Praha

I spent Saturday thru Wednesday in Praha (Prague) with the other Fulbrighters, where we were very excited to meet up with each other. Most of us live in very small towns, where hardly anyone speaks English and there is not a very exciting night life. Praha was a welcoming change of pace and scenery for all of us.





Of course, the first thing we did was go out for some beers. Mariel brought us to this pretty cool bar, which I would describe as a "cave bar". We went down a flight of stairs and entered the underground. In order to get to other rooms, we had to duck our heads to get through the archways. There was exposed brick everywhere, and the decorations were different types of exposed pipes. I loved it!

Top: Rosie
Bottom: Mariel, Lee, Harrison

We were three shy of the whole gang, but managed to have an interesting night anyway.

Andy, Me, Emily

Why were we really in Prague all together? We had a second orientation and met the other Fulbrighters, those who were here on research grants and just arrived to the Czech Republic. Most of them were centered in Prague or Brno to study and do research at the major universities. The university classes do not start until the beginning of October, hence their late arrival.

Do you know what's kind of awesome? We were invited to a reception at the U.S. Embassy and got to meet the U.S. Ambassador here in the Czech Republic, Norman Eisen. Our mentors were invited and we mingled with returning Czech Fulbrighters who had just spent the last year in the States.

Invitation

Me, Mariel, Emily, Lee

Ambassador Eisen, Me, Vashek, Eva

Another fun event was going to the National Theater to see a French opera, Carmen. The Fulbright Commission would have rather had us see a Czech opera, but there were none playing this week. This play is about a French soldier, Don Jose, and a Spanish gypsy, Carmen, and their love affair. It's similar to Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, but different at the same time.

National Theater

As you can see, it is quite a gorgeous theater!

Inside View of the National Theater

Ticket

I have never seen an opera before, but I thought this one was quite good. The singing was amazing! I was told the acting could have been a bit better though. Oh, by the way, attending the theater is a very big deal here. You have to dress all fancy and dapper!

Top: Lee, James, Mariel, Andy
Bottom: Emily, Rosie, Me, David

I'd say we were quite the good looking group!

Černé Jezero

Since last Friday, it rained every day in the Czech Republic; it was awful. However, the rain on Saturday held off until the afternoon so that Jana, Rudolf, and I could go hiking in the Šumava mountains.

Rudolf tried to pick some berries along the way, but discovered they weren't quite ripe just yet.

Our first destination was Černé Jezero, or the Blake Lake. Although it was a damp, cold, and windy day, we didn't actually feel it until we got to the lake and were no longer protected by the trees.

It was 3.5km from the beginning of the trail to the Black Lake, 

which took us roughly 45 minutes to hike.

Me, Rudolf, Jana

Of course, there were plenty of ducks there, too!

Ducks

Then, since it didn't start raining yet, we decided to continue on our journey. Jana found some mushrooms along the way. Actually, "mushrooming" is quite popular here in the summer and fall. Mushrooms require humid weather to grow, and are used in many soups and meals. Jana knows a lot about the mushrooms as she used to go with her grandmother all the time.

She knew these ones were safe to eat due to its shape and size. Also, if you turn the mushroom over and rub your finger along it, the mushroom will turn a blue color.

These ones, although pretty, are highly poisonous, so of course we didn't pick them!

Our next stop was the waterfall, but I should warn you that this is no Niagara Falls. This waterfall is the second highest in the Czech Republic, with a height of 14m. I was slightly disappointed.

From the Black Lake to the waterfall it was 4km, which took us just over an hour to hike.

 Although small, it was still a pretty sight. Overall, we hiked 15km, or 9.3 miles, which took us nearly 4 hours. We were definitely sore by the end, and unfortunately, it rained on us for the last 20 minutes of our hike. I'd say we we lucked-out overall!

My Bubble

I live in a bubble here in the Czech Republic. This bubble is known as the English as a Foreign Language, or EFL, Department. In this department, my colleagues speak English (obviously). This means I actually have people to converse with each day! But outside of my bubble?

Let's face it, not many Czechs speak English. If they do, I tend to scare them away because I'm a native speaker. They don't feel that they speak English well enough to talk to me. Yet, this is the whole reason I'm here: to help people learn and speak English better. Sometimes I just want to shout: "Do not be intimidated by me!" I am such a patient person, and I firmly believe that practice makes perfect.

Here are two scenarios for you:

The School Canteen. Last week, I went to the school canteen. Usually, I'm with one of my English-speaking colleagues, but this time I was by myself. Typically, teachers are allowed to cut the students in line for lunch. So, I walked around the students in line and the teacher that was on lunch duty started yelling at me in Czech. I am positive she thought I was a student. I just glared at her because I had no idea what she was saying. Then, I said, "Nemluvim cesky" (I don't know Czech). She glared at me in bewilderment. I mean, I'm clearly in the Czech Republic, why wouldn't I know Czech? She thought for a moment and then said, "Aha." That's when it clicked that I was "The American", and she let me continue on my way. Honestly, it was very weird and uncomfortable to be yelled at in another language, especially because I did not know why! Then, since I didn't go with any English-speaking friends, I sat next to the other teachers. They were conversing in Czech, so I just ate my lunch in silence. So awkward!

The Electronics Store. I didn't bring my hair dryer with me, and Autumn seems like it's going to be a very cold and wet season here. So, I had to go to the electronics store to buy one. A lady walked up to me who worked there and started speaking Czech. I assume she asked me if I needed any help. I blatantly said, "Do you have a hair dryer?" I got stared at, again. So I pulled some of my hair to the side, and pretended I was drying it using a hair dryer. "Ahhhhh," she said. Then started walking, so I followed. There were about ten to choose from, but my hair is straight, so I don't need much. I pointed to two different ones asking which was better. She started talking in Czech again, but then she pointed and underlined the name of one hair dryer and gave me a thumbs up. I figured that meant Remington was a good brand name here, so I took that one.

The moral of the story?

Body language is extremely important when you are traveling and/or living in a country and you don't know the native language. I point at things and do gestures all the time, and ultimately I get what I want/need. Also, it's a good idea to start trying to learn the native language as soon as possible. I did go to the bookstore in Strakonice, but they didn't have the book I was looking for to learn Czech. The good news is that I'll be in Prague this weekend and I'll be able to buy a recommended book there. It's called Czech: Step by Step. It's a grammar book, and then I'll have people help me with pronunciation. It is imperative that I learn some basic Czech phrases for everyday language immediately!

"House Hunters International"

The past two weeks I have been searching for somewhere to live. The Headmaster at the Gymnazium where I teach obtained accommodation for me at a dorm about a five minute walk away. It wasn't so bad, until we all found out that since the children go home on the weekends, the building shuts off its hot water and heat from Friday afternoon until Sunday night. This wasn't conducive for me since I'd have to live there for the next ten months.

Thus, I went house hunting. Back home, HGTV has a show called House Hunters International. I felt like I was on it. Usually, an American is moving to another country, and needs to find a place to live. It showcases three options, so here were mine:

Option #1: One bedroom flat in the center of town, above a restaurant. Brand new construction. Sparsely furnished.

Option #2: Live with a colleague in their modern flat. Stainless steel appliances, spacious two bedrooms, living room, and balcony. Fully furnished. 10km from school in an outside village.

Option #3: Fully furnished studio flat. 5 minute walk to the center of town, 10 minute walk to work.

Decision?

Option #3. Since I'm only here for 10 months, I didn't want to invest too much in any furniture or appliances. Also, I commuted for the past two years, so I wanted to get away from that and not have to rely on a colleague, bus, or train every time I wanted to go somewhere. Autonomy was key.

Here is a virtual guided tour of my flat:

The Otava River

Last Saturday, Rosie came to Strakonice to join us on a day-long canoeing/kayaking trip on the Otava river. Rudolf's friend drove us all to Horazdovice, a neighboring town, and then we traveled on the river back to Strakonice.

Me, Rosie, Mariel, Jana, Rudolf

We started around noon and stopped at a restaurant along the river for lunch after two hours of canoeing/kayaking (about halfway thru our ride). It had a pretty nice view.

We also met the most adorable puppy. Don't worry, she got lots of attention from us!

Then we continued our journey, and had a small photo shoot near white water. Unfortunately, Rudolf and Jana did not get a chance to participate, as their canoe had the waterproof bin holding all of our personal items, including my camera. Upside: Rudolf was a great photographer!

Me

Rose and Mariel

Rosie and Mariel

Some parts of the river were slower than others, so at times we had to really row a lot. Sometimes we needed short breaks, and sometimes we got stuck on the rocks and had to wait for each other. The summer was exceptionally hot this year in the Czech Republic, so the river became very shallow.

Me, Rosie, Mariel

Overall, it was a gorgeous day to be on the river! It took us about five hours, with approximately an hour lunch break, to go 12km, or 7.5 miles. At the end, we were exhausted and our arms and shoulders were sore. After cleaning up, we all met up for a beer at a pub along the river. It was a chilly night, but probably one of the last nice nights of summer.

Pisek

Last Friday, Jana and Rudolf took Mariel and I to a beer festival in Pisek with their friend, Martina. It's the next town over (about 20km) from Strakonice. A lot of the breweries participated and there were some stalls with food. We ate "Chinese noodles", and I must say I miss New York!

Rudolf, Jana, Mariel, Me, Martina

I tried Černa Hora's boruvka pivo, or blueberry beer, and U Stocesu's fikova pivo, or fig beer. The Czech breweries have been trying to add more flavors to beer, mainly to appeal to the women drinkers. The boruvka pivo was delicious, the fikova pivo not so much.

There were two famous Czech bands playing at the festival. The first band appealed to the younger crowd because they sang in English, YAY! They are called Charlie Straight. I recorded them so you can have a listen...



The next band was pretty good. They were definitely more popular with the crowd because they sang in Czech, and have been around for about fifteen years. This band is called Vypsana Fixa. Mariel and I didn't really understand a word they said, but they sounded great!

Strakonice

Strakonice [Strak-oh-neatz-ah] is located in Southern Bohemia, a region in the Czech Republic. I cannot say exactly what I was expecting upon arrival, but I do know that it is everything I could have ever wanted for living abroad by myself. Now, I may have chosen the Czech Republic as the country in which to partake in a Fulbright Scholarship, but Strakonice was where I was placed by the Czech Fulbright Commission. I think they made a perfect match :)

In some ways, this quaint town reminds me of home. There are a few small parks with paths for walking, running, and even cycling

with gorgeous gardens and wild flowers galore.

The centrum, or town center, is composed of the "Big Square" and "Little Square". In reality, they are just two long streets filled with shops, restaurants, confectionaries, and more. 

You might notice all the lovely colors of the buildings. In the words of Eva, "It wasn't like this just twenty years ago. Everything was dark and gray [under the Communists]. Then, the Velvet Revolution came, the Commies left, and there was this explosion of color everywhere." I believe part of the reason I chose the Czech Republic is because of its history. I love hearing the exchanges as people compare and contrast the country from then until now. Plus, America doesn't really focus on this small country on its own. Most Americans don't know where this country is on a map, let alone its existence. It's more like "It was the time of Communism, and then it wasn't". I'm here to learn more.

Strakonice is actually known for being a bag-pipping town. However, most Americans are only aware of the Scottish bagpipes, the ones where you must use tons of lung power in order for it to produce sound. The Czech Republic has a different bag pipe, and perhaps a more clever one. Instead of breathing thru the pipe, the bag goes underneath your right armpit, and you pump it for the sound to come out. Thus, you can sing and play the bag pipes at the same time, and even dance, too! This statue is in the middle of the Big Square, a tradition to be commemorated. 

Flowing through the middle of Strakonice, is the Otava river. You can go swimming in it, although it's a bit too cold for that now. It's so peaceful and calming to be near. This river actually flows here from the Šumava Mountains!

Next to the river is the Podskali. It's the outdoor space next to the Otava river. Again, there is a path for walking/running, and a paved bath for biking/roller blading. I think this weekend I will go out and buy both. In addition, there are a few playground spots for kids, and two pubs. I've been to one so far.

One day I took my book and sat on a bench to read with this gorgeous view.

There is also the local town brewery, which makes Dudak beer. I think it's better than Plzen (Pilsner).

On one of my other journeys, I found what reminded me of Stonehenge [though I've never been]. It's quite small, but quite unusual.

The oldest part of Strakonice is the castle. I walked around, but I need to go for an actual tour and to the museum there, which I heard was small, but interesting.

Strakonice Castle on the Otava River

Main Entrance to Strakonice Castle

Church

Lookout Tower

Strakonice Castle Petting Zoo

Another View of Strakonice Castle

I thought this was a lovely view of St. Margaret's Church off of the Otava River.

And, again, more up close and personal.

There's plenty of ducks, too, for those who want to toss bread and feed them. I haven't yet, but I will.

Lastly, most of the people in the Czech Republic live in flats, or small apartments. Though this isn't my building, I live in one just like it. I'll take pictures of my flat soon.