And So the Weekend Trips Begin...

  

I can now say I have woken up at 5:00 for a 7am bus ride. Honestly I didn't think I could make it. The whole walk to the bus I seriously debated turning back and throwing away the money spent on the bus ticket. Crawling back into my bed at the dorm seemed about a thousand times better than being awake at that very moment. But I'm so glad I kept going. This weekend we spend a night in Bratislava, Slovakia, where I learned some pretty essential do's and don'ts of independent travel and got to see a unique city that I probably otherwise would have never traveled to had it not been on Kat's list of places to see.

Proof I left the Czech Republic

Now I know what it's like to stay in a hostel. The 7 of us were split into two rooms, with the rooms to ourselves. No stranger roommates, which is always a plus. when checking into the hostel, they asked if we wanted free beers or mineral waters, which was a nice surprise! Our bunk beds were pretty comfortable, and the room was a nice size compared to what I had expected!

My First Hostel

When we began exploring, it seemed like Bratislava wouldn't be much more than communist-style buildings and lots of graffiti and dog poop in the streets. Once we found our way to the center of the city, I realized I was very wrong. Old Town was adorable and the there were a lot of shops with homemade souvenirs. We found the Church of St. Elisabeth, also known as the "Blue Church". The entirely baby blue church looked like it came right out of a fairy tale, sharply contrasting the bland colors around it.

Inside the Blue Church

One thing that made Bratislava unique was all of the street art and statues around every corner. Each was completely unrelated to the others, and each captured my attention in different ways.





















We also tried traditional Slovak food, which wasn't half bad. I tried the Bryndzové pirohy, which are cheese filled dumplings that reminded me a lot of ravioli. I tasted Brooke's Bryndzové halušky, which is potato dumplings with sheep's-milk cheese, and it was pretty good!

Casey, Alyssa, Natalie, and Olivia at our traditional Slovak dinner

Our second day in Bratislava, the weather was much nicer and we went to visit the Castle, which was beautiful!






Things I learned in Bratislava that I will need to remember on future trips:

1. Know how to get from point A to point B! When we arrived at the bus station, we did not know how to get to our hostel. 

2. Have a plan. When we got to Bratislava, we really didn't have any plan whatsoever. While I really enjoyed leisurely walking around the city, I will be sure do to some research ahead of time before my next trip and know exactly what I plan on doing. 

3. Don't forget my camera! So I'm super smart and brought my camera charger, extra battery, and camera cord. Unfortunately I forgot my camera in the dorm back in Prague... 

4. Bring my adapter. Pretty important for charging my phone if I don't want to depend on mooching off of everyone else's.


While I think I prefer Prague over Bratislava, I am so glad I came here for the night to see a cute city and to do some trial and error with independent travel in Europe.

Synagogues on Synagogues

Thinking back on what I’ve done this past week has made me realize just how fast time is flying by. For a while the weather in Texas was colder than it was here in Prague, which was mind-blowing for me! Before coming here, everyone had described Prague as “bone-chillingly cold” and “the coldest place in Europe,” so like any born and raised Texan, I FREAKED OUT. I am happy to say that I have not needed to wear my snow boots since the day we arrived, and the weather has been pretty nice. The lack of sun here is something that I will have to get used to, but besides that Prague is absolutely beautiful! I have only been taking Czech for about a week, and we have already had a midterm. I’ve learned how to say Czech greetings, numbers up to 20, days of the week, and a little bit more. There are only 3 more days until the final exam- wish me luck!

This Wednesday and Thursday my Czech class had two field trips: Radio Free Europe and a Slovak art exhibit. Radio Free Europe is actually paid for by US tax dollars. Started during communist times, Radio Free Europe broadcasts unbiased news to countries formally ruled by the Soviet Union including Russia, the Middle East, Central Asia, the Balkans, and much of Eastern Europe. It was so interesting to see how it all operates, and to meet some of the radio staff. The next day we went to the art exhibit that depicted the history of the Slovaks, and it had extremely beautiful paintings that were bigger than any artwork I had seen before.

Thursday's field trip to the art exhibit

Friday morning at 8am, we left the dorm for the first mandatory excursion with ECES. I slept for the entire two and a half hour bus ride before arriving at Rabstejn, a World War II aircraft factory underground complex. Jan Stary, an ECES professor who teaches Photography, acted as our translator throughout the excursion, and we learned so much about this former labor camp, in addition to seeing one too many spiders and bats. The underground complex was never discovered by the Allies after WWII, so many parts are still in the conditions that they were left in after the war while the rest has been converted into a museum.

The entrance to the underground complex

Models of the airplanes that were made in Rabstejn

We lit candles in memory of those who died in the labor camp. Each stone represents the different countries they came come. 

On the way to Rabstejn, Casey and I noticed an adorable little castle at the edge of a cliff and wondered what it was used for. To our surprise, that was where we ended up eating lunch! Like I said, it was on top of a cliff. So despite my being in tip top shape (ha..) I basically died walking up the steepest hill I have ever encountered. Someone nicknamed it “Satan’s Hill”, and I couldn’t agree more. The restaurant had a gorgeous view of Decin, which is in the northwestern part of Bohemia, and the food was delicious. 

The castle on the cliff where we ate lunch! I wish I got a picture of the cliff. 

The beautiful view from lunch

After lunch, we went to the synagogue in Decin. There, we were entranced by the amazing storytelling of Mr. Achab Haidler, who apparently is a relatively famous actor in the area. In his lecture, he explained a lot about Judaism and the importance of why people of different faiths should respect one another. While the synagogue no longer holds services, it was cool to learn about the history of Judaism in this part of Eastern Europe. We also met a man who led the reconstruction of the synagogue. I did not catch his name, but he was one of the sweetest people I have ever met. He showed us his medals from races he had won and pictures of himself when he was younger. He did not hesitate to give us hugs, and to introduce us to his daughter who now is in charge of the synagogue’s operations.

Decin Synagogue

The sweet old man at the synagogue. I just had to take a picture of him!

Yesterday, Z led another walking tour. This walk was much more practical, and he answered any questions that we had about Prague and showed us how to get to the most important places, like the AIFS office and class. (Yeah I know, it’s sad that I still didn’t know how to get to either of those places until yesterday and we're going on our third week. I don’t know what I would do without Z!) He also took us to the grocery and showed us all of his favorite foods, and translated any foods that we did not understand (aka distinguishing between different types of cheese and meats that I seriously needed help with). Afterwards Z took us to Jubilee Synagogue, a reform synagogue that was absolutely beautiful. When we first turned the corner onto Jerusalem street, the first thing I said was “wow that building is so beautiful!” before realizing that it was the synagogue. Hopefully I’ll have the chance to go inside for services while I’m here!

Jubilee Synagogue

Next we went to the railway station, where outside there is a statue of Woodrow Wilson which was created to express gratitude for his contribution to the creation of an independent Czechoslovakia after the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian empire. Also in the railway station was a statue of Nicholas Winton, who saved over 600 children during the holocaust. Many of us were brought to tears as Z explained Winton’s story, and how he was reunited years later with many of the children who he once saved years later on BBC.  After Z’s tour, I had my first experience alone in the city. I was able to navigate my way to meet up with Casey and her friends, and was really proud! Not having the step-by-step directions provided by 4G makes it a lot harder to read an iPhone map!

The Statue of Nicholas Winton with children he saved during WWII

Woodrow Wilson statue

After dinner, we went to quite the interesting museum…. Before coming to Prague, I was told that the Sex Machine Museum was a must-see. I definitely saw some things that I’ve never seen before, and some that I hope to never see again. Overall an exciting and unique experience! I’ll spare my parents and relatives by not posting any pictures from the museum.

Today Natalie and I decided to find a café to call ours. Anyone who knows me knows that I am obsessed with chocolate, so when I heard about Choco-Café, with the thickest hot chocolate in Prague I thought I couldn’t go wrong. I never though I would say a cup of hot chocolate was too rich and for me. I can’t believe I didn’t like it! Also the wifi there didn’t work, so Natalie and I wondered around Prague until we found Jan Paukert, my new favorite café! In addition to desserts of all kinds, they serve every open-faced sandwich imaginable and I ordered the roast beef. Delicious.

Unfortunately my ever-present allergies still exist here in Prague, despite my hopes that it was just a Texas thing. I may be allergic to the world, but I’m determined to find a place where they will go away! So here is my itinerary of trips throughout Europe. I guess I’m traveling for other reasons, too….

• February 20: excursion with ECES to Terezín Former Concentration Camp and Ghetto Museum
• February 28-March 1: Moravia with AIFS
• March 6-9: Budapest with friends
• March 13-16: potentially going to Romania to see friends from UT on their alternative spring break trip
• March 21-23: Poland with AIFS to see Krakow and Auschwitz
• March 28-30: Berlin with AIFS
• April 3-6: Geneva, Switzerland with friends. Maybe I’ll learn to ski while I’m there?
• April 11-13: Vienna, Austria though AIFS
• April 17-21: Paris with friends. Hoping to see friends from home who are studying abroad while we are there.
• May 1-4: Croatia with friends
• May 9-11: Salzburg and Southern Bohemia with AIFS

By the way, if you want to send me a package or write me a letter, this is the address:

Carly Miller- AIFS

Vodičkova 28

110 00 Prague 1

Czech Republic

Haven’t been pickpocketed yet (or even lost my phone!!!!),

Carly

My First Week in Prague

I have been in Prague since last Monday and I never want to leave! I don’t know where to begin. From the very beginning we have been so busy that I’ve had no time to even think about what to write on this blog. I will try to keep this blog as updated as possible, but it will be hard to take the time to stay in and write each post when I could be out exploring Prague!

First Dinner with the Group in Prague!

Monday evening when we arrived in Prague, AIFS (American Institute of Foreign Study- the program my trip is through) took us out to dinner to a local Czech restaurant, where I had my first authentic Czech chicken schnitzel and a bite of a new friend’s goulash. While schnitzel was nothing new or exciting, I loved the goulash and it is one of my favorite Czech meals so far!

First Dinner in Prague-Chicken Schnitzel

Monday we were introduced to Z, who has been an amazing contributor to the trip thus far. He is the sweetest old man who is in charge of cultural activities and tours around Prague, and he will also be on some of the trips that I go to through AIFS. Though quiet, Z if so full of information and kindness and it has been wonderful learning from him so far!

Tuesday we had our first orientation meeting through ECES (Eastern and Central European Studies, the program through which we will be taking our classes at Charles University that also organizes trips and activities for us). There we learned about our classes for the semester and were also given advice for all aspects of the trip, from where to buy groceries to how become adjusted to Czech life. Afterwards, Maike and Z showed us how to get to the AIFS office, the ECES office and classrooms, where the grocery stores are, and also took us to get our local Czech phones. My Czech phone may be of lesser quality than my very first phone (there’s not even a camera……it must not be a real phone), at least it works. Everyone has the exact same black Samsung phone, so Alex and I bought teddy bear stickers for our phones to avoid any confusion with the others.

The River Cruise

Wednesday ECES took us on a beautiful river cruise, where I was finally able to see what it means to fall in love with the beauty of this city!  There I saw the Charles Bridge for the first time, and so much more that I cannot wait to explore.

Thursday we began our Czech language and culture course, which has been pretty difficult to say the least. I had been told that Czech would be hard to learn, and all of the rumors were true. I’ve gotten to the point where I can introduce myself and ask for directions, and a little more than that. My teacher is spunky and amazing, and I have never seen someone so excited about the Czech language. She told us that she would be like a grandmother to us, and she has short bright red hair and enough ear piercings to lead me to believe that she was a rockstar back in her prime. I have heard that some of the other teachers can be a little bit mean, but mine is all smiles all the time!

Thursday night I tried hot wine for the first time, and Anna and I are in love with it! We had gotten dinner in the square with Marshall and Shlomi, and the view from our table was absolutely beautiful. Just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, firework began to go off (I’m assuming for the start of the Olympics). If I wasn’t in love with this city before that moment, I definitely am now.

Friday evening I got the chance to see friends from home! Emily, Molly, Juju, and Stephanie were visiting Prague from Barcelona, and Alex and I met up with them to get dinner in Old Town Square.  It was great seeing them and hearing how our two programs compare. Hopefully I’ll get the chance to visit them in Barcelona!

Emily and I in Old Town Square

Saturday I went to Charles Bridge and the John Lennon Wall with Grace, Alex, Amanda, and Emily. The Charles Bridge was super crowded so I will definitely go back there on a weekday. Because we stopped so many times to take pictures along the way, it was almost dark by the time we made it to the Lennon Wall. The graffiti on the wall originally started as a way to write messages of peace during communist times, and ever since the wall has been covered with messages and graffiti inspired by John Lennon and the Beatles. Afterwards, a bunch of the girls on the program ate dinner at an Italian restaurant near the dorm that we decided is the new group favorite. We ate crepes, drank wine, and had some great pasta and bruschetta. We will definitely be back!

Pictures on the way to Charles Bridge and the Lennon Wall

At the Lennon Wall

On the Prague 6 Walk

Sunday I finally found Bohemia Bagel, an American restaurant that I was told I had to go to by more than one person before coming to Prague. Emily, Alex, and I learned of Bagel French Toast, double decker turkey club bagel sandwiches, and so many more bagel-themed foods. (This is kind of embarrassing, but it was so great that I came back the next day for lunch…whoops!) Afterwards Z led us on a walking tour of Prague 6, where we explored the suburbs that have lived through communism. The view from our walk was beautiful, and it was great to go for a nice long walk. Afterwards we went to the ballet at the National Theatre. The production was called Popelka, or the Czech version of Cinderella. The story was exactly the one I have grown up hearing, but the grace and beauty of the ballet was certainly not anything I had seen before.

It still holds true that every person on my program is great. Before the trip I was nervous that the group would be cliquey or that people would have known each other before the trip, but everyone is new to everyone else and so down to earth and great. I have already booked a trip to Geneva with a few other girls in the group, and a trip to Paris is currently in the works!

Loving London

Even though we were only in London for two days, it felt like so much more. Now that I've left, I'll see what I can remember from the two longest days ever!

When we first arrived in London and were waiting for the rest of the group's flights to arrive, a few of us decided to go to the hotel bar to take advantage of now being of legal age to drink. Amanda, who is now my roommate in Prague, and I each attempted to order a rum and coke. Instead we each ended up with a bottle of coke and a cup of some sort of nonalcoholic sugary/lemony/key lime pie flavored juice. Others tried ordering an Irish coffee, and in response the bartender asked what kind of orange juice they wanted in it. We all decided that either our "bartender" was actually a maid in disguise, or we really needed to learn how this whole drink ordering thing works in Europe.

Afterwards I had my first pub experience in London and I ordered my first foreign meal: posh chicken kiev. It was a breaded chicken stuffed with garlic and cheese, and it was pretty good! Afterwards a few people went to Camden Market, but I was so exhausted from the flight so I stayed behind to take a nap at the hotel. Later, the group had a quick orientation meeting led by Maike, an AIFS staff member who is continuing onto Prague with us and she is so sweet and helpful so far! We had the rest of the day free, and I got dinner with some girls from the group and later that night we went to a four or five story club called O'Neils in Chinatown which was really fun, but way more crowded than I expected!

The second day, AIFS had arranged a fantastic bus tour of London. Our tour guide was extremely entertaining and very knowledgable. It was amazing to see how much history there is in London. It seems like every block has a story. We were able to go inside Saint Paul Cathedral, which was so beautiful but unfortunately photographs aren't allowed. The bus also stopped at Buckingham Palace just in time for us to see the changing of the guards!

Big Ben

Changing of the Guards at Buckingham Palace

After the tour a group of us went to take pictures at the crossing on Abbey Road, like on the Beatles album cover. After about 20 pictures to ensure that we captured the poses perfectly (and not awkwardly, which is very difficult to do) and running back and forth to avoid getting hit by cars, we finally got some good pictures!

Amanda, Emily, Alex and I at Abbey Road

 Next we went to Harrod's for tea! So finding Harrod's was such a stressful experience. The tour guide that morning told us the Tube stop to get off on, but since some Tube lines were down, we had a very hard time finding how to even get to the right Tube station. We had to ask about 5 different passing bus drivers, and none of them had even heard of Harrod's or the stop we were trying to get to. Finally we got onto a random bus and I swear it was fate. There was an American couple next to all of us on the bus, and they said they were from Texas. Turns out the husband was in the first graduating class of Plano West and had graduated from Rice University (anyone reading this should know, but if not: I went to Plano West and my sister Lesley is a freshman at Rice now), and his wife went to UT! They gave us directions to Harrod's, and we were so glad that we went through with all of the stress that it took to get there. It was definitely worth it!

Tea Room at Harrod's

Rosie, Natalie, me, and Carl at Harrod's

Lauduree, where we got great macarroons at Harrods

On the plane from London, we were with a bunch of students also studying in Prague through CEA, another affiliate program. It was pretty interesting to meet them, because their group had a very different dynamic. While most of us on the AIFS trip don't know anyone at all, most of the CEA trip already knew each other from camp, high school, etc.

Everyone in my group seems really great so far! I've started to get close with a lot of people and I can't wait for what the rest of the semester has in store!