Clearly, I made an unwise and poorly researched decision when I chose to study in Prague. I could have picked anywhere in the world, and I picked a city with a climate like Wisconsin's?? In all honesty, I am getting really tired of the gray skies and damp weather, because it's really starting to get to me. Actually, it's been getting to me all week. At least I feel better knowing that I am not alone in feeling like this, because when I talk to my friends here, we all feel kind of "blah" and would do anything for some sunshine around here. So, to make ourselves feel better, we look at pictures of sunny, beautiful places and dream of going there.
Not only that, but I'm also really starting to get the urge to get out Prague. I went to Kutna Hora last weekend, and it was nice, but it wasn't quite enough. I know that it sounds silly to be tired of a city after three weeks, but it's just the truth. See, it's not like I'm moving here permanently, but I'm also not here for a weekend trip, so there's this awkward in-between feeling, that leaves me wondering where exactly I fit. Prague is definitely my home base, but at the same time, my urge to travel is growing. And I definitely plan on acting on that urge. In the next 8 weekends, I plan on being out of Prague for 6 of them, which makes me very excited! But I just feel surprised that I'm already so eager to travel more. It doesn't help that everyone I know here is traveling constantly; I've officially jumped on the bandwagon and started planning as many weekend trips as possible. I'm pretty excited =) I will also be broke when I get home, but do I sound too unhappy about that right now? I'm not. I can always make more money, but can I always do this?
I'm still loving my internship here, and if I didn't have such a great internship to distract me from my chaotic school, I don't know what I'd do. What I'm trying to say is this: my school is quite possibly the most disorganized university I have ever heard of. I still don't have a student ID card (What? You sent us a picture for your ID? Oh....well, can you get another one?), no password for the wi-fi (I'm sorry, you have to be a registered student here to get access to the w-fi. Oh, you ARE a student here? That's funny, you're not in our system...), and just general chaos. And yes, I was asked if I'm actually a student here. They "lost" my name for a couple hours there, I'm told. No worries, I was "found" again. This coming from "the oldest English-speaking private university in Prague." I'm sorry, but seeing as how Charles University here in Prague was founded in the 1300s, making claims that you're the "oldest" university of anything when you were founded in 1993 seems a bit silly to me. Maybe in the States that would fly, but here in Europe, if you're less than 300 years old, you're not old.
Well, it feels good to get that rant out of the way. Spending one semester at this school studying abroad will be fine, but I'm just glad that that is all I will have to deal with. It's not that my classes are not interesting, because they really are. But I am an organized person, and the chaos makes me frustrated! I think even those who aren't organized would be driven mad by this.
One quick side note: I have had my first real bits of homesickness this week. I think that being sick earlier this week brought it on, because, let's face it, who wants to be alone when they're sick? I wanted someone to take care of me! Then after I got better, I was still feeling that way, just generally missing my friends and family (and Brian!) back home. I think it's also wrapped up in my feeling of wanting to get out of Prague, because it's almost as if I feel like I've had my experience in Prague, so isn't it time to go home? I think it's cool though, to have the experience of moving somewhere far away, rather than just taking a vacation for a couple weeks. It's an entirely different perspective. The homesickness isn't very serious, largely because I know 3 more months here really isn't that long!
Anyways, I think that I will let all of you off easy for now and wrap this post up =) As a warning, I have a somewhat controversial topic in mind for my next post; it's a topic I've seen floating around on Facebook, and I wanted to put my opinion on it. So tune in soon for that (and no, of course I won't tell you what it is, you have to come back later to find out!).
Friday, February 26, 2010
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
A Little Bit of Everything
It's definitely been an eventful past few days! On Saturday, I traveled with 3 other friends, Chelsea, Madison, and Silva, to Kutna Hora, which is a town about an hour train ride outside of Prague. It felt nice to get out of the city even for the day, and this was my first experience taking the train here. It was a highly successful endeavor getting to and from Kutna Hora (although we kept worrying we'd get on the wrong train!), and we all loved the fact that the trains had the individual "compartments" for about 6-8 people each, with a sliding door on each compartment. I know I sound like a little kid, but it reminded me exactly of the trains that you see in old movies. I love Europe :-)
The first thing that we went to see was the Sedlec Ossuary, which-and I'm not making this up at all-was fully decorated on the inside with human bones. It's the kind of thing you have to see if you go to the Czech Republic, and we were not disappointed by what we saw. Creeped out, yes. But it was also incredibly fascinating. Back story: during the Great Plague in Europe of the 1300s, thousands upon thousands of people were dying, and the monks ran out of graves and began just piling the bones into piles inside the church. Then, one of the monks began to make decorations inside the church out of the bones: wall hangings, pyramids, a gigantic chandelier...everything you can imagine. And their goal in this was not to be morbid, but rather to exemplify the mortality of humanity. It still came off as disconcerting, but it was also a very cool sight. This church has been featured in many horror films and novels, as you might imagine...
We also saw St. Barbara's Cathedral, and although we couldn't go inside unfortunately, the exterior of the church was incredible. The stones on the church glowed in the sunset, making it even more incredible. The train station in Kutna Hora looked like something out of an old movie too, although in much less of a dreamy way and more of a dark-and-lonely-train station kind of way. We girls stuck close together, needless to say. It was altogether a very interesting and fun trip, and we were proud to have explored a different part of the Czech Republic.
Sunday night, food poisoning hit. Luckily, it only lasted 24 hours, but those 24 hours weren't very fun. The unfortunate part was that normally I would have tried to take it easy all day since I don't have class til 6:30 PM on Mondays, but I had a presentation that night and I had to finish working on it and present it (I don't take sick days...sorry, I've got this wild never-ever-quit attitude...I've missed a total of zero classes in the past 2 semesters of college, maybe 5 or 6 total in 5 semesters. I'm a nerd...). Well, I worked all day, finished the presentation, got all dressed up to give my presentation, rode to class, aaaaand: class canceled. At least the work is done for next week now...
I started my second week at my internship, and it wasn't just a first-week fluke: I love love love my internship. Rather than feeling like they have to scramble to find boring filing jobs for me to do in the office, my supervisors are filling me in on their major projects (heck, it's an NGO, they're thrilled to have free help from someone who's equally thrilled to have an opportunity like this!). I needed an international internship to graduate with my Global Studies degree, in case anyone was wondering why I am doing this, and while it initially felt like a chore having to get an internship, this has majorly enhanced my study abroad experience. The funny thing is, when I'd listen in class to what some of the things NGOs do, it'd seem boring to me at times, and I worried about whether or not this was really something I'd want to do. But when I get to do these things and see real results, rather than just discuss possible results in a class, it's exciting. I'm also looking forward to going to some of the human rights, NGO, and refugee aid seminars coming up in March and April, because they'll give me an opportunity to travel around the Czech Republic with my colleagues.
It's starting to get warmer here! Although my Wisconsin mindset tells me to remain skeptical until May that spring is here, my Czech roommates tell me that things start to warm up in February here. So I can be hopeful...right? Oh, and as much as I praise the public transportation here, I can't help but realize how many bizarre smells are inherent with public transportation. I bring this up because today was one of those days where both on the metro AND the tram to the Burma Center, I thought I might be sick from the gross smells all around me. It's funny how every different country (and city, I suppose) has different smells compared with home. I can't say I miss the smell of cows from back home either, though...
The first thing that we went to see was the Sedlec Ossuary, which-and I'm not making this up at all-was fully decorated on the inside with human bones. It's the kind of thing you have to see if you go to the Czech Republic, and we were not disappointed by what we saw. Creeped out, yes. But it was also incredibly fascinating. Back story: during the Great Plague in Europe of the 1300s, thousands upon thousands of people were dying, and the monks ran out of graves and began just piling the bones into piles inside the church. Then, one of the monks began to make decorations inside the church out of the bones: wall hangings, pyramids, a gigantic chandelier...everything you can imagine. And their goal in this was not to be morbid, but rather to exemplify the mortality of humanity. It still came off as disconcerting, but it was also a very cool sight. This church has been featured in many horror films and novels, as you might imagine...
We also saw St. Barbara's Cathedral, and although we couldn't go inside unfortunately, the exterior of the church was incredible. The stones on the church glowed in the sunset, making it even more incredible. The train station in Kutna Hora looked like something out of an old movie too, although in much less of a dreamy way and more of a dark-and-lonely-train station kind of way. We girls stuck close together, needless to say. It was altogether a very interesting and fun trip, and we were proud to have explored a different part of the Czech Republic.
Sunday night, food poisoning hit. Luckily, it only lasted 24 hours, but those 24 hours weren't very fun. The unfortunate part was that normally I would have tried to take it easy all day since I don't have class til 6:30 PM on Mondays, but I had a presentation that night and I had to finish working on it and present it (I don't take sick days...sorry, I've got this wild never-ever-quit attitude...I've missed a total of zero classes in the past 2 semesters of college, maybe 5 or 6 total in 5 semesters. I'm a nerd...). Well, I worked all day, finished the presentation, got all dressed up to give my presentation, rode to class, aaaaand: class canceled. At least the work is done for next week now...
I started my second week at my internship, and it wasn't just a first-week fluke: I love love love my internship. Rather than feeling like they have to scramble to find boring filing jobs for me to do in the office, my supervisors are filling me in on their major projects (heck, it's an NGO, they're thrilled to have free help from someone who's equally thrilled to have an opportunity like this!). I needed an international internship to graduate with my Global Studies degree, in case anyone was wondering why I am doing this, and while it initially felt like a chore having to get an internship, this has majorly enhanced my study abroad experience. The funny thing is, when I'd listen in class to what some of the things NGOs do, it'd seem boring to me at times, and I worried about whether or not this was really something I'd want to do. But when I get to do these things and see real results, rather than just discuss possible results in a class, it's exciting. I'm also looking forward to going to some of the human rights, NGO, and refugee aid seminars coming up in March and April, because they'll give me an opportunity to travel around the Czech Republic with my colleagues.
It's starting to get warmer here! Although my Wisconsin mindset tells me to remain skeptical until May that spring is here, my Czech roommates tell me that things start to warm up in February here. So I can be hopeful...right? Oh, and as much as I praise the public transportation here, I can't help but realize how many bizarre smells are inherent with public transportation. I bring this up because today was one of those days where both on the metro AND the tram to the Burma Center, I thought I might be sick from the gross smells all around me. It's funny how every different country (and city, I suppose) has different smells compared with home. I can't say I miss the smell of cows from back home either, though...
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Worry, worry, worry
Before I go into the meaning behind my blog title, I just wanted to say thank you again to all of you reading my blog! It means so much to me, and trust me, I really look forward to posting! =) There's just something calming about being able to write down your feelings, at least for me, because I've always loved to write. I'm not a creative, story-telling type of writer, but I enjoy the feeling of taking everything that's swirling around in my head and heart and putting it down neatly into words. The struggle to find words that describe feelings and thoughts is something I enjoy.
My trip thus far has just continued to get more amazing. I don't simply mean that in the sense of going places and seeing new things, because while that has been super fun, there's so much more. Don't get me wrong, I was thrilled to book my plane ticket to Italy: 10 days of backpacking through the country is my idea of a truly spectacular spring break. I continue to plan new trips, and I am so thrilled that my mom might be coming to visit at the end of April (shhh, don't tell my dad, he hasn't heard about this yet haha). And hey, I would be so happy if anybody else wanted to come here too, because you can stay at my apartment, and we'll have a blast traveling! But really, so much of my excitement comes from just the fact that I'm here and learning so much about who I am.
If you were watching any of my Facebook statuses last semester, you probably got a good idea of how unbelievably stressed out I was. I was so unhappy and frustrated with so many things, and it was one of the hardest periods of time I've gone through. Between planning for Prague, dealing with heartbreaking personal issues, and just suffering from serious burn-out, I was a wreck, to say the very least. There were definitely times where I thought I wouldn't make it here to Prague, and I had several Plan B's if this trip didn't happen (and none of those plans had good results). I had no idea at the outset how difficult it would be to plan a study abroad trip all on your own, and I was also searching simultaneously for my internship abroad. However, now that I'm here, I can tell you that I didn't go through all of that struggle for nothing.
I feel as though the value that I place on this trip is so much higher because of what I went through to get here. Talking with other study abroad students who came to Prague on their own as I did has been so cathartic, in many ways, because I realize that I was not alone with my frustrations. Ultimately, what I've learned though, is something that people like Brian have been trying to tell me for years: it will all work out in the end. That doesn't mean I've been cured of my worrying tendencies, because I had one of my "freak-out sessions" just tonight over something that *surprise surprise* ended up working out just fine. What happened tonight is what inspired me to write about this topic for this post, because in writing this down, I want to imprint in my mind this lesson that I've learned over the past months about how useless worrying is. Clearly, I still have a long way to go in dealing with this, but I've made major strides.
Oh, and when I say I worry, you might be thinking "Hey, I worry a lot too, it's not too big of a deal", but let me tell you, up until coming here to Prague, I was a WORRIER. The kind that stays up all night thinking, or tossing and turning, having nightmares and cold sweats, waking up sobbing because I'm so tense and frustrated, constantly feeling like I had to prove to myself and to others that I'm not a failure and yet telling myself repeatedly that I was a failure. I had to repeat good things to myself in my head, even small accomplishments, to show myself that I was still capable. It didn't matter how successful I really was, because, in truth, I did a lot last year and things in my life actually turned out very well. But I couldn't see any of the reality. Yeah, it was bad, and for almost all of 2009, that's what I had become. 2010 won't be the same, because not only will I not allow that to happen, but I know better. I made it to Prague, I have the perfect internship, amazing apartment and roommates, good classes, and an amazing circle of friends and family. This doesn't mean that I'm naive enough to think that everything in life will just magically work out now. It won't. Everything comes by hard work, and sometimes, even with that hard work, it doesn't happen. But if it doesn't, it's because there is something so much better in store for you instead. Not everything I'm doing right now was my Plan A initially. However, I couldn't be happier with how things have turned out.
Goodnight, everyone =)
My trip thus far has just continued to get more amazing. I don't simply mean that in the sense of going places and seeing new things, because while that has been super fun, there's so much more. Don't get me wrong, I was thrilled to book my plane ticket to Italy: 10 days of backpacking through the country is my idea of a truly spectacular spring break. I continue to plan new trips, and I am so thrilled that my mom might be coming to visit at the end of April (shhh, don't tell my dad, he hasn't heard about this yet haha). And hey, I would be so happy if anybody else wanted to come here too, because you can stay at my apartment, and we'll have a blast traveling! But really, so much of my excitement comes from just the fact that I'm here and learning so much about who I am.
If you were watching any of my Facebook statuses last semester, you probably got a good idea of how unbelievably stressed out I was. I was so unhappy and frustrated with so many things, and it was one of the hardest periods of time I've gone through. Between planning for Prague, dealing with heartbreaking personal issues, and just suffering from serious burn-out, I was a wreck, to say the very least. There were definitely times where I thought I wouldn't make it here to Prague, and I had several Plan B's if this trip didn't happen (and none of those plans had good results). I had no idea at the outset how difficult it would be to plan a study abroad trip all on your own, and I was also searching simultaneously for my internship abroad. However, now that I'm here, I can tell you that I didn't go through all of that struggle for nothing.
I feel as though the value that I place on this trip is so much higher because of what I went through to get here. Talking with other study abroad students who came to Prague on their own as I did has been so cathartic, in many ways, because I realize that I was not alone with my frustrations. Ultimately, what I've learned though, is something that people like Brian have been trying to tell me for years: it will all work out in the end. That doesn't mean I've been cured of my worrying tendencies, because I had one of my "freak-out sessions" just tonight over something that *surprise surprise* ended up working out just fine. What happened tonight is what inspired me to write about this topic for this post, because in writing this down, I want to imprint in my mind this lesson that I've learned over the past months about how useless worrying is. Clearly, I still have a long way to go in dealing with this, but I've made major strides.
Oh, and when I say I worry, you might be thinking "Hey, I worry a lot too, it's not too big of a deal", but let me tell you, up until coming here to Prague, I was a WORRIER. The kind that stays up all night thinking, or tossing and turning, having nightmares and cold sweats, waking up sobbing because I'm so tense and frustrated, constantly feeling like I had to prove to myself and to others that I'm not a failure and yet telling myself repeatedly that I was a failure. I had to repeat good things to myself in my head, even small accomplishments, to show myself that I was still capable. It didn't matter how successful I really was, because, in truth, I did a lot last year and things in my life actually turned out very well. But I couldn't see any of the reality. Yeah, it was bad, and for almost all of 2009, that's what I had become. 2010 won't be the same, because not only will I not allow that to happen, but I know better. I made it to Prague, I have the perfect internship, amazing apartment and roommates, good classes, and an amazing circle of friends and family. This doesn't mean that I'm naive enough to think that everything in life will just magically work out now. It won't. Everything comes by hard work, and sometimes, even with that hard work, it doesn't happen. But if it doesn't, it's because there is something so much better in store for you instead. Not everything I'm doing right now was my Plan A initially. However, I couldn't be happier with how things have turned out.
Goodnight, everyone =)
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Going the Distance
I decided that I really wanted to open up this blog post to hear other people's opinions/stories/advice on the topic of long-distance relationships. If you can't comment directly on the blog, feel free to comment on Facebook! Now that I've gone past the two week mark of being apart from Brian, things have clearly switched from "Beth is just away for a couple weeks" to the reality of being away for 4 months. Now, I know that for some couples, 4 months apart is common, or not that long. But for Brian and I, the longest we've ever been apart previous to this trip was 2 weeks, and so I think that that's why this week has suddenly been so hard on us. We realize that this is a long haul, and while Skype is incredible, it can also be very frustrating to be able to see the person's face and hear their voice, yet not be able to touch them or hug them or kiss them.
It's harder for me to sympathize with Brian's emotions, because I feel that he still has his family and friends and normal life surrounding him, while I have faced an entirely new life all on my own. However, I have to remember that he's bored with doing the same old things while I experience so much and travel. It's led to frustration, but I've decided that this trip is a great opportunity for us to learn to communicate exactly what we're feeling, because if not, there are 4500 miles that separate us and that could easily lead to us distancing ourselves from each other. So here's to improving communication! (what every guy loves to hear, right?).
I think that there are unique challenges in being long distance, because while it's incredibly difficult for me to suddenly be long distance after living in the same city as my boyfriend for 2.5 years, I also can see the difficulty in being together in the same city if the relationship began long distance. Whereas I am used to sharing so much of my life with Brian, or at least having the convenience of calling and texting 24/7, when you get used to being long distance, it probably feels very different when you do move to the same city and begin sharing all of your life with your significant other.
In some ways, it feels freeing to know that I can do all of the same things with or without Brian. I am still outgoing and adventurous and motivated. However, if it ended there, it would seem that there's no reason for us to be together. But the thing is, although I can still do all of these things, I simply enjoy every minute of life more when I share it with him. And right now, I think it's good for us to grow as individuals while we're apart, but ultimately, every moment is more beautiful, exciting, and fulfilling when he's there with me. And truly, I don't know if I could have done many of the things that I have without him, where he has supported, encouraged, and held me through some of the most painful times in my life. And that is what this is all about for me. My life is made complete (cliche, but true!) with him in it, and while I know that I am still Beth whether I'm single or not, I know that I am a better person with Brian in my life and because of Brian.
What experiences have you had in long distance relationships? What were some of the hardest times about it? And what were the most rewarding?
It's harder for me to sympathize with Brian's emotions, because I feel that he still has his family and friends and normal life surrounding him, while I have faced an entirely new life all on my own. However, I have to remember that he's bored with doing the same old things while I experience so much and travel. It's led to frustration, but I've decided that this trip is a great opportunity for us to learn to communicate exactly what we're feeling, because if not, there are 4500 miles that separate us and that could easily lead to us distancing ourselves from each other. So here's to improving communication! (what every guy loves to hear, right?).
I think that there are unique challenges in being long distance, because while it's incredibly difficult for me to suddenly be long distance after living in the same city as my boyfriend for 2.5 years, I also can see the difficulty in being together in the same city if the relationship began long distance. Whereas I am used to sharing so much of my life with Brian, or at least having the convenience of calling and texting 24/7, when you get used to being long distance, it probably feels very different when you do move to the same city and begin sharing all of your life with your significant other.
In some ways, it feels freeing to know that I can do all of the same things with or without Brian. I am still outgoing and adventurous and motivated. However, if it ended there, it would seem that there's no reason for us to be together. But the thing is, although I can still do all of these things, I simply enjoy every minute of life more when I share it with him. And right now, I think it's good for us to grow as individuals while we're apart, but ultimately, every moment is more beautiful, exciting, and fulfilling when he's there with me. And truly, I don't know if I could have done many of the things that I have without him, where he has supported, encouraged, and held me through some of the most painful times in my life. And that is what this is all about for me. My life is made complete (cliche, but true!) with him in it, and while I know that I am still Beth whether I'm single or not, I know that I am a better person with Brian in my life and because of Brian.
What experiences have you had in long distance relationships? What were some of the hardest times about it? And what were the most rewarding?
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
First Day as an Intern
Today was my first day at the Burma Center-Prague, and I know that I'm going to love it there. Now, my morning didn't start out ideally, because while I got to the yellow metro line with no problem, got off on Palmovka, and found the tram that would take me to the stop right in front of the building I'm working at, I most certainly did not get on the tram headed in the right direction.
This was my first time in Praha 7, which is a more industrialized part of the city, so my sense of direction was thrown off. If I had gotten on the tram headed in the right direction, I would have had 2 stops, crossed the street, and I'd be there. Needless to say, I rode the tram all the way until the end of the line (about a 30 minute ride), expectantly waiting to hear my stop called, and just assumed it was towards the end of the line.
I had one of those moments where the tram stopped, I looked uneasily around, and realized that I was the only person on the tram and I'd reached the end of the line. The driver, who only spoke Czech, and I, who only spoke English, managed to figure out my mistake through lots of hand motions and nodding, and I eventually got to the right place after riding all the way back in the direction I had just come. Ah well, my supervisor was great and completely understood my new-ness to the city. But c'mon, I had been feeling so proud of my public transit abilities, I guess I needed to be knocked down a peg or two.
My projects as an intern are going to be multi-faceted, but today, I was working on setting up a photo board for a booth that the Center will have at the One World Film Festival. I'm going to researching grants (that class I took back home on grants will actually come in handy!!), getting the Center on the road to being fair-trade certified so that they can sell more of the handmade Burmese products, finding micro-loans to distribute to refugees here, and more. I got to listen in on a meeting on a budget meeting...I'm loving this! My supervisor told me that it's okay if this isn't what I want to do and I want to find another internship, but this has just been a complete and perfect blessing. I'm staying! =)
Also, I find my apartment for March, April, and May. The one I'm in now is only for the month of February (I'm subletting from a friend of a friend of a friend, hooray for connections!), and the place I will have after this is really cute, and with nice roommates, a guy and a girl. Best part: the awesomely low price. I'm living all 4 months here in Prague for about $850 in rent!
I miss everyone back home! I love it here so much, but I also can't wait to see my wonderful friends and family back home again =) I am so much busier now than when I first came here, but at night in my room, or especially when I wake up in the morning, I'm so conscious of being in a new city with new people, thousands of miles away from home. But I've loved realizing these past weeks that all of that stubborn independence I've always had is still there, and although I have a boyfriend, and I rely on family and friends for things, I'm still able to move away all by myself without knowing a soul here and find my way and be happy! It's a beautiful thing to know that I still can hold my own.
This was my first time in Praha 7, which is a more industrialized part of the city, so my sense of direction was thrown off. If I had gotten on the tram headed in the right direction, I would have had 2 stops, crossed the street, and I'd be there. Needless to say, I rode the tram all the way until the end of the line (about a 30 minute ride), expectantly waiting to hear my stop called, and just assumed it was towards the end of the line.
I had one of those moments where the tram stopped, I looked uneasily around, and realized that I was the only person on the tram and I'd reached the end of the line. The driver, who only spoke Czech, and I, who only spoke English, managed to figure out my mistake through lots of hand motions and nodding, and I eventually got to the right place after riding all the way back in the direction I had just come. Ah well, my supervisor was great and completely understood my new-ness to the city. But c'mon, I had been feeling so proud of my public transit abilities, I guess I needed to be knocked down a peg or two.
My projects as an intern are going to be multi-faceted, but today, I was working on setting up a photo board for a booth that the Center will have at the One World Film Festival. I'm going to researching grants (that class I took back home on grants will actually come in handy!!), getting the Center on the road to being fair-trade certified so that they can sell more of the handmade Burmese products, finding micro-loans to distribute to refugees here, and more. I got to listen in on a meeting on a budget meeting...I'm loving this! My supervisor told me that it's okay if this isn't what I want to do and I want to find another internship, but this has just been a complete and perfect blessing. I'm staying! =)
Also, I find my apartment for March, April, and May. The one I'm in now is only for the month of February (I'm subletting from a friend of a friend of a friend, hooray for connections!), and the place I will have after this is really cute, and with nice roommates, a guy and a girl. Best part: the awesomely low price. I'm living all 4 months here in Prague for about $850 in rent!
I miss everyone back home! I love it here so much, but I also can't wait to see my wonderful friends and family back home again =) I am so much busier now than when I first came here, but at night in my room, or especially when I wake up in the morning, I'm so conscious of being in a new city with new people, thousands of miles away from home. But I've loved realizing these past weeks that all of that stubborn independence I've always had is still there, and although I have a boyfriend, and I rely on family and friends for things, I'm still able to move away all by myself without knowing a soul here and find my way and be happy! It's a beautiful thing to know that I still can hold my own.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Why Prague?
Many, many people have asked me over the past several months (and continue to ask) why I chose Prague as my study abroad destination. I honestly have a myriad of reasons why I came here. I am part Czech (not very much, though), and for some reason, that part of my ethnicity has always interested me the most. I had always dreamed of coming to this part of Europe, and when it came time to choose a study abroad destination, I chose Prague because:
1. Here was my chance to visit some of the places I have always wanted to see.
2. I can learn another language!
3. It's ridiculously cheap in comparison to studying elsewhere in Europe.
4. Just because. I wanted to go somewhere a little less traditional than London, Paris, Madrid, etc., yet I still wanted to come to Europe.
I couldn't possibly be happier with the place I chose to study :-)
Today was a very fun day, and, for once, sunny! I met two friends, Madison and Silva, for lunch, and we discussed some of the places we want to see while we're here in Europe. We've decided to head to Italy for spring break, flying into Venice probably, and then visiting Venice, Florence, Rome, and Naples. It'll probably be packed for Easter, but that's alright. What better time to visit the Vatican than Holy Week? It should be absolutely amazing. Madison and I are also planning a trip in March to go skiing in the Swiss Alps, which is proving to be a difficult trip to plan, but it's definitely a priority for both of us to do while we're here in Europe. As for the rest of my trips, I'd love to see Budapest and Krakow (and Auschwitz), and then when Brian comes here at the end of May, we'll be traveling all over Germany and Austria for two weeks. I can't wait! Some of my classmates are traveling almost every weekend, but not only is that a bit much expense-wise for me, but I also need to fulfill the required hours for my internship this semester. If I make it to all of the places I just listed though, I will be more than happy!
It's funny, because I view Prague as my "home" while I'm here in Europe, although I've only been here 2 weeks. I bring this up because I felt very defensive and indignant when I read a traveler's blog that completely blasted Prague as being filled with rude people and there not being much to see here. The person admitted to only spending a day here, which immediately made me question how they could condemn the city so strongly after only one day's visit! Anyways, I've met countless people on the street who have helped me with my questions, the city's beauty has awed me, and there is such a small-town charm for being such a huge city. And it's so cheap for being a popular European destination! I can't wait to explore more.
I'm off to see another film at The Globe and drink some more of their delicious tea (I tried the beer here, I really did, but there's something about the aftertaste that's very different...I have been drinking lots of tea while here though!).
1. Here was my chance to visit some of the places I have always wanted to see.
2. I can learn another language!
3. It's ridiculously cheap in comparison to studying elsewhere in Europe.
4. Just because. I wanted to go somewhere a little less traditional than London, Paris, Madrid, etc., yet I still wanted to come to Europe.
I couldn't possibly be happier with the place I chose to study :-)
Today was a very fun day, and, for once, sunny! I met two friends, Madison and Silva, for lunch, and we discussed some of the places we want to see while we're here in Europe. We've decided to head to Italy for spring break, flying into Venice probably, and then visiting Venice, Florence, Rome, and Naples. It'll probably be packed for Easter, but that's alright. What better time to visit the Vatican than Holy Week? It should be absolutely amazing. Madison and I are also planning a trip in March to go skiing in the Swiss Alps, which is proving to be a difficult trip to plan, but it's definitely a priority for both of us to do while we're here in Europe. As for the rest of my trips, I'd love to see Budapest and Krakow (and Auschwitz), and then when Brian comes here at the end of May, we'll be traveling all over Germany and Austria for two weeks. I can't wait! Some of my classmates are traveling almost every weekend, but not only is that a bit much expense-wise for me, but I also need to fulfill the required hours for my internship this semester. If I make it to all of the places I just listed though, I will be more than happy!
It's funny, because I view Prague as my "home" while I'm here in Europe, although I've only been here 2 weeks. I bring this up because I felt very defensive and indignant when I read a traveler's blog that completely blasted Prague as being filled with rude people and there not being much to see here. The person admitted to only spending a day here, which immediately made me question how they could condemn the city so strongly after only one day's visit! Anyways, I've met countless people on the street who have helped me with my questions, the city's beauty has awed me, and there is such a small-town charm for being such a huge city. And it's so cheap for being a popular European destination! I can't wait to explore more.
I'm off to see another film at The Globe and drink some more of their delicious tea (I tried the beer here, I really did, but there's something about the aftertaste that's very different...I have been drinking lots of tea while here though!).
Friday, February 12, 2010
On to my second week in Prague!
I've already been here ten days....I've only been here for ten days....
I started classes this week! I have class on Monday night, Wednesday afternoon, and Thursday afternoon and evening. It's strange for me to only go to each class once a week for 3 hours at a time, but I'll get used to it. My Thursday night class was canceled for this week as the professor was out of town, so I only had 3 classes so far: Intro to International Relations, EU Market and Business Policies, and Political Economy. The fourth class is Nations and Nationalism. This semester shouldn't be too difficult, because 2 of my classes are pretty introductory-level courses. My internship also counts as 3 credits, so altogether I have 15 credits this semester, and I am really looking forward to starting my internship, which will be about 15 hours a week. I'll be at a small non-governmental organization (NGO) called The Burma Center of Prague, which focuses on raising awareness in Eastern Europe about the political conflict in Burma, and also to aid Burmese refugees who come to Prague. I don't have the list of projects that I'll be working on yet, but I start this coming Tuesday the 16th!
I've been making a couple of like-minded friends in each of my classes so far and really enjoyed getting to know them and hearing of all the other places people have traveled. Now, when I say like-minded, I mean: cares about school and doesn't party every single night. I have been really irritated with some of the large groups of American students that have come to AAU (my school) and don't care about anything beyond drinking. I know that it's cheap to drink in Prague, but c'mon people, dropping down to 9 credits and taking classes that you don't care about just so that your schedule is really easy? My favorite quote so far-I overheard this while I was getting my student ID in the registration office-has been this: "No, no, I'm totally dropping that class. Yeah, totally. Because, there's like, reading and homework and this paper we'd have to do. Seriously, I didn't decide to study abroad so that I'd spend my time at school and studying and stuff. Ughhh..." That made me laugh so hard, but I also found it incredibly pathetic. Of course, study abroad is about so much more than just the courses, but I don't think you're getting any cultural experience by going out with all of your American friends every night and blowing off your classes. Am I crazy for thinking this way? I don't want to judge people, but it's so expensive to come over here, it'd be cheaper to party back home.... :) Most of the friends I've made so far also came to Prague alone, as I did, and those that didn't try to dissociate themselves from the huge group they came with.
So far, I think I'm getting just as much of the French culture as I am the Czech! My roommate Catherine is from southern France, and I've had a blast going to art exhibits at the French Institute with her, eating the French meals she cooks (and, true to form, spending at least 2 hours at dinner eating one course at a time!), and just learning about the culture. I love to hear what the Czech and French think of Americans (we love hamburgers and are much too busy and fast-paced, what a surprise to hear, I know), and they like to hear about the different things Americans do. Catherine made chili a few nights ago, and anxiously waited to hear my opinion on it, as she felt nervous making American food. It tasted delicious-and very American!-which she felt quite proud of!
Thanks again for reading, everyone! :)
I started classes this week! I have class on Monday night, Wednesday afternoon, and Thursday afternoon and evening. It's strange for me to only go to each class once a week for 3 hours at a time, but I'll get used to it. My Thursday night class was canceled for this week as the professor was out of town, so I only had 3 classes so far: Intro to International Relations, EU Market and Business Policies, and Political Economy. The fourth class is Nations and Nationalism. This semester shouldn't be too difficult, because 2 of my classes are pretty introductory-level courses. My internship also counts as 3 credits, so altogether I have 15 credits this semester, and I am really looking forward to starting my internship, which will be about 15 hours a week. I'll be at a small non-governmental organization (NGO) called The Burma Center of Prague, which focuses on raising awareness in Eastern Europe about the political conflict in Burma, and also to aid Burmese refugees who come to Prague. I don't have the list of projects that I'll be working on yet, but I start this coming Tuesday the 16th!
I've been making a couple of like-minded friends in each of my classes so far and really enjoyed getting to know them and hearing of all the other places people have traveled. Now, when I say like-minded, I mean: cares about school and doesn't party every single night. I have been really irritated with some of the large groups of American students that have come to AAU (my school) and don't care about anything beyond drinking. I know that it's cheap to drink in Prague, but c'mon people, dropping down to 9 credits and taking classes that you don't care about just so that your schedule is really easy? My favorite quote so far-I overheard this while I was getting my student ID in the registration office-has been this: "No, no, I'm totally dropping that class. Yeah, totally. Because, there's like, reading and homework and this paper we'd have to do. Seriously, I didn't decide to study abroad so that I'd spend my time at school and studying and stuff. Ughhh..." That made me laugh so hard, but I also found it incredibly pathetic. Of course, study abroad is about so much more than just the courses, but I don't think you're getting any cultural experience by going out with all of your American friends every night and blowing off your classes. Am I crazy for thinking this way? I don't want to judge people, but it's so expensive to come over here, it'd be cheaper to party back home.... :) Most of the friends I've made so far also came to Prague alone, as I did, and those that didn't try to dissociate themselves from the huge group they came with.
So far, I think I'm getting just as much of the French culture as I am the Czech! My roommate Catherine is from southern France, and I've had a blast going to art exhibits at the French Institute with her, eating the French meals she cooks (and, true to form, spending at least 2 hours at dinner eating one course at a time!), and just learning about the culture. I love to hear what the Czech and French think of Americans (we love hamburgers and are much too busy and fast-paced, what a surprise to hear, I know), and they like to hear about the different things Americans do. Catherine made chili a few nights ago, and anxiously waited to hear my opinion on it, as she felt nervous making American food. It tasted delicious-and very American!-which she felt quite proud of!
Thanks again for reading, everyone! :)
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
"I Have a Question, Please"
I repeat this phrase "I have a question, please" to my roommates so many times in a day that they have now started to tease me mercilessly about it and remind me that I don't have to say that every time I have a question for them! I really do ask a multitude of questions every day that I'm here!
Today was wonderful, for many reasons. This past October, I put down a deposit worth 2 months of rent ($800 total) for accommodations here in Prague that my school had directed me to, but after reading countless negative online reviews of the place (it was basically a long-stay hotel type of place), I chose to find my own housing. I was told I would only get a partial refund on that deposit, but today, they decided I could get a full refund! That's a lot more money back in my pocket, which, as a college student, especially makes a big impact.
I found a beautiful park right by my school, and so I wandered through it for a little while this afternoon. I need some sledding partners, because I found this fantastic sled run in the park! It's long and steep, and quite slick, so all I'd need is a piece of cardboard or something to slide down on! Perhaps I can convince my roommates to join me in the cold...
For some people, this may not be the case, but I have never enjoyed being alone. Of course, I like my own quiet space and need time to myself, but I don't like sight-seeing or traveling alone. But today, I felt this sense of peace as I walked around by myself. As if I felt comfortable in my own skin. I am not the type to strike out on my own and look around by myself, but I've done a lot of that lately and it surprisingly bothers me less and less. I've started to enjoy it! Most nights, I go out with my roommates (as I did tonight), but in those random times between classes or between appointments, I have time to myself and rather than spending it on the computer or watching a movie, I try to fill the time with some little adventure of my own.
It seems that some of the best adventures come from what would be an average, mundane thing back home. Figuring out the grocery store, navigating the public transportation, walking in the park...all of these things feel much more exciting and rewarding when you're doing them for the first time and on your own. I don't really feel as lonely as I did even a few days ago, because I have made friends and my roommates are amazing people and I can Skype home often. Going to bed or waking up in the morning can be tough, because I remember that I'm far from home, but I eagerly fill my time with new things: going to art exhibits, watching rugby games with my roommate, taking pictures, things like that. I know that if I were not staying busy, I would probably feel terrible, so I'm working to fill my time. I don't say "no" to new opportunities!
I know this post was long, but I had so many things in mind for this post. So much happens in just one day while I'm here! I am extremely excited, because I just heard from a local non-profit organization here in Prague that mainly helps Burmese refugees find work that they would love to have me as an intern there, which is a huge answer to prayer. I had contacted them before I arrived, saying I would like to intern there (it's a requirement of my Global Studies major that I intern abroad, and so I absolutely needed for this to work out!), and now they said I can start next week! God has taken care of me every step of the way, and I don't regret for a minute the journey that I took to get here to Prague (because many of you know how frustrating it was at times to plan this trip). I worked hard to get here, and it's still tough at times, but it's already been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.
Today was wonderful, for many reasons. This past October, I put down a deposit worth 2 months of rent ($800 total) for accommodations here in Prague that my school had directed me to, but after reading countless negative online reviews of the place (it was basically a long-stay hotel type of place), I chose to find my own housing. I was told I would only get a partial refund on that deposit, but today, they decided I could get a full refund! That's a lot more money back in my pocket, which, as a college student, especially makes a big impact.
I found a beautiful park right by my school, and so I wandered through it for a little while this afternoon. I need some sledding partners, because I found this fantastic sled run in the park! It's long and steep, and quite slick, so all I'd need is a piece of cardboard or something to slide down on! Perhaps I can convince my roommates to join me in the cold...
For some people, this may not be the case, but I have never enjoyed being alone. Of course, I like my own quiet space and need time to myself, but I don't like sight-seeing or traveling alone. But today, I felt this sense of peace as I walked around by myself. As if I felt comfortable in my own skin. I am not the type to strike out on my own and look around by myself, but I've done a lot of that lately and it surprisingly bothers me less and less. I've started to enjoy it! Most nights, I go out with my roommates (as I did tonight), but in those random times between classes or between appointments, I have time to myself and rather than spending it on the computer or watching a movie, I try to fill the time with some little adventure of my own.
It seems that some of the best adventures come from what would be an average, mundane thing back home. Figuring out the grocery store, navigating the public transportation, walking in the park...all of these things feel much more exciting and rewarding when you're doing them for the first time and on your own. I don't really feel as lonely as I did even a few days ago, because I have made friends and my roommates are amazing people and I can Skype home often. Going to bed or waking up in the morning can be tough, because I remember that I'm far from home, but I eagerly fill my time with new things: going to art exhibits, watching rugby games with my roommate, taking pictures, things like that. I know that if I were not staying busy, I would probably feel terrible, so I'm working to fill my time. I don't say "no" to new opportunities!
I know this post was long, but I had so many things in mind for this post. So much happens in just one day while I'm here! I am extremely excited, because I just heard from a local non-profit organization here in Prague that mainly helps Burmese refugees find work that they would love to have me as an intern there, which is a huge answer to prayer. I had contacted them before I arrived, saying I would like to intern there (it's a requirement of my Global Studies major that I intern abroad, and so I absolutely needed for this to work out!), and now they said I can start next week! God has taken care of me every step of the way, and I don't regret for a minute the journey that I took to get here to Prague (because many of you know how frustrating it was at times to plan this trip). I worked hard to get here, and it's still tough at times, but it's already been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Grocery shopping
I will just say right away that I love grocery shopping in the Czech Republic, because it is extremely inexpensive in U.S. dollars! I have gone to the grocery store twice now, the first time to just grab some basics, and then the second time to buy some more substantial food. I went to Tesco (the grocery store here, it's very common in Europe, I'm told) with Michal and Catherine, one of the couples I'm living with, last night for that second trip.
It can be a little alarming to see number such as 79,00 on a box of food, but then I have to remember that to get the price in USD, I divide everything by about 20, which means that that item is only about $4 - much better! So I bought a bunch of food for about $26, and I would say that if I were buying that same food in the States, it would cost about $45, if not more.
There is such a feeling of comfort when I see familiar brand names in Tesco (Old El Paso for tacos, things like that), and although I did give in and buy some familiar foods, I also tried to avoid doing that too much. So I grabbed a couple items with Czech writing all over it, double checked with Michal that what I was buying was somewhat normal, and then just went with it. I really have enjoyed most of the food here; a couple things taste very different-in a bad way-to me, but the majority of things taste either similar to what we have back home or just very good in a different way. They also have some great things that we don't have back home, such as the paprika chips I mentioned on Facebook!
I have also noticed that the tap water tastes just like the water I have back in Milwaukee, which makes me happy! I was worried that it would take me a while to get used to the tap water here, so I'd have to spend a lot of money on bottled water, but such is not the case! Catherine was telling me that the rules in the EU for the water quality in the cities are pretty strict, which works out well for me!
It can be a little alarming to see number such as 79,00 on a box of food, but then I have to remember that to get the price in USD, I divide everything by about 20, which means that that item is only about $4 - much better! So I bought a bunch of food for about $26, and I would say that if I were buying that same food in the States, it would cost about $45, if not more.
There is such a feeling of comfort when I see familiar brand names in Tesco (Old El Paso for tacos, things like that), and although I did give in and buy some familiar foods, I also tried to avoid doing that too much. So I grabbed a couple items with Czech writing all over it, double checked with Michal that what I was buying was somewhat normal, and then just went with it. I really have enjoyed most of the food here; a couple things taste very different-in a bad way-to me, but the majority of things taste either similar to what we have back home or just very good in a different way. They also have some great things that we don't have back home, such as the paprika chips I mentioned on Facebook!
I have also noticed that the tap water tastes just like the water I have back in Milwaukee, which makes me happy! I was worried that it would take me a while to get used to the tap water here, so I'd have to spend a lot of money on bottled water, but such is not the case! Catherine was telling me that the rules in the EU for the water quality in the cities are pretty strict, which works out well for me!
Friday, February 5, 2010
Getting lost can be a good thing
I definitely got lost in Prague today, although I can't really blame it on anything but myself. You see, I kind of wanted to be lost. I had a map in my purse, but I hate looking like a tourist and opening up a gigantic map and then wandering around looking for street names. I will admit that I opened up my map when it started to get dark out and I realized that my legs were exhausted, but I swear that I opened it up discreetly. Anyways, I am finally starting to shake the jet lag, and after running a couple errands today, I decided that I would take the long way home. Well, turns out, I wasn't even remotely pointed in the direction of home, and once I realized this, I decided to continue being lost. It was fun. Although part of it was due to my stubborn avoidance of using a map, it was also due to my interest to simply explore, and that was a good feeling.
I know that this trip is intended to teach me many things, mainly about who I am and what I am about. I don't mean to make this sound overly philosophical, but I know that I can't spend 4 months in a foreign country by myself where I don't know the language without growing up and learning at least a little! As people have told me in the past, it can be a very good thing to feel uncomfortable, out of place, and lonely sometimes, because that's when you know that you are in the best place to learn the most about yourself and others. So here's to a semester of new experiences, and not just the experiences of visiting new places, but also of experiencing more about who I really am. I'm excited and scared. So here goes!
I know that this trip is intended to teach me many things, mainly about who I am and what I am about. I don't mean to make this sound overly philosophical, but I know that I can't spend 4 months in a foreign country by myself where I don't know the language without growing up and learning at least a little! As people have told me in the past, it can be a very good thing to feel uncomfortable, out of place, and lonely sometimes, because that's when you know that you are in the best place to learn the most about yourself and others. So here's to a semester of new experiences, and not just the experiences of visiting new places, but also of experiencing more about who I really am. I'm excited and scared. So here goes!
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Arriving in Prague
To be completely honest, I'm a little nervous to start a blog, just because I'm new to this and want it to be interesting to people other than just myself! But I love to write, and I find that it's the best way for me to sort through what's happened to me during the course of the day (or week).
This trip is my first time abroad for more than 2 weeks at a time, and so I'm excited for this experience. It has already been very rewarding! I've learned a lot about myself, and any experience that takes you out of your comfort zone is one that will help you grow. After planning this trip for so many months, the feeling that I had upon arriving in Prague was almost one of familiarity, since I have been researching and talking about this city for so long. The city is absolutely gorgeous, and I can't wait to start exploring. Everyone that I have encountered so far is extremely helpful and nice (which my roommates say is unusual for the Czech people, I'm told I've just gotten lucky! I'll stick to my faith in the kindness of humanity).
Anyways, I'll be sure to add pictures regularly, and of course they will be on Facebook also. I promise to keep this blog updated, so be sure to check for new posts. Happy reading!
This trip is my first time abroad for more than 2 weeks at a time, and so I'm excited for this experience. It has already been very rewarding! I've learned a lot about myself, and any experience that takes you out of your comfort zone is one that will help you grow. After planning this trip for so many months, the feeling that I had upon arriving in Prague was almost one of familiarity, since I have been researching and talking about this city for so long. The city is absolutely gorgeous, and I can't wait to start exploring. Everyone that I have encountered so far is extremely helpful and nice (which my roommates say is unusual for the Czech people, I'm told I've just gotten lucky! I'll stick to my faith in the kindness of humanity).
Anyways, I'll be sure to add pictures regularly, and of course they will be on Facebook also. I promise to keep this blog updated, so be sure to check for new posts. Happy reading!
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