The School of Blore

17/09/2026

Tried to give blood in Slovakia. Got as far as question 17 on the form. Did not go well.

Full episode explaining exactly what happened — and why — is up on the channel now. https://youtu.be/576XoMLcyzo

16/09/2026

I found out this week's video topic the hard way — by trying to give blood and getting rejected on the spot.

Turns out the reason goes back to my school dinners in 1980s Britain, mad cow disease, and a form that cares more about my address in 1994 than anything a blood test could tell them.

New Blorecast episode is up!

https://youtu.be/576XoMLcyzo

After nearly three decades in Slovakia, I thought I was a fairly un...

09/09/2026

Jonathan Gresty has lived in Slovakia since 1992 — longer than I have. He’s written two novels about life here: one that’s a love letter to the country (Cudzincov kabát), and a sequel that is, in his words, the "bad cop" (Iné názory).

In our latest episode of The Blorecast, Jonathan joins me for an honest, open conversation about what has kept him here for over 30 years, losing a university position over having "different opinions," and a confrontational moment in Bardejov he’s still processing.

We touch on some political and sensitive topics — from COVID and vaccines to freedom of speech and social polarization — but as the title Iné názory implies, these are discussions worth having directly and civilly.

📺 Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/xiBGCXhcQ7A

🎧 Listen on Spotify / Apple Podcasts

📚 Jonathan's books: Available on Martinus (Cudzincov kabát & Iné názory)

Have you ever felt you had to bite your tongue living or working here, or do you always speak your mind? Let us know in the comments below! 👇

He's lived in Slovakia longer than I have — since 1992 — and he's w...

06/09/2026

Have you ever had that feeling — within weeks of arriving somewhere — that you'd found home?

Jonathan Gresty did, in Spišská Nová Ves, back in January 1992. He's a British teacher and author who's lived in Slovakia even longer than I have. Last week, I sat down with him for a proper interview.

Full conversation coming in a day or two. Stay tuned.

30/08/2026

Achievement unlocked: back in the local paper after 35 years 😊

A WIDNES man who swapped Cheshire for Slovakia nearly three decades ago is building an online following by sharing humorous insights into the…

20/08/2026

🇨🇿 Can I Speak Czech?

After 28 years in Slovakia, you’d think I’d have picked up a bit of Czech by osmosis.

Apparently not. 😂

In this episode, I attempt to explain why Czech has always been a strange blind spot for me — despite the close relationship between Czech and Slovak and my years in Slovakia.

There’s a disastrous phone call, a Czech-speaking electricity-company operator, Tři oříšky pro Popelku, Karel Gott, the terrifying Czech ř, some questionable linguistic psychology, and an ill-fated attempt to learn Czech on Duolingo.

And ultimately, I realise that my inability to understand Czech wasn’t really the Czech language’s fault. It was mine.

So… can I speak Czech?

Hell, no.

But I’m enjoying it a lot more than I used to.

🇸🇰 ❤️ 🇨🇿

After nearly three decades of learning Slovak, you might think that...

19/08/2026

I decided to learn Czech.

So naturally, Duolingo taught me some absolutely essential phrases:

🇨🇿 Jitka počítá naše kočky.
Jitka is counting our cats.

🇨🇿 Co tady dělá ta liška?
What is that fox doing here?

🇨🇿 Františku, ty existuješ?
František, do you exist?

I’m not entirely sure what situation Duolingo thinks I’m preparing for. 😂

But apparently it involves František, a fox and a suspicious number of cats.

My full Czech video is coming tomorrow — follow/subscribe so you don’t miss it!



https://www.youtube.com/

16/08/2026

I try never to miss an opportunity to tell the greatest Czech dad joke of all time.

What did Karel Gott say when he couldn’t find his underpants?

Kdepak ty ptáčku hnízdo máš?

“Where, little bird, is your nest?” 🐦

You’re welcome.

And yes, this is going to feature in my forthcoming video about my ongoing struggle with the Czech language. 🇨🇿

https://www.youtube.com/

15/08/2026

Yup, checks out.

14/08/2026

Harvest!