Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Mom and Dad's Visit!!
9 Months. That's how long it had been since I had seen my parents. Yes, I was happy to see them, but it was strange adjusting to being around them again. They arrived in Prague on May 14, and had a few days in the city alone while I was forced to stay in school. On the Thursday, I met them in Wenceslas square and ran around Old town all afternoon. That evening, we had dinner at a 'boatel' (boat hotel and restaurant) before going to the National Theatre to see 'The Secret'. On Friday, we met and had coffee with my mom's coworker who happened to also be in town visiting family, then had lunch with a fashion designer friend who I met in Branson last year. Next, we caught the train back up to Trutnov, where my first host dad picked us up and took us to his/our hotel in Pec, half an hour away. We had dinner with my first host family (only one family member short) and had fun talking in Czech-lish. Saturday we hiked up the tallest mountain in the country, Snezka, and rode the chairlift back down in time for dinner and a dance show of traditional folk dances. Sunday we went hiking again, explored the town, and went back to Trutnov. we checked into my 3rd host dad's hotel, then went to dinner back at my first host family's house. They had the BBQ up and going for trout and veggies, and it was another great evening. Monday I put Mom and Dad on a train to the local 'rock town' and went to school for the day. That evening was Rotary, and my big presentation. I had a 25 minute speech/PowerPoint, a discussion time, and a very quick trombone concert for everyone. Then we went out for drinks with my second host family. Tuesday morning, we met my dad's Polish colleague , and he drove us to his research spots all around south Poland. We were out and about all day, mainly looking at rocks. But, we also saw the only Norwegian church outside Scandinavia and an interesting old Abbey. We stayed at a research lab, and went up into the mountains on Wednesday. Back in Trutnov, we had another BBQ, this time with my second family. It was such a fun evening, everyone laughing and joking together. Thursday, my second host mom picked up my parents and took them to another town, Pardubice, to catch the train. I was a little worried, because I had no heard the woman say more that 10 English words in 3 months, and she always said that she didn't know any English. I went off to school, and later talked with Mom and Dad, and they said that the talked in English the whole morning!! Friday, I joined them in Olomouc, my favorite town, and we had a nice evening exploring the cafes and restaurants. Saturday morning we rode the bus to Telč. We were lucky that there just happened to be a festival going on to celebrate the 15 years of being a UNESCO site, so the town was filled with historic dancers and bands. After lunch and a castle tour, we saw a parade, but were rained out as the first band began to play. So, we went back to the train station, collected our bags, and waited for the hail to stop. When it did, we went to the bus station to catch our 4:00 bus. It never came. I though there was a 5:25 bus, but it never came. Finally, we ended up taking a taxi to Jinřichův Hradec. This was the town were I had language camp, and I was happy to be back. We had dinner in the best Pizza place, and I showed them all the favorite places in town. Sunday morning, we took a tour of the castle before taking trains to Cesky Krumlov. There, we were 15 minutes too late to tour inside, but we walked around outside and explored before eating dinner at a restaurant overlooking the castle. Monday, we rode buses back to Prague and I put them on a plane back to Brussles.
Eurotour part 2
Wow, life's been crazy! But I'm back now to finish my story.
From France, we took a passenger/cargo ferry across the English Channel to Dover. I was soo excited to see the White Cliffs, after learning about them in school so many years ago. Then, we rode the bus up to Greenwich for the afternoon. After taking pictures of the Prime Meridian, we toured through the observatory and slowly moved onto the Maritime Museum. It was amazingly well done!! Of course that topic was right up up alley, but I really did like everything. Before joining back with the whole group, I happened to run into my friend Mary, who is at my same school in Trutnov this year. Talk about a small world! Then, we all rode another ferry up to the center part of London, near the London Eye. The street performers entertained us for a bit, then we piled onto the bus once again and drove to our hotel in Crystal Palace, nearly an hour away. Once we were settled in our rooms, I worked with a bunch of my friends to book play tickets for later in the visit in London. The next day, we had a guided bus tour around the city with a Czech/English lady who was happy to show us around. We were set free at the Tower of London, but the 26 USD admission price was a little too much for us students. I ate lunch with some girls, then we rode up to the center and walked to the British museum. We soaked in some more history until it closed, then we wandered around the center and enjoyed taking pictures. The bus picked us up a little later, around 9:30, so we were back at the hotel late and went to sleep. Tuesday was completely free, that the Rotarians gave us our round-trip train tickets and said "have a nice day". I rode into the downtown with a small group, then split off for some family time. I rode the train to a suburb to visit the only relative (that I know of) in England. we had a wonderful lunch together, then he gave me a quick tour of his town. Back in London, I couldn't find the girls I was supposed to meet up with, so I played tourist on my own for a bit. That evening, I went to an amazing play in the West End, Equus. Yes, it is also known as the 'Naked Harry Potter play'., but it isn't just about the actors. It was intense, and really well done. When it ended, all of us (7 in all) rode the metro and train back to our hotel and checked in with the adults before sleeping. The following day was mainly a transport day, but a family reunion for me. We rode the bus back to Dover and caught another ferry to Calais. The we drove to Belge, in Brussels. Mom and Dad were there visiting Colin, so we met up for dinner and a family evening. The group was staying in Ghent, so I rode the train there with my family. After dinner we took a taxi to my hotel and said goodbye for another week. ON Thursday, we had over 9 hours to look around Brussels. It was a nice town, but a little small for that amount of time. I tried some Belgium waffles, saw the main square, and enjoyed the musical instrument museum. At the end of the day, we met the bus again and began our long, all night haul, through Germany back to the Czech Republic.
From France, we took a passenger/cargo ferry across the English Channel to Dover. I was soo excited to see the White Cliffs, after learning about them in school so many years ago. Then, we rode the bus up to Greenwich for the afternoon. After taking pictures of the Prime Meridian, we toured through the observatory and slowly moved onto the Maritime Museum. It was amazingly well done!! Of course that topic was right up up alley, but I really did like everything. Before joining back with the whole group, I happened to run into my friend Mary, who is at my same school in Trutnov this year. Talk about a small world! Then, we all rode another ferry up to the center part of London, near the London Eye. The street performers entertained us for a bit, then we piled onto the bus once again and drove to our hotel in Crystal Palace, nearly an hour away. Once we were settled in our rooms, I worked with a bunch of my friends to book play tickets for later in the visit in London. The next day, we had a guided bus tour around the city with a Czech/English lady who was happy to show us around. We were set free at the Tower of London, but the 26 USD admission price was a little too much for us students. I ate lunch with some girls, then we rode up to the center and walked to the British museum. We soaked in some more history until it closed, then we wandered around the center and enjoyed taking pictures. The bus picked us up a little later, around 9:30, so we were back at the hotel late and went to sleep. Tuesday was completely free, that the Rotarians gave us our round-trip train tickets and said "have a nice day". I rode into the downtown with a small group, then split off for some family time. I rode the train to a suburb to visit the only relative (that I know of) in England. we had a wonderful lunch together, then he gave me a quick tour of his town. Back in London, I couldn't find the girls I was supposed to meet up with, so I played tourist on my own for a bit. That evening, I went to an amazing play in the West End, Equus. Yes, it is also known as the 'Naked Harry Potter play'., but it isn't just about the actors. It was intense, and really well done. When it ended, all of us (7 in all) rode the metro and train back to our hotel and checked in with the adults before sleeping. The following day was mainly a transport day, but a family reunion for me. We rode the bus back to Dover and caught another ferry to Calais. The we drove to Belge, in Brussels. Mom and Dad were there visiting Colin, so we met up for dinner and a family evening. The group was staying in Ghent, so I rode the train there with my family. After dinner we took a taxi to my hotel and said goodbye for another week. ON Thursday, we had over 9 hours to look around Brussels. It was a nice town, but a little small for that amount of time. I tried some Belgium waffles, saw the main square, and enjoyed the musical instrument museum. At the end of the day, we met the bus again and began our long, all night haul, through Germany back to the Czech Republic.
Monday, May 14, 2007
Eurotour! Part 1
The highlight of the year for most exchange students in Europe is "Eurotour", a huge trip all around lots of different countries. We finally get to play tourist instead of immediately trying to fit into society. This year, the Czech/Slovak trip was a little shorter than in the past, but still a wonderful experience. Monday, 30 April, I rode a bus back down to Tabor, and met the big group. We had a huge Mercedes tour bus for all 43 students and 3 adults (great ratio, eh?) We drove to Plzen to pick up the rest of the group, and we were off. Our route took us through Germany, then straight through the night to Paris. We arrived in Paris brgith and early. After a quick driving tour of some of the sights, we went to Notre Dame and looked around for a bit. We had free time until mid morning, then walked on to the Luxemburg gardens. Some of the toured around the fountain/pond and then took a little nap in the sunshine. Then, we went to the Invalides, where Napolean is buried. After lunch, we had more free time, and I went with some other girls to the Effiel Tower. We climbed to the second story via the stairs, but then took the elevator back down because the wait for the very top was too long.
The next day, we went to La Defense (the modern business district of Paris) first thing in the morning. After some window shopping and picture taking, we rode the bus to Monmartre, my favorite place in the city. I dragged my friend katie to the top of the hill, where we looked inside Sacre Coeur, then looked through the artist neighborhood on the top of the hill. Of course we had to also make a stop at the famous Moulin Rouge for pictures. Then, the group had a cruise on the Bateux Mouche down the Seine. The weather was perfect the entire time for pictures and just enjoying the sights. Our next block of free time was at the Louvre. I got in for free (yay for being under 18!) and just soaked in the famous art. After dinner at the food court, we were about to return to the hotel, but they let us off thebus to take night picture of the Effeil tower. There was also a man playing the accordian on the side of the square. He heard us speaking Czech/Slovak, and struck up a conversation. It turned out that he was a Slovak, who lived in the Czech Republic for a while, and is now touring Europe!! What a small world!
The third day in Paris was out free day. I set out with two other girls to Pere Lachaise, the famous cemetary, to see the graves of Oscar Wilde, Jim Morrison, Edith Piaf, and others. I knew it was a long walk, but I had no idea it would take us over 2 hours to get there!!! But, in theend it was worth the distance. After looking around, we took the metro back to the louvre to save time and out feet. I then headed towards the Musee D'Orsay, which was my favorite museum. The impressionist art was amaing to see in person, after seeing it in books my entire life. Then, I walked up the Champs Elysee to the Arc de Triumph. I got my pictures, then slowly walked back to the Place de la Concorde to meet the rest of the group.
Day 4 was the visit to Versaille, early in the morning. I took the audio tour with some other students, then we playing in the garden for a while. The bus took us to the Normandy area, where we stayed for the night.
Our visit to Normandy was another of my favorite days. we started at Pont Hoc, to look at the battlefield. There is nothing like seeing Canadians running around in military gear, Americans pretending to be bombed, and Mexican flying their flag from a flagpole. Maybe exchange students can be responsable, but we are certainly not boring! We then continued to the American cemetary and to a little town nearby where the Allies built a harbor right after D-Day. There was a good museum in the town, which we wandered through. We then had another long bus trip to Boulogne sure Mer. It was a quiet town, with nothing to do there, so we just ate and caught up on sleep bofre the next leg of the journey.
The next day, we went to La Defense (the modern business district of Paris) first thing in the morning. After some window shopping and picture taking, we rode the bus to Monmartre, my favorite place in the city. I dragged my friend katie to the top of the hill, where we looked inside Sacre Coeur, then looked through the artist neighborhood on the top of the hill. Of course we had to also make a stop at the famous Moulin Rouge for pictures. Then, the group had a cruise on the Bateux Mouche down the Seine. The weather was perfect the entire time for pictures and just enjoying the sights. Our next block of free time was at the Louvre. I got in for free (yay for being under 18!) and just soaked in the famous art. After dinner at the food court, we were about to return to the hotel, but they let us off thebus to take night picture of the Effeil tower. There was also a man playing the accordian on the side of the square. He heard us speaking Czech/Slovak, and struck up a conversation. It turned out that he was a Slovak, who lived in the Czech Republic for a while, and is now touring Europe!! What a small world!
The third day in Paris was out free day. I set out with two other girls to Pere Lachaise, the famous cemetary, to see the graves of Oscar Wilde, Jim Morrison, Edith Piaf, and others. I knew it was a long walk, but I had no idea it would take us over 2 hours to get there!!! But, in theend it was worth the distance. After looking around, we took the metro back to the louvre to save time and out feet. I then headed towards the Musee D'Orsay, which was my favorite museum. The impressionist art was amaing to see in person, after seeing it in books my entire life. Then, I walked up the Champs Elysee to the Arc de Triumph. I got my pictures, then slowly walked back to the Place de la Concorde to meet the rest of the group.
Day 4 was the visit to Versaille, early in the morning. I took the audio tour with some other students, then we playing in the garden for a while. The bus took us to the Normandy area, where we stayed for the night.
Our visit to Normandy was another of my favorite days. we started at Pont Hoc, to look at the battlefield. There is nothing like seeing Canadians running around in military gear, Americans pretending to be bombed, and Mexican flying their flag from a flagpole. Maybe exchange students can be responsable, but we are certainly not boring! We then continued to the American cemetary and to a little town nearby where the Allies built a harbor right after D-Day. There was a good museum in the town, which we wandered through. We then had another long bus trip to Boulogne sure Mer. It was a quiet town, with nothing to do there, so we just ate and caught up on sleep bofre the next leg of the journey.
New Family, New Adventures
Again, I must apologize for the lack of entries, but this time I really have been very buzy. I now am living with my third and final host family, and it is another good situation. My host parents, Petr and Johana, are the managers of the nicest hotel in town, Hotel Adam. My host sister Maja (short for Marie) is 22 and goes to the economy college in Prague. She is home on the weekends, and speaks perfect English after her Rotary exchange to Wyoming. But, we still talk in Czech most of the time. My host brother, Adam, is 18 and goes to the same school as me. He seemed to be a little more comfortable around me when he realized that he didn't always have to talk in English. We get along fine, but we have our different friends and activities. We live alittle out of town, in a wonderful house near the city park. They have 3 dogs and 3 cats. One dog lives inside, along with 2 of the cats. Less than 2 days after I moved in, they were already discussion adoption, because I speak Czech, cook, clean, work in the garden, and I like to help out. :) I guess that means that things are good.
I was only in the new house for 9 days before I was off on my next adventure, which I have been looking forward to all year. Eurotour.
I was only in the new house for 9 days before I was off on my next adventure, which I have been looking forward to all year. Eurotour.
Monday, April 16, 2007
Just a Little Taste of Italy
Yay for Rotary trips! This past weekend was a short but amazing time in Venice, via Austria. Friday morning I left Trutnov at 8 a.m. and took the bus to Tabor, which is in the south part of the country. There, everyone congregated and we got on our charter bus at 4:00. We drove. Our longest stop was in Salzburg, Austria, for an hour, but we drove through the night. When I woke up on Saturday morning (yes, I managed to sleep), we were sitting in a parking lot near Venice. The city doesn't until 6 in the morning, so the locals can sleep. We drove to a closer parking lot, then walked to the center of the city. It was like walking into a fairy tale city, with all of the gondolas, canals, masks, and REAL Italian food. We had most of the day as free time, so I ate, took pictures, shopped for a mask, went into a museum, and soaked up the atmosphere. It certainly wasn't enough time, but we all met back in the main square at 6 and took a water taxi back to the bus. Most people slept almost the entire way back (10 hours) because we were so tired, and we pulled back into Tabor at 7am on Sunday. I also explored the center of that city more as I waited for my bus.
Please look at my photobucket for all 180 pictures. It also has more from Easter and other activities. I keep it updated!!
Please look at my photobucket for all 180 pictures. It also has more from Easter and other activities. I keep it updated!!
Easter
Easter!!! Czech style!!!
It certainly is different than in the U.S. I was woken up Monday morning by my host mom, who knocked on my door. I went to answer it, and then my host brother and dad hopped into my room and started to spank me with whips made from willow branches. Dont worry, its not exchange student torture, its just tradition. In return, I had to give them hard boiled eggs that I had dyed. During breakfast, more people knockes on the door. I was summoned to the door by my host mom, and saw 5 of my host brothers classmates. So, I after more spanking, they were also given eggs, chocolate, and shots of rum (alcohol is also a major part of the tradition, but only for the guys). Next, the neighbor and his friend dropped by to have their go at me and my host mom. Finally, we escaped and went on a 47 km bike ride all day. I did receive a few more whippings from various people, but managed to finish the day with no serious harm from the branches. But, I must say that my butt was aching from the wood-like bike seat.
So...the explanation. Guys hit girls with the hand braided whips in oder to make them prttier and younger. We are supposed to be super happy about this abuse and give them eggs, sweets, and alcohol. In the east part of the country, guys also throw cold water on the girls (I dont know the 'logic' behind that one..) and in return the grils also spray perfum on the guys. Fun times huh?
It certainly is different than in the U.S. I was woken up Monday morning by my host mom, who knocked on my door. I went to answer it, and then my host brother and dad hopped into my room and started to spank me with whips made from willow branches. Dont worry, its not exchange student torture, its just tradition. In return, I had to give them hard boiled eggs that I had dyed. During breakfast, more people knockes on the door. I was summoned to the door by my host mom, and saw 5 of my host brothers classmates. So, I after more spanking, they were also given eggs, chocolate, and shots of rum (alcohol is also a major part of the tradition, but only for the guys). Next, the neighbor and his friend dropped by to have their go at me and my host mom. Finally, we escaped and went on a 47 km bike ride all day. I did receive a few more whippings from various people, but managed to finish the day with no serious harm from the branches. But, I must say that my butt was aching from the wood-like bike seat.
So...the explanation. Guys hit girls with the hand braided whips in oder to make them prttier and younger. We are supposed to be super happy about this abuse and give them eggs, sweets, and alcohol. In the east part of the country, guys also throw cold water on the girls (I dont know the 'logic' behind that one..) and in return the grils also spray perfum on the guys. Fun times huh?
Sunday, April 08, 2007
Birthday Time!!
Yay!! Im 17 now!! Time for the full story....
Last Friday, I took the bus to Prague, where I met a friend of my host mom. Martina has a 5 year old son and a 16 year old daughter, and in March suggested that we get together some time. We planned a visit that just happened to be over my bday. The family lives in a suburb of Prague about 30 minutes away from the center by train. I settled in on Friday night, and on Saturday we had our first excursion. Martina, her son Tomas, and I went to a chateau right outside Prague, in the little town where Antonin Dvorak was born. There, we toured the chateau and the museum in Dvorak's childhood home. The daughter, Miroslava (Blecha for short) returned home from a class trip to Germany in the afternoon, and I met some of her friends . On Sunday, we the 4 of us went to Karlstejn for the day. It is the most famous castle in the country, and I stil hadn't seen it... The tour was really interesting, and filled with history. Once again, pretty much everything was older than the U.S.A.. I love that!! Monday (Birthday!!), Blecha and I went to the city center by ourselves and explored some places that I hadn't seen yet. First we went to a hill near the castle, where we climbed the "Czech Eiffel Tower", and went to a mirror maze. Then was snack at the best (and only) bagel chain in the country. On the way there, we saw a man break into a parked van, steal the GPS unit, and run. Note to readers: if ever in Prague, DO NOT rent a car. Our next stop was the wax museum. There were old world leaders and entertainers, but my favorite part was the group of famous Czechs. Its not every day that Kafka, Smetana, Dvorak, and Charles IIII are in the same room. Then, we went to Blecha's school for an hour. (English class, of course :) ). In the evening, the family was super kind and cooked a special birthday meal of curry rice, with mojito ice cream for dessert. Tuesday, Blecha and I had a quiet morning on the computer, watching t.v., etc. After lunch, we went to a carnival that was temporarily in town. I loved the rides, given that I hadn't had any real ride-induced adrenaline rushes in a long time. Yep, Im a roller coaster junkie. Wednesday, we took Tomas to the zoo for the day. Its really a great zoo, though the weather was a little cool. On Thursday, it was another quiet morning of packing and entertaining Tomas as we waited for our ride back to Trutnov. I was certainly happy to be back in my host house, and ready to stay there for a bit.
Last Friday, I took the bus to Prague, where I met a friend of my host mom. Martina has a 5 year old son and a 16 year old daughter, and in March suggested that we get together some time. We planned a visit that just happened to be over my bday. The family lives in a suburb of Prague about 30 minutes away from the center by train. I settled in on Friday night, and on Saturday we had our first excursion. Martina, her son Tomas, and I went to a chateau right outside Prague, in the little town where Antonin Dvorak was born. There, we toured the chateau and the museum in Dvorak's childhood home. The daughter, Miroslava (Blecha for short) returned home from a class trip to Germany in the afternoon, and I met some of her friends . On Sunday, we the 4 of us went to Karlstejn for the day. It is the most famous castle in the country, and I stil hadn't seen it... The tour was really interesting, and filled with history. Once again, pretty much everything was older than the U.S.A.. I love that!! Monday (Birthday!!), Blecha and I went to the city center by ourselves and explored some places that I hadn't seen yet. First we went to a hill near the castle, where we climbed the "Czech Eiffel Tower", and went to a mirror maze. Then was snack at the best (and only) bagel chain in the country. On the way there, we saw a man break into a parked van, steal the GPS unit, and run. Note to readers: if ever in Prague, DO NOT rent a car. Our next stop was the wax museum. There were old world leaders and entertainers, but my favorite part was the group of famous Czechs. Its not every day that Kafka, Smetana, Dvorak, and Charles IIII are in the same room. Then, we went to Blecha's school for an hour. (English class, of course :) ). In the evening, the family was super kind and cooked a special birthday meal of curry rice, with mojito ice cream for dessert. Tuesday, Blecha and I had a quiet morning on the computer, watching t.v., etc. After lunch, we went to a carnival that was temporarily in town. I loved the rides, given that I hadn't had any real ride-induced adrenaline rushes in a long time. Yep, Im a roller coaster junkie. Wednesday, we took Tomas to the zoo for the day. Its really a great zoo, though the weather was a little cool. On Thursday, it was another quiet morning of packing and entertaining Tomas as we waited for our ride back to Trutnov. I was certainly happy to be back in my host house, and ready to stay there for a bit.
Monday, March 26, 2007
Slovakia Ski Week!!!
This has been a great week, and a perfect way to end the winter. Last Friday, I spent the night with my host grandma in Hradec Kralove, then my host mom drove me to the train station in the next town to the south on Saturday afternoon. I had a direct train to Olomouc (really, my favorite city in the country). In my compartment, there was me (an American), Nicole (another Rotary student from Canada), a Czech man, and a Polish man. We all had a long conversation in Czech. Its great how we all came from different places and communicated in my new language instead of English, the 'international language'. I stayed in Olomouc on Saturday night with two other students, and visited another one who wasn't going to camp. On Sunday morning, we all caught the train to Slovakia and arrived at our stop mid-afternoon. The rest of the day was spent getting to the hotel, settling in, eating, organizational meetings, and catching up with everyone. It was fun to see all the Slovak exchange students again. Monday morning we all went to another hotel to rent supplies (though I borrowed some from my family), then hit the slopes. I was in the 'its my second time on skiies' group. After a late lunch, I was at out hotel and the bigger hotel during the afternoon and evening. Tuesday I skiied the entire morning, then once again made the trek to the big hotel to check my email. Wedensday was more of the same, but in the afternoon I went to the little store down the mountain in the afternoon and ended up waiting an hour for it to open. Fun, I know. At least it was a time for me to get to know some of the Slovak students. Thursday was our main day of beautiful weather. I skiied in the morning, then in the afternoon, we had a group trip to the local cave, a thermal-spring water park, and the larger town near-by. the cave was really pretty, and the hot water felt wonderful after days of skiing. Friday was even more skiing in the morning, then our 'carnival time' in the afternoon. We had a snowman competition first, and I made a skiier running into a tree, because people always tell me not to do that. I ended up winning third place!! Then, we split into teams for a mattress race on the ski slope. The Mexican students (who love the snow) kept throwing snowballs, so we had a bit of a battle halfwat through the race. Great fun! My team ended up getting second place. Then, we had a bungee cord tied to a tree. Two representatives from each team had to try and collect little snacks that were put almost out of reach of the cord. After dinner, we had an award 'ceremony', then headed to a disco at another hotel. We danced until Midnight, then trugged back to bed. Saturday was horrible for skiing in the morning, because the slopes were pure ice. I napped most of the morning, after one run on the skiies, but went back out to the slopes after lunch. In the evening, some people went back to the disco, but most of us stayed in and played cards and packed. On Sunday, all of the students were surprized to hear that there had been a time change, and we all of a sudden had one less hour to finish getting our stuff together. But, we had plenty of time to catch the train and ride it all the way to out final stops. My host dad and brother met me at the station, and after a quick stop at family member homes in Hradec Kralove, we went back to Trutnov.
Monday, March 12, 2007
Spring Time
I'm sorry for the lack of entries for the past month. I wont say I've been busy, because its been a quiet time, but I've just not gotten around to this aspect of communication. After Spring break, it was back to school and the normal routine. I'm continuing with my trombone lessons and going to the movies often with people from school. On the weekends, I continue to meet all sort of friends and family of my host family, and they all seem to be kind and welcoming people. I went to a folk concert with my host mom in February, and we have plans to see another group in April. Last weekend and early week I was in Prague with free time. I hit more of the tourist places, including the national museum, which is amazing. The weekend included meeting more family members....I also met one of the new Australian students who just arrived. The crazy guy tried to explain to me what a meat pie was, not realizing that it is my favorite food. This past weekend I went bowling with another new group of people. One woman invited me to go to school in Prague with her daughter for 2 days, which should be fun and interesting. This Saturday is the beginning of a more activity-filled time. I have a ski camp for a week, then my birthday, the another concert, and my last family. Time will really fly now, and before I know it, I'll be back in Arkansas. I'm trying not to think too much about that right now.
Monday, February 12, 2007
Spring Break...Part 2
I'm alive!! Its a good thing, given that I was throwing myself down mountains all weekend with flat things strapped to my feet. Yep, that's right, skiing. Thursday morning I was back on the road out of Trutnov, headed towards Pec Pod Snezkou. There, I joined my first host family again. They have already been so generous and kind, I am so lucky to be able to be a part of that family. For an hour and a half in the morning, I was introduced to my instructor and fitted for boots, skiis, and poles. In a little open area off of the bunny slope, I learned the basics of putting on the skiis, going downhill, and stopping. Then, I hit the bunny slope, surrounded by lots of little kids and supervising parents. After a quick lesson on stopping, it was lunch time. In the afternoon, I learned some basic turning and had more practicing. IN the late afternoon, I rested and watched Harry Potter with Misa. Dinner was at the hotel, and I spent the evening with Katka and some of her friends. Friday morning, I learned more turning, and had more stopping practice. Stopping was not one of my strong points, as I found out when I ran into random Czechs at the bottom of the little slope. That afternoon, we moved to a slightly bigger slope and worked at higher speeds and steeper slopes. I also worked more on getting up when I fell. Dinner was also at the hotel and I spent the evening with the family in the cocktail bar, where all us kids had our refreshing virgin mojitos, even Misa. Saturday was my big day. I was all suited up and ready to go at 9:00, when I caught the ski bus with my instructor. we went to a Blue slope (the easiest of the colors) and ran down it for most of the morning. Right before lunch, we also went down a red slope, the medium difficulty. After a quick lunch of Mexican food (yum), we went back to the blue slope for a few hours. To reward ourselves for hard work, my teacher suggested ice cream, and I agreed. Unfortunately, the cafe was halfway down another red slope, I though I was going to punge to the bottom the entire way. I went at a snail's pace, much to the frustration of people wizzing past me. Boy was I happy to be at the bottom a little while later. The rest of the afternoon was spent watching more movies with Misa and nursing my sore limbs. 6 hours of skiing left me in a bit of pain.... I went to sleep early that night, after dinner and tea at the hotel. Sunday was a laid back day. I went swimming with Katka, Misa, and Karel (my host sisters and dad), then had breakfast, packed, and read a while. After lunch, I waited on Karel to finish up some work, then we returned to Trutnov and I had a nice evening relaxing with my current host family.
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Spring Break...Part 1
The road goes ever on and on.... Yep, I do love my Lord of the Rings quotes. Well, anyway... I've had a fun past 2 weeks. On Jan. 26th, I went to Prague. In the morning, I hung out with two of my fellow students who were there for a few days, but in the afternoon, I went to the airport to pick up Colin. That's right, my REAL brother. I had heard from other Rotary students that it can be awkward to see family member while on exchange, but it was just wonderful to spend time with my brother. The first weekend he was here, we went to Hradec Kralove to celebrate my host mother's sister's birthday (my host aunt, I guess). We saw the historic town center, and went to the movies to see Blond Diamond. On Sunday, we had a day to play in the snow (almost a metre), go sledding, and have warm drinks at a local pub. It was funny to hear my host mom call him Japanese because he took so many pictures. On Monday, he went to school with me for an hour (it was English class), then I put him on the train to Prague. He spent 3.5 days there, while I had a 4 day week at school.
Last Friday, I was back in Prague, picked up Colin, and we continued to South Bohemia. Our train made a stop in Ceske Budejovice, where we had a quick lunch with other exchange students, then we continued to Cesky Krumlov. We checked into the hostel, the met yet another student for dinner. At night, we made a quick loop around town, then went back to the hostel for more catch-up time and watched The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. There's nothing like a movie about Australian drag queens !! Saturday was our day to be tourists. Unfortunately, the town really closes down in winter. There were no tours in the castle, the museum was closed, and the town seemed dead. We still looked in the local church, walked through the grounds of the castle, went to the local brewery for lunch, then had coffee and looked in a little bookstore for a while. In the evening, I left Colin alone for some down time, and went back to Ceske Budejovice. That night was a Rotary ball, and other students had invited me to go. It was a fun event, with friends, dancing demonstrations, a live orchestra, and free dinner. I left about 10:15 to catch a train back to Cesky Krumlov. 2 people had told me to take the 10:41 train, so I did. Unfortunately, the ticket man looked at me like I had sprouted another head when I asked for a ticket there. The train didn't go to Cesky Krumlov! So, I ended up at a station near C.B., with a station operator who at first thought I was Russian. She was really nice, and called me a taxi. I got back to town with no more problems, but I was glad that my little adventure was over. On Sunday, Colin and I took a bus back to Prague, got his luggage, and parted ways. I then rode a train back to Hradec Kralove, where my host uncle met me at the station.
Sunday night was with my host aunt, uncle, and cousins. We had a very Czech dish of raw ground beef on toast for dinner, then watched t.v. and planned a trip to the theater. Monday morning, I went to school with Mychal, my host cousin. It was a fun and interesting experience, and I made some more friends. The classes were Biology, Physics, Math, English (2), and some sort of critical thinking class. We even had a fire drill! In the afternoon, I went over the my host grandma's apartment. She will be referred to as Babička from now on. We went on a walk around the neighborhood with her dog, Katka. In the evening, it was more t.v. (Lost! Dubbed in Czech, of course). Tuesday morning was also early. I went to a children's theatre with my host uncle and great-uncle. We had to talk our way in, because the show was supposed to be only for a private school group. But, in the end, we got in and had a private tour of the behind-the-scenes. Very interesting!! The play was definitely for little kids, but that was good for me because I could follow along and understand most of what was said. Then I walked around the old town with the great uncle, who is a great guy who lives part-time in Sweden. We love to swap stories about the country. He also decided to come to Arkansas right away when I told him we have a rodeo, live country music, and that Johnny Cash was born there. After lunch, Babička and I went on a LONG walk to some little food stores and the supermarket. I was on dog-duty, so I stood outside with Katka as she bought the food. In the evening, it was more t.v., Czech soap opera and CSI: Miami. This morning was a lazy morning, with reading and writing in my journal. My host mom picked me up in the afternoon and now I'm back in Trutnov. Tomorrow, I head to the mountains for skiing!!!!
Last Friday, I was back in Prague, picked up Colin, and we continued to South Bohemia. Our train made a stop in Ceske Budejovice, where we had a quick lunch with other exchange students, then we continued to Cesky Krumlov. We checked into the hostel, the met yet another student for dinner. At night, we made a quick loop around town, then went back to the hostel for more catch-up time and watched The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. There's nothing like a movie about Australian drag queens !! Saturday was our day to be tourists. Unfortunately, the town really closes down in winter. There were no tours in the castle, the museum was closed, and the town seemed dead. We still looked in the local church, walked through the grounds of the castle, went to the local brewery for lunch, then had coffee and looked in a little bookstore for a while. In the evening, I left Colin alone for some down time, and went back to Ceske Budejovice. That night was a Rotary ball, and other students had invited me to go. It was a fun event, with friends, dancing demonstrations, a live orchestra, and free dinner. I left about 10:15 to catch a train back to Cesky Krumlov. 2 people had told me to take the 10:41 train, so I did. Unfortunately, the ticket man looked at me like I had sprouted another head when I asked for a ticket there. The train didn't go to Cesky Krumlov! So, I ended up at a station near C.B., with a station operator who at first thought I was Russian. She was really nice, and called me a taxi. I got back to town with no more problems, but I was glad that my little adventure was over. On Sunday, Colin and I took a bus back to Prague, got his luggage, and parted ways. I then rode a train back to Hradec Kralove, where my host uncle met me at the station.
Sunday night was with my host aunt, uncle, and cousins. We had a very Czech dish of raw ground beef on toast for dinner, then watched t.v. and planned a trip to the theater. Monday morning, I went to school with Mychal, my host cousin. It was a fun and interesting experience, and I made some more friends. The classes were Biology, Physics, Math, English (2), and some sort of critical thinking class. We even had a fire drill! In the afternoon, I went over the my host grandma's apartment. She will be referred to as Babička from now on. We went on a walk around the neighborhood with her dog, Katka. In the evening, it was more t.v. (Lost! Dubbed in Czech, of course). Tuesday morning was also early. I went to a children's theatre with my host uncle and great-uncle. We had to talk our way in, because the show was supposed to be only for a private school group. But, in the end, we got in and had a private tour of the behind-the-scenes. Very interesting!! The play was definitely for little kids, but that was good for me because I could follow along and understand most of what was said. Then I walked around the old town with the great uncle, who is a great guy who lives part-time in Sweden. We love to swap stories about the country. He also decided to come to Arkansas right away when I told him we have a rodeo, live country music, and that Johnny Cash was born there. After lunch, Babička and I went on a LONG walk to some little food stores and the supermarket. I was on dog-duty, so I stood outside with Katka as she bought the food. In the evening, it was more t.v., Czech soap opera and CSI: Miami. This morning was a lazy morning, with reading and writing in my journal. My host mom picked me up in the afternoon and now I'm back in Trutnov. Tomorrow, I head to the mountains for skiing!!!!
Monday, January 22, 2007
New Family
Whoever said that change is a bad thing must have had a terrible life. But I'm having great luck this year!! The changes make it interesting, and I appreciate that.
Saturday was moving day. After I packed up ALL of my stuff (there was a lot), and loaded it into the car, my first host mom drove me across town to my new house. My new host parents greeted us at the door. They are a wonderful family, very sweet and helpful. The parents speak almost to English to me because I asked them to speak only Czech. Their college aged son, Kuba, spent a year in Canada so he has almost perfect English. We still speak Czech most of the time though. He seems happy to teach me new phrases that I dont know, which is great. The more teachers I accumulate, the better.
The house is in the 'Czech Quarter' of town, even though the entire town is Czech. I can walk to school every morning now, because it is only 5 minutes away on foot. The view from my window is the downtown square and some of the housing sector.
My host dad is a heart doctor here in Trutnov, and a sweet, soft spoken guy with a clever sense of humor. My host mom is a 'drug dealer'. Yeah, I had the same shocked reaction. Dont worry, its all legal. She travels around the north part of the country, telling hospitals which are the best medicines to buy. She is the life of the party type person, and great fun to talk to because she is so animated. Kuba (short for Jacob) goes to college in Prague, but is on break until the middle of February. He has decorated the room I'm staying in with all sorts of Canadian stuff, which is a good reminder of all my new Canadian friends, and newly Canadian friend (you know who you are).
Saturday was moving day. After I packed up ALL of my stuff (there was a lot), and loaded it into the car, my first host mom drove me across town to my new house. My new host parents greeted us at the door. They are a wonderful family, very sweet and helpful. The parents speak almost to English to me because I asked them to speak only Czech. Their college aged son, Kuba, spent a year in Canada so he has almost perfect English. We still speak Czech most of the time though. He seems happy to teach me new phrases that I dont know, which is great. The more teachers I accumulate, the better.
The house is in the 'Czech Quarter' of town, even though the entire town is Czech. I can walk to school every morning now, because it is only 5 minutes away on foot. The view from my window is the downtown square and some of the housing sector.
My host dad is a heart doctor here in Trutnov, and a sweet, soft spoken guy with a clever sense of humor. My host mom is a 'drug dealer'. Yeah, I had the same shocked reaction. Dont worry, its all legal. She travels around the north part of the country, telling hospitals which are the best medicines to buy. She is the life of the party type person, and great fun to talk to because she is so animated. Kuba (short for Jacob) goes to college in Prague, but is on break until the middle of February. He has decorated the room I'm staying in with all sorts of Canadian stuff, which is a good reminder of all my new Canadian friends, and newly Canadian friend (you know who you are).
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Ski Weekend....without snow
This past weekend was supposed to be the Rotary cross country ski weekend in South Bohemia. Well, for those of you who have not been keeping up with your world weather, Europe is warm. Major ski resorts in Italy, Switzerland, Austria, and the Czech Republic are really hurting because there isnt enough snow to attract the tourists. I have seen that in my mountains, and it was noticable in the Sumava mountains in the south too.
I traveled to the Sumava mountains alone on Thursday, under blue sky and sunshine. It was a great break from the continuous rain and grey skies in Trutnov. My route took me through Prague, Plzen, and Klatovy. The meeting was in a TINY town in the mountains, Spicak. Normally it is busy with tourists who want to ski, but it is dead right now. Thursday night was just a chance to catch up with the small number of students who came, chatting and watching movies. Friday morning was a Czech lesson with Tomas (the teacher from language camp whom we all love.) In the afternoon we walked to a slightly larger town, Zelezna Ruda. By then, the rest of the students had arrived, a total of 15. Only half the group. We sat in the sweetshop for a while, then wandered around town. After dinner was more free time. Its amazing how social we are, never getting bored of talking. Saturday was a hiking day. We left by 10, walked to a ski lift (that looked like it was about to fall down), and rode half way up the mountain. When we had walked to the top, we had a snowball fight, then had warm drinks in a little restaurant. The people from warmer climates really liked the snow, but the weather was a little cold for them. Next, we hiked down the mountain to another restaurant, this time for soup. Czechs have a tradition of drawing out meals, so it is more unusual to be really hungary. Next, we walked to "Black Lake". It was a clear, cold, glacial lake. Some of the students decided that it was perfect for wading in. Crazy. The lake is famous because the Gestappo hid their records in it. The records were found in the 60s, sunk to the bottom. That night we had singing and dancing as a group. On Sunday, it was just another travel day. Once again, the weather was beautiful. I traveled with 7 other people to Plzen, then continued through Prague back to Trutnov
VERY IMPORTANT:
Tomorrow I move host families. It is only across town, but it is the beginning of another chapter of my exchange. For those of you who send me letters, please wait until I email out my new mailing address. If you do not recieve the email in the next week, let me know that you are interested in knowing. Thanks!!
I traveled to the Sumava mountains alone on Thursday, under blue sky and sunshine. It was a great break from the continuous rain and grey skies in Trutnov. My route took me through Prague, Plzen, and Klatovy. The meeting was in a TINY town in the mountains, Spicak. Normally it is busy with tourists who want to ski, but it is dead right now. Thursday night was just a chance to catch up with the small number of students who came, chatting and watching movies. Friday morning was a Czech lesson with Tomas (the teacher from language camp whom we all love.) In the afternoon we walked to a slightly larger town, Zelezna Ruda. By then, the rest of the students had arrived, a total of 15. Only half the group. We sat in the sweetshop for a while, then wandered around town. After dinner was more free time. Its amazing how social we are, never getting bored of talking. Saturday was a hiking day. We left by 10, walked to a ski lift (that looked like it was about to fall down), and rode half way up the mountain. When we had walked to the top, we had a snowball fight, then had warm drinks in a little restaurant. The people from warmer climates really liked the snow, but the weather was a little cold for them. Next, we hiked down the mountain to another restaurant, this time for soup. Czechs have a tradition of drawing out meals, so it is more unusual to be really hungary. Next, we walked to "Black Lake". It was a clear, cold, glacial lake. Some of the students decided that it was perfect for wading in. Crazy. The lake is famous because the Gestappo hid their records in it. The records were found in the 60s, sunk to the bottom. That night we had singing and dancing as a group. On Sunday, it was just another travel day. Once again, the weather was beautiful. I traveled with 7 other people to Plzen, then continued through Prague back to Trutnov
VERY IMPORTANT:
Tomorrow I move host families. It is only across town, but it is the beginning of another chapter of my exchange. For those of you who send me letters, please wait until I email out my new mailing address. If you do not recieve the email in the next week, let me know that you are interested in knowing. Thanks!!
Thursday, January 04, 2007
Vacation and New Years
First of all, Happy New Year Everybody! I'm back at school now, so it is time to write about the rest of my vacation. On the Wednesday after Christmas, the family, the Grandparents, and I had one more lazy day around the house as we packed. I went to the theatre with my host mom, older sister, and the neighbor (who is also 14) to see the Devil Wears Prada. It was in English with subtitles, so it was interesting to read the Czech while hearing the English. I never really though about how much of the humor is lost in translation. Some of the classic lines were put into simpler and more unimaginative sentences in Czech.
Anyway, off my tangent. Wednesday night we drove to Pec Pod Sněžou, a half hour drive. After a late dinner we settled into the apartment that my family has there.
Thursday we had a short hike up one of the mountains right outside town, to a little restaurant on a ski slope. Unfortunately there was not enough snow for skiing.
Friday was a longer hike, riding up a ski lift and walking in almost a giant circle, back to Pec. Some people were out on their cross country skis, but most of the other people we saw were also on foot.
Saturday I had a fitness day with Katka and the neighbor instead of climbing Sněžka again. The bad weather deterred me from hauling myself up the mountain. Instead, I used to hotel fitness room, pool, and sauna. Very refreshing!!
Sunday, New Years Eve, we had a short hike to another restaurant before getting ready for the fancy dinner and celebration. At the hotel, the 4 course dinner started at 6:30 and I went to bed around 2 or so. I sat with my family for the main courses, then joined the rest of the guests on the dance floor. One of the guest singers was a family friend who had come with us on some of the hikes. There was a fireworks show a little past midnight, then more dancing. I was dead tired when I finally crawled into bed.
Monday was a lazy day, with some of the adults needing time to recover. We stayed at the apartment except for lunch and dinner at the hotel. At night, we watched movies together, another popular holiday tradition. When we woke up the next morning, two inches of snow had fallen. This, of course, was the last day, therefore too late for skiing.
Tuesday we packed, had lunch, then headed back to Trutnov and unpacked. A quiet end to the vacation.
Anyway, off my tangent. Wednesday night we drove to Pec Pod Sněžou, a half hour drive. After a late dinner we settled into the apartment that my family has there.
Thursday we had a short hike up one of the mountains right outside town, to a little restaurant on a ski slope. Unfortunately there was not enough snow for skiing.
Friday was a longer hike, riding up a ski lift and walking in almost a giant circle, back to Pec. Some people were out on their cross country skis, but most of the other people we saw were also on foot.
Saturday I had a fitness day with Katka and the neighbor instead of climbing Sněžka again. The bad weather deterred me from hauling myself up the mountain. Instead, I used to hotel fitness room, pool, and sauna. Very refreshing!!
Sunday, New Years Eve, we had a short hike to another restaurant before getting ready for the fancy dinner and celebration. At the hotel, the 4 course dinner started at 6:30 and I went to bed around 2 or so. I sat with my family for the main courses, then joined the rest of the guests on the dance floor. One of the guest singers was a family friend who had come with us on some of the hikes. There was a fireworks show a little past midnight, then more dancing. I was dead tired when I finally crawled into bed.
Monday was a lazy day, with some of the adults needing time to recover. We stayed at the apartment except for lunch and dinner at the hotel. At night, we watched movies together, another popular holiday tradition. When we woke up the next morning, two inches of snow had fallen. This, of course, was the last day, therefore too late for skiing.
Tuesday we packed, had lunch, then headed back to Trutnov and unpacked. A quiet end to the vacation.
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
Christmas!!!!
Ok, so I have heard from a little bird (my mother) that people are really wanting to hear about Christmas, and are tired of waiting. Well, my friends, I have been busy with my family. Isn't that what you want to hear?
On the weekend of the 8-10, we had a family celebration in Pec with about 20 other people, mainly extended family on my host dad's side. It was really laid back, with dinner on Friday night lasting until 10:30, and drinks followed until 12:30. On Saturday, we went for a hike back to Deer Meadows. This time the little mountain restaurant wasn't closed, so we stopped for drinks again. The adults had their beer, and the teenagers had water. On the way back to the hotel, it started to rain. During the afternoon, people used the 'fitness facilities'. In other words, I went swimming. Dinner was a buffet, then we sat around for drinks as we listened to the folk group, again. Sunday morning was a time for pictures. We all looked at the pictures from last summer on the group boat in Croatia, then Karel (my host dad) brought out his pictures from Peru. I think there must have been around 2000 pictures that he took in the week and a half he was gone. No, I didn't add too many zeros to that figure. When we finished looking at all of them (an hour and a half later), we had lunch and said our goodbyes. It had been snowing all morning, and was starting to stick on the ski slopes by the time the 5 of us went back to Trutnov.
The next weekend was our weekend in Prague. We drove to town on Saturday, and met the next door neighbors for lunch at a Chinese restaurant. Just FYI, European Chinese is different than American Chinese. Then, we checked into our hotel (look at the pictures under Prague Christmas on my Photobucket), and headed to the theatre. We had tickets to the 3:00 show. I was impressed with the theatre, but I was amazed when I was lead to the VIP balcony, and instructed to sit in the front row of the balcony. Yep, my family had connections. The musical was fantastic!!! It was a combination of Romeo and Juliet, Phantom of the Opera, and Les Mis. The plot was roughly: The plague hits the Christian part of Prague, and the Christians get mad that the Jews aren't dying. They want to fight each other, but the Rabbi's daughter and one of the Christians try to stop the fighting. They meet and fall in love. The Jews call on an ancient figure, Golem, to protect them. Golem is made of clay and cant talk, but had protected the ghetto in the past. Unfortunately, this time the ceremony to bring him to life goes wrong. He turns out to be an evil Golem, and falls in love with the Rabbi's daughter too. Things go wrong, people die, and in the end the Christians and Jews have to decide to unite if they want to destroy Golem. The best part was, there were English subtitles, so I understood everything. On Sunday, we had family shopping time at a huge mall in the suburbs. It was a very American thing to do, except a lot of the store were British or French. If you are somebody who loves to shop, go to those countries, not here. This country is for the history buffs and nature lovers. Anyway, back to topic.....
I cant believe that Christmas is already behind me. Yes, I know that there is still a week without school, but the actual day is over. This Friday, we had some of the neighbors over for a nice holiday meal. I'm impressed with the positive relationship the Rada family has with their neighbors. The weekend was lazy, but still festive. On Saturday, I helped to decorate the Christmas tree with cookies, chocolates, glass balls, straw figures, and straw lanyards. My host mom's parents arrived on Saturday, and they are really nice, kind people. I'm happy to say that I can answer all of their questions in Czech. The Grandma is also learning English (its a trend here), and I can answer most of the translation questions she has.
Sunday, Christmas Eve, was the day with all of the celebrations. In Europe, people celebrate Christmas on the 24th. In the morning, I made little boats with Misa (the 4 year old) out of walnut shells. We put little candles in them and floated them in a bucket of water. I have heard two stories about the boats: If they sink, you die OR the distance they float is how far from home you will travel in the coming year. Misa pushed them all around the bucket, so I don't know how far mine would have floated on their own. The good news is that they all floated. In the afternoon, I went on a walk with Misa and the grandparents. Dinner was carp and cold potato salad, the typical Czech meal. It was good, but I think I like American Christmas food better. No scales, no hard boiled eggs. Next, the young people (me, Katka, and Misa) we banished to the computer room and instructed to look for baby Jesus. Here, there is no Santa Claus. Jesus brings presents to good kids. Misa is a really smart kid, she told me that Santa delivers presents in America and Baby Jesus delivers them here. When we were allowed back into the living room, there were presents under the tree. Before opening them, we sat on the couch (all 7 of us) and sang songs. Of course they were traditional Czech carols, but I chimed in on the parts that I knew. Most of you know how bad of a singer I am, but I sang Silent Night in English at the request of the family. Then, the mad present opening time began. I think everyone liked their American/Australian gifts that I had carefully picked out, or at least I hope so. The rest of the night, we watched movies together on T.V. and enjoyed our new presents.
On the weekend of the 8-10, we had a family celebration in Pec with about 20 other people, mainly extended family on my host dad's side. It was really laid back, with dinner on Friday night lasting until 10:30, and drinks followed until 12:30. On Saturday, we went for a hike back to Deer Meadows. This time the little mountain restaurant wasn't closed, so we stopped for drinks again. The adults had their beer, and the teenagers had water. On the way back to the hotel, it started to rain. During the afternoon, people used the 'fitness facilities'. In other words, I went swimming. Dinner was a buffet, then we sat around for drinks as we listened to the folk group, again. Sunday morning was a time for pictures. We all looked at the pictures from last summer on the group boat in Croatia, then Karel (my host dad) brought out his pictures from Peru. I think there must have been around 2000 pictures that he took in the week and a half he was gone. No, I didn't add too many zeros to that figure. When we finished looking at all of them (an hour and a half later), we had lunch and said our goodbyes. It had been snowing all morning, and was starting to stick on the ski slopes by the time the 5 of us went back to Trutnov.
The next weekend was our weekend in Prague. We drove to town on Saturday, and met the next door neighbors for lunch at a Chinese restaurant. Just FYI, European Chinese is different than American Chinese. Then, we checked into our hotel (look at the pictures under Prague Christmas on my Photobucket), and headed to the theatre. We had tickets to the 3:00 show. I was impressed with the theatre, but I was amazed when I was lead to the VIP balcony, and instructed to sit in the front row of the balcony. Yep, my family had connections. The musical was fantastic!!! It was a combination of Romeo and Juliet, Phantom of the Opera, and Les Mis. The plot was roughly: The plague hits the Christian part of Prague, and the Christians get mad that the Jews aren't dying. They want to fight each other, but the Rabbi's daughter and one of the Christians try to stop the fighting. They meet and fall in love. The Jews call on an ancient figure, Golem, to protect them. Golem is made of clay and cant talk, but had protected the ghetto in the past. Unfortunately, this time the ceremony to bring him to life goes wrong. He turns out to be an evil Golem, and falls in love with the Rabbi's daughter too. Things go wrong, people die, and in the end the Christians and Jews have to decide to unite if they want to destroy Golem. The best part was, there were English subtitles, so I understood everything. On Sunday, we had family shopping time at a huge mall in the suburbs. It was a very American thing to do, except a lot of the store were British or French. If you are somebody who loves to shop, go to those countries, not here. This country is for the history buffs and nature lovers. Anyway, back to topic.....
I cant believe that Christmas is already behind me. Yes, I know that there is still a week without school, but the actual day is over. This Friday, we had some of the neighbors over for a nice holiday meal. I'm impressed with the positive relationship the Rada family has with their neighbors. The weekend was lazy, but still festive. On Saturday, I helped to decorate the Christmas tree with cookies, chocolates, glass balls, straw figures, and straw lanyards. My host mom's parents arrived on Saturday, and they are really nice, kind people. I'm happy to say that I can answer all of their questions in Czech. The Grandma is also learning English (its a trend here), and I can answer most of the translation questions she has.
Sunday, Christmas Eve, was the day with all of the celebrations. In Europe, people celebrate Christmas on the 24th. In the morning, I made little boats with Misa (the 4 year old) out of walnut shells. We put little candles in them and floated them in a bucket of water. I have heard two stories about the boats: If they sink, you die OR the distance they float is how far from home you will travel in the coming year. Misa pushed them all around the bucket, so I don't know how far mine would have floated on their own. The good news is that they all floated. In the afternoon, I went on a walk with Misa and the grandparents. Dinner was carp and cold potato salad, the typical Czech meal. It was good, but I think I like American Christmas food better. No scales, no hard boiled eggs. Next, the young people (me, Katka, and Misa) we banished to the computer room and instructed to look for baby Jesus. Here, there is no Santa Claus. Jesus brings presents to good kids. Misa is a really smart kid, she told me that Santa delivers presents in America and Baby Jesus delivers them here. When we were allowed back into the living room, there were presents under the tree. Before opening them, we sat on the couch (all 7 of us) and sang songs. Of course they were traditional Czech carols, but I chimed in on the parts that I knew. Most of you know how bad of a singer I am, but I sang Silent Night in English at the request of the family. Then, the mad present opening time began. I think everyone liked their American/Australian gifts that I had carefully picked out, or at least I hope so. The rest of the night, we watched movies together on T.V. and enjoyed our new presents.
Friday, December 08, 2006
Saint Nicholas Day
Well, the Christmas season has really started. Tuesday was St. Nicholas day, which is the first round of presents for young children. My family and I went up to my host dad's hotel in Pec, where a celebration was organized for the guests. A rock band for kids played first, and the kids, aged baby to about 8, danced. They sang some Czech Christmas songs, traditional Czech kid songs, and some English songs. It was strange to see a man dressed in a Kiss costume singing to the group, and a man dressed as Freddie Mercury dancing around. As the teenagers and adults ate dinner, the traditional show began. A man dressed as St. Nick came out with an angel and some devils. Imagine a man in golden robes, a fake beard, and a pope's hat. Each child had their names called, and they had to recite a poem or sing a short song. The devil would try to convince St. Nick that they were a bad child, and they deserved to be carried off to Hell in his brown bag. The angels would argue that the child had been good, or deserved another chance. In the end, every child recieved a present (provided by the parents). It was scary for some of the youngest kids, because devils were staring them in the face, and all of the kids took it seriously.
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Prague
Wow, Prague is definately one of my favorite cities in the world now. I have fallen under its spell. This weekend I revelled in the town for three days with my new friends and had only a small taste of what it has to offer.
Friday was a day off of school for me because I left Trutnov at 11:00 in the morning. It was a 2.5 hour drive by bus, but I used the time to listen to music and sleep. I love traveling alone here, it is so hastle free. I arrived on the outskirts of town and hopped on the metro to the main bus station. There I met some of the students and former students who lived in Prague or near-by towns. We walked to the hostel, which was really close, where the rest of the group was already checking in. After a short time to unpack and settle in, we all went to a local pub for dinner. We were typical tourists, loud and hungry. Next was a hockey game between one of the Prague teams (Praha Sparta) and another team from another town. The Canadians of the group were the craziest, dressed in Canada shirts and hats, and wrapped in Canadian flags. Being a southerner, I felt really lost in the game. Soccer is more my style, to watch and play. Sparta won, and there were tons of loud and excited fans around us as we walked back to the hostel. I stayed up until 2:00 talking to people, then crashed.
Saturday was supposed to be an 8:00 start, so I was up at 7:00, like most people. Unfortunately one of the organizers was late, and the departure time was changed to 'later'. There was a scavenger hunt planned for the morning, so we split into groups to explore Old Town. We left the hotel at 10:15, armed with questions to answer and a sack lunch. The Rotex (former exchange students) walked with us, but wouldn't help. At first my group would ask people on the street, but we didn't get very far. Soon we found ourselves in the main square. The people at the town hall were very helpful, especially since we tried to speak Czech instead of English, like most tourists. With a map and names of destinations, we found a famous beer hall, a church with an unusially large alter (St. Giles church), the bar where Pilsner was first tapped in Prague, and an upside down statue, amoung seeing many other things. When all of the groups met up again, we slowly started to walk towards the castle. We stopped at another beautiful church ( I cant find the name right now), walked across the Charels Bridge (too many people!!), and up the hill to the castle. The castle isn't a regular stone mass with lots of towers, it has regular-sized bilding on the outside with a breath-taking cathedral on the inside of the walls. We walked through the cathedral, which has the most amazing stain glass panels I have ever seen. We also had free time in the Golden Lane, a famous steet inside the castle. It wasn't as great as the guide books say, it was just like other shopping places in Prague. Next we all took a tram to a Chinese restaurant for dinner. After eating, we had free time in the main square. The Christmas markets started that day, so there was good shopping opportunities. A stage was set up, so the sounds of children singing American and Czech Christmas songs drifted through the air, along with the smell of roasting chestnuts and sweet things. Sure, there were masses of people, but it was still magical. Most of the group went ice skating next, but I wasn't ready to leave the square, and I don't do well on skates. A small group had the same thoughts, so we went to a cafe for hot chocolate or coffee while sitting under blankets and watching the giant flashing Christmas tree. Perfection. When the ice skating group finished, we all walked back to the hostel. We had a short meeting to announce the winners of the hunt, and my group tied for first place. We had Czech cake to celebrate. We all sat and talked for a while, but one guy had his lap-top full of movies, so I watched Eurotrip and Boondock Saints with a few people. We started to watch Kill Bill, but lost interest. I went to sleep at 5:00, and slept like a log.
At 8:30, I woke up and felt like I had been sleeping for 10 hours. This is not normal for me, but in times like this, I can run on adrenaline alone. People started to head to the train or bus station, and I soon organized with my host dad to meet him at the Holiday Inn. I know, how Czech. He was in town for a conference, so it was convient to ride back to Trutnov with him. We stopped at his friend's apartment for a quick lunch, then drove back. I napped for part of the time (understandable, right?). When we arrived at the house, it was all decorated inside (except, no tree), so the Christmas spirit is going strong here.
Friday was a day off of school for me because I left Trutnov at 11:00 in the morning. It was a 2.5 hour drive by bus, but I used the time to listen to music and sleep. I love traveling alone here, it is so hastle free. I arrived on the outskirts of town and hopped on the metro to the main bus station. There I met some of the students and former students who lived in Prague or near-by towns. We walked to the hostel, which was really close, where the rest of the group was already checking in. After a short time to unpack and settle in, we all went to a local pub for dinner. We were typical tourists, loud and hungry. Next was a hockey game between one of the Prague teams (Praha Sparta) and another team from another town. The Canadians of the group were the craziest, dressed in Canada shirts and hats, and wrapped in Canadian flags. Being a southerner, I felt really lost in the game. Soccer is more my style, to watch and play. Sparta won, and there were tons of loud and excited fans around us as we walked back to the hostel. I stayed up until 2:00 talking to people, then crashed.
Saturday was supposed to be an 8:00 start, so I was up at 7:00, like most people. Unfortunately one of the organizers was late, and the departure time was changed to 'later'. There was a scavenger hunt planned for the morning, so we split into groups to explore Old Town. We left the hotel at 10:15, armed with questions to answer and a sack lunch. The Rotex (former exchange students) walked with us, but wouldn't help. At first my group would ask people on the street, but we didn't get very far. Soon we found ourselves in the main square. The people at the town hall were very helpful, especially since we tried to speak Czech instead of English, like most tourists. With a map and names of destinations, we found a famous beer hall, a church with an unusially large alter (St. Giles church), the bar where Pilsner was first tapped in Prague, and an upside down statue, amoung seeing many other things. When all of the groups met up again, we slowly started to walk towards the castle. We stopped at another beautiful church ( I cant find the name right now), walked across the Charels Bridge (too many people!!), and up the hill to the castle. The castle isn't a regular stone mass with lots of towers, it has regular-sized bilding on the outside with a breath-taking cathedral on the inside of the walls. We walked through the cathedral, which has the most amazing stain glass panels I have ever seen. We also had free time in the Golden Lane, a famous steet inside the castle. It wasn't as great as the guide books say, it was just like other shopping places in Prague. Next we all took a tram to a Chinese restaurant for dinner. After eating, we had free time in the main square. The Christmas markets started that day, so there was good shopping opportunities. A stage was set up, so the sounds of children singing American and Czech Christmas songs drifted through the air, along with the smell of roasting chestnuts and sweet things. Sure, there were masses of people, but it was still magical. Most of the group went ice skating next, but I wasn't ready to leave the square, and I don't do well on skates. A small group had the same thoughts, so we went to a cafe for hot chocolate or coffee while sitting under blankets and watching the giant flashing Christmas tree. Perfection. When the ice skating group finished, we all walked back to the hostel. We had a short meeting to announce the winners of the hunt, and my group tied for first place. We had Czech cake to celebrate. We all sat and talked for a while, but one guy had his lap-top full of movies, so I watched Eurotrip and Boondock Saints with a few people. We started to watch Kill Bill, but lost interest. I went to sleep at 5:00, and slept like a log.
At 8:30, I woke up and felt like I had been sleeping for 10 hours. This is not normal for me, but in times like this, I can run on adrenaline alone. People started to head to the train or bus station, and I soon organized with my host dad to meet him at the Holiday Inn. I know, how Czech. He was in town for a conference, so it was convient to ride back to Trutnov with him. We stopped at his friend's apartment for a quick lunch, then drove back. I napped for part of the time (understandable, right?). When we arrived at the house, it was all decorated inside (except, no tree), so the Christmas spirit is going strong here.
Sunday, November 19, 2006
Trombones and Thanksgiving
Well, the my title isn't quite alliteration, but I tried. I'm now back on my feet 100 percent, with only a quick cough every so often. Hopefully I'll stay healthy for the rest of the year.
Last Tuesday I had my first trombone lesson. It felt so good to play my favorite instrument again. My sound was terrible because I hadn't practiced in over three months, but it was fun. My teacher doesn't speak any English, but we seem to communicate fairly well with my Czech and acting things out. There may even be some opportunities to play in a band or two.
This weekend was the Rotary Thanksgiving celebration. It made me realize how important it is to keep traditions with you, while adding new ones. I traveled down to Tabor (in the South-central part of the country) by myself, leaving Trutnov at 7:00 in the morning and greeting everyone with hugs and smiles in Tabor at 11:20. I proposed walking to the hotel instead of riding the bus, and a few others took me up on the offer. 40 minutes later, the 4 of us strolled into the hotel, only 3 minutes late. The afternoon was flexible. The girls were checked into a separate hostel because the hotel didn't have enough rooms. We also think it is because they don't trust us with the guys. There is no reason behind this, I promise, we are all like best friends. After lunch we had free time to use the hotel fitness facilities. A big group of us sat outside and sang or listened to singing as Issac played his mandolin. We are a diverse group, and everyone has many hobbies or stories to make them fascinating. When we were starting to get cold, we went to a cafe for a quick coffee or ice cream. No, I don't see the logic in ice cream to warm up, either. The Tabor Rotary club joined us for the dinner, so it was an unofficial club meeting too. Our pre-dinner treat was homemade eggnog from one student (no rum, the Rotarians were happy to see). We had turkey, potato salad, mushroom/stuffing cubes that tasted like quiche, Czech dumplings, and gravy. I think Czech dumplings are going to be a new tradition for me. Apple strudel came as a first course of dessert, then some girls brought out their pumpkin and pecan pies. We sat and talked for a long time, then the students slowly went to do other things. A lot went to a disco near by, but I stayed with another group to play ricochet and chated more. I love catching up with these people and swapping stories. This morning we had breakfast and people started to go back to their own corners of the country. I was lucky enough to find a direct bus back to Trutnov.
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Sick Days
Ah, the winter weather is here, and so is cold/sick season. I'm normally a healthy person, but the fact I'm in a new place with a new diet and new way of life didn't agree with the immune system. In other words, I've had a cough for about a week and I'm ready to be better. My host family has been wanting me to rest and heal, but locking a teenager in the house for 5 days straight is not good for mental health..... Tomorrow I get to return to school, which I'm happy about. Human interaction is healthy, even if there is never soap in the school bathrooms.
Next weekend is Thanksgiving with the Rotary students. I get to travel on my own again, which I really enjoy doing. Once I figured out the train system, it seems fairly easy. So bring on Turkey-Day!!!
Next weekend is Thanksgiving with the Rotary students. I get to travel on my own again, which I really enjoy doing. Once I figured out the train system, it seems fairly easy. So bring on Turkey-Day!!!
Sunday, November 05, 2006
Snow and Sound
This past week saw the first snow of the season!!!!!! I was so excited, as I cannot remember a time when I have seen snow in November. The locals were unshaken, they simply put on their snow boots and continued with life. It is a funny contrast to Fayetteville, where life seems to stop when a little snow falls. Thursday and Friday I walked to school, and managed to stay on my feet despite slippery sidewalks. By the time I got out of school both days, most of it had melted or turned to slush.
Saturday it snowed on and off all day. I went to Pec with my family for lunch, on an uncleared road, but the weather didn't hurt too much. We all simply bundled up in more layers. Lunch lasted from 12:15 until about 4:30, when we drove back to Trutnov in freezing rain.
That night, Katka and I went to a concert here in town, at the old textile factory. Two Czech punk rock bands were playing, Vypsana Fixa and Wohnout. It was great to get right up in front of the band and go crazy with my new classmates. Everyone was surprised to see me there. Music really is the international language, it didn't matter that the band was signing in another language. I still had a great time, and was dead-tired by the time my host mom picked us up at midnight.
Saturday it snowed on and off all day. I went to Pec with my family for lunch, on an uncleared road, but the weather didn't hurt too much. We all simply bundled up in more layers. Lunch lasted from 12:15 until about 4:30, when we drove back to Trutnov in freezing rain.
That night, Katka and I went to a concert here in town, at the old textile factory. Two Czech punk rock bands were playing, Vypsana Fixa and Wohnout. It was great to get right up in front of the band and go crazy with my new classmates. Everyone was surprised to see me there. Music really is the international language, it didn't matter that the band was signing in another language. I still had a great time, and was dead-tired by the time my host mom picked us up at midnight.
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