Time flies when you're in the Czech Republic...

I swear it feels like yesterday that I sat down to catch up with you folks, but in reality its been a week! To my defense, I've started classes, so in between trying to not fall behind in class readings as well as trying to sleep off this awful cough/cold that I've developed (A cough that has attracted the attention of three of my professors, who have all told me in nicest possible way to do something to control my  nasty cough!), time has slipped through my fingers.

My first week of classes was actually busier than it normally will be because I took the liberty of trying out as many classes as I was interested in, regardless if I was registered in them or not. Thus far in college, I've either taken courses because they seen easy, they have good time slots, I need to take them for my requirments,  or because I have a vague interest in it. This often results in me dragging my feet every time I go to class, which isn't really fair to my professor nor me. I'm paying to learn and I might as well enjoy learning. So, in the spirit of truly trying to get everything I can out of this experience, I tried out different classes to see if I perhaps enjoyed other classes more than the ones I originally signed up for. To my surprise, two classes that I randomly tried out have actually become the highlights of my week, so I dropped my Czech Cinema class and my Kafka course. My four courses for this semester now are: photography, Czech Art and Architecture, European Security after the Cold War, and Modern Dissent in Central Europe: The Art of Defeat. Although I am very blessed and grateful to be taught by some of the most innovative and intellectual professors in their fields back in New York City, there is something a little more special about being taught about the destruction communism had on Europe when my professor first hand experienced it or was one of the leading forces in the revolution against communism. For the first time in college, I'm taking classes with 5-10 other students as opposed to a lecture hall of 150, and let me just say, that small intimacy definitely helps me from falling asleep during class ( I have a small suspicion  that I have developed a minor case of narcolepsy during lectures. Of course I don't, but a neurotic person is a neurotic person). I've always been the kind of learner/ student that likes  to get into class discussion, and as many former classmates can attest to, I do not like raising my hand in class to speak, therefore a small group size makes it a lot easier for me to blurt out what's on my mind.  Because NYU in Prague only has roughly 140 students in the program this semester, it has also been really cool having a sort of "community" within my school. With only two NYU in Prague buildings, you tend to see a lot of faces on the regular, and I'm quite enjoying the small talk and hellos that occur as one hustle's to class. I keep finding that small pleasures such as becoming friends with all office administrators because of the frequent naps taken on their comfy blue couch or  running into 8+ people you know in the computer lab as you all check your Facebook's in between classes,  are really what's making this experience of going to school here that much more enriching. This is not to say that I find Facebook enriching (although, depending on what time and day you ask me I may differ with myself), but just that constant interaction with people who you may have not spoken to at a city campus of 20,000 plus students. It makes you feel less alone, and that you're part of something a lot bigger than your own abroad experience: the abroad experience's of everyone else. A funny detail I have noticed while in school though is how easily you can distinguish NYU in NYC kids from other university kids attempting NYU in Prague by how they simply dress for class. No matter how into fashion you are, you will very rarely, if ever besides maybe exam week, see an NYU student wear sweatpants to class. No matter how hung over, or sleep deprived, an NYU student will at least manage to put on a pair of jeans and maybe a plaid shirt. But non-NYU kids, I guess non- city kids, find no problem in dressing down for school, and wearing very "going out clothes" at night. This point isn't really significant, just things that I would obviously notice. Once a fashion intern always a fashion intern?

I don't mean to digress and focus back on the topic of communism and its impact on Europe, more specifically the Czech Republic, but I have been finding it very hard to escape the topic  even for the slightest moment. The evidence of this country's past is everywhere you turn, in every face you see, in every word you hear spoken. But the most fascinating thing is, I don't just notice it because I am in complete awe with the history of this country, but because its own people, the Czechs themselves, still are in complete shock with how they got to where they are today.  The answer I have received from elders who witnessed the Velvet Revolution is simply: " We don't know why this time it worked, why it worked." My European Security professor, who is an Ambassador at Large as well as the governmental overseer of the largest Nuclear Tender in Europe, was actually one of the main student leader's during the Velvet Revolution, and all he can explain of revolution was that it came so fast. One day he was facing 3-8 years of prison for his role in the revolution, and literally 10 days later he was the youngest person (21) to be working a very high position in the government, being given access to the secret police files that no one had ever seen before. 

The most adorable old man one will ever meet (beside my own grandfather, Papito) is my darling photography professor. Although sometimes I can't understand what he is trying to say ( English is not the first language of any of my professors so sometimes its both hard for the students as well as the professors to carry the lecture) he has such joy in his eyes, and he is just so happy, so weightless in his life now. Growing up with WWII as your childhood, and communism as your adulthood, one would assume a person would lose hope in happiness. The happiness that overcomes him when he speaks of the first camera he ever bought (those big ol' camera's that literally required a room to store) he gets so happy. Every time he unplugs his USB flash drive from the computer, a huge smile overcomes his face as he re-mentions that it was his christmas present last year. Today he told my class a story of the first time he heard boogie music in the days shortly after WWII . Him and a few school colleagues had just gotten out of a dance class (apparently required in those days) and they headed off to a café. When they walked into the café, they saw men in uniform, but not German uniforms as they had become so accustomed to seeing, but US soldier uniforms. The US soldiers were dancing to boogie, a music that had been banned and censored in Czechoslovakia, and my professor described the sensation of seeing these soldiers dancing to this music by saying " it was something like freedom." The moment those words left his lips, I jotted them down on my palm, and the entire day I have just carried them with me. "It was something like freedom." I cannot even put down in words how hearing him say that made me feel because I would be robbing you all of what I felt as I watched him say those words. It was just a powerful moment, even if no one else in the room felt it, because here is a man who is now free, free to do and be whatever his heart desires, a man who 50 years ago saw a style of dance and associated it with freedom. Sometimes words just don't do a moment justice.

The weather here hasn't been as brutal as my mother and I anticipated (prior to my departure, I made my first visit to a ski store in order to equipped myself of  pants to wear under my pants in order to stay warm as well as additional glove warmers).Because of my fabulous window and great view, I often find myself just standing with my head out the window, watching as days go to nights. The other night, snow quietly covered the city, and as I prepared to go to sleep, I took a peek out my window and was blown away with what I saw. My picture does no justice to how beautiful the sight was. But trust me. I was speechless. Still am when I think back on it. It was one of the MOST beautiful things I have ever seen in my life. It literally felt like in the moment I saw the snow, I was taken high above the city and looked down at this little sleeping city, like a sleeping child, with an innocence and peace that only a child has.

 I don't know if the European mentality has kicked in already, but I keep finding myself less and less high strung and stressed all the time, and instead I just continue to roll with the punches, enjoying whatever is going on around me without the constant pressure to meet any form of expectations. I've meet some really great and real people already, people that I am fascinated to speak to. It's so incredible to meet people who are 19-20 and just have something to say, something strong and powerful and meaningful to say. In New York, I find everyone is just trying to get by each and everyday, a little too self focused to really stop and look at the people around you. I personally find that NYC has a way of bringing a sense of pretentiousness out of people, everyone kinda beings to think they are a little too good for everyone else. But here- that is just gone. Perhaps it's the reality that we are stuck in the middle of Europe in a country where the local language cannot be understood, but truthfully, I just feel like we all sort of have put our guards down, we've all stopped for a moment and looked around. I know I definitely have. Its empowering, and extremely inspiring. I always knew that students have the strongest voice of all, the most power in this world, and it's inspiring to hear and speak with the people who already are and forever will change this world. 

My dearest friend Kelly has switched out of my dorm building into another one where it is more of her scene, and my scene too.  Unfortunately, with no single rooms left in that dorm, I'm sort of stuck on this side of the river for now, but in all honesty I don't know If I would ever be able to leave my own Hey Arnold  quarters. To celebrate her first night in her new place, a bunch of friends, Kelly and I went to one of our favorite bars thus far in the Czech Republic (I want to make note that this was not only the first time I had water during dinner, but the first time I have bought a water bottle at the bar. I've been here almost three weeks and this was the first time? oy vey!) Seeing as how public transportation ends at midnight and there was no way I was going to have another adventure that could have possibly led me to German again (See last post if this seems a bit puzzling to you) I decided to wait until the metro opened again at 5 a.m. to ensure a smooth a safe arrival home.  Walking home as the sun was coming up reminded me way too much of my New York City lifestyle. Regardless, I was greeted home by snowflakes on my window. This is the first time in my life that I have actually been able to see real snow flakes that resemble the fake snowflakes often made during Christmas time in elementary school. I thought this point was worth the mention, LOL. 

A point I brought up in class the other day was brought upon by the talk of the US draft. I have not been able to drop this topic for the past three days because I find it ridiculous that I was laughed at by the entire class for something that doesn't seen so illogical when you think deeply about it. I have asked classmates, professors, Facebook friends, my parents, literally anyone who would be able to give me an educated answer. So I want to leave you all with a question, a question to ponder: if the United States got to the desperation where a draft would be implemented again, do you believe women would still be completely excluded from the draft process? 

Here are some shots out of my window:

This weekend my father and Su-Yen are coming to visit me and I am quite excited. Due to the hectic schedule I have had since being here (orientation and classes) I have surprisingly not seen or done a lot of the classic Prague landmarks, so I am stoked to be able to go around and do that with my dad as well as show off all the knowledge I have gained in these short three weeks. 

Sending lots of love and good thoughts your way,

IVD xoxo