The expat addiction: Praha
By Sophie. Filed in Uncategorized |
In the past decade more than being known as a former communist city where great authors wrote classic literature, kings built bridges, Catholic built stunning Cathedrals and the greatest musicians of our time performed classic productions, Prague has become known for its Asian tourists and large population of expatriates. So choosing to study in Prague was at first sort of difficult, I wanted a place more… undiscovered.
But the first time I came here, over a year ago on a week-long trip with my cousin I felt that first connection, a connection to my deep Czech heritage and to the people who are inspired daily by the red roofs, the Vltava river, and the passionate artists who flock to the city to read Kundera on Petrin Hill, to see Don Giovani performed in the original concert hall where Mozart debuted his classic opera. In Prague, there is no escaping the history, and on this stay, with patience and a few practical Czech language classes, I already feel at home.
Living abroad is always full of confusion. And when you travel alone you have to expect a moment or two, at least, of a wild, panicked realization… that you are on your own, and have to figure it out by yourself. To deal with the confusion, I keep moving. For the past three weeks it has been nearly non-stop traveling around the Czech Republic, taking Czech language classes, exploring the cobblestone streets in the day and at night exploring the bars and clubs. Coming back to the soviet dorms where the students from my program live, isn’t high on my list of things to do every day.
You have to have a sense of humor to live in Eastern Europe, and you have to appreciate the small, wonderful lightness of regulation that makes the Czech Republic, especially, so appealing. When I first moved into my dorm, brown water came out of the faucet, and I realized quickly that I would have to make myself very very tired every night to fall asleep on the beds. Everything here is just simpler, smaller, less expensive…and so much more fun.
Regardless of the tourists and the fact that the American expat in Prague thing has been done before, it still feels incredible to sit at the Hanging Cup and read Vaclav Havel and listen to Neutral Milk Hotel while walking across Karlovy Most on my way to Czech intensive class. Well, I’m a cliché English major living in Prague. Ahoj!
By Sophie Vodvarka, Arts and Sciences Junior. Sophie is studying in Prague, Czech Republic during Spring 2009.