Hrb Den- Hump Day

This should get me through the week I think.

Školní Dny- School Days

I'm five years old again. I had my first day of school. First two days, actually. I've decided I'll take four classes while I'm here, and I'm very excited about them. They don't seem horribly demanding, and they actually sound interesting, which is a completely foreign concept to me. 

I started out yesterday at Czech Republic: Two Decades of Social Change, knowing that there was a good chance I'd be dropping it (which I just did). It's not that it wasn't fascinating. It just didn't seem nearly as worthwhile as other classes, and I don't feel any compulsion to take it. Instead, I will be taking Introduction to Philosophy of Psychiatry. I feel adventurous. It's something I would never take at home. But I feel that I'll learn a lot, particularly about myself, and why I think the way I do. Why I'm so anxious all the time. Why I'm a pessimist. Why I have a constant need to be liked. And even if it doesn't answer all of life's questions, at least I'll seem super smart because I'm taking a philosophy course and that's real deep. It's a small class, and it seems like everyone's got a lot of interesting things to say. Our professor is very dry, but I can't help but want to listen to him. Sarah likes his arm veins. I think they're heroine-y.  

I'm also taking Jewish History, since it not only counts towards my International Affairs minor, but also because there's a rich Jewish culture in Prague and that culture is certainly relevant to me. I'm happy that I know a number of people in my class, and we can all study together and have heated debates about what type of hamentashen is our favorite.* 

Finally, perhaps the class that I am most looking forward to is my Central European Film class, which compares a search for identity between Nazism and Stalinism. Today we watched a great film called The Shop on Main Street, a 1960s Slovak film about a man's inner dilemma when his morals clash with his responsibility as an Aryan controller for a Jewish woman and her shop. I can't wait to watch more of those. I'm becoming quite the cultured young lady I think.

*This is an example of jewmor. It's like humor. For Jews. Patent pending.

Pravidelný ženský Praha- The Regular Woman's Prague

This week I finally seemed to have some sort of routine. I woke up. Got out of bed. Dragged a comb across my head. Went to class. Drank too much hot chocolate. Ate dinner. It was all very...normal. I didn't feel like a tourist. I felt like I was just living here.

Of course, that was until it was time to do laundry. I know this is a typically "dumb American" thing to say, but the United States wins laundry. Sure, I was able to get my clothes clean. But laundry is not meant to be a two day process! The washing machine went seemingly well until I pulled my clothes out and they were absolutely sopping wet. I left them in the dryer for TWO HOURS, constantly emptying the water tray that America was smart enough not to feature on their dryers. My night was literally a steaming, soaking pile of underwear. Defeated and without any pants to wear out that night, I got resourceful. I hung clothes in the shower, all over the kitchen cabinets, and by the windows. The cleaning staff was kind enough to turn the fans on for me, since apparently I actually am to stupid to figure that out on my own. And the worst part? I have to do it again in a week.

But that's not the point! I truly am coming in to my own. I went for a walk by myself, checked out all the little wooden toy shops, the abundance of Russian nesting dolls, and the marionette puppets. I got lost. Very lost. And when a Czech police officer tried to give me directions, I understood at least three words of what he said. He kindly pointed me in the direction that led to the American tourism office, where I received real directions. 

I went out last night and drank beer and pina coladas (the national Czech drink of course), and I frolicked in the snow like the silly drunk American woman I was meant to become. And today I did the same thing, only sober. We walked around Old Town, got coffee, went to a book shop, and trudged through snow. Seriously, it needs to stop snowing. I haven't seen sunlight in three weeks. 

And now it's picture time!

Laundry, Czech style.

Continuation of my unnatural fascination with dolls.

Bratislava: It's Not That Bad

I just got back from the most obscure of places, known as Bratislava, Slovakia in February. And while it was a bit deserted and depressing, it was actually a very quaint and charming city. Of course, I would never go back because there is nothing of interest to do there. But I'm glad that I ventured out of Prague and started exploring less well-known gems. 

Upon arriving in Bratislava, Jon, Peter, Haylee and I found that it was a total communist-era wasteland. Stark, gray buildings, covered with unattractive graffiti. However, upon getting to Old Town we discovered a whimsical Eastern-European town, equipped with colorful buildings and great food. I enjoyed way too many hot chocolates, bread with sheep cheese spread, and the charm and warmth that accompanies the traditional Slovak restaurant.

We must have seen the entire city no fewer than nine times. It's so tiny! We passed the same shops and restaurants constantly, but truly felt like the city was all our own. There were so few tourists. In fact, there were so few of anyone (probably because everyone else is smart enough to know that you don't go to Bratislava in February). Nonetheless, I had a great time. We explored, meandering though cobblestone streets, up hills and to a picturesque castle. I am quite pleased with the photographs that I took this weekend. They really capture the fantasy associated with small European cities: colorful buildings, ornate architecture, and breathtaking landscapes. 

Although two days was enough for Bratislava, I am definitely looking forward to wandering through Europe's lesser known places. 

Cafe Louvre

I just arrived home from my favorite meal so far, enjoyed at a great place in town called Cafe Louvre. It's got a very traditionally French ambiance, filled with lots of natural lights, waiters wearing fancy aprons and bow ties, and tons of pastry counters. Everyone was so cheerful and friendly and I felt as though I was in some magnificent hotel. Yet, it was still incredibly laid back and casual, allowing us all to wind down after class and get a great, cheap meal in before running errands. 

We started when a British food photographer turned to us and offered up the food he had just finished serving. It was something I would never have ordered- roast beef with some sort of pumpkin gravy sauce thing. And it was delicious! I slurped that baby up like it was my last meal. 

Then, it came time to order and I wanted to really step outside my comfort zone. I was just feeling it. I ordered an avocado salad with tomatoes and mozzarella, which sounded wonderful but wouldn't satisfy the raging hunger inside me that was turning me into an angry baboon. So I also ordered fresh bread with "sheep cheese" and chives and onions to fulfill my overactive carb need. The entire meal made me feel oddly good about myself, as if I was treading new culinary food territory, which is truly pathetic since it was really just a salad and bread with cheese.

And while I was feeling so posh and European, I ordered a hot chocolate with homemade ice cream. Ice cream IN THE HOT CHOCOLATE. The mix between the temperatures and the pure tastes made my heart sing. I am definitely going back. 

In other news, Budapest, Croatia and Slovakia are all booked! Gotta decide what to plan next!

Also, I totally just got an A- on my Czech test. Meaning I can ALMOST pronounce words.

První Víkend- First Weekend

I'm ending this weekend on a high note. Though it's been a rough first week, I'm starting to come into my own. I've learned that even if you aren't thrilled by your night at first, a couple beers will go a long way in changing that. 

I spent Friday night at a couple of quiet pubs, just sipping beer and easing into the nightlife here. Last night, however, was much different. It was probably the most I've smiled since I've been here, and for the first time I really didn't feel so alone. I stepped outside my comfort zone and went out to a bar with a  huge group of University of Miami students. We went to a pub literally called The Pub, probably designed to attract tourists who can't pronounce the Czech word for pub. And at this place, everyone sits at a table with a tap in the middle of it, just refilling beers until you're about to give birth to a beer baby (mine's name was Zuzana, after our house mother). We just talked, learned about each other and played embarrassing drinking games until some ungodly hour of the night. It was nice to just let loose, and to think about something other than how stressed I have been.

And so today, everyone has been pretty mellow. We went on a tour of Pražský hrad (Prague Castle), and just walked around the city center. I did a lot of walking and getting lost yesterday as well. That tends to happen a lot here: walking and getting lost, I mean.  And it's wonderful.

We have to wake up at some horrendous hour of the morning tomorrow. I'm going to Pilsen, the birthplace of Pilsner beer. Where will you be on your Monday?

 This picture above, by the way, is where I go to school. It's a little more immaculate than Ryder Hall, don't you think?

 This scene is always what I imagined Prague to be; orange rooftops, bleak skies and spires.

 This is me being a happy camper.