herd of around 20 beef suckler cows, as well as a pig named Porky! The family also had an apple and pear orchard alongside a vegetable patch.
The evenings provided an opportunity to explore the surrounding countryside, with Laura enjoying some foraging for local fruits and berries, including raspberries, wild plums and walnuts. Week three also brought plenty of early starts as Laura joined the family to explore the rural areas through soil sampling. The early mornings certainly paid off, with the group even being lucky enough to capture a beautiful sunrise along the way.
The final week also gave Laura an insight into a different side of Slovenian life — student life. She visited the University of Maribor, where Tadej studied, as well as the student accommodation and the city of Maribor itself.
Interested in finding out more about YFCU’s international travel opportunities? Keep an eye out for upcoming opportunities and hear more from our members about their experiences abroad!
