I'm still alive! Last Tuesday was one month to the day from when I arrived in the country! I've managed to survive for one whole month in a completely foreign country. There are many things that happened this month that you haven't heard about yet so I'll tell you about some of the bigger events.
A couple weeks ago we went to a home for the mentally disabled. We stayed for a couple hours and talked to the residents and pretty much just befriended them. They were amazing people. Every single one was extremely nice and friendly. It was difficult for me to speak to them because I can barely speak and their disabilities impaired their speech for the most part. One of them made flowers and bracelets out of beads and thin copper wire by hand. They were absolutely amazing. I bought one of each and I am keeping them safe because I feel that they're very important. They're much more intricate than you can imagine and I could never make one in a million years. Overall it was a spectacular experience I had a lot of fun, and we will definitely be seeing them again during the year.
I can't remember if I posted this on my blog or just emailed it home so I'll post it potentially again. My host family has invited me to go skiing in the Alps! Originally we were going to ski in France, but it was changed to Italy because Italy is closer. Personally I couldn't really care less because it's skiing in the alps either way and I cannot wait to go! We will be going for about four days and will be driving there. It's about twenty hours, only a little bit more than coming to visit the family down south. Can you believe their continent is only as big as our country? It's hard for me to comprehend.
During the first couple of weeks of me being here I went to a barbecue with my host family at the home of the president of Rotary Uherský Brod. While there I was introduced to my second and third host families. They're all really nice people and seem really excited for me to stay with them, little do they know... The third host parents don't speak English and by that time I hopefully won't need it very much if at all. I leave my first host family on January 1, 2010. In my opinion the second host family gets jipped as I stay with them from January 1, 2010 only until March 1st. Then it's third host family until my return flight home. Strangely enough I have been thinking a lot about things I want immediately upon my return home. Like to drive instead of walk, and to have a really big yard. And an air conditioned house. And my job back, and junk food again. These are all in addition to my family and friends of course. I know that, other than family and friends, everything I want sounds dumb but those are the things that I want the most and what isn't really present in the Czech Republic at all. I also miss paying with my debit card and having coins be worth nothing. Here, everyone pays with cash and coins can be worth up to $2.50.
Lastly, I am beginning to understand Czech! I can understand and participate in basic conversations now. Group conversations and school are still really hard and I get tired out very quickly. My vocabulary is still not huge and I need to learn the seven cases but I can speak in all three tenses now. A huge problem with learning Czech is that almost everyone speaks at least basic English. The problem isn't that they're all dying to speak English to me, the problem is that I know that if I don't know a word in Czech I can just say it in English and be understood. A few people do want to practice their English with me and that's fine with me because not everyone does.
Well that's a bit of what you didn't hear about from the first month here. I have a ton of pictures that need to go up on facebook I just haven't had any time to but they'll be up soon I promise. On Friday I went to the Dinopark in Ostrava, a nearby city, so I'll be posting about that soon, along with my upcoming dance classes with my school class.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Slovensko, Slovakia
So last weekend I had a Rotary weekend that took place in Strecno, Slovakia. I left on Friday at three and got back on Sunday around eleven thirty. It was definitely a great trip.
I was picked up at three p.m., two and a half hours after I got out of school by the way, by Ivana Horenska and her family. She is the YEO, youth exchange officer, with Rotary Club Uhersky Brod. We drove to Strecno, Slovakia which took about and hour and a half. Once there I checked in at the hotel and dropped my bags off in my room. Then I went down to the big conference room to meet the other students who were on exchange in Czech Republic/Slovakia also. As I walk into the room the first thing I see is a group of Mexicans and Brazilians all talking together. They are separate from the Americans, Canadians, and Australians, who are all talking amongst themselves. So as I walk in they all nod and smile at me because I look like I'm from South America, but instead I say hi in English and they all go back to talking to each other, leaving me to join the others. Everyone is really nice and funny and there are kids from America, Mexico, Brazil, Canada, Australia, Taiwan, and Japan. About three people actually wanted Czech Republic or Slovakia as their top three choices, but we were all happy with our countries now that we had finally arrived. After talking for a couple hours, the Rotex members, people who went on an exchange years ago and now help Rotary, came in and talked to us about the rules and such. Then we played a couple name games, like throwing a ball to someone after saying their name, which were fun I guess, but then we got to talk to each other again and that was more fun. Finally it's time for bed. I am sharing a room with a guy from Mexico and a guy from Canada. It turns out I know very little about our bordering countries, like what the capital of Canada is, and what Mexico looks like without the U.S. right above it on a map.
On Saturday we get up at seven a.m. We "shower" or at least as much as possible in the tiny shower provided with us in the hotel bathroom. Which, by the way, doesn't have real towels or shampoo or soap. Instead we are given essentially large washcloths to dry off with and no cleaning supplies. After this is breakfast. Instead of water/juice, we are given hot tea that tastes like hot juice. It would have been good had we not had it with every meal; that kinda ruined it for everyone. After breakfast are presentations galore, they talk about culture shock (again) and learning the language (again) and getting involved (again). It was very repetitive. Finally we have lunch. It is chicken breaded with eggs and is excellent. The soup, on the other hand, is not. It is mushroom soup that tastes ok but looks like elephant skin and has the consistency of mashed potatoes. I only have one spoonful before moving on. After lunch we get to go "rafting" to Castle Strecno. And by rafting I mean sitting on a little boat and floating down the river. It was really fun and very educational. The views were amazing, mountains and tree-covered hills, and castles. Our guides told us the history of the river and some Slovak history as well. After this ride, which was freezing as it was cold and overcast, we arrive at the base of Castle Strecno. Castle Strecno is located at the very top of one very large hill, that we all have to walk up. After a good fifteen twenty minute uphill trek, passing collapsed children along the way, we make it to the top and to the castle. Castle Strecno is beautiful. It is really just the ruins of the castle but it was fun to walk around inside and to learn about. We saw what the castle originally looked like, and the kitchen and fridge. We also got to see the dungeon and in the chapel we all signed our names in one of those guest books like in hotels sometimes. After walking all around the castle we went to the very top and looked out over the entire town of Strenco, this led to many great pictures. We returned to the hotel on foot again and had dinner. It was a piece of pork on top of a mountain of sauerkraut. Need I say more? After dinner we had some free time and then the discotheque. For those who don't know what these are they are essentially, dances like a school dance. The DJ played good music and we all danced until early morning.
On Sunday we had to get up at seven a.m. again and everyone looked like the walking dead. We were all really tired. We had a meeting about the rules again again and then about putting information into the computer. Finally, after two hours of sitting, we were allowed to go. We were told that except for two trips the kids from the Czech Republic and the kids from Slovakia wouldn't see each other again while here. We would all go skiing in Slovakia in March and take a bus trip to Italy and maybe Greece in May. Other than that we were to be separated. After saying goodbye I left with the Horenskas and we went home. Along the way we tried sheep cheese which tastes like salt water. It was a great weekend and I made some new friends and got to see some amazing places.
I was picked up at three p.m., two and a half hours after I got out of school by the way, by Ivana Horenska and her family. She is the YEO, youth exchange officer, with Rotary Club Uhersky Brod. We drove to Strecno, Slovakia which took about and hour and a half. Once there I checked in at the hotel and dropped my bags off in my room. Then I went down to the big conference room to meet the other students who were on exchange in Czech Republic/Slovakia also. As I walk into the room the first thing I see is a group of Mexicans and Brazilians all talking together. They are separate from the Americans, Canadians, and Australians, who are all talking amongst themselves. So as I walk in they all nod and smile at me because I look like I'm from South America, but instead I say hi in English and they all go back to talking to each other, leaving me to join the others. Everyone is really nice and funny and there are kids from America, Mexico, Brazil, Canada, Australia, Taiwan, and Japan. About three people actually wanted Czech Republic or Slovakia as their top three choices, but we were all happy with our countries now that we had finally arrived. After talking for a couple hours, the Rotex members, people who went on an exchange years ago and now help Rotary, came in and talked to us about the rules and such. Then we played a couple name games, like throwing a ball to someone after saying their name, which were fun I guess, but then we got to talk to each other again and that was more fun. Finally it's time for bed. I am sharing a room with a guy from Mexico and a guy from Canada. It turns out I know very little about our bordering countries, like what the capital of Canada is, and what Mexico looks like without the U.S. right above it on a map.
On Saturday we get up at seven a.m. We "shower" or at least as much as possible in the tiny shower provided with us in the hotel bathroom. Which, by the way, doesn't have real towels or shampoo or soap. Instead we are given essentially large washcloths to dry off with and no cleaning supplies. After this is breakfast. Instead of water/juice, we are given hot tea that tastes like hot juice. It would have been good had we not had it with every meal; that kinda ruined it for everyone. After breakfast are presentations galore, they talk about culture shock (again) and learning the language (again) and getting involved (again). It was very repetitive. Finally we have lunch. It is chicken breaded with eggs and is excellent. The soup, on the other hand, is not. It is mushroom soup that tastes ok but looks like elephant skin and has the consistency of mashed potatoes. I only have one spoonful before moving on. After lunch we get to go "rafting" to Castle Strecno. And by rafting I mean sitting on a little boat and floating down the river. It was really fun and very educational. The views were amazing, mountains and tree-covered hills, and castles. Our guides told us the history of the river and some Slovak history as well. After this ride, which was freezing as it was cold and overcast, we arrive at the base of Castle Strecno. Castle Strecno is located at the very top of one very large hill, that we all have to walk up. After a good fifteen twenty minute uphill trek, passing collapsed children along the way, we make it to the top and to the castle. Castle Strecno is beautiful. It is really just the ruins of the castle but it was fun to walk around inside and to learn about. We saw what the castle originally looked like, and the kitchen and fridge. We also got to see the dungeon and in the chapel we all signed our names in one of those guest books like in hotels sometimes. After walking all around the castle we went to the very top and looked out over the entire town of Strenco, this led to many great pictures. We returned to the hotel on foot again and had dinner. It was a piece of pork on top of a mountain of sauerkraut. Need I say more? After dinner we had some free time and then the discotheque. For those who don't know what these are they are essentially, dances like a school dance. The DJ played good music and we all danced until early morning.
On Sunday we had to get up at seven a.m. again and everyone looked like the walking dead. We were all really tired. We had a meeting about the rules again again and then about putting information into the computer. Finally, after two hours of sitting, we were allowed to go. We were told that except for two trips the kids from the Czech Republic and the kids from Slovakia wouldn't see each other again while here. We would all go skiing in Slovakia in March and take a bus trip to Italy and maybe Greece in May. Other than that we were to be separated. After saying goodbye I left with the Horenskas and we went home. Along the way we tried sheep cheese which tastes like salt water. It was a great weekend and I made some new friends and got to see some amazing places.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
V škola, At school
At least the math room has a nice view from it. The physics lab has only a boring monotonous roof across the street to look at. I know this because I spent most of today looking out the windows in my classes. After trying to pay attention to the teacher I gave up. When you understand one in every one thousand words other things tend to distract you. Like, "what's for lunch today?" and "what do I have next hour and is there even a remote chance I can find it on my own?" The answers to those questions lie ahead.
So at eight today the bell rang for class to start. As the professor comes in we all have to stand up out of "respect" although anyone who expects respect to be handed to them on a silver platter loses it in my book. Then when we're allowed to sit down again the teacher begins to talk. Czech Language is first hour. I listen for a while and then doodle. We're told what books to buy for the class and then given free time. I sit and try to ignore the foursome sitting diagonally in front of me who keep glancing at me and whispering to each other. I fail.
Second period. I sit in the same place because I don't get to change classrooms. It's time for math. The teacher talks again, but then we get to play Sudoku. At fist I am irritated, I'm dreadful at sudoku. But then I'm the second one done and I'm mildly proud.
Third hour. Double Physics. Death in class form. I cannot understand a word the teacher says, and neither can the unfortunate girl sitting next to me trying to translate for me. The teacher begins to write on the board and I am pleased because I think I can finally do something: take notes. Wrong again. Apparently people here write in some sort of cursive code that only they can read. The "t"s look like "l"s and the "S"s don't look like anything. I give up again. Then, apparently, we begin a lab. The poor girl next to me is forced to be my partner, aka she does the entire lab because I don't have the slightest inkling as to what is going on. I later find out we were finding the average size of an acid-oil molecule. Who knew? Not me.
Lunch. It was amazing. I had bowtie pasta in a white cream sauce. When I first looked at it I could only remember the spaghetti from East and how disgusting it is. As I took my fist bite I prayed "Please don't taste like vomit" and indeed it didn't. Easily the best school lunch ever.
Fifth hour is geography. Petr sits next to me and is spectacular at English. We have a pop quiz. I fail. Luckily it isn't graded. But I did realize, as Petr was translating the names of what we were supposed to be finding on our maps from Czech to English, that even if this had been in English, I would have failed. I was irritated. But I told myself that we were looking for ridiculous places like an island so small it wasn't even on the maps we were given and to find the some river in Africa I'd never even heard of. Of course I am wrong, but I feel better about failing. I did manage to find number six though; it was Cuba.
Sixth hour is biology. The teacher rambles on and Petr translates again. Except he doesn't say anything because he says she is boring and what she says is not very important. So much for biology I guess.
Finally I have Social Studies. We are told to buy a Politology book. Then the teacher, who I had had yesterday and knows very well that I barely speak Czech and who doesn't speak any English decided to try to have a conversation with me. She failed and I failed and Petr had to to translate for me again. Apparently I get a special case to hold my i.d. card. Lucky me.
School is now over and I am relieved. Then I go with Patrick, an older Rotarian who asked to spend some time with me, and we take a ride on his motorcycle. It is now I realize that I don't really like riding on motorcycles. I held onto the handles so hard I'm surprised they didn't dent or break. We take a tour of Uhersky Brod from the outside. Seeing it from the distant hills and it is beautiful. Later we stop and have dinner, when I get off my arms hurt from holding on so tight. After riding for a while though I did like it and it was really fun. So even though school was not the best experience of my life, after school was fun.
We get the coolest i.d. cards ever. To order lunch, you swiped it on these pads and it brings up a menu for the week. You get to choose between two options each day and then when you get your lunch you swipe them again. I get excited every time. You can also order lunch online. It's not like EAST where you choose each day, you get to pick in advance, I really like it. Also, everyone in my class stays together for the majority of the day. I hate it because it cuts out practically half of all lunchtime conversation such as; today, Fotsch said this, and it was funny. All classroom stories are cut out because everyone else was there to see/hear it. Most people are really nice though, very helpful and wanting to know and help me. They made a list of important school terms in English and gave them to me in Czech. And they let me follow them all around to the next class because no, there was no chance of me finding my way anywhere, and they invited me to sit with them at lunch. Unfortunately for me, I can't remember most of their names. Some even invited me out this weekend, but I have a Rotary weekend in Slovakia so I had to say no. Luckily, though, I've got a year. I was asked a lot of question today and I'll just tell you the funniest one in my opinion. In Biology today Petr asked me if, in America, we have to ask to use the bathroom or if we can just leave. I wondered who had told him we could just leave because he seemed surprised when I said we have to ask. Also, apparently I'm supposed to be changing my shoes when I get to school and then when I leave again. Supposedly I was expected to know this because Mrs. Hornakova seemed genuinely surprised when I said of course I wasn't. I still don't understand why even though I had it explained to me so I guess its just a cultural thing. O well. I guess that's why everyone is wearing socks with their sandals.
So at eight today the bell rang for class to start. As the professor comes in we all have to stand up out of "respect" although anyone who expects respect to be handed to them on a silver platter loses it in my book. Then when we're allowed to sit down again the teacher begins to talk. Czech Language is first hour. I listen for a while and then doodle. We're told what books to buy for the class and then given free time. I sit and try to ignore the foursome sitting diagonally in front of me who keep glancing at me and whispering to each other. I fail.
Second period. I sit in the same place because I don't get to change classrooms. It's time for math. The teacher talks again, but then we get to play Sudoku. At fist I am irritated, I'm dreadful at sudoku. But then I'm the second one done and I'm mildly proud.
Third hour. Double Physics. Death in class form. I cannot understand a word the teacher says, and neither can the unfortunate girl sitting next to me trying to translate for me. The teacher begins to write on the board and I am pleased because I think I can finally do something: take notes. Wrong again. Apparently people here write in some sort of cursive code that only they can read. The "t"s look like "l"s and the "S"s don't look like anything. I give up again. Then, apparently, we begin a lab. The poor girl next to me is forced to be my partner, aka she does the entire lab because I don't have the slightest inkling as to what is going on. I later find out we were finding the average size of an acid-oil molecule. Who knew? Not me.
Lunch. It was amazing. I had bowtie pasta in a white cream sauce. When I first looked at it I could only remember the spaghetti from East and how disgusting it is. As I took my fist bite I prayed "Please don't taste like vomit" and indeed it didn't. Easily the best school lunch ever.
Fifth hour is geography. Petr sits next to me and is spectacular at English. We have a pop quiz. I fail. Luckily it isn't graded. But I did realize, as Petr was translating the names of what we were supposed to be finding on our maps from Czech to English, that even if this had been in English, I would have failed. I was irritated. But I told myself that we were looking for ridiculous places like an island so small it wasn't even on the maps we were given and to find the some river in Africa I'd never even heard of. Of course I am wrong, but I feel better about failing. I did manage to find number six though; it was Cuba.
Sixth hour is biology. The teacher rambles on and Petr translates again. Except he doesn't say anything because he says she is boring and what she says is not very important. So much for biology I guess.
Finally I have Social Studies. We are told to buy a Politology book. Then the teacher, who I had had yesterday and knows very well that I barely speak Czech and who doesn't speak any English decided to try to have a conversation with me. She failed and I failed and Petr had to to translate for me again. Apparently I get a special case to hold my i.d. card. Lucky me.
School is now over and I am relieved. Then I go with Patrick, an older Rotarian who asked to spend some time with me, and we take a ride on his motorcycle. It is now I realize that I don't really like riding on motorcycles. I held onto the handles so hard I'm surprised they didn't dent or break. We take a tour of Uhersky Brod from the outside. Seeing it from the distant hills and it is beautiful. Later we stop and have dinner, when I get off my arms hurt from holding on so tight. After riding for a while though I did like it and it was really fun. So even though school was not the best experience of my life, after school was fun.
We get the coolest i.d. cards ever. To order lunch, you swiped it on these pads and it brings up a menu for the week. You get to choose between two options each day and then when you get your lunch you swipe them again. I get excited every time. You can also order lunch online. It's not like EAST where you choose each day, you get to pick in advance, I really like it. Also, everyone in my class stays together for the majority of the day. I hate it because it cuts out practically half of all lunchtime conversation such as; today, Fotsch said this, and it was funny. All classroom stories are cut out because everyone else was there to see/hear it. Most people are really nice though, very helpful and wanting to know and help me. They made a list of important school terms in English and gave them to me in Czech. And they let me follow them all around to the next class because no, there was no chance of me finding my way anywhere, and they invited me to sit with them at lunch. Unfortunately for me, I can't remember most of their names. Some even invited me out this weekend, but I have a Rotary weekend in Slovakia so I had to say no. Luckily, though, I've got a year. I was asked a lot of question today and I'll just tell you the funniest one in my opinion. In Biology today Petr asked me if, in America, we have to ask to use the bathroom or if we can just leave. I wondered who had told him we could just leave because he seemed surprised when I said we have to ask. Also, apparently I'm supposed to be changing my shoes when I get to school and then when I leave again. Supposedly I was expected to know this because Mrs. Hornakova seemed genuinely surprised when I said of course I wasn't. I still don't understand why even though I had it explained to me so I guess its just a cultural thing. O well. I guess that's why everyone is wearing socks with their sandals.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Můj Rozvrnh Hodin, My Schedule
First off I'll tell you what's different about the towels here: they hurt. They are not nice and soft and fluffy like in America. They are dry and scratchy and rough.
So I've had a lot of people asking what my school schedule is. I have different classes everyday totalling 14 subjects. From Monday to Thursday I have school from 8a.m. until 2:30 p.m. On Friday I have school from 8 a.m. until 12:25 p.m. It's like an extra half day added onto the weekend, how nice. I have a twenty minutes snack break after second hour every day. Lunch is after math on Mondays and after fourth hour all other days except Friday, when I eat lunch at home. My schedule is as follows:
Monday: Czech Language, Geography, English, Physics, Math, Chemistry, French.
Tuesday: History, Social Studies, Biology, Latin, Computers, Double French*
Wednesday: Math, Czech, Chemistry/Physics**, Geography, Biology, Social Studies
Thursday: Chemistry, Physics, Double Art, Math, French, Gym
Friday: History, Math, English, French, Czech
*The double french means that I have french for an hour and a half instead of the usual forty five minute class period.
**For this hour, I have chemistry one week and physics the next, alternating throughout the year by week.
So that's my schedule, it looks intense here, but on the official piece of paper it looks much worse. School started today but we only had an hour and a half. We heard the rules and then got to go home. I really wish B'EAST did this. It was great. So real school starts tomorrow and I'll be posting again soon to tell you all about it.
P.S. Because we have to call the teachers "Professor", because we have double periods, and because the school is enormous, six stories, and I get lost every time I go in it, I feel a little bit like I'm going to Hogwarts.
So I've had a lot of people asking what my school schedule is. I have different classes everyday totalling 14 subjects. From Monday to Thursday I have school from 8a.m. until 2:30 p.m. On Friday I have school from 8 a.m. until 12:25 p.m. It's like an extra half day added onto the weekend, how nice. I have a twenty minutes snack break after second hour every day. Lunch is after math on Mondays and after fourth hour all other days except Friday, when I eat lunch at home. My schedule is as follows:
Monday: Czech Language, Geography, English, Physics, Math, Chemistry, French.
Tuesday: History, Social Studies, Biology, Latin, Computers, Double French*
Wednesday: Math, Czech, Chemistry/Physics**, Geography, Biology, Social Studies
Thursday: Chemistry, Physics, Double Art, Math, French, Gym
Friday: History, Math, English, French, Czech
*The double french means that I have french for an hour and a half instead of the usual forty five minute class period.
**For this hour, I have chemistry one week and physics the next, alternating throughout the year by week.
So that's my schedule, it looks intense here, but on the official piece of paper it looks much worse. School started today but we only had an hour and a half. We heard the rules and then got to go home. I really wish B'EAST did this. It was great. So real school starts tomorrow and I'll be posting again soon to tell you all about it.
P.S. Because we have to call the teachers "Professor", because we have double periods, and because the school is enormous, six stories, and I get lost every time I go in it, I feel a little bit like I'm going to Hogwarts.
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