Dobry den, rodina!

Hello friends!

It has been a very busy week for my fellow students and me, and I’m looking forward to a sizeable nap once I’ve finished this post (and watched LOST/The Office). Here’s what I’ve been up to since landing in Praha…

After my flat-mates and I got settled into our fabulous new home, we joined the rest of the students in our program (about 30, all from various American universities) and the CET staff for a delicious welcome dinner at a traditional Czech eatery. I ate chicken steak and pork with gravy, and Czech style mashed potatoes. It was a pretty heavy dish, but a typical meal for locals. We were also served pastries with crushed poppy seed filling and glaze. It was a yummy way to start the semester!

The next day (Friday) we had to wake up early for five hours of orientation, which was…neat. It was a long and painful experience during which we discussed things like medical insurance, academics and the impending flu epidemic. However, we also talked about fun things such as our spring trip (we’ll travel for 8 days through Bratislava, Moravia and Vienna), the nightlife and culture of Prague, and learning the Czech language. After orientation, and a long nap, my flat-mates and I hit the town for our first night out. We found a pub (which, in Prague, is like trying to find flowers in a flower garden) close to the CET building (where we take classes). In this particular pub, if you ordered pivo (beer), you had to serve yourself….from the awesome taps that sat in the middle of the table!

On Saturday we finally got a break from planned activities. I decided to join some of my classmates and a few of the Czech buddies to visit Vysehrad Cemetery in Prague – one that holds hundreds of tightly packed and ornate graves of some of the Czech Republic’s most famous people including actors, athletes, scientists, authors, politicians, martyrs, socialites, and the list goes on. There we saw the grave of a Czech scientist who invented the contact lens and the grave of a Czech science fiction writer who coined the term “robot.” In the same park we saw St. Martin’s, the oldest rotunda in Prague, and the beautiful Church of St. Peter and Paul. I also got my first areal/skyline shots of the city. It was an incredible day.


St. Martin's



Vysehrad Cemetery



Church of St. Peter and Paul



Prague



the Charles River



little cat on a roof in Vysehrad Park



More to come!
Lovelovelove,
keen

Greetings from Praha!

Hello family, friends and fans alike. Welcome to Czech Chat! As most of you likely know, I’ve chosen to spend the next four months of my life studying in and exploring the Czech Republic – specifically, in Prague. Here’s a little background about my journey…

I first considered Prague about a year ago when I began to seriously research my study abroad options. At the time, even in DC, walking to class in January felt about as fun as stabbing myself with a pair of rusty scissors, and I vowed only to study somewhere sunny. For a while, I was pretty dead-set on Australia, and before that, New Zealand. Additionally, I harbored a stubborn opposition to any language barriers. All the while however, I kept Prague in the back of my mind. I spoke to a few friends who had studied in Prague previously and to some relatives who spoke about their love of Europe. Long story short, I think I always knew I would end up in Prague. It is, after all, in my blood (Czech pride, yo).

One thing lead to another, fall semester came and went, and now here I am! And I can say in all sincerity that I am SO happy with the decision I made.

My first flight across the Atlantic (and out of the East coast, for that matter) went surprisingly smoothly. I was lucky to be able to fly out of Philadelphia on the 21st (after a whirlwind two days in DC for inauguration ’09), and the flight was incredible. I felt like a little kid in a playground on the plane. I’m sure my fellow passengers found humor in my reaction to the individually packaged headphones, socks, toothbrush/paste, eye mask, pillows and blankets that waited on each seat. I was especially lucky in that I had an entire row to myself (so of course I helped myself to the extra goodies and space). During the flight I enjoyed a few films, some radio talk shows, endless snacks, two meals, a glass of wine, and a short nap. Perhaps it’s a little pathetic, but I felt somewhat like a princess with all the constant attention.

We landed in London around 6AM local time where I caught my connecting flight into Prague. I arrived in my new (temporary) home around 11AM (which would have made it 5AM back in the States), and I was pleased to find that all of my bags had arrived safely with me. From there, I caught a cab to my flat. I think the driver must have thought I was crazy with my nose pressed against the car window the whole time, but I could hardly contain my enthusiasm. It took about 20 minutes to drive from the airport to my building, but with every turn of the wheel I “oooed” and “aaahed” at my surroundings.

Everything is beautiful in Prague. Untouched by the vast destruction of the World Wars, Prague’s architecture and original pavements remain intact. Buildings are old-timey with high ceilings, brass doorknobs, radiators, and large, single-pane windows. Concrete roads and sidewalks are uncommon. All sidewalks and most roads are made up of old cobblestones (so it takes a brave soul to rock a pair of high heels). The streets are clean and bustling with people.

Needless to say, I was pleased to be in this new city. In a tragic turn of events, however, shortly after the driver dropped me at my building, I discovered that, in fact, no one was waiting to claim me or key me into my new flat. And to add insult to injury, I was without a cell phone or any knowledge of the local language. I somehow managed to get someone to buzz me into the stair case and I spent the next hour riding the elevator with my luggage from floor to floor, ringing every bell in a desperate attempt to make sure I was in the right place. Eventually, much to my relief, a Czech student named Martina arrived to help me in. She was very sweet and apologetic about being late, and I felt more happy to see her than anything else. She took me to the second floor and gave me the keys to what is easily the coolest apartment I’ve ever seen.

More about my flat and first days in Prague to come in the next post! Stay tuned for some quality entertainment.

Much love to all my brothas in the States,
Keen