Welcome to Grace's Blog!
As I am writing this first post, I have hopes that by the end of my journey I will have become a more well-rounded and experienced person. Am I extremely nervous? Yes, without a doubt. I have faith, though, that this experience will better me. With that being said, I am wishing farewell to the stresses of packing, blogging, and checking every document.
This is the first post on my new blog, so bear with me!
Update: I am leaving on a plane back to the US in less than twenty four hours. Reality is starting to hit. What should I do on my last day? How should I feel? Did I forget to pack something?
Am I excited to go home? As it usually goes in college, at the end of the semester you are prepared to get the heck out of there! Then, the ‘feeling’ creeps in, the feeling of ‘wait…I’m going to miss the people, cram sessions right before a test, and the late nights in which you feel invincible’. See personally, (if you’ve been reading my blogs for a while now) Prague definitely had its ups and downs, but more downs than ups. Susquehanna also brought me struggles don’t get me wrong, but I was so surrounded by people I love and whom love me. Prague didn’t bring that sense of community, it felt like a cold city if you weren’t with the right people. It was bitter-sweet when in the last two weeks I finally made friends whom I connected to on a solid level. I have started to laugh like my old self again, go out more, enjoy my time rather than counting it down. Prague was just starting to feel like a place I could call home… and as soon as I realized that, it was time to pack up and head to my next adventure. Who knows what that will be?
I have heard that a common shock when arriving back on campus is your peers. I should probably explain; as someone put it to me: while you have gone on these amazing journeys and adventures, learning and growing, everyone else has stayed put. Of course, these people that I love have grown, as we all do. Except when you go abroad, your perception of the world and life have altered significantly. Believe it or not, Europe has a very different version of life.
To be honest, I began to enjoy learning Czech in my semester course, and I loved being able to pick up pieces of a conversation on a street. Czech is such a beautiful language and it saddens me that I won’t casually hear it on the streets anymore. If you do go abroad, I beg of you to learn their language.
I think an important question to ask myself is “Would I do it all again? If I did it again, what would I do differently?”
So let’s tackle the first question. Would I do it again? Yes. Without a doubt. But, more importantly, what would I do differently? Quite a bit. I wouldn’t change the struggles that I went through, as they made me stronger than I thought I could ever be. I’m no stranger to the idea that you ‘grow through what you go through’. That doesn’t mean that, knowing what I know now, I wouldn’t change my approaches to this program. I think I settled, and rather unhappily, with friends within my first week when I should have been searching a little harder and longer for people whom I actually enjoy spending time with. I would have learned some more de-stressing, meditative techniques for sure, as it would have helped tackle the small problems before they became big problems. Overall though, I think each and everything that I did while abroad made me learn and grow. Even in the ways I didn’t necessarily want to.
Since this is the last post, I think it’s only right to share my best and favorite pictures from my journeys to Budapest, the UK, Belgium, and of course the Czech Republic!
As I hope it is quite obvious to those in the Northeast, winter has come in full force. I have gotten reports from back home about the snow this past week that lasted two or three days! While the cold is no different in Prague, we have yet to have snow. If you can’t tell, I am one of the rare people who actually enjoys snow. In Europe though, with cold weather comes Christmas Markets! I’ve been to the ones in Budapest and London, but I have yet to go to the markets in Prague and Brno (I will update you on these next week!)
Now if you plan on studying abroad in the fall semester, I’ll give you a few packing tips:
When you first arrive in Prague, with your family and friends back home in the states, the time difference is going to hit hard. Not only will you be exhausted for the first week while your body is adjusting, but you will be ahead of everybody back home. You won’t be able to chat with most of them like you used to, unless your friends are major early birds. Around twelve or one o’clock, people back home start waking up. Even harder is being able to talk on the phone if they aren’t available until after work…leaving you up on the phone very late into the next morning.
Eventually it seems weird that they are behind, rather than you being ahead. It becomes the norm, even though the sun now sets at three or three thirty pm here. I’m personally very interested in how my body will react living in the ‘normal’ time zone again in the states. In a weird and slightly crazy way, Prague has felt like another world. The time difference makes me feel independent and separated from others in a way that makes it feel like I’m not on Earth. Either way, I promise it gets easier after you settle in to call your parents late in the day and being in class while the sun sets.
As I write this blog, I am currently on the plane headed towards London for the weekend. If you asked me back in August if I could picture myself navigating through an airport let alone flying solo, I would have laughed in your face. The only times that I was used to flying was with my family for vacation. Even so, I was not the one in charge of booking, planning, and transport for the trip.
Fast forward to late November. Going from not knowing the back roads in my own town to being able to navigate an airport with ease has become quite a shock. I am one who would is called directionally hopeless, even with blinking signs pointing me down the correct path.
Since I’ve started my program, I have flown two (now three) times total. This total doesn’t include going to airports to pick up visitors, which thankfully I get to do often!
Compared to my peers, this doesn’t seem like a lot of traveling. For me, I have always been so hesitant to travel. The fact that has helped me travel more often is that in the US it costs far more to fly to another state than it does to fly to a different country in Europe.
Within my study abroad experience, I’ve been to Belgium, Hungary, and London- all by plane. Be aware though that flying is not the only option, as many of my classmates have taken trains. Trains are usually cheaper, but the negative is that they are more time consuming. Either way, the ease of travel in Europe is beyond simple. Figure out where you want to go, select your flight on Expedia (or Ryanair), enter some information and bingo-you have yourself a trip. Going from the city of Prague to the airport is heavily reliant on public transport. Unless you are running late, I urge you not to take a taxi or an Uber-it is not worth it!
While abroad, it may feel like you aren’t spending real money on flights and travel, just remember to have a budget. I know that everyone tells you to “travel as much as you can”, but for me that wasn’t exactly an option. In addition to budgets, I have also become a homebody since my arrival in Prague. While some people can travel almost every weekend, it is not my style. I think traveling periodically allows you to enjoy your host culture as well as anywhere else you go.
With three weeks left to my experience abroad in Prague, I figured it might be helpful to share some tips I have learned along the way. While some of it is common sense, I still think it will be beneficial!
It will be a culture shock living here or even visiting, so just embrace all it has to offer with open arms!
4. Go do things by yourself! I’m usually surrounded by people back at my home university because of my job, major, and extra activities. I never really had much time to myself, but that all changed when I realized I only have classes Monday and Wednesday! I’m free five days a week-essentially the opposite of the American school system. Some of the activities that I found most enjoyable to do by myself:
5. Keep up to date with what’s going on back home! I make it a point to call my grandparents, parents, brothers, boyfriend, and friends regularly. I am hoping that this will help me feel less out of place and/or confused with changes made while I was gone. Trust me, it’s okay to admit that you miss home! I can’t wait to see my family soon!
Surprisingly as a Religious Studies major, I have not explored as many churches and synagogues in Prague as would be expected. Looking back to the beginning of orientation I realized that there were churches that I completely forgot I visited. This is quite unfortunate seeing that whenever I go explore religious buildings I get a sense of excitement and relaxation. I have learned as time goes by that studying abroad can be a stressful experience, and places of faith can help calm nerves and even remind you of home.
Personally, I have not found a church service that is similar to back home. I’m just picky though! I have gone to lovely services at St. Thomas’ Church at Malostranské Námestí, which are offered in English, a few times. The music from the choir was calming and the interior was absolutely beautiful. Even if you don’t love the service, this Catholic Church is a sight to see.
I have made a list of eight other places of faith to check out, so let’s get started!
1. Strahov Monastery
This monastery was started in 1143! It has definitely stood the test of time in Prague. Interestingly enough, it is located in (you guessed it) Strahov, which is a less than five minute walk from my dorms. It is quite hidden, but you can see some parts of the complex from the Pohorelec tram stop!
2. Loreta church
Loreta Church is located in Hradčany, by Loreta Square. This was built in 1626 and is a frequent pilgrimage site. It’s known for it’s bells and chimes; it is currently used as storage for religious items as well as organ and bell concerts!
3. Saint Nicholas Church/Czechoslovak Hussite Church
This Church has some interesting history due to how many times it’s changed forms of religion served and who was in charge of it. It essentially “went along” with the complex Czech history. It is now open to the public for free, has some organ concerts, services, and is a venue for weddings as well.
4. Church of Saint Henry and Saint Cunigunde
This church is located in Prague New Town by the Powder Tower. It was founded in 1348 and used for multiple purposes and structurally changed until about 1787. It was adapted due to wars, fires, and different architects. This church was supported by Henry II and Kunigunde of Luxembourg, hence the name.
5. Old-New Synagogue
Old-New Synagogue is known as one of the “highlights” of the Old Jewish Quarters. These quarters get lots of tourists and attention for the deep Jewish history in Prague. This synagogue in particular is still active for Shabbat and is Europe’s oldest active synagogue in fact! I was not able to get a picture inside, but trust me, you’ll want to see it!
6. Jerusalem Synagogue
As seen below, the Jerusalem synagogue is currently undergoing construction to the exterior, but don’t let that shy you away from going inside! In addition to the beautiful and colorful interior and exterior, there is an permanent exhibition about the history of Jews in Prague. It is extremely informative with interactive screens and movies to watch about the history too! Interesting (but sad) side note: this synagogue was used to store Jewish property seized by the Nazi occupation.
7. St. Peter & Paul Basilica
This beautiful church is located in Vyšehrad a small hike up a hill along the Vltava River. The gothic architecture, especially the spires, make this church stand out more than others. The design on the outside is quite similar to St. Vitus Cathedral, in my opinion. Right next door to the church is the Vyšehrad Cemetery, which if you have a chance, I recommend strolling through and looking at the names. Interestingly enough, the church was deemed a basilica by Pope John Paul II!
8. St. Vitus Cathedral
There is a reason that the highlight of the Prague Castle tour is the St. Vitus Cathedral. Its architecture and stained glass left me completely lost for words (which if you know me, is rare). In my opinion, it is definitely worth buying a ticket to tour or going to the Sunday service. It is known as “the largest and most important church in the country” (wikipedia).
All of these religious sites are definitely worthy of being checked out if you are lucky enough to visit Prague! There are many more to explore, and I only have a month left-wish me luck!
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This past week, I was consumed by the dreaded midterms. I am currently taking three classes; the beauty of study abroad is that you only need twelve credits for the semester. While this allows for travel, I believe that it also made me put classes to a lower priority. Let me give future abroad students a tip: don’t do that.
While studying is definitely not my favorite pasttime, it also made me form study groups and find people with similar interests to me. Believe it or not, there are not as many Religious Studies majors in the world as there are Business or English majors. So, when I found a few people who were genuinely interested in studying for my Jewish History exam, my mood became a bit more positive.
I have already gotten the majority of my grades back, passing with flying colors if I do say so myself. Other than midterms and making a few friends along the way, this week was for the most part uneventful. The weather was quite nice, with a few blue skies and some sunshine. I treated myself to Forkys (a vegan restaurant I have mentioned beforehand) once or twice for lunch.
As I write this, I am currently sitting in a café after just having brunch in Budapest. Out of all the places that I wanted to go in Europe, Budapest was the place I had to see—no exception. So far, I’m glad to report that Budapest has lived up to expectation with beautiful scenery and fantastic food. My travel buddy Larry and I explored the city in the pouring rain and even went to a hot spring! If you do visit Budapest, I highly suggest trying Langos which is similar to fried dough but with toppings such as sour cream, cheese, onions, meat, etc.
Whether you’re a tourist or resident of Prague, the trams and metro are extremely helpful to get you from point A to B. On my daily commute, the main tram that I use is the 22 from Pohorelec headed towards Malostranská. This brings me right to the Mánes bridge, where I cross over to get to the main building of Charles University.
Kolej Komenského is my dorm building, which is technically a hostel. It is located in Prague 6; it’s a short walk from the dorm to the tram stop.
The only tram that runs to this stop is the 22 because it runs by the Prague Castle and other tourist locations. It comes every five to ten minutes.
I usually get off the 22 at Malostranská and walk over the bridge (in the pictures below), since it is right across from my school. It’s quite a nice view in the morning before class, as it is not crowded but has a small buzz of mostly students and residents going to work.
To get from the main building to the other ECES building in Jindrišská, all you have to do is take the metro from Staromestská to Mustek. It’s just one stop, then a little bit of walking. The way home is just the reverse of the way to the main building. A bonus on the way home is seeing this beauty…
Overall, transportation in Prague is very easy to get the hang of after a few days. It allows you to see the beauty of the city with a little less walking involved.
Pro tip: To get from the airport to the city and vice versa is very easy. To get to the airport, start at any metro station nearby and head towards Nádraží Veleslavín. From there, you can take a bus (119/191) that goes to all of the terminals within twenty five minutes.
As soon as I arrived in Prague, my parents were the first ones I texted to let them know I was safe. They are the first ones I call when I need help or just want to talk. It has been quite hard without them in Prague, especially with the time difference and work schedules. With this being said, a date was set for a visit and that date finally came last weekend.
After showing off my city transportation skills, I helped them to their airbnb. The second they dropped their suitcases, we went down the street to U Kunstatu, a craft brewery a few streets away from Old Town Square. My parents got six beer samplers and we shared a delectable cheese, meat, & bread plate.
In front of the brewery, there was an “I Wish You Were Beer” sign. Naturally, I told my parents to pose in front of it. The result was their version of greek life poses.
To continue on the food trail, upon my mothers request we got gelato not once or twice, but three times. Surprisingly Creme de la Creme has vegan gelato, hence why we went so often. I highly recommend getting gelato in Prague! If you end up getting some, I highly recommend Creme de la Creme out of all that I have tried here price-wise and taste-wise.
This weekend, I became a temporary tourist with my parents as we headed towards Prague Castle. Interestingly enough, my two favorite places in the “complex” was Rosenberg Palace and the St. Vitus Cathedral. Pictured below is Rosenberg Palace, with the beautiful mural and a simply placed mirror to transform the space. It creates a type of mirage if you look at the mirror a certain way. I shamelessly spent at least 15 minutes mind-blown looking at the art from different angles, and of course having some fun with poses.
Next stop as a tourist was the St. Vitus Cathedral. Since we arrived relatively early in the morning, the sun was shinning directly in the stained glass windows as it was coming up. The result was a beautiful reflection of blues, purples, reds, yellows, and even some greens. I was awe struck just by being in the Cathedral, but the stained glass added a whole new level of awe. Being a Religious Studies major, with a passion for church life and a love for design in that field, I felt like I was in literal heaven. I couldn’t do much more than stare at the artwork being perfectly reflected onto one of the cathedral’s walls.
On their last full day in Prague , we went to the Tavern for brunch. The Tavern is an American cuisine restaurant, a little bit outside of the city. I am quite pleased to inform that they had vegan chicken & waffles with a bourbon-vanilla maple syrup. We enjoyed slowly starting the day while sipping on some coffee.
It’s safe to say that wherever the Winakors go, we make it a point to try all of the food recommended. I’m so very thankful for their visit and even though it did make me a bit homesick when I left, I think it gave me the energy to get through the rest of this. I was also motivated to explore the city a bit more. As my father kept saying “If you’re in Europe, you may as well explore!”
At Susquehanna, fall is the best season there is with the beauty of changing leaves all through campus. After seeing Europe in the fall, I think that Susquehanna finally has some competition. Pictured below is Brussels, Belgium where I traveled to last week. Fall came in beautiful yellows all around the city.
Two weekends ago, my boyfriend came to visit in Prague, and Kampa Park (a personal favorite near the national theatre) was picture perfect. It made my mood increase significantly to see a change of colors and sweaters rather than tee-shirts. Sometimes a change of temperature is the best way to boost your happiness.
Just like back in the States, Prague didn’t exactly ease into fall. It consisted of freezing days followed by pure sunshine that will make you sweat. Fall is a tricky season, but it always brings out the best in a city with the beautiful foliage at almost every corner. Fall weather makes the cappuccinos and lattes even more enjoyable, as a nice treat on a cold day.
Pictured above is just part of my walk home from Charles University. The beautiful cobblestone with the orange and yellow leaves makes me do a little happy dance.
If you ever plan on visiting Prague, fall is the most opportune time to sneak in while the tourist population starts to diminish. Down by the river and past the national museum, you can find a farmers’ market with vegetables, pastries, flowers, etc.
Asking for a friend…
For the first time since I’ve arrived in Prague, I finally decided to travel for the weekend! My group of friends decided that we should go adventuring, and it just happened that Brussels, Belgium was the destination.
First lesson learned: 6am flights are not fun. Five of my friends and I left the hostel a bit before 4am and walked to the bus stop a half hour away just to get to the airport. The plus side of this though was being able to see the sunrise en route to Belgium.
Second Lesson Learned: Brussels has amazing pastries and lattes! As soon as we touched down, the one thing in our mind was breakfast. So after wandering in a few neighborhoods we ran into a locally owned shop (I’m quite forgetful of names, I do apologize). When we walked in, the owners immediately placed brownies that tasted like pure, melt-in-your-mouth, rich fudge, free of charge. Throughout the meal, he kept refilling our brownie plate and I couldn’t be more grateful. Belgium knows how to do chocolate the right way!
This breakfast warmed us up and woke us up very quickly! We even played some ping-pong at the cafe, and I’m just putting it out there… I won.
Third Lesson Learned: Brussels is appealing to the eye, but Bruge is even better. Beautiful canals, parks that explode with greenery, churches with amazing exterior design, and cobble stone streets are what makes Bruge known as a fairytale town.
Now for what we’ve all been waiting for: the waffles.
Not only were they quite inexpensive (compared to what I was expecting), but they were beyond amazing. They were freshly made, warm, and easy to tear apart. My choice of toppings for one waffle was strawberries, whip cream, and caramel. The other was what I call a “dessert waffle”, with a scoop of salted caramel ice cream.
Fourth Lesson Learned: Walking around the city rather than taking a tram or bus is much more rewarding! Yes, you will be exhausted, tired, and maybe a bit grumpy (like myself) but this allows you to walk randomly through streets and find hidden gems! There were so many beautiful parks that someone might miss if they don’t walk around.
All in all, my first time traveling out of Prague in a month was tiring but definitely worth it! Even though I am not the most social person and being out all day can be hard, I have gained so many memories already! I hate to say it, but my parents were right to egg me on to go on trips! Take advantage of being able to travel in Europe! Here are some really interesting photos from my journey that I collected along the way!
I was enjoying my last bite of Belgian chocolate in Brussel’s main square and my friend decided to capture it!
We also befriended the neighborhood/hostel cat, who then continued to follow us down the street!
Just Czech-ing In