Over 5300 students from Macedonia study in Ljubljana, Maribor, Koper and Nova Gorica, of which the largest number live in the capital and are most interested in the Faculty of Economics.

Macedonians studying in Slovenia united two years ago in the Macedonian Student Organization in Slovenia (MSOS). With the aim of mutual support and help both for older students and for freshmen who need someone to support them at the beginning is more than necessary to make it easier to manage in the unknown country.

"Meet Student Slovenia" is an open event for all future students and their parents, and it will take place tonight in the premises of NLB Gallery in Skopje, organized by MSOS.

- When I think that two years ago when I enrolled in Maribor I didn't know anyone, if I had this opportunity to talk to someone who has experience to help me, to tell me what life is like there, I would give anything. I completely understand now how confused they are, because it is unknown to them, they are scared, but there is no need for that, we are here to help them as much as possible with everything, now they have somewhere to turn. Also the parents who I believe are panicking about their children and they can come tonight and we can meet to inform each other about the details and give them some peace - he says to Free Press Lea Janachkovska, coordinator of the "Meet Student Slovenia" project.

It is planned to have a panel discussion with students from different cities in Slovenia, our interlocutor clarifies, they will tell about their experience, how they adapted in an unknown country, what their life and studies look like, where they live, what they eat, who were the biggest challenges they faced.

Janachkovska says that it was necessary to establish the organization of students, which she spontaneously joined.

- From what my senior colleagues told me, it is that MSOS was created in a very interesting way. Two years ago, a group of Macedonian students staying in Ljubljana decided to organize a party. At the party, they realized that some kind of structural unification of all Macedonians there was needed, and that's how the idea for this informal and non-profit organization, which is developing successfully, was born - she said.

Statistical data on the number of Macedonian students in Slovenia is increasing from year to year.

- MSOS has been keeping records for Macedonians studying in Slovenia for years. Statistics show that the interest has increased drastically from year to year. In the period from 2001 to 2023, over 5300 students from Macedonia went to study in Slovenia. For the last academic year 2023/2024, the number of enrolled students at the level of the whole of Slovenia was 1697 students. We should also take into account the fact that we know that there are Macedonians who have come to study in Slovenia, but with a Bulgarian passport and they are not recorded in our list, with them the number would certainly be huge - said Janachkovska.

Lea enrolled in biology in Maribor two years ago, but after a year she realized that she prefers to live in a bigger and more dynamic city. This year, she transferred to studies at the most popular economics faculty in Ljubljana.

- It is very nice to live in Ljubljana, you are never alone and you are never bored. There are many tourists, and through the Erasmus program we have the opportunity to meet many students from different countries. In Maribor I lived in a student dormitory, in Ljubljana it is impossible, only those who have a Slovenian passport live in the dormitories. It is expensive to find an apartment, but it is not impossible - she says.

According to her, they have delicious food, but no cuisine compares to the Macedonian one.

- Now for the event we have guest colleagues from Slovenia and when they tried Macedonian food they admitted that it is better than Slovenian food - said Lea.