Well.....6 days and this exchange life of mine will be over. I am looking forward to home but in a way of sadness. I have formed a life here that will be hard to leave. I don't really have many responsibilites here so it's hard to go back to them. I know that I have changed, and if I haven't while being here for a year then something is probably wrong with me. Or not. I am really looking forward to my family the most though. I cannot believe how grateful I am for them and just that they are MY parents. It's awesome. It's amazing. They are the only family for me and the only ones that I ever want. Growing up here was easy and hard in all the right ways. I am excited to come home and to just forward my life from this constant setting. It's not that it gets boring as an exchange student... you just want to forward the next step in life, and that's what I am ready to do. My host families and just EVERYONE here has been so.... amazing to me and I cannot be more grateful and appreciate them for that. Having the opportunity to exchange is something that I would never give up and am so glad that I have done this. It isn't the typical step in life to make... but others do make it and I am so happy to be sharing it with Lydia and all the other 6250 district students. This year has been unforgettable and unmemorable. Thank you so much for all your support and kind advice and just EVERYTHING! Thank you and see ya SOOOOOOON!!!
Love,
April
The End.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Sunday, April 18, 2010
CLUB!!!
I went to the largest dance club in ALL OF EUROPE! It was 5 floors high.
Thursday: We don't go to school and arrive in prague round 6 and me, Hilary, Kike, and Eva (last host sister) decide to go shopping and meet up with 3 other exchangers. So we go shopping and I buy these cute shoes and dress and so on. And then at 8:30 we have to be on the metro to go to this one concert of Queen. So... we go onto the metro and me and Hilary forgot to buy metro tickets... so then we get off the metro thinking it will be fine, one time thing right? Then the police are there checking for tickets.. .They ask for ours. And we give them this expired one and tell him that we forgot to buy one! Now just to let you know.. if you forget a metro ticket... it's 700kc (35 dollars) for a fee.
We are telling the truth. Eva is saying "Oh just let them be please... they are high schoolers, don't have a lot of money, and they are on exchange in Czech Republic and it's their first time in Prague" so the guy says "Oh... well then it's alright... just make sure they don't....'" and all the while they were talking Hilary goes over to Kike and asks him for money because she doesn't have any. I am shaking my hands saying "NO HILARY DON"T!!!! LISTEN TO WHAT EVA's SAYING IN CZECH!!!!" and then she pulls out the money and the guy goes... "Nevermind" So he tells us. 35 dollars each. So with the money I took out for shopping... it now gets taken away. The rest of the night went bad and we missed the concert so we all went to this pub and I had this amazing cider drink...
So we are there and I am just walking around and dancing with my host sister and her friend while no one else is dancing and we are trying to get her friend to talk to this guy saying "I think you should go talk to him" it was hilarious! Then.. we met these british people and I was talking with them and just walked up to them and they were a HOOT! They were all like "So where you from" (british accent) and I'm like "I'm April, from Wisconsin, USA" and they're like "OH THAT"S SO WICKED!!!" Then one of them told me "Hello, my name is Harry, yes, like Harry potter, and it's actually a girls name!!!" So... fricken awesome!!! Then we invited them to the dance club we were going to. So us, and the three other exchangers and british people all head over to the BIGGEST DANCE CLUB IN ALL OF EUROPE and dance the night away!
We walk in and all this pounding music and so we go to the 2nd floor to investigate and then we HAVE to go to the back of the dance floor for some odd reason and us girls are surrounded by all these men and they're like "Where are you from" (in an Italian accent) and we were like "AMERICA" and they are like "WE ARE FROM ITALIE!!!!" And so we all start dancing and they pick us up saying "SI SI SI SI SI SI", then... we go to the top of the building where they have this light up dance floor with 80's music and Michael Jackson. So me and Hilary start doing our dance routine and we get a circle going around us.. and then afterwards these britsh come up and start dancing with us saying the word "wicked"... then we had to go to investigate the 3rd floor... this is at now 3am... Then all of us had to leave, because it's 4am.. because we need to be back before sunrise ;)
So the others get a taxi home and we ride the tram. We missed our first one so we waited for a second one and now it's 4:30am and then we take the tram.. and through the whole way we go to the whole other side of town.. THAT"S THE WRONG SIDE!!! So then we are freaking out.. we have no taxi number... nothing. (We are staying at Eva's house by the way since she lives in Prague) and so... we are standing there and start laughing because the birds are starting to chirp.. and luckily.. THANK GOD... a taxi driver pulls up and we have to pay 25 dollar (500 KC) but not each.. .to get back home. By then it's 5:30 am and I get to sleep around 6am.. because I needed to shower off 4 hours or more of dancing hardcore...
And then the next day I went over to another exchangers town. I got my senior photos taken by her. She is really good at taking photos and has taken some other exchangers photos. Her name is Rachael Stets. So that was fun! And then we went to her host brothers jam session,.... went to the bar. the other brazilian exchanger was there. We were having a ball laughing. And he invited me to his exchanger party after Greece and Italy and we are all renting a hotel in Prague (not all the exchangers.. just the cool ones) and so we are going to go clubing for a weekend.
And that was my awesome weekend... minus some parts I can't tell any of you!
:D Take care!
Thursday: We don't go to school and arrive in prague round 6 and me, Hilary, Kike, and Eva (last host sister) decide to go shopping and meet up with 3 other exchangers. So we go shopping and I buy these cute shoes and dress and so on. And then at 8:30 we have to be on the metro to go to this one concert of Queen. So... we go onto the metro and me and Hilary forgot to buy metro tickets... so then we get off the metro thinking it will be fine, one time thing right? Then the police are there checking for tickets.. .They ask for ours. And we give them this expired one and tell him that we forgot to buy one! Now just to let you know.. if you forget a metro ticket... it's 700kc (35 dollars) for a fee.
We are telling the truth. Eva is saying "Oh just let them be please... they are high schoolers, don't have a lot of money, and they are on exchange in Czech Republic and it's their first time in Prague" so the guy says "Oh... well then it's alright... just make sure they don't....'" and all the while they were talking Hilary goes over to Kike and asks him for money because she doesn't have any. I am shaking my hands saying "NO HILARY DON"T!!!! LISTEN TO WHAT EVA's SAYING IN CZECH!!!!" and then she pulls out the money and the guy goes... "Nevermind" So he tells us. 35 dollars each. So with the money I took out for shopping... it now gets taken away. The rest of the night went bad and we missed the concert so we all went to this pub and I had this amazing cider drink...
So we are there and I am just walking around and dancing with my host sister and her friend while no one else is dancing and we are trying to get her friend to talk to this guy saying "I think you should go talk to him" it was hilarious! Then.. we met these british people and I was talking with them and just walked up to them and they were a HOOT! They were all like "So where you from" (british accent) and I'm like "I'm April, from Wisconsin, USA" and they're like "OH THAT"S SO WICKED!!!" Then one of them told me "Hello, my name is Harry, yes, like Harry potter, and it's actually a girls name!!!" So... fricken awesome!!! Then we invited them to the dance club we were going to. So us, and the three other exchangers and british people all head over to the BIGGEST DANCE CLUB IN ALL OF EUROPE and dance the night away!
We walk in and all this pounding music and so we go to the 2nd floor to investigate and then we HAVE to go to the back of the dance floor for some odd reason and us girls are surrounded by all these men and they're like "Where are you from" (in an Italian accent) and we were like "AMERICA" and they are like "WE ARE FROM ITALIE!!!!" And so we all start dancing and they pick us up saying "SI SI SI SI SI SI", then... we go to the top of the building where they have this light up dance floor with 80's music and Michael Jackson. So me and Hilary start doing our dance routine and we get a circle going around us.. and then afterwards these britsh come up and start dancing with us saying the word "wicked"... then we had to go to investigate the 3rd floor... this is at now 3am... Then all of us had to leave, because it's 4am.. because we need to be back before sunrise ;)
So the others get a taxi home and we ride the tram. We missed our first one so we waited for a second one and now it's 4:30am and then we take the tram.. and through the whole way we go to the whole other side of town.. THAT"S THE WRONG SIDE!!! So then we are freaking out.. we have no taxi number... nothing. (We are staying at Eva's house by the way since she lives in Prague) and so... we are standing there and start laughing because the birds are starting to chirp.. and luckily.. THANK GOD... a taxi driver pulls up and we have to pay 25 dollar (500 KC) but not each.. .to get back home. By then it's 5:30 am and I get to sleep around 6am.. because I needed to shower off 4 hours or more of dancing hardcore...
And then the next day I went over to another exchangers town. I got my senior photos taken by her. She is really good at taking photos and has taken some other exchangers photos. Her name is Rachael Stets. So that was fun! And then we went to her host brothers jam session,.... went to the bar. the other brazilian exchanger was there. We were having a ball laughing. And he invited me to his exchanger party after Greece and Italy and we are all renting a hotel in Prague (not all the exchangers.. just the cool ones) and so we are going to go clubing for a weekend.
And that was my awesome weekend... minus some parts I can't tell any of you!
:D Take care!
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
I Can Never Express This Enough
I can never express this enough of how much exchanging can truly be to someone, me, and all the things you learn from it.
The typical high schooler: just riding through 4 years of high school, taking your hard junior classes, facing all the drama, and etc.
The typical exchanger: learning a new language, living away from home at the age of either 16, 17, or 18, making foreign friends with language barriers, learning different culture ways, growing up and trying to figure out all your problems on your own, and finding yourself in ways that you think you wouldn't find out until you were out of college.
I have always regret somethings... but since I have been here I have learned to never regret anything because at one point you wanted that to be and everything is for a reason. And I am a strong believer of that.
I remember in the nearing fall of 2008 I decided for some odd reason or another to exchange. I had NO idea... even after all those talks from other exchangers it would be like this. And now I am living it and experiencing my own exchange.
Exchange is something that's different for everyone... and when I say that I mean it with all truth. Every exchange is different.
These past few weeks I have been trying to classify my exchange on some level for the future exchangers... but I just can't. My exchange was successful in my own way, but maybe not for others.
I am not fluent in Czech. I am okay with that and I do not at all regret not trying my hardest to become fluent.
I have made mistakes here, but if anything I have learned from them and I am even more grateful for making those mistakes rather than not having them happen to me.
I went on the rollercoaster: culture shock, homesickness, holidays, winter, spring, and now to be summer leaving.
I have made friends here that I will have forever.
When I think about time... I can't even begin grasp how fast everything went while being here. I can't grasp how many emotions I've been through or how many bad nights I've had feeling so lost and alone. Time goes by more than anyone can really know. To know that I leave in exactly 78 days is scary compared to the ~232 days that I've been here. But actually, they both were scary. The days I have being here seemed like so much.. and now the days I have left here seems too small for everything that I still have to do. I am not sure how I feel about that either.
People have been asking me if I'm ready to come home and I will answer that truthfully right now.
I am ready to come home to see everyone, to be understood without any language barrier, to just be in my home....
I'm not ready to come home and leave this yet though. I think that after these 79 days are up I will be prepared to come home. I know that all the memories I have made here will not be lost because they are forever held onto with my heart.
Even though I am still 16... I feel as if I have accomplished more in my life right now than I ever thought I would at this age of life. I am proud of myself, depsite what others think about exchange. I love my family for everything they have taught me, both of my siblings for showing me how they are growing up wonderfuly, and just everyone and their support.
Once I am back I hope to form a club that will encourage the younger students or even older to consider foreign exchanging. It will be a culture club so I will also be having to do some research on other cultures and just try to celebrate maybe one of their holidays, make a traditional food, and of course some of the language basics. I also hope to share alot about Czech Republic, because personally I think that probably only 10% of the worlds population know anything about Czech Republic except that Prague is located there. :) That is my next big goal with exchanging I hope to accomplish.Even when you are done exchanging... you are never really done with it. I think that I will find myself in places where I am still on exchange sort-of.
My exchange is something I wish I could share with everyone...
Thanks for reading! And I hope to update it next time I am back from Italy And Greece on May 14th!!! Take Care!!!
-April Ann
The typical high schooler: just riding through 4 years of high school, taking your hard junior classes, facing all the drama, and etc.
The typical exchanger: learning a new language, living away from home at the age of either 16, 17, or 18, making foreign friends with language barriers, learning different culture ways, growing up and trying to figure out all your problems on your own, and finding yourself in ways that you think you wouldn't find out until you were out of college.
I have always regret somethings... but since I have been here I have learned to never regret anything because at one point you wanted that to be and everything is for a reason. And I am a strong believer of that.
I remember in the nearing fall of 2008 I decided for some odd reason or another to exchange. I had NO idea... even after all those talks from other exchangers it would be like this. And now I am living it and experiencing my own exchange.
Exchange is something that's different for everyone... and when I say that I mean it with all truth. Every exchange is different.
These past few weeks I have been trying to classify my exchange on some level for the future exchangers... but I just can't. My exchange was successful in my own way, but maybe not for others.
I am not fluent in Czech. I am okay with that and I do not at all regret not trying my hardest to become fluent.
I have made mistakes here, but if anything I have learned from them and I am even more grateful for making those mistakes rather than not having them happen to me.
I went on the rollercoaster: culture shock, homesickness, holidays, winter, spring, and now to be summer leaving.
I have made friends here that I will have forever.
When I think about time... I can't even begin grasp how fast everything went while being here. I can't grasp how many emotions I've been through or how many bad nights I've had feeling so lost and alone. Time goes by more than anyone can really know. To know that I leave in exactly 78 days is scary compared to the ~232 days that I've been here. But actually, they both were scary. The days I have being here seemed like so much.. and now the days I have left here seems too small for everything that I still have to do. I am not sure how I feel about that either.
People have been asking me if I'm ready to come home and I will answer that truthfully right now.
I am ready to come home to see everyone, to be understood without any language barrier, to just be in my home....
I'm not ready to come home and leave this yet though. I think that after these 79 days are up I will be prepared to come home. I know that all the memories I have made here will not be lost because they are forever held onto with my heart.
Even though I am still 16... I feel as if I have accomplished more in my life right now than I ever thought I would at this age of life. I am proud of myself, depsite what others think about exchange. I love my family for everything they have taught me, both of my siblings for showing me how they are growing up wonderfuly, and just everyone and their support.
Once I am back I hope to form a club that will encourage the younger students or even older to consider foreign exchanging. It will be a culture club so I will also be having to do some research on other cultures and just try to celebrate maybe one of their holidays, make a traditional food, and of course some of the language basics. I also hope to share alot about Czech Republic, because personally I think that probably only 10% of the worlds population know anything about Czech Republic except that Prague is located there. :) That is my next big goal with exchanging I hope to accomplish.Even when you are done exchanging... you are never really done with it. I think that I will find myself in places where I am still on exchange sort-of.
My exchange is something I wish I could share with everyone...
Thanks for reading! And I hope to update it next time I am back from Italy And Greece on May 14th!!! Take Care!!!
-April Ann
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Easter MONDAY?
Yes... Easter Monday had arrived with whips...
It is a tradition for the men to whip the girls with braided twigs and to whip the girls. The girls then give the men a shot of alcohol, an egg, or some chocolate. They have to say a chant before they whip you though. I luckily didn't get whipped very many times because my host mom didn't want to open the door... but I opened it because I think it's a tradition and I'm not going to let my host mom hide this from me. So I opened to some gypsies. I must say... they are MEAN! Haha... I got whipped by some normal czech people, but it sucked because there was no window to see if they were gypsies or not, and if they were... they whipped really..... hard. It was really awkward too to get whipped by little gypsy boys... AH! Hahaha.
I woke up to my host father and his little son whipping me... but I was half asleep and I thank God I was wearing pants :D
I learned some really cool new ways to decorate eggs and I am excited to bring it back home to my family and to everyone. It is something that I never knew how to do but now I know how... and it's all thanks to Crayola crayons... :)
As most of you probably know, I have switched families. Which is nice. My new address is:
April Opatik
Na Houpackach 966
Pisek 397 01
Czech Republic
They are really nice, I have known them since my first arrival here to CZ. So they aren't too new. And the mom is a lovely... cook. So it will be really good foods for my last 3 months.
Wow.
3 months.
It's so hard to comprehend it all and just take everything I've learned in. I think I have changed alot... but in really good ways. I am excited to come home, but not yet~! I have too many trips left and travelling to do! I can't think about coming home!
On a really happy side note, my sister got engaged a couple days ago! Which I am so proud of her for. Nathan, my sisters FIANCEÉ, is a really nice guy and I can't be happier to have him as a brother in law. :) And I can't wait to be the maid of honour! AH! I was litterally crying with my sister when she showed me her ring and everything. I wish I could be there to have hugged her and just congradulate her and everything... but I am so thankful for skype at least, and I will be there for the wedding so everything is alright :) I am just so... happy for her. Good job sis!
Okay... now back to school. I hate school. I will say it again, I HATE SCHOOL. I appreciate being able to have friends and speak English and do sports and have clubs AND EVERYTHING back at High School. I LOVE BARABOO HIGH SCHOOL! So weird right? But really..I appreciate it so much more now than I ever have. I have NO and I will rephrase. ZERO. friends in school. I thought I had a friend and we even hung out.... and now she is too busy to hang out so any time I ask her she always says no. And I think it's because I talk to much for her. Because after I hung out with her the next day she was saying how I "talked" too much and tired her out. She NEVER hangs with people so everyone in my class was even surprised I was going over there. And now I know why she never has friends. She's never even had a girls night sleep over! :O
And I am actually quite offended because my first czech friend that I hung out with doesn't like me.
So... now my whole class treats me as I don't exist... and there's no way to get away from any of this so I am at loss of what to do. For the past months I was trying really hard and getting their numbers and texting them and so on... but no such luck. So I am giving up and I have been running everyday.
So to all those who have friends in school for 7 hours of the day and can do sports and clubs. BE THANKFUL ALRIGHT?
Well anyways,
I haven't talked with Lydia in a while, but I know that she is having a fun time. :)
I really... cannot tell all of you how much exchanging is worth. It's worth everything... even not having friends in school.. it cannot get me down because I have Kike and Hilary. They are my friends for life. I have had so many laughs and just they are my best friends... forever. I cannot imagine life without them now that I think about it. I know that why I came to Czech Republic was for a reason and it was for me to meet them especially. <3
Well that's just a quick update of everything that has been going on! Hopefully I can post some more pictures.. but probably NOT~! hahaha. I will try to blog a bit more now that I have an all time use computer. haha. But whatever whatever!
Take care everyone and thanks for reading and learning!
-April
It is a tradition for the men to whip the girls with braided twigs and to whip the girls. The girls then give the men a shot of alcohol, an egg, or some chocolate. They have to say a chant before they whip you though. I luckily didn't get whipped very many times because my host mom didn't want to open the door... but I opened it because I think it's a tradition and I'm not going to let my host mom hide this from me. So I opened to some gypsies. I must say... they are MEAN! Haha... I got whipped by some normal czech people, but it sucked because there was no window to see if they were gypsies or not, and if they were... they whipped really..... hard. It was really awkward too to get whipped by little gypsy boys... AH! Hahaha.
I woke up to my host father and his little son whipping me... but I was half asleep and I thank God I was wearing pants :D
I learned some really cool new ways to decorate eggs and I am excited to bring it back home to my family and to everyone. It is something that I never knew how to do but now I know how... and it's all thanks to Crayola crayons... :)
As most of you probably know, I have switched families. Which is nice. My new address is:
April Opatik
Na Houpackach 966
Pisek 397 01
Czech Republic
They are really nice, I have known them since my first arrival here to CZ. So they aren't too new. And the mom is a lovely... cook. So it will be really good foods for my last 3 months.
Wow.
3 months.
It's so hard to comprehend it all and just take everything I've learned in. I think I have changed alot... but in really good ways. I am excited to come home, but not yet~! I have too many trips left and travelling to do! I can't think about coming home!
On a really happy side note, my sister got engaged a couple days ago! Which I am so proud of her for. Nathan, my sisters FIANCEÉ, is a really nice guy and I can't be happier to have him as a brother in law. :) And I can't wait to be the maid of honour! AH! I was litterally crying with my sister when she showed me her ring and everything. I wish I could be there to have hugged her and just congradulate her and everything... but I am so thankful for skype at least, and I will be there for the wedding so everything is alright :) I am just so... happy for her. Good job sis!
Okay... now back to school. I hate school. I will say it again, I HATE SCHOOL. I appreciate being able to have friends and speak English and do sports and have clubs AND EVERYTHING back at High School. I LOVE BARABOO HIGH SCHOOL! So weird right? But really..I appreciate it so much more now than I ever have. I have NO and I will rephrase. ZERO. friends in school. I thought I had a friend and we even hung out.... and now she is too busy to hang out so any time I ask her she always says no. And I think it's because I talk to much for her. Because after I hung out with her the next day she was saying how I "talked" too much and tired her out. She NEVER hangs with people so everyone in my class was even surprised I was going over there. And now I know why she never has friends. She's never even had a girls night sleep over! :O
And I am actually quite offended because my first czech friend that I hung out with doesn't like me.
So... now my whole class treats me as I don't exist... and there's no way to get away from any of this so I am at loss of what to do. For the past months I was trying really hard and getting their numbers and texting them and so on... but no such luck. So I am giving up and I have been running everyday.
So to all those who have friends in school for 7 hours of the day and can do sports and clubs. BE THANKFUL ALRIGHT?
Well anyways,
I haven't talked with Lydia in a while, but I know that she is having a fun time. :)
I really... cannot tell all of you how much exchanging is worth. It's worth everything... even not having friends in school.. it cannot get me down because I have Kike and Hilary. They are my friends for life. I have had so many laughs and just they are my best friends... forever. I cannot imagine life without them now that I think about it. I know that why I came to Czech Republic was for a reason and it was for me to meet them especially. <3
Well that's just a quick update of everything that has been going on! Hopefully I can post some more pictures.. but probably NOT~! hahaha. I will try to blog a bit more now that I have an all time use computer. haha. But whatever whatever!
Take care everyone and thanks for reading and learning!
-April
Friday, March 19, 2010
Spring TIME! NOW IT IS!
Before.... which was a while ago... maybe 2 weeks ago now.. there were some good signs of Spring on it's way. But then it snowed 5 inches and I went 10km on Cross Country Ski to the border or Germany and Czech Rep.
That was really cool. To stand on the line that seperated two countries. On the otherside I could hear distant voices of Germans speaking. Not really... but I was liking to think that. Even though the German Language is pretty ummm.. different?
So... my host mom and host sister left for Texas last week to visit their daughter. It has so far been pretty lonely at home sometimes and me and my host father has been speaking well. I am improving my Czech with him. So that's a good sign.
I have told myself for probably the past 3 months to start learning Czech more. But I've been so.. lazy and with no help from no one it's pretty hard. Everyone just speaks English with me and when I try to ask them to speak Czech they just keep on going on and on in their "English". So I just try to sit back and listen to my teachers rant on about things. I still don't understand my subjects at school. The Business school is NOT my cup of tea.
Soccer (fotabl) season will be starting outside soon and I will be getting some new cleats and just whooping some Czech butt! Although.. it was a sad day when I found I couldn't play in the Championships.I have to have America send the Czech company here a letter stating I am able to participate in Soccer... but that takes 3 months.. And I only have 3 1/2 months left. And the championships are in April. So.. it's alright and I will be able to play "friendly" matches.
Yesterday I was at a beer brewery in a town about 10 minutes from Pisek (here). It felt strange to go with my school to this place. But I guess I should be used to all the alcohol intake here :D
I got some lovely videos and pictures. Sadly there was no test tasting since some of my classmates are still 17. And I am 16.
I don't know how I feel about leaving. Lately I haven't really been going anywhere.. or seeing anything interesting. I've barely even travelled as much as I was hoping for within Czech Republic. :( Which is sad... I was hoping my host families would show me around.. but.. I believe I will start to have to take the initiative action and travel by myself :)
So... the thought of going home sounds exciting. Hmmm.. it's really hard right now to even tell how exactly my heart is feeling. I get sad here alot.. maybe it's because I know that when I come home my sister will be already moved out... my brother is graduation college and so is my sister. Everything will be a bit different from when I first left. But here.. it just seems like a second life. Not really my "real" life. I am used to living here. I am used to my 3 best exchanger friends. I am used to the rude comments such as getting called "An elephant" when I stepped on someones foot ;)
I just really need to have some more positive feelings.
I really should be good in Czech (obviously not fluent).
I should be travelling more.
I should have so many Czech friends.
But I really don't have any of this.. and with only 3 1/2 months left. Welll. Gosh darnnit I better get my butt off this chair and make something of myself!
So that is the scoop on my life... the bad and the good. Thanks for reading!
Love,
April
That was really cool. To stand on the line that seperated two countries. On the otherside I could hear distant voices of Germans speaking. Not really... but I was liking to think that. Even though the German Language is pretty ummm.. different?
So... my host mom and host sister left for Texas last week to visit their daughter. It has so far been pretty lonely at home sometimes and me and my host father has been speaking well. I am improving my Czech with him. So that's a good sign.
I have told myself for probably the past 3 months to start learning Czech more. But I've been so.. lazy and with no help from no one it's pretty hard. Everyone just speaks English with me and when I try to ask them to speak Czech they just keep on going on and on in their "English". So I just try to sit back and listen to my teachers rant on about things. I still don't understand my subjects at school. The Business school is NOT my cup of tea.
Soccer (fotabl) season will be starting outside soon and I will be getting some new cleats and just whooping some Czech butt! Although.. it was a sad day when I found I couldn't play in the Championships.I have to have America send the Czech company here a letter stating I am able to participate in Soccer... but that takes 3 months.. And I only have 3 1/2 months left. And the championships are in April. So.. it's alright and I will be able to play "friendly" matches.
Yesterday I was at a beer brewery in a town about 10 minutes from Pisek (here). It felt strange to go with my school to this place. But I guess I should be used to all the alcohol intake here :D
I got some lovely videos and pictures. Sadly there was no test tasting since some of my classmates are still 17. And I am 16.
I don't know how I feel about leaving. Lately I haven't really been going anywhere.. or seeing anything interesting. I've barely even travelled as much as I was hoping for within Czech Republic. :( Which is sad... I was hoping my host families would show me around.. but.. I believe I will start to have to take the initiative action and travel by myself :)
So... the thought of going home sounds exciting. Hmmm.. it's really hard right now to even tell how exactly my heart is feeling. I get sad here alot.. maybe it's because I know that when I come home my sister will be already moved out... my brother is graduation college and so is my sister. Everything will be a bit different from when I first left. But here.. it just seems like a second life. Not really my "real" life. I am used to living here. I am used to my 3 best exchanger friends. I am used to the rude comments such as getting called "An elephant" when I stepped on someones foot ;)
I just really need to have some more positive feelings.
I really should be good in Czech (obviously not fluent).
I should be travelling more.
I should have so many Czech friends.
But I really don't have any of this.. and with only 3 1/2 months left. Welll. Gosh darnnit I better get my butt off this chair and make something of myself!
So that is the scoop on my life... the bad and the good. Thanks for reading!
Love,
April
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Spring TIME!
It has offically been 6 months that I've been here! And it's been really crazy!
So... many things have happened to me and some that were not intended but I am thankful for those experiences even if I do have to cry over them. They are teaching me life's lessons and I am able to share it with other exchangers so it has it's positive outlooks. Everything is going by really fast and with spring in the air everything is amazingly fast. Soon I will be switching families again... And going to an equally nice one that goes over to my first host family alot! I am looking forward to everything about that!
My Aunt Judy and Uncle Douglas are coming at the end of April and I am looking IMENSELY FORWARD TO THAT! I have so much to show them and so little time! I am hoping that my next host family will agree to take them in for a couple days or more! And there are some really nice inexpensive pensions here in Pisek they could stay in with a kitchen. So I'll be cooking at their pension traditional czech food! I am excited to take them to the local Indian Restaurant! It is exactly similar to the food in India so says the Czech people that have been to India! So I am excited! All around!
I am going onto the 2nd round of my flute quartet competition. We are really good and I hope we win this next round! Although the songs are dreafully long and I get pretty tired after the 2nd song that's about 8 minutes long of constant playing!
Since Spring is in the air I am able to go to alot of more places and being able to travel more if I want to! Winter was dreaful and sad most of the times... but there was happy moments too! I just am more of a sunny person I guess :)
I got a snail... his name is PB Captain C. or Bobule for short. That means Berry in Czech. He currently had some eggs... so... this shall be interesting.
My fluency of Czech isn't as great as I thought it would be. I am quite jealous of the people that went to Brazil or some easy language country and can speak it fluently... Czech is just so.... so... hard. I cannot even describe to you! I am able to hold some long conversations and to understand practically EVERYTHING I hear. It's just hard sometimes to create the sentence because of how it is set up and the grammatics... I wish I could explain more ;)
The best thing about Spring now is to see the river from my school window and to see swans and it unfrozen. Life is good.
Soccer will be starting outside soon and that should be more fun! I am looking forward to so many things!
I am sorry I haven't written lately! I hope I covered some good areas. Not so negative right?
Take care everyone and thanks for reading (lydia) :P
-April Ann
So... many things have happened to me and some that were not intended but I am thankful for those experiences even if I do have to cry over them. They are teaching me life's lessons and I am able to share it with other exchangers so it has it's positive outlooks. Everything is going by really fast and with spring in the air everything is amazingly fast. Soon I will be switching families again... And going to an equally nice one that goes over to my first host family alot! I am looking forward to everything about that!
My Aunt Judy and Uncle Douglas are coming at the end of April and I am looking IMENSELY FORWARD TO THAT! I have so much to show them and so little time! I am hoping that my next host family will agree to take them in for a couple days or more! And there are some really nice inexpensive pensions here in Pisek they could stay in with a kitchen. So I'll be cooking at their pension traditional czech food! I am excited to take them to the local Indian Restaurant! It is exactly similar to the food in India so says the Czech people that have been to India! So I am excited! All around!
I am going onto the 2nd round of my flute quartet competition. We are really good and I hope we win this next round! Although the songs are dreafully long and I get pretty tired after the 2nd song that's about 8 minutes long of constant playing!
Since Spring is in the air I am able to go to alot of more places and being able to travel more if I want to! Winter was dreaful and sad most of the times... but there was happy moments too! I just am more of a sunny person I guess :)
I got a snail... his name is PB Captain C. or Bobule for short. That means Berry in Czech. He currently had some eggs... so... this shall be interesting.
My fluency of Czech isn't as great as I thought it would be. I am quite jealous of the people that went to Brazil or some easy language country and can speak it fluently... Czech is just so.... so... hard. I cannot even describe to you! I am able to hold some long conversations and to understand practically EVERYTHING I hear. It's just hard sometimes to create the sentence because of how it is set up and the grammatics... I wish I could explain more ;)
The best thing about Spring now is to see the river from my school window and to see swans and it unfrozen. Life is good.
Soccer will be starting outside soon and that should be more fun! I am looking forward to so many things!
I am sorry I haven't written lately! I hope I covered some good areas. Not so negative right?
Take care everyone and thanks for reading (lydia) :P
-April Ann
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Nothing New
Well it is Winter here.... if you haven't heard?
It snowed a bunch of centimeters... I don't even know how many inches. I look at the weather in the newspaper and there's just this little paragraph with a sun or a cloud... mostly clouds. And 1 sentence explaining what it will be. I am thinking that there's only one weather man in this country. That'd be cool as well.
I learned how to snowboard last week. The week where I told myself "the world is dead to me"... my body was very painfully sore from all that falling. After 4 days I mastered snowboarding and went down the hill only falling once and knocking the wind out of me... I think it's a winning prize. :)
I am in my next hot family now... just chilling. It's pretty boring with the winter and I am hibernating in my bed... well at least that's what it feel like. Winter has dragged on too long here... and with me wanting to travel to places and run around outside.. I am restricted by this mother of a nature.
Lately, I have been thinking of opening a Czech Bakery. I mean how many places do you see in this world that says "Czech Bakery"? So I will pursue it some summer after college and make a little stand in Chicago. I got names... I got hook ups. Thanks Grandma. I can always count on you!
But the reason this idea sparked me was two nights ago when I was baking these amazing koláč with my host sister. I was really good at making them, and she was failing at stuffing them with the poppy seed.. and then topping it off with tvaroh-- which is like a riccato cheese. So it's basically delicious and I am afraid I ate too many... later that night... :( Wasnt pretty.
I am currently doing a little studying for my ACT's for back at home. I have nothing better to do. And I am currently concerned with my English Test. 45 minutes for 75 questions just DOESN"T seem to cut it. But I am going to currently blame me not being in my native country ot school for over half a year now.
That's right. After this month of Febuary I will have been here for 6 months now. 6 MONTHS! It's so crazy... the worst part is I have so many things to do yet and it's only 4 months left!!! :(
Good news though! My aunt Judy and uncle Douglas are coming to visit me April 18th!!! I plan on taking them alot of places and they will do their own things as well. I am really excited to share this life of mine with my 2 relatives that mean really alot to me.
So that's the scoop on April's winter wonderland life. Too bad I am not Alice. :)
Love,
April Ann
It snowed a bunch of centimeters... I don't even know how many inches. I look at the weather in the newspaper and there's just this little paragraph with a sun or a cloud... mostly clouds. And 1 sentence explaining what it will be. I am thinking that there's only one weather man in this country. That'd be cool as well.
I learned how to snowboard last week. The week where I told myself "the world is dead to me"... my body was very painfully sore from all that falling. After 4 days I mastered snowboarding and went down the hill only falling once and knocking the wind out of me... I think it's a winning prize. :)
I am in my next hot family now... just chilling. It's pretty boring with the winter and I am hibernating in my bed... well at least that's what it feel like. Winter has dragged on too long here... and with me wanting to travel to places and run around outside.. I am restricted by this mother of a nature.
Lately, I have been thinking of opening a Czech Bakery. I mean how many places do you see in this world that says "Czech Bakery"? So I will pursue it some summer after college and make a little stand in Chicago. I got names... I got hook ups. Thanks Grandma. I can always count on you!
But the reason this idea sparked me was two nights ago when I was baking these amazing koláč with my host sister. I was really good at making them, and she was failing at stuffing them with the poppy seed.. and then topping it off with tvaroh-- which is like a riccato cheese. So it's basically delicious and I am afraid I ate too many... later that night... :( Wasnt pretty.
I am currently doing a little studying for my ACT's for back at home. I have nothing better to do. And I am currently concerned with my English Test. 45 minutes for 75 questions just DOESN"T seem to cut it. But I am going to currently blame me not being in my native country ot school for over half a year now.
That's right. After this month of Febuary I will have been here for 6 months now. 6 MONTHS! It's so crazy... the worst part is I have so many things to do yet and it's only 4 months left!!! :(
Good news though! My aunt Judy and uncle Douglas are coming to visit me April 18th!!! I plan on taking them alot of places and they will do their own things as well. I am really excited to share this life of mine with my 2 relatives that mean really alot to me.
So that's the scoop on April's winter wonderland life. Too bad I am not Alice. :)
Love,
April Ann
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)