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!