With the “Big Holidays” out of the way I now have time to get back to blogging. And, in case you were wondering Christmas, and New Year’s were great! The Czech New Year’s Eve (Sylvester) is something not to be missed. It involves plenty of fireworks and very little police involvement. If you get the chance it is worth seeing. It makes Time Square New York look like child’s play. Spring is on its way now and I am excited! Once I make it through the rainy season I have beautiful flowers and bustling parks to look forward to. Spring here is truly beautiful.

So, I guess i have to add Easter to the list of wacky traditions here in the CZ. I know what you are thinking: What could possibly be wackier than a giant rabbit bearing chocolates in his own likeness? Holiday celebrations tend not to make sense. And Prague is no different. At Christmas little baby Jesus brings the presents – not Santa Clause. Well, at Easter the Czech people get a little mid-evil with the traditions. When I asked a class about Easter traditions i was told that theirs might be a little more "brutal" than in America. Brutal? Hmmmm…tell me more!

See, they have these things called pomlazka. They are young, live pussy willow twigs. The Czechs believe that they bring health and youth to anyone who is whipped with them. That's right, whipped. Oh, and anyone means a woman or girl. It has been used for centuries by boys who go door to door on Easter Monday and whip girls on the legs or behind. The girls are so thankful to be beat with the twig that they give the boy some candy as a thank you. Older boys (called "men") still do this with a shot of alcohol as their reward. Czech fathers take their sons into the woods and gather twigs to make the whip. It is a time consuming process to make them and the end result is truly a piece of art. Sure, you can buy them in the Easter markets, but that takes away from the tradition of it. And don’t worry, the women here love it! They think it’s cute when the boys come to the door with the whip. I have been told that this tradition is more prevalent in the Czech Republics outer lying towns and villages, but is still done to a certain extent in the city as well.

One of the great joys of teaching here is getting to share traditions with your classes. Every new holiday that comes up is a new opportunity to speak with your students about traditions and celebrations. You can share your traditions with them and they can share them with you. In my time here I have even picked up a few Czech traditions that I will incorporate into my own family traditions one day. Being international sure is fun, huh? See you next month!

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Ah, the holidays, a time for love and fellowship. A time for us to spread joy to our fellow man and … well… if you are American, eat like there is not tomorrow. I have been here in Prague for two consecutive Thanksgivings and I can state with the utmost sincerity that we Americans have definitely cornered the market on gluttony. If there is a holiday, you can bet that there will be a huge spread to go along with it. Whether it is candy at Halloween or the traditional turkey at Thanksgiving, we include mountainous amounts of food in all of our celebrations.

Celebrating a traditional American holiday in a different country can be a little bit troublesome. For obvious reasons they do not celebrate Thanksgiving here in Prague. Why would they? That means there are no 20 pound frozen Butterball turkey’s overflowing in every supermarket. That means there are no cans of cranberry sauce or pumpkin for your pumpkin pie. There is no cool whip and no Frenches onions for that green bean casserole. There is no in store display that has everything you need all in one convenient spot. So what is an expat to do? Well, you have to embrace the true meaning of the holiday and be thankful for what you do have. That, and have mom send you some necessary supplies.

This year my friends and I went all out. We had turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, corn chowder, fruit salad and green bean casserole. We even had cake for dessert.

I had my mom send me a can of cranberry and some Velveeta cheese. I make a killer macaroni and cheese, and Velveeta is a crucial ingredient. I was ecstatic when I also located some cheddar cheese. Prague seems to be the land of all white cheeses, so I was in shock when I saw cheddar. I also found a Turkey at the Tesco. It was not a huge Butterball, but it was big enough for our little family. The trick is to make the most of what you have, and what we had was plenty.

When I looked at our bounty set out on the table I felt a little proud and happy. I think it was the first time that Thanksgiving was really about being THANKFUL. I mean, how thankful do you need to be when you have an abundance of food at your finger tips 24 hours a day? Do you really feel thankful for what you have or for the fact that you have a long weekend and turkey sandwiches enough to last a week? Here in Prague I felt truly thankful. I was thankful for having a group of friends who I didn’t know before I moved here that I now consider family. I was thankful for the meal we ate and all contributed to. And, finally I was thankful that we could embrace the spirit of this holiday in our own way even with out mom’s apple pie. We did alright. We did better than alright – we rocked it.

Alicia Brooks

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Jawaharlal Nehru, a political leader in India, once said “Time is not measures by the passing of years but by what one does, what one feels, and what one achieves.” I totally agree Mr. Jawaharlal. This month marks my one year anniversary in the Czech Republic.

I am undone! I can’t believe that one year ago I landed in the Czech Republic – alone. I didn’t know a single person here, I didn’t know the language. Heck, you could fill a whole suitcase with the things I didn’t know a year ago. Present perfect? No clue. How to speak Czech? You must be joking. You want me to find my way through the winding streets of Old Town? I don’t think so.

Now look at me! It has been a mere 365 days and I am rocking Prague. I graduated TEFL Worldwide Prague and I am a teacher now! Cool! I know the present perfect, Present simple and even present perfect continuous! I can speak enough Czech to get by. I would be able to speak more if I wasn’t so lazy. But hey, one thing at a time. I have traveled to Budapest, Geneva, Germany and in and around the Czech Republic. When I lived in America the farthest I went was Los Angeles from San Francisco. The culture here is definitely more relaxed and supportive of adventure and travel. Where my weekends used to be predictable and a little dull, my weekends now are always fun and a little crazy! I love it here.

I have also met some pretty cool people. I am proud to say that I am still friends with the people I met during my 4 weeks at TEFL. I actually live in the same building as most of them! We have become a very close knit group – a little family. We cook a Turkey on Thanksgiving and eat Chinese food at Christmas, just like at home. I have met a bunch of other Americans as well. There is no shortage of expat’s here in Prague. It’s funny, being far away from home in a place where no one speaks your language, you find yourself really opening up to people. I meet more new people in Prague in a month than in one year in America. I have some Czech friends, some British friends and yes – even some American friends.

So, my year has been amazing. I have succeeded in living in another country. I have succeeded in living without television for an entire year. I have succeeded in changing careers, challenging myself and having more fun than I ever thought possible. Yeah, I rock - like Bon Jovi. Alicia Brooks

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I grew up in California. It’s a great place, and all that you have heard is true: swimming pools and movie stars. Oranges, hut tubs, redwoods, Disneyland and blondes. You can’t walk down the street with out seeing a bona fied superstar. Heck! Even our Governor is a movie star. We got it all. Okay, okay…maybe it’s not all like that. Like most native Californians I tend to over exaggerate my own importance and that of my home turf. And while all that is said about The Golden state is not completely accurate, one thing is for sure true: Nobody walks in L.A. Seriously; I drove my car everyday when I lived in California. I had too. The other options were just too deplorable to think about: walking or taking public transportation. Ewww. I mean, if I wanted to exercise I would DRIVE to the gym like a normal person. And public transportation is all but non existent in L.A. (San Francisco was better, but still not the greatest)

I moved to Prague almost a year ago and I am proud to say I have not driven a car since I have been here. The “California Girl” in me is bitter, but the rest of me is quite pleased. There has been no reason to drive a car. The public transportation system here rocks - and rocks hard…like Bon Jovi. It’s really the best I've ever seen. The metros are incredibly fast and always on time, the trams go practically everywhere, and wherever they don't go; you can take a bus or a train. I am now a huge supporter of public transportation. They even have night trams here! The Metro stops at midnight and then they have “Night Trams”. That’s right you can go out with your friends till 4am and still have a free and sober way home! It’s really exciting to sit and watch people try not to pass out or throw up. Ah, Prague.

So, although I prefer to walk this lovely city, I shall now tell you how to avoid certain mistakes whilst using public transit. There is a system of etiquette here in Prague. If you don’t follow it I will glare at you from the Metro platform. You have been warned.

1. The public transportation system is not free. You have to buy a ticket every time you ride or buy a monthly pass. They work on the honor system here, but they have power hungry checker guys hidden all over the place. So save yourself some money and aggravation and just buy a ticket. If you are found lacking in the ticket department, they will charge you 500Kc on the spot. Not fun.

2. You are waiting on the platform for your train. The train arrives, and the doors open. Please, please step aside and let people off! If you do not, you will risk a beating from the little old lady trying to exit said train. Move out from in front of the door!

3. Always let old ladies get on before you do. They will push their way in front of you anyway, so it’s just easier to let them go first.

4. Always give up your seat to people who stare you down, or people with disabilities or injuries, or any woman who looks like she will start yelling at you. I have friends who have never sat down before on the Metro. Do not under estimate old Czech ladies.

5. If you're wearing a backpack, take it off. Did you hear me? OK…if you are wearing a backpack – TAKE IT OFF! This is so you don't bump into me or the old ladies that just kicked your butt for not giving up your seat, and it ensures no one will steal your stuff.

6. You will see a little sign on escalators telling you which side to be on if you want to stand, and which side to be on if you want to walk. Please stand on the correct side. It is proper to stay to the right side of all escalators in order to let people walk up or down the left side. However people tend to stand wherever they want. A heart felt “PROSIM!” usually gets them moving because it’s usually the Czechs who are disregarding this rule.

So, I hope you have learned a little something about the Czech transportation system and how to ensure happy usage on it. Until next month…

I’ll see you on the Metro!

Alicia Brooks

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Having grown up in the United States of America I am prone to boredom. It’s part of my cultural DNA. I see this now. I never noticed it before, but now that I have been in the Czech Republic for almost a year…I see it. We have so many things to occupy and soften our minds in the states that our attention spans are shrinking and we manage to get bored easy. It’s kind of ironic that we can get bored when we have so much “stuff” at our finger-tips.

I have not been bored once in Prague. I’ll say it again in case you had your ipod in and were checking your Blackberry while you were reading this: I have not been bored once in Prague. I know! It is pretty incredible! Now…take into account that I do not own a TV here, or a car and you will start to get an idea of what Prague has to offer. There is really never a lack of cool stuff to do in or around Prague.

This weekend is a pretty cool music Festival called - Trutnov Open Air Music Festival. It is the 20 year Anniversary of this “Prague Woodstalk.” The Festival is visited by 9,000 to 15,000 people each year. It looks pretty cool. It is the oldest, the biggest and possibly the most well-known open air festival in the Czech Republic. The festival was founded as “an alternative action against the communist regime and as an underground event during 1987. Its beginning should have taken place in 1987 in a private field owned by one of its original organizers.” However, the communist police force banned the event and its organizers were arrested. Seriously, how cool is that? Our festivals at home are sponsored by Gatorade and MTV! From the beginning this festival went off with almost no sponsors and its promotional campaign has always contained environmental aspects. Because of its history and specific atmosphere the festival is known as "Czech Woodstock" or "Festival with opinion". The environment and setting where the festival is located “… has a magical feel, which promotes peace and tolerance for one and all.” Nice.

Each year the festival is dedicated to someone or something that has done something positive with their life and made an impact on the world. In years past it has included Hare Krishna, victims of Wounded Knee, freedom of Tibet and the prisoners of conscience, patrons of human and animal rights, environmental initiatives, second underground culture, dead protest songwriter and poet Karel Kryl, Mother Earth and the Universe and even voluntary modesty. Ok, I don’t know what that last one means, but I am all for it.

This year’s anniversary festival is dedicated to the Czech ex-president, Chief Václav Havel. Apparently, Mr. Havel is a regular visitor to the festival. He says, "This is where I always realize that from its very beginning, rock music has been associated with the ideas of freedom, tolerance and solidarity." Right on Mr. Havel! Who says Americans have a handle on Rock and Roll!? I like the idea of a festival with no corporate sponsorship whose main aim is to promote an alternative lifestyle, radically different to popular culture's tunnel vision and brainwashing; to bring people together and to spread tolerance and openness. I mean, Burning an is almost corporate sponsored these days.

So yeah…things like this are part of the reason I am never bored here. Between the Beer Gardens, the night clubs, the music festivals and…well… my job…I have a lot to do. And a lot to be grateful for. Peace…until next month.

Alicia Brooks

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Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix opens today in Prague. I am totally excited. Not just because I love going to the movies, but because I have a total crush on Ron Weasley…don’t ask me why. Anyway…my friends keep calling - asking when we are going and which movie theatre will be showing it in English. You see, most kid’s films get dubbed in Czech when they come here. It makes sense. Little tykes can’t read the Czech sub-titles so…dubbed it is. A few savvy theatre owners know that there is a HUGE Expat community in this lovely city and therefore show the film in English with Czech subtitles. You just have to know where to go. And I know where to go. I am pretty impressed with the whole “going to the movies” process here. I mean, before I moved here I thought I would be waiting months and months for new Hollywood releases. Boy was I wrong! All of the really big movies – I’m talking summer blockbusters and movies like The Departed and Dreamgirls – come out within two weeks of their American release. Sweet! They don’t bring every movie here, but we get all of the big ones…the cream of the American crop if you will. I even got to go to a cool Premier Screening of Grindhouse and went home with a free movie poster! Yay! The cinemas here are fantastic. My roommate says that they are nicer than the ones in her home town in America. They run the entire range: from the plush-seated multi-kinos with surround sound, to cool tucked away arthouses. During the summer you can catch a film on the island, Strelecky Ostrov, and enjoy outdoor seating, good movies, and a river view. My favorite theater here is the Kino Svetzor because films are shown in their native language, with subtitles in English. This makes it a great place to see Czech films that you otherwise wouldn't be able to follow. Their selection is excellent: usually art & indie films in a fun and casual atmosphere highlighted by the lively bar. They also show cool old films like Casablanca and East of Eden. It’s fun to see those movies on the big screen.

And ladies…you don’t have to feel guilty about ordering that large popcorn here. The large here isn’t ginormous like it is in the states. It is a good size. And! They don’t use that greasy “butter flavoring” here. You get your popcorn fresh from the popper…period. Although, some theaters offer you a choice of butter flavored popcorn or bacon & cheese flavored. Um…I haven’t tried it yet, but hey, I’m game. Oh, and guys…? You can also get beer in most cinemas as well.

So…I’m off to see Harry Potter. I’ve got my popcorn and soda money ready, and I am as excited as a Muggle at a Quidich match! See you next month!

Alicia Brooks

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It’s finally summer here in beautiful Prague. I say finally because I arrived here in October, so it seems like it has been a while since I have seen the sun and gotten a tan! Being from California, the sun has always been a good friend of mine. But, like I said, it is defiantly summer here in the land of spires. One thing I am still getting used to is the long days. The sun is up here by 5am, and does not set until about 9:30pm! Talk about a long day! It gives me plenty of time to enjoy the city (and the beer gardens!) after work.

Another thing I am looking forward to are the MANY festivals going on around the city, and outside the city, for the next couple of months. This weekend is PragueStock – a dusk til dawn music festival featuring 8 live bands, multi-national musicians, businesses, schools, and individuals. I can’t wait! The day will feature special drink promotions, food from the lava grill, yacht speedboat rides, beer tents, and much, much more. The best part is that there is a festival like that just about every weekend here! Woo hoo!

I am also trying to get tickets for the Karlovy Vary film festival. I am a film buff, so it would be really fun to be able to see a film festival in another country. The Karlovy Vary IFF presents over 220 feature films and up to 40 short films from all over the world every year. Apart from the films in the special retrospectives, most of the films are screened in the Czech Republic each year for the first time, many of them in their world, international or European premiere as well. This year again, the audience will have chance to see interesting retrospectives and focuses apart from the traditional program sections. I also hear that Renee Zellweger is going to be there as a special guest. Cool! Not my favorite actor, but it would be cool to see her.

So those are my plans for the beginning of summer here. Work, work. Play play. Not a bad life, eh?

I’ll try to keep you posted!

Alicia Brooks

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One of the best things about living in Prague is that is it easy to travel to other European cities. This past weekend, a friend and I met my mom and sister in Barcelona, Spain. I had an amazing time although four days was not even close to enough time to truly enjoy everything. Barcelona is an interesting city because it is a mix of a modern, busy, loud city with tons of cars (ok TONS of Vespas and some cars) and an old, beautiful laid-back city. The architecture was incredible and was definitely my favorite aspect of the city. I loved all the Antoni Gaudi buildings, especially the Sagrada Familia, which started construction in 1882 and is still being worked on. The detail is unbelievable and the view from the spires is breathtaking. But even buildings with little significance were just remarkable to look at. My mom, who is an architect, was borderline obsessed with taking picture after picture of buildings and doors and ceilings and whatever she could!

We also went to the beach while we were in Barcelona. Growing up on the beach and then moving to a land-locked country is rough. I love the summer here, but lying out in the park just isn’t the same as lying out on the beach with the ocean waves echoing in your ear. It was so nice to sit and listen to music and watch some Australian guys toss a rugby ball around. Although the people that walk around and try to get you to buy things are slightly annoying, we thoroughly enjoyed one guy who was dancing around singing Copacabana while balancing a tray of donuts on his head, not spilling them once. Even though a donut was not what we were craving while lying out in our bikinis, we bought some anyway because we felt he deserved something for such entertainment.

I definitely plan on going back to Barcelona for a longer period of time but for now I am concentrating on saving some money for my next (hopefully beach) trip: Croatia. Prague is such a central place to live, making it easy to travel to all over Europe. It is also not a bad place to hang out while planning trips as well!

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The spring weather truly brings out the best in people. Though some may have heard the stereotype that Czechs are cold and unfriendly people, a trip to Prague in spring will prove that this is not the case. Yesterday I went to a ‘block party’ in an outer area of Prague near the airport called Dejvicka. The term block party brought back memories for me of barbeques, face painting and riding my bike up and down the street with other neighborhood kids. What would a Czech block party be like? My friends and I soon found out that this was quite a large affair, complete with stages featuring Czech rock bands, carnival activities and rides and tents serving cold beer and hot Czech cuisine. I was shocked ( as a former vegetarian) to see two whole pigs roasting on a spit…but perhaps as Americans we are too sheltered when it comes to the origin of our packaged ham and bacon strips!

The party offered rides ranging from braving a mechanical bull to bungee jumping and sumo wrestling. When I saw two men dressed up in heavy leather sumo suits I had to laugh and watch them with my friends. The suits were so large that the men inside them were immobile and needed two helpers to lift them to their feet after they had fallen. My friend Courtney jokingly suggested that my housemate Bachelle and I take a go at Sumo. Well, the activities were free and how often can you write home to say that you took part in a sumo competition in front of a cheering crowd of Czech families? Bachelle and I eased our way backwards into the suits, lying on our stomachs. We were fitted with leather mittens and helmets ( mine still sweaty from the participant before me!). At the blow of the whistle, Bachelle and I gave it our all, slamming bellies together and ramming our shoulders into each other. I was laughing so hard that I was crying, my vision obscured and the heavy suit was extremely difficult to walk in. Bachelle took advantage of this and knocked me flat on my back. The next thing I knew I saw her form sailing above me, before landing heavily on my padded belly. The crowd erupted in laughter and took several photos. We lay panting and flailing our arms helplessly with huge grins on our faces.

The rest of the day was spent eating roasted chicken, onions and peppers of skewers and waiting in line patiently for the bungee jump! I recognized one of the female singers on stage from Czech radio and was happy to hear some of the songs I listen to at work in the office. Today I am sore sitting here at the computer, but the minor injury is well worth the story!

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At this time last year I spent the night alone in my hotel Pivovar attic room, gazing out of my skylight window over the expanse of city. I could smell smoke in the warm spring air and I felt anxious excitement at the thought of what may have been going on. Prague seemed so large then, I never expected that I would familiarize myself with its streets, people and customs.

Sunday night was a night of bonfires, used to celebrate the burning of the witches that took place hundreds of years ago. Although I can’t say that I agree with the persecution of anyone, especially women branded as witches, I think the holiday has evolved into a youth event. I met up with a group of people at the Kampa park island to join the crowd congregated on the banks of the Vltava River. Teenagers dressed in dark cloaks with painted white faces were practicing fire blowing. The bright yellow flames illuminated the dark surface of the water and the whole place had a magical quality. Smaller fires burned in trash cans where people slowly roasted meat skewered on sticks over the orange glow. Boats honked their greetings as they passed by and cheers resounded off the walls of the Charles Bridge.

I received a text from one of my friends to come to a party more authentic than the central and tourist accessible one at Kampa Park. Forty minutes later I found myself making my way reluctantly through dark woods in an area above Prague Castle, fearing that this would make a great opening scene for a horror movie. I looked at my four male friends, who were thoroughly enjoying teasing me, and wondered which one of us would be killed first! But my fears were assuaged as we entered a clearing at the base of a large ivy covered wall. Fires burned under the moonlight and a generator powered a light in the corner where a small tent was set up, vending beer to the local youth. Teenagers strummed their guitars while others ran about the trees laughing and joining in flirtatious behavior. Though we were a bit to old for the scene, my friends and I agreed that it was great to be someplace so removed from our usual bar or club filled with English speaking Ex patriots. I remembered my own teenage years of parties in local parks after midnight, filled with hope of whom I might see. The night of the witch burning gave me a feeling of possibility and magic long forgotten. Sometimes we need to rid our mind of the worries of work on Monday, credit card bills and having a ‘future plan’. It’s better to look at the stars, drink in the moment and have fun with the people around you, exactly where you are.

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Today is a special trip back in time for me because it is the anniversary of the first day of my TEFL Worldwide course! All of the trees in the park across from the school are in full bloom and like them I can feel myself bursting with the same excitement I felt upon my arrival in Prague.

I am now familiar with the winding streets, tram, bus and metro connections of a city that once seemed so large to me. The Old Town, New Town and outskirts of Prague’s suburbs are home to my friends and favorite students. Today my excitement lies not in the unknown, but in the arrival of spring and celebration of its many joys! I cannot wait for the opening of the Jirziho Z Podebrad beer garden. This hidden enclave of picnic tables and strings of lanterns under shady trees used to be an adventure for me to find. Relief washed over me with the sight of a crowd of Czech locals laughing and energetic dogs running about. After navigating unfamiliar streets and large park at dusk there was always a little ball of panic in my stomach in need of dissolving.

Now that I live a few blocks from this exact location, it is a part of my neighborhood and I have walked the familiar avenues with ease on many dark winter nights! I feel so much happiness in knowing that I can return to my favorite parks and restaurants to relax on their beautiful outdoor patios. I feel even more pride in knowing that when I show these places to my friends who arrived in fall and winter, they will experience them with awe and happiness. I am lucky enough to share my favorite time of year with people very close to my heart. I can revisit great memories at the same time that I am creating new ones. Here is a toast to the TEFL Worldwide class of April 2005 and all of the new classes to come. Nazdravi!

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This weekend I experienced the realization of one of my teenage dreams. No I did not get to make out with Brad Pitt’s character in the movie Legends of the Fall ! But I did travel to Berlin for the first time, after a ten year fascination with German culture. Though I have visited Germany before, I have never had the opportunity to visit this lively, sprawling formerly communist city. Although I was a bit put off by the architecture of large square buildings, characteristic of the communist era, I found myself captured by the beauty of Berlin’s art. Many of the old high rises have been repainted with murals, graffiti art and bright, bold colors.

I am confident in my German language abilities, but found myself inadvertently blurting out , “ Prosim” ( Czech for please) in the middle of a lunch order. Despite this slip up, I happily made my way through a bustling street fair behind the towering Brandenburg gate. The city lost its harsh edge when I saw the faces of gleeful children playing on roller skates and looked at the vast expanse of park land on either side of the street. The grass was sprinkled liberally with daffodils and the lake in the center displayed a lovely bronze statue of a nude male. Though I still feel the city is overwhelmingly large, I have a strong desire to return and explore as many neighborhoods as I can. With visions of Love Parade in my head I caught the morning train back to Prague and gazed out the window through half closed eyes.

The journey from Prague alone was reason to visit Berlin. As the train wound through a deep ravine I looked up to see remnants of ancient castles carved directly into the mountain side. The villages built right up against the base of the cliffs were something out of a Grimm Brothers fairy tale. Houses with windows that looked like eyes peered out at me through half closed lids. Though the effect was eerie, I was captivated by these small towns preserved in time. These secret villages reminded me that I am just as eager to explore the country side as city streets.

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It is always a bit difficult to spend the holidays away from home. Everyone complains about family, but special occasions just aren’t the same without them. This Easter weekend, I sat reminiscing about eating chocolate with my sister and soaking up the California sun. I felt a pang of sadness as I realized that this is the first time in years that I would not be spending Passover with my best friend Sara, the two of us drinking a little too much Maneschevitz and laughing our heads off. What to do when there are no Easter baskets to get into, church services to grumble about and bowls of Matzah ball soup to slurp up?

These questions were quickly answered when I received a text stating that my friend Courtney would be holding an Easter brunch at her house. RSVP and come armed with orange juice and champagne! What I had assumed to be a small affaire turned out as a full blown holiday brunch, complete with over 20 guests and visiting parents and friends. The table was covered with an array of dishes; succulent lamb, ham, baked zucchini, spiced potatoes, and beautifully presented frittata. This was after finishing off the spinach dip, cheese plate and fruit slices!

I found myself discussing Harry Potter between mouthfuls with my house mate’s mom and then turning around to swap stories from home with some guys visiting from San Francisco. The best moment of all happened when the room fell into silence and my voiced tailed off in confusion. A petite Asian girl stood before the group smiling, and then opened her mouth to sing the most beautiful Italian opera concerto. Her powerful voice shook the room and sent shivers down my back. When she finished the group burst into applause and words of praise. I learned that she was the Italian (opera student!) girlfriend of one of the TEFL course graduates, and kind enough to grant us with a free concert.

I stayed chatting and nibbling on leftovers until 6pm and thoroughly enjoyed the company and the atmosphere. I felt a warmth inside myself in knowing that I belong to a community that is like a family of sorts. We haven’t forgotten our lives at home, but we are happily building new ones here in Prague.

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Depending on your night time habits, it can be difficult to get up before 12pm on a Saturday morning. Though my friends and I spent a good portion of the evening (and early morning hours) at various clubs and pubs in the city center, we still managed to convene at Hlavni Nadrazi at 11:50am. We arrived a bit bedraggled and dazed, but a beautiful sunny April day cannot be spent in bed with the curtains drawn!

Today’s excursion was to the magnificent Medieval Castle Karlsteijn, located 45 minutes from Prague by train. With a one time purchase of a ‘Z’ card for 200 kc, all traveling within the Czech Republic is offered at a great discount. I bought a round trip ticket to Karsteijn for a mere 58 Kc, and went straight to the Tabac shop to load up on snacks.

Our train car was a fit of giggles as six girls shared stories of the previous night, chocolate bars, popcorn and potato chips….all part of a healthy and balanced breakfast! When we disembarked at the train station, we looked up in awe at the massive white structure set alone on a hillside, Czech and EU flags rippling in the wind from its ramparts. The castle was built in the 14th century, and underwent construction again in the 16th and 19th centuries.

On our castle tour, we were taken through archaic chambers and dining halls, filled with portraits of the Premyslid dynasty. I was taken aback by the intricate woodwork of the original 14th century ceilings and the rich green brocade cloth covering the walls of the royal bed chamber. The castle floor tiles lent a chill to the rooms and little sunlight managed to filter in from the stained glass windows. Though the trip back in time was fascinating, I was relieved to emerge into the warm sunlight of the courtyard. The view of the expanse of forest below from the well tower was breathtaking. Amazing to think I saw the same view taken in by Kings.

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Prague is the place that everyone wants to visit! In the time that I have been here, the flow of visitors has been steady and strong. With summer on the way, I only expect that the trickle of friends and family members will become a deluge of tourists. Though the thought of crowds makes me a bit claustrophobic, the vibe of the city channels energy and excitement!

So far, my little sister has been the only person to come my way. I love the silent video that I have on my digital camera of us goofing around on paddle boats in the middle of the Vltava River in the July heat. Now I have received word from my mom that she will be coming to see me in May. I can’t wait until the trees are heavy with pink cherry blossoms and the warm breeze carries their scent through the air. I am already taking mental notes of my favorite parks and historical sites that I would like to walk to with her where we can catch up with each other and get great exercise! I also can’t wait to take her to some of my favorite restaurants here.

Last night I had a filling dinner at a local Czech restaurant near my house with my housemate and two of her friends visiting from the States. I ordered my favorite Czech dish of Smazeny Syr, a deep fried cheese patty which is served piping hot with a side of tartar sauce and Czech vegetables. One of the adventurous visitors tried the restaurant special of trout, because it is one of the few fish that is caught in the Vltava River. The trout arrived in its original state…head and tail included! Luckily my housemate Bachelle expertly de-boned and took apart the fish, returning it so that it did not resemble anything once living! The fish was delicious and certainly was ‘traditional’ cuisine. Vegetarians and meat eaters alike should sample Czech food at their first opportunity, it is a cheap and unique dining experience.

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The weather has been an incredible tease this week as I anxiously await the arrival of spring! Monday was beautiful and warm, but the rest of the week has been windy and rainy with patchy skies, giving me hope of another sunny day. I always discuss the weather with my Friday morning student, Zuzanna, over coffee as we sit in her cozy kitchen in the suburbs of Prague. Though I feel groggy in the morning I am always happy once I arrive there. She welcomes me with fresh coffee and cookies, her adorable six month old son Tom sitting happily in her arms. He looks at me inquisitively and his toothless smile brightens my day, no matter how tired I feel in the morning.

This morning Zuzanna and I sat down to discuss our most recent read, Memoirs of a Geisha. Because of Zuzanna’s advanced level of English, I initially felt apprehensive about what to do during our lessons. However, the idea soon dawned on me that as a literature major, I love to read and dissect books, and Zuzanna is the perfect discussion partner. So far we have read Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding and High Fidelity by Nick Hornby. To hear Zuzanna’s perspective on topics such as gender relations, hierarchies within modern society and the difference between American and Czech culture is fascinating. I consider myself lucky to know such a kind and interesting woman, and to spend time with my youngest ‘student’ of all!

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Today was the first sunny day that I have seen in weeks! I ventured into the Old Town square with some friends of mine from the TEFL Worldwide course to catch the end of this weekend’s St. Patrick’s Day festivities. Outside of the colorfully decorated Irish Pub, Caffrey’s, I stood beneath a green and gold banner welcoming visitors and locals. A stage was set up for the annual Oyster shucking competition, in which Czech chefs compete against one another to win a trip to Galway, Ireland. Today two men were awarded the grand prize for their excellent speed and presentation. My mouth watered as I looked at the beautiful array of raw oysters on the half shell with lemon wedges placed carefully in between them. The generous chefs then descended upon the gathered crowd with trays of these delicacies. My friends and I took our fill from the trays and I greedily ate at least seven oysters. It has been months since I have had fresh sea food, and feeling the salt water and lemon juice mixture trickle down my arms and throat was heavenly!

The rest of the day I spent with my male comrades walking along the Vltava River, making up alternate verses to an Irish drinking song, so as to personally insult each other. ( but all in good fun!) We stopped for a while to look at the Castle casting its reflection into the bright surface of the water. We eschewed the crowded Charles Bridge for a smaller bridge down stream, connected to Kampa Park. We relaxed in the park until the sun went down, taking in the view along with friendly families and dog walkers. I hope today was a turning point for the winter weather we’ve been having here. Bring on the spring!