Dobry den!
It is the 2nd week of classes and I have officially been studying abroad for 4 weeks! I finally have a routine and am adjusted to my 3 classes, dorms, speaking basic Czech, using public transportation, etc. I currently live in Kolej Komenskeho, which is a dorm about a 25 minute tram ride and walk from classes. The dorm is 4 floors and is full of international students and other students studying abroad; my floor specifically is all study abroad students for this semester. I live in a single in a suite with my roommate, and we share a kitchenette and bathroom. The floor we live on has 2 full kitchens as well, which makes cooking our own meals pretty easy. I also live in the newly renovated wing of the dorm, which means my living situation is really nice!
I have made such great friends and have even started traveling since this past weekend. Most of my friends and I only have classes Monday-Wednesday so we have planned lots of weekend trips to Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and more! Last weekend my friends and I took a 1.5 day trip from Thursday to Friday to Bratislava, Slovakia. It was a very last minute trip but we had a blast! For trains to and from Bratislava as well as an Airbnb, my friends and I only paid $50 each; one of my favorite parts about living abroad is how affordable and easy it is to travel! We bought a tram ticket in Bratislava for 2 Euros and were able to ride it to all the major tourist attractions, like the Bratislava Castle, the Blue Church, and Old Town Hall; we ended the day at the UFO observation deck at sunset and saw the most incredible views!
On Saturday and Sunday, the AIFS program took us to South Moravia, which is the southeastern side of the Czech Republic. South Moravia is known for its history, nature, wine, and so much more! We went to the town of Mikulov to see the castle and town, Lednice to see the UNESCO castle and garden, Hustopece to go to a family run winery, Punkevni Jeskyne for the Moravian karst, caves, and abyss, and Brno to see the 2nd biggest city in the Czech Republic. This trip was insanely beautiful and memorable!
As you can probably tell from that description, my life in the Czech Republic is amazing but chaotic. I am constantly either studying, going to classes, or traveling. I am so grateful for this opportunity, but I am still adjusting to not having a lot of down time or relaxation time. However, I am so excited for my future travels! This weekend I am traveling to Berlin and Munich in Germany, and next weekend I am traveling to Genoa and Portofino in Italy. I can’t wait to update you all about my future adventures and how classes are going!
Na shledanou!
