#6- Social Life for the week of May 18

Blog #10
Now...For Some Fun!

My last and final blog post will be about our social lives here in Olomouc! Since we have such tedious hours at school and so much homework, its necessary for us to have some fun too ;). What first struck me as strange when we got here was that the students that attend Palacky University go out to bars and clubs on the week days, rather than the weekends. However, we are so centrally located in the Czech, the students spend their weekends traveling to other countries and going on weekend trips to other places. So, that leaves them and us with no time to go out and enjoy a pivo, except for the week days!

The two main days that we usually go out and have fun are on Mondays and Wednesdays. On Mondays, we go out to a club called 15 Minut, and on Wednesdays we go to a club called Belmondo...only if we have our homework done first! Whats really cool, is that the Erasmus (Study abroad program in Europe) program hosts a "country night" presentation on Tuesdays, where selected countries give a short presentation about their country and their history with some snacks. Then, every Wednesday at Belmondo, the countries that gave a presentation the night before host the party by decorating the club with their flag and drawing their flag on every one's face! This week was American week and we were so excited (despite it also being finals week)!

During the presentation on Tuesday night, there was swing dancing and line dancing with a brief overview of America (think: stereotypes, etc...). Then, on Wednesday we had American night, and dressed up in red, white, and blue and drew the flag on every one's face. We played American music and it was such a fun time! I could tell that everyone liked the American night and had a blast.

The country presentations and themed parties at the club have been such fun and low-stress. Here, we share similarities with those from other countries, where we like to dance, have a drink, and meet other people. I have enjoyed relaxing nights in small pubs with a close group of friends, and I have also enjoyed going to the club and dancing and meeting new people. We have also socialized with many others, in which we go get a kebab or crepe, walk around Olomouc, or get a coffee, and visit.
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In other aspects of social life, we have had some great experiences. The Erasmus program is really helpful in connecting students from different countries, and they have made us feel very welcome! They have hosted get-togethers for us and other students to socialize and it has been so welcomed. They, just like us, are open to meeting new people and want to know more about other countries. The other foreign students have been friendly in getting to know us in social aspects, and I am really thankful for that!

I have had such a great experience studying abroad in Olomouc, that I couldn't imagine my life without coming! I've learned so much, and my 3 months here have shaped the person I am in countless ways. I am so sad to be leaving, but so glad I had the opportunity to learn, meet other people, and travel here!

A coffee date with some friends :)

American night with my roommate, Miriah!

American night at Belmondo

#9- Field Trip 3 for week of 5/11- Kraków & Auschwitz

Poland 

The weekend of May 8, 9, and 10 we took a class field trip to Kraków, Poland and Auschwitz. On Friday and Saturday we were in Kraków and toured things like the castle, treasury and armory, and the salt mine Wieliczka. We got to explore the city center and were able to buy lots of really cool souvenirs right there, as there's a huge market in the middle! Poland is known for its The square is surrounded by some really historical churches and buildings, and some fantastic places to eat. My favorite activity in Kraków was touring the salt mine. It was so cool to see something that had started in the 13th century! The tour guide told us some interesting and funny facts along our 2 hour tour. On Sunday, we drove an hour and toured two of the three camps at Auschwitz: Auschwitz 1 (concentration camp) and Auschwtiz: Birkenau (extermination camp). After touring that, we drove back home to Olomouc.

I could give you all of the statistics in the world about Auschwitz and all that happened there, but it just won't compare to actually standing in the place where over a million people lost their lives under the hand of the Nazi Regime. These people included Jews, Poles, Gypsies, and other nationalities not otherwise considered "the perfect Aryan race". We saw places where prisoners were supposed to sleep (5 to 6 people per bed), places where they were supposed to go to the bathroom (3 latrine buildings for 8,000 people), and places where they were specifically moved to be killed (1 gas chamber that could kill 1,000 people in 20 minutes at one time), amongst many other "living conditions" there. Some of the worst things I heard were how the Nazi's would smash children's heads into a wall to save a bullet, so they didn't have to shoot them; and how they collected the golden molars, glasses, shoes, and hair (7 tons of it bagged and shipped off) of those they killed and imprisoned. The statistics go on, and you start feeling even more and more sick to your stomach.

I stood there on Sunday, in the exact places where all these events took place. And the worst part, was the quote and reminder in one of the buildings that went something like this: we have to remember the past, because if we don't, it will repeat itself. And that is what shook me the most. We have discussed in class and I have thought about it a lot, that our history is repetitive and that something like the Holocaust could happen again, especially with all of the religious and racial hate going on now-a-days. I hope the world learned and is still learning from the Holocaust, so we never have to relive the horrors of WWII and the events leading up to it. The concentration camp Auschwitz and Birkenau were two places that have shaped me and the way I think about humanity, our pasts, and our futures.

Wieliczka Salt Mine

Panorama of the Castle in Kraków, Poland

Cart in which prisoners rode in, Birkenau extermination camp

One of the only gas chambers in Auschwitz still standing

Where they cremated the dead bodies, next to the gas chamber

"Work Makes You Free"

# Personal Choice- Croatia

We're Going to.....CROATIA!

Last weekend, two of my good friends and I had the opportunity to go to Croatia! After hearing from out supervisor that it was absolutely beautiful, and from one of our lecturers that it has "the best beaches in Europe" we decided we just had to go. We planned it on a long weekend and found the perfect flight which was pretty cheap! Early on Friday, May first, in the morning, we set off on our adventure to Split! Along with briefly telling what I did, I will share my feelings and thoughts, and how this trip shaped my view of Croatia, and Europe.

We stayed in Split for 3 nights. We visited Omiš on Saturday, Brač Island: Bol Beach on Sunday, and Diocletian's Palace in Split on Monday. All were unique in their beauty and I made some incredible memories at each place.

My first impression of Croatia when we booked our trip, was that it was going to be really warm because it was far South and we were going to get really great tans! Well, I couldn't have been more wrong. Only after the trip was coming an end did we realize that it is almost exactly across from Nebraska (maybe even the same line of latitude!), and that Nebraska was even having better weather than we were in Split! It just didn't seem fair :)... However, we did get plenty of beach time and the weather on Sunday was really great!

Once arriving, I realized that we were going to need lots of help. Though its not always easy, I learned that asking someone along the road or looking for advice from a stranger isn't always bad when you're lost. There are so many friendly people in this world that are willing to help, and they know the area much better than I do with a map...did I mention I'm useless with a map?! The people at the hostel we were staying at, were some of the most kind people I have ever met. They went above and beyond my expectations, by giving us things to do in the time frame we had, letting us borrow towels for free, and offering up a private room for us when we had booked a 6 person mixed room. They were full of such interesting facts and information about the area and I am so grateful we had the opportunity to meet them! Sometimes, I get the feeling that people in the Czech (and in some of the other places we've traveled in Europe) are not very friendly and that Americans are somewhat of a nuisance to them, but it was refreshing to have such friendly hosts in Croatia. They understood that all we wanted was to learn about Split and Croatia, and they take such pride in their home that they loved sharing with us. They definitely altered my opinion about European people and their attitude towards Americans!

My last learning experience in Croatia was that the history and geography are much more rich than I thought they would be. It was a home to pirates at one time, Dalmatia (Split) might just be the birth place of the Dalmatian breed of dog, and they have hundreds of islands off the coast in the Adriatic Sea. They are also very, very comfortable with their bodies and nudity. These are just a few examples of course!

My short time in Croatia left me wanting to learn more and to visit again! The Croatian people are so kind and understanding; the island of Brač and the city of Split are absolutely gorgeous; and I have learned so much more about Europe. I hope my final remaining trips are as eye opening and amazing as Croatia was!

Omiš boat ride up the river.

Peovica Fotress in Omiš

What Diocletian's Palace looked like when it was built

Bol Beach