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September 2008
One Month Down (Practically), Nine To Go
29 September 2008 - 12:52
Well, this first month has been absolutely crazy! There's not too much to blog about because it's a lot of the same. Some drinkin' and some chillin' and a lil' travlin' and certainly nothing that actually ends in "g".
This past weekend, I returned to Stará Voda, my favorite place on earth and certainly the best place on earth. It was amazing. I camped out and did some work, basically OA'ing the Czech Republic. There are some great pictures online now, as with all the pictures I've taken. However, as they are now, there are no descriptions, but I shall rectify this when I've more free time.
Pictures: http://home.redhawk77.com/photos/
In the coming months, I've already many big plans such as a trip to the mountains of Slovakia, Budapest in Hungary, LONDON, and Auschwitz in Poland. I also have been invited by my Czech scout friends, some new and some old, this past weekend to a ski clubhouse in Slovakia, a few more campouts, summer camp next year, and an art exibition where I will personally meet Ladislav Rusek (famous Czech artist, FYI). I also was given a print by Rusek this weekend that I'm pretty sure is signed.
Anyway, its of to Tesco and such for me!
Na shledanou!
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Olomouc
23 September 2008 - 11:43
Olomouc, Owensboro's Sister City. My Sister City. My favorite city. Hands down.
Since arriving in Brno, I've done nothing but rave about Olomouc to all my friends here. It's always Olomouc this or Olomouc that. Finally, my friends here said, "You're just gonna' have to take us to this place someday!" Shortly there after, my friend from Olomouc, Mirka, emailed me and asked me if I wanted to come for a visit that weekend. The timing could not have been more perfect. From there, it was on. I was to lead everyone here to the great city of Olomouc.
Buying a ticket to Olomouc was a lot more confusing than it should have been, by far. Logically, we went to buy our ticket the night before to guarantee our spot. Makes sense, right? Wrong! Apparently, that is not standard protocol in these parts. Here, you buy it only moments before you are to board the train. Who knew?
Upon our arrival, Mirka met us at the main station and pointed out the student bus tickets which allowed us to ride all day long to anywhere within the city for only 15 crowns. We probably would have noob'd that one without her for sure. Then it was off the the main square and all the beauty held within. If were to actually experience it for yourself, you'd understand where I'm coming from. Pictures simply do not suffice, though I will be posting more on the book of faces as time allows.
The rest of the day was spent eating traditional Czech food and touring all the many churches and cathedrals in the city before finally making our way to the Holy Hill. This "Holy Hill" is the largest church I've ever been to far off in the distance from Olomouc though clearly visible from the city. This place is friggin' huge! Here, I was finally able to take some photos after only a wait of two years. The problem to years ago was that my camera batteries were kaput. Lucky me...
Finally, it was time to head back home on the most relaxing train ride I've ever had. We slept and iPod'd. It was nice. Then, we had the brilliant idea to recreate the train scene from "Eurotrip", the one with the creepy Italian guy who comes into the train and gets fresh with the one guy who made out with his sister as a result of Absinthe. It turned out rather well, though apparently I goofed it all up because I threw up the horns instead of acting "scared". My bad?
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I'm Going to LONDON Bizzles!!!
20 September 2008 - 07:36
Yes, that is right. Yesterday afternoon, I bought my plane tickets to London which will fly right out of here, Brno. For one glorious week, me and my other American friends will enjoy such actives as Big Ben, The Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, Abbey Road, Stonehenge - A special tour too 'cause we got connections, BEATLES!, drinking tea, and finally we will have crumpets.
Today, we are headed off to Olomouc, the greatest city in the land! We bought our ticket yesterday and hope that it is the right one. We are not sure. Mirka, my friend in Olomouc who will be showing us around today wasn't even sure. It'll be an interesting day for sure, among other things.
Yesterday, was a great day, though crazy. I really won't go into all the details, but we ended up at the lake, drinking, as usual. Afterward, we rode the trams around town quite buzzed and finally ended up watching the "Boondock Saints". It's a great movie, ya'll shold watch it.
Peace and Love!
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European College Life
18 September 2008 - 10:05
So, for an update on my European sabbatical. I had my first class last night at 18:20. It was rather boring but will hopefully get more interesting especially because our field trip consists of going to Prague and watching some extremely famous opera. I also have class later today about 1:30. I would've had class on Monday, but it meets every other Monday and not this one. I do not have class on Tuesday or Friday. And finally, I have absolutely no idea when my Czech language class meets for nobody will tell me. Yes, if you figure that correctly, I've a three day weekend every weekend guaranteed and every other weekend is five days. I love this place!
College is so simple here, yet there have been many confusing aspects as well. For example, I have paid ISEP, my exchange program, and they paid that money to Masaryk, my university here. Now, I must, with my own money, pay for rent and food, something promised as per my payment of ISEP. THEN! I will be reimbursed by Masaryk. WTF is up with that!? I don't know and no one else does either, but I can say for sure that I am a BAMF, of the "broke" variety.
I am also a BAMF of the "bad" variety as well.
It is still pretty rocking with all the late nights out and sleeping in and eating some amazing things. And the chocolate! Holy freak, the chocolate! I find it very odd that every night, of which there have only been three, I have stayed in and not went out, I awoke the next morning with a pounding headache. And for the nights which I go out drinking, all the rest of them, I awake clear-headed and chipper. Try to explain that one!
Well, it's 10:00 now, I suppose I should begin getting ready for the day and my "Czech Cinema" class. Also, I should begin preparing myself for the weekend which is gonna' rock hardcore. Friday, I don't know what we are going to do, but I know we will sleep in late 'cause I'm pretty sure were going out tonight! Saturday, I'm headed back to Olomouc to meet Mirka and she is going to give us all a tour of the city, my third, but everyone else's cherry. Then on Sunday, we are going to a brewery and a cave. I guess then on Monday, its back to the grindstone and I'll have to get up in time for my 16:00 class, "Development of Ethnic Relation".
Nazdar!
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I FRIGGIN' LOVE EUROPE!
16 September 2008 - 10:42
Even with the crappy weather we've had the past two days, and our hectic schedules, this place still rocks; the whole country!
I've met some pretty awesome people out and about, mostly Americans, but we've got to stick together. Here's props:
David - Iowa - My roommate
Layla - New Orleans - Evacuated for like 3 months for Katrina
Kelly - Houston - Almost threw up on me
Leah - New York - Likes the Renaissance
Maren - Germany - Thought I was 25
Judith - Austria - Likes tequila cocktails
So far there's been not a whole lot of serious things going on, mostly staying out late drinking in bars and having a dandy good time. However, we are not drinking much, just often. Except Sunday where we drunk much and often starting about 14:30. Oops... We've all "acquired" glasses from a bar and we are all, one by one, trying absinthe. No, you don't hallucinate, nor will you end up making out with your sister.
Yesterday I signed up for excursions to Slovakia, Krakow, Eastern Bohemia, and Budapest. The total cost was 5400 Kc, AKA ~$300 USD. That friggin' owns! You can't beat those prices. We, our tight little group, has decided for our big trip we are going to fly to London and do the London/Ireland/Stonehenge thing. I cannot wait!
I don't have too much else to say today so I will now get ready for the day, of which I have no class...
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Not Dead Yet
10 September 2008 - 15:41
So, I'm not dead yet. I think that was the goal. I have however been most of a week without the internet. I really did not think I was addicted and could live for a while without it, but I was wrong. It turns out, I need just one fix a day to survive. This hasn't been possible for the past week until last night for about 15 minutes. Someone noob'd and there is not internet access in the dorms rooms and the wifi is limited to only those who have registered, online... There was such an indescribable feeling that overwhelmed my body, even though I only checked my email and Facebook. I'm pretty sure it was comparable to farting, burping, eating, sneezing, and getting a blow job all at once...
Anyway, as for this "sabbatical" of mine, it is going pretty good. I landed in Prague at 11:00am on the 2nd of September just as expected. However, my luggage did not. Someone (Amsterdam airport) noob'd and did not put my luggage on the plane. Way to go, good game retard! Then, the lady at the Czech Airlines baggage claim counter noob'd and told me if I wanted to wait for the next flight, on which my luggage was to arrive, I could, but I would have to wait in the luggage claim area. This area has nothing but chairs, luggage, a phone, and a place to exchange money. There is nothing else, no food, no place to get comfortable, nothing! I had to wait three hours here. Three miserable hours preceded by almost 24 hours with no sleep and VERY little food. C'est la vie!
On the arrival of the second plane, only one of my two bags was on the plane. Oops... Good game again, Amsterdam airport! At this point, I found out that I could've left and just returned to the airport after those three hours to claim my crap. I don't like that lady anymore... I finally ended up in a hostel in downtown Prague sometime around 19:00 or 20:00 where I promptly crashed faster than MS Vista.
Prague was great (photos on Facebook [clicky]) as was expected! In my room in the hostel ended up being four hot French chicks. They were fairly interesting and made for a good two days in Prague. From there, I headed to Olomouc, where the rest of my luggage was supposed to be as of then. Luckily, my friend Pavel finally answered his phone and he met me at the train station in Olomouc.
I had a great three of four days in Olomoucky Kraj (Olomouc and the surrounding area, FYI). I visited Pivovar Litovel (the Litovel beer "beer factory" as was described to me), some cave, and a few friends from the area. It couldn't have been better. Pavel's family was beyond happy to have me a a guest. They shoved so much food down my throat and then we went to the extended family's households where more food was shoved down my throat. All was good and surprisingly, I lost weight.
Now, in Brno, I haven't taken it as well as I would've liked to. First off, the dorms are somewhat disturbing as everyone agrees. I for one think there is no reason for a sink to hang half way in and half way out of the shower. Just my opinion on the subject... Also, the front desk staff and such is very weird in its operation. Luckily, I don't have to check in guests though! The only problem with that is, this is literally the only dorm at Masaryk University and all of us are residents of, therefore no one would need checking in anyway... Class doesn't start until next week so for those who do not live here, they are not here. Only as of today had the actual Czechs began to move in. It was all us dang foreigners until now.
I've met a few good people, though nobody I would call a "friend". All us American's have formed something of a posse and travel about in groups for the fact that we all have a little bit of an idea of what's going on and by the principal that you should not underestimate the power of stupid people in large numbers. Learning out way around the city has been the hardest part for it is nearly impossible to find a friggin' map of this town.
Picking up the language is going surprisingly smoother than I would've thought, though the class I'm taking is a total B. What I've picked up from the streets and my "tutor" (my own personal Czech guide and translator), has been useful and easy. The rest, reading signs and dealing with the teacher is certainly part of the adventure I signed up for. Today, she gave us (all seven of us who returned for the second lesson that is) homework. I just remembered that I have to do that, though I really couldn't care less. It won't be hard or difficult, just lengthy, time-consuming, and against the "principal" of not doing homework.
As for now, I am going to Skype home and see what's up. If you want to Skype me sometime, feel free: RedHawkCZ77.
Nazdar!
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