Berlin, Part 1

Berlin-

Berlin is a pretty awesome city. So far, I think the most disappointing thing was the weather. I’ve gotten so used to having beautiful weather, that I almost forgot (except the chill of course) about the fact that Fall is here, and Winter is almost here! Yesterday, we got in around 2, and checked into the hostel. Its really cool actually, and we have HUGE beds! The hostel itself is such a cool place to hang out! The common area has a sports bar-ish feel to it. They even have the NFL channel! Sadly, since today marks the end of Daylight Savings in the US, we’re back to being 9 hours ahead, and the Seahawks game isn’t until 1am our time! After eating at the hostel (they have some pretty awesome burgers, and they have wings too. Kelly got the “suicide wings” and totally was amazing and finished them ALL! She definitely said she’s never getting those again though! Still! The girl is amazing! We went to two museums after lunch. The first had all sorts of old artifacts from the middle east, largely Mesopotamia. They had roman architecture, and old greek architecture! They had pieces to an altar and the façade of the front of the temple had pictures of Athena, Zeus, and Eros on it! I do love greek mythology! They also had a ton of old Indian (or what was old india) tapestries, and doors and stuff! It was soooo beautiful! You HAVE to take a look at the pictures I’ll be posting! The second museum was called the DDR museum, but, sadly, it wasn’t a museum dedicated to Dance, Dance Revolution. Cause I would have been amazing. And beat everyone! Lol!! It was the museum of the Deutcheland Democratic Republik. Or the German Democratic Republic. It was such a cool museum though! It was so interactive! They had games you could play, and you could sit in a prison cell, and an interrogation room. They had an old Volvo you could sit in (although I didn’t need to: My dad used to have a 1977 Volvo!) and clothes you could put on! It was so amazing!

After that last museum, and 5 hours of travelling, we were tired. It was about 730 pm, and we were so ready to end the walking around part! We walked almost all the way back to the hostel, and split up for dinner. I went to the hostel to use the internet and we went to meet up with some of the people in the Berlin CHID study abroad group! The girl we met took us out to a bar, but it was SOOO packed! We literally were packed in like sardines! In the business, we lost the girl, and went on in search of our own place. I was hungry by this point (it was almost 11) so Mike and I went in search of Ice cream and cheap German food. Weirdly enough, it was actually really hard to find cheap food. You don’t have the abundance of street food or small shops here. Each place we went to was either not serving anymore and/or it cost at least 10€ a plate, just for the food! So between buying a beer with dinner, and the exchange rate, we would be spending probably around $18USD for dinner! Sooo much! In the Czech Republic, I feel bad for spending $10 a day on food! Such a difference.  We ended up at Mcdonalds because we knew they’d have ice cream, and we got Twix McFlurries! And they couldn’t add extra twix for me. I want to find a place in the US that has Twix McFlurries!  We had some chicken nuggets, and decided to go back to the hostel, where we met up with some of our group, and headed off to bed.

This morning, we woke up, and met up with the group at 930. We walked to a shop named Fat Tire (just like the beer) and got our bike rental  and our bike tour guide. It was so much fun! We rode around the city for about 4 hours, plus a lunch break. We had lunch next to the Berlin Zoo, which has more species than any other zoo in the world! They even had Flamingos, which I’ve never actually seen a live flamingo.  I totally got a T-Shirt. It says “Our Motto is: Walking is stupid.” And on the back has the Fat Tire logo, which also looks surprisingly like the beer. We ran to catch a bus, and went onto the parliament. Apparently, people used to just line up in front of the building, thousands of people, and they’d get in, but then there was a threat of a suicide bomber, so now you have to go through this crazy security. It was worse than the airport! The tour there was actually really boring, but I think it was just because of the tour guide, and the fact that it was warm, and we were all really tired from bike riding all around berlin. After the parliament tour, where we got to go up this huge dome and see all of Berlin, we went to this amazing place called “Caffe e Gelato” and got HUGE ice creams!!! They were AMAZING! Pictures are posted of those!

We came back to the hostel full of ice cream, and tired. After hanging out for a bit, people started going out, but I didn’t really feel like partying or anything with an energetic atmosphere, so after a while, I decided to go walk around the city. I grabbed my ipod, and my book (The Jokeby Milan Kundera. Assigned reading, but very good.) and walked around the city for a good hour and a half. I found this place that sold “currywurst” which is just like a deep fried hot dog, with curry sprinkled on top. With a beer, it came to 3,80, which is actually a pretty good price. And back to the hostel I came! I’m actually really proud of myself for navigating the ü Bahn without any problems! It can be extremely difficult.

Anyways, I’m about to go through pictures, so I’ll write more later!

See you later, faithful readers!

Photos...in week 4!

Here's the links to my photos so far on Facebook. You do NOT need to have a Facebook or be friends with me on Facebook to look at these pics!! Just a warning however: There are over 700 pictures in total here! And I'm not even half finished with my program!!



Album 1
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.4157326444036.287712.1010240638&type=1&l=7e1d1144d5

Album 2
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.4168936094270.287947.1010240638&type=1&l=71dade5486

Album 3
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.4184087673050.288276.1010240638&type=1&l=cf11309eb9

Album 4
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.4248827531506.289682.1010240638&type=1&l=0d58bd426b

Album 5
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.4168936094270.287947.1010240638&type=1&l=71dade5486

Album 6
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.4249508868539.289690.1010240638&type=1&l=c1f6e1b97e

Who wants to do my homework for me?

Homework sucks. This week has been way harder too. I'm hoping that I'm just being awesomely prepared for class and that good stuff.

Just an example: This week, I got back from Vienna on Sunday. Because the museum we were going to go to on Monday (afternoon class, morning was cancelled so we could sleep in), afternoon class was cancelled (yay!). For Tuesday, I had an article to read (nm there), but for Wednesday, i had 3 articles to read, one was like 30 pages, and INCREDIBLY deep...very interesting, but it takes a lot longer to read and actually absorb, you know? And my professor was late, and ALWAYS goes over, so by the time i got home, it was like 4, and then that evening we had a class thing to do at 630. Don't get me wrong, that was AMAZING, but to have another 38 page article due the next day, that was hard. BUT I'm kinda really tired of just being bored in class, so I'm actually going to do all my homework. I forget that this is almost a 500 level class, and it takes a lot more work. It makes WAY more sense and is way more interesting if you can push yourself through the work. And I have 2 presentations due on Tuesday. And I'm writing a paper comparing whether it was "reform from above" meaning political reform or "revolution from below" (from the people) that was the major factor in the fall of the communist regime in Hungary and Romania. SO confusing. Not the paper, but the countries. And the paper is only supposed to be 5 pages long, and that's REALLY hard to do...i want to write like 10 or 15 pages! That'd be so much easier! I wish! Write and rewrite...who wants to edit for me? lol

That thing we did on Wednesday night? We didn't do much, only went to the opera at the State Opera House! Sooo amazing! We saw Carmen, written by George Bizet, a french guy writing about gypsies in Seville, Spain. It was interesting how the different cultures all came together. I mean, you have this story about these Spanish rejects (i mean, that's what gypsies have always been) who pull this white guy away from the proper christian girl, and then just play with the guy's heart. Its in French (which I was proud to still understand some of it! Thanks Ms. Peterson!), with English and Czech subtitles. I mean, is there a way to mix more cultures? That was facetious, i don't really need to know. I'm sure there could be Africans and Indians and native Americans.  As I was sitting there, listening (and watching) the orchestra play the opening number, I couldn't help but think about how much my life has changed in the last few years. Its something that keeps hitting me in the face over and over again. Just over two years ago, I graduated from Bellevue College, and forgot my cap and gown at my boyfriend's house in Greenlake, and I didn't have time to go get a new one, so I didn't walk at graduation. I found out that I couldn't go to school the following Fall at UW, even though I got into the school, cause I couldn't afford it. I had a ton of debt, and a dead end, "non fast food job" at Chipotle. I had just gotten kicked out the the place I was staying cause of a jealous roommate, and my only way out was the bartending school I had to scrap together the money to go to. Today, I'm married to that boyfriend who's amazing and wonderful. I'm finally a senior, after 6 years of putting myself through school, I'm completely out of debt (even with a paid off car!) and I'm going to the OPERA in PRAGUE with UW's CHID study abroad program. It feels surreal. You know how in movies in the beginning of the movie, you follow the main character until the story starts? I feel like I'm watching myself. Its amazing.

I'm learning so much here. Not just my actual education, but random stuff that's crazy. For instance, Prague has 3 main forms of public transportation that EVERYONE takes: the bus (super slow and kinda really confusing to take), the tram (less confusing, but just as slow. Benefit: above ground and goes directly through the city) and my favorite, the metro. The metro is underground, in fact, so underground that you take these really steep escalators that make me feel like I'm going to fall just by standing on them. I'm not gonna lie, i have kinda bad balance...mostly stuff like escalators. You know, where I'm at an angle moving? I hate stairs and escalators. Anyways, the metro station is so far underground because they used to be bomb shelters for during the cold war. so yeah, incredibly deep. I love the way the wind feels in my face as the metro comes rushing to me. I realized that when I tried to follow Vera's instructions to get to the apartment, i totally messed up. There's 3 lines for the metro, A, B, and of course, C, and they're color coded. In Seattle, the metro system is the bus...the King County Metro system...so i tried to take the bus to the apartment! Yeah, way more confusing.

Another thing is that people don't smile. It stems from Communism. Since you didn't know who you could trust that they wouldn't be the secret police, you just didn't smile. Apparently smiling, or making eye contact for 3 or more seconds is flirting. And coming from the US, I smile A LOT. I think when I get back, I'm just not going to be smiling as much :( I'm going to have to work on that!

Walking in heels isn't as difficult here as you'd think it is. I realize that most of the streets are cobblestones, but its a different type here than in Seattle. Now, I'm not saying that I'd want to walk in heels all the time, or in stilettos, but its okay. The cobblestones here are smaller, and are closer together, and filled in between each cobblestone. And I'm starting to get used to the weather here I think. Its very similar to home. It was kinda ironic that on Friday it rained, cause it rained here too. I saw it on Facebook that people were talking about the rain, and I felt like I was on the same pace as home. I do miss the rain. And my rain boots. I want to go jump in puddles in the Quad.

The home situation is interesting. When I moved in with Gabe, I was so excited! I told myself that I'd never have roommates again that I wasn't either in love with, or i didn't create. So going back to having roommates is an interesting shift. I think the best way to make this work is to carve out my own little private space. Living with Gabe is so much easier, cause we always say "Hey babe, I'm gonna have 'me time,' k?" meaning Gabe will practice the guitar, or play video games, or whatever men do. I watch TV, read, or bake. or cook. I don't really like to cook with other people in the kitchen...I'm picky :) but here, we don't even have that space. And sharing food and stuff...weird! I forgot about the whole "figuring out who paid for what" thing. Thank goodness we don't have to pay utilities too!

Yesterday we had dinner at our professor's! It was so fun! They have 3 kids, two boys and a girl (just like what I want!) and just hanging out at their place was so cool. I even learned a little more about Czech life, unintentionally i think. People here BUY their apartments, but they're kinda like condos, like the size. and they pay dues, but sometimes those include utilities. And Ikea is so big here cause all the places are so compact, especially the kitchens, that you really can't fit everything in there. In that respect, Ikea kinda seems  silly at home. I love it's modernity, and the cost, but I can fit a giant dining room table, so its really not as necessary. the problems of Capitalism :) People don't really drive here...except to go far out of the city. It explains the lack of cars I see here, only the really expensive cars, and the utility trucks. I see an astounding number of Audi's here, and in Vienna, I saw a Ferrari. Not as sexy as a Maserati, but just as expensive. And it was going so fast on Ringstrasse! I heard this little boy yell "Ferrari!!" so excitedly! Its an interesting conundrum: they get Ikea and have small apartments, but they have expensive cars...and quite often, summer cottages.

Summer cottages came cause they were really the only place that one could get away from the tyranny of Communism, and just enjoy life. I think we're going to go see Vera and Michael's at one point.

Bad news! I lost the top of my belly button ring in Stroudsburg, PA (Gabe and I were there right before this trip for a friend's wedding), so I took out the ring, and I didn't want to get a new one made with metal I didn't know, you know? Two weeks later, I find a Claire's in Prague, and I get a few cheap, but cute belly button rings (I trust Claire's metal, and I have white vinegar to clean it), and my belly button has started to close up! I'm going to have to get it repierced when I get home. :/

Its really late, and I need to get up at a decent time, cause MONDAY I'm getting up early for Yoga. It should be fun! Our housing director teaches yoga over on Dejviska...which is like 3 metro stops away and a quarter mile walk. yay!

I'll add a link to pictures soon!

xoxo
Leanna

The first week

Hey guys~
I'm tired, so I will try to be a bit more organized to try to make things less confusing. Trust me, you want it. I wrote that first sentence three times before I figured out how it made sense.

Classes:
I'm taking three classes, each worth 5 credits. Class is from 10-12, and 1-3 Monday through Thursday, except when we're on our trips to other countries. For instance, this weekend we went to Vienna, Austria. Each trip has the days planned, and like a half day that's free. They try to make it full of interesting stuff, but it also counts as a lecture, in a way.

History: East European Communism and Everyday Life
This is taught by Professor Vera Sokolova, who is actually the head of the department. We call all of our professors by their first name. Vera has a degree in History, and is head of the Gender Studies department at Charles University here in Prague. This means that she is constantly in connection with the government and working with equality issues. This class has interesting, but long readings. The lectures can be pretty dry, but they're super interesting. Its also really cool because Vera grew up under Communism, so she has firsthand knowledge of how this stuff worked.

Political Science: Democracy and Development in Central and Eastern Europe
This is taught by Professor Michael Smith, who is actually Vera's husband. They have 3 kids together. Their oldest son has diabetes, and while Vera's mother takes care of the younger two kids while they're on these trips together, its hard for her to keep on top of Sebastian's stuff, so he comes with us on our trips. Sebastian is so cute! Anyways, Poli Sci has super boring lectures, and hard, but interesting and short readings. Definitely my least favorite class. He's half Vietnamese, and is from America, but he met Vera, and they got married at the Old Town Square, which is super romantic, and they came to Prague to live here! He works in the Sociology department at Charles University, despite his degrees in Philosophy and Poli Sci. He's chill, but you can see that he gets a bit stressed when he's leading all of us by himself.

Culture: Contemporary Czech Culture, Art, Music, and Literature
This is taught by Blanka Maderova, who is awesome. She teaches, of course, but she is also in a rock band. And this class sounds like it's going to be awesome. Every week, we have 2 of each class, and something else (tomorrow we're watching a video, and next week we have a reflection on the trip we just took). Last week, we had one class, and then went to the Prague Castle. Part of the program cost includes all these private tours of all the cool stuff in the countries we visit, and the places we visit, so we got a private tour of the cathedral by Prague Castle last week. Just an example.

Housing
I share a room with a girl named Elizabeth. We actually have a really big room, but we have twin sized beds...the first time in years! Our whole apartment is furnished by Ikea, which, of course, I love. The other room in the apartment is shared by my other two roommates, Amanda and Kelly. Amanda is an International Student from Singapore, and Kelly is also from UW Seattle. Elizabeth is from the Bothell Campus. We have a huge hang out area, and a giant bathroom with an awesome bathtub and a shower. We have a tiny kitchen, however, which is crooked. But very modern. We're the only apartment with a microwave, a dishwasher, and a clothes dryer.

Trips
We just got back from Vienna, which was so beautiful, although after hearing the history of the place, it gave me a weird vibe. Vienna is very wealthy, and they kinda really flaunt it, with their fancy buildings, and the fact that they had so many designer boutiques just on the street. Which is weird, because they also gave off a very anti-Semitic vibe. They've always been pretty anti-Semetic, at one point, before the Holocaust, they just massacred the Jewish population, or tortured them. There were a ton of mass suicides at that time, because people didn't want to be tortured. After a lot of pressure, they finally built a monument to the Austrian Jews killed in the Holocaust. It took 40 years for them to build it. They also have 2 palaces there, which we visited, Schonbrunn, the summer castle of the Hapsburgs, and the normal castle. Schonbrunn is made to look like Versailles. Overall, it gave a weird feeling, like their whole society revolved around the wealth and beauty, but ignored the ugly parts of history. Their last Empress, Sisi, is idolized in their society, but at the same time, she seemed like she was crazy. She was very beautiful, and her husband loved her a lot, but she seemed to be very selfish. Some of my classmates said that if Sisi were in today's world, she'd be worse than Lindsay Lohan for craziness.

Communication:
So I have a skype number that's a US number, so you guys can call me from it. It doesn't cost me anything since I prepaid for it. Its (206) 923-9393, and I have a number for texting too: (425) 412-8417. If you want to talk to me, please remember that I'm 9 hours AHEAD of you guys, and I really only answer really late at night for you guys, or in the morning!

That's about it for now! I'm getting sick, I think, so yeah, I need to get to bed. And do homework :)

I'm here! In my apartment, chillin with my roommates!

Here's how it all went down:
Jess and Doug's wedding was Friday night, and we needed to check out of our hotel by 11 am! Eek! So early! So after packing, we said goodbye to the rest of the Seattle friends, and went in search of a hearty American breakfast! We ate at this cute diner in East Stroudsburg, PA, and from there, the search for a headset adapter began. We drove all around, to finally find this really rinky dink Office Max that had definitely seen better days. My husband drove us to the airport then, and after returning the car, we found out check ins.

After checking in, we had about 2 hours before we had to board the planes, but alas! We were at different gates with different security points! So we spent an hour just hanging out, and spending the last time we had together just talking, and doing all that cutesy stuff couples do. Finally, we had to part ways.

I'm not gonna lie...I teared up a few times in the security line, partly cause I missed him already, and partly cause I was nervous. I made it through, however, and immediately called Gabe. Just because I could. We chatted, and I called my sister, and Joan, Gabe's mom. And then Gabe again. Once I boarded the plane, we texted until we couldn't anymore, and I was off. There was no turning back at that point.

British Airways is amazing. Just saying. Gabe was joking that they'd be serving tea and crumpets, and while they didn't serve tea and crumpets, they DID serve tea and biscuits (cookies)! We had a 4 course dinner with complimentary wine, our own blankets and pillows! The only downside with the whole flight to London was that my remote for watching movies didn't work. I didn't REALLY need to watch What to Expect When you're Expecting, or that new Johnny Depp movie where he's a 200 year old vampire set in the 1960s. I took my sleeping pill, put my head on my UW pillow pet, and passed out.

My transfer in London was...interesting. I had 1 hour and 30 minutes to get to my connecting plane, but when you get to London, you have to go through security again. And I had forgotten that I had Aquaphor (a petroleum based jelly) for my lips and the lens cleaning solution that Gabe got for me as a going away gift. So they took my backpack, which was stuffed to the brim, and pulled EVERYTHING out and did a once over. So by then, I had 20 minutes to get to my gate...and the gates were closing! I ran for it and made it to....a bus! Which took us to this tiny Airbus 320 plane (my first was a Boeing 777...I always try to pay attention to the planes that I ride on), where we got to climb the steps to the top of the plane. It almost made you feel like a movie star...except the fact that everyone else was doing it, haha! That plane ride was short, just an hour and a half.

And I landed in Prague. After going through the shortest customs line I had ever seen (all they did was look at my passport) I went off to the baggage claim. The problem here was that no one had told us which baggage claim we were in, and the sign only listed the incoming flights. After standing awkwardly for some time in between two baggage claims, i saw some people from my plane at claim. I waited...and waited...and one piece of my luggage came out. I had checked 2 and gate checked my duffel (carry-on). And it never came. There was this airport guy taking the left over baggage off of the carousel, so I asked him if there was more luggage coming out of the thing, and he told me in broken English to go to the counter. When I got to counter, she asked for my address and a phone number. I knew my address, and my school's address (which is where all packages and mail are supposed to go), but I didn't know my phone number...so I gave them Gabe's number. A US number...if they called him, we'd have some pretty expensive fees to pay! Without my huge bags, I decided to take the bus. The ticket machine wouldn't take my Czech crowns (pronounced "koruna"), so I asked some nice looking people at the bus stop if it had to be exact change. Which of course they didn't understand...I mean, I don't know how to say "exact" in French and I studied it for almost 4 years! Anyways, they told me I could buy a ticket on the bus. They were so nice! They even told me where I needed to get off! Apparently, however, I took the express bus...which cost almost twice as much as the bus normally takes, but with their help, it was totally worth it. After studying the map I went one way, and then realized I had no clue where I was going, so I pulled out my map again, and went the other way. I must have looked so funny! I was pulling my bright magenta suitcase (Thank you Ree and Kae!) with my UW pillow pet in between the handles, holding a wool sweater. I wasn't sure if I was going the right way, so I checked out the map again, and went the exact opposite way!

After about 15-20 minutes, I got to the apartment, and looked inside. It looked like...I don't know!  I wasn't even sure if it was an apartment building! And I didn't have my roommate Elizabeth's phone number. This older lady came out of the building, and I asked her if she spoke English, and she said no. I tried anyways, and asked her if Americans had moved in. And she just looked at me funny, lol! So I opened up my suitcase in the middle of the street to get my nifty, super dumb phone, and called my program directors, who gave me Elizabeth's phone number. She was in the apartment, but didn't know I was down on the street. She took me into the weird cave looking thing, and up three flights of winding stairs...

And I was there! We have four keys to get into our apartment. The first is for the door to the street, the second to the barrier door (or you can use a passcode). We have this cage surrounding our front door, probably about 15 square feet? And that needs a lock, and then, of course, the front door. The apartment is amazing! It is huge, and bright, and beautiful, with hardwood floors, and is decorated by Ikea, so ultra modern. Apparently there is one on either side of the city. We even have a dining/living room! And if you look out the window of my room, you can see one of the most popular streets in the city.

We went to the grocery store to get stuff to make a pasta dinner, and we couldn't read anything! Almost everything is in Czech. I needed baking soda, and granulated sugar, and somehow ended up getting powdered sugar, and no baking soda. So funny! Because I didn't have my luggage, I ended up having to borrow my roommate's pyjama bottoms.

This morning waking up was weird. I kept feeling like I should feel like it's weird that I'm in a foreign country, but I didn't. I couldn't read the box of granola, and I had to look at a map to get to school, but other than that, it was weird. We had orientation, and went over the program syllabus, and then we went to the Old Town square. It was so pretty! We saw the Astronomical tower, and went to the top! It was so pretty! You could see all of Prague from there! After that, we went to this really amazing restaurant, where the portions were HUGE! It was both my lunch AND dinner! It was covered by the program, which was nice. During class, around noon, my luggage came! So I convinced the boys to help lug those up the stairs. And I unpacked! And did my homework, and am now blogging. It was so nice to be able to wash my face properly, and not use a kitchen towel to dry off!

And now to skype with my husband! yay Prague!

Before leaving...

Tomorrow's the big day! I leave Seattle for 10 weeks! I haven't been away from home for this long before! I know there's going to be so much to miss, but so much to see too! 

Packing has been interesting...I have no idea how much stuff I need to bring, so I (of course) over packed. I bought another bright blue and purple bag, so I should be able to have enough stuff! The plan is that it will double as my bag for when we go on our little side trips. I've printed all my info on how to get to the apartment, and airline stuff! 

Before I leave for Europe, however, Gabe and I are going to Jess and Doug's wedding in Pennsylvania. I had to iron his shirt and learned this fantastic tidbit: If you spritz the shirt with white vinegar, and then iron with a dry iron, it comes out flawless! I've been having issues with that shirt for a while.

I think I'm both excited and nervous. I've never flown by myself before...that should be interesting. I've never had to put my luggage in the overhead bin myself :) I know what life is typically like when Gabe and I are in school, but things have been so perfect at home lately, that I'm going to miss that even more. There really is no "it'll be a nice break from home." I don't know if that's the new marriage or the awesomeness of my husband talking, but I will definitely miss home. And worry. I mean, whose going to remember to water my orchids every Thursday? Or remember to clean Chester's cage. Or go grocery shopping? I know that Gabe's planning on being extra busy while I'm gone... I need to stop worrying! 

Anywhoo...The plan is with this blog is to write exactly as if it were my journal. If that bothers some people, I apologize, but there will be stuff that is more interesting than how worried I am about my husband. :)

I'll write more once I get settled! Until then!

The Beginning

So in April of 2012, I received the Faye Wilson Merit Scholarship at the University of Washington, Seattle campus. Realizing the enormity of  the scholarship, I though "OMG! With this I could study abroad," and the next day, a guy from the Comparative History of Ideas department came to one of my classes, and told us about the different options for studying abroad. It seemed like a sign to me, and I brought it up to my fiance. He thought that it might be possible, but it would be difficult! So I applied for the program to go to Prague, got accepted, and  found out that my financial aid and scholarship completely covered the cost!

I will be leaving on September 28th, from Newark Airport, and landing in Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, on Sunday, the 29th. I will immediately move into an apartment with 2 or 3 other girls (and I thought I was done with roommates!) in the middle of Prague, and classes start the next day, on October 1st!

As part of the study abroad program, we will be visiting 4 other countries:

October 5-7: Vienna, Austria
-> Vienna is the capital of Austria, and is known for being the "City of Music" for it's musical history, but it was also the home of Freud. Austria is part of the European Union, and therefore, it's currency is in Euros. As of 8.17.2012, $1USD = .80 €. Austria (and Prague) is 9 hours ahead of Seattle. That means that if i stay up late, and watch ESPN 3, I can probably watch the Gator and Husky games! For the most part, Austria and Germany were under the same government, until the mid 1800s, when the Austro-Prussian war happened, and Austria had to leave the German Confederation. So they teamed up with Hungary, and formed Austria-Hungary. After World War I, however, with the whole assasination of Archiduke Ferdinand and his wife by a Bosnian Serb, the Allied Powers dissolved that partnership, and we got Austria and Hungary!

October19-22: Krakow, Poland
-> Poland is NOT part of the EU, and uses Zlotys for their currency. As of 8.17.2012, $1USD = $3.30 PLN. I honestly don't know anything about Poland, other than it was the first country that Germany invaded during World War II. They make the best version of hot dogs, and have amazing pastry's called Piroshky's. We get them down at Pike place sometimes :) Krakow is also 9 hours ahead of Seattle.

November 3-6: Berlin, Germany
-> Germany is the financially strongest part of the EU, and because of that, there has been a lot of talk that they might leave the EU soon, so keeping an eye out for that! I'm especially excited to see the Berlin Wall,  and museums! I'm not sure how i feel about german food, but we'll experiment! Germany is 9 hours ahead of Seattle, and is also on the Euro. I'm super excited to see the effect that the World Wars have had on Germany. Also, I'm hoping to meet up with a friend from Germany who was an exchange student last year, possibly going to Oktoberfest?

November 19-22: Budapest, Hungary
-> Hungary is part of the EU, but it doesn't use the Euro...it uses the Forint. as of 9.1.2012, $1USD= $225.87 HUF. The first time I had heard of Hungary outside of WWI was in my favorite movie, My Fair LAdy, a film adaptation to the play Pygmalion by Bernard Shaw. The story argues that by speaking properly, one can raise their social standing. It uses a poor flower girl from the street named Eliza Doolittle, and eventually, she goes to the queens ball, and the upper class society there believed that she was a Hungarian princess :) An awesome twist on the classic Cinderella story. Outside of that, and its involvement in the start of World War I, I really don't know anything about Budapest! I'm super excited to learn all about it though! I will be spending my Thanksgiving in Budapest, however! We'll see what that's like! Budapest is also 9 hours ahead of Seattle.

During my time abroad, I will have my last set of roommates: Elizabeth, Amanda, and Kelly. Gabe will come visit the week before Thanksgiving. I will be arriving back home on December 8th, around noon! If you would like to contact me, please use Facebook, this blog, or email, as I won't have a phone that can call to the US while I'm gone!

                          Prague

 Vienna

Berlin  

Krakow

Budapest

Thanks guys! I'll keep you posted on what's going on!