Prague

"Prague never lets you go... this dear little mother has sharp claws" Franz Kafka

I couldn't think of a truer statement in my entire life. Prague has been absolutely perfect. I'm home now and have some more posts I still want to write, but for now I need to go to bed. That plane ride took a lot out of me and even though it's only 10:30pm in Chicago it's 5:30am in Prague. I cannot believe I'm home this is a little weird and I already miss my Praha. This past semester was absolutely magical.

beautiful blue sky for a beautiful city

Week By Week summary

All my friends have left early this morning and I sit here in my apartment alone. I guess that leaves me with a lot of time to reflect on the past semester. Prague has seriously been amazing, and if you ever decide to go abroad and don’t know where, please go to Prague! I wish I could go through a time warp and wake up back at the Park Inn Hotel (where we stayed the first night) and have orientation all over again. In order to make sense of the past four months, here is my week-by-week playback. Of course I don’t remember all I did each week, but I’ll do my best.

September
Week #1
Getting to know Prague and all these beautiful people from across the United States, complete with a boat ride party and a lot of scavenger hunting across the city. Lots of naps due to staying out all night and waking up early for orientation business. Getting rid of jet lag.

Week #2
Still trying to learn what Prague is all about. Commence intensive Czech. Paddle boating on the Vltava. Visits to Prague Castle gardens, various pubs, cafes and restaurants. Bloody Beetroots concert. Austra concert. Bowling and pool night.

Week #3
Falling in love with Prague more and more every day.
Opening weekend of Oktoberfest!

Week #4
Classes begin. Hanging around Prague. Visits to many museums and more tourist hotspots. I think I may also have seen Melancholia this week. First European futbol game. Paddle boating one last time. Went to an outdoor student music festival. Met Hanz the German.

Week #5
Visit to my first Czech village of Kvacice in Moravia.
Day trip from Kvacice to Vienna.

October
Week #1
Fall is on the prowl. Getting used to having school. Transportation in Prague is incredibly easier than I thought. Cesky krumlov weekend trip courtesy of CIEE.

Week #2
Excellent last minute decision to travel to Budapest over the weekend.
Day trip to the mining town of Jachimov with CIEE on Sunday. Met an amazing labor camp survivor.

Week #3
Celebrating my 21st! Hanging out in Prague over the weekend. Went bouldering and slept in (for once).

Week #4
Realizing my program is half why through and how amazing it’s been so far. Excited to still have 2 months left in Prague (though I didn’t realize how quickly they’d vanish). Auschwitz and Krakow trip over the weekend. Halloween.

November
Week #1
Saw film Alois Nebel. Day trips to Brno and Terezin/Lidice over the weekend.

Week #2
Cinema Dance!

Week #3
Wolves in the Throne Room concert. Pig Slaughter. Paris.

Week #4
FAMILY V PRAZE! Thanksgiving. CIEE open mic night.

December
Week #1
Saying goodbye to my family and leaving to Berlin for the weekend.

Week # 2
Amazing last minute decision to go to Amsterdam. Attempt at trying to change my return flight so I can travel Europe after the program. Attempt failed.

Week #3
CIEE Christmas party. Last weekend noooooo! Much fun with people who I realized I will miss A LOT!

Week #4
In progress. By the time tomorrow rolls around I’ll be back at home in Park Ridge, Illinois enjoying my culture shock and being nostalgic for Prague. It’s been a crazy rollercoaster of a semester (to say the least) and I wouldn’t have traded it for anything.

I’ll still have a few more posts before I end this blog, but for now I’m going to go out and enjoy my last night with the few people who remain in Prague.

Na Shled,
Lesia

Václav Havel

Many of you might not know who this man is. And to be honest, if you would have asked me about him four months ago, all I could tell you is that his name only sounded vaguely familiar. Living in Prague this past semester really taught me how amazing this man is. He was a Czech playwright, essayist, poet, and politician. The last president of Czechoslovakia and the first president of the independent Czech Republic to be exact. Yes, quite the Renaissance man. The reason I bring him up today is because, if you haven’t heard already in the news, he passed away this morning at age 75. There was a big memorial for him at Wenceslas Square today and in the midst of studying for finals I wasn’t sure if I was going to go. However, I know how extremely important this is. I guess I’ve gained a strange connection to the Czech people and a sense of Czech pride while living here that I hadn’t realized until today when I decided to go. I obviously never got the chance to meet Václav Havel, but I'm glad I got to see him speak at Forum 2000. The gathering at Wenceslas Square wasn’t as large as I had expected, but I did get there 45 minutes late so I probably missed the big crowd. There was a man speaking while a choir of people sang the Czech National Anthem among other songs. And a lot of people placing candles around the St. Wenceslas statue and the square. I could sense how much the Czechs loved him and regarded him as a national hero. RIP pan Havel, you will be missed by this entire nation.

Busy Week

Two classes done, 3 to go! Today I had my Czech final, which was actually very easy. The class isn't over yet, though becuase we've still got the oral Exam in a week. However, I am now completely done with Cinema Dance and Contemporary Czech culture. My group presented our final project today (see video below). I hope the class liked it. Now all I have left to do is my Art and Architecture final and my Modern Czech Art final. Shouldn't be too bad except I have a few things I still want to accomplish before I leave Prague, i.e. visit DOX gallery, Trafacka gallery and possibly the city of Pilsn to try Czech Republic's very own Pilsner Urquell. I hear it's ten thousand times better from the brewey so I must see for myself. It may be the best beer I'll ever taste... so I've heard. Also, tonight is the big CIEE Christmas party. Should be fun. As for right now, though, I desperately need a nap. Enjoy my video:


We made this in reference to religion in Czech Republic. Though cities in CZ like Prague have coutless churches and synagogues, it remainds one of the top athiest countries. We wrote a research paper as well, but this video is our creative way of trying to make sense of this complex phenomena.

Night in Prague

Found this on a friend's facebook page. Speaks for itself.

Night in Prague from Metron on Vimeo.

Last Hurrah in Amsterdam

And one weekend was not enough. Having some hardcore Amsterdam withdrawals. I didn’t really use my camera much this weekend (even though I should have because Amsterdam is beautiful) so I’m sad to say there won’t be a “best photos” to this post.

Transportation: Easy Jet flight yet again!
Lodging: Amsterdam Hostel Sarphati. We booked it the night before. Not a highly recommended hostel, but it was cheap so I can’t really complain.
Travel buddies: Morris and Ryan
Hotspots visited: All the main squares, Van Gough Museum, Heineken Experience, Red Light District, etc. etc.
Favorite dish: All you can eat sushi. So worth 22 euros. I may be a poor college student, but when in Amsterdam… also, the french fries with mayo are amazing. Best fries in the world, I think.
Favorite drink: Belgian beer (specifically Kwak and La Chouffe) at Café Belgique! Oh yes, livin’ as the Belgians do in The Netherlands. I guess the Heineken at “The Heineken Experience” was pretty tasty, but nothing compares to Belgian beer.
Words I learned: Let’s just say a lot of people in Amsterdam speak English.
Facts I learned: Dutch people are giants. They are also awesome.
Closing remarks: Go to Coffeehouse Little if you’re ever in Amsterdam. And be chosen as a volunteer at a sex show (Oh, how I will never forget that crazy night). Also, rent a bike! We each rented bikes for the weekend and it was the greatest decision of the trip. Amsterdam is such a bike-friendly city, how could we resist? The only thing I would have done differently was not go to Amsterdam the second weekend in December. It was extremely cold. (I also would have stayed longer, but class and life prevented that). I need to go back again, definitely, especially when it’s warmer out.

It’s sad to say that this is going to be one of my last few posts for this blog. Seriously, where have the past four months gone? I leave Prague in less than two weeks and I’m definitely not ready for it. One semester in Europe is not long enough. I’m just going to try and not think about it. Prague is still my number one as far as favorite cities in Europe go, and it’s going to be hard to say goodbye. In Contemporary Czech Culture class the other day, my teacher showed us this quote:
“Prague never lets you go… this dear little mother has sharp claws.” –Franz Kafka
Well said, Kafka. Well said.

Na Shled for now,
Lesia

Overdue Thanksgiving Post

So I had the pleasure of showing my family around when they came to visit over Thanksgiving week, and it was amazing. I love traveling with my family more than anyone else, probably, and even though I wasn’t going anywhere, it still felt like I was traveling with them (except this time I had a slight advantage with my superior tour guide skills). It was fun to live like a tourist again, hitting up all of Prague’s hotspots. The best part of their visit, though, was probably the delicious home cooked thanksgiving meal. We invited some friends over and my roommate Carly’s mom also was in town so we definitely had a feast.

The Thanksgiving crew, minus the mommies.

Honestly, there is too much to say about the week with my family so hopefully these pictures can speak their thousands of words and do all my talking for me. Enjoy!

Contemplating the beautiful gothic architecture of Prague Castle and Charles Bridge in the background.

Kal and me at U Sudu. Where all the cool kids go.

All you need is family love at the Lennon Wall.

Kal and me on Petrin Tower. Prague Castle and St. Vitus in the background. It was pretty slippery up there.

Straight up planking on David Cerny’s babies.

Tessa, Olya and me in Mala Strana.

Imitating the famous Dancing House.

Yeah... Kal and I are better. Sorry, mom!

Near Prague Castle. Winter's a coming!

When my family left I didn’t think I would miss them as much as I did. I’m not one to get homesick, but it happened. As much as I don’t want to leave Prague, I can’t wait to see my family and friends again in two weeks.

Don’t go anywhere, though, because I have my Amsterdam post from this weekend coming up!

Na Shled,
Lesia

Last weekend away

Today I leave for Amsterdam. My last weekend trip. Definately saved the best for last. Before I go, though, I found this and need to share.
http://thoughtcatalog.com/2011/study-abroad-to-dont-list/

Christmas is Here Again

Yesterday was the official Prague St. Mikulas day, similar to the Christan St. Nicholas day. HOwever, in Prague, everyone dresses up as either an angel, devil, or St. Mikulas himself. Though I mainly saw devils, it was still very cool. Also, I feel like now is the appropriate time to comment on how amazing Prague's Christmas markets are. They are literally on all the main squares and I couldn't be happier. Though I haven't really has a chance to photograph them, I have had plenty of chance to buy things from them. I walked past the one in Old Town today while filming my video for Contemporary Czech Culture. I wish I knew how to upload movies to blogspot so I could give you a little preview. Heres a photo of some trdlniky I took when my family was visiting, though.

Man trifft sich zweimal im Leben

Translation from German: You meet people twice in life.
I was told this quote by a German man I met in Berlin, and I really hope it applies to cities as well. I would love to meet Berlin twice in life. And you guessed it, this weekend I had the great pleasure of visiting Berlin.
I’m going to have to make this post a little short, though, considering I still have to catch up on my Thanksgiving/Family in Praha post, as well as write all my final papers and study for my final tests (I can’t believe I leave in 3 weeks. Seriously, where has the time gone?).

Transportation: Bus, Orangeways, approx. 5.5 hours I think?
Lodging: Pangaea People Hostel
Travel Buddies: Sami, Kylie, Morris, Dan and Carly
Hotspots Visited: Opeth Concert!, multiple parts of the Berlin Wall, German-Russian Museum, Typography of Terror Museum, Christmas Market, a carnival outside of Alexanderplatz… and we really didn’t have a whole lot of time to see much more. Berlin is huge!
Favorite Dish: Definitely not Currywurst
Words I Learned: That proverb, though of course I had to look it up to remember. I also relearned a few Hungarian words on the bus ride because Orangeways is a Hungarian coach so naturally when I watched Office Space it was dubbed over into Hungarian (which was actually really hilarious). So in case you forgot the Hungarian I taught you, here it is again: "igen" means yes and "szia" means hello/goodbye.
Facts I Learned: Berlin has the greatest graffiti and the greatest contemporary architecture. Also, Germans know how to throw awesome carnivals.
My Best Photos: Surprisingly did not take that many, but here are the best I suppose.

Closing Remarks: Berlin is awesome. It really is the New York of Europe. I wish I had more time there, though, especially since the public transportation was under construction and I allowed my friend Morris to be in charge of directions so naturally we got lost a few times and spent a lot of time on the metro. I saw way too much of Alexanderplatz and only got to see two things on my list, but it’s all right because I still had a blast and that’s what really matters. We even found the most amazing obstacle course in the world called Beach Bar right by the Berlin Wall. Probably one of the greatest things I’ve ever accidentally stumbled upon. Oh man, I miss Berlin. I will be back one day. Summer internship in Berlin? If only...

Na Shled,
Lesia