My Story - Chapter 1

I don't know how many of you know that I was born in Slovakia (former Czechoslovakia) and I came to Canada in my late teens as a political refugee.

Many of my friends and few of my family members have been telling me for years to write a book about my life and all the diversity I faced and overcame since then.

Well, since I have been blogging for almost a year I decided that it's time.You never know who might be reading it and maybe, just maybe my story will get published one day.

I always was a dreamer and overachiever so why not.

I decided to write a chapter every week and post it on my blog every Monday.

I will have a page dedicated to my book and you can catch up on new chapters anytime you like.

So here goes....nothing.....my first chapter (still deciding on the title).


Chapter 1


June 1988

Life can’t get any better for this young Slovak girl.

I turned 19 few days ago. Only year ago I graduated from Hotel Academy and have been working for my parents ever since.... till 4 months ago.

Last 4 months I have been on my own and working as an assistant general manager of a Ski Chalet.

Yes, it is a job I got thanks to my dad and his connections.

It also is a job where I have to prove myself and show everyone that I can do it.

I love my job. I love my boss and I am ready to start a new relationship with local hunky fireman.

In a few days I will go home to visit my family. It’s only 1 hour drive, but that’s far enough that I don’t have to worry about them popping in and surprising me.

Mom called yesterday and there is something important she needs to discuss with me. I hate suspense especially since I have no idea what it could be.

Lately I’ve been worried about my father.

Last few year as a general manager for a major hotel is putting his health at risk.

In his prime my father was an exceptional athlete and a professional goalie. His very promising hockey career ended when I was a toddler due to an injury.

Few years later after finishing his business degree my father had to join the Communist Party in order to become a general manager of a hotel. At that time everything in Czechoslovakia was run by the government therefore run by the communists. If you wanted a good job you had to become one of them.

Unless you were a rebel like my mother. Till this day we laugh about her being rejected by the local communist party. My mother never had a problem to tell anyone what she thinks.

My father is a great businessman and with the help of my mother - the born accountant he climbed the ladder of the hotel game very quickly. In few years he went from managing little Ski Chalet to 5 star hotel in a Ski Resort

Of course with bigger hotel came bigger obligations. Obligations of wining and dining various communist party leaders and their lackies and mistresses. They show up at the best resorts and hotels any time of the day unannounced and ready to have a good time. The bill is always paid by the hotel and the general manager has to be present and participate from the minute they arrive till the minute they leave.

In last few years my father became very obese borderline alcoholic. He is not able to tie his own shoelaces on his custom made Italian shoes and his custom made suits are getting tighter and tighter. He would show up at home at any hour and most of the time under the influence of expensive alcohol. He would get phone calls from work in the middle of the night and he is required to be there and ready to party within 30 minutes.

So when I received a phone call from my mom asking me to come home for a talk I was worried that is has something to do with my father.

Turns out it had everything to do with my father, but not the way I thought.