Hello again readers! I will start my update with the announcement that I took my final test in Czech class today, and I believe it was a success! Too bad UPS does not acknowledge intensive language as a "pedagogically sound method of teaching," and I will get no credit for my brilliance.
Anyway, I have started to settle into somewhat of a routine here in Prague! And for everyone that knows me at all, you will know that I love a good routine almost as much as I love a good check-list. (And yes, I always put things I have already done on my check-lists just so that I can check them off. It drives my mom crazy. Tehehe.) Alex and I have found some great cafes and restaurants, and have a pretty good handle on the metro system. We actually just got back from one of our fave coffee shops, CoffeeHeaven, where I fell asleep in a comfy chair reading Sense and Sensibility. :)
In reference to my promises of the previous post, I will elaborate on my exciting list. First Prague fashions. Well, there's not much fashion in this city to be completely honest. It seems like most people are about 10-15 years behind in the fashion area. When Alex and I dressed up for the opera last week, we definitely got a lot of odd looks!
Second, and one of my most favorite Prague trends, is hair. Honestly, I am pretty sure there is an underground movement here to revive the MULLET. They are everywhere - on men and women, short and long, symmetrical and asymmetrical, purple and striped. If you want to grow and mullet and still feel socially accepted, come to Prague!
The drunk man bit is pretty self-explanatory. He was stumbling down the stairs and absolutely covered in his own urine. And he tried to grope Alex. Luckily I warned her just in time, and his slow reaction time helped us to escape! Although I'm pretty sure I saw someone else give him a good shove as we ran away.
And about odors. Let's just say that body odor is now a part of daily life. Especially on the metro with everyone lifting their arms to hang on to the posts. Stinky!
Also, the opera can get really hot! The building is from the 1700s, and has pretty much no ventilation system. I was wearing a thin shirt and skirt and was definitely glistening like a pig.
And one other thing, that I forgot to mention in my last post... PUBLIC DISPLAYS OF AFFECTION. The culture around expressing your physical attraction to the person of your choice is very different here in Prague. I have seen endless couples making out on the escalators in the metro - I mean, hey, it's a long ride down to the depths of the metro. I have also seen (twice) men with hands up the shirts and kissing their lady friend's breasts with joy. It continues to shock me when I am tired in the mornings and really not expecting the 14-year-olds next to me stick their tongues down each other's throats. But hey, at least their in love... right?
Here are some random pics to show some parts of my life here!
This is the first night we managed to make dinner on the sad little hot plates in our dorm! We actually made a quite delish spaghetti (and yes I found whole wheat) bolognese.
Another picture involving food... this is goulash! It's my favorite Czech dish so far. Those fluffy white things on the side are dumplings, a very dangerous side dish that usually comes with goulash.
This is one of my new favorite places - Pruhonicky Park, just outside of Prague.
This is Alex, Jill, Elaine, and I on a walking tour with one of my favorite people. Zdenek, or "Z" as we call him, is honestly one of the smartest people I have ever met. He has taught me so much about Prague and helped me with my Czech! I am so thankful for him and the cultural activities he plans for us.That's all for now! Next week I start real big-kid classes, which I am very excited for.
This is Julia Miller reporting for The Blague!
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