Balconies and wardrobes

The view from my balcony

My roommate Jeff and I have a balcony. However, our balcony has been terribly under utilized. This is due, in part, to the fact that despite being blessed with one of the only usable balconies in the building, we are also cursed with quite possibly the smallest room in the building, with the exception of the closets and bathrooms.

Since we are still a double occupancy room, we get the standard issue double issue of desks, double issue of non-bunkable beds, double issue of (thankfully) stackable dressers and one big honking wardrobe. Due to the size and shape of these various pieces of furniture as well as the physical constraints of the shape of the room and the placement of the radiator and electrical outlets, there is exactly one configuration for this room that leaves any space to walk around. That configuration places the big honking wardrobe directly in front of the door to our balcony, thus cutting us off from our randomly selected right to stand outside without having to technically leave the building.

As Arthur Schopenhauer said: Change alone is eternal, perpetual, immortal.

So it was that things changed.
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It’s starting to get cold in the land of the Czechs

Coming into this experience, I thought that I would be travelling around Europe as much as possible while I was here. I thought that every other weekend would mean another set of stamps in my passport. For some of the people that I live with, this is quite true. But I’ve found that I really enjoy just living in Prague. It might just be the whole idea of living in a city, or living in Europe, or it might be something special about Prague, but I’m really enjoying having my day to day life happen in this city. I have much more of a desire to feel at home in this city than to see the sights of Europe.

With that being said, I’m going to Italy.

My friend Mike has been living in Anversa degli Abruzzi, Italy since April. He works as a chef in a restaurant there and also apparently tends the flock of sheep part time. I haven’t seen him for quite a while, even before he moved over, and as soon as I told him that I was coming to Prague, he said that we definitely need to get together. We were back and forth over who would go where, but after working our schedules, it was decided that I should go down there November 16th and spend four or five days. Works out pretty well, since Charles University has that thursday off for Student’s Day, so I have a five day weekend. Also, it being the week before Thanksgiving, and both of us being away from home for it, we thought it would be good to have Thanksgiving together.

Hlavní Nadráží 2: Electric Boogaloo

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Day to Day Life

In response to Abe’s comment I thought it might be a good idea to write about my routines, now that I have them.

I usually write my posts sitting either inside or outside of Kava Kava Kava, an internet cafè right in the middle of the city. I found out about it from a post on ExPats.cz. Free wireless internet with purchase of a drink. They have a full selection of typical coffeshop beverages, as well as the usual little pasteries and such. The owner is a Canadian guy and likes to keep the atmosphere relaxed. Case in point: Otis Redding just came on over the stereo. Some cafès around here enjoy piping in music that I think just falls into the category of “American.” This can mean anything from Britney Spears to Eminem to Slipknot. One after another. Quite random. But not Kava Kava Kava. They have the official Tom Sartain Endorsement.

I find myself hitting up Bohemia Bagel quite a bit. Only place that I have found that has halfway decent bagels, not to mention bacon, egg and cheese sandwiches. They also offer a Philly Cheese Steak, but not much is to be said for those. Aside from the bagels and fresh squeezed orange juice, one of their two locations has computers available for use, but no wireless, so I don’t tend to frequent that location. But the one by Ujezd is wonderful for my needs, and I can work it so that it is on my way into town.

I live in kolej Komenského, an official dormitory of Charles University. It is the official dorm for the ECES program, which means that the large majority of the residents are American college students. Which has its benefits and its detriments. Coming into the program, I was under the impression that it would be much more of an international affair. As it is, the ECES program consists of all Americans with the exception of a Finnish Girl, an Armenian guy, and a Mexican guy. Charles University also has a program called Erasmus which is for students from other universities in the European Union. I think this was closer to what I was thinking I would be enrolled in. I was hoping to be rooming with a French guy, hanging out with a Brit, studying with a Turk. But unfortunately, this is not the case.

I know that for some people, this situation is ideal. Living in a foreign country, seeing the sights, experiencing the culture, but never having to worry about speaking anything but English. There are some people in the program who have this exact mindset and it works for them. Of course, on the other side of things, you have people that are looking to learn the language, absorb the culture and make the Czech Republic their own. There are people in the program who have this mindset and it works for them too. I guess you get out of it what you want.

Classes
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