I had “Prague and the World” (not to be confused with “World in Prague”) for a whopping 3 hour period. The professor spoke about fifteen different topics, and I don’t really understand any of them. Thus is Czech. A major difference between teaching styles seems to be emerging. In America, when a professor asks a question and there are fewer than 40 students in the class, he or she expects the students to try to answer it in an attempt to get them to think. In Czech Republic, when a teacher asks a question, he answers it himself to show how knowledgeable he is on the subject. But somehow every professor here is terrified of Dr. Kubalkova, who coordinated the program from Miami, and she convinced them to give us blog assignments instead of actual tests.
My “Czech Underground and Alternative Culture” class was much more interesting, although it occupies 6-9 pm on Wednesdays. The professor is the Czech version of Carrie Wheat, who taught my “American Counter Culture of the 1960s” class last year. Pavla was in a successful underground rock band and freely discussed how much her son likes E and where to buy pot. The class involves a fair amount of actual work however, so I quickly see my Vacation Abroad turning into an actual Study Abroad.
Between my classes today I was wondering around and came across a really unique boutique with a sewing shop next to it. It was filled with really super interesting and unique clothes and bags made out of all sorts of recycled materials so I asked if they want an unpaid intern to do their bidding (hemming, ironing, making coffee, etc.). The assistant thought my idea of an intern/slave (maybe it didn’t really translate) sounded great so I’m going to try to convince the owner to also hire me for free. This is the link to the shop- it’s in Czech but you can get an idea of just how cool their designs are. http://www.harddecore.cz/page.php?reference_name=home
My sister and her friend arrive tomorrow so i can pretend to be a real Czech and not get lost...
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Two Awesome Prague Nights:
Last night the Globe Café was very cozy and artsy and they showed Frederico Fellini’s 8 ½ and the cake was really good. Good cake is beginning to become a theme in Prague.
Tonight I went to a CD release party at Club Roxy for a Czech band called The Roads. They actually invited us personally on Saturday when they were making the rounds at the Mexican restaurant. It turned out to be a really good show; they have an indie-rock-popish-Beatles vibe and they even sing in English! I had one of those “holy shit I’m in Prague at the best concert ever and this is just a typical Monday night” moments and it really made me happy. They even signed a CD and we got pictures! If you go look them up on Facebook, you will fall in love immediately!
On a less awesome note, I did have my first two classes today. My first class was supposed to be “Jews in Christian and Moslem Europe: Judaic Studies in Central Europe”. But the professor sat in front of us for 2 hours reading from a lecture she had typed up. Somewhere in hour two, after she incorrectly named the 5 Book of Moses and then tried to write Hebrew characters from left to right, I decided I would like to drop this class.
My second class was “Prague in the World”, which is one of two required core classes for the Miami students. We covered approximately five centuries of history in 2 hours. But the professor is good and I think I can handle this one.
Czech anecdote of the day: After searching for peanut butter in Tesco for a solid 15 minutes today, I finally found it in the International foods aisle. Weird.
Off to bed!
Tonight I went to a CD release party at Club Roxy for a Czech band called The Roads. They actually invited us personally on Saturday when they were making the rounds at the Mexican restaurant. It turned out to be a really good show; they have an indie-rock-popish-Beatles vibe and they even sing in English! I had one of those “holy shit I’m in Prague at the best concert ever and this is just a typical Monday night” moments and it really made me happy. They even signed a CD and we got pictures! If you go look them up on Facebook, you will fall in love immediately!
On a less awesome note, I did have my first two classes today. My first class was supposed to be “Jews in Christian and Moslem Europe: Judaic Studies in Central Europe”. But the professor sat in front of us for 2 hours reading from a lecture she had typed up. Somewhere in hour two, after she incorrectly named the 5 Book of Moses and then tried to write Hebrew characters from left to right, I decided I would like to drop this class.
My second class was “Prague in the World”, which is one of two required core classes for the Miami students. We covered approximately five centuries of history in 2 hours. But the professor is good and I think I can handle this one.
Czech anecdote of the day: After searching for peanut butter in Tesco for a solid 15 minutes today, I finally found it in the International foods aisle. Weird.
Off to bed!
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Laundryday Sunday... again.
Another great Prauge weekend that ends at the Cyber Laundromat. On Friday I had my last day of Czech class. Profesorka Jitka made us do dialogues then read our grades allowed. (I guess the Czechs don’t really care about grade privacy and related feelings of self-worth). But at least she gave everyone As for trying! Then she took us on a trip to the Jewish Quarter where we saw the cemetery and six synagogues, all of which are decorated differently and now feature different museum exhibits about Bohemian Jews through history. The irony of being an American Jew in Prague is that there are lots of Jewish things to see, but no actual Jews.
Friday night I went to see Swan Lake (this time I actually knew it was going to be a ballet) at the National Theatre and it was excellent. Afterwards we went to Café Lourve, which is a really important café where Einstein and Kafka hung out. It is one of the few real cafes to survive communism and now it’s where all the trendsetters and intellectuals in Prague go for cake. SOOO GOOD.
Saturday I visited the Toy Museum which was cool but a bit torturous for me because you’re not allowed to touch anything. You can’t even touch when no one is looking because everything was behind glass! But there was a huge exhibit on the history of Barbie so obviously that made me happy. I also ran into Erica Lundgren of SHS 06 fame. She is in Barcelona for the semester but came up to Prague for a break.
Saturday night was a very entertaining experience. We started at Casa Blů, which is supposedly the best Mexican in Prague. I just ate before though and had lovely Mexican drinks because we all know how I feel about burritos. After I met a Long Lake friend who was in Prague for the week on vacation and we went to U Suku, which is a really authentic, non-touristy (but still a tad Američanky) dungeon bar. It seriously had 5 levels below ground and really cheap pivo. Here, we met a cast of characters including Viki, a huge middle aged Czech who wanted to practice English but was too drunk to remember any, a group of Southern Architecture majors who are doing a grad project on the communist apartment buildings, and a very large, very rowdy group of Englishmen in town to celebrate a birthday. One of them looked like a cross between Aldus Snow and Johnny Depp (Facebook photos to follow soon) and kept trying to pet my head. Really, overall a very special night that ended back in the Kojel with Nutella snacks for all.
Tonight I’m going to the Globe Café, which is also a big name in Prague café culture. They show foreign films on Sunday night and everyone drinks coffee and acts exceptionally intellectual and artsy.
And finally tomorrow I actually start “real class”. Blech.
Friday night I went to see Swan Lake (this time I actually knew it was going to be a ballet) at the National Theatre and it was excellent. Afterwards we went to Café Lourve, which is a really important café where Einstein and Kafka hung out. It is one of the few real cafes to survive communism and now it’s where all the trendsetters and intellectuals in Prague go for cake. SOOO GOOD.
Saturday I visited the Toy Museum which was cool but a bit torturous for me because you’re not allowed to touch anything. You can’t even touch when no one is looking because everything was behind glass! But there was a huge exhibit on the history of Barbie so obviously that made me happy. I also ran into Erica Lundgren of SHS 06 fame. She is in Barcelona for the semester but came up to Prague for a break.
Saturday night was a very entertaining experience. We started at Casa Blů, which is supposedly the best Mexican in Prague. I just ate before though and had lovely Mexican drinks because we all know how I feel about burritos. After I met a Long Lake friend who was in Prague for the week on vacation and we went to U Suku, which is a really authentic, non-touristy (but still a tad Američanky) dungeon bar. It seriously had 5 levels below ground and really cheap pivo. Here, we met a cast of characters including Viki, a huge middle aged Czech who wanted to practice English but was too drunk to remember any, a group of Southern Architecture majors who are doing a grad project on the communist apartment buildings, and a very large, very rowdy group of Englishmen in town to celebrate a birthday. One of them looked like a cross between Aldus Snow and Johnny Depp (Facebook photos to follow soon) and kept trying to pet my head. Really, overall a very special night that ended back in the Kojel with Nutella snacks for all.
Tonight I’m going to the Globe Café, which is also a big name in Prague café culture. They show foreign films on Sunday night and everyone drinks coffee and acts exceptionally intellectual and artsy.
And finally tomorrow I actually start “real class”. Blech.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
jsem dobra studentka
Yes it’s been a few days (thank you Emily), but I’ve really just been in Czech class all day, everyday and that doesn’t make for good blog material. While other classes went to museums and such to practice, we sat in class the ENTIRE TIME. Only one day were we spared by a walk to the grocery store to “ask questions about cheese”. This was actually a completely necessary trip because the Czech Republic is filled with strange foods that are not that easy to figure out by sight. On the way, we passed the branch of the library frequented most by the homeless. To quote my teacher Jitka, “it is very warm there but the smell is like old gas. But this is life in Prague!”
Today we took our final, which was not as bad as expected. I’m still not sure if Miami will grant me credit for the 50 hours of class I’ve endured, so I studied anyway. I would say my knowledge of Czech is now equal to that of an actual Czech infant. Tomorrow we still have to go to class for the oral part of the exam (which she only told us about today- that sneaky wench!) and then we’re going to the Jewish Quarter to see the cemetery and synagogues. Jew power.
Czech word of the day: škoda (shkoda)= what a pity! It is also the name of the Czech automaker…
Today we took our final, which was not as bad as expected. I’m still not sure if Miami will grant me credit for the 50 hours of class I’ve endured, so I studied anyway. I would say my knowledge of Czech is now equal to that of an actual Czech infant. Tomorrow we still have to go to class for the oral part of the exam (which she only told us about today- that sneaky wench!) and then we’re going to the Jewish Quarter to see the cemetery and synagogues. Jew power.
Czech word of the day: škoda (shkoda)= what a pity! It is also the name of the Czech automaker…
Sunday, February 15, 2009
200 points!
Another Prague weekend gone- I really think times goes by quicker here.
Highlights of the weekend:
-I spotted my SECOND CZECH MIDGET!! The first one I saw last week. He was a wee little Czech restocking the shelves at my grocery store! Then yesterday I saw an older Czech midget waiting for the very same tram I take to get to the university!
-After 2 weeks of below freezing temps every day and inadequate clothing, I took myself to H&M for some quality Sweedish layers of warmth. Mmmm polyester sweaters.
-Although some promoter in my neighborhood was aggressively advertising a “Vuck Falentines” pub crawl (overpaying for drinks in advance but you get a free tee shirt!), my roommates and I decided to take ourselves on a very Sex and the City valentines date to a bar called Bar Bar, which was amazing. They are known for their crepes- both savory and sweet- and fruity mixed drinks which were also incredible.
-Today I tried laundry again, and found a less smelly but more expensive place that is just as far away and leaves my clothes just as wet. Score!
- A very Czech moment on the tram: a middle aged guy in a very puffy coat kept nodding off in his seat on the night tram. Then the tram went around a corner and the man falls out of his chair into the middle of the aisle. Everyone in the tram turns to stare at him, but no one says anything. Then they all just turn back and face ahead and continue to scowl. How very Czech.
-Tomorrow it is back to Czech class at the ripe hour of 9 am! Wahooo!
Czech word of the day: Zpěvačka (zeh-pya-va-chka)= singer
Highlights of the weekend:
-I spotted my SECOND CZECH MIDGET!! The first one I saw last week. He was a wee little Czech restocking the shelves at my grocery store! Then yesterday I saw an older Czech midget waiting for the very same tram I take to get to the university!
-After 2 weeks of below freezing temps every day and inadequate clothing, I took myself to H&M for some quality Sweedish layers of warmth. Mmmm polyester sweaters.
-Although some promoter in my neighborhood was aggressively advertising a “Vuck Falentines” pub crawl (overpaying for drinks in advance but you get a free tee shirt!), my roommates and I decided to take ourselves on a very Sex and the City valentines date to a bar called Bar Bar, which was amazing. They are known for their crepes- both savory and sweet- and fruity mixed drinks which were also incredible.
-Today I tried laundry again, and found a less smelly but more expensive place that is just as far away and leaves my clothes just as wet. Score!
- A very Czech moment on the tram: a middle aged guy in a very puffy coat kept nodding off in his seat on the night tram. Then the tram went around a corner and the man falls out of his chair into the middle of the aisle. Everyone in the tram turns to stare at him, but no one says anything. Then they all just turn back and face ahead and continue to scowl. How very Czech.
-Tomorrow it is back to Czech class at the ripe hour of 9 am! Wahooo!
Czech word of the day: Zpěvačka (zeh-pya-va-chka)= singer
Friday, February 13, 2009
no one comments on my blog anymore
Just got back from a hockey (hocji) game- Prague Slavia vs Bili Tygri Liberec. Prague lost, but it was still fun!
Czech class is still reallllly hard but at least I have the weekend off to chill and enjoy Prague. Later we’re planning on going to The Beer Factory, which is a very special pub. Each table has its own tap and then there are screens over the table to show how much each table has imbibed so you can compete with everyone there. Obviously this pub was the idea of an American who moved to Prague.
Czech word of the day: důn (pronounced duuuune). Meaning: house.
Czech class is still reallllly hard but at least I have the weekend off to chill and enjoy Prague. Later we’re planning on going to The Beer Factory, which is a very special pub. Each table has its own tap and then there are screens over the table to show how much each table has imbibed so you can compete with everyone there. Obviously this pub was the idea of an American who moved to Prague.
Czech word of the day: důn (pronounced duuuune). Meaning: house.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
jake se mash! (what is up?)
Just got back from the opera at the National Theatre and it was amazing! We saw La Traviata and it was sooo good. And the theatre is old and beautiful and I can’t wait to go back for Swan Lake next week.
Czech class, on the other hand, is really ridiculously hard. My Czech professor is a very enthusiastic grandma with excellent English, but it doesn’t make learning the hardest Slavic language any easier. There are a few phonemes we don’t have in English, the easiest being a regular rolled R which I couldn’t do in Spanish anyway. And then there is Ř, which I can best describe as r+g+sh with a growl all at the same time. Needless to say I cannot make that sound, which means I cannot say the number 4, direct someone to go up, or put things in my wardrobe…damn. The grammar and structure and everything is so hard too… gah!
Today I also paid for all of my group trips (after a small altercation with a bank employee) so I am officially signed up to go to Berlin, Vienna, Istanbul, Linz, and Salzburg. I might even get to do the Sound of Music tour in Austria!! Plus I’m going to Budapest with my roommate and her parents, and possibly other trips if I can afford them. Yay for the Euro!
Tonight we’re going to a café to celebrate my friend’s acceptance into the neuroscience major- this definitely warrants pivo.
I leave you with the Czech word of the day.
Americanky (pronounced A-mer-i-chun-ky). I think it’s a fitting description of our country’s citizens. From now on I’m pretending to be Kanadianky.
Czech class, on the other hand, is really ridiculously hard. My Czech professor is a very enthusiastic grandma with excellent English, but it doesn’t make learning the hardest Slavic language any easier. There are a few phonemes we don’t have in English, the easiest being a regular rolled R which I couldn’t do in Spanish anyway. And then there is Ř, which I can best describe as r+g+sh with a growl all at the same time. Needless to say I cannot make that sound, which means I cannot say the number 4, direct someone to go up, or put things in my wardrobe…damn. The grammar and structure and everything is so hard too… gah!
Today I also paid for all of my group trips (after a small altercation with a bank employee) so I am officially signed up to go to Berlin, Vienna, Istanbul, Linz, and Salzburg. I might even get to do the Sound of Music tour in Austria!! Plus I’m going to Budapest with my roommate and her parents, and possibly other trips if I can afford them. Yay for the Euro!
Tonight we’re going to a café to celebrate my friend’s acceptance into the neuroscience major- this definitely warrants pivo.
I leave you with the Czech word of the day.
Americanky (pronounced A-mer-i-chun-ky). I think it’s a fitting description of our country’s citizens. From now on I’m pretending to be Kanadianky.
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