Oh my, I haven't produced a post since February! Shame on me or perhaps not so much as I've never been busier in my life. The approaching Easter break was the only thing that kept me going. We spent the break in Maribor, Slovenia and it was colorful but still at most successful. The weather showed indubitable signs of global warming with temperatures around 24 degrees Celsius and sun day in and day out. Admittedly, we didn't complain as it was absolutely wonderful. I can finally say that the rip-off Britain bucket doesn't hold water any more. We can call it rip-off Slovenia from now on with retailers openly competing for the "highest price" world cup.
Anyway, April is also the time of year when Slovenian universities are in the middle of Summer semester providing a wonderful opportunity to give a lecture or two for enthusiastic Slovenian students. I maintain close links with Prof Selih from the Faculty of Civil Engineering of the University of Ljubljana. This year was particularly momentous one since I was awarded an official Visiting Professorship for which I am sincerely grateful. However, being a Slovenian myself I feel obliged to give lectures in a Slovene language. Sounds easy? Well, it is not! I left Slovenia in 1998 to begin PhD research and have, apart from a lecture or two, never used the language for academic/professional purposes ever since. It's one thing to use spoken language yet something completely different to talk about a subject that you only have ever spoken in English. I couldn't find right words, eventually ended up explaining concepts in English and wondered how this is even possible. Language is a funny living concept that requires constant practicing to keep it alive and it has got many different shapes.
