Hello!
I’m back after what I believe has been a full week in Prague (my sense of time is still severely disturbed from the jet lag). I’ve moved into my apartment, embarrassed myself at the grocery store self-checkout, redeemed myself with a second visit, and even made friends with a handful of kids from around the city. My accommodations are in a cozy neighborhood in Prague 3, a youthful area buzzing with underground pubs, thrift stores, and an impressive collection of graffiti that seems to be refreshed daily. The locals’ schedules seem to revolve around staying out late and starting their day around 11 a.m., making it difficult to find an early breakfast, but the food is typically well worth the wait.
The ISA program leaders picked up about 30 of us at the Prague airport, dropping groups off at their apartments spread across every corner of the city. Some are living in the heart of downtown, flashy and expensive, while others are in Prague 7, known for its grungy punk scene that has yet to be touched by gentrification and tourism. As mentioned, Prague 3 is a sweet spot between the two extremes, offering plenty of excitement without breaking the bank or being overtly gimmicky. Upon my drop-off, I met my roommates, Jack and Joseph (Joe), two of the only participants in the program who don’t attend DU. Jack is from Los Angeles and studies in Boulder, CO, while Joe is from Ohio studying in Fort Collins at CSU. We quickly bonded over the comedically large, medieval key that opens our front door—one fitting to lower a castle gate over a moat.
Prague is exciting and dense. Each block seems to be outfitted with a kebab restaurant, at least two mini-markets, and a bar or two usually open until 2 or 3 in the morning. While the local adults are very modest and a bit cold, the younger folks and other students I’ve met are eager to socialize, hear about America, and share the customs and charms of their culture. There are a lot of baggy black clothes and accessories. Through my time at the local skateparks, I’ve formed a group of friends, each of whom skateboards but also has some sort of extracurricular passion. Lada is a dedicated cameraman as well as a coach for the Czech national youth snowboarding team; he left this weekend to get the season started in Austria. Honza is a nearly professional skier. Amorie is a songwriter who shared her struggle with wanting to find success in the music industry but not wanting to slip into a pattern of selling her songs to others—an opportunity that has seemed to find her more and more often.
The youth seem eager to distinguish themselves from the previous generations that grew up under communist rule, which ended in 1989. I was even told of a younger homeless man who has made his way by offering organized tours of Prague’s underground scene, an ambition less common back in the States.
My classes are composed of Americans and a couple of Europeans. The Czech class has been surprisingly welcoming and gentle; I’ve learned a few phrases and words for navigating transactions and greetings. The rest of my classes are in the business field and are, so far, concerningly elementary, especially for someone who has never taken a business course. I expected to encounter at least a couple of new terms and concepts, but that hasn’t been the case so far. Maybe this week will be a bit more rigorous, and regardless, it’s hard to complain while I’m still suffering from the time difference. I only feel that I’m now getting into a more regular sleep schedule. I did notice that during my orientations and first classes, the professors smiled most while talking about their democracy—another culture shock given the theatrical turmoil of American politics in recent years. It is refreshing to hear excitement and optimism about government rather than uncertainty and passivism.
Aside from classes and skateboarding, I’ve found a local punk venue called Bike Jesus, which features a dirt jump course outside and a grungy venue inside. Friends have shown me some local clubs where other study-abroad students hang out. Foosball is very popular, so I’ve started to sharpen my skills. Overall, I feel I’ve found my people, and I’ve only just begun to scratch the surface of what this city has to offer. This week will consist of really getting classes rolling, and in two weeks, I’ll meet many of my Denver friends in Munich for Oktoberfest.
Ciao! (Yes, this is Italian but very common here in the Czech Republic).
DU Abroad 