-22 Degrees Celcius

So no pictures today. I have 3 hours between classes... so I'm reporting today from the field... aka the NYU computer lab. Lets begin with the first day of classes...

It's a little sad that I have to catch the 11:17 tram to be at class at 12 and I think that it's way to early to get up. 1st class: anthropology, European cultures. The professor is pretty much adorable. Starts the semester off with a speech about skiing and sports and then kinda talks about the class then tells us where to get organic food. I am in love. once again. Next: Czech. SUPER FREAKIN HARD. every noun has a gender and adjectives have to be converted to match that gender. plus no means ne and yes is said ano or just no... so opposite. and guest means host so lets just make everything backwards. All the classes are small so hopefully I'll be pretty much fluent by the end. lets hope.
Gender in transition: seems like it will be interesting. All these classes have a lot of work and and lot of reading and writing. This is supposed to be an easy semester. Another thing i noticed is that all my professors grew up under communism. I think it will be really interesting to be taught from that perspective, since it was only 20 years ago that communism ended. I am really intrigued and I like learning about europe since you dont really learn about modern Europe in high school.

After the first day we went to this place pivovelky or something.. thats actually not what its called. I had coffee flavored beer. it was amazing. there were all kinds of flavors... wheat, sour cherry, nettle, banana, ect. So interesting. I love trying new things. And my professor this morning made a good point. Here, in the country where we consume the most beer per capita, drinking alcohol is not like alcohol, but like normal. its cheaper than water and it is normal to drink beer instead of anything else. Binge drinking doesn't really exist. (however because Russia's main alcohol is voldka, they are dying off rapidly and have the highest shrinking population).

Tuesday I only have topics of 20th century music which I am super excited for.... because Im a music nerd. Plus one of my famous composers; Dvorak, was born here so obviously this is the best place to take this class.... enough of the boring details.

Going to Berlin this weekend!!!!! so pumped to finally take a trip outside of Prague. I haven't seen barely anything and I cant believe I have already been here for 2 weeks but I need to start exploring around the world too!!! more later!!

the sensored post

So... last night...I picked up the best souvenir you could ever imagine. A Czech license plate. You can say that I stole it, but perhaps more appropriately I actually "took it from a snow bank and hid it in my coat". It's actually really cool looking. For future reference, it is extremely difficult running across a highway while trying to hide a license plate in your coat. It definitely hit my chin a few times.

Question: Is it a felony to take a license plate from a snowbank? I didn't take it off a car or even near a parking lot. It was stuck in a pile of snow. I'm going to hope the answer is no. I'm hopeing that it's ok to post this story on the internet.

Disclaimer for the following secion: I am way above the legal drinking age. Mom and others opposed, may want to just skip this part...

So Czech's are famous for wine and beer (vino and Pivo). Back in the day (way way back) the water wasvery bad and you couldn't drink it, and since they didnt have coffee or tea yet, they drank beer. Breakfast lunch and dinner, it was always beer. This is a true story, also probably why beer is cheaper than water. So drinking beer in prague is something that the locals do, so I'll be in this country for 4 months, I have a metro pass and id,I don't want to stand out too much so, act like the locals...

we went to this lovely place called the Beer Factory. It's quite the operation. At each table is a center tap with like 4 different tap handles (I know they probably are not called that but you can picture this...) so every table has a number and you serve yourself beer and there is a tracker on the wall that tallys the number of beers your table drinks. each time your table drinks more than another table your box on the wall moves up. It's really fun to watch and pretty much like an entire resturant drinking game. Also- "great" techno music, plus some oldies and a montage of music from grease... which they played twice. We being classy Americans rocked out to the macarena. overall... and even though it is a bit overpriced (coming in at about 45 CZK per beer, or about 2 american dollars) it was a good time.

note- here instead of having coffee "to go" its "take away", which I love.

You would think that being our first (kinda second) weekend in Prague we would go and see the sights.
negative.
I spent saturday sleeping, going to the gym,and food shopping (and beer factory.... and the license plate thing) and sunday sleeping and cleaning. It was good. I needed the rest. Plus it was too freakin cold anyway.

class tomorrow.... let reality begin.... kinda.

Madonna, Milka Bars, and Mad cheap food

referring to the title... just trying my hand at some alliteration.
-Madonna- played eveywhere. It's amazing the amount of American music you hear. I was listening to someone listening to tik tok on their ipod on the tram the other morning. But along with that is the constant playing of old songs... I have heard like a prayer over 5 times. Madonna is very popular on the radio here. This is going to NOT help my goal of bringing new CZ bands back to America. Must try harder.

-Milka Bars- amazing chocolate bars ever. 19CZK aka 1 american dollar. TOday I was eating chocolate with strawberry yogurt inside. downside to these. they are cheap and I cant read the nutritional information. This really leads me to the next one....

-Mad cheap food- I became sick of only having peanut butter sandwiches and rice with nothing on it. So we went hardcore grocery shopping today. downside: its kinda a far commute to the good store. BUT everything is SO FREAKIN CHEAP. I bought a ton of food including veggies and different breakfast bars to try and it was about maybe 20 dollas. In NYC I would spend 20 dollas on milk eggs and a loaf of bread. add this to the 3 years off for a kid and this place is better than anything.

note on food shopping- it is very different here. first off, people in the CZ have a very different culture and never say excuse me. they will walk right into you or in front of you and it is not considered rude. I am still adjusting to this. secondly, I can't figure out what a lot of the food is. Places that speak italian or spanish or even french, you can figure a lot of this out since many of the words look similar and there is a ton of these kinds of food in america. Of course I pick to live in the country where they have no words that look a bit like the american word and no english on the packages at all. I opened my yogurt the other day to find it was fruit on the bottom, and I bought some kind of snack which I am hoping is crackers but not quite sure. It s definitely an experience.

So... Friday I skipped Czech class. And yes, I felt really bad about this but stupid NYU has us sign up for limited space trips at 8am and then class isn't until 10am and there is only so long you can sit in a cafe after sleeping 4 hours. So we went home and I slept for 3 beautiful hours. I totally lucked out in the roommate department this semester... we both like our sleep!

Then we went to Pragu Castle. GORGEOUS. We walked across the Charles Bridge, which I wasn't aware it was so close to NYU (and I wasn't aware we were so close to Charles university either) The bridge is beautiful and the river and the views... just about everything is beautiful. Even though it was freezing and I couldn't feel my limbs 10 minutes into the 2 hour tour, it was still worth it. We went through Malá Strana, and saw the church where Mozart's funeral was... and i was the only one who found that to be cool. We then walked uphill for a while to the castle, which produced the most amazing view ever of the entire city of Praha and the biggest castle I have ever seen... and I am pretty sure it is the biggest castle in the world. We were able to go into Katedrála svatého Víta, Václava a Vojtěcha (St. Vitus Cathedral), which was breath-taking ( that sounds stupid but I feel like I have used beautiful and amazing too much in this post). We were shown around the area and walked through the Golden lane, which included a house that Kafka lived in for a few years. We were told to go back in spring to see the gardens, which I will be doing, along with going back to the Mozart church (that one probably by myself)

That night we went to the state opera and saw Rigoletto. I loved it. But then again I'm a music nerd so I think I enjoyed it more. I wont go on about the opera it would take too many pages.
Afterward we went to Baang... this resturace near our apartment buildig that I think is a russian vodlka bar or used to be. Whatever it is the food is really great, the service is great and they explain anything on the menu to you in english, and drinks are cheap. Hear hear for Baang. ( plus te creepy Czech music videos to American music were the best!)

Some things I have notcied about Prague:
1. people do not walk down the streets smiling, and if you do they know you are not from around here.
2. they don't talk loud on the metro or tram/ don't talk at all
3. J-walking is huge here... but you have to watch out because the traffic laws here make no sense to me. Its nice because in smaller areas cars will stop for people to cross, but you never know what way traffic is headed.
4. the atm gives out 1000CZK bills but you never really need that much money at one time. and they hate when you hand them one.
5. good coffee does not exist. its all espreso or something. they drink beer not coffee...
6. not much is in english. usually in like paris or italy there is a lot of engish below the first lanuage... not really so here. makes little things harder. Especially when the tram stops and everyone gets off and you have to guess that its broken or on fire or sinking or something. Same with the emergency signs. knowing Czech is very imporatant.
7. my Czech gym boyfriend is beyond gorgeous.

classes start monday... excited? yes and no. its nice having free time to explore but it will be nice to be on a schedule too. I'm ready for anything!!!

Praha Lovin'

I love that when I go on the internet here a lot of the sites are in Czech and I like to pretend I know what they mean. Just like I pretend to know how to work my phone even though most of that is in Czech as well.

embarrassing moment of the day: trying to get my juice (Džus) open.
Proudest moment of the day: getting the džus open..with a knife.
most ridicilous moment:trying to put my alarm clock back on the table, but somehow missing table and dropping it on the ground.

So if you are thinking to yourself, wow that looks like an amazing spaghetti dinner Samantha must have made that... you are correct. I made the spaghetti part. We decided to stay in the other night and make dinner since our kitchen is bigger than my entire NYC apartment. It turned out amazing. I love "family" dinners here at Jaurisova.
prior to that we went to the Flora gym....where I found my husband. The most beautiful man EVER works there. This is no exaggeration. And I know I always say I am in love with people, but this is definitely for real. All I have to do is learn enough Czech to woo him to America. Excellent motivation to go to the gym like every hour. I will learn his schedule. This would only be creepy if we weren't meant for eachother, luckily, we are. point for the Czech Republic.

note- this apartment has heated floors- CZ +1

lets check out the score board:
Ceské republiky: 12 thousand
Ameriky: 1 (for Wegmans)

Picture Císlo dvá: outdoor concert near škola. I love this area because there are these outdoor concerts and vendors and you can hear it all around the square. I like feeling like I know where I am (for the most part) and feeling like this is my community and home for the next 4 months. I cant believe I haven't even been here a week, but I cant believe that a week ago tomorrow I left for Praha. Crazyness.

Today was sooo cold. After Czech lessons we went out for lunch at this total tourist place in Staroměstké Naměstí. It was amazing food, and my caj was amazing (tea) and they didn't charge me (and I got a fork). Then we went to a meeting about internships here in Prague. I don't think I want one. There is this thing where you can have english conversations with Czech children, but I'm not sure I could handle that...Greenwich Village middle school destroyed any urge I had at being a teacher, which began with nothing. I only went to the meeting because I am in love with the guy who runs the Prague Wanderer... our online magazine. He is so adorable. haha

ps. did you know that in the Czech Republic maternity leave is 3 years? guess who is having her children here... and no this is not related to the magazine man, I just happened to think of this amazing fact after I wrote that. but yeah... 3 years. Imagine how much vacation time I could get with 10 kids....

I am SOOO kidding about the 10 kids.

The other night we were invited to a students apartment for dinner.Her parents have an apartment here and so she had over a ton of people and made an amazing dinner. It was really nice to meet some great people from other buildings, since our building pretty much only hangs out with eachother and we don't talk to anyone else. (just kidding.. kinda). It's Rubin hall 8th floor all over again. haha but no I like meeting the different people here, and figuring out the weird connections we may have... thank you facebook.

Some of us then trecked it across the river to Mecca... this VERY AMERICAN club. It was fun but sooo different. Nobody touches eachother, which is nice when there are eurostrangers all around you, but it takes a couple of minutes to adjust. The bathrooms too... very different. And the whole smoking is allowed inside... welcome to my body lung cancer.

It's strange, you can drink on the streets, pee on the streets, smoke in buildings and resturants, and even smoke weed on the streets, but after 10pm if you are too loud you can be arrested. Point for originallity.

Took my first cab home and totally messed up giving them my address in Czech even though i know it. Fail. I don't want to talk about it.

Tomorrow we get to see Prague Castle and see an opera at the State Opera house. Prague is still amazing. Now I have to go stalk my future husband at the gym.
Na Shledanou!

Dàm si Malà Kàva prosím

Bad News: COffee Heaven sucks. It's overpriced and the coffee isn't even that great. Now I'm on a mission to find a coffee place that tops coffee heaven (which shouldn't be hard)

Good news: I have stolen 2 forks already and it's only been 4 days.

pictures: I forgot my camera at home yesterday so this is my fridge with all that crazy Czech food... like that box of orange juice. I don't know how to open it yet.
second picture, the first fire escape built. It is attached to the opera house in which Mozart premired Don Giovanni. I thought that was so cool...go Mozart!

I didn't write yesterday... and I probably wont everyday because then everyone would get bored and not read this anymore. Yesterday was the first Czech class... which made me realize how hard it will be to learn Czech for the whole semester... but I'm ready! Yesterday was also fun... failed at getting my metro pass and we ended up getting lost for oh about 3 hours. It was actually fun to explore on our own and find our way home... using the map only once (ok twice).
We went out for a nice dinner with the entire building at an authentic Czech resturant... and the food was soo amazing. It was nice to bond with everyone too.

note- Czech milk; mléko, tastes pretty much the same, but it smells dfferently. strange.

Yesterday, My eye began to hurt, so naturally I assumed I had cracked my optic bone and the pieces were floating around near my eyelid. Woke up this morning with a swollen eyelid... that was attractive. My lovely roommate told me it was a sty... gross... but at least I know that my bones aren't floating around my face. my other eye started to hurt as well but I think that was my mind...again. But the actual sty is real. I hope thats how you spell sty.

Today after Czech finally got my metro card and then tried coffee heaven (sad face. we no longer discuss this) Then, by some Praha miricle, we managed to get the tour of Staré Mesto that we missed yesterday because we ended up in Nové Mesto instead. It is really a beautiful place, even with snow and rain and ice everywhere. What is especially interesting is that many Czech citizens around Prague were there during communism and all the changes that have happened since then. Especially today you could definitely see this place recovering from communisim and you can see the difference between places more west in Europe like Paris and Florence. As western as it has become and as Central as they like to be considered, you can definitely see the Eastern European still left here.

I feel that was very deep for my blogg.

In other words, I really like it here and I think that I'm going to really enjoy this semester and not want to leave in the end.

Na Shledanou!

Coffee Heaven= my heaven

Dobry den!
First full day in Prague and I woke up to the most beautiful snow falling. How Poetic! Today we had a ton of logistical things to sit through, about culture shock, policys, ect. But we did get breakfast- apple danish and coffee! and lunch so it was all good. Then we went on "survival tours" and went to see the class buildings (amazing) and things like banks, post offices, 10 thousand pubs, the famous clock thing (pictured here!)and... COffee Heaven. A beautiful place of coffee goodness. OK it looked just like a little cafe, but it is called coffee heaven so I'm assuming the coffee tastes better than heaven, and hopefully it does because as I stated in an earlier post, if the coffee is bad I'm leaving.

So Prague is pretty beautiful... thats my conclusion. Even with all the snow

ps. in the past weekend, it has snowed more here in Prague than in the past 17 years. figures.
best part about snow. They have warnings out about falling iceicles. There is caution tape marking off areas close to buildings so you don't accidently get a puncture wound. I immediatly thought of Greys Anatomy.

Also. I have a phone! Thats right folks I'm like a real Czech citizen now! It's pay as you go but it's amazing and when you dial something wrong it speaks to you in Czech! This phone, plus the sim card and about 10 minutes of talking or abot 100 texts was 770 CZK. Thats about 37 dollars. Holla!

ps. I'm so pumped to learn Czech. (in case you didn't realize, which I'm hoping you should, Dobry den means hello)

They gave us this AMAZING chocolate cookie thing, I cant explain it well enough. Just try to imagine the most amazing thing ever. It's called Fidorka. I'm in love. Speaking of love, TESCO. This grocery store/ department store that has EVERYTHING you could imagine. For food shopping I bought the essentials like bread, peanut butter jelly, cheese, cereal, rice, pasta, sauce, and yogurt and some other things.... total was 262,20 CZK. That my friends is about 13 dollars. and I got a ton of food. A bag of ziti pasta was less than 1 american dollar. I got 2 things of the Czech equilivant to Raemon noodles and they were 3 CZK each. (19 CZK= 1 American DOllar) A loaf of bread: fifty cents. The most expensie food item was peanut butter comming in at a wooping 2 dollars. I am NEVER moving.

And- and I'm not bragging too much, we found our own way home on the metro and tram. It's only (full) day one.

Tomorrow begins Czech classes and some tours that you can take.
HAHAHA I just got a text from the phone company thing.. like you know when you first get a phone and it texts you... it's ALL IN CZECH. Now I need to go google translate to figure out what they are trying to tell me.

Làska!

Jaurisova 6, Nusle, Praha 4

Greetings from the Czech Republic. I made it in one piece, with all my baggage, and haven't slept yet.This is the view from my bedroom window and the one with trees is from the balcony off the kitchen. I know I promised a post in London, but obviously I wasn't thinking as I had a 10 minute layover (aka I ran to the plane) and it was 6 in the morning my time and I was not in the mood to walk, so writing was definitely out of the question. Lets recap the fun fantastic flights I somehow survived...

Rochester to Newark- relatively normal. I was finally able to sit next to a normal person, our flight left on time, and I got pretzels. THe flight attendent was a young kid with braces and when I asked If I could have a half glass of water (so I wouldn'thave to pee) he asked if I wanted a half bag of pretzels too. no. I didn't.

Newark to London- LONG. I had a window seat and no one was sitting next to me. Some old guy moved to the seat on the asile, and his feet smelled bad, but he was nice and let me get up to pee a lot and let me put my feet on the seat inbetween and had a british accent so I was ok with that. The guy behind me, however, I wanted to hurt. He kept making weird noises while he slept and tapped the screen on the back of my seat far too much. I watched PostGrad. It was pretty stupid. Then I watched 10 minutes of fame and began to feel really embarrassed, not just because I was watching Fame but because it was pretty bad. After my nap ( i know, this is so exciting) I watched the beginning of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. I don't remember why I didn't finish it. oh wait yes I do. I looked at my boarding pass and realized out plane was supposed to land at 6:45 am and my next flight was at 6:55. Bad Words.

In the end everything was fine and I made it through security and to the gate in time... possibly because Heathrow was dead at 7am. Luckily I have a 2 hour layover next time so I can explore a little (and meet Lauren for coffee!!!).

The flight to Prague was good... I think. I couldn't stay awake at all. I was going on 14 hours of travel, no sleep for 24 hours, and everything was said in a language I didn't understand. The snack was great though- a hot cheese and tomato sandwich on cibbata bread. and apple juice. I had apple juice on each flight. I had so much apple juice.

And now I'm in my new Prague Apartment, sipping my Czech tea and dreaming about when I can sleep tonight (and shower). This apartment is amazing. It is soo big. There are 5 people, 2 bathrooms (which consist of a toliet room and the sink and shower room, 3 dinning room tables and chairs with them, a fully stocked kitchen supply wise with everything you need, and a dishwasher and water heater thing. I share a room and it is huge. Basically I can definitely handle this for the next 4 months.

tonight we are getting pizza with some other NYU students... and tomorrow starts the crazyness of orientation... at 10 am. I feel like I will truely understand Jet Lag by 10 am tomorrow morning!

75.5 pounds

Reporting live from the Greater ROchester International Airport. Note INTERNATIONAL. The only international location it flys to is Canada. I could drive from here to Canada faster than I could fly there but whatever floats your boat.

So I'm ready. Bags packed, just barely. Weighed in at 75.5 pounds, which was better than the 85 pounds it weighed the night before. I was able to get it down to exactly 70 pounds- the limit- by taking out 1 dress, 1 sweater, and my favorite white wedges. I am very distraught. I don't want to talk about it.

It's weird and surreal to think that in 24 hours I will be moved into my new apartment in Prague (I would like to inturrupt this and mention that the cute guy I sat near just left, now I have nothing to entertain myself with) I'm ready, and totally nervous too.

another note- something in the airport just started singing and turning around. I thought it was a statue... I was wrong. Rochester continues to amaze me. hahaha and the merry-go-round music just turned into techno music. At least they are attempting to target the younger population.

ps. no phone. sadness. It's really strange sitting here and not having a phone to talk on or text continuously through all these layovers. I keep hearing it vibrate, but it's not here. I can do this.

I'm thinking I'm going to post twice today, once here and once in London. Except I think that possibly It might be tomorrow when I get there? I have no idea how this time difference thing works. I do know this blog is set on Czech Republic time already so the times it says I am posting is not entirely accurate.
(There is an army guy here and I'm pretty sure he is way younger than me... I feel so old right now my wrinkles are what probably scared that guy away.)

So I'm on to Newark then red eyeing it over to London. I'll take a picture there and post it. This lovely photo was taken last night circa midnight at Hots. Thats right I wanted to spend my last American night eating garbage plates out of styrofoam (if thats spelled wrong I don't really care) and watching trashy people come in and out. haha But it was fun and I was with my babies Christina and Michelle so it was worth it.( no, not actual babies... no kids for me. I hope this clarification isn't necessary). So I'm posting me and my garbage plate... the last supper if you will. (turned breakfast for carly since I couldn't finsh it.)

See you in London!!

Converting Inches to centimeters

This is going to be short and quick. Countdown to departure: less than 48 hours. Items in suitecae: see for yourself... too many shoes. Ways of freaking out: way too many to count. Current choice; glass of wine and loud music. later choice; ice cream. Lots of Ice cream. Tomorrow; hopefully nothing insane. I really really need to pack. I don't really have the time or energy to have a complete meltdown. That will have to wait until summer.

HAHAHAHA JoJo just came on the radio. Life seems so hard and impossible than somthing like this happens and you just have to roll around on the floor laughing...

...and singing along... don't judge.

I worked so hard making a packing list, but it turns out it doesn't exactly help as much as you would think. You make a list and then realize you listed every last article of clothing you own. crap. I will just have to try harder. Ok ok so I'll just have to actually start packing. Can I just skip this part and be there, unpacked, and dancing?

PACK my suitcase???

so it's starting to freak me out that I'm leaving in 4 days. And the face people make when I tell them I haven't started packing yet makes it even worse. This is me in my empty suitcae. That's right... my empty suitecase. Tomorrow I think I'll try the throw things down the stairs into my suitcase and see how that goes. How am I supposed to do this? pack for 4 months in one suitecase? I can't even remember how to spell suitecase without googling the word first.

p.s. Another reason I will be sad to leave America: I will miss the premier of the lifetime movie "The Pregnancy Pact". I'm pretty positive they wont show that in Prague. Maybe they will post it online. Lets hope so.

Today was productive so I feel a little better, but now I am realizing that I can't put things off anymore. Only 4 more days and so much to see and do. I want to fit in so much, seeing friends, eating food, going to all the places I wont be able to for a long time. Note- get a garbage plate very late at night/early in the morning.

Question: Can I pack peanut butter in my suitcase?

This is actually insane. I'm going to be in Europe for an entire semester. It's kinda overwhelming. I might be freaking out a little. Trying my hardest to keep it together. I know everything will be great once I'm there, it's just this inbetween period where NOTHING is ready to go, except maybe 3/4 of me.

note- read that stupid book. I'm hoping they don't test us on this book because I have a feeling I wont get even close to finishing it. I'm hoping to make it to at least page 100. I bought a different book to read for the plane ride after I finished this one. It's about surgery. I'm farther in that book than the one I'm supposed to be reading. WHATEVER!!!!
The packing shall commence tomorrow.... hopefully.

Me: "I'm going to be living in Prague for 4 months" Stranger: "shit I still live with my parents"

Got my moneys!! I'm so glad I paid the extra 12 dolla bills to get it here by the 13th and it comes 2 days after I order it. I am grateful it came before I left, but still. 12 dollars. Things appear to be falling into place, however so is the snow and if that keeps falling someone might be stranded in the Rochester airport while her flight across the ocean leaves without her... lets hope this does NOT happen.

I almost lost it yesterday. I felt like I had nothing done and I was going nowhere... so the mother and I went to Wal-Mart to get some essentials. They are stopping makeing my favorite shampoo for curly hair. Now its for "tousled hair". I don't even know what that means, but I bought the rest of the curly hair shampoo they had. Not even to bring, but to prove a point, that people like that shampoo. This would happen. I did buy some things I needed as well, like chapstick and toothpaste. I know you can probably get toothpaste in Prague, as I am assumeing they bruth their teeth, but I am really really picky about toothpaste, so I'm making room! I also bought candy canes which I don't need and I wont bring, but it was 17 ccents for a box, who wouldn't splurge on that?!

I still have a lot to do, and 6 days to complete it all. I'm trying to do things that I wont be able to do when I leave, like use my Hello Kitty toaster and watch tons of crap TV and drink massive amounts of dunkin donut's coffee. The essentials.

Question: should I bring my ear muffs abroad?

I'm trying to decide when I should begin the packing escapade. My large green suitecase is staring me down from it's current position in the corner of the dining room...But the thought of bringing it up to my room is haunting me more than the thought of the Czechs not having any coffee in the country. Not that it matters.... there is no space in my room for that suitecase as of now. Maybe I'll just open it at the bottem of the stairs and throw things down the stairs and hope for the best.

I feel like today is going to be more productive. I already took my second t last typhoid pill, my contacts are in, and the roads are finally clear enough so I can venture out into that crazy place called Rochester and prepare!
Lets hope I get something done other than purchasing too much shampoo and candy canes today.

Jersey Shore

I'm currently watching Jersey Shore... and praying that they have a show like this in Prague. Because if not, I just don't think I can go. They have to have some sort of trashy horrible tv show there I can watch obsessivly. Or somehow turn my life into my own version of Jersey Shore... Prague shore? Thats a joke.

Today was so unproductive. I did nothing to get ready for departure... which is in 7 days. OK well I did make a hair appointment so I'm giving myself like a centimeter of credit. Starting tomorrow I actually need to think about starting to get ready. I don't need to be packing and freaking out the day before I leave. Even though that will most likely happen anyway.

What isn't helping is the fact that I have been so tired the past two days. In a matter of 1 day I had the flu shot, the H1N1 shot and started taking the typhoid vaccine, so with all these viruses I'm throwing in my body, my perfect immune system is fighting back so I'm not throwing up, but I am exhausted. Yes. I am a hypochondriac, but this is NOT in my head!! It's only 11:30pm and I wanted to be alseep 3 hours ago. (ps for those that noticed this thing is on Central European Time already).

I am so ready to go. At the same time I am so terrified to go. I'm trying to figure out how much I will miss home when I'm gone. I don't usually go home anyway, but it is a little farther than 7 hours across the state. I already miss NYC. whatever I'm ready!!!! Even though I have nothing ready and no idea who I am living with or actually much about the country (since I have yet to read more than 80 pages in that book I have to finish in the next 7 days). Bring in on Czech Republic!

Plus I need to get over there so this blogg thing isn't boring!!!

oh and just so you know, my Jersey Shore name is Sookie. Boring.

beginning to freak out

So yesterday when I posted I was totally excited. Today, while still excited, I realized how much I have to do before leaving. After a very unhelpful trip to the bank, and a last minute order of currency that will take longer to arrive becuse of its "exotic" nature, I decided I better get my butt moving and figure out everything I need before I ship off... or fly off.

Packing sucks. Like big time sucks. Ok so I haven't actually started yet, but the act of list making in preperation of packing is just as bad. How am I supposed to pack enough for 5 months into a suitcase that I would normally use for a week... or a busy weekend. I bring 4 pairs of shoes for an overnight trip, and now I have to pack 7 pairs of shoes for 3 different seasons for 5 months. This will be beyond difficult.

PLUS- there are many things I need to do before I leave America for a while. Like have a burger, a garbage plate, go to Wegmans a million times, take a bubble bath. There are probably so many more things that I just cant think of, but I have 9 more days to accomplish them.

Other than the giant list of things to accomplish and the packing thing, I'm quite excited to leave! Bring on the crazyness!!!!

10 days until departure and still no idea what I need

So I have never done this "blogging" thing before...actually I have made fun of every person I have ever known who started a blog, yet here I am. This is my way of trying to document my time living in Prague. I'm trying this way out because I have tried to write in journals, and that never works. Maybe/hopefully this will work out better... and yes I know I still have to put in effort to write everything down. It's my new years goal.

So I guess I should start with the fact that in 10 days I am leaving America and heading to the Czech Republic until the end of May. Do I speak the language? no. Do I understand their trasportation system? no. Do I know anyone going over? yes...1 person. Will I have my cell phone? no. This may be a little difficult. But I'm ready for the challenge and the adventure that comes with it!

What are some things that I hope Prague delivers?
1. an amazing cup of coffee. I have no idea if they are big coffee drinkers but lets hope they are...because I will need it. If there is no coffee... I'm leaving.
just kidding.... kinda.

2. Good new bands. Wouldn't it be great to find some amazing Czech music and bring it back to America and be such a trend setter? haha lets hope.

3. an accent. I really want to gain an accent, which I know wont happen but it's time to shed this rochester accent and speak like the Czech!

4. A J-Lo Buttload of crazyness (translation: A LOT). Fun new experiences and adventures. I know I'm there for school, but thats not important. (ok it's really important but whatever)

Things I hope Prague does NOT deliver:
1. Salmonella typhi- or any hospital visits in general
2. horrible weather (side note- remember to pack umbrella)
3. arrests.... I don't think it would be good to complete my get arrested just once goal in Prague.

I'm not sure what the acceptable length of these posts are supposed to be. But I'll stop here so I can go make a packing list and figure some things out.
p.s. I'll try to post a picture with some of these, and I'll give it a try now. This is the apartment building I will be living in from January through May... yay!