Rain rain go away, come again some other day...

A gloomy day in Prague today, but still quickly falling in love with this place. Nearly 5 hours in a room learning Czech is very intense, that is probably why they call it intensive Czech, hmmm. My brain automatically switches everything to German, I didn't think I knew that much German until this class! By 7pm, when our class is done, it's dark out and everyone is starving. 20 minutes on a tram at night and a growling stomach are not my favorite things. But hey, being so hungry and tired only makes dinner that much better! Tonight we went to the Malý Buddha (Little Buddha) for some excellent Vietnamese food. Prague is such an international city, you get to try such a variety of cousine! After dinner, in the cozy Malý Buddha, Jess, Laura and I walked down the castle walls and around through the back streets around the castle. Even though it was late and rainy it was still beautiful. It was so peaceful, so relaxing, to walk around somewhere that is usually packed with people and cars, to be completely e m p t y. On our way home we stopped by the 24 hours liquor store, which is the only place to get Kinder eggs after midnight. It is always a good time for a Kinder egg as far as I am concerned. We hustled home out of the cold and rain. It will be nice to get another full nights rest. I am just so happy to be here... . . even in this dreadful weather.

yours truly,

Roxanne

Nerozumim. . .I don't understand.

Alright, everyone in my program met yesterday with some of the faculty and then half had their Czech class and the other half had a long break. At least 20 of us lined up to get our school IDs which took forever, but well worth it...I do love IDs!! Then this girl, Alicia, and I walked around Prague, we had coffee(no lies, I had cocoa) at a cafe and then strolled around some more. We walked into the St. Nicholas Church, the dome and thin bell tower are part of the Prague Castle skyline that you have all seen. The inside was beautiful, of course, a Barouque style and very colorful. The ceilings inside really are breathtaking. After, Alicia and I stopped at a small pizzeria for lunch and then headed back to meet our Czech teachers. Well, our first day of Czech class was fun. Our teachers walked us from the main school building to where our class would be and gave us a walking tour of that part of Prague. It took about an hour, and then they let us go because we looked so tired. A few of us went on a hunt for Tesco, which is just this giant department/grocery/all you would ever need store. Someone thought they knew where it was, 2 hours later and all we had done was made a loop around what felt like all of Prague. Some how we made it eventually and did a little grocery shopping and must haves for everyone's dorm rooms. So then we hopped on the tram back home. After dinner a few of us, including my friends Jess and Laura, went to the Monastery where they have a pub, who knew? The monks happen to make an excellent brew! It's great getting to know all the other students in the program, but the east coast seems so different from the midwest, I had no idea.

Today we had Czech again, there is a morning and an afternoon class. I am in the 2:30pm to 7:00pm class, I would rather sit for 4 and a half hours at 9am though. We left here around 1:50pm to get there early, plus we weren't positive of how to get there by tram. It didn't take long before we had made the wrong transfer. We didn't get to class until after 3:00pm. It wasn't a big deal, except now 3 of us can't count to 10. Czech is so much harder than I thought it would be. It is really going to be a tough 2 weeks in this class. We had to go back to Tesco after class for some school supplies and that place was a mad house, like a 4 story Target on December 23rd. We left the choas and we stepped on the wrong tram yet again, and it takes us an hour or so to get home when it should have only taken 20 minutes. I think we have it figured out now, how many times can you really get lost with the tram, right? There is a pub near the dorms where we went for dinner and it was delicious, the food here always is....Still, not everyone is over their jet lag, I have been gone for week now, so I am well over it, but some people here just can't get into a schedule.

Tonight is the first time, since I have been here, that I have truly been exhausted, and it feels good. I never thought getting lost could make someone so tired.

Love {from Praha}
Rox

I start learning Czech on Monday!

I think just about everyone has moved into the dorm now. My roommate is a very nice girl, her and her boyfriend were both here together last semester. It's super helpful to have them here. They know where everything in the dorm is and can help with the being abroad transition. Plus they spent all of winter break traveling around so they have lots of stories! They cooked dinner the past two nights and let me join them! We had breakfast here at the dorm this morning and every morning here on out, in the "breakfast room!" It is nothing special, but fresh bread is always good! A lot of us in the program met and went on a tour around the city together with Zuzanna, she is our "dorm mother!" Zuzanna is very kind, and even plans trips to galleries and operas for us later in the semester. The other students in my program seem nice, they are mostly from east of Minnesota/Kansas...but I met 2 from K-State, so that's fun! It's great to see the other students. I don't think many of them have been to Prague before, and some not even Europe, and since this is there first or second day here their faces are all lit up, I love it.

Sincerely,

Roxanne Rae

Who is coming to visit first?

I went out on my own! Yep, all by myself! Be proud, very proud. I walked down to the castle again this time with my camera. The view of Prague from the castle is wonderful, one of the best views of Prague, I am sure of it. I went back into St. Vitus Catherdral...there was a junior high school group inside trying to fill out a worksheet for class, how cool! Instead of using a history book they get to see the real deal, I am so jealous. After the Catherdral I walked around some more...closely following tour groups so I knew what I was looking at and how old it was. Once I was solo again, I found crossing the street is harder alone. Last time I was in Europe I was supposed to watch out for bikers, after getting hit by one I learned to stay out of the bike lane. Now that I am here in the winter, I don't have to worry about bicycles but crossing the street is still a dificult task here. The cars don't really want to stop for anyone or thing, you have to move fast when crossing, very fast.

Later, Daniela introduced me to her brother(who just spent the past year in Germany) and his girlfriend, of course more nice Czech people. Then we went out with some of her friends to a disco. I loved the disco, it was so much fun! We stayed the night at Daniela's friend's new apartment, and they made Czech breakfast for me in the morning...I love breakfast.

There has been much discussion on the way I sign these...I would rather not be compared to Gossip Girl....so no more hugs and kisses...there are other ways.

warm regards, best wishes, and love always,

Roxanne

PS I got a roomie today!!

It was 40 degrees today!

Today Daniela's (who is also very kind) boyfriend showed me around some more. We walked down to the Prague castle which is over 1,200 years old! In the middle main, third courtyard is "the most sacred place in all of the Czech lands, St. Vitus Cathedral. It was gorgeous. I would have taken pictures but in my excitement of the day I forgot my camera, sad, I know. We walked across Charles bridge into the Old Town. There was a photography exhibit with all the best Czech photos of the year, very cool to go through. In the old town square is an Astronomical Clock, a still functioning one, after building it, they didn't want the artist to creat another one, so they gouged his eyes out. Then him and his friend went up the clock tower and broke the back of it so that is didnt' work anymore. . .they just recently in the past 100? years fixed it! Then we climbed tower behind the clock. After the long walk up I discovered that I hadn't forgotten my camera, it was in my pocket, how embarrassing... Glad I found it when I did. The view from the top was beautiful, my pictures don't do it justice. If you look, in the distance you can see Prague Castle, and I live just behind the hill on the side there. After, we ate late lunch we took the subway and tram back, and I got to use my metro pass...the first of many times to come!

xoxo

Rox

I made it!!

I don't even believe that I am finally here.

It's perfect, just perfect. My dorm is a little shady, but it isn't awful, I have my own room room, and share a "kitchenette" and bathroom with another girl....The location couldn't be better. I am walking distance from the Prague Castle and Charles Bridge!!

My Czech friend, Daniela, has been a doll. She picked me up from the airport this morning and helped me get all settled in here, and even took me to lunch, which was delicious, definitely going to love the food here. She took me to buy a few groceries, not all sure what I have, but most of it looks familiar, I did spot some Kinder chocolate!

I have a few days on my own now, I am sure nothing too thrilling will happen. ..but we'll see!

xoxo

Rox

Only a day away!

I am actually leaving tomorrow! I can't believe it. My VISA finally came and I am all packed, I've said my goodbyes and made arrangements for when I get to PRAGUE...so now I am just waiting!! I am just so excited I can't stand it!

xo

Rox