While "Studying" Abroad...

 ❊ ✺ ❋ ❈ IT SNOWS!! ❅ ❄ ❆ ❉

And for some exciting news…it finally got warm enough to SNOW!! The big red thermometer that we pass every morning on our way to the metro read -10 degrees today, instead of the normal -17 or -16…So, just like on the first day of class, I had another fun, exciting and upbeat walk to school!

If it had snowed like this is Charlotte or Raleigh, the city would be shut down and school would be canceled! We were checking emails to see if class was still on or not, but apparently it would take a huge blizzard for class to be canceled here. The snow is very powdery, and does not leave a layer of ice like it does back home. Though there isn't ice, getting around town isn't an easy task. Walking on cobblestone is difficult and foreign by itself, but add a dusty layer of snow on top of it and it was a whole new beast to conquer! Though I was slipping every 5 steps, as I slowed down to watch other people, I realized we were all in the same boat. The started face, and the arms instinctively flying upward to steady the body from an unexpected slip, is just too funny.

After class Kimberly and I were determined to find the post office. We walked and walked (per usual) and for the life of us we could not find it. So we settled for going shopping and then resting at the Pension for a relaxing afternoon.

Last night was probably the best night in Prague so far! It started out by having a fun dinner at the cutest little French bakery called Café de Art.

It was the perfect segue to our night at the National Theatre.

We watched an opera/ballet called “The Magic Flute.” Though the performance was wonderful, I could have been happy if I had only gotten to sit in the Theatre. I couldn’t stop looking around at the beauty that the theatre held. It was elegant, ornate, and very captivating. I kept imagining myself as if I were sitting in a box seat, back in 1800s, and fully understanding the Czech that was being sung. Theatre is a key symbol for Czech culture, and more state money is spent in this theatre alone than in all of Czech’s film productions. Pretty interesting!

After the show, nothing seemed better than some food so Kimberly, Elizabeth, Heather and I began wandering the streets until somehow we ended up at the Hard Rock Café. A Czech performance followed by an American meal seemed about right! I had a blast with these three girls. It is funny how quickly four very different people can bond so quickly over such simple similarities. Similarities that would only be discovered while being in a foreign place. We were just chatting away and and enjoying each other's company, and before we knew it we were unintentionally out past the time when the metro stops running. Oops. An long walk and an hour later we arrived back at the Penzion with very cold feet and sleepy bodies. Normally I would be quite unhappy with a similar situation, but with new friends along side me, it was actually such an enjoyable time. All I could do was smile as I reflected back on the day!

Yesterday started out as just a normal day, yet I’m so thankful for all the little moments that turned that normal day into something very special. Maybe it should snow more often…

And We Occasionally Have Class...

Since I am "studying" abroad, I figured I should let you know what I am "studying."

All of my classes have been WONDERFUL so far! I am taking a Czech costume design studio class, which is awesome. Awesome and totally out of my comfort zone! Our main assignment for the semester is to choose a Czech fairy tale, and then design and produce a costume while incorporating the story into the garment. We will be modeling our designs in a fashion show at the end of the semester. What?! I think it will take everything I have to not laugh while I am doing that. I have sewn quilts, pillows, wall hangings, table runners, aprons, skirts, stuffed animals...you name it, I've sewn it. Sewing for me however, is just a hobby and has little to do with my major. This class is simply counting for my textile electives, but it is a very different story for my classmates. You see, the majority of my classmates are design or fashion design MAJORS. This is what they DO! Needless to say, these people are EXTREMELY talented and I am EXTREMELY intimidated! Though I feel a little out of place in this class, I am determined to learn a lot and to have fun doing it. After all, it's not everyday that I get class credit for designing clothing! How cool?! Our first class were very fun and unlike anything I have ever done before. The first assignment was to design a signature stamp that we will be putting on all the labels of our clothing! I am a big fan of this hands-on learning that the Prague Institute offers.

Check out my studio desk that I will be working at all semester!

My other classes include Fashion History, Fashion Illustration, and Czech Language and Culture. For Fashion History we go to a different museum each week around Prague, and the Czech Language and Culture class is definitely my favorite the most interesting class. So far, these classes have been such a nice break from my usual number crunching, scientific classes. Hooray for "studying" abroad!!

FUN FACT: For every one human being on this earth, there are one million ants.