A look at Prosinec (December) and the 5th

Mikuláš

December 5^th might be one of the greatest holidays of the Czech year. The United States observes the same holiday, St. Nicholas Day, but the practice is rather analogous. I remember hearing when I was younger that if I put a shoe outside my door when I went to bed, St. Nick would come and put some gold coins in my shoe. Six and seven year old Vic woke with overwhelming excitement only to be gravely disappointed: not only were her shoes back in her room, but there were no gold coins in them. Blast!

However, this year, as my student paraded around singing tunes about devils (čerti) coming to take the naughty children away in brown, tattered, rucksacks, I could not help but giggle. So, this is what this day is about.

I am remiss that I do not have the photos I took with Mikuláš and his gang of Angels and Devils, but I know the photos are circulating around with the teachers of the Kindergarten for pure amusement. At first, this idea of scaring children into good behavior (telling them that unless they are virtuous and wholesome a scary devil will toss them in a bag-pytel- and carry them to hell) was, admittedly, a little unnerving, but at a certain point, I began to warm to the idea. & So when the devils walked passed the children, especially my misbehaving maly Jakub (who was clinging to my leg for dear life), I could not help but make that tisk, tisk motions and say... ”Když budeš zlobit tak tě čerti odnesou do pekla.“

It is Czech tradition that the evenings are far more dreaded and pure terror for the children. At school, they are safe; at home, it is a different story. Older students and adults walk around the town, come into children’s homes, and quite literally scare them to tears &, supposedly, better behavior. The next day we did notice a dramatic change in some of our more defiant little ones.

With December 5^th looming ahead I asked Bee Knees what he remembered of this day in his youth. “It scared me so much that I used to hide in the basement.”

To the children that I never will have: we will certainly celebrate December 5^th in the Czech style.

In other news, I am officially a legal citizen of the Czech…for 180 days. Thank you to the Czech Embassy in Bratislava for making the procurement of this visa more difficult than travelling around the world.

Today is the Christmas Market in Litomysl and I am two glasses of punč in and I can fly. Thanksween and Christmas Market?! How does the happiest girl get happier?

The first ever Litomysl Thanksweek. I had a little to much sleepy punč and feel asleep early than I wanted to, but they even made a Churkey (Chicken called turkey) & creppy finger cookies that were delicious!

How the punč begins...

and how the punč ends... No, it is not like a warm Sangria.

Skiddets and their new favorite English toy. How could the čerti come and take them away.

A continuation & then there was Brno.

I have been bad, very bad, because I have forgone updates in favor of travelling & visiting. How shameful. That said, I must admit that I have been enjoying my time with a lovely new friend who I just think is the bee’s knees, or maybe he just has bee’s for knees.

Where to begin. Weeks three, four, & five of the Czech food Challenge have been met with raging success from Brno to Prague—mixed with a brief trip back to old time Americana for some apple pie.

We should asterisk these:

Bramborak. It was okay… I blame it on the copious amount of Prague food vendors. Perhaps I should have done more research or rather used my brain. How could I expect to get delicious fried potato pancakes at an outdoor carnival in December? My new theory is this: One should only expect, and thus order, outdoor fried food in the summer when one’s skin is frying too. Maybe I will try indoor Bramborak.

Smazeny Syr. I wish I had read this blog before I went on quest for the Smaz. Oh well, next time. Best part of the Smaz? Getting to eat it along with my little brother and a dark beer (this makes Vic a happy girl J)

Trdelník Delicious sugary thing? Yes, please. A most nutritious and hearty breakfast for this andelska divka. Watch them make it here.

While Prague appeared to be fried and friendly, Brno definitely added its own flavor to the challenge serving up the cult classics like: Punč, pizza, everything that my friend Irena’s sister made for me. Enough on food for now, but first, let me tell you that my recreation of Punč at the first ever Litomyšl Thanksween is sure to be the best thing since my apple pie ala Brno.

On Prague:

Highlights of this excursion were definitely the human traffic jam in the underground station at Stare Mesto. It appeared that every breathing soul in Prague (& some not) joined the odyssey leading to the lighting of the Christmas tree. There must have been someone there saving lives. I went to a hookah bar-whoops!

Highlight number two was taking photos of my little brother and I wearing Staropramen box armor-like helmets. It never gets old dressing up. The drinking of the Staropramen was enjoyable too. Oh yes, let’s tie in looking for sushi in Prague at 11 PM.

Serious highlights arrived the morning after. This time I was wiser, I had some kind gents lead me to Charles Bridge so I could begin my tourist-trap-trek from there.

I got to tackle Kampa, which I equate as the Central Park of Prague. Big open space, people walking their dogs, some humongous trees with the autumn season still tacked to their bodies, and of course sculptures of crawling babies reading books (should be in every park). Kampa is beautiful, especially on a Sunday morning when all the smart folks are still in bed sleeping. Upon further review, I will have to check out

Petřín for more greenery in Prague.

Just west of Kampa is John Lennon Wall & for all you Beatles lovers you will just have to take a look at the innumerable photos below.

A short distance from the John Lennon Wall is a sight not in the tourist book! However, it was a place I had been keen to find for sometime. My friend Kat wrote a great piece on this attraction a few months back, or rather the novel that inspired the action/movement. A more revealing account can be found here. Locks of love not to be fooled with Locks of love is a movement where lovers attach a lock to a bridge and then throw the key in the water as a symbol of their immortal and boundless love for each other. A romantic concept, no?

Prague was wonderful, as always, but I was eager to return to Litomysl to see “Bees Knees“. That evening we got lost in the forest and had to climb what appeared to be a small landslide (at least that is what it seemed like in the dark). Nothing will solidify a new friendship like finding your way out of dark, large, forest, together.

On Brno:

Massive Malls, big "racket" clocks, Twilight, and an outdoor festival (“Yet another excuse for Czech folks to drink outside,“ Bees Knees), but not in this order.

Last weekend I ventured to the second biggest city in Czech Republic, Brno. Friday afternoon, Irena and I set out on 90 Km of Czech Highway to visit her sister, Pavla, in what could only ascertain, given its breadth from the city center, as the Logan Square neighbourhood of Brno, which made jubilant. At last, a neighborhood haven in the Czech.

Shortly after arrival Irena and I hit the most commercial and modern tourist attraction right outside Brno, Olympia. It is a shopping center or rather a commercial palace in the middle of fields. Rest assured, I was able to do plenty of shopping and I am finally outfitted with appropriate clothing for Czech zimní.

That evening we hit the “clubs“ and I partook in a substantial amount of Tequila and B52 drinking.

Saturday was lazy and filled with Pavla and Rere sturtting around the house, modeling heels and designer jeans, while this lowly American made apple pie :)

Bees Knees ventured from his home in the center all the way out to Brno, Logan, to take me for a walking tour and movie.

Highlights of our tour were the big astronomical clock or colloquially, and affectionately, referred to as the "racket" clock. Unfortunately, because of winter darkness I was not able to get live photos, but hopefully these will suffice (here and here). I mean, come on, you cannot even read the time on that thing.

At last the tour of the fine city of Brno came to an end.

One piece of new found Czech Trivia:

What is the longest word in Czech?

Nejneobhospodařovavatelnějšímy (the gist being, the land where nothing grows)

Makes the longest English word, Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis, seem lame

....................... & pictures

It's like the Magic Kingdom, but better because it is in the Czech Republic

Makin' the "most" of the morning. HAHAHA!

Babies reading books in Kampa, I wasn't kidding

We have a matching chair in Litomysl--sister cities with Prague...

The "love" bridge.

a lot of eternal love...

It's all you need...

John Lennon Wall.

One of the only clear indicators that this indeed was the Lennon wall.

Giant tree that reminded me of Autumn in Winter.

The one, the only, great, Prague, tree. Somewhere out there a forest is crying for its long lost brother. Charlie Brown would be disgusted

Unimpressed by this bramborak...

Minecraft gear circa Prague 2011

The smaz....& first order of fries since I left the US.

Breakfast...

Yet, another excuse to drink outside in Brno.

Some semi-tangible evidence to prove that I actually was in Brno.

The peak sight before Bees Knees and I got lost in the forest.

The Two Week Eat-a-Thon or "Czech Food Challenge"

Prelude:

On November 11^th while many Americans celebrate Veteran’s Day, the Czech, and many other nations throughout Europe, celebrate St. Martin’s Day. Some people compare it to the American Thanksgiving, as it is the “Feast of St. Martin”. It celebrates the end of the harvest and the inevitability of winter.

On this day the parents and children of my town gathered in the Kindergarten playground with lanterns and torches and we walked through out the town with “St. Martin” as our guide, passing out paper snowflakes to on lookers (lampion festival) Many of children wore antennas on their heads pretending to be beetles who begin their “rest” for the winter season. On a side note, I am happy to report that our St. Martin was not ‘riding around town on a white horse’ (Martin přijíždí na bílém koni), which may just mean we are safe from the snow for a little while longer. To celebrate St. Martin’s Day, and the weeks before the Advent (which is kind of like the weeks of feasting), many of the restaurants in town have special dishes centering on husa, or goose. I have yet to try this.

In honor of St. Martin’s Day (although past) and Thanksgiving (soon to be encroaching on the waists of my fellow Americans), I bring you my own version of the two-week eat-a-thon to celebrate the harvest bounty and the melding of my two homes. I might even try goose!

Beginning:

For the past three months, I have had an overwhelming fear of the Czech restaurant. Not because I do not think I will enjoy the food, but simply because I feared not actually knowing what I was ordering. This week and the weeks proceeding, I have decided that the time has come to abandon this fear all together, thus the Czech Restaurant Challenge has been born. In homage to my hometown of the “good eats”, I will put Czech Cuisine head to head with some of the more infamous Chicago establishments (although, I will write, without hesitation, that Chicago still makes the best hamburgers in the world.

The Rules:

There is only one rule: try a new restaurant or new Czech cuisine--one I have not already had served to me in my school canteen.

I am happy to report that this week our victories have been tenfold! Not only did I try a new restaurant, an altogether to new “experimental” dish, but also the lovely Ava, můj rodiny Babička, prepared homeade Svičkova in honor of Aleš’s birthday.

The ceremonious restaurant where I finally broke down and had my first official Litomyšl dining experience was the infamous U Kolji. I am not quite sure if it is infamous, but I have had many people recommend it to me. It is a Ukrainian Restaurant (but because it is in Litomyšl it counts) and I was thankful that I could review the menu online several times before I made my way over, thus avoiding the potential of me staring blankly at the menu, crying, and going home hungry because is didn’t know what I should order.

The entire menu was enticing, but after much review, on this smoggy Tuesday, I finally decided upon the traditional Boršč and Holbuci. I was not disappointed. The boršč was incredible as I had been told it would be. The Holbuci was also delicious-it is hard to screw up steamed cabbage wrapped around meat mixed with rice covered in a wicked cream sauce.

One thing I have forgotten about eating such delicious food is that cramping that begins post a good meal. You know, where you have stuffed yourself beyond comprehension and you have to slouch because your posture has been swallowed up along with the food. Yea, that one, but it is so worth it.

The second dining out experience occurred last Saturday after my friend, Tomáš, and I returned from our walking venture in Budislav, where we nearly made it back to Borka before dark. He took me to this little restaurant and gave me my first experience with tatarský biftek, colloquially steak tartare (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steak_tartare). A skeptic at first; I was not immediately sold on the raw beef and egg idea. After a brief explanation of what this was (and yes, although not traditionally Czech) and a reference to Mr. Bean I thought I was ready. It was sooooooooooooooo good. Okay, maybe not the most appetizing thing to look at, but it is really fun to play with. You mix the beef and egg with all these different ingredients and spices like: ketchup, dijon, capers, onions, dried parsley, and other UFO (Unidentifiable.Food.Objects). Then you spread it on toast. The best part was realizing that you could smear garlic on toast! This blew my mind--& yes, I have had garlic bread, but this was different. In addition, thanks to Tomáš, I have found out where the Czech hide the dark beer- in pubs hidden in the middle of nowhere. So happy to have dark beer back in my life.

& Now I save the best for last. Today, or rather Thursday, was Aleš Birthday (he is growing up so fast) and today we had a huge, massive, epic, birthday lunch. After eating so much food, all we could do was roll around on the floor, but maybe that was just me. A couple weeks ago I met the families grandmother, Ava, and we shared some piva over at my favorite pub-Veselka. We talked about Czech cuisine and my Czech Dad said that Ava made the best Svičková and she promised that she would make it. Today she went above and beyond. Svička means candle, so for the sake of my poor Czech I almost want to call it candle meat, but it’s most certainly not. It is a delicious, tender, marinated beef that is served with knedlíky (steamed bread dumplings –yum yum J) and omáčka (sauce, and in this case a thick creamy sauce made from carrots, parsley, turnip, &… other goodness). It is not hard to understand why this is a signature Czech dish. Incredible. To top it all off there was a cake that I cannot even begin to go into detail about.

Overall, I would call this first week of the “restaurant” challenge a raging success. I have a few other signature Czech dishes that I must try before I can consider this challenge a wrap. These include: bramborák, vepřo knedlo zelo, & the notorious, smažený sýr.

My only regret for this post is that I do not have pictures of our epic family meal nor many of my other restaurant ventures—next time.

Next week Prague, where my missions are few, but grand!

Fotky

Poor iPhoto shot of Lampion Festival and St. Martin--I should invest it a night time camera.

What I am happy St. Martin has not brought to Litomyšl, yet. He can so stick it in the mountains.

Borščing it.

Tackling the Holbuci...

A slouch worthy American meal-circa autmer (summer/autumn) 2010 New York

Working off the slouch from the eat-a-thon by observing others partake in physical activity- floorball (see floorball videos).

& the kicks here are still the same.

It appears many of us in this home have an affinity for taking pictures atop children's toy riding horses. It's just too bad I don't have a sombrero on. :)

Kotelna-Music Clubbing

On a note of full disclosure: While I am still recuperating form the events of last night, I was all to eager, to expose the Czech music scene that I was graciously invited to partake in yesterday. Aleš, you know you are the best.

Last night was my first experience in the Kotelna, Music Club Litomyšl. This had been a place of great intrigue, mystery, a place that I would walk by at least once a week always wondering when I, Victoria Sroka, would step foot beyond those red doors into the abyss, finally hearing, with my own ears, the music reverberating off the walls. Yesterday, it was finally my turn.

The first thing I noticed was how intimate the space is. I love music, but get me in a big room like the All State Arena or even UIC Pavilion and I will freak the f*ck out. Kotelna is great though and is a lot like Double Door, before the indoor smoking ban.

When you walk in it is a breeze, you’re not fumbling for your ID, there’s no bouncer looking you up and down, and while you have to push past people (literally I think every Litomyšlan from 18-35 were there) you are still able to sidle your way to the front without much effort and fewer beer spills.

The cocktails were the second thing I noticed, mainly one (for originalities sake and how it made me nostalgic for warm summer nights, watching movies projected of the balconies of friends apartments). This cocktail was “The Big Lebowski”. I did not order one, although I was tempted, maybe next time. Nothing gets me quite in the mood to dance my face off like vodka, Kahlua, & cream --read pop culture section. The gang and I stuck to beers and I was again reminded that my Czech language skills (specifically ordering) are not as up to snuff as I once thought. I do not know what I would do with out my “designated translator” and the people of Litomyšl who cut me some slack when I speak in English.

I shall reiterate that the concert was awesome! The band we were there to see was WOHNOUT. They are an indie-alternative band with a ton of endurance; I have never jumped so much at a concert! Back in the states my dance moves are notorious for being… well there is video somewhere, anonymously I hope. However, here I have finally found people who dance the same way I do, pointer fingers and all. That is right, my finger dance is back! That said my dance moves were no match for the three, sloshy, older woman who were moshing and attempting to make out with the security guard for 80% of the show- I wish I had taken video.

After the show, Aleš and I accosted the band for signatures and I got all four of them to sign my ticket. This might have had something to do with the fact that I am from Chicago and very few Americans can be found dancing like crazy at the Litomyšl music club. They very friendly and took time to chat and take pictures.

& now pictures…

Guitar player from unknown opening band. I talked to him briefly as I was leaving. Evidently he had been to Chicago, but actually just the airport.

Saxophone from the opening band.

Wohnout!

More Wohnout....

Jan & I. He was sweet and told me that these guys would be in New York come January.

Wohnout Set list. Pepiěi was fantastic

The evidence and proof.

& because it's funny...Czech polygamy.

Dušičky

Note: As a prelude to todays writing, I must warn that the ruminations below are a bit more somber than usual. This is not because the writer is melancholy, but rather this day calls for commemoration and a greater restraint of humor in attempt to pay homage to the dead.

In my latter years, I cannot claim to be a proponent of organized religion. This is not to say I am not curious, nor does it mean that I do not entertain conversation surrounding the topic of faith and spirituality. Nevertheless, for me, religions primary function for the past several years has been to answer that lurid question of “what happens when you’re dead?” After several feeble and deplorable attempts to answer this question, I hung up the religion hat in a quest for something else.

When I was younger, it was easier. Some how my Grandma June can always seem to recollect that moment when I was about seven and brazenly said to her, “You know, you are going to die some day...”

However, today is not about this… entirely.

I have never particularly warmed to the idea of death and before today, walking in a graveyard at dusk was never something I felt inclined to do. However, remember, I am in Czech and my inhibitions have been left some 7,000 miles on the stoop of a distant castle.

On November 2^nd the Czech ‘celebrate Dušičky, which is something akin to “All Souls Day”. This holiday is practiced all over the world under many different names and forms, but the central theme of all the holiday is the same, a celebration and remembrance of the dead. You have probably seen pictures of Mexico’s Day of the Dead, which is the same Holiday. When I first heard about the Holiday I mildly associated it with a Czech version of “Halloween”, which is supposedly ‘not’ celebrated here. Given the Halloween extravaganza held at the gymnasium-school- I would beg to differ (evidence below). Some people still claim that Dušičky is the “Czech Halloween” (i.e. Prague blog ). Having now witnessed and participated in this holiday, I am a little ashamed to have originally thought this was simply another pagan holiday.

After my students blatantly guffawed at my Czech pronunciation of Dušičky (I am improving!) I asked them what this holiday meant for them. Perhaps it was difficult to explain with the language barriers, or the fact that at that age students do not want to talk to anyone, but what I got out of them was that there were many candles involved. Not knowing exactly what to expect and armed with only camera, candle, and salt to ward off the spirits, I embarked to the Litomyšl cemetery for my Dušičky adventure.

I am attempting to make light of this moment, but the sight of the cemetery was overwhelming and stirred emotions. Unbeknownst, I found myself part of the mass exodus of Litomyšlans to the graves of their dead ancestors. For once, I felt I was part of the pilgrimage and part of this town. I did not need language to be able to remember.

When I took my first steps into the cemetery I was amazed at the amount of light and life that was inside. Not only were their many people, but also most graves had their own flower gardens atop the tombs with a host of candles.

I walked and watched the people light candles, brush the fallen leaves off the tombs, adorn the tombs with wreaths and flowers, and some stand huddled together. I watched the children giggle, the mother’s hold their children close, and dusk slowly roll into black.

I wondered whom the people were lighting candles for... The old woman. Candles for her Husband? Her Grandparents? Her Friends? Her Children? I scanned the dates on the headstones, admiring the ages and the history these people had lived through. 1901-1987; 1902-1964; 1898-1916. a State creation, WWI, WWII, a Communist occupation, and separation from Slovakia, but here, in this cemetery, their lives are marked with brevity and numbers.

A while back, Aleš, the family, and I went on an epic bike adventure around the outskirts of town. One of our stops was at an abandoned Jewish cemetery (strange to use the word abandoned). Jewish cemeteries were not allowed to be in the town limits. At this cemetery the stones we cracked and overlapping. The Communists had destroyed the headstones and cemetery during their twenty-year occupation. Tonight I wonder if that cemetery is as lit up and alive, as it should be.

It seemed almost fortuitous that I stumbled upon a black bird resting atop a gravestone. The event and moment something directly out of an Edgar Allen Poe poem, but lacking the metaphor.

The meaning of my last name derives from the polish word magpie, or blackbird.

It was not a full moon and the black birds tail didn’t have the swatches of a magpie, but I felt moved to remember at least one of my ancestors. & So this evening I lit a candle for my grandfather, Frank, who I have never met, but who I will always honor in the memorial I made for him, behind a large tree, at one of the corners of the Litomyšl Cemetery.

Felt strange to take pictures.

From the unadorned, but remembered here...

To the fantastical.

Can you find the black bird?

The lighting of the Dušičky candle.

Near the sight of my candle.

Arlington, please.

....

Imperative Posting

While is there is much to report on:

*Josef Vachal
*Contemporary Pelišky/Cinema
*Eating Healthy in Czech
*Current Curiosities
*Vice documentary in North Korea
*Publication
&
*General Wellness

I would like to enjoy and celebrate the creation of Czechoslovakia via 28.10.1918. Even though it is no longer Czechoslovakia let's remember that there was some freedom, for a minute...

However, a recent photo opportunity has arisen and cannot be passed upon by this postee.

Yes, yes, as I was walking to work today I randomly spotted a roaming peacock. This simply reaffirms that I have found my appropriate destination. Finally, I am among my own kind.


"When you give a Czech child an iPhone" you will most certainly have 23 pictures of her and close-ups of nostrils.


The view from a new favorite place to sit in town


The kaštan games. Even the most uninspired adults can't help but feeling giddy when they find hidden chestnuts on the ground.


Why must this thing stare at me when I am trying to write? Thanks Váchal, for inspiring the owners of my coffee shop with your "Bloody Novel" musings.

On life in Litomyšl and some other places

My latest article for the TEFL Institute Newsletter w/ pictures. & Get this, now they are going to pay for little articles like this, snap!

From sulfuric geysers in Iceland, to the pagodas of Burma, to the formerly tyrannical Red Square of Moscow, to the intense fusion that is small island of Mauritius; I have seen innumerable countries. However, at twenty-four, I was filled with lament that while I could boast a myriad of travelling experiences I had never lived, really lived, somewhere long enough to feel homesick, develop the routines of a host country, or fully know a culture inside and out.

In January of 2011 I made a New Year’s Resolution that I would be teaching abroad by the end of the year. I walked into the TEFL institute office in Chicago and slapped down the largest investment I had made in myself since I graduated college three years prior. I signed up to take the nine-week online certification course and it was all uphill from there. While resolutions of this sort may seem idealistic and trivial, sometimes that lofty goal becomes important when you need to push yourself through the endlessly exhausting and horrifying tasks of: finishing the course, completing the practicum, applying for employment, leaving friends and family, acquiring a visa and/or necessary documents before leaving, and eventual acclimation to your new destination. If you have the goal in the beginning, by the end of it all you will be remiss if you an unable to acknowledge your accomplishments of making it that far (literally and figuratively). Having been through this process, and living here on my own, it is my whole belief that if I want to do something I can actually do it, which is something I never believed before.

I had applied to forty-two positions in twenty-five different countries and had had eleven interviews before I chose my final destination. Needless to say, I was not actually sure where I wanted to go, but I knew I wanted to find an institution that fit all my needs including: the type of students I would be teaching, the location of the school, visa woes, medical insurance, and the actual economics of it (would I be making enough money).

I eventually found my job on TEFL.com, but I found many tempting positions on Tesall.com and esljobsworld.com. I have kept in contact with a few of these recruiters for my next adventure.

I am currently living in Litomyšl, Czech Republic, which is about two hours east of Prague. While Prague, Brno, and Plzen appear to be the hot spots for English teachers in Czech Republic, I had been living in a big city for five years and I was interested in testing out my big fish-little pond theory, as well as some of the more pastoral areas of Eastern Bohemia. My town is one of the most beautiful places. At the city center sits a massive castle and Cathedral, which are surrounded by a lavish town square, historic Jewish graveyards, great biking trails, and (to me) a large forest about ten minutes from my home. While I do not have some of the amenities of larger cities- i.e. many disco techs and cafés open all hours of the night—I find that being one of two native speakers in a town of 10,000 definitely has its perks. Throughout the course of the week I am often invited to dine with a family, join one of my students for a hiking class at the gym, see a fellow teachers band play in the square, or even join new friends out for a beer. Given that the town is so small, there are limited degrees of separation. I can be at the kino (cinema) and someone will speak to me in Czech and I will politely and blushingly have to say, I’m sorry, I do not speak Czech well. Do you speak English? To this they will reply, Oh! You are the English teacher from the Kindergarten, I have heard about you! You are teaching Jakub. I am his Aunt or “You live with the Dvořák’s my daughter went to school with them.”

I work through a language school that has contracted me out to work with one of the local kindergartens in town. This is the first year of any English curriculum at the kindergarten and the first time that many of the children have come into contact with a native English teacher. I love being part of an innovative curriculum project in a small town that is attempting to bridge the gap and connect people from different cultures and languages. While at times the task of teaching these children English can be daunting, and the pressure to make this class a success utterly overwhelming, it is worth it when you see the children recognize a color that you have said. I have a co-teacher who speaks to the children only in Czech and I speak to the children only in English. This dynamic has been working wonderfully so far and I am eager to see the continued language advancements of my students. One of the reasons I chose in Litomyšl, in addition to its beauty, was the opportunity to teach and tutor older students in the afternoon. I had taught children back in the States, but I wanted to take this experience as the opportunity to try out different levels of teaching. I now tutor four adults and teach two basic classes throughout the week. Being able to teach these two different levels has been rewarding each in its own right.

Living in a smaller town is often times more economically sound than living in a big city. To put it in perspective, this past weekend I had the occasion to visit some friends in Praha, and while out, I met a fellow English Teacher who was working behind the bar. According to him a lot of English teachers in Prague work a second job in the industry to make ends meet. He had been living in Prague for four months, but has been working seven days a week for three months. The pay, whether in a big city or small city, is much the same and your expenses in a smaller city are far less than those of a bustling metropolis. Don’t get me wrong, there are some days that I would love the be able to walk out my door and be overwhelmed with the possibility of going anywhere, but for now it remains a nice place to visit.

Teaching and tutoring here in Litomyšl has been wonderful and I am anxious and excited to see what becomes of my Czech language skills and teaching over the next nine months. You can check out my adventures here. & best of luck to all on their upcoming teaching adventures.


Eye-Spy Victoria:

Okay, so I am no in this one, but India is CRAZY crowded & alive with pizazz.

Brazilian Rainforests & large faces holding unknown bugs.


Attempting to learn Tai Chi on the piers of Hong Kong. Very bad at it.


Waxing nostalgia for sulphuric geysers in Iceland with Dad.


Notre-Dame de Paris-whatever, I eat Bacon Strips.

Finding home 4 years ago in Prague, Czech Republic, but probably should not stand at a bus stop like that.


On my final days in Moscow.

Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo that's how we all travel around. Werd.