"A cry of despair and a warning to humanity..."

     I have to say that I have been putting off writing a blog post about our trip to Auschwitz. When something affects you so profoundly like that place did me, it's hard to put into words, but finally, I am going to try. 

     One of my favorite aspects of this whole experience was the WWII intensive lectures and field trips and learning opportunities. Almost every place we went, Martin and Jan would take us to the Jewish ghettos, or the monument that town had for the WWII victims, and on my trips outside of school I would try to actively seek them out on my own. We learned so much about that period of history and the people that were affected by it that I thought I was well equipped with the knowledge to prepare me for what I would soon see at Auschwitz and Birkenau. Unfortunately, I don't think anything could have prepared me.

     We started the tour at the infamous "Arbeit Macht Freight" (work sets you free) gates at the start of Auschwitz, which was used as the work camp. This was the portion used today to house the museum and replicated in some parts to show what life would have been like if you were unlucky enough to find yourself a prisoner in the camp. We started by walking through this one building with this pedestal with a see through urn on it. The urn was full of human ashes of multiple people, and we were told by the tour guide that it was indeed here while the camp was in operation and it was used as almost a trophy. We then wound our way through multiple buildings showing huge exhibits of just a small portion of victims' belongings. There was one of prosthetics and crutches, one of luggage with everyone's names and ages on it, one of the cans used for the gas chambers, one of shoes, one specifically for just baby and children's shoes, and one of the most disturbing; one full of human hair. The numbers behind this one was even more disturbing.. The case held one ton of human hair. To make one ton, about 40,000 women's heads had to be shaved. When Auschwitz was liberated, they found another seven tons of hair, with records of multiple other shipments around Europe. They found they were actually selling it to textile factories and it was being used to make blankets, shirts, socks, rugs, etc. The next rooms were those of the prison cells. This was one of the worst places in the whole camp, and was actually dubbed the "block of death" and was literally a prison inside of a prison. There were multiple types of cells that a prisoner could be put in, depending on the level of their disobedience. There were the normal cells, then the starvation cells, where prisoners were left to just starve to death in, then the suffocation cells where a group of people were left in a windowless cell where they would all eventually run out of air and suffocate. Then the standing cells where five people were placed together in what looked like maybe a 2 or 3 square foot cell and left there for days at a time, unable to sit or move around or have a place to relieve themselves. If you happened to survive a night in any of these, you were then expected to go out a work a full 12 hour day, then be put back in the cell for the night. Another of the buildings was used as a trial building where the prisoners cases would be decided (usually never in their favor) and then executed out back. The execution wall was literally just that. They would make the prisoners line up and go down the line and shoot them in the back of the head. Sometimes if the baby or child was small enough, they would just bash their head against the wall to save a bullet. Inside this building are the faces that have haunted me since I've left. The Nazi officers took very good records of all the inmates, and one portion of those records was a picture. Those pictures lined the hallways of this building, after being shaved and all in their striped pajamas. This was after it was vey clear what their fate would be, and the fear in every single one of their eyes is so palpable, you could almost feel it. I could not even fathom what these people went through. If the Nazis were anything though, they were efficient. This whole place was a well oiled machine, and it was when they figured out that Auschwitz wasn't able to kill in masses and properly dispose of them fast enough that they created Birkenau.

     If Auschwitz is hell, then there isn't a word for Birkenau. This is where the real horror happened. This is where nobody walks out alive. This is where towards the end, the selections took place, and you would stand in front of an officer and if he pointed one direction, you would live a little longer, but if he pointed the other way you wouldn't see the end of the day. This is where children were separated from parents, and families never saw each other again. This is where people died by the thousands in gas chambers per day, and were disposed of and erased from this earth just as quickly. This is where our tour guide told us what the piles of bodies looked like after the gas chambers, with the weakest and children trampled and crushed on the bottom, while the strongest were on top with their faces pressed against the hole trying to get one last desperate breath for life. This is where people lost their humanity, and would do anything to try to stay alive just a little longer. There are not words to describe what I was thinking while I was walking through that killing camp, but the memorial at the end sums up the message that it should be sending: "Forever let this place be a cry of despair and a warning to humanity where the Nazis murdered about one and a half million men, women, and children, mainly Jews from various countries of Europe." This message was written on a plaque in every language that was a tongue of any of the victims murdered in these two camps. I think this experience is one that everyone needs in their life, to really see what monstrosities people in this world are capable of. It is not one I ever want to do again, and frankly it still makes me sick to even think about it, but it is a lesson that is heard loud and clear by anyone who has the opportunity to go to this place.

A bit of nostalgia..

     Bonjour from Paris! Being able to travel is one of the most liberating and exciting things to do in this great big world of ours, and one of the most exciting parts is staying in hostels! As I have said many times before, one of my favorite things about hostels is the opportunity to get to meet so many people! This past week or so, I have done just that, and it has been making me very nostalgic about the week and a half I spent at hostels during my spring break. Then I realized I never wrote anything about that time like I meant to! So here we go, the middle of April, somewhere in Europe...

     Well, it started in Vienna, Austria to be exact. Our eventful two weeks began with the school group taking a bus to Vienna, where we went to the palace, and saw the Crown Jewels, and the National history museum, and a fancy white horse show! Unfortunately, im not going to expand too terribly much, because honestly, it just was not my favorite! A lot of people I talk to say they adored Vienna, but through my travels I have learned that even though you go in really wanting to love a city, sometimes you just don't feel the magic. Maybe it was the weather, or bad restaurant choices, or random rude encounters, but anyway the magic just was not there for me in Vienna.

     Next stop though, was Venice, Italy! We were still on the school bus, and I have to say that the drive from Vienna to Venice was one of the most beautiful ones I probably will ever take! The mountains were spectacular! By the time we actually arrived in Venice, I was already blown away. We then had to take a train (over water!!!) from the main land to the island, and then we were in the beautiful heart of Venice. It is famous for a reason. The water was beautiful, the sunsets are beautiful, the buildings are beautiful, the square was beautiful, the boats were beautiful, and the people were nice. And beautiful. Also, the whole "getting lost in Venice" myth is completely and utterly real. I usually am pretty fair at finding my way around new cities, but this one was hopeless! Even with a map, or the GPS on any of our phones! At least it's an island and at some point, you hit water and you know to start over. We went on our normal cathedral/castle/museum/treasury/Jewish quarter educational excursion, and at the end we all stood there and kind of looked at each other, and Martin says, "Well, you're free to go! See you in Olomouc next Monday!" And that was it! We were on our own for many of our first real small group independent travel, and some of the best couple weeks of my adventure to date!

     From Venice, three other people and I took a boat to the airport, which was a first, and flew to Naples, Italy. We arrive at this huge, dirty city, and we weren't sure what to think. Then we get out of the dirty old subway, and we are even more unsure. Then we walk down this dodgy little alley to our hostel, and we all want to turn around. Then we haul our luggage up five flights of stairs (I think Lauren was almost crying at this point) and into what seems to be someone's apartment, and I think we all were so confused and disappointed with what we had seen so far, we didn't even know what to do! Then this little older man comes out, introduces himself as Giovanni, and hands us all a big glass of water for the walk up, and tells us to all have a seat. All of our worries quickly turned to excitement as this man starts to lay out all of the many many options this town that he loves has to offer, and we choose our itinerary for what we quickly realize is going to be a much too short stay of only four days. This talk lasted about a half hour, and it looked like it was straight out of a movie, he would reach down for a book and turn straight to the page he wanted and point to the word before the book was even opened all the way, then reach behind him and grab a map, then push up his glasses, then go to google earth on the computer and zoom exactly from one place to another all around the city, explaining how it was built, and the real beauty of it once you know how to look for it. The he would take our passports, told me I had a bit of an Eastern European face, saw "Vlach" as one of my names, then "of course your Czech, I should have known that!" And do the same for the other three.... All I could think was that this man was amazing. Then we put our bags in our assigned room, and walk out to a homemade meal of Italian gnocchi in his special red sauce, and I think I could have cried. Then we met our other roommates, a French Canadian named Charles, and a girl from Mexico who had been studying in France for 8 months named Paula. We hit it off so well, that we all spent the rest of our time in Naples doing everything together, and it was with this group that we explored this town that I am now completely in love with, even though it is very rough around the edges. With these people that we and explored the roman ruins and the whole underground city beneath it, climbed to the top of Mount Vesuvious, and even Pompeii was made an absolute blast (which I realize is pretty morbid, because so many people died there, and I am very aware of that and understand the severity, but really I think I laughed more in that ancient city than I have anywhere in the world.. Oops). Looking back, I know it was this hostel that made all the difference. When I talk about a city having magic, I think of this one, and it breaks my heart to think of the things we would have missed out on had we not stayed at Giovanni's, and meet the people that we did!

     We then said our tearful goodbyes, and boarded the plane to Barcelona, Spain. This town was amazingly beautiful also, but I wish I could have taken it a different time, because everything for a while kind of paled in comparison after Naples. Besides that though, this mosaic covered town was amazing. With a hostel just a couple blocks from the beach, and Charlie (the French Canadian we met in Naples!) actually joining us from Rome, It was quite the experience also!! We were a bit worn out from sight seeing, so this town mainly consisted of the white sandy beaches, and the famous nightlife. I did enjoy the chance to brush up on my Spanish though! By the time Monday rolled around, I caught myself thinking, "I'm ready to go home and sleep in my own bed.." But then I though it was funny, because I realized "home" was Olomouc, and "my own bed" was the three-inch thick mattress I was used to sleeping on, and I got a good chuckle out of it. It didn't stop me from doing the ole' drop my bags and flop on the bed when I got back though!

     Really, moral of this story: I love hostels!!! There is a difference between hostels and hotels, the S! S stands for social, and that is the best thing about them. I learned that last night. In a hostel!!! 😁

English, Fringlish, Czinglish...

(DR. LARSON---#4: Language Issues (or not so many anymore!)

     My very first real blog post touched a bit on the topic of being exposed to a new language, and how it feels to live in a place where English is almost nobody's first language. Looking back on that one though, I think I was a bit overwhelmed, and I thought it might be interesting to have a reflection of language perception from the beginning, and the end of my little Czech adventure.

     Languages can be really fun to figure out, and if you look at them like a game or a puzzle, it makes not being able to understand them a lot less frustrating. In Europe, there are obviously many different languages, but many of them have lots of similarities, if you are able to notice them. For example, some of them are Latin based, or romantic (Portuguese, French, Italian, etc.), others are Germanic (German, Dutch, Swedish, etc.) and others, like in the case of the Czech Republic, are Slavic (Russian, Polish, Slovak, etc.). These are just three examples, there are MANY more, but these are just the ones I have been exposed to yet. By now, I have been in at least one country that have a language based on these three, and it is so interesting to me to see the many differences and similarities between all of the languages. I was just in Poland about a week ago and I understand how people believe that Czech and Polish culture is so similar, but by being in the Czech Republic so long now, I have gotten fairly used to the language, and I found it strange to sit down in a Polish restaurant and wish for a Czech menu instead! The languages are somewhat similar, but for a Slavic language, Czech is actually much smoother than many people might think. Any central/eastern European country is expected to have a harsh, guttural, German or Russian sounding language, but the Czech language is actually beautiful in it’s own way.

     Being around so many people that speak different languages is also really entertaining, because English is sort of a common tongue between all of the Erasmus, no matter how good everyone is at it. We also pick up different words or phrases from all the different languages, and it is actually a lot of fun! I think we all have learned hello, goodbye, and how to swear in like 10 different languages! We also like to throw in a bit of our basic Czech, because most of us have learned that also! My personal favorite in every language is how to say “cheers” though, because all of them are so different, and all of them are so much more fun that the simple “cheers” in America! Its also a great conversation starter:

Foreigner:  Hi! Where are you from?

Me:  America! And you?

Foreigner:   (oh jeez and American… here we go…) Im from Slovenia

Me:   Oh Slovenia! OP-OP-OP-OPPPPPAAAHHHHHH!

Foreigner:  OP-OP-OP-OPPPPPPAAAAHHHHH! (Oh wow, she knows cheers in Slovenian? Maybe not ALL Americans are so ignorant!)

     Getting to know, or at least just making even a small effort to learn a language can improve relationships so much, and make it seem like you genuinely want to know about a person, because the language a person speaks is so much a part of their identity, and cultures in general. It also is just a fun thing to be able to know. Na zdravi! Salud! Salute! Chin chin! OOOPPPPAAHH! Na zdravia! Egészségére!

Grandpa said not to drink the water!

(FOR DR. LARSON---#6: SOCIAL LIFE)

     One of the best ways to meet new people in a new country is to get together and go out! Our social lives here have bloomed, and I don’t think I’ve met and gotten to know so many new people since my freshman year of college at UNK. I came here with over 20 fellow Americans, and even though it would have been so much easier to stick with them all day every day and only speak well-spoken, American accented English, I would not have gotten the experience I did. I have met so many absolutely amazing people since I’ve come to the Czech Republic, and I have gotten an even better experience by living with all of the Erasmus students at the international dorms. Marissa and I have made such an effort to get to know our flat mates especially, and it is through them that we have made some of our fondest memories, and I truly believe that you can experience different parts of the world just by talking to someone from there. For example, some of my closest international friends I have made are a few students from France that I met through my flat mate Thibault. 

Thibault (left) and Kevin (right) from France at Belmondo

     By hanging out with them so much, I think I may finish this trip knowing more French than Czech! They talk about their home so much and are convinced (because they’re French..) that it is the most amazing place ever, I’m starting to believe them! People make all the difference when traveling, and I implore you to make that your first priority when you get the chance to travel!

Our group on our first weekend in Prague

    It’s no secret that we all like to go out while we are here, but we are just trying to do as the Romans do! The big nights people like to get together and go out are Mondays and Wednesdays. Monday nights are mostly spent at a pub called 15 minuts, and Wednesdays are spent at a club called Belmondo. Because we are in the international dorms, these are our nights where we can go out and meet some local Czech students also. We like to get talking and show off what little Czech we know and they enjoy us because nobody really ever bothers to learn Czech! These little weekly parties are mostly dominated by the Erasmus students though, so its fun going out and knowing so many friendly, familiar faces. Besides going out for the night though, we also love to go out for some coffee, or lunch or dinner at one of our favorite little restaurants we have found in Olomouc.

Na Zdraví! (Cheers!)

     Living with and getting so close to so many people has been the most exciting and by far one of my favorite parts of this whole experience. I will deeply miss waking up and being able to step out of my room and interact with so many different people and cultures. This is one thing that I absolutely cannot get in America, and it makes me sad to think that I may not ever have an experience like this ever again. Being able to have such a new and active social life over here make me see what I am missing, and also how many AMAZING people are out there in the world if you only give them a chance.

A healthy little dose of perspective.

(FOR DR. LARSON----#2: Academic Life)

     Contrary to what many of you may think, and what most of my pictures might portray, we DO actually have to attend class and learn something while we are here. School over here is pretty similar to school in the states (except for the field trip class!), but our classes here are actually pretty useful and interesting and give us much more perspective to be able to enjoy the place we are living. 

     We go to class every weekday that we are not traveling, and it generally stars at 15:00 (3:00) every day, and goes until about 19:15 (7:15). The classes are broken up into three different periods, with a different professor for each one and about a 10 minute break between lectures. The first period is usually taught by a guest lecturer who comes in and gives a presentation over a topic we are learning, while focusing heavily on their own specialty. Up to this point, we have had 10 different guest professors, and have learned about topics like: Czech government and politics, Life in medieval cities, Czechs and Germans, Jews in Bohemian lands in the 20th century, Islam in Europe, Gender in Czech society, Key social problems, and Higher education in Europe, just to name a few. This gives us the chance to learn a wide range of topics while also getting to experience many different teaching styles, because almost all of these professors' first language is one other than English. Through these lectures, I feel like I am slowing climbing out of the "ignorant American" stereotype, and can now confidently talk on current topics such as the EU, or the Eurozone, many forms of European government, and how they became that way, why some countries fell under communist regime after WWII, and how many countries gained their independence from it. I fully understand what was happening behind the "Iron curtain", and how many countries are still affected by the events of WWII, and what followed thereafter. I understand the different societies more, and cultural differences are starting to make sense. Walking through a new town, I understand more of what I am seeing, why towns are laid out the way they are, and why some are more grand than others. In America, we have learned some of almost every single one of these topics, but we can actually understand it when we are able to step outside of the classroom and see and experience first hand what we just learned about in class. 

     The next 45 minutes of class are spent trying to learn the Czech language with our Czech teacher, Kateřina Prokopova. Czech is an especially difficult language, what with 34 letters in the alphabet and 7 tenses for nouns, and so many rules that the teacher can barely keep track of them. What we are learning is cleverly dubbed by the other foreign students as "survival Czech". This mainly consists of the basic "hello, where are you from? My name is... what's yours? How are you? How do say ___ in Czech? What does ___ mean? etc..." We also learn numbers and the weekdays and some basic nouns. One of the most useful things that we have been taught so far though, is how to order correctly at a restaurant, and a lot of useful restaurant vocabulary. I play a game with myself to see how long I can keep the waiter/waitress speaking Czech, before they have to switch over to English for the stupid American girl. We are all really enjoying this class actually, but there really is no way we can learn very much past this in only our short amount of time spent here.

     The third lecture is taught by one of our two main Czech professors. Jan Stejskal teaches our more general western civilization class, to give us the background we need to understand most of the other lectures in all of our other classes. His lectures consist of things like: Greek and Roman legacy, Crusades, Women in European history, Europe and the others, Totalitarianism, and Christianity and formation of the European East and West. These lectures are much more history based, which usually I cringe just at the thought, but by living in a place and traveling to places that are so full of history, I have a million questions of how and why and when everything was made and formed and destroyed and rebuilt, so I eat these lectures up, and try to soak up all the answers like a little sponge.

Martin (left) and Jan (right), our amazing professors!

      Martin Elbel is our other regular professor, and he teaches a course on the holocaust that is unlike any I have ever had before. We have all learned about the holocaust one time or another in school, but we mainly just learn the timeline, and all the monstrosities that went along with it. Martin delves into more of the psychology of it, and lets us understand how the world and the people in it can let something like the holocaust even happen. He puts forth ideas that there are actually recognizable chains of events that happen before something like the holocaust, and if we see them early enough they can almost act as warning signs. His very first lecture, he talked about the witch hunts in Europe, and all of the events leading up to one of the most gruesome and meaningless massacres in history. Looking back, witch hunts seem so silly, but he explained all of the fear and chaos that led people to believe that they were doing the right thing, and then he showed us the chain of events that led up to holocaust, and they were eerily similar. His lectures are so thought provoking, that every day I am quite literally at the edge of my seat hanging off every word he has to say. 

    Our last portion of classes (and I loathe to even put this in, because it's not "technically" studying I guess....) is our film, blogging, and field trips! Every week, we get to watch one (relevant!) film about some topic we have learned about recently. Our blogs are pretty self explanatory (because you're reading one..), but I am so glad we are forced to do them, because I know we will all love to look back and read what we wrote while we were over here having the time of our lives! The last part, the field trips, are ACTUALLY EDUCATIONAL, and it is just more of a hands on adventure of everything we have been learning in class. We have traveled to three towns in the Czech Republic, and still have three more, Germany, Austria, Italy, and independently I have also gone to Spain, and we still have yet to go to Poland, where we will visit the much anticipated (and a little bit dreaded) Auschwitz. 

     These classes are obviously mostly history based, and I usually cringe at even the thought of sitting through a history class, but being here in the heart of some of the most historical and culturally rich places in the entire world has given me a brand new appreciation for all things history. It has opened my eyes to so many things I have been forced to learn for a bubble answer on a test in America for what they really are, and that is something I did not really expect to gain from this little adventure of mine.

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!!