We decided to arrive in Prague a couple of days before the official meeting date so we could see if we could manage to travel on our own for the first time. Everything was going well... we got through customs and found our luggage at the airport, exchanged our money for Koruns, made it to our Airbnb apartment, and found a bar with some authentic Czech food and pivo. All was well. We went to bed that night exhausted from 11 hours of traveling.
The next day, we tried to navigate our way through Prague with 15 minute Uber rides and crazy drivers, and the ability to only say thank you in the Czech language. We went to the John Lennon Wall first, which I was very excited to see because I LOVE The Beatles. The wall was covered in beautiful graffiti and art which reflected the peace and love that The Beatles portrayed in their music. I think that people from all over come to this wall to find a peace of mind, like me. The artwork that embodied the wall made me think about the life I live. It's crazy that something just as simple as graffiti on a wall can make me and the others that visit it forget about all the evil in the world and focus on all of the beauty.
Later in the night, we met up with some other girls in our group, had dinner and then went over the Charles Bridge to go out for the night. Up until this point, everything was going great... the city was breathtaking and the food was delicious. I had forgot to take my passport out of my wallet that night (of course) and it ended up falling out and was gone forever. A passport is definitely not something you want to lose, especially when you're in a foreign country. I stayed fairly calm throughout the next week until I could make it back to Prague and get a new one at the United States Embassy.
So in the meantime, we met up with our group and traveled to Olomouc, where we would be living for the next three months. Emily and I were dead tired and just ready to go to bed as soon as we got our room assignments. We put away all our clothes, made our beds and found out that there was no wifi in our dorm. We both felt a little homesick and we weren't able to talk to anyone from home without the wifi so we called it a night and tried to get a decent amount of sleep. We started classes the next day and took a tour around the town of Olomouc. We learned how to use the tram which is now our only way of transportation besides "going by foot" (a little Prague Uber joke). I didn't know it then, but the 2 and the 7 trams became my best friends.
I guess I should talk about the amazing food I have been eating. At most cafes and restaurants I'm able to find sandwiches, pizza, pasta, and burgers (all of my favorites) But I've been wanting to try something different while I'm over here. My favorite traditional Czech meal that I have had so far was duck, dumplings (potato dumplings and bread dumplings) and cabbage. This is a little different than what I'm used to back home- but that will be a whole other blog post because I could talk forever about Wilber and our Czech heritage. But I'm excited to see and taste some other traditional meals from the other countries we visit.
Tomorrow, we are traveling back to Prague (the third time for me) for class. I have already seen a lot of Prague, but I am excited to learn more about the history from my professors and I'm interested to see more in depth of what I just browsed before. I can already tell that Prague will be one of my favorite places, and most cherished places even though it took my passport haha. Prague is a symbol of where it all started and where it will end at the end of May, so I am very grateful for this city and what it has yet to bring for me.
