It has been a while since I have posted. Life has been busy with the hustle and bustle of training and learning my way around this beautiful, but complicated city. I'm sure it would help if I spoke Czech, but alas, I don't.
Fall is beginning to creep in. The landscape around Prague is still mostly green and lush with only periodic bursts of yellow and orange, which seem to be subtle reminders that winter is not far off. I have a feeling in the next month or so, these reminders will be far less subdued and winter will sweep in fast and furious, leaving me longing for these last few days of warmth. And of course, as the cold months approach, what do I do? Cut off my hair, leaving my neck exposed. Thank heavens for scarves.
There is an interesting dichotomy here in Prague. It is one of the most beautiful cities I have ever seen and one of the ugliest. The older parts of the city are filled with ornate and beautiful architecture and statuary, making it a sort of citywide museum. Everywhere you turn each building and view is more breathtaking than the last making it is easy to get lost in the beauty of it, only to find yourself lost in the geography of it. It seems to be a little joke the Czechs play on outsiders in order to keep them a little disoriented. However, being lost here is hardly a bad thing. You often stumble across something wonderful, like a store, coffee shop, bar you never would have found otherwise and eventually you see some landmark you know and are able to navigate your way from there.
Then there is the other Prague, The Prague left over from Communism. This Prague is sterile, efficient and humorless. It is seems impossible for these cold, utilitarian boxes of buildings to belong to the same city which, while it isn't exactly warm, at least has a sense of humor about itself. I have to admit, while intrigued with these parts of the city, I prefer to spend as little time in them as possible.
On more personal notes, I have begun to get a routine down, which makes me happy and keeps my mind occupied. I find it strange how people from my American life have reacted to my move. People I never thought would keep in touch have emailed and checked in (which makes me happy), and people I thought would be far more in contact haven't (which has left me confused and hurt). I guess this is the way life goes. I love how inexpensive it is to do cultural things here. The Czechs seem to really enjoy their opera, classical music, ballet and theatre, making it far easier for me to as well.
Fall is beginning to creep in. The landscape around Prague is still mostly green and lush with only periodic bursts of yellow and orange, which seem to be subtle reminders that winter is not far off. I have a feeling in the next month or so, these reminders will be far less subdued and winter will sweep in fast and furious, leaving me longing for these last few days of warmth. And of course, as the cold months approach, what do I do? Cut off my hair, leaving my neck exposed. Thank heavens for scarves.
There is an interesting dichotomy here in Prague. It is one of the most beautiful cities I have ever seen and one of the ugliest. The older parts of the city are filled with ornate and beautiful architecture and statuary, making it a sort of citywide museum. Everywhere you turn each building and view is more breathtaking than the last making it is easy to get lost in the beauty of it, only to find yourself lost in the geography of it. It seems to be a little joke the Czechs play on outsiders in order to keep them a little disoriented. However, being lost here is hardly a bad thing. You often stumble across something wonderful, like a store, coffee shop, bar you never would have found otherwise and eventually you see some landmark you know and are able to navigate your way from there.
Then there is the other Prague, The Prague left over from Communism. This Prague is sterile, efficient and humorless. It is seems impossible for these cold, utilitarian boxes of buildings to belong to the same city which, while it isn't exactly warm, at least has a sense of humor about itself. I have to admit, while intrigued with these parts of the city, I prefer to spend as little time in them as possible.
On more personal notes, I have begun to get a routine down, which makes me happy and keeps my mind occupied. I find it strange how people from my American life have reacted to my move. People I never thought would keep in touch have emailed and checked in (which makes me happy), and people I thought would be far more in contact haven't (which has left me confused and hurt). I guess this is the way life goes. I love how inexpensive it is to do cultural things here. The Czechs seem to really enjoy their opera, classical music, ballet and theatre, making it far easier for me to as well.
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