Homeward bound

I have had an amazing last few days in Prague! My heart aches to say goodbye to this beautiful city filled with amazing people. But I'm currently in the airport looking at my plane and it's starting to sink in that I'm leaving. I'll probably cry the whole way to London and people will wonder what's wrong with the crazy girl in row 15. But at least I have some pretty awesome people waiting for me when I get back home! So here are my last words to Mr. Prague, the city that has taught me so much in last two months about culture, friendship, sacrifice, dreams, history, love and raw beauty. 

Goodbye clay rooftops. 

Goodbye old doors. 

Goodbye tall spires. 

Goodbye rock floors. 

Goodbye sweet flowers.

Goodbye yummy treats.

Goodbye gorgeous views. 

Goodbye sore feet. 

Goodbye dear friends. 

Goodbye precious littles.

Goodbye is to final, so

Until we meet again!

acting like an eight year old

Yesterday was a Czech holiday, Labor Day. So that meant no school for me and the littles. But since we love each other so much we weren't apart! My cooperating teacher and I actually spent our day off with most of our littles because one of them had a birthday party, and we were invited! So we went and it was so much fun:)

The little's birthday party was at a park that is in the southern part of Prague. And since it was a holiday getting there took a lot longer than we planned because public transportation was much slower. But we finally got there and had a blast.

I love being eight years old again:) even if it's just for a day!

The playground...well let's just say it would never exist in America. And if it did parents would need to sign waivers to let their child near it and then the children would have to wear a safety harness. No lie. Look at this thing!! The picture doesn't do it justice but those red ropes connect to the cat walks up high. And there is nothing really stopping the children from falling over 30 feet down to the ground expect strong arms and common sense. But it was so so fun!

Yes, I climbed it. Yes, my kids loved every minute of it. Yes, I want one!

My cooperating teacher and I were able to continue acting like eight year old children after we left the birthday party because...we went to the Praha Zoo!! The zoo is nothing like you find in America and that's what made it so special and fun! 

At times we close enough to actually touch most of the animals. There was usually a knee high fence and a ditch between me and the animals, and sometimes there was a little river of water - tell me how that stops monkeys from attacking me?! But the entire park is a must see!

Only one more day left with my little monkeys. 

It's hard to believe it's been almost 2 months!

the castle guards gossip

Today I know what the castle guards are gossiping about....me! Why? Because I ran around the castle complex like I owned the place for about an hour in bright pink shoes. The castle is about a 30 minute run from my house here. So I stopped along the way to take some quick pictures on my phone because the views were stunning...

Then I decided that since the castle was open I would take a run around the complex. And it was magical! Who else can say that they went running around a castle? A princess that's who. Plus there was barely anyone around so I got some amazing shots of the castle...

I honestly don't know how I'm ever going to be able to run on a treadmill or through a development again. The views in Prague are breathtaking and keep me running for hours to see more! I am getting the best workouts here because I run for hours up and down the hills of this beautiful city!

But I know that I caused a few giggles from the castle guards because I was wearing my American bright pink running shoes and jumping off of steps and running up, down and all around. Oh well...everyone needs something or someone to talk about on their breaks, and today it's all about these pink sneakers!

*click on any pictures to see zoom in and see them bigger!

A little sunshine

We haven't seen much of the sun around here until this week. So it was the first weekend that was nice and warm and I took full advantage of it! I enjoyed wandering around Prague, checking out local farmers markets, running through gorgeous streets with a view of the Prague Castle, and even watching the sunset in the shadows of a beautiful church that sits on a backwoods hill.

Mr. Prague... you have captivated and humbled me.

My eyes hurt from your truly breathtaking beauty.

the details

I'm half way through my time in Prague and it's been incredible! I've done my best to quickly adapt to the culture and lifestyle here but there are little things that remind me every day I'm not at home. These are my top 5 details I've found while living here:

1. There are no top sheets. I noticed this my first night at a house I was staying in but thought maybe they didn't have any clean ones. Then when I was traveling over Spring Break in Austria and other parts of the Czech Republic I noticed it again. They have duvets and that is the top sheet and the comforter.

2. The toilets have full and half flushes. You can figure out which one is used for which...

3.. The doors always open in. Fire hazard?! Uh yes. And not a day goes by that I forget this and pull on push doors and walk away because I think the place is closed. So if there is a fire in any of these buildings...let's hope everyone is calm and collected and not pushing to get out of the building.

 4.We wear "indoor shoes" at school. I didn't really understand why this was a part of their culture until I got here and experienced the snow and rain. But now I get why everyone has shoes to change into once they get to school to keep the wet messy shoes out of the classroom.

5. People love their dogs here. The dogs are rarely leashed and often accompany their owners in restaurants and on public transportation while sporting some sort of doggy clothing.

Okay one more...this is more random and personal though...

I have massive bruises from being thrown around on the buses and trams like a rag doll. I've learned how to stand and where to be but there is always that one bus driver who slams on the breaks and sends me and all the other Czechs flying into a railing. So I've started a bruise collection on my left side (every time I tossed into a railing it's the same side and same place...figures). It's rather impressive if you ask me.

Here are some of my favorite pictures so far...

The town of Cesky Krumlov. Storybook perfect!

Hidden treasures: Easter markets and beautiful doors!

Beauty in the details: vines growing on a house and walking along the water at night.

The view on my run Monday night...a town in a valley with a church on a hill.

Check out some more amazing pictures over here on my Instagram!!

the background

Prague

an old city.

neutral colors.

quiet individuals.

trams, taxis, metros.

never stand out; blend in.

hundreds of years of history.

cobble stones and ancient architecture.

cold and snowing then warm sunshine weather.

Apparently I'm pretty observant and I've been picking up quite a lot about culture here in Prague. Things are kind of different than I expected and very different from what I'm used to. Here are some basic things about Prague and the people that make up their wonderful culture! 

Prague is one of the oldest cities in Europe because it was preserved behind the iron curtain and has little damage from wars. The town hall was burned down by Hitler (above picture shows the last piece of the hall and nothing has been rebuilt in its place) so that they knew not to mess with him, but he did spare the city as a whole because he thought it was so beautiful and wanted to save it for himself! The city has been well preserved and restored over the years. The streets are filled with cobble stones and modern day shops can be found inside buildings built in 1500s. The Prague castle is also the largest castle complex in Europe and it is stunning (picture below) There is so much history here and the city is a hidden gem!

One thing that I'm currently feeling the affects of was when the US was unable to save Prague from going under Communist rule in the late 1940s. The current day older generations felt the affects firsthand and hated that their freedom was taken away while America stood by and did nothing.

So how am I feeling this? The older generations are very opinionated towards Americans and refuse to speak English. My first day in a food store I had an older teller and she refused to speak English to me even though I kept saying I didn't understand and was clearly confused. That is just part of life here. Most people will speak English but anyone over the age of 30 might be a little more resistant if they don't have to use English.

The people of Prague are very quiet. The tram rides are so quiet you could here a pin drop. I think the loudest people can be found in the tourist areas because they're foreigners! Everyone is focused on being independent from an early age. Kids are taught at a young age to take public transportation, trams, buses, metros, to and from school alone. Which also means that the city is a fairly safe city. (Silly foreigners who go to the wrong places late a night are the ones to be concerned about - not me!) However, no one really want to stand out in a crowd. People are individuals but never wants to draw attention to themselves. They go about life and just do what they have to do.

I found out the people are very independent because of the country's history with communism and not being able to trust anyone. So people don't have friends and tend to head into 'nature' (the woods and campgrounds) on the weekends to be together with people they can trust or to be alone and just get out of the city.

The history of this country is so deep, rich, painful, and wonderful. I'm learning more and more each day and personally think that this country has been involved in more aspects of history than any other.

six hours

There is a six hour difference between the Philadelphia and Prague.

So that means...

When I wake up you are heading into dream land.

When I start teaching you are still sweetly snoozing away.

When I eat lunch you are about to hit your snooze button again.

When I am done teaching you are right in the middle of your morning.

When I am taking the Metro (subway) and bus home you are eating lunch.

When I am eating dinner you are drinking your afternoon pick-me-up cup of coffee.

When I am writing lesson plans you are finishing up your really long day of work or school.

When I am crawling into bed you are thinking about dinner plans on your way home from work.

That is what our days, mine and yours, most likely look like thanks to
Miss Six Hours.

PS. Last week I had to redo daylight savings. I have gone through 3 times
changes in only 4 weeks. My internal clock is nonexistent right now.

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And while most of you in my hometown are enjoying weather in the 50s and 60s,
I'm still stuck in the 30s with an occasional 40 degree day. So I was very happy
when I saw these little gems at the store because hopefully spring will come quicker!

just keep swimming

"They say" (and no one really knows who they are) that a teacher is a "jack-of-all-trades!" And after today, I would have to agree. I didn't know what to expect with today's plans but it turned out to be a great yet interesting morning.

Today the littles went for their monthly swim at a public pool. It is about a fifteen minute walk from the school. The whole way there I'm thinking to myself that my great hair day won't be ruined because I'm just going to put it up for an hour and if it gets a little wet that's fine plus the kids have an instructor in the pool teaching them so I'm basically just on kid watch and an extra set of hands when needed.

You know where this is going...

Well...I successfully looked like a drowned rat when the hour was up. Every inch of my head was soaked because the instructor didn't actually get in the pool with them - that was our job! So there I am using every minute of my private swimming lessons from over 13 years ago and all my knowledge of swimming to teach these cuties how to swim on their backs and float with their chins up not tucked down (you sink that way) and I had so much fun! The instructor gave them fun things to play with and tips to improve their swimming but another teacher and I were the ones getting splashed and kicked in the face! Nonetheless, I'm glad that I was able to swim and laugh and race these kids up and down our one lane in the pool with only a few minor collisions along the way. And even though I now have a mop of a head of hair... I had the best morning teaching my kids to swim today!!

The joy of our bonding moment came to a screeching halt when we got into the locker room and I had to wrangle together all the girls to get them showered, dried, changed, packed up and hair dried before heading back to school while I still looked like a drowned rat with wet clothes that were only getting wetter by the minute thanks to my soaking wet hair and body.

But then I sat there drying their hair and braiding it nicely and having little conversations about how well they did swimming and all the fun things we learned about rocks yesterday...and all the chaos of wet hair and clothes flying around the room became meaningless.


"Just keep swimming," I whispered to my self with a smile.

where did you go?

So asking my students how their ten day Spring Break was turned into one of the most interesting questions. Here are a few responses from my first and second graders:

"I went to Italy! Rome was fancy."
"I went to Turkey! I got American lollipops."
"My friend came to visit from France!"
"I went to see my family in Poland!"

And my response... "I went to Vienna, Cesky Krumlov and explored a lot of Prague!"

Well dang!! I've never heard of going to so many countries over a break but 'tis the lives of international kids living in Europe. And I've never had a more exciting Spring Break either!

I guess it's like going to Florida or California for Spring Break... only a bit more fancy :)

dress like a czech

The fashion in the city is very classic and European. And it pays off because the people here are always stunning! I have yet to see anyone not following the rules below... unless they're foreigners.

10 ways to dress more European and less American:
1. Tone it down: avoid bright colors or stick to a bright scarf.
2. Stick with neutrals: black, grey, navy, white and deep purples and reds.
3. Wear clothing that fits and stay away from bulky items that add pounds.
4. Dark skinny jeans or black leggings are a must for daily dress.
5. Hair and make up must be done at all times while being clean and tidy.
6. Trench coats, fur coats, cardigans and layers are required for the weather.
7. Boots and high heals are a girl's best friend here!
8. Never wear tshirts, sweatshirts, sweats, or sneakers out - ever!
9. Never wear anything gaudy or over the top - jewelry included.
10.Classic and professional attire over anything trendy and comfy.

Hopefully I can make these rules rub off on Americans so we can have less frumpy people and more put together people walking the streets and through the grocery store... time will tell!

week one

So yesterday I posted all about the background of the school I'm in and the class I'm teaching. But what I didn't tell you was what we have been doing during this week. Adventures. We have gone on lots of adventures and it has been quite the first week for me!

                    Monday's Adventure: meeting each other!

This was an adventure for everyone because I'm new to them and they're new to me. We had a lot of fun getting to know each other, playing, and learning how the class does things. In my class I have students that were born in America, Poland, Italy, China, Czech Republic, Russia, and Romania. I had a wonderful time meeting all eight littles and love their precious hearts so much!

                    Tuesday's Adventure: ice skating and the tram!

The Elementary school, grades 1-6 that consists of 32 students, went on a field trip because they collectively read 1,000 books! So the school took them to go ice skating for the morning. The teachers and some parents walked all 32 children on a 30 minute walk through the snowy and wet streets and parks of Prague. It was quite eventful because of the snow and the lack of shoveling that had been done because most people just take the public transportation. I had four little bodies crawling all over me as we attempted to walk down a million snow covered steps in the park so eventful is an understatement!

However, we all made it to the rink injury free. The kids had a blast skating around and I loved helping some of my kids conquer their fear of getting on the ice! After a morning of skating, we took the kids to the tram stop outside the rink because the walk back was up very steep hills. Somehow we successfully managed to get all 32 kids on 2 different trams and arrived back to school in a half hour. The littles were starving and pretty tired so we had an easy afternoon. Overall, it was a great chance to get to know them better and have some fun :)

 

                    Wednesday's Adventure: in service day for me and the teachers!

I'm still getting to know many of the teachers so it was fun to get to the know the staff better and have a little relaxing day sandwiched between two insane adventure days! I brought them some Hershey's chocolate so we're all best friends now. I also ventured out and was able to get around the city by myself which includes getting off trams and getting on others! There are over 20 trams that go in a million different directions and only go to certain areas of the city so getting around requires some planning and timing. But I think I'm really starting to get the hang of it now! Below are pictures right outside the school.

                    Thursday's Adventure: a science museum in Plzen (Pil-sen)

As if my week couldn't get more interesting... today the Elementary school and Middle school took a day field trip to a science museum in Plzen which is about an hour and a half away. We wandered through all the very interactive exhibits today and had a blast together! They had spy games, laser rooms to wiggle through carefully, airport security, trains, light maneuvered in various ways, blocks and so much more! My littles had so much fun trying so many different games today and they even learned a lot. 

   

 

These kids just melt my heart and are the reason why I'm here. I can't wait to teach them shortly and learn more about them!
                    Friday's Adventure: culture day!
Tomorrow the kids will share projects on various countries that they have been working on and then participate in different cultural games and activities. We have Chinese numbers in math, sorting and speed challenges with chopsticks, coloring flags, and pin the name on the continent! We'll also wrap up the Easter story and finish our Bible craft that traces the events of The Holy Week. It is going to be a packed day of fun and learning!!

Then...SPRING BREAK!!! I've tried not to be too jealous of everyone going to cool beaches the past two weeks for Spring Break but now you can all be jealous of me spending my 10 tens off in Vienna, Chesky Krumlov, and Prague!