Czech Prague Out

The Last Post

2010-05-26T09:07:00.000-07:00

Well, seeing how this is technically my last day in Prague, this will also be my last post to go along with it. Since tomorrow I am starting my 20 hour plane ride. I hope I can sleep tonight, I am so excited to get home!
It has been awesome writing this, and I hope you enjoyed reading it, or that anyone besides my parents and boyfriend read it for that matter.
I have learned so much and will really miss everything and everyone here. Scratch that, I will not miss the Czech language, but I will miss Prague.
Today I changed all my money over, and I lost about 20 dollars because if I would have changed when I first got here, I would get $1 for 18 Krown, but now it's 21 Krown for $1, which is good for people from America coming here, but not for me since I am leaving. So I feel like I lost money, even though I probably really did not.
This is really sad that this is my last blog post. It's like the end of the Europe part of my life. If anyone who read this is ever coming to Prague, or anywhere else I went in Europe, you can e-mail me questions if you have any at tracksterbball3@yahoo.com.
I will be happy to help anyone who wants to know all the awesome places to go in Europe, because I have seen so many! Well, I do not really know how to end this, so I guess I'll say that everyone needs to CZECH PRAGUE OUT because I am so glad I did, and just leave it at that.

Less than 48 hours...

2010-05-25T04:03:00.000-07:00

That is right boys and girls. I leave Prague in less than 48 hours. I have not started packing at all either! Whoops
Yesterday I went to the water park which was super fun, again! And then I sat in my room, and tried to complete a goal in which I started about 2 or 3 months ago. Watch every South Park while here. I have about 13 episodes left, and less than 48 hours here to do it. I really hope I can accomplish this.
I also really need to pack though. I should probably start after writing this blog. Today I am going to change some money back to American, which is not good, because today the dollar is doing very good compared to the Czech Krown, so I may wait to do it tomorrow, but if it is worse tomorrow then that will suck. Can everyone who reads this do everything in there power to make the dollar go back down in America? That would be great! Thanks!!
Today I also might go smoke hookah at our favorite hookah bar for the last time, and eat fried cheese from here for the last time. So sad. Hopefully we can go paddle-boating today if the sun decides to come out for a little while. I am only asking for about an hour of sun today Prague! Is that so hard to fulfill?!
As my time here runs down, I am starting to get really happy and sad to leave. When I am on the plane ride home I will be sad, but when I get to see Greg and my family at the airport I will be very happy indeed!! Well then ladies and gents, let the countdown for my final hours in Prague begin.

The Usual

2010-05-24T01:53:00.000-07:00

Well, now that school is over and I am done traveling, I really have nothing left to do in Prague. Yesterday Chris and I went rock climbing and today I am going to the water park again with Ida and Hannah and Heidi!
With only 3 days left here, the days are starting to go by extra slowly. I do need to start to back though, and I did find a vacuum so hopefully I can use it Wednesday and suck all the air out of my bags, so that more can fit in my suitcases!
Wow, my life sounds really boring right now. Compared to all the other things I have done this semester, I guess it really does seem like everything is winding down. Strange. Also, I have been searching for bubblewrap for 3 days now and I am afraid I just will not find it. Maybe I will have to wrap my clothes up in my valuables. I cannot believe they do not sell bubblewrap at stores like Tesco (the equivalent to Wal-Mart) here. It is crazy. Well, I have a day or two more to search. Hopefully some will come up! Well, that is literally all for now!

GOOD NEWS

2010-05-22T11:06:00.000-07:00

I passed all my classes here so they are will be able to transfer back to K-State! I gave my final grades to Lucy and will have my transcript sent straight to K-State, and I do not have to do anything! EXCITING
So now I am sitting in Prague with nothing to do but wait to go home! I count down the days on one hand now! CRAZY! Today I walked around Prague with Christopher, because he has lived in Prague since February and has not seen the castle, or any of Prague really, so we toured the city for a bit, and I think this might be my last time going into the city because there are SO many tourists!
Tomorrow we (Chris, Hannah, Ida, and I) are going paddle boating in the Charles River in front of the castle and to the park. On Monday we are going to the water park again, and on Tuesday I am most likely packing, and if I have money left I am going rock climbing!
This is all up in the air though, so plans may in fact change. Anyway, that is all I really have going on right now... NO WAIT! I watched Survivor, and I realize now that people who actually play the game and do things never win the game. It's always the people who just follow them and never step on toes. Russell should have won and he did not, due to lack of brains on the jury. I think I will just stop watching the finale because they always disappoint me. That really is all I have for now!

Prague, Sweet Prague

2010-05-20T17:02:00.000-07:00

Not quite home, but close. Seven days close to be exact.
Well, after a 6 hour plane delay, we finally got to go back to Prague, and barely made the last bus home, so that we did not have to pay for a taxi. If I would have needed a taxi, I would tell the driver to send the bill to WizzAir, for even making me have to take one. Luckily, I did not have to and it all sort of worked out.
I have a final tomorrow, which I have not studied for since I left my notes in Prague, and got back home at midnight, and not a 6pm. As the great Bill O'Reilly once said, "I'LL DO IT LIVE!!!" If you have not seen that youtube video, then you probably have no idea what I am talking about and really need to look it up, especially if you need a laugh.
I am not too worried, because I have 3 chances to take the final, so hopefully at some point I will pass the class! I also have about 900 photos to go through from Italy. I guess that is what happens when you go to 5 major towns in Italy, so thanks again for sending this camera dad! I really needed it! Besides all of this, I need to start doing Laundry and packing! I am not looking forward to packing, because I am pretty sure I will not have enough room for everything, but I will try like heck to fit it all in there!
Oh, and I have so many TV shows to catch up on! Survivor and the finale, plus my other awesome shows I watch, which I will not name here because if I list them all you will think I am a cray person. Right now they are all loading and hopefully I will be able to watch them tomorrow!
Oh, today I also went into St. Peter's Basilica and saw as much of the Vatican Museum as I could. This included the Sistine Chapel (kind of a let down), the Egyptian Museum that had a 2800 year old mummy, and the rooms Raphael painted! I also saw all of the poor statues that had their penises whacked off, or had ugly leaves plastered over them, since one of the Pope's thought that they would prove lustful for people to look at them. It was pretty interesting to see though, because there was basically a 400m hallway with just statue's depenised. I am pretty sure I made that word up, but I'll go with it.
Oh, and I saw the tomb of St. Peter, the first Pope of the catholic church. All in all, in this whole trip I met a ton of interesting people, saw many AMAZING things, took way too many pictures, and created memories that will last forever. All in all I would say it is a win-win. Italy was defiantly my second or favorite country to be in, and one of the best trips I have ever been on. I really hope I get to go back one day.
OH and travel tip: If you ever go to Rome, buy the Roma Pass. It is 25 euro and gets you subway usage for 3 days, plus entrance into 2 places for free, plus you get to skip the line at the Colesseum, PLUS you get a punch of discounts. We got to go to 3 places for free, because at Palatine Hill, they were lazy and just let us walk in without scanning it, which made it an even better deal! We saved 3+ hours at the Colosseum, since we did not have to wait in line, plus another hour at Palatine Hill!
Oh, and go to the Colosseum at some point in your life, as well as Palatine Hill. You just might regret it if you don't.

Try not to be too jealous...

2010-05-19T12:17:00.000-07:00

BUT I SAW THE POPE TODAY!!!
I was about 2 feet away from him AND he waved to me! Good times... good times. I am going back to Prague tomorrow and cannot wait to stop living out of a suitcase. Unfortunately right when I get back, I will need to pack some more! I also only have one weekend left in Prague. This is starting to be a very odd feeling about how I only have single digit days left in Europe, I do not feel like I am actually going home soon.
In other news... I SAW THE POPE TODAY!!! Ok, that is all I really have to say about today, even though so much more happened, but Hannah is bothering me because she wants to use the computer! So until I get back to Prague, remember, I SAW THE POPE!!!

When in Rome...

2010-05-18T08:53:00.000-07:00

I always wanted to say that in Rome, because I always figured it would make the saying more awesome, and it does!
Since I last wrote, I was in Venice, and have now been to Pisa, and Florence, and Rome as well! This has been such a whirlwind week! I have to keep reminding myself that it is Tuesday already and I only have a day and a half here in Italy left! WEIRD!
So much has happened, I literally have no idea where to begin. I think I will just go out of order and write down whatever comes to me, but I am defiantly not going to be able to write out everything that has happened.
Here's the Cliff Notes:
I have now been here for 101 days! I cannot believe I have not been home in so long. It will good to finally be back. I really miss it.
I got to have the photoshoot I have been dreaming of since I was a kid, pushing over the Leaning Tower of Pisa! It may seem lame, but I got to do something I have always wanted and I think that is pretty awesome. I also saw Michanglo's David statue in Florence. In Venice I saw gondellas.
Now, I am in Rome and I do not really think it has clicked that I am here yet! I saw the Colosseum and the Circus Maximus and Palentine Hill and the Fountain of Tivoli and the Pantheon. It has been a crazy, crazy day. Tomorrow I am going to see the Pope!! He goes out into St Peter's Square every Wednesday and we will be there then! Therefore, we get to see him! YAY!!!! Then we are going to the Museum and seeing the Basilica, which will basically take all day.
I really cannot believe I am here though, it is crazy thinking I have actually been doing all these things, I will look back at my pictures in Prague and say, "Wow, that really wasn't a dream? Weird..." I also am in the single digits as to when I leave Europe. 9 days and counting...

Milan

2010-05-14T11:54:00.000-07:00

Well, yesterday I arrived in Milan for my last trip while abroad! I did not think there would be that much to do there, but there WAS! I am currently in Venice, but I will tell about this city in my next post!
So we arrived in the Milan airport, which was actually about 75km out of town, since we flew with a cheap ariline. The bus ride into town took longer than the plane ride to Milan from Prague, if you can believe that! I also just thought of something... I will fly every Thursday for the next 3 weeks (starting yesterday). Weird. Hopefully I won't be too tired of it for my super duper long ride home!
Anyway, in Milan we met up with some people and put our stuff in there place, then headed to Dumoa, a church in the middle of Milan, and it was so BEAUTIFUL! We also saw huge high end stores, such as Burberry, Gucci, etc. Milan really is the center for shopping. Also, there is the exact opposite in Milan! Tons and tons of gypsies and homeless people. They were doing crazy things for money too.
Then we went to the castle in Milan, which is honestly the best one I have seen in ALL of Europe! It is the most like a castle I would expect, besides Neuschstein that is, but it doesn't count because it is in it's own are of AWESOMENESS!
Then we wondered around town and I was the closest I will probably ever be to the Last Supper. Apparently if you want to see it, you have to make a reservation 2 months in advance. I do not even think I bought my plane tickets for Italy 2 months ago... LAME!
Then we went and had GELATO! The goal is to have some in every city we go to and figure out which town has the best. I think we will suceed in our quest. Also, in Milan it had been raining for 2 weeks straight, and then luckily it stopped the day we were there, except for a 10 minute downpour, but luckily we were eating Gelato!
We also saw other amazing things, such as the first bell tower in Italy, the Da Vinci Science Museum, etc, but I am forgetting most of it! I'll have to lok through my photos again. Today we headed out to Venice very early, and apparently with the tickets we bought, we had to get it stamped before we got on the train, so we got fined 25 euros for riding the train without it being stamped, even though the guy could have just stamped it for us. It was such an awful, confusing ordeal, but I am trying to forget about it and enjoy the trip nonetheless.
Sunday we head to Florence, then Monday to Pisa for an awesome leaning Tower of Pisa photo session, then Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday hang out in Rome! Cannot wait to see more beautiful things that Italy has to offer!

ITALY!!!

2010-05-12T11:08:00.000-07:00

So tomorrow morning I leave for Italy at 4:30 my time, that's 21:30 for you central timers. My plane does not leave until 6:00, and the public transportation is not open until 5am, so I have to take a taxi with Hannah and Heidi to the airport. I think it will be relatively cheap though, since it's three of us and it's about 15 minutes away.
I am so excited to go to Italy though. I have wanted to go since 6th grade in World Studies with Mrs. Hawkins. She told us about the Colosseum and how Rome was such a great civilization, and it was then and there I made a goal to get to Rome one day. Starting next Tuesday, that goal will be achieved. I also remember researching the Roman Colosseum in 7th grade and Frank and I making a miniature one. It was so awesome!!! That was probably the best project I ever did.
The point is, I am very excited to go someplace I have wanted to go to since I was little. The only place that would beat Rome is Giza, Egypt. That is not happening though, so I guess Rome is a good alternative!
Anyway, I was talking with Hannah today about going home and I realized how different it will be. I am really nervous about going home actually. I haven't driven since Early February, and I am kind of freaking out about getting behind the wheel again. I think my head might explode when I can understand what everyone is saying too. I am so used to just zoning out everything because I cannot understand it. I think it will be a bigger culture shock coming back to America than coming here for some reason. I am not really sure why I feel this way, but it kind of makes me nervous to go home. Weird... But I am excited too! Do not get me wrong. It will just be different. Here I never text or talk on the phone anymore, so it will be weird getting back into that, if I do at all.

Another thing I learned. Skype is a wonderful, amazing piece of technology. I get to talk to my family and friends for free and see their lovely faces?! It's better than a cell phone! If you ever study abroad, get Skype, and make sure all your loved ones have it as well because it is so handy!
I do not really have much more to say, except I am starting to become very nostalgic about leaving. It is coming up really quickly, and I think I am more nostalgic about leaving Europe, than I was about leaving America. At least when I left America, I knew I would be back in less than 4 months, but with Europe, I do not know when I will ever be able to come back. I might complain a lot and say I miss home, but I really do love Prague. I enjoy walking around it all the time and just looking at everything. There is so much to see and so much to do. Whenever I am bored, I can just go out and see beautiful buildings. I'll miss doing that once back in Kansas, and I'll also miss the subway system! It's so handy, and cheap!
Well, that's about all. I had my last class ever here yesterday and am now anxiously awaiting my "final" next Friday. Hopefully I will be able to type a bit in Italy, but if not then I will write again next Thursday when I return for sure!!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!

2010-05-09T15:20:00.000-07:00

This goes out to all the mom's out there, but mainly to my mommy! Miss you lots and cannot wait to see you!
Anyway, since I last wrote, I have done some interesting things, so I figured I should write about it!
On Saturday I went out and walked around Prague. I walked around for a long time actually, and hit up all the really touristy spots. There are so many annoying tourists here! I never thought I would actually think that I would take pride in Prague, and be upset with the on-goings in the city, but tourists is making me very upset. I now know what people from Prague must think when they hear me speaking English! I heard so many people talking in languages I understood and I kept thinking, "I'm either getting really good at Czech (FALSE) or it's tourism season..." Unfortunately the latter was true. I am only slightly better at Czech than I was in I first got here.
Anyway, I was walking through the streets, and really wishing I could walk 10 feet without getting elbowed by a tourist walking past. Luckily, in small town Shawnee, this does not seem to happen to me! After walking around town, I hit up the PUB with some friends to celebrate their birthdays (since two of them had birthdays within three days of each other.) The PUB is one of my favorite bars in the Czech Republic because you can tap you own beers at your table!! And order off the screen in the middle. It really is an amazing bar. I could not drink or stay out to late, because I had to get up early and head out to Karlstejn. I wrote a while back about how I wanted to go there, and I finally got the chance! I went with Kevin and Angela. We went to Karlestejn and saw the most famous castle in all of Czech Republic! It was built by the guy on the 100 koruna bill. I know you ALL know who that is, but I'll tell you anyway. It's King Karel. He also built the very famous Charles Bridge in Prague. He did a lot for this country, which is why he is on one of their bills. Anyway, after Karlstejn, we wandered around the surrounding countryside and found "Little America". It's basically a huge old rock quarry that is really cool! I will put up pictures later, but it is a really beautiful place. Anyone visiting the Czech Republic for an extended amount of time really should go see Karelstejn!
Now, I do not know if anyone knows about Manhattan, Kansas and it's sister cities, but one of the two lie in the Czech Republic. We stopped in the town on the way back from Karelstejn and I got pictures with the sign (the town is called Dobrichovice), so now, every time I drive by that sign in Manhattan, I can say, "HEY!! I HAVE BEEN THERE!! Yes, I know it's in the Czech Republic, and I am really cool. Thank you, thank you." Or something like that anyway...
Well, that's all for now! I leave for Italy on Thursday morning at a very early time, so hopefully I will blog before then, and maybe even put up photos from today. One can hope anyway!

FOAM PARTY!!!

2010-05-07T07:10:00.001-07:00

We are pretty cool... and super clean!

HAPPY SIETE DE MAYO!

2010-05-07T06:55:00.000-07:00

Howdy folks!
So, I meant to write on Wednesday and say Happy Cinco de Mayo... didn't happen.
I meant to write on Thursday and say "Foam Party and Three Weeks!"... didn't happen.
So know here I am recapping my past 3 days to you, and all I can think about is the latest Survivor episode I just watched. So, maybe I'll start there.
SURVIVOR!! Freaking crazy man! Craziest season I have EVER watched in the past 20 seasons of watching it. Russell is going crazy and I always just do not know what is going to happen next! Let's see how many times I can say the word crazy! I do not think I know anyone as animated as I am while watching this show. I am also talking to myself, since there is no one else that watches it with me and say, "Oh my god I cannot believe this!" "What is going on?!" I am just so used to watching it with either Greg, or my mom, or my neighbors, that I have become used to asking these questions and freaking out with them about the show. Ida was sitting behind me today, and something ridiculous happened, so I stood up and said, "What the heck is going on!?" She said, "It is just a TV show Kelsey." It may be just a TV show, but I have grown up watching it with people, talking with them about it, and I know all of these old Survivors, so everything they do, it's like I am basically there with them while they do it. What I am getting at is: I miss watching this show with other people. So whether next year it is with Chelsea or Greg, all I know is I need a person watching it with me, so that we can freak out together.
Okay, enough about Survivor. Wednesday I went to a Czech Museum for class and they had Picasso's, Monet's, and Van Gogh's. Cannot take a field trip like that in Manhattan, Kansas. This was my last class for Czech Culture and after wards I turned in my paper. I do not even think she read it, because an hour later I got an e-mail saying I got an A in the class. All I have left is Differential Equations on Tuesday and I am done! I have gotten three A's this semester so far, and all I needed was a pass. It seems even while enjoying myself in Prague, I still have to try my hardest at classes. I think that's probably a good trait to have though.
Later on Wednesday was Cinco de Mayo, and I'll just skip the details. I did find out though from my Mexican friends that they do not even care about Cinco de Mayo and that they party for the Mexican revolution! I have decided that from now on, I will recognize both holidays. The more Americanized Cinco de Mayo, and the more Mexican "Mexico Revolution Day". That way, I appease both sides. I know... I am a giver.
Yesterday I went to my first ever FOAM PARTY!!! It was freaking crazy! I went with Chris, Ida, and Hannah! It was so much fun! I will post a picture actually because it was so amazing! I will probably never go to anything like it again, but I am glad I got to once in my life! This club we went to is really famous too! Macy Gray has performed there, plus Cuba Gooding Jr and Paris Hilton have partied there, sadly not when I was, but that's alright. Later this month Billy Idol is performing there! This place is literally amazing! Cannot find clubs like this in Kansas. Well that's all I got for now. It's raining... again. It's been raining for a week and it will keep raining until next Saturday. Luckily I will be in Italy!!! Well, until next time!

Inspiration

2010-05-04T05:39:00.000-07:00

So I have found the source of inspiration for this blog. Taco Bell. I know many of you are rolling your eyes because you know of my obsession with the restaurant, but today I found myself on their website. I checked out a few of my favorites and then wondered if there were any in Europe at all, who knows, maybe I would take a field trip to visit it. Well, there is one in Spain, but it is on a Naval Base and only they get to eat at it. There were some in London, but they were closed down in 2006. WHAT IS WRONG WITH EUROPE?!?! They have stupid KFC and Pizza Hut but no Taco Bell. These people do not know what they are missing. Seriously, that is the first place I am going when I get back. I am so mad Chicago Airport has no Taco Bell. What is wrong with the world today.
ANYWAY... I'll stop making myself salivate. The last day in Budapest was pretty awesome! I went to this place where they had old Communism statues. It was like a Communism park of statues and most in the world are destroyed, so it was amazing seeing these. The ones of Stalin there are some of the last ones on Earth. It's weird how people destroy them after the regime is done. I feel it was smart for Hungary to keep them, but move them out of the city. I mean it's art, no matter how ugly it is, and it's their history. Yes, it sucked, but it happened. It's like the Holocaust, it was terrible, but they keep around the remains of concentration camps because to make people remember. I feel the same about these statues.
I was the only one from our group, who was all girls by the way, to go see it. Others were going to come with me, but they decided they wanted to shop, since this place was very hard to find. I almost gave up myself. I asked a couple people where this bus stop was and they all did not speak English, but tried so hard to help me. There was one awesome dude in particular that I am very thankful for. I was asking directions from this little old lady who was trying so hard to tell me, but I did not understand what she was talking about at all. Then this bus driver honked me over to his window while he was stopped at a light. He also did not know English, but pointed in a direction, which did not really help me much. So my friends and I decided to head back, and went down the street a little ways to wait at the tram stop to take us to the shopping district. Then the bus drove by us, after the light turned green, and the driver honked at me and waved his arm for me to follow. So I ran over to the bus at the next stop. He literally stopped the whole bus, got out, and showed me which bus to take and where to get off. He is my Budapest hero. I feel bad for the people on the bus though. Having to wait for a stupid American tourist. It was totally worth it though. I loved seeing all the insane statues.
They even had the one of Stalin's boots. In Budapest they had a statue of him measuring 16m in height and then pulled it down after Stalin died. It was interesting seeing these sculptures though, because I have seen many of them in history books, but this actually happened to this country. It's weird thinking about how 20 years ago many of the places I have visited were run by Communism. That's how old I am! They have only have the length of my age to get over Communism and become a free nation. From personal experience, I would say these countries have done very well. I am impressed!
Anyway, we rode the train back after that and rode in it for 7 hours!!! Crazy. The yesterday I went to the museum, because it is free on the first Monday of the month, and that was my last first Monday of the month here, so I figured I could check it out. It was the weirdest museum I have ever been it. Whoever created it had ADD. They had early civilization tools and then a room of medals the President of the Czech has acquired during his life, then a room full of different kids of rocks. On the same floor they had the different levels of the world, showing the core and stuff, and then in a room off of it things describing wind power, and sharks, and prehistoric animals. This was all in the same room. I was just so confused. The second floor was all animals, but they had like a bug collection, then animals that were stuffed, then the skeletons of the animals. This museum had no connecting thread, so I just was all over the place basically. Plus it was all in Czech, so I could not read what was going on. It was a very lost in translation moment for me.
This is like a big time museum too! It's pretty famous, and many people go there. I just do not understand the draw though. I was just so confused the whole freaking time!
Today I had a test in my Differential class and luckily it was super tough, so the teacher helped me with 3 of the 4 problems. That was nice! On the last test I got a 100%. Thanks to my handy dandy notes! Now I will probably sit around today since my life here is just so difficult. I would go outside, but it's rainy again. Stupid Prague. Hopefully tomorrow will be better!

HAPPY MAYDAY!!!

2010-05-01T13:17:00.000-07:00

So, I am glad I missed out on May Day celebrations in Prague. Apparently boys pull you under cherry blossom trees and kiss you. I do not want some rando kissing me under a tree, thank you very much.
Anyway, today in Budapest I got sunburned soooo badly. My skin is basically on fire right now. But, that means it is beautiful here! I wish it was this weather in Prague! It's awesome short weather! I am sure it will be when I get back to Kansas, but at least I will already have some color and not be super pale. I am sure it will be hot in Italy though... anyway I am rambling.
Today we went and saw many things. Let me see if I can remember.
First, we went to the Parliament building (which was quite a walk), then to St. Stephen's Basilica! After we found our way to the National Opera Theater!
We then wanderes down a street and ended up in Hero's Square. In said square there are statues of many Hungarians who are all heros in the eyes of the nation. I wonder if the guy who made the Rubix cube is up there?
After we had lunch in the park, and I had an authentic Hungarian dish, but I am not sure of what it is called. Then we went to the SPA!! I went into a steam bath for the first time ever and it was just awful! It was about 100*C and I could not breathe wahtsoever. The place had a really cool vibe though. There was a huge pool outside, but it was a thermal pool. So you got to hang out in that. People were playing chess in the pool and it was just an awesome time. There was a sulfur pool too, which was different, but I tried it! Then when we were leaving, I walked through the bathroom and saw all these naked, old ladies. Why do old ladies not care about changing in front of people? It's very creepy. The men there wear very little bathing suits too, which is also odd. I miss boys wearing swim trunks, so you cannot see every little detail. It's awful!
Then we rode the bus for free (because apparently it's free here) to a place for dinner. Looked around at shopping places for a while, then off to a boat ride! So exciting! It was beautiful seeing all the buildings at night. Now I am waiting for everyone to get ready, because we are going out to a club for a while!
While I am waiting, I thought of two things I hate about Europe in general:
1. When you want ketchup anywhere (even McDonalds) you MUST pay extra for it.
2. When you are eating anywhere (even McDonalds) you MUST pay for the bathroom.
Basically I am sick of them charging me for things that I should have already paid for when I bought the stupid food. I cannot wait to be in America again, where everything is free and cheap. Until then I have one more day in Budapest, a week and some in Prague, a week in Italy, and six days in Prague again. I canot believe it is almost time for me to go home! Time has gone by so fast here, and it seems it will only go by faster as the month continues!
Well, I will most likely write when I am in Prague again!

In the Land of Rubix Cubes

2010-04-30T13:43:00.000-07:00

So we arrived in Budapest today, and we had such a busy time! We got into the train station, was told to get on a bus to where our hostel was, but not to buy a ticket, because apaprently people here do not care, and then searched for about 10 minutes for our hostel, because it was hidden in the apartments around town. We are righ tin the middle of town though! Which is awesome! this place is much bigger than Prague and we are managing just fine, infaltion is also about 10 times as much here as it is in Prague. A dollar will buy you 20 Krown (Czech money) and it will buy you 203 Florinte (Hungarian money). So I traded in $20 and got back 4000 Florinte. I feel so loaded!
The hostel we are in is very interesting... I quite like it, but some people from our group do not. We get free internet and have a room all to ourselves, so I cannot complain too much! Plus it's only about 10 Euro a night, so not too bad.
Today we went to the Citadell, which is a huge hill the fortess and lookout tower are on. The climb up it was almost impossible, mainly because it's 80 degrees here and I am wearing jeans! I did not think it would be this hot here! I am so happy! I am tired of looking at pictures of me in the grey jacket!
After we walked down to the castle and saw all the beauty that was there. The Parliament building here is so beautiful, and I personally think it is better than Big Ben and his Parliament building in London. So Frank, you asked what is there to ever see in Budapest? A ton, and I love this city a lot! It's one of the best I have actually seen here in Europe. Tomorrow we are going to a spa (which Budapest is famous for) and going to see some other things as well.... I almost forgot!
The rubix cube was invented in Hungary, and I have officially done the rubix cube in the land it was invented in. I always thought it was created in America, so I never thought it was a big deal, but boy am I mistaken! Now I am among the few Americans that have rubixed it out in Hungary and sloved it! WINNER! They have a sweet magnet here with a rubix cube on it, and I am pretty sure I am going to buy that magnet, instead of one with any buildings on it. Just to commemorate my success and all. That's one thing I will not need next year for my apartment with Chelsea. Magnets. Oh, and shot glasses. We will defiantly be covered on both fronts with international commodities in the form of shot glasses and magnets.

AQUAPALACE!!!

2010-04-26T10:22:00.000-07:00

Well, I guess I can post now... since I am not doing anything anyway.
I realized I hadn't told you some things that have happened since I got back form Munich, so last Wednesday I went to an art exhibit for my Czech Culture class. The exhibit featured art from the only famous Czech photographer. I think he should really be called a pornographer. Do not get me wrong, he had some pretty awesome stuff, but most of it was disgusting and AWFUL! I felt awkward just looking at it. I did like 3 prints especially, but the rest (which is around 100) were weird and odd. Let's just say he is not my cup of tea...
On to happier news: Yesterday I went to a park in Prague called Šárka (pronounced Sharka). I was there around 3 hours and this place is so beautiful. It's not like your conventional park. There are no real side walks, just worn down paths. One leads to the top of a hill, which overlooks Prague. I think I found my new favorite place in the city! I cannot wait to go back! Hopefully it will get me a little tan too before I head home!
Then today I went to a water park called AQUAPALACE!! I went with Kevin, Angela, Hannah, and Ida. It was a little bittersweet being there, because the place itself was awesome, but the last time I was at an indoor water park was with Greg and that was super fun! So it was me reminisce a little, but all in all it was an awesome time! We were there for about 4 and a half hours! The park itself was HUGE too. They had so many slides and then they had an indoor wave pool! Plus a mile long lazy river! Then some really sweet jacuzzi's. Basically, it's the coolest indoor park I have ever been to, so if you want to go, then Prague is where you need to be. If you study abroad here or anything, I recommend going to Aquapalace for sure, but make sure you go Monday, because it's so much cheaper!
Then this Friday I am heading to BUDAPEST! I'm having everything paid for, for around $140. Cannot complain too much since it's super cheap! Then, when I get back, I get 5000 Kr from the school! YAY for money! Anyway, that's all that's really been happening so far! I might report back tomorrow after my one class and let you know what will happen, since I missed the last one and we had a test in it! YIKES! Anyway have an awesome Monday! I sure did!

Munich, Germany

2010-04-23T01:26:00.000-07:00

Alright, so I left off at riding at rain for 10 hours. We arrived in Munich and went to a friends house where we were going to sleep. Which is really lucky that we were staying with her because after the volcano incident, beds in hostels went up to about 90 euro per night. Jerks, taking advantage of people in their time of need. Anyway we got there, went to the store and made some pasta! I have realized pasta is the universal cheap thing, which is alright with me since I love it!
The next day we headed out early and, after a two hour train ride, ended up in Neuschwanstein Castle around 11am. Frank and my mom had been to Neuschwanstein before and really recommend it to me, which is fortunate because it's such an amazing place. The castle itself is not very old, it's younger than America, but it is the castle that Disney's Beauty and the Beast castle is copied after, as well as the castle in Disney World/Land. It was nestled high up in the mountains, which means it rained on us around 1pm. I was so soaked after that, so I figured we might as well walk around since we are already wet! It finally cleared up around 3pm and then we headed back down to the train station in the town of Fussen. Also, since I saw this castle, it means I have been in and seen the Alps! That day was like a two for one! We didn't get back to Munich until around 6pm and we were all still so wet so we just went back to our friends place and watched a movie and made pasta AGAIN for dinner.
Seeing this castle means we only had one day in Munich though, which is fine since we basically saw everything in that day! First we went to the Olympic Stadium, followed by a visit to the English Garten (yes it's spelled that way, and I know it's wrong). The gardens were very beautiful and in one spot we saw a river section that follows a dam, so there is a huge wave, and 4 guys would rotate and surf the wave on the river! It was really weird to see it, since they were surfing on a tiny river. Actually it was more like a creek. So take that river size in your head and shrink it down to creek size, then put a surfer on it. It was really odd.
After staring at these people for 10 minutes we went to the palace and walked through it's gardens. The place is right in down town Munich though, so it was really odd, because after the palace we went and were right by Old Town Square. The square holds New Town Hall and the giant Glockenspiel, which we luckily made just in time for the new hour. It's a huge clock, that also has the little figurines dancing around in a circle every-time an hour strikes. I think Manhattan could use one, because it was AWESOME! Then we joined some free tour group, and headed to the church where the devil left his foot print because he was so angry. It's a long story, but basically it explains how the church was built so fast and why there is a huge foot print in the middle of the entrance of the church. The devil comes to Munich one night and sees this new Church, he walks in and doesn't see any windows in the church, so he goes to the architect, says to put no more windows in the church and he would help fund the church. Then the devil sent his minions to work on it at night, which is how it is done super fast, and comes back the next day to find the inside of the church light and sunny inside, instead of a church of darkness, which he figured would be the perfect place for him to be worshiped. He goes to the architect and says, "Hey, you said you wouldn't put in anymore windows! What's with all the windows?" The architect says, "I did not put in more, you were just looking at the inside of the church from a different position." Then leads him to where he stood that night. From where he stood, he could see no windows, but saw all the light shining in. These huge columns were in the way of all the windows, which is why he didn't see them at night. He was so angry he stamped is foot and vanished back to hell, which is why there is a huge foot print there now, and from that exact spot you can see no windows.
Hope you enjoyed the story and now back to the rest of Munich. Then we went and saw where the Old Brewhaus was that Hilter tried to take Munich over in. There was also a plaque there during Nazi times commemorating the people that died there. It is now taken down, but it's creepy because you can still see where it was. An alley before the plague is called "Dodger's Alley", which you can find by a gold band running though it. During Nazi times you had to stop at the plaque and give the Nazi sign, but some people hated the Nazi's and did not want to so they "dodged" through the alley. A spy was kept by the alley though and wrote down everyone's names that walked through and how many times a week they did. If you seemed suspicious, you were taken in as a person who committed treason, and taken to Dachua. Sad times.
After that we left the tour and went and found the famous BREWHAUS, the largest beer hall in Germany, and drank one of their fine ales. Then we went to a market place, then to an awesome church, and then to the University which is famous for it's rebellion of the Nazi's. We sadly did not find the monument commemorating the students.
After we went and got ice cream with the friend we were staying with and then went back to watch Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Every time, literally every time, they said philosopher I freaked out! It's Sorcerer, not Philosopher! What's wrong with these people?! It was very funny too, because our friend only watched it in German, and she had such a tough time understanding people with heavy English accents, like Hagrid. Then it was time to head to the bus station and drive the five hours back. Luckily I had 2 seats all to myself so I could sleep the whole way! Besides getting wonderful pictures and memories from this trip, I also got very sick! My friend Heidi was sick, and now I am sick because of her... Hopefully I will get better soon though!
So tips for traveling in Germany:
1. To travel cheaply from city to city, travel by train on the weekend using a pass called the Happy Weekender Pass, but in German of Course. You can ride on a train with up to 5 people for only 39 euro. As opposed to buying your own ticket during the week for around 75-100 euro. If you take the faster, more direct train, then prepare to pay the difference. It's a lot more expensive.
2. I recommend for both cities to buy a subway pass. You could get away with just biking around Munich though, but defiantly need one for Berlin.
3. If you are in Berlin and want to see the Reichstag, get there at of slightly before 8am, because if you get there around 9am, you will have to wait in line for about and hour and a half or so.
4. Skip the museums that cost money. There is so much to see for free, that you will be wasting money and time with them. The only thing I recommend paying to go into is the TV tower in Berlin. It's a lot cooler than any museum!
5. Do not take sick friends, unless you want to get sick too!

Well, I think that's enough for one day. Maybe tomorrow I will finally fill you in on my life in Prague again!

Stupid Volcano

2010-04-21T10:22:00.000-07:00

Luckily, it didn't affect me because I traveled by bus to and from Germany! What luck!! Many friends though are having vacation plans ruined and cannot get back to University after a vacation due to said volcano!
I hope it does not go off again. Apparently if it does, then it will be way more powerful than the last two blasts! I really want to be home at the end of May! Please Volcano Gods, do not let it go off until I get home!
Anyway, I suppose I should talk about my vacation to Germany or something. I am sort of sick right now though, so I really have little want to do this, but I suppose I should.
We arrived in Germany early Thursday, and luckily we were allowed into our hostel (at 6am) to put our stuff away and in our room there were 2 free beds. Heidi and I slept in one and Paul slept in the other. Unfortunately Heidi was sick the whole vacation, so that's how I got ill!
Anyway, once we woke up again on Thursday, we went and saw so much of Berlin! We first went and saw the bombed out church in Berlin. It reminded me of the movie 9 by Tim Burton. The church I saw seemed very similar to buildings in that movie. Anyway, after I went to find Hard Rocks Cafe because apparently it is super close. Then I saw it too was under construction like the one in Krakow!! Then I noticed a sign saying that there was one open a little was down the street. Apparently they were building a bigger one in a more central location, but seeing that closed one freaked me out! I have to get Hard Rock pins! They cannot be closed!
But I digress. After we walked through the Tier Gardens and saw the Berlin statue of victory! Then we wondered to the Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag. After we went to the TV tower (apparently the second highest building in Europe) and went up in it. I got a beautiful view of the city, and after we went to the revolving restaurant and had some dessert while viewing the city underneath.
We then went down to see some of the things we saw from above like the Berliner Dom and Europe's largest Aquarium, in a hotel no less! Then we saw the New Brick Town Hall and the old one. We then went and saw Alexanderplatz and the peace fountain that is there. After we headed to Charlie Checkpoint. Then to the old crappy part of the Berlin Wall, not the cool East Gallery part, which we did see the next day! Then we wondered over to Hitler's Bunker where he was supposedly killed. You wouldn't know it's his bunker unless you know where it was, and luckily I knew. It's just a patch of grass now. I found it slightly ironic that a man was flying a kite on the place where Hitler died, but that's the world for you.
I do not know if you have heard of the Sony Center, but it's freaking awesome. It's by Hitler's final bunker and it looks like an arrow is shot through it. It is an amazing feat of architectural engineering. Then we stumbled across the Holocaust memorial in Berlin. It's an amazing place with these huge stone pillars as markers to represent the Jewish people who were murdered. There was a museum underneath for free, but we went the next day since it was closed that late at night.
We then went and ate Domino's pizza, since we haven't had any since America and there are none in Prague. It was delicious!!
The next morning we woke up bright and early to get in line for Reichstag, since it's free to get in. We went up to the glass dome and got to see all of Germany around the Reichstag. It was pretty interesting there. They have a sun screen, so that the sun won't directly come into the dome and blind everyone when it bounces off the mirrors. What smart people. Then we went back to the Holocaust memorial and wandered through it for a while. Then we went to another Jewish memorial, the one with the cool design and all the strips of metal taken out. I did not go in, but Heidi wanted to, so Paul and I wandered around waiting for her. We found an awesome place to eat and a really neat church, as well as the most random park ever! Afterwards we made our way to the East Gallery of the Berlin Wall. This is wear the wall is mostly intact and people have painted many things on it. The wall itself was very beautiful and interesting. Many of the pieces were uplifting and very hopefully, which I liked after 2 Holocaust museum visits. After wandering the stretch of wall, we found our way to the Schloss Charlottenburg. It is a very beautiful palace on the outskirts of Berlin. It was rather hard to find though...
LUCKILY, we arrived about 15 minutes before they stopped selling tickets, so I asked the lady how much a student ticket was, and she said it was free and that today we were children. I will take being a child any day if I get free entrance to things! The palace itself was beautiful.
Three rooms really stand out in my mind though. The ballroom with windows from ceiling to floor, the china room (with literally china from ceiling to floor), and the grand church with an amazing figurines. After we toured the gardens and those were magnificent as well. You cannot really expect anything less from royalty though.
That concludes our trip to Berlin. The next day we rode a 10 hour day to Munich. It was about 13 euro, as opposed to the one for 200 euro that gets there in 6 hours. I think for the 4 hours delay, I can deal with saving 187 euro. Anyway I will write later about Munich, because I think this is really enough for one day!

Poland Photos

2010-04-14T06:44:00.001-07:00

Well this is the beginning of our Poland adventure together! There was about 30 more students than just us, but these are my buddies on the trip! We are in the middle of the Old Time Square. The statue behind us is of a famous libertarian. The building under construction behind is the famous marketplace. Unfortunately it is closed. Our hostel is about a minute away from this place. It was an awesome hostel in an awesome location!
The is St. Mary's Church! It is also in Old Town Square. Pope John Paul used to give sermons here, but that was before he was Pope of course. He actually went to school here and lived here. He was the head pastor at a church here in Krakow for a while too!
Me in front of the Old Watch Tower in Old town square. To the right is the Old Market Place, if that gives you any reference as to where I am.
This is the famous alter of St. Mary's Church. It is the St. Mary's death and then ascension to heaven where she became queen of Heaven. It opens every day at 10 to 12, so 11:50 and we got to see it! The Nazi's took it from this church during their reign, but it was restored after the war.
Ida and I in Krakow's oldest college. The likes of Copernicus and Pope John Paul went here!
Enjoying one of Krakow's famous Pretzel's!!!
This is where Pre-Pope John Paul lived! Notice the picture of him in the window
Wawel (pronounced Vavel) Castle
Angela and I in the courtyard of the castle. The church of the is behind us. On the photo's right is where the Nazi's were headquartered in Poland during World War II
So, Krakow, is known for their dragons. The story goes that there was a dragon that lived under the castle (yes the castle is right behind us) would eat virgins of Krakow. So the King told the people that whoever could kill the dragon would win the hand of his daughter. So the shoemaker filled a sheep with sulfur and the dragon ate it. After he ate it he went to the river and drank and drank and drank until POP! He exploded! The statue breathes fire every five minutes too! His cave is right behind us, but you cannot see it in this picture.
Heidi, Ida, Angela, and I at dinner
All around Krakow are these pianos (kind of like the Kansas Cows were in KC).
At Auschwitz. It says work equals freedom, but that defiantly wasn't the case.
I think this is one of the scariest photos I took. Where the train tracks end and with Auschwitz well known entrance in the background. It's impossible to think that 1.5 million people were murdered where I stood.
After a depressing trip to Auschwitz, we went and saw the memorial to the President in front of the St. Mary's Church in Old Town Square.
So, for my birthday, we wrote down the times we finished each bottle. There are 11 total. No bueno.

Well, I figured I should put these up before I leave for Germany today! Hope you enjoy them! I am going to be gone until next Tuesday, but I'll try to keep you updated! Hopefully I can write once and a while. If not, the game plan is Thursday and Friday: Berlin. Saturday, Sunday, and Monday: Munich. Driving back to Prague on Tuesday, and will get in around 5am my time. Sadly I have class at 9am! I actually have to go too because I have a test thing in it or something. Yuck. Ah well, I guess I should do some school while here!! I do have to pass you know!

I BEAT TEEN PREGANCY!!!

2010-04-12T07:47:00.000-07:00

That's my motto for this birthday, but it's really the only good thing that comes out of it, besides me getting to have a party. I mean when your 21 at least you get to drink legally, but I do not even get to do that, it's just like hey you have lived two decades. Congrats!
I know most people are glad to leave teenage years, but it kind of makes me sad. It means I am even more of an adult than I ever really wanted to be. I would be happy if I could just be 10 forever, during the summer time and eating my Spaghettio's while watching Nickelodeon. Those were honestly some of the funnest times in my life. I was just so innocent and unknowing of things. I got to go outside and play without a care in the world. Being old just makes things way to complicated and hard. I think Peter Pan had the right idea.
Tonight my friends are throwing a huge party for me. We are starting to party here around 8pm and then heading to a club. I do not think I will make it to class tomorrow at 9am!
When I got back from Poland, my roommate Hannah decorated my room and put up a HAPPY BIRTHDAY KELSEY! sign. She also made a little party hat and put it on my panda bear. It makes me happy to have people care that much about me here. I was sad I was going to have a boring birthday here, but guess not.
I also got to open up a birthday present from my Mom and Frank! It was so awesome. My dad and grandma Barb and cousin Jessica also have some coming apparently. I even have letters in the mail. I love getting mail, it makes me happy people still remember even though I am all the way over here.
I had my Stats final today as well, and I told my professor it was my birthday and he said well congratulations. Asked me if I thought I had learned a lot in the class. I said that I did and that the equation sheets really helped me and then he said, "Well, then I think we are done here." Then he gave me an Excellent as a grade (I think that's an A) and told me to have a Happy Birthday. Gotta love European teachers. I was literally there for 5 minutes.
On Wednesday night I am heading to Germany. I realized that after next weekend I will have traveled 4 weekends straight! Crazy! Next weekend off to Budapest. After that I am taking a little break, probably travel around Czech some days, and then head off to Italy with my roommate Hannah and friends Kevin and Angela for about a week! It's so crazy. April is going by very fast for me, and before I know it, it will be May. I am excited to be heading home though, but until then, I think I have a little more traveling to attend to...

Where the Train Tracks End

2010-04-10T10:54:00.000-07:00

Today, I went to Auschwitz. Needless to say it was a life-changing experience and I figured Auschwitz deserves it's own blog mention. The whole time there I just kept thinking I can't believe this happened to people. I cannot believe 1.5 million people died here. That is 60 times the amount of students at K-State. I cannot imagine my whole school getting wiped out in one go, and some days in Auschwitz, they killed that many.
I still cannot believe all the awful things I viewed. It's just so depressing people could treat other people like that. Even if Nazi's did see them as dogs, I could never do that to a dog, let alone a human. What they did is beyond my realm of comprehension.
I saw rooms filled with hair, glasses, pots and pans, kids shoes...
I saw hair still braided, even after being chopped of the persons head.
I saw nail marks in concrete in the gas chambers of Auschwitz.
I saw where the train tracks ended after dropping off innocent people for the gas chambers.
I stood where 1.5 million people where executed.
That's some heavy stuff.
I think it's weird how people now live right outside where the concentration camp is. I could see houses behind the barbed wire fences, and I'm sure they could see the camp. I do not think I would want to see that everyday. I do not understand the people who work there either. I could not recount the awfulness that happened to those people everyday. They are much stronger than me.
Besides that depressing fact to my day, I learned that the Polish president died, while we are in Poland. We were supposed to have a party tonight, but all clubs are closed due to his death. Not only is it sad I do not get to party, but the man was on the way to a memorial for Katyn in Russia 70 years after it happened. During World War II the Russians killed thousands in the woods outside Katyn and had always said they did not do it. Today the President of Russia was supposed to make an apology to the Polish President in Russia. Unfortunately more people had to die due to Katyn, which including many Parliamentary figures, the President, and some family members of the people lost in Katyn. What a sad end to a sadder story. So, as you can see, today was just an all around depressing day. I could use a hug. Poland has been fun nonetheless and I am glad I came to see what happened to these people in Auschwitz. They had to live it, the least I could do is hear about it for a few hours.

Heading out for Krakow

2010-04-08T13:10:00.000-07:00

I am leaving for Poland in an hour, and I have nothing to do since I already packed. I hate sitting and waiting to leave for a trip. I hope writing in my blog helps quicken the time.
I am excited to go to Krakow, it seems like a pretty cool town according to what Ida, my Polish/Bulgarian friend/roommate, says. There was a lot of slashes used in order to describe one person! Anyway, I am glad she is coming with us. It will be nice to actually have a friend who speaks the language come with me so I know what the heck is going on for once in a country!!
Last night we had our USA and Russia presentations. I went and participated in both country's competitions, even though I probably wasn't supposed to be in the one for USA! I got free drinks though, so I am okay with it. For the USA one I played Louisville Chugger and the Russian one included nasty Russian vodka. The USA team also carried around a beer bong for people to use, but no one really seemed interested. Then I said, "I love these!" and did it fairly easily. People saw how awesome a beer bong was, and all started to take part. I felt pretty cool being the one to get it started!
Oh, and I almost forgot something, which I cannot believe that I actually almost forgot this!!!
I saw Barak Obama in his car today! We were walking to our dorm and the traffic going both ways was stopped! Even the trams were not moving! All of a sudden sirens came out of no where and a helicopter flew above us. The cars drove by and had the US flag on it and it was all together a crazy seen. I felt like I was in a movie. Apparently, they have been driving by our place all day, because it's a main road to the castle, which is where they are doing all the signing. We must have caught them coming back from a lunch break. It really was an amazing sight. So much fuss over one person who isn't even a residence in that country. I guess being the leader of America has it's perks. I would hate it though, you could not go anywhere or see any sights in Prague without having to make a big fuss about it.
Anyway, I guess I sort of did get to see him, so mission accomplished this week! Now off to Krakow! I do not know how happy my next post will be though, seeing as I will just be getting back from seeing Auschwitz. I am glad I am going to see the place, but not very excited. It's one of those things you must see to believe I think, so that you can never forget what happened to the people there. It's my way of showing my respect to the people who had to endure I think.
When I get back though, I am not going to be a teenager anymore as of Monday. My friend Ida made a facebook group for my birthday party called Kelsey Beats Teen Pregnancy. The name is courtesy of my future roommate Chelsea. I think it's fairly clever if I must say so myself. I am glad that I can use that name, it's much better than the other option, Kelsey did not beat teen pregnancy. Yes, I think I like option one much, much better! Well, now I really am off to Krakow!

Wien Pictures

2010-04-06T10:27:00.000-07:00

First of all, I would like to say that I am going to a water park on Thursday!!! Today I went shopping at a place called the New Yorker and all the clothes had words on them, but written in English! What the heck?! So I bought this sweater that I always wanted. You know one of those huge, baggy, 80's sweater that is a dress and you wear tights with it? I have wanted one for about a year and I finally found on... in Prague. It was only like $15!! What a cheap price for a dream come true shirt!
I am taking my final next Wednesday for stats, but I am the only one, so I am bringing my lovely Polish/Bulgarian friend Ida with me and she will sit in the classroom while I take it. This is the teacher who rubs my head and freaks me out and I am pretty sure if I went alone I would not like it, so she is being a wonderful friend and coming with me!

Now then, these are all courtesy of my friend Chris, since my camera has abandoned me:

This is when we first got to Vienna at 5:30am. This is the main church called St. Stephens Cathedral in the middle of town.

The National Opera Theater. The likes of Mozart and Beethoven played here!
Statue dedicated to Mozart behind the Palace Hofburg
The Palace Hofburg in the middle of the city.
I don't know if you can see me. I'm the girl with my arms up in front of the statue! Anyway this is the Parliament building
This is the city hall, even though it looks like a church or something. Geez I love buildings here. So magnificent.
In front of Beethoven's grave! Buried next to him is Mozart. I will probably never be this close to so many famous people again! As you can see in my hand I still have my camera. :(
BIG LION STATUE. In front of the Palace Schonbrunn. I am pretty sure this was illegal...
The palace Schonbrunn
The huge grounds of Schonbrunn behind Chris and I.
PANDA BEARS!!!! The palace had it's own zoo with it's own PANDA BEARS! Of course a palace would have a zoo, and of course that zoo would contain one of the most extinct species in the world.
Chris with his new best friend!
You probably can't tell, but I am pointing to Kansas on the map! The Ferris Wheel behind me is a very famous one from Vienna. It has old train cars at the compartments on it.
Me excited to find a theme park!
Waiting for the bus to go home. Like the short new hair cut?
We had a stop in Brno (Czech Republic's 2nd largest city) and found this huge cool church. I guess I can cross Brno off the list, since we saw the only interesting thing there!

Wien

2010-04-05T14:10:00.000-07:00

One of the oddest things ever. Countries are named different things to different countries. I feel like if you country is a certain name, it should have that name in all countries and it shouldn't be changed. It's like my name, it doesn't change everywhere I go, it is still Kelsey. Anyway I went to Vienna this weekend, which is known as Wien to everyone not from America. It was so amazingly beautiful there. Everyone was super friendly too! People in Europe never cease to amaze me. I got to Wien, knew none of the language, but everyone there speaks English, even people who work in McDonald's, who would normally only know one language in America. It was awesome.

Anyway, Wien has about 3 palaces in the one town. Why would one town need three palaces? I have no idea. We got to Wien around 5:30am and checked out everything before dawn. The streets were empty and they were ours to rule. Then we found a nice, cheap, centrally located hostel, and slept until about 1pm. From there we went to check out the huge main square, saw an awesome church, then went to all the famous locations. Saw Parliament, City Hall, 2 identical Museums, the Palace Hofburg, and then another pretty awesome church. We also saw the Opera House where the likes of Beethoven and Mozart played. The next day we went to the palace on the outskirts of town. It was so amazing and the gardens were breathe taking, even in the beginning of Spring. We then went to the zoo on the palace grounds where they had PANDA BEARS!!!! I love me some panda bears. Also, during this day I lost my camera. I lost it on a tram in Vienna. I am super depressed, but I won't say anymore about it because my dad is sending me my old one, and there is no point on beating myself up about it. It happens, and I just can't do it again. Then I really will be SOL. Luckily, my friend had his camera and we basically had the same photos, so I cannot complain too much, at least I still have some photos. Also, we went to the huge cemetery in town, and saw Mozart's, Beethoven's, Brahm's, and all the Austrian president's graves. The final day in town we went to this little theme park in Vienna. It was funny seeing all of the rides names there and how different they were. They had some pretty awesome ones though. We then got back on the bus and rode 5 hours to Prague. We stopped over in Brno, Czech Republic's second biggest city and had an hour break, so we checked out the huge cathedral there and then got back on the bus. Now, I am anxiously awaiting my trip to Krakow. It makes the time here go by so much faster traveling so much. I think I am going to give up on seeing Obama. I can't really bother to actually. Also, while traveling I went with my friend Chris from England and I learned all of these new English words, UK style. They really are so different from Americans words. They call the hood of a car the bonnet! So weird. Anyway, I will put up pictures tomorrow hopefully. I need to put them up before I head off the Poland for this weekend!!!

April Fools Day My Butt!!!!

2010-04-01T11:58:00.000-07:00

So, I do not know if this is true or not, but if it is, I am freaking out.
On April 7th America is having their country presentation at a club, along with Russia. On April 8th he will be signing a treaty for the START II in Prague with the Russian President. He will be in Prague from April 5th-April 8th. Then today, we got an e-mail saying, that Obama will be coming to the club were we are having the presentation and watch them. We need to send our name so that they know who will be coming and who to put on the list, but they need it by midnight tonight. That means I will be on stage playing flip cup while the President watches. I think that is somewhat cool, but also somewhat awful. Getting drunk in front of the President... OMG!
But, it is April Fools Day, so I really do not know what to believe. If he is coming, that means we need to change our whole video and drinking games, because I do not know how cool the President will think they are. I sent my name back nonetheless, but if this is a joke, they got me very excited and riled up for nothing. I will be super pissed. I'm just so excited to see the President that if they take it away from me, I do not think I will even want to participate in the country presentation anymore.
Also, whether or not he does come to Prague, I will be searching the streets for him from April 5-8! I want to see him so bad. He seems like such a cool dude, plus I have wasted so much time talking about him, I might as well see him. How cool would it be to see the President in Prague? Pretty darn cool. One can only hope, that maybe I will be eating lunch somewhere and the President Obama eats there too! If only I was so lucky....
Anyway I am leaving for Vienna in 3 hours. And that is no joke or trick or me trying to fool you!

Better Late than Never...

2010-03-31T06:04:00.000-07:00

Well, I finally have put up the pictures. Thank you all for waiting so patiently. I figured I had to put them up now, because soon I am leaving for Vienna, and then I will be on trip behind on pictures! Cannot have that now can we?
Greg finally made it to Europe! He does not look very excited to be on a plane though, after riding them for like 20 hours to get here and having a but load of delays! Poor guy!

We made it to Barcelona! This is the Arc de Triomph. The first thing we saw in Barcelona!
This is a house Gaudi made. It is made to look like a dragon!
At La Sagrada Familia! Our hostel was literally a block away from the magnificent church so we got to see it everyday! This is probably my favorite things about Barcelona, besides the beach!
At the Park Gaudi created. He helped make everything and it is all so beautiful. This is a marketplace he made. I love the ceiling!
Greg apparently likes vaulted ceilings... almost as much as Gaudi!
In front of a very famous sculpture created by Gaudi. Oh, and Barcelona is also called the city of Gaudi, can you guess why?!
This is the old palace which is now a museum. Greg said he liked this building the most. It was so extravagant and amazing. I wish they had buildings like this in America.
BUNGEE JUMPING! Off a sketchy bridge in the middle of no where.
Needless to say, I was freaking out.
THE SEA! Greg finally got to go to the Mediterranean Sea. I have already been there.
Back in Prague. By an old watch tower
Greg inside of his first castle! YAY
This is Greg's first cathedral he had ever been in at Prague Castle. He picked a good first one I think!
One Charles Bridge. The opera house is behind us!
We stumbled across the first castle of Prague and didn't realize it until after we left. The church and graveyard were so cool! The graveyard was so tiny, but had so many people packed in there. It was really amazing.
On top of Prague! This is the location of the first castle of Prague as well.
At the Easter celebration! The other huge Prague cathedral is behind us.
In front of Prague Castle at night
Sadly, Greg is gone this day. The day after he left the huge Easter Festival started up with little tiny shops all in Old Town Square. I am sad he barely missed it!

What?! I have less than 2 months left?

2010-03-31T03:09:00.000-07:00

So two days ago, my friend and I decided we are going to Vienna for this weekend, so we are! We are taking a five hour bus and to get there and back costs me about $35. Gotta love Europe!
I have no idea where we are staying, or what we are doing, so it's basically an adventure right when we get there. We are going to go see Panda Bears! So that's really awesome. I have loved Panda Bears ever since that movie, "The Great Panda Adventure". Oh childhood memories! Speaking of, Hannah and I listened to Disney music for 2 hours last night! I felt like such a kid again!

So, here is my awesome traveling schedule for the rest of this month!
This weekend: Vienna
Next Weekend: Krakow, Poland. This includes a trip to Auschwitz
15th-19th: Germany. I will be going to Munich and Berlin
Then either 23-25 or 30th-2nd: Budapest

Then in May I might be going to Greece, depending on if it is worth it or not. If it's way expensive then I will probably do something else. The people who want me to go with them want to take a boat for like 4 days, but it will be like $100 a person a day. I do not even like sailing. I'd rather just see Greece! So, we will see what happens I guess.
I would just like to mention that today, I got to pet a dog!!! It was so cute and it let me pet him. That will always prove for a good day. Also, since I am leaving a month early, my adviser here told me I can get the last month's fee for being in the dormitory back, which means an extra 3000KR for me, or 8000 KR totally for my month of June. That means I am bringing back around $400 that I won't really spend. This is nice for me, since I had to buy that plane ticket back to the USA. I also am already getting things ready to leave. I know it's not for 2 months, but it feels like I'm leaving very soon. Plus, with all this time traveling, I feel like the month of April will go by super quickly. I almost forgot to mention; I turn 20 on the 12th. I can't believe it's almost my birthday. I haven't even really thought about it. Wow... I feel old now. Still not old enough to drink legally in the United States though, even after drinking legally for 4 months in Europe. How unfair life can be...

My New 'Do

2010-03-29T03:21:00.000-07:00

I realize I am starting to get really lazy with this, and I apologize.
I also can't believe it's been over a week that Greg has been gone, as guess that's good, because time is going quickly.
I spoke too soon on Friday, now it has been rainy and cloudy. We ended up not going to the castle because of said rain on Saturday, so I will have to go another time, hopefully. Saturday was fairly uneventful since we did not go to Karlstejn. That night though we did go out to a club, which was kind of intense. One of my friends was being hit on by this guy who doesn't speak English. He starting asking for a lighter and then he put his arm around her and kissed her head. At first I thought she was trying to flirt with him, but then she was having none of it, so I asked her what her shirt said and she stepped away from him and showed it to me and then I gave her a hug and didn't let go until he went away. He tried to put his arm around her again though while I was in mid-hug, luckily Ida stepped in on the other side and boxed him out. Later that night we saw him creeping on other girls. Oh creepy Czech Guys...
Sunday I said I would put up the pictures, but I just could not be bothered.
Ida asked me what I wanted to do for my birthday. She also promised she would carry me home that night... I guess European Birthdays are celebrated a lot like American Birthdays, that's good to know. It's also good to know I will be taken care of by someone I trust.
Speaking of trust. I put my life in a random foreign man's hands today. I got my hair cut. When I say cut, I mean chopped, like above the shoulder chopped. All my long hair is gone, but hopefully it will be grown back by the time I get back to America. I made Ida come with, so that I would have someone with me, just in case. His name was Cameron, he is from Prague, and he has been cutting hair 6 years. That's all he could really tell me in English. I do like my hair cut though. It's very different. It looks rather punk-ish, but that's sort of what I was going for. It's weird when I run my fingers through it and it is all gone! I do not know if I will keep it short or grow it out again, but I do like it right now!
I also have my last stats class today. Then I have to take my final. After that only 2 more finals to go! (If you can really call them finals).
That's all I have for now! I will try to better about blogging!

Finally a Beautiful Day

2010-03-26T04:14:00.000-07:00

So beautiful in fact, I wore shorts! That's right!
Yesterday I went for a walk around my place and I realized how right Greg was when he said I lived in the ghetto of Prague. I really, really do. I would NOT want to wonder around here at night time! Luckily, my dorm is right by the metro station though, so no worries.
I also love being able to have the windows open. I enjoy listening to the passing cars and the birds singing. I just love spring and summer in general. I do not get people's draw to snow and winter. Winter is cold, harsh, and awful. I am such a spring time girl. I love going for walks in shorts. Prague is a good place to walk around too, so much to see and hear.
When I get back to Manhattan, I have a feeling I am going to want to walk around a lot, so Greg, I hope you are up for it!
I think I am also finalizing my plans out for the summer. I live there and take Natural Disaster during the summer and find a job, hopefully at the country club. Then on the weekends go home and work at Lake Quivera. I have not finalized said plan, but I am pretty sure I am taking Natural Disasters. It seems way to easy to pass up. Plus, it goes towards my degree, so it seems like a win.
Speaking of, I am enrolling for this summer and next fall's classes on Monday.
Today we are going indoor rock climbing, and then tomorrow taking a trip to the Karlstejn Castle, around 30 minutes outside of Prague. I am excited to go see it, I heard it is BEAUTIFUL!!!
I just realized I never put up pictures from Spain. I am so lazy when it comes to that sometimes. Hopefully I will do it by Sunday, if not by then... I am probably a lost cause. Here's hoping for Sunday!

Another Boring Week

2010-03-24T06:50:00.000-07:00

I feel like I think about so much I have to blog about, and then when I sit down to do it, I cannot think of anything.
I do have some advice for future students coming here though:
Take the Czech Language Course! It will help you out so much and make you at least semi-know what's going on around you in Prague. You will learn important things from it that you would not have known, had you not taken it, like numbers, days of the week, etc.

Now that Greg is gone, things are rather boring. I had to buy my new plane ticket, which will turn out to cost me about $300, but I am coming home over a month early, so that's only a $10 a day difference, which I should make up quickly! My plan for this summer seems to be coming along smoothly. My bosses at Lake Quivera told me I can work there again, so that's stop one of the process, and I also have a cheap place to live! Step two done! There are about 3-5 more steps, but some of them can not be accomplished until I get back, so they are still on the list.
I did laundry for the first time and for 3 loads it only cost me $1.00!!! So awesome! My goal is to not have to do laundry again until I get home, but I will probably have to wash my jeans. I brought so many shirts though I wore all of them only once and only had to do my laundry once every 2 months! It's hard doing laundry here too, because they have no dryers in the Czech Republic because they are seen as a luxury item. I am telling you, it's a 3rd world country! Just kidding!
This next month I hope to be traveling a lot! After I got all my expensive destinations out of the way, I plan on going to Serbia, Hungry, Poland, and Germany! The month before I leave I hope to go to Greece or Italy. I would like Greece more, but beggars cannot be choosers.
Sorry the last post was so long! I had no idea how much I wrote until I published it! Whoops!
Oh and I am sad I missed March Madness, especially the KU upset game. It's not fair! I wish they showed it here!

A Whirlwind Week

2010-03-20T01:46:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been a week since I have written anything, so I guess I have some catching up to do.
Greg finally got here on Sunday and took a little nap, since he hadn't slept since Friday night in America. Before he got here, daylight savings time happened in America, so I did not know if he would be getting here an hour later or what, but apparently daylight savings time does not happen until next Sunday in Europe. It's very odd. Anyway, after he was in Prague for about 5 hours, we left for Barcelona. That night we had to sleep in the Frankfurt airport. That poor kid. He was in airports for about 3 days straight. Anyway, we finally got to Barcelona (Monday) and found a really excellent place to change money, plus the Arc de Triomph. No commission AND they gave us 1 euro for 1.5 dollars. Can't complain with that. After getting food, we went and saw the Gaudi house that looks like a dragon. Luckily, I have been to Barcelona, and it really did help a lot. We found things pretty well, and my Spanish skills helped us out a ton. Greg said if I couldn't speak Spanish, then things that would take me 5 minutes to get accomplished would take him about an hour, combined with a lot of pointing. We also saw the Sagrada Familia! I love that building. So beautiful. It was only one block away from our hostel too! We would walk out in the morning and just be in awe of it's magnificence.
After that we went back into town and saw the Park Guell, which is basically a huge park Gaudi built. his home is there and so are many other splendid buildings he helped build. We also went to the Olympic Park and eventually found our way to the National Museum. We then rode around on a bus and got slightly lost, but eventually got to our hostel and we went to bed around 7pm and woke up at 8am.
That morning (Tuesday)... we went BUNGEE JUMPING!!! So much fun! It was so scary and super sketchy. We went out to some bridge about 30 minutes outside of Barcelona and did it from there. Jumping off of a bridge was so scary, but I recommend everyone should do it once in their life. It's such a rush. Seeing the trees get closer to you and hoping your cord will catch you, there is not another experience like it.
Once back in Barcelona, we made our way to Las Ramblas and spent most of our day there. We saw the first Cathedral of Gaudi, which isn't finished, and found a cool marketplace. They had so much good looking food there, but I restrained myself and didn't buy anything! Then we made our way to the beach and Greg got to stand in the Mediterranean Sea for the first time. We also enjoyed some coconut while was the sea roll in and a man make a huge sand castle. The night we found a little restaurant off the beach and enjoyed some Paella, a traditional dish from Spain which has rice, corn, and seafood, had some awesome cheese soup, and good white wine. They also gave us desert!!! My favorite!
The morning (Wendesday) was an early one, because we had to catch a bus at 6:15am. Or so the lady told us, but the bus wasn't until 7:00am. Which was bad because we had to get to the airport in time for our flight at 8:25. The bus ride was an hour long, and luckily we had our boarding passes, and security only took 10 minutes. You have got to love lax airport security, especially because it got us to our gate with plenty of time to spare. We then arrived in the Frankfurt airport, which we found out was actually 85km outside of Frankfurt. Apparently the airline we rode with, as Greg calls it "Sketchoair" built their own airport and charged people the ride into the city. So we opted for staying in the airport and just hung out for 6+ hours. Luckily they went by fairly quickly. That night we got back into Prague at 9:30pm and went out to party for St. Patrick's Day.
On Thursday we went out and saw Prague. A lot of it I haven't seen yet, mainly because it has been too cold and I would rather not go out and be freezing to death, but luckily it was super warm here while Greg was in town! We first went to change his money, and then walked around Old Town. After we headed to Wenceslas Square and saw the National Museum and National Opera House. It was cool because Amazing Race was filmed there, so we were like, "Hey! We say that on TV!" Then we went to the castle, where Greg saw his first castle and cathedral! I had not been up there yet, so the view from the top of the castle was AMAZING! You could see everything. It was really beautiful. I got a good handle on where I am in town now too, because I saw basically where everything is. We then strolled across the Charles Bridge and saw all the little trinkets people were selling and what not. From there we went to the Dancing House, then back to the dorm for dinner. Greg was so excited about the exchange rate here. It was so much cheaper than the one in Barcelona!
The next day (Friday) we went to the TV tower, which is very interesting... and there are huge babies on it. You have to see it to understand what I mean. After I tried to take him to a really neat church, but we got lost and somehow ended up at the first castle that was built in Prague, which I didn't even know existed! So that was pretty cool to find! The cemetery there was so small, but there were so many people crammed in it! We then headed to the Jewish Quarter and saw the Spanish Synagogoue, which was also in the Amazing Race. The last thing we saw was the Lennon wall, which is where the original COEXIST sign was created. You know, the one with all the crazy symbols that signify all of the religions. Anyway, it is a wall that has graffiti with things Lennon believed and his picture.
Then we went and had dinner at a place called "The Two Cats", Greg was sold just by the name. We have a delicious dinner, and for the both of us it was around $19, and it was a very classy restaurant too.
Sadly, this morning I had to say good-bye to Greg as he headed back to Kansas. I wished him better luck on his traveling and had to leave him at the customs line. Six days was not long enough, but it was very nice to have him here and travel around with him. He had never been to Europe before, so it was cool seeing his eyes light up when he saw his first castle, or a huge cathedral. It was also nice having a friendly face around. Thanks again Connie for making that happen!
Anyway today I am probably sitting in my room and recuperating. I have about a month and a half of laundry to do, so that should be fun! Hopefully I will be able to post pictures today or tomorrow!

GREG MADE IT!!!!

2010-03-14T09:25:00.000-07:00

And that is all that matters right now!!!!!

When it rains...

2010-03-13T08:26:00.000-08:00

... it freaking pours!
So Greg's plane was delayed to Kansas City for technical reasons, making him miss his flight in Milwaukee. There, the airport payed for everything he would need. His hotel, food, taxi service, so that was good.
Today I found out that he got on the last possible seat to Prague. He will get here tomorrow morning, 7:30am my time. If he does not catch that plane, the next available flight is Tuesday, meaning no bungee jumping and no Barcelona. So please let him get here tomorrow!!!
Besides that, I have now found out it will not be free to exchange my plane tickets. It will cost $642, which is ridiculous, because since I already bought it, other planes traveling to the same place will only cost me $703. What the heck!?! I am sick of airports and airlines. I hope I can get home now. This will cost me a pretty penny.
What I am going to try to do is cancel my flight altogether, get my $400+ refund back, and then buy the one for $703, so that I will only spend $200+, as opposed to $642. So please everyone just wish me luck and be buy my side... because I will need it. I am so done with airports after this. Hopefully I can still travel when all is said and done. I might have to cancel one of the trips though, do to airport stupidity and lack of money. Too bad I cannot get a job here.
I need to make so much money this summer, it is not even funny!
Ok, well hopefully tomorrow will be a better day. Stupid Saturday the 13th. I can understand bad luck on a Friday, but Saturday?! What is the world coming to?

Less than 24 Hours

2010-03-12T10:13:00.000-08:00

That's how long I have to wait to see Greg. It's too long if you ask me.
Today I have done nothing. I went nowhere. I am the ultimate form of lazy.
I did however send an e-mail to a person in the study abroad office at K-State. I have a scholarship for community service hours and I have realized that maybe I should talk more about what students will need to know when coming here. I have been here over a month, and I feel like I have learned so much. So, for all you future students out there, listen up:
1. Travel. Go everywhere, do everything. After only being here for a month and a half, I will have been to London, Barcelona, Dublin, and various places around Czech Republic, and of course, Prague. I will also have been bungee jumping. Can't do that in many places in America. When else will you be able to travel to any of those places for under $400, including plane tickets, food, sights, and places to stay?
2. Get involved in everything ISC offers. ISC is the international student club here at Czech Technical University. They get you cheap subway passes (only 750 korunas for 3 months, so around $33 dollars for subway/bus/tram travel in Prague). They also will pair you with a buddy, who will hopefully pick you up from the airport and show you around Prague. They throw country presentations every Wednesday, and provide many cheap drink specials and free entry into those parties. The parties are usually at pretty cool clubs too! They also offer very cheap trips throughout the year. Go on as many as possible.
3. Get ready to wait in lines. In order to get enrolled here, you will have to bend over backwards. I am in the electrical engineering, but taking classes in many other faculties areas. One faculty does not communicate with the other either! I do not think many people will follow that, so let me explain it better. I have to take differential equations, but only the Architecture Faculty is supporting that class. You must go to the architecture office and sign up for it. Then I am taking Statistics, so I have to go to the transportation science office (halfway across town) in order to enroll in that. It is one big mess and just make sure you talk to Lucy Bilova if you have any questions at all! She is the master of answering your questions, so use her when necessary.
4. Be ready for them to drop classes at will. I was enrolled in Engineering Physics II and then the Biomedical Faculty decided they didn't want to support it, so no more Engineering Physics II for me. That being said...
5. Have back up classes in mind. I had to take class I didn't expect I was going to take while here.
6. Be open minded. Talk to people you wouldn't normally talk to, eat and drink things you wouldn't normally try. It's a lot of fun and a great experience.
7. Bring pictures from home and of loved ones you will miss. It will make you feel better to see them and bring back good memories! That being said, also bring a camera, so that you can document new memories you are going to have!
8. This is probably the most important: HAVE CLASSES ONLY 3 DAYS A WEEK AT MOST!!! I have classes late Monday and early Wednesday, so I can leave once they are over, and head back before it starts. This means lots of mini-vacations and a lot more time to travel. If you do have to miss class though for travel reasons, the teachers will not care. They will smile and say, "Have fun!"

That's all I've got for now. If I think of anything else I will make sure to let you know!
Now, I'm going to watch the clock until Greg gets here!

IRELAND PHOTOS!!!

2010-03-10T09:24:00.001-08:00

So from 500+ contestants, these were the top photos taken in Ireland!!

This is me just arriving in Ireland! By the river and in downtown Ireland
At Kilmainham Jail. It is pretty famous and many movies are apparently filmed here. This was the only jail in Dublin during the time of the potato famine and apparently they were supposed to have only one person per jail cell, but people figured it was better to be in jail and get one meal than one the streets and starve, so they have 5-10 people in one cell instead.

Off the coast by the Ireland Sea!
The castle at Malahide! It's in the countryside of Ireland, which is so beautiful
At Trinity College
My new Giraffe friends. I love the little baby one!!
At the top of the Globe Bar at the Guinness factory. This is the highest place in Dublin tourists can go. If you can see it, the sun is setting on Dublin behind us.

At the Jameson Distillery. We are sitting on the first barrel Jameson was EVER distilled in!!
At St. Patrick's Cathedral! I love old church's so much. I must see everyone I can!
Outside of St Patrick's Cathedral, the Gardens area. What a huge awesome place! I do not know what St. Patrick did, but his church makes it seem like he did some pretty awesome stuff
The famous gates of the Guinness brewery
DUBLIN CASTLE!! The tower behind us is the only part of the original castle left at a powder explosion happened in another tower. There used to be 4!
The church inside of Dublin Castle
The Throne room in Dublin Castle. I like the huge crown mirror. It ties the whole royal theme together! The throne was sat on by Queen Victoria herself!!
Representing the O'Hara name! You know!
Sight-seeing with the Guinness Spokesman
I hope you enjoyed these pictures. Not much is really going on right now in Prague. I might go out tonight and see what is happening on the town. It's still pretty cold here. My future roommate, Chelsea, has a sunburn from being outside in Kansas and I am stuck in the snow here... it's a little disheartening. I went to the store again. I can never go back to the store again until I actually need to. It's getting a little bit ridiculous. I am currently planning all the places I am going to go once Greg gets here. I haven't seen many of the places in Prague and him being here is a good excuse to go! I like to think I was waiting for him to get here to go see them. I do not like the idea of paying twice to get into a place I have already seen, so I am glad I waited to see them!
It's weird, because even though I do not live here, it really does happen. You are in such a beautiful place with so many amazing places to go, and you never get around to it. Most days I sit inside and do nothing, and I could be going to see these places. It's weird how it works out like that.

Back in the CZR!!!

2010-03-08T14:12:00.000-08:00

That's Czech Republic for you non-cool people that aren't in the know...
I feel like once I am back here I do not have any cool stories to tell. Shucks... well I will try my hardest.
Yesterday we got back and I literally did nothing. All this traveling these past two weeks have really tuckered me out. So I washed my jeans and then watched all the TV shows I would ever need to watch. Oh, and the night before my friend Quinn and I kept to our word and stayed up the ENTIRE night. On the plane ride home, I slept from take off to touch down. Then, I got back to my dorm and slept for 3 hours straight, got up for 2 hours, and then slept another 12. I love sleeping!
Also, something arrived while I was gone. Snow. I hate snow. It snowed today too. WTF?! I am so done with snow. On a brighter note I had 2 letters from my grandma waiting for me on my desk when I returned. Apparently, the front desk had put them in the H slot for HARA and thought the O was a middle name or something. Good thing I have friends with the last name of H.
I also got a package from her, which was filled with my favorite treats from home. Gotta love packages! Speaking of... I also recently received a package from Frank filled with Pringles, candy!, and a huge stuffed animal that I can cuddle with! I love my doggie stuffed animal! He's a good cuddle buddy.
I went to class today, and then bought some groceries! I love buying groceries here! They are so cheap and you buy so much! I bought milk, 2 things of apple juice, two things of turkey, cheese, bread, cookies, apples, and more, but it only cost me $15! Can't complain with that.
Called Travelocity today as well, and found out changing my ticket date home will cost me nothing!!! I am so excited! I think I am heading home in May! I hope I will get my finals done! I will just tell them, I need to do it. I am leaving the country. If you don't give me my final, I will have to just get your signature, which is apparently what most kids do... so if it comes to that I will!
Nothing else going on really. Just counting the days until Greg arrives. I was going to put pictures up today, but I have to search through 500 of them, so it might take a while... I am feeling rather lazy! Hopefully you will get to see them tomorrow! Until then... CIAO!

Last Day in Town

2010-03-06T09:52:00.000-08:00

Technically we will be here tomorrow, but we are leaving at 6am, so today was the last day we actually will get to do anything.
And we did a lot. First we went to St. Patrick's Cathedral for Fake Patty's Day! There was a magnificent orchestra playing with a chior. They were practicing for a concert tonight. It was awesome looking around the church with them singing. Jonathan Swift is buried there, since he once ran the church. Then we went to Viking World, about how the Irish we settled by Vikings. Next over to Christ Church Cathedral, which wasn't as big as St. Patrick's, but still pretty awesome. I could never imagine going to a church like that because I would never listen to the sermon. Just look at all the beautiful things surrounding me.
Once done oogling, we went to Guinness again and headed up to the Globe Bar once more. We drank another free pint and looked out at Dublin.
We ate lunch in the City Hall and then went to the Dublin Castle, right next to it. It's not as huge as it once was, since most of it was blown up during a gunpowder incident in the ammunition tower. It was still amazing though and still used for balls and the Presidential Opening.
Now we have to wait until 6am tomorrow, so we are finishing a bottle of Jameson then heading out to the bars. We will stay out until 4am and just hang out with people. Around 4am we will head to the airport and then be on our way home!
All in all, for anyone coming to Dublin, I would recommend seeing the Guinness and Jameson attractions. Then St. Patrock's Cathedral, Dublin's zoo, and the castle. If you have to skip anything I did I would say the City Hall tour for sure and the Jail tour. Unless you don't walk there like we did. It's about 3 miles away from our hostel. I nearly died from exhaustion.
In other news... Greg will be here in a week! Actually les than a week now since it's past since in Prague. How exciting! I hope this week goes by super fast!

Alice in Wonderland!!!!

2010-03-05T15:08:00.000-08:00

I did so much today, but all I can think about now is Alice in Wonderland. What and excellent, excellent movie with such awesome actors. I am so glad I was in an English speaking country when the movie cam eout to see it. I could not even imagine seeing it in Prague with english subtitles. I would be so depressed. The movie would literally be ruined.
I love Johnny Depp. Plain and simple. He is the best actor of this decade and can transform any crazy role into pure joy for the watcher. I wish I would've known he was in London the same day I was. I would've found and met that man, but... I digress.
Before seeing this wonderful movie, I went to the zoo! They had so many baby animals! They were adorable. Baby tigers, baby giraffes, baby elephants, baby rhinos, baby monkeys... they were all so happy and just plain cute. We then went to the Jameson distillery. I tried to drink it the Irish way, with cranberry juice. And it was delicious. I think I found something new to order at clubs!
After we went to the City Hall and learned all about how Dublin was created. Then to the National Gallery. I now have seen all the paintings I will ever need, and never need to go to a museum. Next we wondered through Trinity College, before eating dinner, then heading to the movie!
I realize I never wrote about yesterday. We went to Malahide, out on the coast by the Irish Sea. The castle was beautiful, as was the coast. We found an awesome park too! I can never go to a park in America again because Ireland has ruined it. I will never go to a better park, and will be depressed at how awful the parks in America are. Thanks Ireland, for ruining parks forever!
After we went to the famous jail, which is now closed. The walk there took us about an hour. After, we headed to the Guinness factory and I found a beer I actually like! We had 2 pints in the Globe Bar on top of the factory. This Globe Bar is the highest point in Dublin that tourists can get to. It was amazing. I highly recommend it. You can see the country side surrounding Dublin and the "mountains" that enclose it. Afterwards we met some people from Hungary, and after we drank for a while, we wondered the streets of Dublin. The river and boats are beautiful. People say it always rains here, but it hasn't rained once. I hope our luck continues!

Back in the Homeland

2010-03-03T13:04:00.000-08:00

Today Quinn and I set out for the motherland of Ireland. So exciting. We got in and went through customs. While there the security guard asked where my parents were from. I said Iowa. He then asked, "Well then where are your grandparents from?" I smiled and said Ireland! He laughed and said welcome home. It was kind of awesome actually. It never really hits me until a few hours later though as to where I actually am.
Two days ago I was in London, yesterday I was in Prague, and today I am in Ireland. Where will I be a week after I get back to Prague? Barcelona! Oh, the places you will go.
I was talking to Greg yesterday and they said they are celebrating Fake Patty's day this weekend. That's so cute. While he celebrates Fake Patty's Day, I will be in Ireland... DRINKING!!! I think mine is better personally :P Then a week later I will pick him up from the airport in Prague! I am really getting excited!!!
Today Quinn and I wondered around the city. We found a place to stay and it is only 8 euro!! Tomorrow, we are staying at a place and it is 15 euro for the next 2 nights. We also get a free breakfast and a free ride to the airport at 5am, so that we can be at our flight, which gates closes at 6:25am! Perfect! I am only spending 38 euro for 3 free breakfasts, a place to stay, and a ride to the airport. AWESOME!!! I also spent only 55 euro, and that gets me into the Jameson distillery, the Guinness Brewhouse, Dublin castle, out to another castle in the country surrounding Dublin (which is awesome because I really want to see the country side), and into a whole bunch of other places for free! It is quite the deal!
Dublin is a very small city though. They have a bus system, but we didn't buy passes, we are just wondering around doing whatever!
Anyway we are going to a pub tonight, then off to bed so we can head into the country side tomorrow morning!!!

PICTURES FROM LONDON!

2010-03-02T14:39:00.001-08:00

I know you have all been waiting for them... so here they are! Enjoy!
This is Nick and I in front of Big Ben!!!Riding on the Eye In front of the Thames and Parliament

Tower BridgeOutside of St Paul's Cathedral

St. Paul's whole Cathedral front
In front of Buckingham Palace!!!Abbey Road with John and Dan!
So beautiful! I totally took that picture. The Eye and Parliament at night!

Also, on my main photo, I am looking at my watch wondering what time it is and Big Ben is behind me! Get it!? It's funny!
I leave for Dublin in the morning! I hope I can get awesome pictures like these while there!

Back "Home"

2010-03-01T10:25:00.000-08:00

It's weird because my friend said after we got home today, well we are back home. And I am not home... but it was nice to recognize everything and know exactly where I am going! It's odd that I think of Prague as my "home" though... I never dreamed of being in such a cool city and saying well I'm back, time to get back to the grindstone.
Today I almost missed my flight back to Prague! YIKES! But luckily it was delayed by 30 minutes. We literally ran everywhere. We ran to catch our train, ran to catch our bus, ran to get our boarding pass, ran threw security, ran to find out that it was delayed... and then sit. It was very anticlimactic. I expected to be running after the plane after that. I had Krispy Kreme donuts at the airport! They had them and I was so flipping excited! It's always nice to get a taste of home. Like having Doritos, or eating real spaghetti sauce on pasta, and not just ketchup.
I made it to my class to and am now about to get to some serious TV watching. I realized today that after this weekend, Greg will be here in less than a week, so after Dublin, I will see Greg in 6 days. That's very nice to know! :)
I chatted with my future roommate today and she asked me a very good question. "Do people in Britain actually have bad teeth?" I do not want to say all Britain people had bad teeth, but let's just say most of the ones I met did. But then my friend Chris here doesn't have bad teeth. I would say 90% of the people I saw in London did, but I didn't see everyone!
It seems very surreal that I am already going to Dublin after just getting back... tomorrow will be a day filled with relaxation and then I need to get ready for my big trip!
Luckily I will have almost a week to relax until Greg gets here. I will probably be doing a lot of sleeping. Speaking of I should probably do that. I hope I can put up my pictures from London tomorrow, so that I can do it before I leave for Dublin. So you might, maybe, perhaps, get a chance to see them tomorrow, but do not hold me to it!

Cheating the System Never Felt so Good!

2010-02-28T13:46:00.000-08:00

Well, after I wrote last night we went out to an awesome club the University of Hatfield provides in its union. There was a huge dance floor, and it was pretty much epic! I knew most of the songs they played, but I didn't know they had so much music I have never heard of! We got back around 3 and I passed out until noon. I didn't mean to wake up so late.
After that we headed into the city and went to Buckingham Palace. I havebeen feeling very gyped about money and people at the subway station do not seem to care, so I did not buy a day pass today. I just used my once rom yesterday and told them it didn't work and they let me threw for free every time. Was it wrong, maybe, but I feel better about how much I spent transportation wise while here nonethelss.
After Buckingham Palace, which sadly did not have the red coated gaurds with big hats, we went to our hostel we stayed at the night before and dropped our stuff off. We payed for a 4 person room, but since it's Sunday no one is here, and we get the room to ourselves, meaning we bought a cheap 2 person room!
We then headed down to Chinatown where I found the buy of a lifetime! I bought a cheap backpacking backpack and it only cost me 18£, which means $27. I was very happy with this, since most in Prague are around $30. After we wondered the town and then went back to the hostel where I got to take an awesome shower. It's not backpacking if you miss a day or two of showering! ;)
Tomorrow I need to get up at 7am to head to the airport. I liked my laidback day wondering around London though. I also learned a lot while traveling too. Hostels are actually really nice, people will give you directions, go to the shady restuarants, they are better and cheaper, and conserve every dollar you can, even if that means chetaing the system a little :P

Another Day in London

2010-02-27T13:01:00.000-08:00

Today was a bigger day. This morning we woke up at the hostel and headed out around 9am. We went to a War museum that Nick wanted to see and then to Shakespeare's Globe Theater. After we met up with Dan and John at Tate Modern.
Tate Modern is a museum... a very scary museum. After the war museum this morning for 2 hours I was very museum-ed out! This was a Modern museum and they had some rooms with projectiles on it. It was very scary and there was a lot of nudity and people tied up. I felt like I was watching Saw or something, except it was real so then I basically walked as fast as I could out of the room. I did see some Andy Warhol, Picasso, and the huge Water Lilies painting by Monet. I have always wanted to see it, so it was a nice surprise.
After we walked across the Harry Potter bridge (aka the Millineum Bridge. You know the one that got destroyed at the beginning of the 6th by Death Eaters). Nick is getting sick of my Harry Potter nerdiness. I keep saying things like they sound like Harry Potter, that bar looks like the Leaky Couldren, he said, "Bloody Hell" like Ron, etc.
Afterwards we wandered around because Saturday is the day apparently all the lines are shut down for repair and sort of found Spital Market. Unfortunately it is closed on Saturdays. After that we went to Abbey Road and saw the famous cross walk. On the studio people from all over the world have writtena and graffited on the wall outside to show they have been there.
We then headed to a very college like party of town called Camden. We had a few drinks, listened to some musics, and are now heading back to Hatfield for some shut eye. Tomorrows another big day filled with many firsts! Can't wait!

What a Busy Day!!

2010-02-26T15:39:00.000-08:00

I had a long, busy day. I have no idea where to even begin, so I guess I'll try to just start from the beginning. First we left John and Dan and headed back to London. Once in London we went to London Bridge, which isn't that big of a deal. It's the one across from it that is. It's called Tower Bridge and it's the one with 2 huge Victoiran towers and a drawbridge. So we headed over there and took a closer look and then hung out at The Tower of London. We were going to go in, but people said it wasn't that interesting inside and I couldn't give up $25 for something that apparently wasn't that cool.
So we went to Westminister Abbey, the huge church by Parliament. It was so magnificent inside. Many famous people are buried there such as Queen Mary of Scotts, Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth 1st, and King Herny 7th, to name a few. Then we went and saw huge memorials to Isaac Newton, Shakespeare, and Charles Darwin, as well as the resting places of Jane Austen and Charles Dickens. I think we were supposed to take no photos, but I might've taken a few illegal ones. I couldn't help myself. They were too beautiful!
After we headed to St. Pauls Cathedral. It was so beautiful. The domed ceiling alone was to die for. We went to the Whispering Balcony inside of the dome and it is a perfect circle, so I got on one side and whispered to Nick and he whispered back and I heard every word! It was amazing! We then went to the top deck outside and saw all around London. It was windier than Kansas up there though! It was pretty tought to walk at some points... but luckily it didn't rain all day! We had a beautiful, sunny, slightly windy day in London in February. Go figure!
Afterwards we checked into our hostel... which is not that bad at all. We checked in for another night because we like it so much. Plus the food here is super cheap and good at this hostel! Not to mention I have spaghetti, with real spaghetti sauce!!! No ketchup! I was beyond happy. We also went and bought Doritos, so Greg you do not need to bring me any after all meany-face :P
Speaking of Greg, his family is coming up today and sadly I cannot be there to party it up with him on his birthday. We can just have a make-up party in 2 weeks in Prague, and the best thing is I can drink legally in the bars here without my fake i.d. Actually you do not ever need an I.D. in Prague. Even in London today there were these drunk, hooligan, 14 year old boys walking around town at 10pm and went right by these cops, but they didn't even get stopped, even though the legal drinking age is 18!! Crazy town.
Afterwards we checked into our hostel and ate dinner we went to the National Gallery, which is free by the way. All museums in London are free! Score! There I took some more "illegal" photos and saw some Monet's, Van Gogh's, and Picasso's, to name a few. Tomorrow we are going to see the changing of the gaurds at Buckingham Palace and hang out in London with John and Dan. They are going to show us some hip places tourists do not really ever see which is exciting!
Right now I am in my hostel and I just met someone who is directing a legitamite movie. He spent $400,000 on it and says it will be in American theaters in November, so I may have to support him and check it out! Time for bed though, I have a busy day tomorrow! Where does the time go in London? It disappears as fast as my money here!

Back to the Land of Hogwarts

2010-02-25T14:40:00.000-08:00

Today my friend Nick and I set out from Prague to London. I had to get up at 6am, shower, and we were on the bus to airport but 7:30, because Nick was worried we would get lost and we didn't. So, we sat in the airport for around an hour and saw officers who had MP5's, which did not make me feel safer. It did the exact opposite actually.

Once we were checked in, we had to take our bus to a plane, and board from the tarmac. Our plane was pink and purple and the flight was only 2 hours, but technically just an hour since we gained an hour coming back here.

We flew into a sketchy airport called Luton and had to take a bus and hour and something to get into actually London, but it was nice because I got to see the country-side outside of London, which is very beautiful. Even in February it is lush and green, plus the rolling hills added something magical too!

Once in London, we went and found Piccadilly Circus and then made out way to Big Ben. We got out of the subway and saw the river and didn't know where Big Ben or Parliament were. Then I realized Parliament was right next to us and turned out. Right behind us was Big Ben! It was so huge and beautiful. We had to take a minute and realize, "Wow, we are actually in London." We then went to the Eye across the river and rode the HUGE ferris wheel. We could see so far from it and got some really good bird eye views of London. We then ventured into Parliament because it started raining, and it was free, so that didn't hurt either. We went into the place and it was so beautiful. We listened to the House of Lords and the the House of Commons. The House of Lords beats the House of Commons by beauty and appeal. I wish I could've taken pictures, but it was sadly not allowed. The detail on some of the sculptures was just amazing.

After we decided we were hungry and went to find our friends Dan and John in Hatfield. We trained it out to them and went to a Chinese Buffet, which apparently is what everyone eats here, so I did not feel bad eating there. I also had ice cream since the first time I was here.

We were going to go out tonight, but honestly it is way to expensive here. A bottle of beer is around 6 dollars. Our dinner alone was 13 pounds, so around 20 dollars for a Chinese buffet. We also went to McDonald's and a cheeseburger alone was about 2 dollars! What the heck London?! Tomorrow we are going to some excellent places, I just hope it doesn't rain though! I will post pictures when I get back to my computer in Prague, so until then you will have to just imagine all the awesome places I have been! I hope you can contain yourselves while waiting for pictures!!!

Pre-Trip Jitters

2010-02-24T09:37:00.000-08:00

So tomorrow I leave for London! We are meeting at 7:30am in the lobby of more dorm and heading out. I am only taking a backpack. Lord help me... I don't know how this will work out. I need a bigger backpack, like Amazing Race style backpack! I will be there Thursday-Monday. I guess I will be celebrating Greg's birthday on Saturday in London, which is 2nd best to having it with him, so I guess I'll take it.
Today I went to my two classes, and found out my final in Czech Language class isn't nothing, it's counting in Czech to 20, which I can proudly already do! YIPPIE!
I am trying to figure out my schedule for this summer. I need to take 1-2 classes, one at K-State and one needs to be Engineering Physics II. The bummer about Engineering Physics II is that they don't have a teacher for it yet, so if anyone would like to teach that at JCCC this summer that would be awesome!
I'm getting kind of nervous about this trip to London because we literally have nothing planned. I'm kind of excited to be going into it blind, but still nervous nonetheless. I know it will be fun though... because I'll be in London. Then the next week I will be in Dublin! After that Greg's going to be here and we are going to Barcelona! I know it's 2 weeks away, but I have a feeling it will go super fast with all of these trips we are going on!
It's been kinda slow up until now, but I think I'm finally getting into the groove of things, and once I start traveling almost every weekend, this time is going to go by so fast! I think I will be happy when I finally go home though. I mean being gone for 3-4 months is fun, but it'll be nice to get back and see everyone and spend time with them again! Well I have to go pack and then go to a country presentation for Mexico, and then party it up! Hopefully I will be able to write tomorrow and tell you of my awesome London adventures!

Guess who's going to Dublin?!

2010-02-23T05:19:00.001-08:00

Me of course! :)
I leave next Wednesday with my friend Quinn and get back on Sunday. I will miss two classes, but they are Czech Language and Czech Culture and they specifically said if you need to miss for trips it is allowed, so I am!
I also find I am getting bored a lot here. I have one class on Monday, one class on Tuesday, and two classes on Wednesday. I have no homework in any of them. Two of them do not have finals. I am literally sitting in these classes for nothing, and sometimes I wonder why do I even go. This Czech Language class is impossible. Even though I am living here I know I will never learn it. Even the teacher has been quoted as saying, "This is how to actually say it, but say it this way because no one says it that way since it is too hard." WHAT?! This has only been one class and she has said it 3 times, and it was only on the numbers from 1-10. Why would you make your numbers here impossible to say? It's because the whole language is impossible to say. They have words with five consonants in a row. No vowels at all! I will never, I repeat never, learn this language for the life of me. So then what is the point of even paying attention in class? I am seeing little point as of now.
I also have been getting majorly creeped out by teachers here. There is no personal bubble in this country, but I always expected some from the teachers at least. Both my math teachers get way too close to me, but it's not just to me it's to everyone else too, so it makes me feel less scared, but still awkward nonetheless. My stats teacher, in the first lesson, goes as far as resting his hand on the students shoulder and bending over them to see what they are doing. I have never been touched by a teacher I have never known... I don't think I like it too much. People in general do not respect other people's bubbles here. Sunday I was eating dinner with friends and it was 4 guys and me. This other man I have never meet walks up and shakes all there hands, he gets to me and I shake my hand as he leans in for a cheek kiss. So then I'm stuck in this awkward hand-shaking, cheek-kissing situation and then he laughs and shakes my hand. I do not like the idea of letting someone kiss my cheek that I know, let alone someone I do not know.
Speaking of stats class, that started yesterday. The teacher already gave us the final and is going to go over it with us before we take it. Lovely. There is also only 4 of us. The class is not on campus, and I have to take a subway to get there, which I do not mind, it's just different. The weird thing is, is that we have to walk up this town like place and ring a buzz so that the teacher will come open the gate. We meet in a conference room and he does problems on an itty-bitty white board. Things are just really random over here.
Random fact for ladies everywhere who want to travel here. Do not get your period here, or if you do, bring your our tampons. Tampax exists over here, but it took me 3 stores to find it, all the other stores just sell ones without the applicator, just the cotton. I know it's an icky topic, but I figure it's something a lot of people need to know, so sorry guys out there, but please bear with me. The ones I did find that are semi-okay only have 8 in a box and are around $10, just for those 8. Are you sure Czech Republic isn't a 3rd world country? :P Just kidding.

Rave-tastic

2010-02-21T05:46:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was a slightly boring day. I watched Couples Retreat with a friend and basically did nothing throughout the whole day, which I can't complain about. I like relaxing sometimes and people keep telling me, "You are in Prague, you can't just sit around. You need to see the city." Well I am in Prague, but it is also my home for the next couple of months, and I am sure I will see it all eventually. I can either go out and see it when it's warm or go out now in the cold. I prefer warm, personally.
Last night was pretty awesome though. I went to a rave, and I know my cousin Aaron will appreciate that. It was so fun and I am very glad I went! We were there until 4am partying it up, and left once the subways started going again in the morning. I also had some late night pizza afterward. Pizza here is very yummy, which I appreciate because I love my pizza!
Today I really want to take a shower but the light in our bathroom is out and it is very creepy in there right now, plus no one is here, so I'll probably wait to take one once someone gets back! Maybe borrow the roommates lamp. I am also planning a trip to Dublin, and hopefully returning to the homeland :P
Tickets will only be about $75, so I feel like if I do not go, I am wasting money and will just spend it on stupid things. I'm starting to get all my trips planned which is fun. It just stinks because Prague has such a little airport and it's hard to get decent flights to anywhere that isn't a main hub for an airline, but I'm working on it nonetheless!

A Day of Wanderment

2010-02-19T09:00:00.000-08:00

Yes, that is supposed to say wanderment. I know it's not a word, but I am making it up. It means wandering around the city of Prague with no real agenda. That's what I basically did today. I went to the mall and then I went to Old Town Square where they had lots of cute little shops and common food from Czech for very cheap, as well as cute little souvenirs. So if you want cheap food/beer/gifts in Prague, head to Old Town Square. Beautiful buildings and atmosphere!
Yesterday I made a list of difference between Kansas and here, and I would like to add something to that list:

Children ride the subways and walk around town all by themselves starting around the age of five. That's the youngest I noticed anyway. I do not know they they have a very low abduction rate or something, but I do not think I would be comfortable letting my children roam the streets of Prague alone.

I feel like I am starting to fit in here. People do not look at me so much as a tourist anymore. In the past 2 days people have come up to me speaking Czech and I say, "I don't speak Czech" and they say "Oh, pardon" and walk away. I guess that's a good sign because maybe people won't target me to be pick-pocketed.
The Olympics are getting on my last nerve. All the good stuff here is on at such awful times, and apparently The Office, Parks and Recreation, Community, and 30 Rock are all taking a break until the beginning of March, so the Olympics will play over there slots. Kind of aggravating.
Tonight I think we are going to a big club in Prague which is exciting! Maybe more people will buy me drinks!! I also received a package in the mail today from my mom for Valentines Day! It was a good pick me up, even though I had a wonderful day since the weather is getting a ton nicer and I can actually venture out around town!

I Think I'm Not in Kansas Anymore...

2010-02-18T08:10:00.000-08:00

Despite all the different languages spoken here, people just do things differently here.
1. People literally take their dogs everywhere. I have so far seen dogs on the subway, in classes, in churches, and in restaurants.
2. People here have no shame. I saw some lady breastfeeding in a restaurant. The baby stopped feeding and the lady's nipple was just exposed and she left it that way until the baby wanted more. Literally sat there for 5 minutes with her nipple exposed and no one in the restaurant cared except for me and my English friend.
3. People never sleep. Ever. They drink and party until around 4 or 5 am and then go to work around 8am. It's impossible
4. In conjunction with 3, people never get hungover. They drink so much and yet are not sick in the morning.
5. People drive on the same side of the road as we do, but they are CRAZY!!! I have never seen crazier drives, and that's saying something.
6. They tried to copy the hot dog and it's called the EuroDog. They take a small baggette, cut the top off, and put a hot dog in it. Then they just squirt ketchup or mustard into the bagette. It's very odd.
7. They do not play basketball, football, or baseball here. They actually do not play sports competitively in schools.
I'm sure there is a ton more, but these are the main ones I have noticed so far.
Today I enrolled in my Stats class, sadly I only have a 4 day weekend now. I do not know how I will manage. The class doesn't start until 4:30 though, so I can still party it up the night before.
Speaking of partying, I went to a party last night and people bought me a drink! YAY! It was yummy and tasted like cinnamon. We also played some drinking games before and we Americans showed out British friend how to play Circle of Death!
I also just bought my plane ticket to London, and it only cost me 120 dollars. Not too shabby. I leave next Thursday and get back in time for my class next Monday. Should be fun! I'm staying with my friend John Goddard. I am planning some other things with friends too while over here in Europe. I think we are going to try and get down to Greece and Rome. Those are really the main places I want to go while here. Germany and Poland are high on the list as well. Hopefully once my roommate gets back I knock those off and stay at places for free too! Oh and Ireland! The list just keeps growing... good thing I have been saving up for a while!

Lazy Days

2010-02-17T06:35:00.000-08:00

So far I have seen and done a lot in Czech Republic, but now I'm hitting those lazy days when I do not want to go out and spend more money, I need to save some for awesome trips I am going on. It is also too cold to do anything. I step outside and then just want to go right back inside. I cannot wait for spring so that I can just wander around the city. I hope it is warm for when Greg gets here. Speaking of Greg, I just bought plane tickets and a hostel reservation for us. The plane tickets were fairly cheap. About $160, which if you think about it is actually cheap. It's like we are flying from Kansas to Florida, which I know in America would be so much more expensive. I also got us a cheap hostel room. 22 dollars per person per night. I can't really complain because we aren't even sharing it with a ton of people, it's a private room for just us too and it's right off of the main road in Barcelona. Can't complain about that at all. I am also looking into bungee jumping while in Barcelona. It's only about $90 per person. Either way I am doing it while I am here, it will either be in Prague (they open from April-October) or Spain (they are open year round). I'm super excited about that!
I also found out I do not have to spend any money on books for my classes! My Czech language teacher said that I do not need a book, and my Czech culture class does not need one either. As for my Differential Equations class, we just check out the book at the library for the semester! I do not know about my statistics class yet, since I meet with the head of the department about that class tomorrow, but here's hoping for free/no books as well!
I went to my Czech language class for the first time today, and my teacher said there are no tests and no homework and no final. As long as she can recognize my face by the end of the year (meaning I go to class) then I will pass. Gotta love Czech teachers. For my statistics class we get to take the final (the exact same one apparently) 3 times and take the highest score from them for our grade. I think I'm starting to like this school again... :)
Tonight I am going to a big dance party for our program and they are giving us 3 free drinks. A party on a Wednesday hosted by the study abroad club... good thing I have no classes Thursday! Now I must go look for plane tickets to London, because my friend and I are going to see my buddy from K-State there named John! We have a free place to sleep and everything! We are going next weekend (over Greg's 21st birthday). If I can't celebrate his birthday with him in America I might as well celebrate it in London!
Oh and I have internet over here in my room! This place just got so much more enjoyable!

First Day of School

2010-02-15T16:10:00.000-08:00

So I have class in about 8 hours. It's very odd thinking about going back to school. I have basically had another summer break, just in winter. I am taking Czech Language, Czech Culture, Mathematics 2 (Differential Equations), and HOPEFULLY Statistics. I enrolled in it so long ago and now I emailed my professor and she says she is not teaching it! If I do not get in this class, that's the second one they screwed me one. I have never had a worse time trying to get into classes or a school. What school gives you a class, and the day before says it's not happening. I'm kind of getting sick of this school. I do not even think I'm spoiled at K-State. I just think they make it so difficult to get anything done here. Running all around the huge city just to enroll in one class, which turns out I might not even be able to take it. It's very frustrating. So after my class tomorrow, that's on the list of things to work on I guess. I realized today though that I will only have 26 days of school total. I guess I am ok with that!
I just hope I get into this stats class, if not that another class I have to add to the schedule once I get home. If I would've known this would've been such a wasted semester I might've just stayed at K-State. This is getting a little ridiculous. The only real class I would be taking this whole semester to help me is Differential Equations.
I hope it all works out. Literally I did nothing today but read and buy tickets for when Greg is here. We are going to Barcelona for 2 days :)
I'm excited to be warm and in the prettiest city in Europe, plus I'll be with my boyfriend, so I guess that helps me enjoy the city a little more too! I guess that's one bright side to being over. Seeing many beautiful places.

Happy Valentines Day!!

2010-02-14T11:44:00.000-08:00

I think I spent my Valentines Day in superb fashion. NOT! I spent my day with a bunch of dead people instead of my boyfriend. So much love in an ossuary.
We started off by heading for Melnick by bus. When we got there we walked up to a church, but they were having service, so we couldn't go in and looked at the view instead.
We then went into the ever romantic ossuary where 10000 people are buried. It was rather scary. It's located right under a church too. Apparently all of these people died from the plague and other were found in a large pit outside the town.
A cross made out of skulls. Lovely.
We then went into the actual church which was very pretty, but sadly did not know what electricity or heating was! Which turned out to be very cold, since it's about 10 degrees out today. The church was amazing though. It is right next to a huge castle, so I guess it had to be pretty.
We arrived at the castle and it was really a Chateau more than anything else.
Notice the Kelseyosarous (and the lovely foot prints). She roams the castle and protects it from invaders.
We then went and had a lovely dinner. These are my friends from Wisconsin (one of which is mmy roommate). Quinn on the far left, then Angela, then Kevin, and then me! The food was excellent. We had schnitzel, which I greatly recommend. The cool thing about this restaurant is that it is in the castle! So I basically had food a king would eat. Ya I'm pretty legit.
After we toured the castle (and I took illegal pictures! tehe) The castle is pretty amazing. The furniture is beautiful. If it was to be replicated today it would probably be around 1 billion dollars. I wish I was kidding but it was absolutely beautiful in that place. I also found out it can rented out for weddings, so guess where my fairy tail wedding will be one day! And it's really cheap too because it is in korunas. So once I am making 100,000 bucks a year, that's the place the sickest wedding party is going down!
After we went to a wine tasting, with the best wine I have ever tasted. I am not exaggerating. I most of the time cannot stand wine, but this was amazingly awesome! I even bought a bottle, if that tells you anything because I am such a cheapo! We then went back to our dorm where I cooked myself dinner and will start reading my book soon. I think I'll head to bed early since I was up so late last night. Classes start tomorrow, but I do not have any!! I do need to enroll in Stats though and un-enroll in two electrical engineering classes. If all goes as planned, I should only wait in like for 5 hours! I wish I was kidding. Hopefully I'll wake up early enough to not have to wait in line at all!!! One can dream anyway....

Chilling Out, Maxing, Relaxing All CoolThat's

2010-02-13T13:54:00.000-08:00

That's exactly what I did today! After all these days of just going, going, going, I decided to just stay in bed and relax. I woke up at 7:10am, got my phone, and then went to bed until noon. Then I watched Project Runway, Survivor, The Office, Parks and Recreation, 30 Rock, and Community on my roommates computer while she was gone. The thing is you can't use Hulu over here or watch them on their website, so I found out about this nifty little site called Casttv. It had every show for free and in English! What a find. It made me feel better and I just felt a lot more like I was at home. I am going to call it an early night I think, since I have to be somewhere at 8am tomorrow for my trip to another castle. We are also going to the biggest ossuary in the Czech Republic. Basically all these people died from the plague and then they made a church out of there bones. Very romantic for Valentines Day. Then we are tasting some wine!

In other news, Greg is visiting me March 13th thanks to Connie. As a team we found a price doable for him to get here, so I have that too look forward too as well.

Seeing My First Castle

2010-02-12T16:57:00.000-08:00

And the one at Dinsey World does not count, as I have discovered today.
We set off at 7:30am. so early. We then drove to a car manufacturing company called Skota. The machines they had building those cars was amazing! Apparently factory workers there make more than university professors do, which isn't saying much because apparently professors make not to much money. It's really odd because in America they make about $100,000 a year. I think that's a sign college is too expensive there. Here kids do not have to pay for classes, which is probably why the professors get paid so little.
We then went to a "romantic" castle, which basically means it's almost all torn down. It was still very pretty though. You could tell where certain things used to be, and I'm sure it used to be beautiful. We then had to walk back to the bus, and when we got there it was stuck in the snow, so all the boys had to push it out. It was fairly entertaining.
After this we drove the a place called Czech Paradise, which is a huge hill with a gorgeous scenery and a huge pain to climb. Especially in snow. I'm going to have to thank my mom right now for buying me these Cabela boots. If I hadn't had them on I would probably be dead. Literally you were climbing up sheer ice for half the part. I was really good though. Better than most boys. Many people over here are gentlemen and when I was climbing down one of them was told the others to help me and I told them that I was fine. I think that's different from what they are used to hearing, because they proceeded to help anyway. The pictures I got were just gorgeous though, so I am okay with the idea that I risked my life for them.
When then ventured on to the castle called Cast, which means bone in English. It is still in perfect condition, but it is apparently closed during the winter. They opened it just for us though, and it was FREEZING in there. We say the chapel, and then the security rooms when the castle was under attack. The walls there were 9 feet thick! Then we went to the torture room and dungeons. Which were really scary. The worst we head about was the Wheel. It has a certain place were it bulges out and it breaks every bone in the persons body and then finally breaks there neck. Once dead they weave the persons broken dead body in between the spokes, and hang it on a hill for all to see. Sounds dreadful. After we ran back to the bus because everyone was so cold from the days activities and went off to the Medieval Brewery.
We ate pork and drank ale. I tried something called a Wild Honey drink, which tasted so good. The bread there was also fantastic. There was belly dancing, fire jugglers, a with trial, and a crazy old hag. At one point she was coming near us and one boy told her in Czech that my boyfriend had broken up with me (but he hasn't so let's not start any rumors) and she came over and kissed my head and gave me a hug. I had no idea what was going on so I was trying to crawl away because she smelled really bad, and I do not make a habit of letting strangers kiss me and everyone was basically laughing at my shock. Once I learned what happened though I found it quiet hilarious too.
It was a pretty awesome day all around, except now I have to get up at 7:15, and go get my phone on the bus, because apparently it fell out of my pocket when I fell asleep. After that I'm going right back to bed!

Brewery and Plzner Pics

2010-02-11T15:56:00.000-08:00

Brewery Trip!!!

2010-02-11T14:51:00.000-08:00

I went to the Brewery in Pilsner today and it was so much fun!
We left at 8am and took a train 2 hours to go to a little town in Prague called Plzner. I sat with some nice people from Slovenia and France, and once we got to the actually brewery I found out I was the only American there when they asked all where we came from, which was odd since there were about 40 in our group. We then saw where they packaged the beer and sent it out to. The best part of the whole experience had to be when we were in the cellars. They no longer keep beer there, but still had some down there for the visitors when they visit. This beer is unlike any I have ever tasted. It wasn't as bitter as beer is now, and was unfiltered. It was very good, and I think a little more alcoholic or something, because after one free glass I was kind of feeling it.
We then went to lunch and I sat with my new Slovenian and French friends. I had another beer, and was on the edge of drunkenness before 4pm... I think that's a new low for me. For lunch I had dumplings for the first time, apparently a dish the Czech people prepare quiet a bit. Before we left, my new friends and I decided to take something for the road, and "borrowed" the awesome Pilsner cups they gave us for the beer. Hey we are poor and college kids, what do you expect? :P
We then went to one of the highest towers in Czech, a church steeple in the middle of town. From there you could see miles around, and even the 3rd largest synagogue in the world. Since Czech was controlled by Germans in WWII, how that building made it out alive is beyond me.
After we went to this awesome place called the P.U.B. which stands for Plzner Unique Bar. At every table is your own tap. You fill as much as you want and at the end they keep track of how much you had and charge you for it. Except the group I'm with said they would pay for 3 of our beers. I do not like beer too much, but since I am a college student, it's basically a sin not to drink what you get for free, so of course I drank it! The really interesting thing about this bar besides the taps is that it puts tallies of how many drinks you have had on a board and lists people in first to tenth. We competed with other bars throughout Prague, but never caught the first place person, since they were on drink 50 at 5 in the evening!
We then headed home and now I am getting pumped for my castle, car building, and witch trial trip for tomorrow. I think I will post some pictures and then head to bead! So enjoy!

Five Miles

2010-02-10T14:31:00.000-08:00

That's how far I seriously walked today. In snow boots. I will have so many blisters.
The reason I had to walk so far is because at Czech Tech the different departments do not like each other, so you cannot go to one place to register, you have to go to each department you have a class in to register. So first I waited in like for about 40 minutes to enroll in 2 classes, one of which I need to drop. Then I went to the other place to register, but they close at 11, even though it is enrollment week, so now I cannot go back until Monday. Then I had to go to the middle of town where the office of the Transportation Science place is, yes, it's not even on campus, just for it to have just shut down for lunch, so then I took back my broken converter and got a new one, then ventured back to the middle of town and got registered there. I missed the Prague Discovery Game because this all took so long, but that's ok because everyone said it wasn't very fun. Which makes me glad I ditched it and walked around Old Town instead, which is BEAUTIFUL!!! The buildings are just like they were in the 1400's and they have such magnificent churches. That's what I hate about America, our history is so short. The buildings here are made back in a time that cannot be replicated now.
I also found out most Czech's cannot read or write, let only speak English. Which makes me wonder why they listen to American music. It dawned on me today while I was in a store that I was probably the only person in said store that knew what the song actually said. It's very odd. You think they would make their own music if they do not even know what the words are.
After this I crashed back at the dorm because I was just so tired. I have to get up before 8 tomorrow to be on the bus for the Pelsner Brewery. Hopefully I will be able to get up. I hear there is a lot of walking in store for tomorrow too... oh joy! :)
Oh and my Dad brought up a good point, I never said my roommates names. The one from Wisconsin is Hannah and the one from Poland is Ida, but she had to go home because she has mono. Luck for her she just has to write a paper about Prague for her school, so she will be able to come back in a month and still be able to finish it. I was sad to see her leave because even though we only hung out for one night, she was still really cool. She was going to be my drinking buddy, but now I guess I will have to wait a month to hang out with her again. Sad day!!! But tomorrow will be a fun one! Can't wait!

Change of Plans

2010-02-09T15:55:00.000-08:00

So today I went to my meeting and found out that there is no Engineering Physics 2 being offered, at all. Which mean I will need to come back to the States a little earlier than planned. Probably around May 30th or so. I will also be needing to find a new class to take. The whole class thing is getting kind of stressful.
That being said, I love it here! All stores do not close until around midnight and restaurants are open until about 2am. Every single one. There are casinos on many corners around town and the subways are so convenient to get around the city.
I am getting anxious to start classes, but there are still some things I need to do, like find a converter that actually works, so that I stop stealing my neighbors, and sign up for internet in my room, so that I do not have to sit in the lobby we I want internet.
I also found out today that I get a stipend every month for give K-State so much money to go to school here (because apparently it isn't as expensive as it should be). Today I went and picked up 5000 koruna (aka 250 dollars) and will be getting that every month until June. That makes me feel a little better about changing planes tickets, because it's going to cost me 300 dollars, but suddenly I have an extra $1250, so it gives me a little cushion for that and buying food here!
Today was also sign up day for trips to places we want to go. Many only had a few spots, but me being the person I am, I got to the front of every line and signed up for each one. I spent about 90 dollars on it total to get 3 awesome trips which are:
1. Going to a brewery and trying all of the local beer there, then going to a car factory and watching them all be put together.
2. Going to about 3 castle's ruins and seeing beautiful countryside of Prague. Then maybe bungee jumping. the guy mentioned it, but I'll have to see what happens. After this we are going to an old time pub where there is belly dancing and turkey legs and fresh brewed beer and witch trials!!! So exciting
3. Going to the main castle in Prague where the Czech ancestors originally settled. This inculdes a wine tasting tour. Then we will see the scary dungeons and the catacomb made out of human bones and skulls (apparently the largest ever).
All in all I think 90 bucks is a good deal for food, drink, and train tickets. I am getting fairly excited. I just have to get through tomorrow and figuring out my schedule. Oh, and I also went to a hookah bar tonight. I know my parents will love that! :P

2010-02-08T17:10:00.000-08:00

Playing the Waiting Game

2010-02-08T17:01:00.000-08:00

So today I had a lot of time to answer emails and talk to people, because I stood in line at a DMV like place for 2 hours! I had to wait to get my new student ID card and my bus pass so I can ride the bus, tram, and subway whenever! We finally got our number called though. They had a very odd number system they used that made no sense, though. They would call 118, 119, 121, 66, 85, etc. Of course our number was 120 and they skipped right over us. After our number did get called it was like in and out in 10-15 minutes. So aggravating!
Before this we went to a huge meeting hall where I found out we are playing a Czech game scavenger hunt on Wednesday and then Thursday-Sunday going on trips all around Czech. I plan on going to a beer tasting place, then a medieval castle tour, and then on Sunday to a wine tasting place, where they have a huge burial chamber made out of skulls and bones! I guess it's the biggest place in the world with walls made out of bone. Should be interesting...
After we went to a Club and had dinner then partied it up. They gave us free booze and everything. It was pretty nice. I also found out beer is cheaper than water is here... so I know what fluids I'll be spending more money on! I need to get more bank for my buck (or koruna in Czech) it's only logical!
I finally met my new roommate too! She is from Poland and knows a friend who owns a castle in Poland!!! I know where I'm staying when I go to Warsaw! :) I met her at the club, because she recognized me from all my pictures in our room! It's very odd hearing all the different terms people use for different things. Mainly people from Britain.
So this is probably long enough. I think I'll put up so photos now!

In the Land of Hogwarts

2010-02-07T13:23:00.000-08:00

Today I finally started my study abroad trip. I first flew out to Dallas, which went super smooth, but had no free wi-fi connection!!! I was slightly upset. Then I took the big leap over the pond and flew on to London. While on said 9 hour flight I watched 4 movies (Taking Woodstock, The Invention of Lying, The Informant!, and X-Men: Wolverine Origins), finished listening to the 7th Harry Potter book, and watched and episode of The Big Bang Theory. I also had my first legal alcoholic beverage. It was yummy with the pork dinner they gave me. Once in London I had a 4 hour layover. Can you believe the biggest airport in London didn't have wi-fi either?! Upsetting.

Once in Prague I found my buddy, and oddly enough 3 other people who are studying abroad from K-State on my flight. We headed to the dorms and there I settled into my new and awesome room. It is nothing like a dorm room, which makes me so happy. I share a room with 2 other girls, one of which I still haven't seen, but her stuff is there. In our "pod" we have a kitchen and a bathroom, along with 3 other rooms connected to it. My room is all decorated with pictures and really homey now, which is good since I am so far away from home.

While in Prague today I got a new cell phone, went grocery shopping, rode the subways, and just went shopping in general. After not sleeping at all on my flights though I'm pretty tired out. That being said I'll post pictures tomorrow, because I am just too tired today!

Creating a Blog while in Prague

2009-12-14T17:22:00.000-08:00

So I am getting super exciting about studying abroad in Prague and am just creating a Blog so I do not forget to do it while I am there. I am very excited that this name was available because it is the coolest name for a blog ever and I am very proud I got to have it :)
Anyway look for posts about my time in Prague around February!