I finally had a regular schedule this week! However, while this was mostly good news for me, it also produced an exceptionally normal Monday through Friday afternoon (and it’s currently Friday afternoon). Fail. But have no fear! I fully intend to change this in the weeks ahead, and even within my startlingly normal week there were plenty of highlights.
For example, I finalized my schedule for Charles, and I can now share the LONG AWAITED CLASS SCHEDULE! I know that anyone who is reading this blog is just dying to hear about my classes (what could possibly more interesting to read about than someone else’s classes?) so here it is: I’m taking Beginner Czech language, Prague as a Living History (Walking Tour Class!), Political Systems of Czechoslovakia, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia (yes, it’s one classs), and the Economy of the Czech Republic, and Regionalism in Global Politics. I’ve already expressed in my previous entries how much
For example, I finalized my schedule for Charles, and I can now share the LONG AWAITED CLASS SCHEDULE! I know that anyone who is reading this blog is just dying to hear about my classes (what could possibly more interesting to read about than someone else’s classes?) so here it is: I’m taking Beginner Czech language, Prague as a Living History (Walking Tour Class!), Political Systems of Czechoslovakia, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia (yes, it’s one classs), and the Economy of the Czech Republic, and Regionalism in Global Politics. I’ve already expressed in my previous entries how much
1. I love Walking Tour Class Day (WTCD)
2. Czech is not easy, but the class is awesome (partially, but not exclusively because the names of two German students are Wolfgang and Sebastian)
Therefore, I’ll talk briefly about the other classes. Political Systems Etc. Etc. (which I’ll probably just call Political Systems if I reference it again because I’m not going to put myself or anyone else through the full class name) is taught by this great guy who has a sense of humor and makes a three-hour class go by faster than most hour and a half classes I’ve taken. For example, a line from yesterday’s class:
Therefore, I’ll talk briefly about the other classes. Political Systems Etc. Etc. (which I’ll probably just call Political Systems if I reference it again because I’m not going to put myself or anyone else through the full class name) is taught by this great guy who has a sense of humor and makes a three-hour class go by faster than most hour and a half classes I’ve taken. For example, a line from yesterday’s class:
“Unfortunately, since Czechoslovakia declared its Constitution on February 29th, we only get to celebrate it every four years… so we didn’t really get to have a 90th Anniversary celebration. But maybe when it’s the 100th Anniversary we can… drink a lot or something! Or we can drink a lot other times, as well.”
I’m also excited about his class because we’ll be spending time studying current politics in the Czech Republic. The Czechs are having elections at the end of May, which means I’ll be here for the campaigning and can follow it first hand and through English-language newspapers. The other two classes I’m taking are also potentially interesting, but so far no amusing anecdotes from either one. I’ll keep you posted.
Now, I must to give my weekly debriefing of WTCD! Walking tour class day is always a highlight. Rhee-Soo was sick this week, which was a bummer. However, it was still enjoyable, and Pavel tool us to some great places in the vicinity of Karlovo Namesti, including multiple churches, a monastery, an open area that used to be a cattle yard, and a terrace-like area that offered a lovely view of Prague castle. I was a little tired on Wednesday, for whatever reason, so I didn’t absorb maybe quite as much as I should have. I'll put up pictures soon. Anyway, enough class talk.
This past week, I went to the Fulbright office two days instead of one! I was sort of excited about it, not going to lie. It makes me feel accomplished (probably too much so) when I go in, because I get to feel useful stuff when I go an (and feel less like an American tourist in Prague). Right now, I’m corresponding with a bunch of college reps from the U.S. who are coming to a higher education fair in Prague at the end of March, and it made sense to go in and answer some emails on Wednesday rather than wait a whole week to get back in touch. Score.
In other news, I met my “Czech buddy” Doris! Charles University has a program set up where they pair international students with a Czech “buddy” (who is a resource and helps them get to know Prague and stuff). Doris and I had both been pretty busy up until this week, so on Tuesday night we met for tea at a great teahouse in Old Town that Doris knew. I swear I have never seen so many kinds of tea in my whole life. I got something called “Memories of Istanbul,” which was some sort of black tea with cardamom. Divine. We had a really fun time, and it turns out that she lives very close to Cesky Krumlov (and even works there!) so there’s a good chance I can go visit her in the spring when it’s warmer!
Wednesday night, I went to go see the Czech movie “Kolja” with Kate and Renee and about 100 other international kids. The International Club shows a Czech movie every Wednesday night with English subtitles, and this particular one was set in 1989 and is (to summarize it in a sentence) about a Czech man who ends up taking care of a 5-year-old Russian boy for a few months. It’s a funny movie with a solid plot, and it offers a glimpse into life in Czechoslovakia in the last years of communism. Loved it.
Tonight, I’m off to see the new Alice in Wonderland movie with the suitemates in about T minus 15 minutes. I hope it’s good. It’ll be my first movie-theater movie in the Czech Republic (in English, of course). Not a particularly monumental occasion, but exciting nonetheless. I hope they have popcorn.
I’m also excited about his class because we’ll be spending time studying current politics in the Czech Republic. The Czechs are having elections at the end of May, which means I’ll be here for the campaigning and can follow it first hand and through English-language newspapers. The other two classes I’m taking are also potentially interesting, but so far no amusing anecdotes from either one. I’ll keep you posted.
Now, I must to give my weekly debriefing of WTCD! Walking tour class day is always a highlight. Rhee-Soo was sick this week, which was a bummer. However, it was still enjoyable, and Pavel tool us to some great places in the vicinity of Karlovo Namesti, including multiple churches, a monastery, an open area that used to be a cattle yard, and a terrace-like area that offered a lovely view of Prague castle. I was a little tired on Wednesday, for whatever reason, so I didn’t absorb maybe quite as much as I should have. I'll put up pictures soon. Anyway, enough class talk.
This past week, I went to the Fulbright office two days instead of one! I was sort of excited about it, not going to lie. It makes me feel accomplished (probably too much so) when I go in, because I get to feel useful stuff when I go an (and feel less like an American tourist in Prague). Right now, I’m corresponding with a bunch of college reps from the U.S. who are coming to a higher education fair in Prague at the end of March, and it made sense to go in and answer some emails on Wednesday rather than wait a whole week to get back in touch. Score.
In other news, I met my “Czech buddy” Doris! Charles University has a program set up where they pair international students with a Czech “buddy” (who is a resource and helps them get to know Prague and stuff). Doris and I had both been pretty busy up until this week, so on Tuesday night we met for tea at a great teahouse in Old Town that Doris knew. I swear I have never seen so many kinds of tea in my whole life. I got something called “Memories of Istanbul,” which was some sort of black tea with cardamom. Divine. We had a really fun time, and it turns out that she lives very close to Cesky Krumlov (and even works there!) so there’s a good chance I can go visit her in the spring when it’s warmer!
Wednesday night, I went to go see the Czech movie “Kolja” with Kate and Renee and about 100 other international kids. The International Club shows a Czech movie every Wednesday night with English subtitles, and this particular one was set in 1989 and is (to summarize it in a sentence) about a Czech man who ends up taking care of a 5-year-old Russian boy for a few months. It’s a funny movie with a solid plot, and it offers a glimpse into life in Czechoslovakia in the last years of communism. Loved it.
Tonight, I’m off to see the new Alice in Wonderland movie with the suitemates in about T minus 15 minutes. I hope it’s good. It’ll be my first movie-theater movie in the Czech Republic (in English, of course). Not a particularly monumental occasion, but exciting nonetheless. I hope they have popcorn.
No comments:
Post a Comment