End of Week One

So I have officially been here for a full week! It's weird-- it feels like I've been here forever, but at the same time it doesn't feel like the other four weeks here are going to be nearly enough! I've met so many great people-- I don't think there's anyone here who I actually even dislike-- and in just this first week we've formed some really great bonds. We're in the process of trying to plan some trips to other European countries (more to come on that once it's official!), but there really is just one big weekend to go somewhere distant between all of the other field trips we have around Czech. We will make the most of it, but already I'm wishing that I had more time here. At the same time though, I have another amazing place to be once I have left the program here. It's definitely going to be bittersweet.

So yesterday, we went to Kutná Hora. It was actually really nice to get out of the city and see a bit of the Czeh country! It was a rainy, dreary day, but still a nice change of scenery. We went to the bone cathedral-- where masses upon masses of peasants who died from the plague long ago were picked apart and used to decorate this cathedral still used for funerals and such today. I could literally reach out and touch an actually skull if I wanted-- don't let that fool you into thinking I did though, I didn't! We also visited two other cathedrals that were just absolutely gorgeous! Last, and coolest of all (in my opinion), was the silver mines. We climbed 33 meters underground to see where miners used to collect silver in Kutná Hora. In some spots, I had to completely duck down as much as I could to get through-- and at 5'6", I'm really not that tall. I really liked walking through the mines. We stopped at one point and turned off our flashlights to see what true pitch-black is. I guess there were times when the miners would run into problems and be stuck in that pitch-black for a week, literally. That's not something I would like, but going down the the half an hour or so was a neat experience.

Bone cathedral:

Cathedrals & the countryside:

 

Today, we also had another chance to get out into the country. Honza, one of the staff members with USAC here in Prague, brought us on a hike! We took the train about an hour outside of the city, and then walked over to the next town where we had lunch and then went for the actual hike part of our day. It was only about 20-30 minutes of legit hiking, but was straight up hill for a huge majority of it. It was all worth it from the top though. We had some nice views of the countryside and the little town below where we had just had lunch. Kutná Hora had been great the day before, but can be touristy because of the attractions there, whereas today we saw authentic Czech country side.

 

In the week that I've been here, I feel like I've done so much! I really love being in the city! I've thought about grad school in a city somewhere before, but really think that this has been a good opportunity to test whether I'd really like that or not-- and I definitely would! There are a lot of things about the Czech people that are noticable here, which we've been told is a result of the communism that was here not so long ago. When Czechs are in public: if they're alone, they generally keep to themsleves even if they see someone they know, and do not make eye contact with other people on the street; if they're together, they do not talk a lot in public. We've been told that these habits come from people not wanting to draw attenton to themselves or to be overheard saying anything (and not knowing who hears), because when there was communism here, that was something they couldn't risk. So now, it's a part of the culture. There are certainly exceptions, but it's definitely been noticable.

With week one done, we now have week two to look forward to! I have my first history exam at the end of the week, followed by a couple of different field trips! I am really kind of behind on my photos, so I'm going to try to update those soon, so be on the look-out!