Being European is hard...

..because you have to understand this language. I can barely get by in my class with 12 people, nevermind outside the classroom. Although the class is hard, I do feel pretty cool about being able to say good day and goodbye.

I went to the supermarket today, went to check out and confidently said "Dobry Den!" and as I said that the woman behind the register rambled some elaboratle (but most likely not) statement and I'm sure I had the most confused and puzzled look plastered across my face. I did most definitely did not understand what she was saying. My ego was immediately deflated. So much for carrying on a conversation. It just never crossed my mind that after saying "hello" most people carry on a conversation, yeh?

Pause scene.

Well a few moments before this fiasco began to unfold I noticed the lady asking everyone that she was helping a question. I assumed that she was asking if everyone had a Billa Club Card, so after she asked me this incomprehensible question, I responded "ne" and that was the right answer! How great. I was almost home free...but halt. More unrecognizable sounds left her mouth and she was obviously asking me something because she was waving my debit card in her hand like it was the Czech flag. I made another assumption, which are either hit or miss, and I handed her my bus pass because I was assuming she wanted to see ID because I was using my card. Score. I rule. I own Czech land. I can now buy my groceries in confidence.

Tonight a bunch of us are going to the "largest dance club" in Europe, apparently. I need to look trendy. And hip so all the Czech boys will swoon over me. Ha, I'm kidding. But Girl Talk is blaring, wine is waiting, my clothes are anxiously awaiting to be put on, and my body is ready to groove. I can finally show off my solid Jersey moves and put everyone to shame. Thanks mom, I'm finally putting those 10 years of dancing school to use.
Na schledanou!

Dobry' Den

Tomorrow is my first test of the semester, and it is in my intensive Czech language class. This is the first time since I've arrived here that I am able to sit down and write something of quality. My last post was a hot mess, but I'm not deleting it because those pictures took a long time to upload even if they aren't really formatted the right way. And the title was hella clever.
I love Prague. Granted, I've only been here for 4 days, it has granted my every wish and has yet to disappoint. I even learned to count to ten! (albeit, not well) The apartment I'm staying in is outrageously fantastic and seriously is 100% better than my apartment back in the windy city. There is actually hot water, there aren't any rodents running around, and I get to live above a bar. Another trip is in order soon. I'm already planning my spring break to Amsterdam and northwestern Europe which is bound to be quite a trip. It seems to surreal to me. This language baffles me. For instance, the word for ice cream is janodrva' zmrzlina. Do you see that is 5 consonants in a row?! My tounge doesnt move that way and my mouth doesn't make those sounds. Guess I wont be eating ice cream while I'm here. However, I did have my first Czech conversation today. It went something like this...

Scene:
In the front of a grocery store with my two roommates after checking out, waiting for our friend Danny to finish checking out as well. We are pathetically trying to improve our Czech skills by practicing our numbers for our upcoming test and counting to ten and constantly repeating the one word (for goodbye) that all three of us seem to remember.
Liz: nula, yu..yu..
Katie: yu...yuna?...je...
Me: Jeckna?..nula...nu...je...
Whilst this is all going on there is a young Czech boy standing maybe two feet in front of us and he is stealthily turning around a little bit. We know hes Czech, we know he is listening to us pathetically attempt to even count to five, but he remains quiet until I ask him.."How do you say 'one' in Czech? We have a test tomorrow and as you can tell, we're really bad."
CZ boy: Jedna (with a friendly chuckle)
ALl three of us: OHHHH, JEDNA! (pronounced yed-nah)

We proceeded to ask him if he lived in Praha, why he was standing in the front of a grocery store, how old he was, and what his favorite beer was. He told us his favorite beer which I don't remember. How strange, a 16 year old reccomending a type of beer to a bunch of 20somethings. How badass. He would be a rebel in America (or a punk, or a hero depending on which way you look at it), but he's just another kid at the grocery store with his parents.
My adventures have just began. I already have a hundred worthy stories to tell. I have a test tomorrow and to be honest I don't know much of what's on it, but I'm not worried because, well, I'm in Prague. And there's nothing to worry about here.

Dobrou noc!
Oh, and the most useful word I have learned is pomotz. Czech for..help!

Czechin' In

The best thing about Prague, thus far, is most definitely the heated towel racks. Most would say the beer, however I don't really like beer that much. Tonight we went to an authentic Prague-ian restaurant where a bunch of old men danced with younger girls and it became quality bonding time for the entire group. It was fun, to say the least. This morning I started my Czech language class which was really fun actually. I learned how to count which is really difficult. The city itself is really picture perfect and it seems like something out of a storybook. I can't figure out how to center these pictures but here you go.

Prononced moos-tek

We had beer tasting tonignt in out apartment tonight, I'm sleepy and I have class at 9 am tomorrow. Goodnight people. idk why this is a hyperlink. fml.

A Toast!

I don't know how to do everything, and this frustrates me. I don't like a lot of things, like this blog. Well, it's not really the blog I hate, its not knowing how to change the font size. ...and not knowing how to change the background...among other technical things. This probably wouldn't frustrate me so much if my major wasn't focused around computer graphics and design. I should know how to do all of this, yet I still don't. I just want to be good at everything, especially things I'm supposed to be good at.
I've decided I'm not supposed to be good at math, pleasing everyone, being skinny, waking up early and talking. I've decided I am supposed to be good at drinking coffee, thinking I'm more stylish than I really am, listening to really good music that virtually no one knows about, informing other about music that no one really knows about, and I am supposed to be really good at creating a list and narrowing down everything that I really want to do over the next 4 months. I've been really pensive these past few days because my departure to Prague is getting closer and closer with every second that passes by. I am a whirlwind of emotions although anyone that knows me would probably tell you otherwise. I'm really good at keeping a constant wall around me that blocks any emotion from getting through to others. There are only a few people that can really read me, however lately this wall has slowly been coming down because of this upcoming adventure. Slowly, this overwhelming feeling of excitement has began to take me over. This excitement combined with nervousness, a sense of new independence, and a feeling of new beginning and what seems like a brand new life is overwhelming. Not to mention flying for 8 hours over North America and the Atlanic isn't really on the top of my list of things to do. But I am more excited than anything to get away from everything that I've known for the past 20 years. I am definitely sure Prague will enlighten, teach, broaden and culturally educate me. I'll probably fall in love with everyone I see and at am certain the words "I'm never leaving" will cross these lips at least a few times. I want to meet new people, go out to new places, eat new food, sleep in a different bed, become best friends with total strangers, fall in love with total strangers, have kissy flings with total strangers (bahaaha jk ryan), and leave all the toxic elements of my life for a while until I need that toxicicity again. I can't live without a little chaos. I've experienced enough bodily neglect and hearbreak to last me until I'm 50 but I don't plan on stopping now, so why not do the damn thing in a foreign country? I'm on a roll. So here's to you, Prague, and to your future attempts to try and hurt, intoxicate, break, inebriate, infatuate and facilitate me, because well as much as I hate to admit it, I'm sure at least one of those is bound to happen. I've never been so excited to know absolutely nothing. Bring.it.on.

Cheers!