I guess I would say I am finally settled back into life in Olomouc after being away for over a week. It was very difficult to get back into study mode after being away from it for so long, but I think I'm finally back! Good thing - I have exams starting this week already. I also have four papers to write and a couple more presentations. My classes haven't had any assignments throughout the semester, except for some presentations. Unfortunately, all the exams and papers have piled up because of that. Of course I could have been working diligently on them throughout the semester... but at least I kept up with the reading! Because of that I'm not overly concerned about my exams and papers. I also have the advantage of being one of the only native English speakers, so writing the papers won't be as difficult for me as it will be for my friends. With finals coming up, I have stayed in my room and the library this weekend. It will be worth it in the end though - when I finish my exams I am off to travel Europe! Not sure of exact plans yet... but I will end in Finland and it will be great!
Friday night I did go out with some friends to see some live music! My friend Kristijan (Croatia) has been telling me he will take me out to see the real Olomouc, besides the clubs where the Erasmus parties are. So, Friday night we went to a real Czech pub and saw an alternative rock band play. They were authentic alternative rock, and had been together since 1968 - and you could tell they had been together that long. I really liked them, especially the trombonist! He was so wild. I didn't know you could play the trombone the way he did... So that was really great to see. I had been dying to see some live music! After that we went to a pub Kristijan had been to once before, he said it had a "soul". It was kind of hidden, and in the basement of a building (like many Czech pubs are). There were only Czech people there and two of my friends played a game of chess while we all had a beer and great conversation. We then tried to go to the bar that is in an old Soviet plane - yes you read that right! This is a real plane, from Soviet times, that has a bar on it. You sit in airplane chairs and it is decorated in an antique style. There's even a small dance floor! It was pretty cool - but there wasn't enough space for us to all sit together, so we decided to head home. Overall the night was great! It was nice to see Olomouc on the weekend and be in places Czechs frequent, rather than just where the Erasmus students go.
Tomorrow is Majales, which is kind of a student festival to celebrate spring and the students. There will be different events and concerts around the university, I guess... and then after parties at a few clubs. I'm not really sure what it will be like, but I hope I'm able to go check it out! I'll need to continue doing a lot of work tomorrow, and I don't know if my class will be held... but I hope to see the festivities! If I do go I will be sure to write about it. Today is May day - Vappu in Finland! I do remember that day fondly... so many people out and dressed up in the streets... So maybe Majales will be memorable like that! We'll have to wait and see :).
With only about three weeks left of school I'm starting to think about my semester as a whole... and I must say that I am incredibly happy and do not regret anything I have done. I have made amazing friends, been on unforgettable trips, and have grown in many ways. When I came here, I had it in mind that I would learn to live with less - and I think I've done that. It was a bit of a challenge to live in these dorms first because I had to learn how to cook in this setting and be without a lot of the amenities I have at home (because my suitcase was only so big). I've also really learned the beauty of food. When someone wants to give someone something, or share a part of their culture, they cook - and invite everyone to enjoy! Last night my friend made flemish stew, my roommate often makes crepes, heck I even made cheeseburgers! I hope I can bring this back with me to the dorms at MSU and make the kitchen on my floor in Williams more of an open and sharing space. It's so much fun to socialize and learn with food! Besides the fact that it tastes soooo good :).
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