I only speak one language. Am I allowed to come?

Yes. While the gathering is for language lovers there is no formal requirement of how many languages you have to speak. If you check out last year’s program (or the videos from last time) and think you would enjoy an event like this, then you are welcome to join. The range of languages spoken by our participants goes from 1 to >30, with a median of 6.

What languages do you use at the Gathering?

Polyglots use many languages among themselves depending on their nametags which show the languages they speak. Most people speak English, but Spanish, German, French and Esperanto are quite popular too. Don’t be surprised if people around you sometimes speak a language you haven’t even heard of before. Most talks are in English, but sometimes other languages are used as well. The languages used at each talk is always indicated in the program.

Can I contribute to the program?

Yes, we are accepting suggestions for lectures and workshops (45-minute taster sessions). Lectures can be in any major language and some minor ones. Speakers should be motivated by the idea of sharing their passion with the polyglot community. Fill out this form to propose a talk or a workshop.

Where will I stay during the Gathering?

Everybody takes care of their own accommodation, but the organizers provide tips for recommended hotels where other participants will stay as well so as to enable the participants to stay together. We suggest that you use this possibility. The Gathering is not just about the talks – the social programs and the possibility of hanging out with other participants in the evenings is just as interesting as the talks themselves.

Did you get my registration/payment?

For the registration, you will get a confirmation email right away. If that does not arrive, please let us know. When you wire your fees it often takes a few days for the bank to process it. PayPal is much faster but charges us fees, that is why we prefer bank transfer if possible. Either way, when your payment arrives we will inform you a few days afterwards.

My country does not allow PayPal/I have no possibility to wire money to you upfront. What can I do?

If it is not possible for you to wire us your fee upfront, then let us know. We generally require upfront payment, but can make the rare exception. We can not, however, postpone the payment for food for you.

Can you send me an official invitation to get a European Schengen visa?

Yes we can! 🙂 We can send you a letter describing the event, that you can present to the Slovak embassy, as well as the invitation letter – in this case we need payment for the whole event from you in advance. Even with this invitation letter, we cannot guarantee that you will receive the visa, as the individual embassy in each country is fully responsible for this. For visa issues, please contact Katarína Krutá: katarina.kruta@polyglotbratislava.com.

Is this another Polyglot Conference?

No, Polyglot Conference is a separate event organized by our friends Richard Simcott and Alex Rawlings which takes place in different countries every year (the next one is planned for Iceland in autumn 2017). Both events are trying to join polyglots and enable the polyglot community to get together and share our great passion for languages. We are very happy to receive participants who have been to Polyglot Conferences and would like to meet like-minded language lovers again.