Last Walks and Looking Ahead: June 1-8
- kristineturko
- Jun 8
- 2 min read
The first week of June was my last week in Ljubljana, and I quickly realized that there is no real way to prepare for leaving a place that has felt like home for four months. I spent much of the week trying to fit in a few more favorite routines while also wondering where the time had gone.
The week started with an invitation to give a talk at the Knowledge Technologies Department at the Jožef Stefan Institute. A day later, after one final stop for nails with Christina and a quick mali burek, I gave a presentation on the possibilities of using artificial intelligence and virtual reality to support autism intervention, professional training, and social skills development. It was exciting to share ideas outside of my own field and think about where future collaborations might lead. Meanwhile, the Ljubljanica River had officially become paddleboard season.
The weather reminded everyone that spring in Slovenia likes to keep people guessing. One day it was sunny enough for paddleboarding and the next it was rainy enough to call for soup and a sweatshirt. Fortunately, the forecast improved just in time for one final adventure.
A trip to the Soča Valley ended up being one of my favorite days of the entire Fulbright experience. The day included Kozjak Waterfall, views of Boka Waterfall, the Great Soča Gorge, and the drive over Vršič Pass with its seemingly endless hairpin turns through the Julian Alps. The tour ended at Lake Jasna and, perhaps more importantly, with one final plate of Idrijski žlikrofi at Slovenska Hiša. It felt appropriate that my favorite Slovenian meal made one last appearance before I left.
As the week came to a close, the goodbyes started. There was pizza and beer with friends, coffee with cousin Nina, dinner with Leonardo, and one final dinner at Most. There were also several long walks, one last trip to the castle, and a conscious effort to appreciate all of the little things that had become normal parts of daily life in Ljubljana.
On June 8, it was finally time to leave. I was excited to get home to Tony and Loen, but leaving Ljubljana was harder than I expected. I arrived in February knowing almost no one and left feeling connected to a city, a university, colleagues, students, friends, and family. The good news is that Slovenia is still there, and I have every intention of going back.
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