Well, I understand if there is not. It's been too long!
You'll be happy to know, if you didn't already, that I am home safe and sound, and have been for about two and a half weeks now. Man, does it seem like it's been longer! It's so good to be home, but as time passes, even as little time as the two and a half weeks I've been home, I find that I my lust for travel grows greater and greater.
You would think after five months away from home, most of which was split between ten different countries, in hostels and airports and on airplanes and trains, I would be quite content just staying put for a while. I would have thought so, too. Alas, I am starting to grow a little too comfortable for my own good.
Comfort is not a bad thing, and it's been nice to be comfortable and living an average, regular life for the past couple of weeks, but I'm about done with my little vacation away from...vacation. Unfortunately, I am relatively tied down for the next year - thelast year of my undergraduate studies!!! After that, it's game on for me, and boy oh boy, to say that I've got a few ideas in mind for my travels in the near future would be an understatement! Who knows where the wanderlust will take me, but wherever that is I am excited beyond belief because I know it will be absolutely incredible.
For now, let's take a look back at the amazing places I was able to visit:
Czech Republic (Prague, Karlovy Vary)
Slovakia (Bratislava)
Austria (Vienna)
Germany (Berlin, Dresden)
Spain (Barcelona, Madrid)
Netherlands (Rotterdam, Amsterdam)
Ireland (Dublin)
United Kingdom (Edinburgh, London)
Italy (Rome, Pisa, Florence, Sienna, La Spezia, the cities of Cinque Terre, Genoa)
France (Paris, Nice)
Poland (Warsaw, Krakow)
Sometimes it seems like it was all a dream, that it didn't actually happen, but I am so amazed that it did!
It's been too long, my friends! But, while you've been repeating your daily rise and grind for the past two weeks, I've been enjoying gelato & quiche, the Eiffel Tower & Louvre, limoncello & gnocchi, the Leaning Tower of Pisa & the views from the Duomo, provolone piccante & vino, the coasts & cliffs of Cinque Terre, macaroons & salads topped with shrimps fresh from the Med, and going topless with a vodka tonic in hand on the stony beaches & in the crystal waters of Nice.
Jealous?
Disregarding a few train fiascoes, a lost cell phone, surviving primarily on biscottes with various toppings for a few days, and not meeting an incredibly handsome, kind, and rich Italian future-husband, I'd say my travels through France & Italy couldn't have been better!
Highlights from Paris include the Eiffel Tower & the views from its top, partying on a boat-club, exploring the Greek, Etruscan, and Roman antiques of the Louvre (no Mona Lisa for us), crepes, the Moulin Rouge area, croque monsieurs, Orangina, the Champs-Élysées, the Arc de Triomphe, practicing my French, the Notre-Dame Cathedral, a rollerblading competition, and almost getting on a flight to Milan.
Highlights from Pisa: cooking a feast on a hot-plate, falling off a coffee table & spilling a glass of wine all over the floor in front of our entire hostel, rooming next to a ferret pen, getting lost & resorting to boxed wine, getting drunk & taking dirty pictures with the Leaning Tower of Pisa, making friends with a group of Italian parachuters who barely speak English, limoncello & cute bartenders, introducing Cay & Alex to kebab (Cay: yeah, I've had kabab; Cay (later, when we get kabab): what the hell is this??), and an amazing outdoor trinket-market.
Highlights from Florence: warning my friends, "Hey guys, get your stuff together because the trains don't stop long," then missing our stop because said friends couldn't get off the train in time, then taking two other trains and still ending up at the wrong stop, Couchsurfing with the craziest but kindest group of Italian guys, the Tuscan landscapes, climbing to the top of the Duomo, leather markets and finding the most perfect leather backpack, gelato (a LOT of gelato), shots-checkers, a day-trip to Siena, karaoke (we definitely DID NOT participate), dancing to make people feel uncomfortable, pasta, pasta, pasta, more weird drinking games involving singing, and incredibly delicious desserts.
Highlights from La Spezia & Cinque Terre involve a beautiful B&B, cheap and delicious gelato, hiking for hours over the most beautiful cliffs & terrain, views galore, delicious home-cooked dinners, buying a hunk of provolone piccante the size of my head, biscottes, and the most delicious tomatoes I have ever had in my entire life. Truthfully, pictures do a much better job of illustrating the highlights of Cinque Terre (to be shared later)...
Highlights from Genoa: a personal box of wine, cheesy gnocchi, flirting with our waiter & drunkenly giving him my dad's phone number (uuhh...sorry, Dad), chanting "pizza!" and pounding my fists on the table with the million twatlers that invaded our restaurant, then accidentally pounding my fork, sending it flying, and some very deep conversations with two of my best friends. Let's just say Genoa looked a lot better after that box of wine (in the city's defense, we were probably just not in the right area for our one night there).
Highlights from Nice: speaking (trying) French again, perfect weather, crystal clear waters, getting to tan my boobs, paninis & someone's mom's apple dessert, pizza & beer, flower markets, castle ruins (wait, did we find those?), Cay's day of hilarity, drinks on the beach, weird (and not good, but quite funny) flavored macaroons, and the most delicious salad of my life (lettuce, avocado, oranges, shrimp, crab, artichokes, and some other kind of seafood).
Highlights from the whole trip include spending more time with two of my best friends than I have been able to in two years, constantly getting lost, weird interactions with weird people, delicious foods, a lot of pb&j sandwiches (you mean they don't sell peanut bitter EVERYWHERE?!) and crackers with Nutella, wearing dirty & smelly clothes, and inside jokes galore. I only wish that I could freeze this trip in my brain forever, because what a time we had!
FYI, I am currently posting this from Warsaw after a day with my friend Kasia that could not have been more perfect! This is the reason no pictures are included (yet!), and if you're one of the people who knows my travel itinerary by heart and are thinking, "Tempe, you got back from this trip a week go, so your timeline couldn't possibly make sense," well then, you're right...I wrote this post this past week, and am JUST NOW getting around to actually publishing it. Hey, at least it's getting posted, right? I have a feeling that it might take me the rest of my summer to actually write about all of the experiences I want to write about. Or maybe I'll be sick of writing and reading my own thoughts by then and officially close Czeching Out Prague. We'll see.
Time is flying! I'll be home in a little over a week! Honestly, it's quite surreal still. When should I start packing (knowing me, probably right now)? How am I going to see and do all of the things I still want to do? How am I going to clean out this room that has been my home for the past five months? What am I even going to do with all of the stuff? How am I going to say goodbye to the amazing friends and colleagues I have acquired? And for that matter, how am I going to leave this city, this country, that has stolen a piece of my heart?
Don't get me wrong, I am quite excited to go home, but I am really very reticent to leave, too. Through all of the ups & downs, this has been an incredible experience for me. I have learned so much about Prague, the Czech Republic, traveling, living alone, living in the city, about other cities around Europe, a bit about what I want for my future, and of course, about myself. I think that studying abroad is an experience everyone should have to help put their place in the world into perspective. One of the most amazing exercises for me is to think of myself, sitting in my flat, and to imagine all of the other people in other rooms in other flats on other floors in my building, all just kind of stacked up on top of each other, moving and living independently of the others. I know, it's weird, but my narcissistic self is always focused on me & my position in a room - only imagining myself in reference to my most intimate surroundings. For me, to think of all of the other people, just in this building - sleeping, washing dishes, working - as I sit and do and live, too, provides perspective and reminds me how much bigger even just this building is than I perceive it to be. The world is a hell of a lot bigger.
I find that exciting. I want to see and do and experience. There is just so much out there, quite literally a world of different experiences. I know I can't have them all, but I want them. Having just the limited (in a world perspective - I am extremely fortunate to have had all of the traveling experience that I have these past few months) experience that I have has sparked an intense hunger in my belly to really get out there & travel and to experience every little thing I can. I don't know how I will travel in the future, but I will. For now, I'll take each and every day as a new opportunity to learn, see, do, and experience this amazing life.
It's surreal that it's already time! I remember planning this part of my adventure (what, 5 months ago?) and knowing that I would be ready for a break at this point in my time abroad, particularly one that involves meeting up with two of my best friends in Paris and traveling through France and Italy with them for 16 days!!
Boy oh boy! Cay & Alex are on their flight to Paris by now, which is crazy to think about, as my flight isn't even until tomorrow night. Time changes will mess you up, no?
So, on the eve of this fantastic and much anticipated rendezvous avec mes chéris (it's funny how little yet how much high school French will stick in your brain), I can be found languidly packing for weather ranging from rainy to sunny and 50° to 80°. Fun, fun, fun! My sissy gave me some good advice: "Who cares if you wear the same thing the whole time?! Just throw some shit in a bag!" Shocking, if you know my sister, who rarely cusses. Someone's cutting loose, eh?
You can also find me frantically trying to prepare all perishable foods I have around the flat, including: 2 eggs, sauteed peppers & onions, half a kelbasa, some grapes, a bag of sugar snap peas, some ancient beets that are starting to grow hairs, a few sweet potatoes, and a 1 kilo bag of carrots. Needless to say I've been eating some strange meals for the past few days. After work today I made roasted beets & curried sweet potatoes and decided a little brown rice would bring the meal together.
It didn't.
Looks yummy, no? The sad thing is that I was actually paying attention to this. I had just put some extra water in the pot, and not 10 minutes later start smelling smoke through my (open) bedroom door. Panic ensued. Luckily we have a huge window in the kitchen that opens up into an empty courtyard, and whenever I burn something, I simply stick the offending pot out on the ledge to cool off. I was strongly considering simply leaving the pot out there - forever - but I decided to not be a total jerk and clean it (5 hours later). Unfortunately, my hands now smell disgusting and I can't get the stench out of my nose. Yay. In my defense, I have never in my life burned rice before - scout's honor!
Truthfully, just the other day I was thinking about how awesome I am at making rice in a pot, because normally the pot ends up like this:
Perfection!
Needless to say I am looking forward to the next 16 days of relatively little cooking, and there definitely will not be rice on the menu. I'm thinking wine. A lot of wine.
So, where will we three peas be for the next 16 days? Ah, put your sasspants on because you will be jealous, my friends! We'll begin our little expedition in the classical city of Paris, of course. Then we will move to the region of Tuscany in Italy to visit Pisa, Florence, and La Spezia & Cinque Terre. Next comes a night in Genoa, rounding out our Italian adventures before we move on to Nice for a few days, then one last night in Paris before the girls head back across the Big Blue and I return home to Prague (yes, home). While I don't expect to do much blogging during these travels, I'll try to post some pictures and a few updates on all of the fun we're having (and food we're eating, wine we're drinking, clubs we're hopping, and beaches we're lounging on).
For now, enjoy yet another inspirational video I've found below, and if you didn't catch the link in my last post to "Last Days: Meet Zach Sobiech," you should check his story out, too (I accidentally hid him beneath Imagine Dragons' "Radioactive."
Au revoir mes petit choux! Ciao! I look forward to blogging to you again!
Almost anyone you talk to who has taken the opportunity to study abroad will tell you it was the most amazing experience of their life. Cliche? Yes. True? Also yes.
With about six and a half weeks left before I fly back to the stars and stripes, I'm realizing that I don't really want to leave. Although I've stumbled throughout my entire stay in Prague, it's been the most rewarding and exciting time of my life. I am going to miss the independence of living on my own and the ease of living in a city. I'll miss being able to walk to work or the grocery store or just through the narrow cobblestone streets, staring up at the wedding cake that is Prague architecture. I'll definitely miss the never-ending list of things to do at anytime of the day or night, and I'll miss the adventure of meeting new people and making new friends every single day.
Now don't get me wrong, I am so excited to see my family and friends again, to experience some of the things I've been missing from home (Plaza, Qdoba, not outrageously overpriced clothes shopping), to return for my last year of undergrad and competitive volleyball, but I have a feeling that I will be longing to return to Prague after only a few steps on US soil.
My poor little mind is going to be so confused: where is home? Can home be more than one place? I suppose. Can it be more than one country, though? I don't know if I would (could) ever feel that Prague or the Czech Republic is my home the way a native might, but now I feel like I'm halfway there, and I'm leaving the party early by heading home. There's that word again; home.
Prague really does feel like home for me now. Maybe not "home home," back in Maryland or even at school in Virginia, but every time I return from a trip, I walk up the metro steps, take a deep breath, and smile. I'm back. Home. I feel certain I could call Prague "home home," given time. I can certainly see myself living here - maybe not forever, but definitely again. Prague deserves more attention than I've given it. I have, after all, already visited eight other countries over the past three months (not including Czech), will definitely be adding two more to that list, and possibly others. So really, I feel like I'm still just starting to get to know the Czech Republic, and I long to keep uncovering the secrets of its capital city of Prague.
Every time I explore a little further or take one more step out of the box I've put myself in, I am amazed at the complexity of this city. Just 15 minutes from the center you'll find rolling hills completely covered in tangles of the greenest shrubbery, spotted with homes overlooking the Vltava, or a huge park with never-ending lanes cocooned in an ongoing ceiling of giant trees. It's heartbreaking to know that most tourists won't experience the city past Old Town, and even worse, that I've really just begun to explore outside the city center myself.
As I have to start saying na shledanou to this city that has become my home, I find myself growing more and more resistant to say that goodbye. Maybe I can settle on a "goodbye for now," but not until after I peel back a few more layers and fall further in love with Prague.
Interesting things:
This song makes me want to put the volume on maximum and just move. I love it.
It's been a month and a half since I traveled to Barcelona, Spain! Not only does it seem like just last week, but I am afraid that my memories of that trip have already started to fade - truly unfortunate, because I remember feeling like everything in the world was absolutely perfect when I was in that city. Although I can't make myself truly experience those pure and absolute feelings again (except maybe with another trip - I wouldn't complain!), I can reflect on them and hope to rediscover some of the infatuating affection I felt for the city of Barcelona.
Barcelona was one of those cities where I step off the plane and immediately smile. It's just that kind of place - I couldn't help but be happy when I was there. Just from my walk down Las Ramblas to my hostel in Plaça Reial, I knew Barcelona would be my kind of city. The shops, the people, just the airs of excitement and happiness - it was all infectious. The city is full of enthralling Spanish architecture - colorful buildings, balconies, shutters - fountains, palm trees, plants, and sculptures. My only complaint? Tourists. Barcelona is chock full of 'em. Yep, I know that I am one. Wouldn't it just be dandy to explore the world as it exists without other tourists?
Besides the crowds, I don't think I could possibly have any other complaints about this city. From the amazing Mercat de Sant Josep de la Boqueria marketplace where every morning I ate a walking breakfast of delicious, vibrant fruits and amazing, authentic empanadas, to the astoundingly, intricately beautiful and truly overwhelming Sagrada Familia, to the sublimely charming and expansive grounds of Parque Güell, to the calming and relaxing Parc de la Ciutadella, to the sapphire (and surprisingly warm) waters of the Mediterranean, I have simply fallen in love. Yup, writing about Barcelona has definitely awoken the city's spirit in me once again. My entire being is now twitching with longing to just go back. What is this pull?!
I think I've also fallen in love with Antoni Gaudí. The fact that I would never have recognized his name or works before visiting Barcelona is simply astounding. Gaudí's impact on the city is beyond obvious, from the previously mentioned Sagrada Familia and Parque Güell, to the lamp posts in Plaça Reial, Palacio Güell (directly across the street from my hostel), and Casas Batlló and Milà (La Pedrera). In my mind, "Gaudí" is simply synonymous with "Barcelona," and of course, "Catalan architecture." The character, wonderment of Barcelona? For me, it's Gaudí.
Not only does this city boast the whimsically delightful works of Antoni Gaudí, but also the lion's share of Pablo Picasso's rearing into the progressive artist he became. It's almost possible to imagine Picasso experiencing Gaudí's work and drawing inspiration, isn't it? At least in my mind, the two artists, although preferring different mediums and styles, share a certain expression - one that I am invariably attracted to and infatuated with. The pair of Spaniards are quickly developing into two of my favorite artists.
So what's next? Good question. Between the attraction I feel towards bustling Barcelona and the contentment I felt while visiting Madrid, I truly think some time spent throughout Spain in my future is necessary. Add it to the list, right? Sometimes, though, it seems like it would be just plain old ignorant to ignore your own feelings, especially when they're so strong. I guess we'll just have to wait and see where this life takes me!
Umm...I'm wondering how it became the middle of May already and I haven't really noticed. Anyone know? I guess when you travel for 15 of the past 18 days, time flies!
You want to know what else happens when you travel that much?
This.
(click to enlarge)
Uhh, yeah. That was fun to fold this morning. The good news is that from traveling I have become a lot less attached to my material belongings, and I've already started a list in my mind of the items I'll be giving away before I head back home. I think the airline baggage guys (and my wallet) will appreciate that!
Another benefit of all of this recent traveling - Ireland, Scotland, the Netherlands, London, & Madrid - is that I really am feeling much more myself! Keeping busy is the key, I suppose. I read somewhere that humans tend to be happier when kept busy, but are lazy by nature. Whether scientific fact or just one person's theory, I have to agree! My favorite way to stay busy just happens to be hopping around Europe. We've all got our faults.
So anywho, have I mentioned that I am going to learn Spanish? No? I guess I haven't mentioned that I'm moving to Spain either, then. Okay, not really, but a girl can dream. I just love Spain!
Honestly, I love everywhere.
A recent conversation with Cay: Cay: You're in Madrid? Me: Yup! Cay: Sweet! How is it? Me: Beautiful!! The weather is perfect today and Spain might be my favorite country. I love it!! Cay: every country is your favorite haha Me: Okay, true. Spain is my favorite for fashion and men. And food. Me: Germany is second on fashion and men. Me: Ireland is favorite for landscape. Me: Czech is my favorite beer. Cay: and Berlin? Me: Berlin is in Germany, you nut!
Besides working on our geography, my conversation with Cay made me realize that I really have adored every country I've been lucky enough to visit. I've also always said to myself, "I can't wait to come back here" for every single city I've visited. But in Madrid I finally allowed myself to admit the truth: I might not ever get to see these places again. As heartbreaking as that realization is, it's true. Of course I've made plans in my head to return not only to Europe in general, but to all of the amazing places I've been, in addition to all of the places I want to go, but we all know that plans are useless (although planning is essential) (thank you for that wisdom, Mr. Eisenhower).
I also know that as much as I plan and try to map my life out, God has his own plans for me, and all of the ideas I have about where I want my life to head, only He really gets to decide (and let me know about those plans on His own time). So, I can wish and dream and hope (and throw tantrums when none of that works) that someday I'll get to have another experience like this, and I really pray that I do, but I have to realize that I might not. What better inspiration could there be to enjoy every second?
Last thought: flying over the Alps was one of the most breathtaking experiences of this adventure. I only wish the pictures could do the views justice!
If you were wondering, there are just 9 short days standing between me and the 16-day French/Italian adventure I have planned with Cay & Alexthat includes the destinations: Paris, Pisa, Florence, Cinque Terre/La Spezia, Genoa, and Nice! To say that I am excited is an understatement!!
My Pictures page has been updated with pictures from all of my travels! Enjoy!
Aye aye aye. What a busy little bee I have been! Between not submitting assignments for school (sorry Dr. Bob!), creating presentations that can't be opened, working on projects for my internship, battling the Czech Ministry to try to get a visa, and taking some pretty incredible trips - not to mention a bit of wallowing here and there - I have actually been quite enjoying myself & my time abroad. Really! I know that I complain sometimes (a lot), and that's a pretty bratty thing to do, but I really am having the best time of my life!
My most recent trips that I have not yet written about are: Barcelona, where I went almost a month ago (I can't believe it's been that long!), and Dublin & Edinburgh from which I just got back last night! I am heading out to the Netherlands this weekend - leaving today - to visit Rotterdam, Amsterdam, and the Tulpenfestival with my Dutch friend Robin, who I met one of my first weeks here in Prague!
So, although I don't have much time right now, I am going to try to do a quick update! I have tons & tons of beautiful pictures to share (although this girl somehow didn't charge her camera before going to Barcelona & most of the pictures are crappy quality phone pics - silly!), so check out my Pictures page, where you can scroll through the updated albums from my different destinations!
I have been a bit of a Debbie Downer lately, I know. But, recently I've been back on the horse...
Err...well I hope not David Černý's dead horse, but, uh, you know... This statue is actually in LucernaPasaz, just a quick walk from my flat, and yes, I have indeed seen it in person, although this is not my picture.
My return to normalcy started with an awesome party at Palackeho on the riverbanks of the Vltava. I accidentally ran through the party when I went for an afternoon jog through my neighborhood and then the two blocks down to the river - have I mentioned the location of my flat is amazing?! Later, my friend Colin asked if I wanted to join him and some of his friends from his studio, and although I was initially a little reluctant (irrationally), I decided to go. I am so glad I did! Not only did I get to meet some awesome people - mostly Czechs - but I really had a great, carefree night hanging out in good company on a beautiful evening.
It's been a while since I've posted, and for that I am sorry. Sometimes life gets in the way, and sometimes it's plain old laziness. This time, I've been feeling sad and lonely, so I've been spending my days ignoring the things I should be doing (work & homework) and the things I want to be doing but just can't seem to get myself to do (hanging out with friends, exploring the city, & working out), and feeling sorry for myself instead. Pathetic? Yes. My reality? Yup, I let it happen.
How I've been feeling lately.
I woke up this morning feeling like I've spent the last month in a haze, completely wasting 1/5 of my time abroad. I know what I want to be doing, I just can't seem to actually get myself to do those things. Crazy? Maybe a bit.
Anyway, one of the items on my long to-do list for the day was to write an article for my college's Honors and Scholars newsletter about study abroad. I hadn't been feeling particularly inspired lately, so I kept putting the task off. I'm jetting off to Ireland and Scotland this weekend (YAY!!!), and I figured this item was one I could probably knock out in less than an hour. I soon found that once I started writing, the feelings just flowed out. The article basically turned into both a letter to future study abroaders, but also to myself. It seems I have found a little tough love to serve up to myself, and I am hoping theses feelings stick around and help me dig myself out of the little (big?) slump I am in right now.
Although I am probably not in any way supposed to post this until it's been published in the newsletter, I'm going to anyway. I feel that if I make this public, maybe I'll remember that I have so many important friends and family members back home rooting for me to be having the best time of my life. Maybe it'll help me get out of my own way, and start enjoying this time abroad again with the enthusiasm that I had my first two months here. Five is an odd number, so maybe we can make it even and pretend this third and middle month never really happened.
I put up an "inspiration wall" of meaningful (to me) quotes next to my bed. It's original purpose was to get me out of bed at 6:15 everyday to get my workouts done, but I find many of its quotes applicable to my life in general. Lately I have been focused on the words of Laird Hamilton, who advises, "Make sure your worst enemy doesn't live between your own two ears." This quote is one that I truly need to take to heart (or head) and try to live by every day. Now, that's my goal.
My article
You move abroad. Maybe it’s for a whole year, maybe just a
semester. Maybe you’re looking for an adventure, or you’re bored with the
monotony of everyday living. Maybe you’re a little lost and looking to find
yourself, or maybe you are just ready to move on to the next chapter of your
life, and your circumstances are holding you back right now. Maybe you are
ready to take life head on, yearning to be challenged every day. Maybe you’re
running away – from problems, too many burnt bridges, a broken heart – or maybe
you’re just feeling particularly restless. Whatever the reason you decide to
move away from the life you know, the people, the country – your home – you do
it. You’ve been thinking about it for months, maybe even years, and finally the
decision is made. It’s done.
So, now you’re abroad. You’re in a new country with new
people, new customs, new systems, and maybe a new language. You are so excited
and you take everything in with the appreciation that only a traveler can have
– the incredible architecture that locals walk by every day without a second
glance, the beautiful sky that stretches out above this amazing new place (is
that really the same sky you see at home?), the convenience and sensibility of
public transportation, how different something as simple as a street sign can
be, or how differently people are dressed from what you normally see at home.
Everything is new, it’s so appealing, and you cannot wait to be part of this
alternate universe just an eight hour flight from home.
But, through all of this excitement, this stimulation that
has you dreaming about all of the new people you will meet, the foods you’ll
try, the places you’ll see and the things you’ll do, you’re a little scared.
Sure, there’s a girl living in the city who you knew in high school, but you
weren’t exactly friends. You have your “program buddy,” but let’s be honest,
she’s getting paid to be nice to you. There are probably thousands of other
study abroad students, but you’re not taking classes, so how could you possibly
meet them? What are you going to do all alone? How are you going to communicate
with anyone here? English is your
only language, and sure, it’s pretty widespread, but the country you chose, the
place you’re in for the next five months, it was under Communist rule just
twenty years ago. Can you realistically expect to get by with just English? And you’re still so
excited, so happy to be here, but the fear has crept in around the edges, and
you have to consciously keep your mind from touching it every single day.
After living in Prague for almost three months, that fear,
that panic that I am alone in a city of one and a quarter million people, away
from everything I have lived with and known for the past twenty years, it’s
still around. Sure it’s mostly subsided, but every once in a while it comes
back and takes over, and I’m forced to face the reality that I’m still a little
scared, that I still get nervous when I go somewhere new, that sometimes I get
lonely and long for my friends and family back home, or just the simple act of
being able to communicate with the lady at the grocery store checkout, that I’m
never really comfortable eating at a restaurant by myself and that I’d rather
go to a museum or exhibit with a friend than alone. Sometimes I just want to
stay in my room all day watching American TV shows (and sometimes I do), but
everyday I’m faced with a choice: I can either let the fear take over, give up
and waste another day not exploring
the city, not meeting new people and
making friends, not seeing the
incredible things this city and country have to offer, feeling sorry for myself,
lonely, and just wishing I could be back at home, in my comfortable apartment,
hanging out with my friends, and reveling in the routine of the life of a
typical college student, or I could get over the fear and push back.
Study abroad is a challenge every single day. It’s a
rollercoaster, and while the hills are high and the views from up there are
incredible, the lows run deep and sometimes you wonder why you ever put
yourself in this position in the first place. The key lies in not only
recognition, because that’s the easy part, but action. It is so easy to blame
your inaction on the fact that you’re scared and to realize that if you simply
pull yourself up out of bed and do
something, anything, you’ll be okay and start making your way back out of
that low, but to actually do it, to get up when all you want to do is feel
sorry for yourself, longing for home, that’s the challenge.
Maybe you moved abroad to try something new, to discover
another part of the world, or to discover yourself, but maybe you’re running
away. Maybe it’s both, and although it’s hard, and although every single day is
exciting yet filled with challenges, you know without a single ounce of doubt
that you don’t want to do what you’ve always done, that you don’t want to let
the fear creep in and paralyze you, that you don’t want to waste one more
second feeling sad or lonely or scared, and that in two months when you head
home, you don’t want to feel like you’re running away again. So don’t. Don’t
let the comfort of routine dictate how much you get out of this experience or
how much you enjoy it. Revel in your differences from the locals, appreciate
the fact that you will do something wrong nine out of ten times, but that
eventually you’ll get it right, absorb the differences, and enjoy the
realization that all of those new things you are seeing and experiencing are
changing you down to your tiniest little fiber, and be thankful that you get to
have your eyes pulled open and realize that just because it’s not familiar,
doesn’t mean it’s wrong.
Everyone will tell you what an incredible, life-changing experience
studying abroad is, but they’ll rarely tell you about the shadows. But what
makes light shine brighter than the presence of darkness?
I have a long "to write" list sitting on my desk next to my computer and staring me down right now, but I am just in the most beautiful mood, and I had to share! What always makes me a happy girl?
BEAUTIFUL WEATHER!
More specifically, dressweather. Yup, it's finally that time of year in Prague - like switching on a light, the weather here went from snowing just two weeks ago to incredibly, wonderfully, amazingly beautiful! We aren't graced with the sun too often during the winter here in Prague. Every once in a while, the sun will peek through and you'll get a day of beautiful sun and blue skies with puffy white clouds scattered overhead as far as you can see, but not often. Besides, those sparse sunny days may be beautiful, but they're still cold. Really cold.
But now! Oh!
Happy happy girl I am! Not having to wear a coat to work - mine stinks of sweat anyway - not having to wear tights over bare legs - I guess I'll have to start shaving - the sun still up until 21:00 - so much time for activities! And of course, instead of having to wear layers and layers, socks, boots, pants, sweaters, coats, hats, scarves, and gloves, I can simply put on a dress and wear just that. Perfection.
The recent death of Ms. Pulitzer was a true loss to the quirky summer-wear fashion community, particularly when you come from a preppy, nautical hometown like I do. But, I will still live on through Lily when I make my spring- and summer-wear choices. Our philosophies, after all, are quite similar.
See, Ms. Pulitzer and I both believe in easy, and what is the easiest outfit a woman can wear? A dress, of course! Our peculiar but similar needs also align: Lily needed bright patterned dressed to hide the mess that got on her when she ran her homegrown juice stall, and I need to hide the embarrassing amount of sweat that collects on my body when I simply walk around (or stand or sit or breathe). We have both found the perfect solution to be beautiful, fun, comfortable patterned dresses, and I'm sticking to it!
Besides, how can you ever go wrong with a summer dress?
Rome. What a beautiful city! So full of life, beautiful architecture - buildings, fountains, ruins. Rome is certainly a city that everyone should see in their lifetime! I was lucky enough to get to visit both Rome and one of my best friends at the same time!
I had a great time catching up with Carly and getting to spend more time with Katie and Jacqueline, and we did so many fun things! Gelato, awe-inspiring architecture, the amazing Italian food, and getting to see Mumford & Sons in concert were definitely the highlights of my trip!
Although the forecast threatened rain, Mother Nature was on our side for the weekend and not a drop fell while I was there. It was quite a bit colder than I expected, and I was definitely not prepared with a proper coat, but a little chill in the air didn't hinder our adventures!
After my plane landed, I followed the signs leading me to the train, purchased my ticket, and headed into Rome! I had two sets of directions - one from my hostel and one from Carly - and Carly's were much clearer for what train to take away from the airport. Unfortunately, her directions only led me to the tram stop closest to her housing, so once I got off, I was left to wander my way to my hostel. After quite a while of walking around and not finding the right road, I finally bought a map and tried to follow the hostel's directions, which were actually from a different stop. My amazing sense of direction had me walk completely the wrong way, across the river, down and around and about. Although getting to walk around Rome and see it's beauty was exciting, after almost two hours, I just wanted to find my hostel! I finally buckled down with my map, figured out where I was and where I was supposed to go, and started my trek. I was nowhere near where I was supposed to be! Oops. I finally found the right address, found Orsa Maggiore Hostel for women only, and checked in.
I was much later getting in than I expected because of my lost wandering, and Carly was just about to leave for her cooking class when I finally got in touch. Thankfully, Katie and Jacqueline were kind enough to come collect me, and we made our way through their neighborhood to a grocery store for them to stock up and get some food to make dinner.
Walking through their neighborhood was great! Their housing is on a quiet street, but just a quick walk to a charming area with tons of shops, cafes, bars, and beautiful piazzas, statues, fountains, and buildings! It was dusk when we were walking around, and everything looked beautiful all lit up!
When we got back to their place, which is right around the corner from my hostel, we hung out, caught up, and Jacqueline made us dinner. Katie had made a spur-of-the-moment chocolate pie purchase at the grocery store, and we dug into that while Jacqueline was cooking. As their roommates filtered in and out, several asked if our pie was to celebrate Pi Day (the 14th of March - 3.14). We hadn't even thought of that! It was fun to "celebrate" and not even know it, and the pie was delicious!
When Carly came home, she told us about how repetitive and boring making homemade gnocchi is, but how delicious and fun it is to bake Nutella cookies! We hung out for a while, and eventually I left for a quick nap at my hostel before meeting back up and heading out for the night. When we reunited, we made our way through Rome's winding cobblestone streets and ended up at the Pantheon! The Pantheon is MASSIVE, and although I am sure it is not as beautiful as when it was covered in marble, is still an incredible sight - especially when lit up at night!
After a few pictures, we continued on our way to get my first genuine, Italian gelato! Yup. It was AWESOME.
Jacqueline headed home to get some sleep before a bright and early field trip the next morning, and Carly, Katie, and I went out and about.
The neighborhood the girls live in is great! The whole area is crawling with people our age, and it's almost like a college town! We had so much fun just walking around with our 3 euro 40s, sitting on the steps, and being harassed by local Italian boys about our favorite football team.
After a relaxed night, we headed home - my hostel had a 3am curfew, anyway (which I did not know before booking >:( ) The next morning I woke up bright and early - waking up at 7:15 every morning for work will do that to you on vacation, and hung out at the hostel since the girls weren't up until around 11. Carly and Katie met me and we headed out for some sightseeing, while Jacqueline met up with us after her field trip! The list included the cat sanctuary in the center of Rome (so cool!), the Pantheon in the daylight,Vatican City & St. Peter's Square where I sent some postcards (were you lucky enough to get one??), the Via del Corso which is the crazy busy shopping street in Rome, the Barcaccia Fountain, the Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain, and so much more! We were exhausted after so much excitement and walking, and by the time we got to Tony's for dinner, we were so ready to sit and relax!
Tony's is a very yummy, very Italian restaurant in the girls' neighborhood. We all started with bread, oil and balsamic, water, wine, and bruschetta. Jacqueline and I enjoyed Tony's pesto, Katie got lasagna, and the real star of the meal was Carly's penne in vodka sauce! So delicious! By the time we finished, I was falling asleep at the table, but when the waiter brought two tiramisu out for us to share (on the house), I woke up long enough to enjoy the dessert! The last time the girls had been to Tony's, they had been given several treats on the house as well, and it was extra fun, as we realized that nobody else in the section we were sitting in was getting the special treatment that we were! It pays to travel in a group of young girls ;)
Next, of course, I headed to the hostel for a quick nap before heading out for the night, and man, did I need it! After meeting up with the girls, our first stop of the night was the chocolate bar, and yes, it is as amazing as it sounds! The line was out the door (and, well, it's kind of hard not to be with how teeny tiny the bars are in Italy), but the wait was not too long and totally worth it! The bar serves up shots of Baileys mixed with chocolate sauce and topped with whipped cream in a completely edible, completely delicious chocolate shot glass! It is so fun! You just drop the whole thing in your mouth - it's quite a mouthful, but quite delicious - and enjoy!!
We headed to a few other places, and after an extremely long bathroom break for Katie, she returned to us apologizing that the toilets were overflowing, but brought back a friend. Uhm...yes...it really happened like that and was that hilarious (sorry, Katie!). Apparently this isn't the first time Katie has met friends in the bathroom! The guy was Irish but living in London, and he and his friends invited us to join them at another bar. Who can say no to that accent?? We walked around with them and actually ended up taking them to one of the girls' favorite bars, 8 Millimeter. The place was quirky, artsy, and full of cool people and awesome bartenders. One bartender asked me to marry him later by the new Pope. Of course I said "yes!"
We lost half the group of Irish/Englishmen, but two hung around with us, and we went to a bar with a ridiculous selection of beer, then to get crepes. I had my first crepe - Nutella and banana - and I am sold. What a delicious concoction! I have eaten more Nutella in Europe than I have during the first 20 years of my life!
We finally called it a night - all the bars seem to close around 2am in Rome, such a bummer (and very different from Prague and many other European cities). Unfortunately, the night's excitement for me hadn't truly even hit.
So, I get back to the hostel right before 3am, ready myself for bed, chat with my Momma, and finally head to bed around 4am. I wake up later to the girl in the bed next to me moaning really loud. In my mostly-asleep state, I am just pissed that she is being so loud, roll over, and kind of fall back asleep.
Next thing I know, it feels like somebody is sitting on the end of my bed. Again, in my half-asleep state, I thought that somebody sat down to put their shoes on or something, and although I found that inconsiderate, figured I would just ask them to not sit on my bed while I am sleeping in it. I opened my eyes to see who it was and ask them to move, and was greeted by the completely bare naked ass of the girl from the bed next to mine, the one that was moaning. She had her pants pulled down and was squatting over my bed!! I AM NOT KIDDING!
Me: What the hell are you doing?!
Girl: Going to the bathroom.
Me: On my bed?!
Girl: Yeah, it's fine.
Me: No! What the hell? Go to the bathroom!
Girl: Sorry, sorry, it's not that bad (starts moving towards another bed to defile).
Me: NO! GO TO THE BATHROOM!!!
Girl: (finally walks away to go to the restroom)
Me: (totally pissed off & rips top 3 blankets off bed, goes back to sleep)
Okay, so I don't know if the girl actually peed on my bed (and, in retrospect, I probably caught her before she did), but come on! Honestly, this is just karma getting me back for all of the crappy situations I put other people in during my not-so-responsible high school years, and it truly gets funnier and funnier every time I tell the story. But, I was pissed at the time!!
The girl was obviously very very drunk, and it was entertaining the next morning to hear her friends tell her that no, she didn't do anything embarrassing last night, then get to tell her that she peed on my bed (I know, I am mean). But, I was still really mad at the time, and seeing the girl embarrassed after she asked me to explain exactly what happened (because she didn't remember - no duh, Sherlock, you were hammered) felt like retribution for having to see this girl's bum squatting over my bed. She apologized, and I am embarrassed (now) to say I wasn't particularly gracious. Live and learn?
What really made me angry (and still does) is the hostel's response to the incident. Obviously, they did not see fit to refund me for the night or charge the girl extra, which I do understand, but I don't think that asking for new sheets and blankets was too much! Although it might have been a language barrier thing, the woman working refused my request twice before finally agreeing to have my bed made up with new linens. Who knows if that actually happened. But, like I said before, I think I caught the girl before she actually started going to the bathroom.
What a fun night, right? On top of this excitement, of course I still woke up way too early, so right around four hours of sleep for the second night in a row was just awesome =)
The next morning Carly and I did a bit more sight seeing, which included Rome's massive Parliament building, the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and the Arch of Titus (I think). We had a fun time, and eventually parted ways to get ready for the Mumford & Sons concert!!!!!
Mumford & Sons is an awesome folk rock band from the UK (although a couple members are from the U.S.). Their music is wonderful, and many songs have religious underpinnings.
The group has been touring Europe, and even before I left the States for Prague, I learned that they were having a show in Prague and wanted to go! Unfortunately, instead of buying tickets right then and there, I dilly dallied and waited, and the show in Prague was sold out by the time I got around to checking back. I was so upset at the time, but it ended up being a blessing!
Katie and Jacqueline both had tickets for the show, and Carly and I had our fingers crossed and were hoping to scalp two when we arrived. After a scary taxi ride, we were immediately approached by an older Italian man at the venue. We were confused as to whether he wanted tickets or was selling them, and finally realized he wanted to sell them to us - well, that was easy. At first the price was€60, but once the guy realized we wanted two tickets, it was magically raised to €140 for the pair -____- what an ass. We looked over the tickets thoroughly, comparing them to Jacqueline and Katie's, and they looked completely real. There was a shiny, metallic part, a barcode - things that we figured would be pretty difficult to copy. We were satisfied, paid the guy, and got in line. While waiting, I was looking over my ticket, and cold shivers came over me when I realized that my ticket said "Mumford Song." Uhm...shouldn't it say "Mumford Sons?" Yup, it should. We had looked over the tickets so well and completely missed the most obvious mistake! Carly and I were pissed, and decided to find the fraudulent Italian man.
Hell hath no fury like two 20-year-olds jipped out of €140!!
We were walking around, asking each other if we remembered what he looked like or what he was wearing. Neither of us did, but we finally saw the guy, and once he saw us, he surprisingly walked over to us. Using our future-mom voices, we firmly told the guy the tickets were fake, pointed out the mistake, and demanded our money back. He told us that it wouldn't matter that the tickets were fake, that it wouldn't be a problem - yeah, right!After some arguing, the guy relented, and gave us our money back with the promise that we wouldn't tell anyone else that his tickets were fake. Nobody was more surprised than us that we got our money back!
We went back in line, and tried to figure out what to do. The fraudulent Italian had a friend who tried to sell us tickets as we were returning the fake ones, but his looked fake, too, so we passed. While we were waiting in line, though, the guy brought over yet another scalper, who offered us his tickets for €100 each. There was no way we were paying that much, and we told him so. After a while, he returned, and told us he would sell them for €80 each. We asked to look over the tickets, and this time we really were thorough. Everything was good - different barcodes on each ticket, different serial numbers, the correct price, etc. He explained that he bought them in Florence, where the group had had their previous show. We decided that these ones actually were real, and that the extra €10 per ticket was worth it! We finally had real tickets!
It turns out that the fraudulent Italian was right - his fake (& cheaper) tickets would have been just fine. Although the tickets were super intense with barcodes and shiny things, and more, the guy checking our tickets barely even glanced at them before admitting us, and I am sure that many many people got in with fake tickets! Oh well, we didn't care!
The concert was incredible and I am so happy and thankful that I got to go!
After waiting a ridiculous amount of time trying to catch a taxi (we're talking hours here), crashing a disco birthday party full of 40-somethings dressed and dancing like teenagers - which I would like to erase from my mind - and eating some birthday cake, we finally made it home!
We walked around for a bit, I got some late-night pizza, and we all crashed for the night.
The next morning, Carly and I went around for my last sights of Rome, my last Italian gelato (for now), and an attempt to buy some genuine Italian leather (seriously, who doesn't take credit cards for a $25 purchase). The morning was dreary and punctuated by the incredibly heartbreaking loss of the Seton Hill women's lacrosse coach and her unborn baby, along with the injured players and deceased bus driver. Having traveled so much on buses with our own team, the tragedy hit home. For Carly, whose mother works at the school and who has many friends as students there, the tragedy was particularly difficult.
We said goodbye, Carly loaded me onto the tram, and I said "ciao" to my long weekend in Rome.
After such a long trip, I returned home exhausted. My trip was great, but it is always a good feeling to be back home, in your own flat, with your own bed, able to cook your own food, and not having to worry about your roommates peeing on you in the middle of the night =)
