Before I leave...

I am off to a town called Humpolec, CZ for the week to go to camp! I am teaching in a German summer camp for a week. The camp is half way between Prague and Brno, so is about an hour and half away... I am catching the bus this afternoon. 

Sorry that I have taken so long to post! I have been really busy with class and exploring Prague. But now that class is over, I really have no excuse. The second picture is a place called Petřín Hill, and is the biggest park in all of Prague. The rest of the pictures are from the top of that tower and the last one is most of my TEFL class at our graduation party. The park is absolutely amazing and so quiet and away from the city. Hiking up that tower took FOREVER, as Czech people really don't believe in lifts unless they are totally useless. The view was amazing though, so worth it I suppose. My new big thing to do is go and watch the matched every night at this really cool outdoor beer garden near my new flat (pictures of the new flat to follow when I get back from camp). The night life here is so laid back and everything moves so slowly... It is wonderful. There is no pressure to hurry up and eat or finish your beer. Czech people are fantastic and very hospitable, although they are terrible drivers. 

My new flat is in Vinohrady, which is one of the most ideal locations in town (if you want my address, leave a comment and I will e mail it to you). I am right behind a beautiful park that is only a five minute walk, and there are cheap restaurants everywhere. My roommates are really cool and we cook dinner together almost everyday. We have a gas leak in our bathroom, which means we can't shower for the next few days! Yuck! Luckily I have friends in the city with working showers who are letting me shower, for a small fee. Just kidding, but they thought did cross their minds. 

I have to go pack for summer camp now, but I will have pictures and stuff up when I get back on the 4th of July... 

Invasion of Prague

Prague is being invaded by tourists!!! There are English speaking people everywhere, and now I know why the Czech people don't like Americans so much!!! Everyone is rude and loud (although not as loud as the Scots), and just assume that everyone speaks English, when in fact most people do not. It is no wonder the V.A.T. is so high when waiters know you are an American... Other than that the city is still wonderful and most of the Czechs really nice (the old women in my favorite bakery have tried to take care of my fingers countless times, and give me remedies in Czech... according to Chris, who could just be yanking my chain). 

Class is quite an adventure, and teaching even more so. I am teaching the beginners for the first week, and they are truly beginners. The first day they cooed out a broken 'Heeeelllllooooo'. They are adorable and try really hard to pronounce the words correctly and get the correct form. Today, we were teaching fruits and vegetable and Lídía kept saying banyana (instead of banana). She eventually got it right... Onto the pictures...

The first one is a very blurry picture of Prague Castle at night (I have no tripod, and was trying to act as one rather unsuccessfully). We were at a sweet outdoor pub right on the river that had a great Beatles cover band and even better views. The next is of the National Muzeum which is filled with natural history, so I have yet to be in, but the history behind it is really cool. It is one of the only buildings in Prague that was not cleaned after the Velvet Revolution to preserve the building. The big white patches you see on the pillars are actually bullet holes from when the Russians opened fired on the Muzeum during the Prague Spring. The guy on the horse is a HUGE statue of Good King Wenceslas who when, rumor has it, the Czechs are in their darkest hour will rise up from the statue, and ride to the mountains are rise and army to protect the Czech people... Although, when is their darkest hour going to be, considering they were under a Communist regime for 50 some odd years... The memorial picture is a memorial to two students who were trying to preserve the movement of the Prague Spring, and who burned themselves alive in that spot as the Russian tanks were rolling into Wenceslas Square to open fire on the National Muzeum.... they are considered national heroes, although, a lot of good it did the Muzeum and the Prague Spring movement, as both we destroyed. 

I am off to lesson plan, and will hopefully post more soon...