Finally the Weekend!

Hey everyone,

One whole week done already, that's one fourth of the program! It seem so crazy, and I'm having a great time, but I'll be glad to be home in a few weeks too.

My roommates and I spent the day on the town, doing some shopping and exploring. I never get tired of looking at this city, the buildings are so beautiful. Even the tiniest, cheesiest souvenir shop has a gorgeous old storefront, hardwood floors and stone walls, it's so crazy! I really could spend a whole month just taking pictures of doors and doorways, but I'm afraid there are other things to do.

I did my reading last night for the whole group, which was a little scary, but I think it went well. I got lots of good feedback and curiosity about my story, so I guess it doesn't get much better than that. I get to actually workshop it in class on Wednesday, so I'm excited to see what everyone thought of it. Thanks to everyone who requested a copy to check it out themselves, I appreciate your support and I hope you enjoyed it!

I think the plan for tomorrow is homework, laundry, and the cleaning of my room. It's amazing how quickly I can make a mess of things. Granted, in a small space, a little mess can go a long way.

Please feel free to email me, comment here or Skype me if you have one! Like I said, words from home are always nice. I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying their summer!

Love,
Em

P.S.- There are new pictures up at my PhotoBucket if you click on the link on the right!

Another Day, Another Tram

Hey everyone!

Another beautiful day in Prague, despite the rain... Actually, it was pretty most of the day, we watched a very odd Czech movie about an old legend, it was... weird, but not too bad.

My roommates and I ventured out to buy some groceries (which if you have not tried to do in a foreign country, it's quite the adventure) and came home with some good finds. I now am the proud owner of some Frosted Flakes (not official, there's a dinosaur on the box), a small jar of peanut butter, some milk, and a few other kinds of Czech snacks. It'll be nice not to eat out all the time, the next step is finding a place to buy a pan to make some grilled cheese or something.

The tram ride is always interesting, today I met a very nice pit bull, who was just as disgusted as I was by the intense make-out session going on across the aisle. Ah, public transportation. More public than you'd ever really want sometimes...

Tonight was another staff reading, tomorrow is the first student reading, and my group is up first, so wish me luck!

-Em

Czech it Out!

Hi all!

More class today, after staff readings last night. They keep us pretty busy, but it's not a bad thing, most of it is pretty enjoyable. I think my sleep schedule is finally getting closer to Prague time, so that helps a lot as well.

My workshop is going well, I'm up next Wednesday, so we'll see what everyone thought of my story. I'm the only one without a novel or novella, so it's a bit odd to actually see the entirety of the work at once. Photography is neat, I'm hoping to take some cool pictures, and I successfully navigated to the photo place today to have prints made. I was very proud of myself.

I hope everything at home is going well, I'm adding to the list of foods I'll want when I get home already, so I hope Mom is prepared. Peanut butter is an American thing, it's really hard to find outside of the States, and I'm craving some No-Bakes (and a grilled cheese, but that has nothing to do with peanut butter).

If anyone missed it, my pictures are up from the first tour I took. I'll put some up soon of the dorm and my room and stuff so everyone can see where I'm staying. I'm on Skype as e.beard if anybody does that, the hours I'm on are probably a little weird with a 6 hour time difference, but you never know.

I love you all and miss you!
-Emily

I'm Baaaack!

Sorry for my absence, we were having some technology problems, but it's nice to be back on the web. I've posted pictures from my first experiences and there will be plenty more to come, Prague is a beautiful city, full of history and architecture unlike you'd find anywhere else.

If you didn't know, I'm taking a fiction writing workshop, where I'll be working on a short story I've written, and a beginners photography class. I've never considered myself a photographer, so it will be interesting to see how things work out.

My living arrangements are satisfactory. I have a room to myself and share a bathroom and kitchen with two very nice girls, Sarah and Carolyn. I think we're staying in the ugliest, least decorative building in the city, but it is a Communist-era structure, so I suppose it's to be expected. I have a bed and a desk and plenty of storage space, as well as opening windows so I can get some air (and all the better to hear the tram right outside). I'm hoping to invest in a fan very soon. I don't think the one I brought could take the voltage, it died on me.

I'll keep you posted on anything new and exciting going on, for now, the goal is to make it from the dorm to school to the grocery store and back without getting lost. Thank goodness I carry a map.

I love and miss everyone!

-Em

I'll just continue on here, since it makes more sense chronologically. Monday was my first day of class, it went pretty well. I really enjoy workshopping stories, even if I am the only one in the class who's apparently not writing a novel. I guess I'll get on that... My photography class will be really neat, the professor is a pretty famous Czech photographer, so he knows his stuff. I'm the only one with a 35mm camera, so I get to snap and develop in a hurry, but I think it'll be okay. I have readings on Tuesdays that are mandatory for me to get credit, so I'm busy most of the week, class on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, readings on Tuesday, and other tours and field trips here and there.

I'm still working on getting my sleep schedule re-arranged. We're 6 hours ahead here, so “bedtime” is really the middle of the afternoon as far as my brain is concerned. I imagine by the time I'm really used to it, it'll be time to go home. I'm meeting some very cool people, both faculty and students, and as I learn more about the city and how to navigate it, I'm liking it better all the time. It really is beautiful.

In case you're curious, let me know if you want a copy of the story I'm workshopping and I'll share it. I think I'm going to try to write another one while I'm here, but it hasn't happened just yet. I guess we'll wait and see.

Pictures up later!

Packing!

Four days to go and the only thing left to do is get my crap together...

Easier said than done.

Any tips on packing for a month in the summer in a European city?
There are lists all over my house, most of them half crossed-out and none of them incredibly useful, so this might get interesting.

Let's just hope that anything I forget (and I will) I can pick up once I get there.

Where to Find the Photos

Hey all (or mostly just Mom, thus far),

I've set up a site for my pictures, so those without Facebook and such can still see the pictures I'll undoubtedly be taking left and right.

http://photobucket.com/emilybeard

You should be able to just click on that link to see my photos. I don't have anything up yet, but I will, when I take some. It might be a while.

11 Days and Counting!

-Emily

Two Weeks!

Holy cow, folks, in two more weeks, I'll actually be in the Czech Republic.

Crazy, I know.

Anyway, this will be the place to catch up with me, where I'll be posting (as frequently as possible) my exploits and adventures while abroad. It's been a while since I've been a-blogging, so go easy on me, it might take some practice.

In the mean time, I have a crap-ton of reading to do.

Till next time,
Emily