Life is a book and those who don't travel read only a page.

(DR. LARSON-----#5: Cultural Comparisons)

     Until now, I have lived in Kearney, Nebraska my whole entire life. I was born there, went to school there, and even chose to go to university there. Needless to say, Olomouc is just a tiny bit different than Kearney, and the Czech Republic is maybe a little different than Nebraska, and Europe is quite a bit different than the United States. It takes a little while to get used to a new place, but if you let it be and go into it with an open mind, it can be one of the most fun and exciting things you will ever experience! I remember my first small dose of culture shock; we had just gotten into Prague our very first weekend, and I had to use the little girl's room at the airport. I do my business, go to leave, and can't find the flusher! I literally sat there for a solid five minutes trying to figure out how to use these fancy new European toilets! Since then, I've actually kept a count of how many different ways there have been to flush a toilet (I'm at 14!), but this was just a small example of one cultural difference I have experienced since coming to the Czech Republic. This is one of my favorite topics to talk about, and I probably could for hours, but instead of just listing all the weird different things I have noticed, I am going to delve into just a few of my favorites.

     One of the major things that I have loved getting used to is the way European towns are laid out, and how to navigate and get around them. Because many towns' roads are based upon old trading routes and merchant squares, they are often very narrow and winding and because of that, we tend to to do quite a bit more walking here than back home. I get a kick out of my "Walking Distance" graph on one of my iPhone apps, because the months of March and April are loads higher than any other previous months back in the US. It's no wonder why people are so much thinner and health here, when the average walking distance per day can be as high as 7 miles.

 There seems to be a small increase in March.

(Today was a lazy day, don't judge me.)

     Walking isn't the only way to get around here though, and we have all gotten extremely comfortable using public transportation. The main way we get from one side of Olomouc to the other is on the tram, and it is so much a part of our daily routine here now, that we don't even have to think about it! I have not driven for almost two months now, and i think I have gone more places than I ever have with my car! Trains, trams, busses metros and cabs are so much more convenient and fun that I think public transport is going to be one of the main things I will miss about living in Europe.

     Another thing I have noticed over here that is really interesting is the way people interact with one another and even the conversations between individuals. One very pleasant thing that happens when you spend time with people here, is that they actually spend time with you, and not just stare at their phone screen the whole entire time, and even though you might not have taken a picture to show for it, it still happened! Another thing that has been (pleasantly) absent from a lot of European conversations that I have had, is just the meaningless small talk jibber jabber that most Americans have gotten so used to, that I doubt many even notice anymore. I feel like when people talk to you over here, they actually have something worth saying, or they don't talk at all. There isn't a need to "fill the silence" like I feel there is in America, and honestly it has been a breath of fresh air. I have learned that one thing that pins you as an American instantly is our smile! It doesn't matter if you are having the worst day ever, in America, it is so normal to feel like you have to hide it behind a big fake smile, and still answer "how are you?" with "good!", even if you aren't. Here, it's different. First of all, the "how are you?" question is not even used very much, and at least here in the Czech, people actually answer the question honestly, and then maybe a real conversation comes out of it! Weird, huh? I also love how nothing is really sugar-coated. (Yes, you actually do look fat in that dress. You're right, you did over-cook that meal. etc..)People here are more blunt, and a lot more forward. Not rude or without-filter or anything, but if you are doing something that they find annoying or abnormal, they WILL tell you, or if you ask a question, expect it to be answered without sparing your feelings.

     One thing that is very different from the US is just the range of cultures and people that you are constantly exposed to in Europe. In Nebraska, there are Nebraskans, and Nebraskans, and maybe a couple more Nebraskans. Occasionally you might get an out of state-er, but chances are they still speak fluent English, and are from a surrounding state. Here, when countries are just a few hours away from each other, you never know what language (or more realistically: accent) your next conversation might be in. You can actually learn a lot about people if you actually take the time to get to know them and not just talk lazy small talk at them, and this has by far been my favorite part of the whole trip. Now that I have met so many amazing people, I will never be afraid to start a conversation with a stranger again, because I have learned that if you give someone the time of day, they may just be one of the most incredible people you have ever met. This is something that Europe has given me that I will carry with me my whole life. People can make all the difference, and if you go to a new place and just go sight see and get the expected picture, I truly believe you barely see anything. If you actually want to go learn about a place, try to experience it through someone who actually lives there, or meet someone new to experience it with. Give up your hotel room and go stay at a hostel instead. Go to a pub or restaurant alone and strike up a conversation and learn how to say "cheers" and "thank you" in the local language, and try the weird food that the foreign waiter is vigorously pointing out, even if you can't pronounce it. That is the difference between being a tourist, and traveling.

     I swear I have learned more about myself, and the country I come from by being over here and exploring cultural differences than I ever would have learned by staying. There is a quote, "Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colors." I have learned so much, and I am starting to see that maybe the way I have always learned to do things is neither the only, nor the best way to do them, and I think that being able to think like that might be what traveling is supposed to do to you.

   

Adventure may hurt you, but monotony will kill you.

(FOR DR. LARSON-----#1)

      I think this is the only time in my life where I can confidently say that every day, multiple times a day, I wake up and do something that I have never done before. Many things that I took as completely mundane tasks back home are made so much more exciting by the fact that I'm just not at home anymore!! My daily life is so different than it was back in Nebraska, but because I've been here for almost a month it's finally become my new normal. All things seem to happen a bit later here, so normal shop opening and wake up time for the town is about 9:00-10:00, and that's about the time I get up and start getting ready for the day. Not much is ever planned for us during the time of the day before class at 3, so we usually use that time to our advantage and explore our (not so new, anymore) home! Olomouc is a beautiful little town, honestly one of the most beautiful we have been to yet! I have taken the tram ride into the heart of the city dozens of times, but all of the old buildings and culture and little markets and shops still leave me in awe every single time. I don't understand how anyone can ever truly get used to it! It seems that every step I take leads me to a new experience that I would have never gotten had I not come here to Europe. We have found many little gems hidden throughout the city, but I think one of our favorite things to go on an adventure to find is definitely our new favorite restaurant. We all eat out multiple times a week, and I know right now you're probably thinking I've gone mad and I'm going to waste all my money on food, but honestly everything is so cheap here that it's almost the same to go grocery shop and make your own food! At least going out we get to meet new people, and see more of the town we all have fallen in love with. At a restaurant, if I'm wanting to treat myself and splurge, I might get a glass of wine, an appetizer (I'm on a hunt to find the best bruschetta!), salmon, and a dessert (my personal favorite: dumplings!) and the total bill will come out to be about 250 Czech krowns. That may sound like quite a bit, but it really converts to just a little over $10. Like I said, ridiculously cheap. 

      The weather here has surprisingly been a lot like home. Just the other day I was going to do laundry, so I took a peek outside and it's snowing! Not wanting to freeze, I put on all my winter gear (hat, gloves, scarf, heavy coat), grab my laundry, and head outside. To my well-trained Nebraska surprise, the sun was shining and it was beautiful! While I was in the laundromat, it was snowing again, and it was sunny for my walk home! Sounds a bit familiar doesn't it? On the whole though, it's been a bit chilly, so I am so excited to make it down to warmer weather for spring break. 

     Going out and socializing is a big part of culture for people my age here in Europe, and a normal daily past time. People here are allowed to have alcohol from the age of 18, and in many countries, even before that. It may seem odd, but actually many people here are a lot more responsible with it because of that same reason. Going out for a drink after class, or after dinner is completely normal, and just a good way to meet some locals and have a great conversation. Many people do not even go out on the weekends here in this town, and we've finally figured out that they use that time to either travel to a nearby city, or to visit home. Monday nights and Wednesday nights, we have noticed, are the biggest nights to go out in this town.

     Arguably one of the biggest aspects of my daily life is where I live. We are located in the international dorms called Neředin, and there is a new nationality in every person you would ever have the pleasure of meeting. Just in my flat, I live with my roommate Marissa, an Italian named Luca, a girl from Poland named Marta, a Frenchman named Thibault, and a Spaniard named Dani. A floor below us, our two of our fellow Nebraskans have two flat mates from France, and one from Turkey, and across the hall from them, we have gotten to know a couple lovely ladies from Estonia named Piret and Maria. This is just an example of the bits and peices of the world we have just a few steps from our door. We have gotten pretty close to these people, and it has been so much fun to learn about where they come from, what they're studying, what they think is different here, and my personal favorite, hearing how we either fit or defy all of their American stereotypes. People don't realize that one of the biggest learning experiences of a study abroad trip is through the people that you meet along the way. Through my flat mates Thibault and Luca especially, we have connected with a whole new group of people that we would have probably never met otherwise. These are going to be some of the people I will miss dearly when it's finally time for me to leave (😭) and the ones that make my daily life that much sweeter and more enjoyable every day!!