10 Days

With only 10 days left in the Czech Republic, the last thing I want to be thinking about is work and finals and papers.  Unfortunately, that is what this week has mostly consisted of.

Yesterday, we took our finals exams for Czech language and our walking tour class (okay, the latter one really can't be considered too much of an exam).  It is weird to think that I came here without knowing a word of Czech, and while certainly not anywhere close to fluent or knowing enough vocabulary to hold a real conversation, I can get around now and ask the basic questions.  Going to the grocery store is no longer daunting either!

For the next 10 days, my roommates and I have come up with a "bucket list" of sorts, though Doug is unfortunately having to leave early due to the impending British Airways strike.  Things on this list include a trip to Plzen to see the brewery, going to the Choco Cafe (which my mom said was the best chocolate she's ever had), getting a cool pair of European shoes/sneakers, getting some sort of souvenirs or shot glasses to take back with me, etc.  We are sad Doug is leaving.  With all the social welfare benefits of these "rich" European democracies it is amazing how much they strike.  They strike just because they want to sometimes it seems.  The French don't even know what they strike about, they just don't want to work (okay, a bit of a generalization and stereotype, but they strike a TON).

As it turns out, I have a couple friends touring Europe through May, between being in Michigan last semester and starting summer jobs, and they will be swinging by Prague early next week.  So I will get to do a final loop of all the touristy/famous places with them, which should be nice.

Don't get me wrong, we've still seen some weird stuff lately to remind us we are not in Western Europe or the U.S., including:  two girls carrying a coffin down the street (not sure why), running past a bootleg photo-shoot for some Czech version of Maxim magazine, our bizarre tour guide at Kutna Hora, the fight on the metro (from the zoo, I think I mentioned that), and millions of tourists fumbling with maps.  That's not so strange, just kind of funny.

With my time wrapping up here, I'm starting to think about, "What's next?"  Probably I shouldn't, but the summer will be busy with a new job, a different city, preparing for law school, and even turning 21.  It also scares me that I don't know when I'll be coming back.  Yes, it's definitely "when" and not "if."  But most of my sadness for leaving isn't because I don't want to go home; I just know that the next time I'm in Prague it will be different.

Thinking about these things and realizing my time is ending here, combined with staying up to watch the Cavs get thrashed by the Celtics, has caused me to not sleep much this week.  Just don't want to waste any time I guess.  I should get back to writing about Bulgaria and the Euro and Hungary and other random EU stuff.  If anyone wants to Skype I will no doubt be watching Cleveland again tonight as they fight to hold off elimination.  Oh well.