It's a quick one this time, featuring horror snails!

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🌍 About the Blorecast

The Blorecast is a podcast from The School of Blore in Košice, Slovakia. It’s about life, culture, language, and exams – all served up with a dose of humour and storytelling. Whether you’re learning English, preparing for Cambridge exams, or just curious about life in Slovakia, you’ll find something here.

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🎧 Listen: https://feeds.captivate.fm/blorecast/

https://open.spotify.com/show/0kHQShCL2BG10TD20ILDNb

https://podcasts.apple.com/sk/podcast/the-blorecast/id1837288694

📺 Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@bloresk

📌 Find out more at: https://blore.sk/

📧 Contact: podcast@blore.sk

👍 Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blore.sk

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Our theme tune is Ode to Joy – Heavy Edition, written specially for us by the most excellent dafteaux: https://youtu.be/rU6nLowrtmE

Blog: https://blore.sk/en/pohanske-schmohanske-halloween-in-slovakia/

Why does Slovakia sometimes feel like it’s living in a different decade? And is that actually a bad thing?

In this episode of The Blorecast, James Blore explores a country that has modernised rapidly yet still holds tight to its roots. From carpet beaters and top-loading washing machines to rural life, birds, mushrooms, and boars, James reflects on the pros and cons of the Slovak time warp.

Comparing Slovak pragmatism with British romanticism towards nature, he asks: have Brits become too detached from our rural past? And could Slovakia’s “one foot in the mud” approach actually be a strength in an over-urbanised world?

🪶 Topics in this episode:

• What Slovakia was like in the late 1990s

• Why life here sometimes feels 20 years behind (in a good way)

• Birdwatching, mushroom picking, and the Slovak countryside

• Rural vs urban life: UK vs Slovakia

• Why Brits romanticise nature while Slovaks live it

🎧 Listen to the full episode for stories of carpet-beating grannies, birdwatching epiphanies, and one man’s theory about why Slovakia might just be winning the slow-life game.

💬 What do you think?

Is Slovakia stuck in the past, or preserving something precious?

Do you prefer birdwatching or mushroom picking?

👇 Leave a comment or reach out via the links below.

#Slovakia #BritishExpat #LifeInSlovakia #SlovakCulture #ExpatPodcast #TheBlorecast #JamesBlore #CulturalDifferences #Timewarp #Birdwatching #MushroomPicking #RuralLife #SlovakiaVsUK

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🌍 About the Blorecast

The Blorecast is a podcast from The School of Blore in Košice, Slovakia. It’s about life, culture, language, and exams – all served up with a dose of humour and storytelling. Whether you’re learning English, preparing for Cambridge exams, or just curious about life in Slovakia, you’ll find something here.

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🎧 Listen: https://feeds.captivate.fm/blorecast/

https://open.spotify.com/show/0kHQShCL2BG10TD20ILDNb

https://podcasts.apple.com/sk/podcast/the-blorecast/id1837288694

📺 Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@bloresk

📌 Find out more at: https://blore.sk/

📧 Contact: podcast@blore.sk

👍 Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blore.sk

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Our theme tune is Ode to Joy – Heavy Edition, written specially for us by the most excellent dafteaux: https://youtu.be/rU6nLowrtmE

Blackbird singing: https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/blackbird-singing-296516/

The funky breakbeat drum loop is by Alexander, used under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License: http://www.orangefreesounds.com/vintage-drum-and-organ-beat-87-bpm/

Blog: https://blore.sk/en/why-did-you-stay/

Stats:

https://www.campop.geog.cam.ac.uk/blog/2024/10/31/urban-society/

https://doc.ukdataservice.ac.uk/doc/7154/mrdoc/pdf/guide.pdf

https://www.czechfriends.net/news/lecture-by-dr-lorman-on-4th-febraury-2020

https://www.macrotrends.net/global-metrics/countries/svk/slovak-republic/rural-population

https://www.theglobaleconomy.com/rankings/rural_population_percent/European-union/

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/key-findings-statistical-digest-of-rural-england/key-findings-statistical-digest-of-rural-england

The Jamie Oliver series referred to is Jamie’s School Dinners, Season 1 — Episode 02

Why do Slovaks love pigs so much? 🐷

In this episode of The Blorecast, I explore Slovakia’s deep and delicious relationship with all things porcine — from schnitzels and slanina to zabíjačka and wild boars in the forest!

You’ll hear stories from my early days teaching in Humenné, discover why being vegetarian used to be a challenge in 1990s Slovakia, and learn about traditional dishes, local habits, and a few wild encounters along the way.

We’ll talk about:

🐽 Slovak pork dishes (goulash, schnitzel, klobása & more)

🌾 The zabíjačka tradition

🐗 Wild boars in Slovakia and whether they’re really dangerous

🍽️ How Slovak and British food cultures differ

If you’re a foodie, expat, or anyone curious about Central Europe, this episode’s for you!

🗣️ Share your thoughts:

Are you a pig fan? What’s your favourite Slovak dish? Do you fear the wild boars? Let me know in the comments or drop me a message — all links below 👇

#Slovakia #SlovakFood #ExpatLife #TheBlorecast #PorkyPig #Slanina #Goulash #Zabijacka #SlovakCulture #WildBoar #SlovakiaPodcast #FoodStories #BritishInSlovakia #CulturalDifferences

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🌍 About the Blorecast

The Blorecast is a podcast from The School of Blore in Košice, Slovakia. It’s about life, culture, language, and exams – all served up with a dose of humour and storytelling. Whether you’re learning English, preparing for Cambridge exams, or just curious about life in Slovakia, you’ll find something here.

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🎧 Listen: https://feeds.captivate.fm/blorecast/

📺 Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@bloresk

📌 Find out more at: https://blore.sk/

📧 Contact: podcast@blore.sk

👍 Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blore.sk

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Boar videos:

https://www.tvkosice.sk/video/65b4ce42525b5fb0735159bb / https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpXS0ik1LOM

Boar and encephalitis stats:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/379121929_Human_fatalities_resulting_from_wild_pig_attacks_worldwide_2000-2019

https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/sites/default/files/documents/Tick-borne-encephalitis-annual-epidemiological-report-2022.pdf

Bramble Farm

https://www.facebook.com/bramblefarmbristol/

Our theme tune is Ode to Joy – Heavy Edition, written specially for us by the most excellent dafteaux: https://youtu.be/rU6nLowrtmE

I created the cover imaged using Bing: https://sl.bing.net/e7CNsHEuxky

The funky breakbeat drum loop is by Alexander, used under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License: http://www.orangefreesounds.com/vintage-drum-and-organ-beat-87-bpm/

In this episode of The Blorecast, James catches up once again with his long-time lunch companion and all-round legend, Andy Billingham, who’s now officially a Slovak citizen! 🇸🇰

Andy explains why he decided to apply for citizenship, what the process involves, and how the language test went.

There’s also an update on James’s charity cricket match (spoiler: he survived) and some listener shoutouts from around the world.

#TheBlorecast #Slovakia #LearningEnglish #SlovakCitizenship #EnglishPodcast #LivingInSlovakia #LifeAbroad #BritishInSlovakia #EnglishTeacher #PodcastForEnglishLearners #Kosice #LanguageLearning #JamesBlore

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🌍 About the Blorecast

The Blorecast is a podcast from The School of Blore in Košice, Slovakia. It’s about life, culture, language, and exams – all served up with a dose of humour and storytelling. Whether you’re learning English, preparing for Cambridge exams, or just curious about life in Slovakia, you’ll find something here.

⸻

🎧 Listen: https://feeds.captivate.fm/blorecast/

📺 Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@bloresk

📌 Find out more at: https://blore.sk/

📧 Contact: podcast@blore.sk

👍 Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blore.sk

⸻

Our theme tune is Ode to Joy – Heavy Edition, written specially for us by the most excellent dafteaux: https://youtu.be/rU6nLowrtmE

The funky breakbeat drum loop is by Alexander, used under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License: http://www.orangefreesounds.com/vintage-drum-and-organ-beat-87-bpm/

Welcome back to the Blorecast! In Episode 4 – Unsporting Behaviour, I dive into the world of sport — despite being about the least sporty person you could imagine.

This weekend is a big one in Slovakia:

🏃‍♂️ The Košice Peace Marathon celebrates its 101st year – the oldest marathon in Europe and the third-oldest in the world.

🏏 I’ve inexplicably agreed to play in a charity cricket match in Spišská Nová Ves (what could possibly go wrong?).

This episode, I share some personal sporting stories:

⚡ School PE nightmares: rugby, cross-country and my escape route via the music room

🥅 The day I became “Golden Balls” in a university rugby match

🎿 My disastrous Slovak skiing attempts (spoiler: I ended up sliding down on my bum)

👧 Why my daughter thankfully has a much healthier relationship with sport

Despite my lifelong aversion to exercise, has Slovakia’s passion for hiking, skiing and cycling made me think twice about what sport means?

👉 Are you a sport lover, or an unsporter like me? Drop your stories in the comments – I’d love to hear them.

If you enjoy the podcast, please like, subscribe and share – it really helps me keep going. And wish me luck in the cricket… I’m going to need it!

#Blorecast #KosicePeaceMarathon #Slovakia #Podcast #EnglishPodcast #Kosice #SportFails #Marathon #Cricket #SkiingFails

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🌍 About the Blorecast

The Blorecast is a podcast from The School of Blore in Košice, Slovakia. It’s about life, culture, language, and exams – all served up with a dose of humour and storytelling. Whether you’re learning English, preparing for Cambridge exams, or just curious about life in Slovakia, you’ll find something here.

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🎧 Listen: https://feeds.captivate.fm/blorecast/

📺 Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@bloresk

📌 Find out more at: https://blore.sk/

📧 Contact: podcast@blore.sk

👍 Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blore.sk

Our theme tune is Ode to Joy – Heavy Edition, written specially for us by the most excellent dafteaux: https://youtu.be/rU6nLowrtmE

Blackbird singing: https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/blackbird-singing-296516/

The funky breakbeat drum loop is by Alexander, used under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License: http://www.orangefreesounds.com/vintage-drum-and-organ-beat-87-bpm/

In this episode of the Blorecast, James dives into one of the tastiest parts of Slovak cuisine – carbohydrates! From fresh Slovak bread and fluffy rožky to potato pancakes, bryndzové halušky and pirohy, this is your guided tour through Slovakia’s most comforting, filling, and downright delicious foods. 🇸🇰

What you’ll hear about in this episode:

• Why Slovak bread is better than UK bread

• Potatoes (zemiaky, bandurky) in every possible form

• Traditional Slovak dishes like bryndzové halušky, šúľance, pirohy, Francúzske zemiaky and Černohorský rezeň

• The Slovak habit of mixing multiple carbs in one meal (yes, rice and chips together!)

• Why protein might be taking over Slovakia’s food scene… and why James is proudly #TeamCarb

Whether you’re an English learner brushing up your food vocabulary, a foodie interested in Central European cuisine, or just someone who loves potatoes, pasta and bread, this episode will give you a tasty slice of Slovak food culture.

👉 What’s your favourite Slovak carb? Do you agree with James that carbs are life? Let us know!

If you enjoy learning about Slovak food and culture, don’t forget to like, subscribe, share, and hit the bell 🔔 so you never miss an episode.

#SlovakFood #SlovakCuisine #Slovakia #FoodPodcast #BryndzoveHalusky #SlovakBread #Potatoes

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🌍 About the Blorecast

The Blorecast is a podcast from The School of Blore in Košice, Slovakia. It’s about life, culture, language, and exams – all served up with a dose of humour and storytelling. Whether you’re learning English, preparing for Cambridge exams, or just curious about life in Slovakia, you’ll find something here.

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🎧 Listen: https://feeds.captivate.fm/blorecast/

📺 Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@bloresk

📌 Find out more at: https://blore.sk/

📧 Contact: podcast@blore.sk

👍 Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blore.sk

Our theme tune is Ode to Joy – Heavy Edition, written specially for us by the most excellent dafteaux: https://youtu.be/rU6nLowrtmE

The funky breakbeat drum loop is by Alexander, used under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License: http://www.orangefreesounds.com/vintage-drum-and-organ-beat-87-bpm/

In this episode of the Blorecast, James Blore sits down with his longtime friend Andy Billingham, a British bloke who has lived in Slovakia so long that he’s now officially Slovak.

They talk about:

• how Andy ended up in Slovakia not once, but twice
• his first impressions of Slovakia in 1983
• the places he's worked and the jobs he's done

This episode is audio-only, as James is experimenting with different formats, but don’t worry, video episodes will be back soon!

💬 Join the conversation:

Do you prefer short 5–10 minute episodes, or would you like to hear longer chats?

Do you listen on YouTube or via a podcast app?

What kind of content would you like to hear?

And if you’ve got questions for Andy, send them in — we’ll feature them in future episodes!

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🌍 About the Blorecast

The Blorecast is a podcast from The School of Blore in Košice, Slovakia. It’s about life, culture, language, and exams – all served up with a dose of humour and storytelling. Whether you’re learning English, preparing for Cambridge exams, or just curious about life in Slovakia, you’ll find something here.

🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes!

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📌 Find out more at: https://blore.sk/

📧 Contact: podcast@blore.sk

👍 Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blore.sk

📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bloresk

Our theme tune is Ode to Joy – Heavy Edition, written specially for us by the most excellent dafteaux: https://youtu.be/rU6nLowrtmE

The funky breakbeat drum loop is by Alexander, used under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License: http://www.orangefreesounds.com/vintage-drum-and-organ-beat-87-bpm/

How does a Brit become “a little bit Slovak”? In this first episode of the Blorecast, James Blore shares three Slovak habits he’s picked up over 27 years: taking shoes off indoors, eating big lunches, and learning the Slovak language.

Welcome to the first full episode of the Blorecast – a podcast for learners and teachers of English in Slovakia — and beyond! 🇸🇰🇬🇧

After a quick introduction to my journey to Slovakia in Episode 0, today I’m diving into three ways I’ve become “a little bit Slovak” over the past 27 years:

👞 Shoes – why wearing them indoors in the UK was normal, but in Slovakia it’s a huge no-no.

🥣 Lunch – how I shifted from British sandwiches and a big dinner to the Slovak two-course midday feast.

🗣️ Language – my ongoing attempt to master Slovak cases and sound less like a bumbling foreigner.

If you’ve lived abroad, you’ll know how certain habits slowly creep in – sometimes without you even noticing. But which ones stick, and which ones never will?

👉 I’d love to hear from you! What’s one local custom you’ve adopted, and what’s one you’ll never get used to? Share your stories in the comments.

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🌍 About the Blorecast

The Blorecast is a podcast from The School of Blore in Košice, Slovakia. It’s about life, culture, language, and exams – all served up with a dose of humour and storytelling. Whether you’re learning English, preparing for Cambridge exams, or just curious about life in Slovakia, you’ll find something here.

🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes!

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📌 Find out more at: https://blore.sk/

📧 Contact: podcast@blore.sk

👍 Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blore.sk

📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bloresk

Our theme tune is Ode to Joy – Heavy Edition, written specially for us by the most excellent dafteaux: https://youtu.be/rU6nLowrtmE

The funky breakbeat drum loop is by Alexander, used under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License: http://www.orangefreesounds.com/vintage-drum-and-organ-beat-87-bpm/