Praha- czech czech czech it out! p

Sorry I haven't written in a while, homework and uneventful Vienna Visits have been consuming my life. Plus after that last post I feel like my next one should be as good or better, though free money will always rule over all. :)

I think we are definitely beginning to blend in like tourists. In the past few days we've gotten asked directions and if we were Austrians and it has been great! Although I still feel foolish trying to speak German. They teach us these phrases, but not the standard responses, so it's pretty pointless. haha.

Anyways... quick recap.

Last tuesday we went to a few parks, got followed by such a creepy man, and got a grocery store dinner.

Wednesday we went museum hopping from the Art Museum and the Natural History Museum. I really enjoyed both these museums. I felt like the art museum went on for forever, and luckily its now free to us because i need to go back and just peruse.

Thursday afternoon we got out early and were productive with writing in our journals and our presentations since it was rainy and grey out. It was also perfect napping weather :)

Friday we searched for the laundromat with no avail and finally resigned to coming back and studying for the test that was today.

Saturday we headed to Prague. I was pretty excited to be going there because it's just another country I get to add to my "Where I've Been" list on Facebook, and another place to get a patch from. :)

I'm not sure how I felt about this country. The language is absurd and the money is even crazier. When we got there our tour guide Daniel told us to get about 400 czech crowns out. I was pretty worried, because I really didn't want to have a ridiculous amount of crowns to change back into euros. I ended up taking out 600 kcs (I KNOW!! KCS!! How exciting, I have my own currency!!) but that only really totaled into about $35. And that was definitely not enough.

We had a free afternoon on Saturday so we sought out food and got pretty distracted in souvenir shops. And I do mean pretty distracted. I would like to mention everything I got, but alas the recipients read this blog, so I cannot divulge. :) Lets just say I'm happy with my creative choices.

After we finally made it to lunch, Bethany and I split a yummy four cheese pizza and were astounded that the check for 6 people was over 1400 crowns. I never got used to seeing things being over a hundred the whole time we were there. My group made it to St Wenceslas square where there was a huge market going on, and I got more wonderful things. I could definitely tell that Prague was more touristy, practically everyone spoke English and was very helpful when they could be. Maybe a bit pushy, but always kind. We finally made our way to Charles Bridge, because that was about all we knew about Prague. (seriously we should have done more research before we left). The bridge was under construction and was so full it was pushing my claustrophobia levels almost to their breaking point. But I walked quickly with a firm hand on my bag the whole time.

I got several other things that I'm mighty proud of on that bridge and cannot WAIT for Christmas to come so I can give them to their respective owners. I reallllly think to give is better to receive. It gives me such a better feeling inside. :)

anywho, dinner was gelato, as it is many nights and we headed back to our meeting point to go to the hotel. and umm that hotel was just weird. i felt like i was in an asian las vegas. i'm pretty sure i saw more asians this weekend than i have in my entire life. But the hotel had a casino, a restaurant, a bowling alley, swimming pool, spa, and exercise room but guess what? Everything cost something, so a few girls wound up just sitting around and talking over fantas and cappys. I think Saturday night was definitely the lowest I've felt on this trip so far. I felt like wallpaper, alone and unused, something thats always there and never really looked at. It was the worst I've felt in a very long time.

But I think God needed me to feel that I wasn't alone because he sent a pack of 9 drunk very blonde teenagers to sit beneath my hotel window and sing loudly. It caused me to get up to possibly tell them to be quiet, but as I became conscience enough to get up they started "All Praises Be" in perfect harmony which is one of my absolute favorite 4 part hymns. I smiled and when I finally got up I watched them march away (yes nazi style), and they never returned. It was bizarre but perhaps they were really sent from God to renew my heart and mind.

Sunday morning I didn't feel that much better, but was a little helped by the very informative tour we went on. Ava, our tour guide was really cute, and I was very surprised to learn that up until 1918 which was when Czechloslovakia got their independence they all spoke German and after that they all spoke Czech. I mean how does an entire nation just switch languages!?

But after she let us go, a few of us just wanted food, so we found this cute cafe that looked like it belonged in the twenties. Our waiter was hysterical and so friendly, and I was sad that we had just found it the last day we were there, because it was delish. :) I got chicken crepes with creme of mushroom on top and it really reminded me of Front Porch, which made me extremely happy, it was a little slice of home again. As we were walking back to meet our group again I found fudge and Bethany and Meghan found this really delicious bread round thing that was coated in cinnamon and sugar at some festival going on. That's what I've been loving about Europe. There is a festival on just about every weekend full of yummy food and fascinating sights.

We were all anxious to get back home though. I have begun to recognize German, and for that I'm very thankful. Even though I can't speak it or really understand it, I feel more comfortable with it. Or more comfortable than I was with the crazy mash up of letters and symbols that is the Czech language.

And what was even more comforting was the little rest area we found on the Austria/Czech border. It was called Excalibur and it was crazy. Totally themed in dragons and Merlin and warrior butch women, I really never stopped laughing at what they decided was ok to use in their theming....

I think the best part of the trip though was the devo on the bus. Singing always puts me in a better mood. It's where I feel God the most, and I needed Him to create a new spirit within me so badly. I sang full heartedly, realizing that I hadn't really sang in two weeks. I instantly felt better and just praised Him for giving me the power of song.

We made it home and I felt instantly at home. Weird that you can already begin to miss something after 10 days of "living" there.

Today we tried to work out our fall break, and tentatively we are going to Zurich-Geneva-Barcelona-Paris-Brussels and then back home. Four countries sounds pretty good right?

But I've got to head to bed, didn't get much sleep the past two nights. Love you all!