[2] ACADEMIC LIFE

Oh how the life of a student can be absolutely monotonous. Semester-in and semester-out it seems like it will never end. Until this semester I have been learning what I can from class but every semester is just another semester in the classroom, until now! My European class life has been quite the change from UNK. There are four aspects to my academics: (1) The introduction into Czech culture and language, (2) Eastern European studies, (3)  field studies, and (4) and a blogging portion.

(1) My first day in the Introduction to Czech language and culture class I was shocked at the differences in the language. Certain consonants make completely different sounds, and symbols above the letters create even more sounds! I would love to explain all of the grammar in this post, but frankly it would take way too long. Although it is a lot to take in I have been enjoying the class. Being in the Czech has required me to adapt not only my behaviors, but also the way I look at everything, mainly because I cannot read anything in Czech! This class is giving me the tools to at least read in Czech. Although I may not understand the words at least I can say them and ask what it means in Czech. As of now I can say some basic phrases in Czech such as: “what is your name?”, “how do you say this in Czech?”, “may I have another, please”, ect.. Fortunately English is spoken in some areas of the community and some areas have a translation in English on the sign, but it can still be a challenge to get around!

(2) The Eastern European studies have been fascinating. In previous history classes I have learned about World War 2, but I have never heard it from the European standpoint. It provides a much more detailed account of what happened in the Czech and how the Czech has been divided because of the war. Unfortunately there is so much information that at times it is easy to get lost (as I mentioned in my previous blog), but I absorb what I can. Thankfully I have been so interested that learning is not as difficult as I would have thought. Being in Europe and taking a class about Europe increases how much learning I am able to do.

(3) The field studies class is a glorified field trip class. I will be traveling all over Europe learning about the history of the each place, and how the culture is so dynamic all over Europe. I will go into further detail on my trips in later blogs.

(4) Lastly, the blogging portion. Every week I will be giving a weekly update on my experiences in Europe. There are several topics I will be going over such as the daily life, the language, cultural comparisons, social life, field trips, and much more. This has been a portion of what I experience on a day-to-day basis in class, but I have so much more to discuss and I cannot wait to share!

(1) MY NEW DAILY "NORMS"

Dear friends and family, professors, and peers; I can confidently say that my first week in the Czech Republic was a success! Everyday has offered something new, whether it is a new culinary dish, a piece of Czech language, history, and so much more. I am excited to share my life this past week so lets begin.

March 13, 2015: I arrived at the Prague airport with a small group of UNK students. It had been an intense day/ night of traveling from Omaha, NE to Newark, NJ to Geneva, Switzerland, and finally to Prague, Czech Republic. All in all lasting 13 hours on a plane! Strangely enough it was one of the most enjoyable plane rides I have ever had. It was the first time in a long time that I was living in the present moment. I didn’t realize what a relief it could be not to be thinking about the future. In the back of my mind I was curious about what Europe had in store for me, but I couldn’t help but live in the present moment. I had been working relentlessly on the ranch before coming on the trip to make money and on the flight to Europe it finally dawned on me that I had not worries. Everything seemed better, even the uncomfortable and cramped plane seating seemed to be a bit more bearable. It was one of the most weightless, literally and figuratively, moments of the year.

As soon as we landed in Prague we took the city in. We explored architecture, tried the new food, and drank the traditional Czech beers. It was living the moment, and at first it was very surreal. One of the highlights of going to Prague was a run I went on the second morning. I went by my self, which made me a little bit anxious. Whenever I go on trips in the U.S. I try to wake up early and go for a run so that I can explore the city. I don’t plan any direction; I prefer to just stumble upon things. This was my first out of U.S. run in a city, but it was definitely one of the most enjoyable. I think the most exciting part of running in Prague was not knowing what to expect. I found some unusual statues, the Charles Bridge, an open park (which was surprising because it was in the middle of a town square and surrounded by buildings.), and a large variety of architecture, the likes of which is not available in the U.S.

March 15, 2015: After exploring Prague we moved to Olomouc Czech Republic, which is approximately a 2.5-hour train ride east of Prague. When we arrived it was not the five star living accommodations we had expected, but it was more than enough. The biggest adjustment is that everything in Europe is more space efficient. It seems like a tight space but after living in the dorms for a week it is cozy. The first two days in Olomouc were spent in orientation classes and learning the very basics about the Czech language and history. Olomouc has had a very volatile culture. The Czech Republic has many times been considered “Eastern Europe”, but they prefer to be recognized as central Europe. This is because they have had so many influences from all the bordering countries. I may not be completely accurate in my information because there we were bombarded with information, and at times it was tough to keep track of what was being said.

On an ending note, this first week has been filled with rich history and a cultural adjustment. I have to remind myself that this is the Czech culture and so it is my duty to adjust the best I can so I can accommodate their daily norms. There is so much more to learn and what ever comes next I cannot wait for!