Days 115-120

Well we visited both sets of grandparents and enjoyed copious amounts of traditional food. It has been a busy few days actually ( which has for sure helped the fight against the christmas blues ) There have been a few rough moments but all considered it was a pretty good christmas. :)

So brief list of what ahs been keeping me busy :

Walking with Roman..
Helping Vanessa move to fam 2..
Cinema..
1st family visiting..
celebrating the fast approaching New Year!!

Its been really great!

Happy HOliday Season to All!!

Dobrou Noc

Anička

Day 115

Visited family... la la la la...

but something exciting did happen today!! I was just about to place my dreary head on the pillow when all of a sudden host mom comes rushing in saying that the phone is for me... interesting
So I race downstairs pick up the receiver and tune in to hear my mother on the line :) what a wonderful surprise !! Turns out my family harassed (very nicely.. in all probability) the opperator for some time and found a way to contact my host mothers business line.. the only land line in the house (which is quite normal.. most families run purely on mobile contact). I was able to have a fantastic chat with home on their Christmas morning.. :) truly priceless (from my end of things) and utterly unforgetable.

Thanks family for going through the trouble. Love you all :)

Dobrou Noc

Anička

Christmas - day 114

Sooo.. Christmas :) I know its just a tad late but i thought that it was due time to give you guys something to read...

Firstly we celebrate the eve of the 24th after a traditional holiday meal of Fried Carp and Potatoe Salad served after a fair siyed ladle of Fish soup.
The Carp swims in the bathtub for about a day.. then takes up final residence in the fridge, for the short period of time before it hits the fryer. As fresh as Possible... for a land locked country...
The Carp wasnt really my favorite but it was great to be part of their traditions.. though it probably didnt help that I named the poor dear.. Samuel RIP.. and as we ate dinner.. vítek joked about how many bones poor old sammy had.. :(
Putting one of the scales under your dinner plate is supposed to bring luck.. as is keeping the scale in your wallet for the rest of the year. I will have a piece of Samuel with me always.
After dinner, we all headed over to the tree to see what dear younf Ježišek brought everyone...

*** SPecial Thanks to everyone who sent their love and thoughts, and thanks for the monetairy donations to the "Anna is poor and in Europe" fund. :) Thanks for the Chocolates uncle Mike, my family really appreciated a taste of Canada and they were seriously delicious!! Last but certainly not least.. thank you so so so much for the Hockey Jersey Eurobob :) and rotary!! Im sure it is supposed to be a gift for one of my families but its just incredible and I honestly didnt take it off for days. THANK YOU EVERYONE! ***

(I have since moved, but I was with Víteks family for the holidays, whixh was absolutely great. Though there were some tears.. obviously.. they were truly great and did there very best to accomodate me over the December break. )

.. So after opening presents its quite common to have a little down time before heading out to further celebrate. So the family hunkered down and watched some christmas flicks. Later Vítek and I headed for Krasne Pole ( A small town about 15 minutes from Víteks) to meet up with dome friends. We walked around chatting for a while then headed to church. Midnight mass is a tradition that many people follow. We lingered for a few wise words then hit the road to continue celbrating.

We made our way home in the wee hours of the 25th completely tired. The next few days are set aside for visiting relatives, eating plenty more Carp and way to many sweets. :)


VESELÝ VÁNOČNÍ !!!

Dobrou noc

Anička

Day 111

Last night was a huge school party... not literall yat the school.. but tons of people were there! It was a showcase of different garage bands and such at a local place... It was great fun!
I went for a short walk with Roman.. mainly to get some fresh air... and missed some of the bands that i really wanted to see, but we had to go out and enjoy the snow that was falling!!!

Grandma and Grandpa came over last night aswell (before the party :) to celebrate Víteks birthday.. since they had other plans on the 17th.. It seems like it has been his birthday all month!! More champaigne toasts!! The champaigne here is quite scrumtious.. and really quite inexpensive.. one of my families favorite bottle after exchange is about 5.50... :)

So today I went shopping with Roman to finish our christmas shopping. I was pretty much finished, just picking up some last minute things.. but roman was just starting!! Despite liking clothes shopping je is really quite terrible at christmas shopping .. quite amusing :)

In the end I bought some wrapping paper and a bottle of champaigne for the grandparents, and roman successfully purchased all but one of the presents on his list. I hope they like them!!! .. crossing my fingers :)

Tonight Veronika hosted a gals night!!! It was super! :) Ria, Jarka, Hanka, Veronkia and I were there and had a grand girly time! We played this czech word game that they liked (i was permitted the use of the dictionairy and the absense of the timer... ), we watched "love actually", talked and ate fantasticly sweet goodies! It was really but really a good time!!!

*** I really needed a girls night***

Dobrou Noc

Anička

Day 108

The Tournament was today!!!!!!!!! Truly fantastic! I really enjoyed watching the games. My class came 3rd :).. there was about 12 teams competing, we did quite well! i was super proud!!! (especially considering our teams condition... 1 allstar who was slightly injured, 1 too sick to hold the stick straight, and 3 feeling the night before .. its not common to go out on a school night.. but it was one of the players 18th birthday and he had a bit of a guys gathering at a local joint)
***I felt pretty guilty today though.. Roman asked me if I would watch his games.. and i kinda sorta slept through my alarm... :( i felt really bad..

Veronika was a sweatheart and surprised me with a christmas present! Its a super cute brown over-the-shoulder bag... LOVE IT!! have I mentioned how super she is !!!

Tonight I got down to business and started my christmas shopping... im kinda sorta really behind.. ive been here for 4 months and have 13 people to buy for.. and i told my friends that i love them but... im poor .. and thats without buying any friends presents..

I bought one set of grandparents a lovely pointsettia and a potting pot, then painted a snowy snowman scene on the pot :).. its cute.. i hope they like it...

Tomoorw is my host aunts birthday so we will be out of the house all day.. I´m anticipating the day out!! :)

Dobrou Noc

Anička


totally just figured out i could change the font size... :)

day 107

***** THE OFFICIAL LAST DAY OF CLASS!!!!!!!!! ( before winter break..)

Tomorrow is a school wide floorball tournament.. I´mreally excited to watch!! It sounds really great... and the kids are tourning out to be quite competative :)

At school there was a little christmas concert in the main coridor it was sweet... I cried...

The Christmas dip os in full swing.. :( definitely not as chipper as I have been..........
........ but seeing how they celebrate is really interesting.

I went for a long walk tonight (4.5 hrs), I´m really getting to know the area.. I don´t think I could lost in Poruba if I tried :)

I wasn´t able to talk to home today... my host family doesnt have internet connection for a while... so far having weekly chatts with home has been really helpful.. Though I credit myself with having a level head it helps to talk through situations or events to better understand them..
Definitely not a good time to not have internet connection..

*** i dont believe that i mentioned that i misplaced my phone.. so not only do i not have a conection with home.. or my friends via internet.. i also dont have connection to my local friends.. feeling pretty disconnected...

dobrou noc

Anička


ps.. Pavels lovely little chair trick left my head a little lumpy.. (i told you id write about it!! lol.. )

day 106

Today is Víteks Birthday and both him and Eliška played in their music schools Christmas concert. It was really really great! There was this random rock band that were actually quite good, but definitely wrong place wrong time.. their System of a Down covers werent much appreciated by the grandparents out to listen to their darling grandchildren play some classical christmasy something or other :)
Both Vítek and Eliška were quite fantastic though... Eliška played several pieces on the violin and viola and Vítek played a great duet on the piano..

He was super excited about his birthday present.. he received a massive backpack for hiking.. a popular pass time here... from his parents.. and I (being the lovely host sister and friend that I am) bought him giant gorilla slippers.. to keep his toesies warm in winter!!.. and this super cool stretchy dinosour!

It was a good day!

Dobrou Noc

Anička

day 105

Tonight we went to Hornbach to buy our christmas tree... (is like a home hardware or RONA.. I thoughtof you when we pasded the seasonal will.. !! ). The trees arent quite the same as homel, but they are lovely little misshapen things. :)

Im still living with the Klars.. i was supposed to move on Monday- back to the richtars- but late sunday night, host dad asked me if i WANTED to move.. I answered truthfully and Im staying in this house until January 4th..

Earlier this afternoon i went for a fantastic cup of java with miss vanessa. I havent spent much time with her lately so it was nmice to catch up and talk about things around the holidays... :(... the holidays.....

I also went to grandmas today for a visit, Vítek left early so it was just grandma, our aunt and me for a while.. i helped dye the aunts hair.. shes going "Natural Blond"... we will see with the czech hair dye how "natural" it looks... but im truly hoping for the best.

Ive come to terms with the fact that my czech is absolutely terrible and am now turning a new leaf and am determined to learn!!

well.. wish me luck on that last poart there... ill need it...

Dobrou Noc

Anička

DAY 100!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DAY 100 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!§

CAN YOU BELIEVE IT!! OH MY GOODNESS!!!! ITS INCREDIBLE!!!!!! WOWWWWIIIEEE!!!!

So this weekend is Víteks birthday party out at his cabin.. I§m really looking forward to have (a nice quiet) party with my friends and celebrate Víteks big 18!!!! In Canada the big b-day is 19.. but here you are official adult at 18.. needless to say he is super excited! .. and he keeps rubbing in the fact that he is considered an adult and i am not.. even though im older.. :(

For his birthday Vítek asked me to bake some cookies for the party.. so for the last 3 days I´ve been baking like crazy.. I made the last batch today. I figured I would make 4 kinds, since previous batchs that I´ve mixed made about 12-15 cookies.. so i figured.. lots of people,, lots of cookies.. So the recipes are crazy!!! Turns out they each made like 45 cookies!!!! So after todays batch Vítek weighed the huge box..... its around 11 lbs..

WOW!!!! So theres lots..
-Peanut butter chocolate chunk
-Oatmeal everything
-White Chocolate macadiamian nut
-Triple chocolate

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was in the cooking mood this week what can i say !! :)

They arent used to this kind of home made cookie .. they have the store bought crunchy kinds... kind of.. but the chewy ones are un heard of.. I was happy to introduce it to them!
I also made my families homestyle spaghetti sauce.. It went over really well. Their equivalent is ketchup sauce.. no lie... kids make it, parents make it.. it tastes as it sounds...... So after many promises to show them how we made it at home i finally did! It was comforting to have a taste from home foor dinner :)

Last night I went for a walk with Roman. We walked all through Poruba.. I thought we would walk maybe 2 hours... a seemingly acceptable walking time... but we were chatting and we walked from one end of Poruba to the other, back again and zigzegged many streets in between.. we ended up walking for 4.5 hours!! It was nice but I was actually tired a little.. and we were walking slowly.

Before our walk, i was helping at our school open house. Since their highschools specialise in something and they have entrance exams.. they hold open houses foir the younger kids and their parents to come check out the place. For the OPen houses.. the Action Team gets a crew of people to fdress up as old historical characters and walk around the halls or linger in the classrooms.. the kids guess to see if they can name the historical figures and if they can name a few they get some candies at the end.. its a really vute idea. So i said i would help out and be one of the characters.. I was Líbuše.. a famous Cyech woman who predicted Pragues greatness! i had this short little sentece that i had to say in czech over and over agian to help the kids with my character.. it was lots of fun.. and most of them understood my czech.. :)

It was tons of fun :)

*** great day***

dobrou noc

Anička

a promise to update the last 3 busy weeks in due time...

so ive been uber busy! friends.. rotary events.. and life in general.. im moving again on monday.. back to my first host family.. and i promise to update the blog soon...

Sending my love!

Anička

POLAND days 95-96

So this morning was an early one...

Míkulaš came again last night.. this time from the parents.. and he found the "children" on the bus today heading to Poland as well.. He´s everywhere!!

The trip was about 3 hours.. the whole time i was hoping to maybe catch a few z´s.. i was super tired from the early morning wakeup and i didnt have much sleep last night.. but one of the Rotarians brought out his accordian and played jubiantly the ENTIRE time....
Once we got there, we took a tour of Krakows beautiful castle than the tombs and memorials of Polands previous kings and queen. Really but truly very interesting!!! We toured and wandered Krakow for the day then headed for our hotel.. It was an incredibly gorgeous hotel!! WOW!! Josh and I were introduced to a few of the Rotarians kids and made a few friends. The club secretary had amazing kids.. Her son (19) looks abd acts just like Honza Kocer (the inbound from last year that was staying in Vernon), and her daughter (21) went on exchange to Ontario and we hiut it off fright away. She was really great and wound up being my roomie..

Dinner was quite large, took forever.. (it was 6 courses i think) and was full of accordian tunes...

** overall great day **

Sunday- So on the weekends outline, it said that our morning was to be filled by "TROPICANA".. thats all it said.. i thought it was failry safe to assume that it would be some presentation be the famous juice company regarding some business venture....
... turns out TROPICANA is a giant indoor water park that was in the glamorous hotel we were in... I didnt have a swim suit with me, buzt everyone had a great time in the pools and i really appreciated the extra nap time...

The ride home was quick and rainy... :(

Dobrou Noc

Anička

day 94

Today is a special czech holday.. we still have to go school, but its very cool!! Its called Míkulaš.

Míkulaš comes around during the night and leaves children chocolat and sweets if they have been good and coal if they have been bad.. (traditionaly the kids recieved walnuts, apples and a mandarin.. but times have changed)

It was super cute.. at school .. the Action Team... put up papers in the staff room for the teachers to sign the names of all of the bad kids in their class.. and then when a group of students who dressed up as the characters of Míkulaš came around to the classes, instead of giving the bad ones candies as they gave everyone else.. they sent the "bad" ones to the hall where they put them in a burlap sack and cover their faces with coal.. As the two demons of Míkulaš are outside with the bad ones.. their are two angels inside giving us candies.. and Míkulaš (who is a bishup) recites something.. traditional... once everyone is back in the class.. the demon come arounf to all the good ones and give us all a smudge of coal on our cheeks to remind us of our sins and that no one is perfect.. It was great fun.. i Knew all of the characters.. since moist of them were from my class.. and it was cool to see a new tradition!

That night Grandma and grandpa came over bringing us (the children) some sweets and an advant calandar :) The family assumed they would come a bit later then they did and i was the only one home when they arrived.. I tried my best to be polite and entertain the,. .(did i mention that neither of them speak a word of english and that my czech is still terrible... as it turns out i am terrible with languages...) but the grandma is super sweet and we had small talk over a few cups of tea.. The family came home and I left for the gym.. lol.. i thought that it was terribly ironic that i was going to the gym on a holiday which celebrated eating lots of sweets.... :) Roman and I had a great time at the gym.. but I think my bottom will be sore for days.. i was on the mobil bike for about an hour.. i dunno just felt like it... but there was a definite lack of cishion....

("just one minute to catch our breath" lol... )

When I came home the Richtars were over, also bringing good tidings from Míkulaš. We chatted for a bit then I went upstairs to pack for tomorrow.. I leave for Poland at 6.... :(

Dobrou Noc

Anička

Day 92

So I just Found out that Im going to POland this Weekend, Krakow to be specific.. Not with the district just with my club. From what I can understand from the lay out.. we will be visiting Krakows Castles then touring around the city for a while, then on Sunday we will have a presentation From Tropicana.. a business proposal i guess.. Most of the rotary meetings are business meetings..

This morngin Roman gave me a tour of the school.. its not an especially big school, but there were many places that I have never been. We have this attick area that isnt fully completed yet that the art students use as their art display area.. its really nice.. the exposed wood really adds to the art workd.. i like it a lot up there :) ..

School was just school today...

Dobrou Noc

Anička

BANÍK !!!! -day 90

We went to watch Baník.. they won!!! it was AMAZING!!!! I loved it! we DID the wave and Some Czech Football CHANt thingy..!!!!!!! I cant WAIT until SPring when their season STARts UP again!!!!!!!! It was A fantastic Start to DECEMBER!!! FANTASTIC NIGHT!! REALLY BUT truly great!!



WOOHOOO BANÍK!!!!!!

Dobrou Noc

Anička

PRAGUE WEEKEND days 87-89

Vanessa, Jessica, Josh L, and i hopped on a train early (very early) friday morning, off to our Rotary weekend in Prague. First stop Oloumoc where we will pick up Josh H and Meagan.. We were hoping for a cabin that would seat all six of us.. but with no luck we split into two groups and found some seats..
Once in Prague we had a huge echange student reunion in the main train station.. that turned some heads.. czechs dont hug very ofter... :) .. It was really cute. I had had quite a difficult time packing the present that I had purchased because of its sizse.. so for this short weekend.. i had a hoge mountain backpack.. that could have fit most of the things that i brought to the CzR.. needles to say i was especially happy once we ended our tram+ train travels and finally arrived at our hotel...

**side note** i bought a 4ft giant teddy bear for Gaby (the girl i was to buy for from Mexico)

We went out for a quick dinner, came back to the hotel to play some games with the rotex (who were in charge of running the weekend) then set up quite the little salon in our hotel room..

AND before i forget.. we had a czech test.. we knew there would be a written part but surpris!! there was an oral exam as well.... :(
i did ok on the written and made it through the oral.. we were given a "yes", a "no" or a "maybe".. I recieved a "maybe"... there was only one "yes given out.. so i didnt feel soo bad.. knowing my czech isnt soo great....

.. Back to the salon... there were originaly only going to be a few people who wanted a little flair in their har. but by the end of the evening darn near everyone had a little streak ofred or purple. The guys even joined in... one was so brave as to trust me to dye his entire fringe fushia purple!... ( i was the official hair dresser of the bunch :) ) There was evern a few hair cuts :).. just a trim for myself but then we (myself and allie) gave a few trims and a few new fringes.. A little later the Rotex came in and admired our lottle splashes of colour and we all talked till the wee hours..

Saturday, there was a scavenger hunt planned for most of the morning.. it was really great. It was a tad frosty out but it was an inventive way to show us the sites of prague.. Really fun! Later we went to a shopping center .. the only thing i purchased was some coffee and some crepes.. i was soo tired.. and the crepes really hit the spot!.. so much for souvenirs.. im sure ill be back so im not to worried about my lack of purchases.

We were all pretty tired from the lack of sleep and from walking all day...
.. but that didnt stop us from having another great night... we set up the salon again and a few more hair dye virgins got some colour.. and most of the people that had a streak already really wanted more.. We chatted with the Rotex all night agin.. I was talking with this one guy.. i dont remember his name.. but he was a competative vooseballer.. i didnt even know that was possible! but it was an interesting chatt :)

Sunday we had an early breakfast and it pretty rough... we had to say our goodbyes to everone.. the next rotary meeting isnt until the end of January.. and Lauren , our australian is heading home beofre the next reunion... it may be the last time we see her... :(.. it was rough...

*** once I got home from Prague and finished telling the family all about my weekend, I started talking to Vítek about how I was disappointed about missing Baníks last game.. Luckily Vítek works a few of Baníks games.. selling beverages.. and informed me of that there was a switch and that there last game was tomorrow night!!! So I called up Roman, inviting him out for a change :)

Dobrou noc

Anička

day 85

This morning I´m meeting Roman in the Cantine to work on his English. I think its really getting better :) Hes a really sweet guy.. who reall yreally loves Football (the football where you actually use your feet).. and for our little meeting he brought a long a bunch of football magasines to show me his favorite players.. and the articls that he writes for them..
I feel terrible though, everytime we hang out he invites me to do something with him on the weekends and im never around.. he invited me to go to Baníks last game (the local football team) which is on Sunday.. and Im in Prague.. I really wanted to see them play, they are such a source of pride for the peole of Ostrava and its a shame that im missing out...

*** this weekend in prague some of the gals have decided that they want to put a few small streaks of colour in their hair.. its very czech to have more than one.. or one crazy colour in your hair.. Its quite normal to see an elserly woman with purple hair.. ranging from the more common lavender.. all the way to violet!!.. They are definitely quite bold in that department. which was quite surprising since they are quite old fashioned.. or conservative in many others...

So happy to take part.. i picked up a few colours at the drug store!! im excited to see the resuluts!


Dobrou noc

Anička

day 84

ITS MY BROTHERS BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR william micheal patterson my favortist brother ever!!!!!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!


lovelovelovelvoelvoelovelovelovelovelovelovelove


LOVE YOU WILL!!!!!

Day 81

This weekend my host mom and sister are away at a workout weekend.. the women here are truly incredible! The men proud of their beer, their culture and their women (and many quite proudly sport their beer bellies..) while the women are crazy active.. many of them have jobs, while still are resposable for all the oldfashioned duties of the home.. and manage to find time to workout all the time!!! its truly crazy..

Anywasy....

Since the women are gone for the weekend i made sure that i had some plans for the weekend.. This morning Vítek, Kamil and I went to play badminton at Kamils firehall. It was great fun. We goofed around for a while then we had a little 3 person tournament. (i cam 3rd....) :)
Then we went out for lunch and ehaded home.. This afternoon I had plans with Roman and three of his friends to go to a french short film festival.

The collection of shortfilms was notably terrible... "Peur de Noir"
and yes infact i am!! which didnt help matter any. It turned out to be a collection of scary cartton stories about being scared of the dark.. the films were all in black and white...

It was nice spending more time with Roman and his friends, they were quite nice, but i was afrain for the better half of the "film festival".. Tomorrow im going secret santa shopping with Vanessa.. We decided to do Secret Santa with all of the Rotary Exchange students and we are exchanging next weekend in prague (a rotary weekend) I dont really know the person that Im supposed to buy for nearly as well as I should.. Im sure between Vanessa and I we will be able to figure it out!!

Dobrou Noc...

Anička

Small recap + day 80

So it has been quite a lengthy time since I have last written but Ive been really quite busy.. Actually I´ve had something almost every day.. I think it helps . Thats my conclusion anyway. Having something productive to do everyday or at least a small checklist of things to get done. It really helps to stay positive.

Im still tutoring English every Tuesday its great fun. We meet same time, same day, same place every week. Having something so constant really helps to establish a feeling of comfort and routine. We just talk for an hour or two and it helps his word recolection and mine.. If it werent for the English books that Ive been reading and the tutoring, I think that my English would be terrible.

My weekends have been really busy. Out of the past 4 weekends I´ve been away with Rotary for 3 of them. Its great to see the other exchange students, (truly love them!!) but its quite frustrating for both my host family and my friends. They don´t normally have much time after school , studies here are on a whole other level of intensity, so weekends are really the only time to hang out together. :( Its a real shame that Im busy at times. But my weekends are really great .

My free weekend was really really great though!!

Here they dont have a lëadership program in school but there is a group of students, "The Action team", which puts on a few theme days a year. This Friday (day 80.. november 21), was chocolate day. All of the students had to dress up in either black, brown or white.. then a group of us made chocolate pudding from scratch.. no "jell-o instant" over here.. and laddeled it out to whoever brought a cup. The class showing ther most chocolate pride was awarded a fantastic chocolate cake that one of my friends baked! It was really fun and an excellent end to the week. That evening I went to another Fishnet event, they hosted a čajovna. It was fantabulous!! really but really!! They had pillows all over the floor and fabrics drapiong from the ceilings all over the walls.. looking very authentic!!.. Then the head fishnet guy dressed into character and self appointed himself "Bobor" the official čaj man! Truly fantastic.. Ashley, the girl from texas that I believe i have mentioned before, and I talked all night and drew eachothers portraits.. with crayons and some craft paper.. they were fantastic might i add.. we totally have skills!!.. I stuck around to help with cleanup and chatt with the other. then a group of us went out for a bit.. SUper incredible fantasticle day!" truly smiles all round!!.. AND THERES MORE!! FIRST SNOW!! obviosly meaning.. first snow fight! it was wet. and freeyinging.. and fantastic!

ps.. i lost the battle of the snow terribly.. :(

pps.. i know it has been forever since ive written.. but i have abook that ive been writing things in.. so my blogs will still be pretty accurate. and i have about 16 of them all writen out its just a matter of having access to a computer.. and my families internet has been down for some while.. i know those are lame excuses.. but its true...

Love and miss you all!!!

Day 77

Rotary weekend was amazing! Josh, Vanessa and I met up with 3 more exchangees at the Třebič train stop and chatted with them untill we arrived! we were all soo excited to see everyone! Lauren (miss aussie) brought a friend who was visiting from Australia with her for the weekend.. Lucie. She is fantastic and fit in no problem!! we all go there and The Czech Republic Rotary head honcho gave quite a long shpeal about how some of us haven´t completed all of the paperwork quite properly and the like... but after he was finished we started some games and really had a good time. We met a few of the new faces that have just arrived ( and I thought that I arrived late..) and they are really fantastic! Night came around.. and I was rooming with pretty much the same crew as I was in Třebič.. I think Im closest with them!! Lauren (miss Aussie), her friend Lucie, Vanessa (miss london, ontario) and Kayla (miss wisconsin, USA). We stayed up most of the night laughing and gigeling over cosmos and some of the days events! Really good time.. Sunday we went for a little walk around the towns square and learned some of the history.. It was a pretty nice day out so none of us minded.. though it is starting to get a tad to cold for my liking.... Sunday ended pretty early.. we had lunch, grabbed our things then most of us went down to the Train station to hang out and say our final goodbyes... for one of the exchangees.. it was the last goodbye.
Viv is going back home on Saturday, after things just didn´t work out for her here... it will be the third one that we´ve lost. The first ( a belgian girl who we never met) was sent home within the first week or soo.. a mystery to us all. the second was Taylor.. he wasn´t really enjoying himself and had some medical preoblems.. but none of us really know his whole story... then theres viv. miss darling Viv. Shes been having a hard time from the start but she is really great and it was a really hard goodbye.. but she will be happier at home. So in a way we are happy for her.

The weekend over all was fantastic!! Vanessa, Kayla and I had some great adventures on the way home both in třebič and in Okřišky :)

Dobrou noc

Anička xoxo

Day 74

Oh my goodness.. its been a good week! and Ive been so excited for this weekend (a rotary weekend!!) that the time has just flown by!

School was school.. no difference there.. but I started my tutoring this week and tonight I finally made it to my first Fishnet event!
Tuesday was the first tutoring lesson.. we talked about Canada. It went really well. I brought some Candian currency and we disscussed the differences between who is represented on the canadian bills and on the czech bills aswell. we talked about everything. the chat lasted around 2 hours and it was great! it went much better than i was anticipating. Radek (the mans name that i am tutoring) had prepared some great questions and Lucy (the teacher) enjoyed taking part aswell. Lucy also has a small collection of english books that I was permitted to borrow from.. which I was eternally thankfull for, having finished all of my current material.. and I borrowed a few.

Tonight was absolutely fantastic!! Jarka invited me yet again to a fishnet event.. and i was able to attend! Fishnet is a group that works here (and in many other countries) to help connect youth with other youth in need of some guidance or assistance... Its an American based organisation and there are 5 americans here in Ostrava helping put on the fishnet activities. They put on activities frequently which many youth attend.. though its not an open event for everyone.. the people who do attend are encouraged to invite a friend.. So tonight was a games night.. scrabble, boggle, risk, monoploy.. and the like.. and Jarka invited me along. It was a great opportunity to meet the young adults here from the states and talk to them about there stay here in the Czech Republic. Its a three year or a few month program.. you pick which one you would like to sign up for.. everyone in Ostrava has been here at least one and a half years.. :)!! So they know the ins and outs of the town! really good conection to have! Everyone was really quite nice and I got a few new phone numbers aswell! next friday they are hosting a čajovna (teashop) and there putting together a bunch of teas and goodies. Exciting!!

Vítek met up with Jarka and I after and we made our way to a čajovna. Lovely! Its really quite a fantastic atmosphere to be in! very peacefull and calming.. Despite rthe fact that I haven´t found any ´chai´tea.. I found a tea that comes pretty darn close! :)

Tomorrow Vanessa, Josh and I leave for Jindřichuv Hradec (In-dree-koov hra-debts) for the rotary weekend! Im soo excited to see everyone and to travel on the train!!

YAY!!

Jsem s unavená, tak dobrou noc!!

Anička xoxo

Day 68

so today is sunday... a few days since I´ve updated.. but I´ve had a few down days: reading, trying to do some baking, and helping out around the house.. that I didn´t think would make for the best blog material.. so overal school is just the same as it always is.. But yesterday was quite eventfull so heres the update : I went out with a few new guy today. I´ve never been out with them before so im really excited§! Weŕe going to the gym then hitting up the pool to goof off and do some laps. It was supposed to be Roman, Vašek and a blond girl whose name i never quite caught.. but she backed out. When we go thtere the gym was closed so we went for a walk instead. The guys gave me a little tour of that end of town, since I had never explored the area.. then we stopped by a friends place to see if he wanted to come with us.. he wasn´t in but his brother was more than happy to tag along. So the 4 of us explored the playgrounds and the feilds at the other end of town then made our way to the pool. The pool was great fun! The guys walked me home and we made some plans for next week. I was planning for a quiet night at home when i got a call from Vanessa (an exchange student who lives near by from canada) asking if i was interested in going out with her aunt and her. Not one to turn down an opportunity i said of course! Turns out her aunts friend was Djing a disco at a local place and he had saved us a table! We were up dancing all night and even put in some song suggestions! (i asked for the twist :)!! ) It was a fantastic end to the day! really good day overall!!

Then today I spent moist of the day lounging around and reading one of the books that i borrowed from the exchange students. Fantastic read.. its called ´the constant gardner´.

tata for now Iĺl update again soon..

Čau, Anička

Day 63

Firstly I have to mention that last night, as I was sleeping innocently, a mosquito decided that I would be the perfect candidate for a surprise attack. Not only did I receive multiple bites all over my upper and lower body.. but the mosquito was so kind as to bite me right on the lid of my left eye, causing it to swell completely shut. As it remained for the duration of the day! From the (limited) looks of things now it, will be swollen for a few more days... I surely was a sight to see at school today, and everone made sure to come over and ask how I was doing and what the heck happened to me.. It was great fun and we all got a few good laughs out of it all. So school went well... :)

After school I took the tram down into the centre to meet with one my English teachers who had asked me to meet with her husband and her to practice their English.
We met at this lovely café and talked for about 2 hours. It was great. The couple is quite nice. So we have arranged that on Tuesdays we will meet and her husband and I (since her English is already quite good) will talk about a previously decided topic. Next weeks topic is Canada.

Its late, so I´m off to bed

Dobrou noc

Anička

Day 60

This morning, after a classic czech breakfast of rolls with an assortment of meats and cheeses, Vítek and I went out for another walk. We went up the mountains near by, where Vítek showed me this great spot where you can see the whole village down below. It took my breath away ( or was that the mighty hike up there??.. ) Anyways, it was amazing! Then we found some trails around the mountain and had fun getting lost in them for a while.. Then we found the BESTEST, the GRANDEST, the MOST FANTASTIC pile of leaves to jump in ever! You literally just had to fall forward into the leaves and you would be completely lost in them.. we had to swim our way out of it so we could jump back in!! it was really but truly great!!! Ive made a point of juming in every suitable pile of leaves Ive come across so far and slowly Vítek has come around and now jumps in them as frequently as I do with a similar look of child like happiness on his face! it was really Great and kept our attention for a good 45 minutes! Then we continued on our walk. We rolled down the ski hill that we came across then made are way to the river then back to the cottage for some lunch. Tonight I went over to Vanessa place for the night.. We watched Amazing Grace and had some chocolate... a gals night :) It was good fun!

But Its late now so i am off to bed.. we have some chatting to do!! lol

Dobrou Noc
Anička

Day 59

So tonight we headed up to the families Cottage. After school Vítek and I packed up some things and headed to the train station... I always get really excited heading to the train station!!
So we got to the cabin and enjoyed a mug of tea with Babíčka and Dědeček (grandma and grandpa), then Vítek and I headed out for a walk. He took me for a walk into the near by village, its quite small, and showed me around. It was great to hear some of the stories he had to share about his childhood in the cabin. It was really sweet. We all got in our jammies and watched a cute black and white Czech film, enjoying yet another mug of tea. (They drink a lot of tea here!!)

It was a great evening.. Dobrou Noc
Anička

Day 58

So today a band from California came and played at our school. It wasn´t really my kind of music but it was fantastic to talk with them after the show... they stuck around and talked with the group about life in the States and theirs tours.. They have been in the Czech republic for 5 weeks touring.. I stayed with them for a bit afterwards helping them with clean up to talk about their thoughts and experiences in the Czech Republic. It was a great opportunity and Im soo happy they came.

After they left and I cought up with my friends.. I found it really hard to come back to the czech reality. It was a pretty tough afternoon, their was a part of me that wished I could go with the group (touring some of the czech republic then head back home), but their was a greater part of me that realized what a mistake that would be. I can´t imagine walking away from an opportunity like this. It truely is fantastic here and my friends are really great! Supportive and kind, we have tons of fun together. Ive really bonded with a few of them. Im starting to see more of the subtle differences between the cultures and really starting to appreciate being able to see from a new perspective.. Its been really great and I look forward to the rest of my stay!

I messaged Vanessa and we met up in the center.. It was time for an exchange experience talk. We talked about our families, about home, about the ups and downs.. Its really great to have someone to chat with thats going through some of the same things.

The evening ended well with a chat with home. I got the chance to talk not opnly with my mom but with my dad and my brother for a bit. It really helps to ease your un easiness. Coming into the exchange I expected quite the opposite, that after chatting with home I would find it reaqlly hard to come back to my Czech Reality, but it really helps me actually. I guess its different for everyone.

So after it all it was a great day!

Love you all. Dobrou Noc,
Anička

Day 57

So its been a very but very long time since I´ve last written.. sorry for the hold up. I´ve been really busy, friends, family and czech life in general is pretty time consuming. Ill just touch on a few of the highlights of the past 2 weeks..

I´ve been hiking.. TWICE.. First time with my host dad and his fellow firefighters. It was tons of fun and, really tiring.. my legs and bottom were about to fall right off! The firefighters were really sweet, most didn´t know very much english but I tried to talk to everyone on the trip no matter the language barrier... it was a short little jaunt to the highest point in the Beskilí mountains.. the closest mountain range.. no biggie, (for my first major hike!!)...
My second was with Vitek and Jindra.We had a holiday from school one day so they decided to take me out and show me the "country " side... turned into the mountain side and became a 30km hike .. The weather took a turn for the worse once we started climbing to higher elevations.. and we started climbing in the snow. My first snow in Czech Republic :) !!

Czech Republic Day was yesterday so we were granted a lengthy weekend!! We didn´t have school this Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday! Fantastic!!

Went to a movie with Vanessa, a girl who is close by here on exchange from London, Ontario, Vicky Chritina Barcelona.. it was great! super cute flick! I´ve been spending a bit more time with her since we´ve now realised how close we are and the more we realise that it helps to have a friend who knows what your going through and is going through the same themselves.. Its been a great help to have her around.

A group of us went for a day out together recently. It was a fun filled day of Ice skating, bowling, tea drinking :) It was absolutely rediculous trying my feet at skating again.. its been a while and took some getting used to the feeling again. (shout out to you Beans!! I still have the scars on my ankles. lol!!! ). The tea was really but truely fantastic and since only 2 of the 8 people that I was with all day spoke English, it was a very Czech day as well.

After realising how much time that I spend with my host brother Vitek, I made some plans with my host sister Elíška.. We went out shopping one afternoon with her and her friends, we didn´t buy anything but it was tons of fun and good bonding time. We ended the day with a trip to the tea shop and all sat around sitting on our cushions drinking great teas and talking in French.. My host sisters english isn´t very good and either is her friends, so since my czech isn´t very established the next best language was french, which thankfully they all were able to communicate in. Who knew french immersion would actually come in handy!

I still really love my family here and am really enjoying the experience! Thank you everyone back home for all of your help and support.

Love you all and Ill try to keep you updated a little more regularly..
Have a fantastic day!!

Ahoj,
Anička.

Day 43

I´m soo sore today! Pilates on Monday, Gym class yesterday, swimming after tea last night, and Gym class today.. my muscles are feeling it! ( Fighting that lovely Rotary 10lbs that everyone talks about with every tooth and nail! hahaha )

So I went to my 2nd Rotary meeting today.. I brought some heels and some dress up pretty clothes from home and changed at school today, so I would look presentable at Rotary. I got a few funny looks on the way there on the tram, but I´m used to it.. haha I speak english for heavens sake! I get funny looks all of the time! I always smile back :).. I find it really amusing!
I did some running around before the meeting started in the center.. just some errands here and there.. and I needed to buy some Runners for Gym class and some Hiking boots for the Friday.. so I really had to get down to business... Shopping in heels is a really bad idea... I don´t know how czechs manage to wear them all of the time.. my legs and my bottom hurt way more than they did earlier today! Running around in heels today was a for sure no no... Lesson learned.
Rotary was ok. All of the meetings seem to be business meetings.. Its very different from the club at home.

I´m starting to feel more and more independant agin! its great getting that feeling back.. I´m starting to master the tram stations and the bus system.. so once I have got those completely understood than I´´m sure Iĺl feel much better. I rode the tram to and from Rotary today! Independance :).. I was really happy that my parents were ok wqith me going bymyself.. I´m not used to being SO looked after.. its weird.. so it was nice to do something by myself..

When I got home from Rotary I noticed that my host brother had put little sticky notes around the house... a few here and there labeling things in czech... he´s such a cutie! haha its a great idea and I think it will help a bit...

Tak Čao....
Anička

P.S. I sat with a new guy today in class!!! I´m really glad that I switched things up a bit today! I hadn´t talked to him very much before and it was nice to chat with someone new!

Day 42

Today I went to a tea shop!!! It was absolutely fantastic!!

I went with 2 gals that I met on the school trip (Poland, Latvia, Lithuania). It was nice to go with them because I haven´t talked with them since the trip and its nice to have many little groups of friends!

When we first got to the tea shop I was a little nervous.. itś in the basement of some apartment building.. so you walk down a few stairs and ring the bel.. a guy comes and opens the little peephole. makes sure your ok to come in than opens this large wooden door.. you walk in to a small circular room where you take off your shoes.. then continue inside.. once inside all of my hesitations went out the window.. it was amazing!! Something right out of the dreams of my friends back home and I. Really fantastic.. The ceiling is covered in draped, billowing fabrics,.. the walls covered in wall hangings and tapestries.. all of the tabels are on little platforms.. you sit on pillows and beanbag chairs and sip tea around little round tabels.. Really fantastic! haha and the Tea was great too!!!

I had a really great time today!

Dobrou noc
Anička

Day 40... recap

SO I realise how horrible I am at keeping a log of things.. journals diaries and blogs aren´t my fortay, but I´m trying to keep you all posted.. so recap of days 37-40

37- fantastic day!!! I went shopping after school with Vitek and Miša in the center and bought some balloons for tomorrow (its my host moms Birthday!!!) Aparently balloons aren´t very common for anyone over the age of 6 but I told my host brother that at home balloons are a crucial part to any birthday (for me anyway) so it would be my little canadian touch on the day.. We found some fantastic yellow balloons that have smiley faces on them! fantastic! Later, Vitek and I spent an hour or two blowing all of them up and hiding them in my room! Exciting!!!! I LOVE BALLOONS!!!!

38- Its moms Birthday!! yay!! It was a super day, there was no school today! the class went into the center to the mini-cinemas and watched foreign films.. the German class went to one and watched a film in German and our French class went to the other and watched one in French! It was a fantastic little flick.. super cute! Don´t remember what it was called but the leading lady was the main actress in Amelie as well... it was really quite cute.. though the Czech subtitles didn´t help when my french faltered...
We went to library and found an english section.. YAY!! There is still a chance of me holding on to my english! (its been getting worse and worse since the day I arrived)
Some family came over tonight to wish mom a very merry day, though most of the family will be coming tomorrow.., and we gave her a few gifts.. then Brought down the balloons!!! it was great! there were enough to cover the floor.. and everyone form Grandma to my younger sister were having a blast playing with them! A definate success! Just when I thought the evening was winding down Vitek tells be that there is a ball tonight that we are attending.. a BALL... so we all rush upstairs and get all prettied up. Once we get there I see that it is infact a ball... Everyone is huge glamorous party dresses and suits. All the students take ballroom dancing lessons in school for at least one year, than many of them continue and take additional classes.. everything from the Waltz to the Cha cha... it was amazing to see.. I got up and danced a few rounds myself.. but not tiull the freestyle and disco times came around... my host dad told me that later this winter he will teach me to dance.. I´m nervous but excited! The night was truely fantastic and a great topper to the day...

39- Family, Family, Family! Host dads parents (the grandparetns that I met last weekend..), aswell as a few other family members, came over today. Toasted with champaigne yet again... this grandmother loves her champaigne! Later in the everning Vitek and I went to the movies and saw Mama Mia.. it was really cute. I had heard mixed reviews but the songs were great and it reminded me of my mom.. it was great! (it was in English with Czech subtitles!!)

40- Went on a long walk today with my host parents.. through the forest and in some of the nearby towns.. Lovely day outside!
I´ve picked up sewing as a new hobby... its cheap.. and easy to do a little here and a little there.. its great really!! I´ve altered a few tops and stiched some designs onto a few things... i love it.. My host parents were really concerend for a while though.. (thes probably still woudl be if it wasn´t for the fantastic translation skils of Vitek..) they were convinced that my clothes were really old and falling apart because I was sewing so much.. they pulled me aside and asked me if I needed to go shopping and if I needed anything to just ask.. it was really sweet of them.. and with Viteks help, I was able to explain to them that I wasn´t stiching up holes in my clothes.. just altering them a bit... it was really cute.. and now they love to see what I´m sewing!
I´ve been with this family just over a week and its really fantastic.. I love it here.. I´m not as lonely and I feel really comfortable. Less like a guest and more like part of the family!

Everthing is going really well.. and the last week and a bit has been absolutely great! I´m really happy with where I am now!

Love you all and hope all of your days are great!!

Ahoj!
Anička

Day 36

Oh my gosh!! Today at school Adam asked me to read the announcements... a little less than 2 minutes later I made my way down to the office with a little slip of paper in my hand and Adam beside and read, over the PA system... IN CZECH.. the announcement that Adam was to make.. It was horroble and hilarious! The office staff was surprised when I opened my mouth a couldn´t say anything properly... I had never met them before anmd they had just thought I was czech (I love when thatz happens!! It even better when they still think I´m Czech after brief introductions!). I knew that I hadn´t said most of it properly.. it was great fun trying though!

For our Physics class today Veronica, Jarka and I constued a master plan! If the teacher asked me what I had learned.. which she always did... we had my response all planned out and if I didn´t realise that she was talking to me.. Veronica would start to tap her pencil.. that was my sign to start talking.. It was a great plan! I would recite a little Czech.. than end it all iwth " Mám rada fisiku " (I like physics).. Todays class was the very first class that she didn´t ask me what I had learned... I´m readys for next week!!!

The French teacher is still ill, so the class had a spare block.. Vitek Jindra dn I all headed to Viteks and watched Chicago. Great movie.. but I have the songs still stuck in my head.. After the movie we headed out for a bike ride.... a bike ride.... (oh goodie...). We rode out to Veronikas for a visit.. What I thought would be a lazy afternoon, where I could rest.. still sore from Pilates (and swimming last night) turned into a 26 km bike ride.. up, down, and around hills, rocky paths, and village roads. We came home around 8:30.. dead tired...

Have I mentioned that I am a terrible bike rider..

Had a good chat with dad about languages and traveling tonight...


I am truely exausted.. so Dobrou Noc
Anička

Day 34

(I´m still playing catch-up.. today is Monday..)

School, School, School!! Same as alwys,.. had lunch at school today for 2nd time (fish, mashed potatoes, kidney bean soup and grated carrot salad - consisted of grated carrots in apricot juice).
I wrote an English test today in my English Seminar.. it was actually horrible. I had no idea that they had a test... It was on the transportation system here in Czech and in Great Britain. Well I´ve never been on a train so that question was a write off.. and I´ve never learnt about or taken British transit so those four were writer offs as well. Considering there were 19 questions and the last ten were "translate these czech sentences into English" I´m guessing I received a solid 4/19.. and thats if I get all of the questions that I was able to answer correct.. Probably the worst English test I´ve ever written. It was hilarious because helping eachother on exams is not only common, its more or less accepted by the teachers. Most of them know and/or allow it! So the kids that I was sitting with were really quite excited to be next to me. Some help I was.. I´m sure they all did better than I did.

After school I bought some shoes. These slip on sandal things as a slipper substitute at home and at school.. its amazing how many people have these shoes! I thing I´ve had a pair once in Canada... but it was a few years back and I used them as regular shoes .. They are lovely and red!! My first real purchase! I´m feeling more Czech by the day!

Tonight Mom and I went to Pilates... I am so incredibly sore.. It was great though. Congrats to all of the 50 somethings that were in the class with me! Wow they were impressive! Whatever shape I though I was in, I´m slearly not haha.. it was hilarious some of the moves.. Mom has been going to classes for 11 years and is still in the beginners class.. we floundered together.. Bonding :) We came home flopped on the couch ..
I am updating the blog than heading straight to bed!!!

Dobrou noc
Anička

Day 33

haha So I´m still playing catch up.. so for the sake of this blog.. today is Sunday... My first full day with my host family 2.

Today Vitek is helping out at a First Aid training program, so I will be getting to know the family without the help of his english.. Itĺl be a great way to practice my Czech! Adam, Mirek, Jindra, and Vitek are all helping, they are actors and will be acting out skits all day that result in horrible fake (but realistic looking) cuts and wounds, and tons of fake blood! It is also My sisters Name Day today! YAY!!! We had a great breakfast together adn chatted for a few hours, a little in Czech and a little in English. It was good to get to know eachother. After our chat I finished unpacking and got a little more comfortable in my room, putting some pictures up here and there! We had a fantastic lunch than headed out for walk. Its great, there is a forest near the house and its the perfect setting for long walks. The weather is fantastic today. A light sweater and some pants and you are set for a walk in the woods, which is exactly what we did!

Tomorrow is Babičkas birthday so we went over to have a joint celebration: her birthday and sisters name day.. Grandma was so cute! Vitek told me that she had talked with him him earlier and asked how to say a few things in English. It was adorable! We toasted with champaigne then had some delicious cake. I didn´t understand very much but Grandma, Grandpa and one of their aunts were there, so it was great to meet the family.

I chatted with Jindra tonight using ICQ for the very first time!!! Its really popular here, its there version of MSN.

So i forgot to mention yesterday, that i missed International Slow Walking Day.. it was on Friday. Jindra ¨, Vitek and I were talking about it last night.. :(

I found out that its mom b-day on Friday so I´ll have the chance to meet more family!

The family that I am with now is really active. Today they told me the routine...Monday-Pilates, Tuesday-Swimming, Thursday- Aerobics and Friday- Swimming.. its fantastic!!! There is Wednesday and the weekends free and there is always the forest close by!

Had another great day!!
Na zdraví
Anička

Day 32

Hello hello everyone! So today is Saturday and I have a busy day ahead of me.. I MOVE TODAY!!
(Its a few days late, I´ve been busy, and I thought better late than never to catch all of you up.. so we´re just pretending its Saturday..)

So first of all, the whole family ( family 1) slept in this morning after our late dinner out last night. It was great having such a relaxing start to the weekend!!! Then we all got ready and headed out for our traditional Czech Lunch, at their favorite little spot. Lunch started off with what loked to be a lovely soup, it smelt great and I was looking forward to spooming on in. Out of no where, my brother started making funny faces and gesturing that I shouldn´t eat it.. Dusan said that he was just being a goof, and to continue with lunch. Nervously I picked up my spoon and tasted my soup... It tasted just fine, pretty good actually so I was still quite confused as to why brother had done what he had earlier.. I kept eating and discovered a mystery object.. well objects at the bottom of my bowl.. I chose to wait till after I was finished to inquire as to what kind of soup it was exactly.. Great choice on my part. Turns out that the soup was Cow Stomach Soup and that is exactly what was in the bottom of the bowl..... I glad that I didn´t ask while I was eating it, or else I might not have finished it and in the end I´m glad that I´ve tried it. Its part of their culture and thats why I´m here. A memorable lunch for sure...

Afterwards we went home to collect my things and then we headed over to Viteks. I managed to pack all of my things (well all of the things that I am bringing for my two month stay) into ONE suitcase and my purse! I was quite proud of myself.

In my second home there is the father, mother, sister, and Vitek. I get a SISTER!!! Yeah! The mom is an accountant, the father works with the firemen.. he is the one who determines the cause of the fire, and my sister is 14 and therefore a student like Vitek and myself. Dad has pretty good English, and mom tries her hardest and is getting better every day! Since the sister is 14 her english is still quite limited, but she is attending a language school so is also learning french, which comes in handy when we don´t understand eachother.. Charades is always a fun last resort! :) Vitek is great! Its nice being able to live with a friend and their family.

After a little settling in, Vitek and I went out to a city council meeting to support Jindra who was there proposing some ideas. It was really boring, haha, but Jindra really appreciated us coming out! Afterwards we went over to the main street, there was a cycling race going on.. Both Jindra and Vitek are really into biking. The race was around the oval on main street... around and around and around.. Jindra said that the winner normally comes in at around 4 hours.. 4 HOURS of going around in a circle! I wouldn´t be able to do it.. despite the fact that I physically would be unable to make a bicycle go the speeds that they were going.. I don´t think I could manage the boredom of going in circles for that long.. Thats some kind of devotion to the sport! The three of us came back to Viteks and sat around chatting for a few hours before Jindra had to catch the bus.. it was great just being able to walk up stairs and go to bed!

Over all it was an excellent day! I am so happy in this new house, everyone is so friendly and smiley! Its great!

Well have great day!!
Na zdraví
Anička

Day 31

So oh my goodness I have blogged three days in a row! I don´t know what has come over me! :)

So I talked with Jindra lots today! Hes such a cutie, love talking with him. He was saying that he was really looking forward to Physics class. This sounding very odd coming from Jindra of all people, I questioned further.. apparently last class (the day I was sick) he received a 5, every class the students recieve a mark from 1-5... 5 being a fail... he had been chatting away all class and at the end of the class when the teacher asked to see his notes he had nothing to show for the day.. so as homework he was supposed to make up all of the notes that he had neglected to write.. he didn´t write the notes, so in todays class there was to be quite a show.. I was actually quite excited, maybe for once, the Physics teacher wouldn´t examen my czech skills.. Today there was a bit of a show.. she was really Really unimpressed that he hadn´t done the notes.. so he was class lackie.. wiping the blackboards every 2 minutes.. getting the teacher water.. even sharpened her pencil! it was really funny :) Though despite todays little amusement.. she didn´t forget to come and give me my little daily czech language quiz.. I had actually been practicing abit so I felt pretty confident when she started to look my way.. She always mixs it up though! It would be quite a different story if she looked me in the eyes every class and asked what I had learned the past week.. She started talking about the weather! Then after her little speech on how it was raining outside.. she looked at me and expected response.. I hadn´t even known she was talking to me.. If it weren´t for my friends translating after class what exsclty she says to me in class.. I would really have no clue what she says to me ... Anyways.. now Pavel (the guy I sit with) has decided that its amusing that I have no idea what the teacher is saying to me.. so as he apears to be being helpful by nodding or shaking his head as motion for response.. if/when ¨I folow his lead.. it just further shows that I haven´t the slightest idea what the teacher is talking about! Everyone including the teacher and I, normally get quite a laugh out of our daily little ritual.. But I am looking forward to the day when I understand what she is saying and when I can respond.

Today I used my little high-tech red chip at lunch today and ate in the cafeteria like everyone else! it was great! I am starting to feel like one of the students!

I really did have some good chats with Jindra today, even Adam reached out a bit and initiated some conversation! I know I should be the one initiating and I do, but its great when they do the same!! I was really impressed! Czechs (from what I have seen) are quite comfortable with habbit... change isn´t always easily accepted or wanted.... so it was great when they came up to me and struck up a conversation.
School was quite dry today, but socially it was a great day!

After school I had made plans to hang out with Jarka and her friend from the other school. We were going to attend this reunion of sorts from an English Camp that they had attended, and they invited me to tag along.. I was really excited.. In the end it didn´t work out.. but it was ok in the end.. I got some extra packing time (I move tomorrow) and then when Svetlana came home we went into the center and went shopping for some things that she needed for her trip to India. She found what she needed.. not a very successful trip on my part though. It was an amazing mall.. OMG! The parking lot is bigger than the Penticton mall... I´m not kidding! Its huge! It was great from the get go.. going up the escalator (haha yes they have escalators and elevators in their mall!) the first shop that I saw was this cool looking clothing shop.. and after reading the english signs that they had in the windows.. I noticed that it was all organic cotton and natural fabric clothing! Sometimes organic and natural clothing has a specific look to them that I don´t always love.. but these clothes were amazing! I´m excited to actually go shopping!!
After our shopping we picked up Ricard, a family friend, and headed to a restaurant for a bite ( it was around 9pm.. so I had a coffee instead..). It was a lot of fun though!

Tomorrow I´m going out with the family for a traditional Czech lunch, than coming home to get some last things together before heading out to my second host family! I´m soo excited!!

Last night.. I had the worst headache.. couldn´t sleep in any position. it was horrible.. I ended up taking my blankets onto the floor and sleeping there.. I did get a few hours in the end but woke up feeling the side effects of sleeping on a tile floor in my shoulders! Hoping for a grat night sleep tonight.. my head is feeling much better!!

Well I am off to bed...
Have an amazing day/evening everyone!

Love and laughter

Anička

P.S. When I was packing earlier, I found the back up iPod charger that I bought last minute.. I had totally forgotten about that I had it! Music is a huge part of my day to day life.. and I haven´t had my music in almost a month.. My iPod is charging as I type! I had a pretty good day.. and it just got a million times better 5 minutes ago when I found my charger!!! OMgosh I can´t describe how happy I am right now!!! Smiles all around!!! :)


PPS.. I haven´t forgotten that I still need to write about my school trip.. I´ll get to it eventually..

Day 30

I´m not sick anymore!! The sniffels are gone and I´m feeling 105% as I get ready for the move.

I went to school today and made some plans with some friends for tomorrow and talked with Vitek about Saturday. Saturday I move to my second host families house where I will be staying for about 2 months.. I´m moving so soon because my current host family is off to India for a month to celebrate the dads big 50.. Sounds like an amazing trip!! I´m really excited to move in with this family! Vitek was one of the people that I hit it off with from the get go and I´ve hung out with him a bunch since I´ve been here. It was a pleasant surprise to find out that he was going to be my future host brother! Anyways I´m off, just wanted to keep you in the know!

Love and Laughter!

Anička

Day 29

Hello again.. So today is day 29, I have almost been here a whole month and so far its been grand. Lots of traveling: Slovakia, Trebič, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland.. new friends, a lovely family, and I´m even starting to understand a bit more czech!

Sunday, I went with the family on a little day trip to a small town close by to have a look-see at the watchtower and the local castle. The watchtower was very interesting. It marks the spot where a US Liberty plane crashed during an emergency landing in 1944. From the tower you are able to see where the men landed and the landing of spot of the plane itself (with tthe help of the handy tour guide that works at the tower). Most men were either captured and held captive by German soldiers or died from impact, but there were a few who made it out alive. One man hid in a nearby forest living off of the land for some time. Before he died, he hung a large 15 by 15 cm Cross that had a large image of Jesus´ head in the middle of it, on a near tree.. The tree has since grown of course, but the cross remains. The tree, for the past 64 years, has grown around the cross. Visitors can still see 5x5 cm of the cross through the whole that has naturally formed in the tree, which outlines the head of the Jesus in the center of the cross. It was very cool. After our outing, we stopped at Dušans mothers and had streudle.. yum yum yummy :)
Monday, I went to school which was a little dry. I had my harder subjects and my classmates had to write tests in 4 of them, so naturally they were a little stressed.. But after school I came home and played soccer with the neighbor kids ( All between the ages of 6 and 10.... the 6 year old has better czech than I do..). That was a lot of fun. They were convinced that because I was older I had to be a pretty good soccer player, so the teams were made up of myeslef... vs. all of them. The score ended up being around 13-0.. for the kids.. but it was great! After our game of soccer a girl named Míriška (7) gave me a bit of a czech lesson :) She is soo adorable!
Tuesday, I only went to school for half of the day. I went out for lunch with my parents and they noticed that i wasn´t feeling very well so they brought me home to sleep before they went back to work.. So I lay on the couch and watched movies (in czech naturally) and slept until 6pm when the family all came home for the day. The high light of the day for sure, was seeing my brothers face when he found out that I had eaten the yogurt he had "Shottied" the day before.. I had totally forgotten his claim to the strawberry yogurt when I was enjoying it earlier.. but it came rushing back to me when he opened the fridge last night and asked the whereabouts of the yogurt in question.. he spent a good 5 minutes looking through the fridge, then I walked in and noticed what was going on.. I told that I had eaten it ealier by mistake.. he was truely upset.. OVER YOGURT. Later that night Mom went to the local shop.. I went with and purchased a container of my brothers favorite yogurt and it out it in the fridge for him to have in the morning (after taking a sharpie and drawing a big smiley face on it).
TODAY, I went to school today to purchase my lunch chip. Its this little red plastic chip that you put on your key ring and scan over this little scanner at lunch.. Its really quite high-tech! When i was at school , waiting in line for the little red lunch tag, one tof the teachers, who I think mist speak English because hers was great, came up to me and asked if I would talk with her Husband.. She said that her English is quite good but he wants to speak to someone who is a native speaker. I wa sa little hesitant to agree because my English has become a lot worse since arriving here. But I think it will be good for me aswell as him, I will have the opportunity to practice speaking proper nglish and so will he. I asked her what he was wanting out of these conversations.. because I don´t think that I am a fit to be teaching him anything in the grammatical sense, but she said that all he wants is to talk in English. If I kow how to do anything its talk :) We have yet to arrange a time, but Iĺl be going over once a week to chat. She said he woud pay me, just enough to have a little pocket money to go out for coffee or something, but to get m¨paid just to talk to someone.. in my native language.. We´ll see how it goes.. But after I bought my little red card and talked with the teacher I trammed my way back home and slept all day.... still sick :( But on a high note, my brother talked to me today! Hahaa he appreciated the yogurt!

Life and Laughter
Anička

P.S. My brother hasd maybe eaten 3 vegetables since I´ve been here.. he will literaly scrape them of his plate, or give them to his dad, even if its only 3 slices of raddish (no joke.. this an actual example!), then tonight we had spinach (I´ve plum forgotten how to spell it.). Not just a little bit of leaf on the side of the plate.. but a large (VERY large) scoop of previously frozen mushed spinach, and he ate it all up! He didn´t finish his meat or potatoes but he scraped the last bit of the green stuff off of his plate! I was in shock! So.. mental note: for X-mas heś getting Yogurt and Spinach!! :)

Day 25... again

So... I have now composed myself J and will start again (saving throughout!)

Hello hello hello.. there is so much to fill you all in on! Its been a while since my last report, but there is a very good reason, which we´ll get to later. But there really is a ton of things to write in the blog today so it may seem a little jumpy and/or all over the place.. sorry in advance..
1. Mineral water is everywhere! Not just that Perrier, which I´ve never been to fond of, but dozens of different kinds. You can get it in flavors such as peach, white grape, or orange, which are really tastely, or unflavored. At restaurants if you ask for water you have to specify if you want it still, otherwise you will end up with .5 L of the fizzy stuff, which doesn´t quite go down the same if your not expecting it. The mineral water here also ddoesn´t have the same after taste that lingers in your mouth as the Perrier does, it goes down fresh. I am actually growing to like it. And people here drink it as if there is no end! My family goes through around 9 bottles (1.5 L each) a week..
2. I spent the 2 hours of my double block of Biology learning about wheat crops. Wheat crops.. I actually only understood about 50 words all class, the only reason I knew that we were talking about wheat crops was because of the teachers drawings on the board. I have a set of identical drawings in my book. Since i don´t understand the bulk of what the teacher is saying, I make sure that whenever he/she writes (draws in this case) anything on the board, I copy it down. This way I can either it later, so I have some idea what my classmates were learning all day.
3.The students here have much more respect for their teachers, or at least they show it in a more obvious way. At the start of each class when the teacher walks in, everyone stands. They stay standing until the teacher reaches their desk and lets them know that it is ok for them to now take a seat. When the bell goes at the end of class no one moves a muscle. No one stirs till the teacher says that is ok to pack up their things and exit the class. This can either be right at the bell, or a few minutes after. I have been there when the teacher takes the 10 minutes we have to get to our next class, to continue their lesson and we ar efaced with explaing our tardies to our next teacher. Most of the teachers are really nice, and either don´t make us stay after the bell, or they are understanding when we come in late because one of the other teachers has.
4. I did some digging around to find out the story behind the painted president hanging in every classroom.. Turns out (from what I´ve been told) 8-10 years ago it was law that the presidents picture hang in every classroom, and now it hangs there because of the headmasters preference. I still find eerie..
5. In English class the students ar elearning about the different tenses ... I didn´t know how many different tenses there were! I can use them in day to day life but I don´t think I could name them the way they are made to. I guess that s the difference between learning a second language and knowing your maternal language.. Then again, I can see my past English teachers shaking their heads now... I´m sure I´ve learned these tenses, along with their names, at some point in time.. I was especially nervous when the teacher proposed a competition. He wrote out a test where we had to name the tenses is the paragraph, list them in order of appearance, if anyone recieved a higher mark than me at the end of the test, they would be awarded points towards the prize given out at the end of the year.. I got them all right.. I wasn´t so sure though. I had stars beside one of them because I truely didn´t know if it was right...
6. The Physics Teacher finds it really amusing to have me. The foreigner, in her class. Every class she stops what she is doing, at random (I am convinced she does it to catch me off guard .. just to see my “deer caught in headlights” epression every class!), and starts to talk to me in Czech.. half the time I don´t even realise that she is talking to me.. Thank goodness for Pavel (the guy I sit next to).. he elbows me once he clues in that I haven´t. He has also mastered the art of translating what shes telling me without her noticing.. she won´t allow the students to talk to me in English. (She has a point there.. if they stopped talking to me in English I would sure learn Czech a whole lot faster... but they all want to practice their English. Here English is important if you want to have a good job, for many its a necessity... Its hard to get them to speak in Czech..) Normally I am able to muster up a few words in czech.. enough to show her that I´m making progress.. and if I freeze on the spot, then Pavel is there to bail me out.. whispering easy sentences for me to reiterate. She is really nice despite her quick quizes every so often..
7. Around day 18: I was just sitting in the cafeteria waiting for class to start, it was later in the afternoon because I had had spares in the morning, when a teacher came over to me and motioned for me to go with her. I followed her into the office, where I signed this paper ( I assumed that this was a similar routine to Penhighs.. when you come late you sign in at the office.. seemed safe to assume..... Never assume..). The teacher then motioned for me to follow her to one of the classrooms, (I didn´t know the school very well and it wasn´t out of the ordinary for a teacher to stop and show me the way to my She opened the door to 25 pairs of confused 13 year old eyes that watched me enter their class. I knew that something was off.. why was I in this class?? The teacher started to introduce me to the class... I didn´t understand until she said the word “Učitelka”. “Teacher”.... It took me a moment to realise the misunderstanding. This teacher thought that I was the substitute teacher she had been waiting for and she was introducing me to her class!!! After finding a student to help translate what was lost in translation, I made my way back to the cafeteria and waited for the bell, which went but moments later.
8. Almost everyday after school, Adam, Vitek, Jindra, and I head for the tram station. The boys have a little competition going that I have just recently become involved in.. The walk to the tram station takes about 4 minutes, or would if one were to walk at an average comfortable pace, and the boys compete, with themselves and their previous high scores, to see how long it takes to get there. The record to beat is 21 minutes... my best time is 14.. its a true talent to walk as slow as these boys manage to. There are rules to the challenge: the competitor is not allowed to come to a complete stop at any time, nor are they allowed to go an alternative route. We stick to the same route, and walk as slow as we can, while still maintaining a flow of sorts. The final showdown is in June.. I will keep you updates as to the results of practice rounds to come!
9. Kleenex.... or in Czech : Papírové Kapesníky (Pap-ear-ovair Cap-a-sneaky), is incredibly popular here! At first I thought it was just my family, but after seeing the kids at school and after the school trip ( which I will mention a little later), I have come to the conclusion that people from Ostrava, if not all of Czech, are heavily dependant and are large players in/on the Kleenex industry! My host brother won´t leave the house with a pack in his pockets!! There is a box (at least one) in every room in my house as well as a stash of pocket packs in the bathrooms...
10. Every Tuesday and Thursday night I watch this doctor soap opera with my family. Its the only television program that they all come together and watch religiously.. Its a terrible show.. Its tacky, predictable and full of really bad actors/actress´.. but its family bonding time. So I put on a smiley face on watch episode after episode... an hour of a half, two days a week... as the Rotary saying “Nothing is better or worse, just different” races through my head. I talked to some friends at sschool about the program.. turns out its not good by czech standards either.. they find it just as rediculous as I do.. but family bonding......
11. Day 17: I went to the center of Ostrava with Veronika to pick up some book from this fantastic Library. It was 4 stories tall with a side that was all windows!!! It was beautiful! We found the school books that she needed then went to the one of the malls. It had an escalator... its been a while since I´ve been in a mall with an escalator... (I feel so small town.... lol). I didn´t make any purchases.. but it was tons of fun window shopping. Then we went to a little coffee shop and had hot chocolate. Here the name is quite literal! The waiter brought out an amazing cup of bitter-sweet hot chocolate.. that you could sip if you wanted but you could enjoy it so much more with a teaspoon! That could be dangerous come winter and the colder weather! J Back in Poruba we went to a pizza shop for dinner (what I would call dinner.. what most Czechs would call their before dinner snack..). Here all of the Pizza is very thin crust, quite crispy. When I described the pizza from back home.. she laughed and called it a cake! All of the responses have been the same.. After Pizza, Veronika went home to study (school is taken quite seriously here) and I went to my schoold English Theatre performance of “Some Like It Hot”. It was a great play.. the story was cute, the actors and props were great, and I was able to hear my classmates speak in English. Originally I was there by myself, but Adam, who had had a small role, crept beside me afer he was finished and watched it with me. .. He gave me quite a start! It was pitch black and I wasn´t expecting anyone! It was really well done and was a great end to the day!!
12. Day 19: I was told by my family that we would be going out for dinner that evening and that I should dress up a little.. we would be eating with one of Czechs famous singers! I was really excited, I hadn´t been out with my family yet! So i put some effort into the eveing.. I had a shower, put on my evening face (for the guys out there.. that means make-up J), found my black dress and my favorite heels.. We all hopped in the car and headed to the restaurant looking quite put together. We passed the school, the restaurant I had thought we would be going to, and everything else that looked familiar after my short stay.. We drove for 2 hours to reach the restaurant. Dusan (host dad) said it took us a little longer because we had stopped to look at the red deer in amung the trees. The restaurant itself, looks something like I picture the Lost Moose Lodge to look like and its interior looks as though it was a hunters trophy case.. I was introduced to this famous Czech singer, known for old fashioned polka style singing (whose name I can´t pronounce), who happened to be Dusans brother. He´s a jolly man and the restaurant was filled with their family and friends.. The diner started with an appetizer of liver .... the first time I had ever had liver... I didn´t enjoy it very much, but decided that I would clear my plate out of respect and thanks.. if nothing else.. About half way through the appetizer, my host brother asks what kind of liver it was... (how i wish he hadn´t).. turns out it was red deer liver.. how fresh.. Thankfully the main course came out before I had a chance to finish what was before me. I was excited for the main course it was to be chicken, something familiar, and I had ordered a glass of milk. Something I had been sorely lacking. It was in fact chicken, what looked to be half of one, and beside it a huge helping of saukrout. My milk was a surprise though, turns out that its somewhat of a tradition to a sort of soured milk.. definitely not what I expected as I taking my first sip.. In Summary: I got all dressed up... drove two hours.. ate red deer liver, chicken and saukrout.. and washed it all down with soured milk. In the end I had so much fun! It was great meeting the family, listening to polka music, and dancing!
13. So my very last and final point on this blog.. I know I´m sorry that this one has been soo long but its been I´ve had a lot of time to cover.... Itś been so long since my last blog because I´ve been off traveling without access to a computer for the last 7 days.. Last Friday (the 19th) I left to Strečno, Slovakia for my Rotary District Orientation meeting, where I met all of the people staying in Slvakia... all 36 of them! It was great fun! Vanessa, Jessica and I drove down with a councelor Friday afternoon and had some great girl talk on the way there.. then we got there and got meet everyone with some fun introduction games. I roomed with a girl named Viv, from CR, who is fantastic.. so much fun, and two girls from Slovakia, Ava and Ruby. Both tons of fun as well.. The next Saturday morning was a little dry.. not weather wise.. it was pouring outside.. but we had the laying down of the rules and guidlines enforced through our district and went over some of the mandatory orientation subjects.. In the after noon we went for chilly raft ride down to a castle which we toured before walking back to the hotel for a disco. The Disco was fantastic fun! A few gals had noticed my make up and asked me to do theirs.. which I love to do! We had about 12 girls in our room all getting ready for the dance! The dance itself was great.. a disco ball.. fun lights and a dj! Then the Czechs went into one of the rooms and had an interesting game of Never Never Have I Ever! We took off early Sunday morning and arrived home around 11. I had just enough time to have a nap and re-pack then I was off on a school trip. We went through Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, and for a brief moment touched the other side of the Estonia border. I came home early Friday morning after many good times and hours on the bus. But that will be my next blog.

I´ll write again soon

Dobrou noc
Anička


P.S. The nights are still hard, the feelings of being alone linger.. but its natual.. and it hasn´t rained since day 15.....

I love you all

Day 25

I just spent 2 hours writing a huge long blog.. theres a lot to catch all of you up on, and it just erased itself. I´ve been looking but theres no way of getting it back.. So just to let you all know there is a long blog coming.. and I will write it as soon as I compose myself....

Day 15

hello hello hello

So today it was raining again! I remember having told many people back at home over the years how much i enjoy the rain.. I take it back. I was lying.. just a bad joke.. Truly I am tired of this rain. Its just depressing! The day was a pretty average day.. ......................

except I´ve been noticing lately that I can´t shake this feeling of being alone. I know I have a rotary counselor here, and friends at school, and a magnificent host family, but its just not home .. my friends aren´t the friends I´ve had for years now.. the ones I have so many memories with and insiders between.. My family is great, but they aren´t what Im used to, their hugs are´fulfilling... their good nights just don´t have the warmth or kindness or familiarity to them.
I´m not saying I want to come home. This experience only comes around once in a lifetime.. I wouldn´t let myself come home... This is just one of the rough patches. Everyone said it would come.. I was just so confident, so comfortable, so content .... I never thought this day would come so soon..

I miss chats with my mom... the sibling quarrels and insiders with my brother.. and my dads hugs..... I miss my parents voices. I miss hugging them and I miss seeing them. I miss my brother more than he could ever know or try to understand. I miss the feeling of watching him grow up day to day and feeling like I, as the older sibling, helped.
I miss my grandmas eyes and my grandpas smile... I miss my omas laugh. ...

I miss my friends and their support, and the fun we have together. The insiders we share and the sound of their whispers...........



Taking a step back... I am a mess. My friends here are truly amazing.. the family better than I could have asked for.. yet I am a mess.

I am off to bed. I need sleep. I need sleep and to cuddle with something from home.. something familiar..

I love you all. I miss you all.

Tomorrow will be a new day. An exciting day. A rainy day. A day where I will learn 2 new words.. and talk to someone new. A Thursday.

Dobrou Noc
Anička.

Day 13

Today was a good day. Actually it was a great day!!
It started off terribly.. i tried to use my czech mobile as an alarm this morning and it didn´t work.. of course this morning instead of having to be at school at 750 as per the norm, I had to be there at 715 so that Dusan ( my dad ) and I could have a little chat with the Headmaster and Vice Headmaster about lunches in the cafeteria, and being in the school in general. So I woke up at 7, thanks to mom (Svetlana), had 10 min to get ready, 5 min to eat breakfast and was a few moments late for our meeting with the two heads of my school.. I was thankful that A) Dusan was late getting ready as well and B) our headmaster and vice are very nice. So we were in the Heads office till the bell (750) and the whole time I really didn´t have much of a clue as to what they were discussing.. turns out (here is where the day turns fabulous), that there is an open seat on the bus trip that is happening at the end of this month and my dad was trying to see if it would be ok if I went... So on the 21st I leave for a 5 day trip though Poland, Latvia, and Lithuania, with a few friends from my class and a bunch of kids from my school, around 40. I am soo excited.. better yet, my family is paying for the trip! Dusan (brother) is also going on the bus trip and they said that if their daughter was here they would be paying for her to go as well so they were more than happy to cover the costs of the trip. In the end total cost of the trip from my end of things will be around 120 euro which will cover spending money and the fees of the planned events. So oh my goodness my day made a total 360! So afer finding this all out.. we leave his office and dad goes home and leaves me to my studies... I completely got lost.. I had no idea where my class was... so i had to go back to the office and ask the Vice headmaster (who is also my English Teacher) how to get to my class. After actually getting to class, i discovered that we didn´t have math today.. BONUS... and that we had Seminar today (Seminar is where you have a double block of something, for ex. English or Biology, something that you need to work at a little bit more or something that you really enjoy. Naturally I have an English Seminar because all the teachers want me in their class.) ........ DOUBLE BONUS........ I also had History, Czech and French. Thank goodness for French class. They speak France French so its different from Quebec French, but in the end its just French. Its a great feeling to be able to understand what the teacher is saying! At lunch.. I asked Jelka where the washrooms were to wash my hands and use the facilities.. she gave me the simple directions.. up the stairs and to my left. Which she was exctly right with.. what she neglected to mention was that the door to the boys washroom was right beside the door to the girls washroom.. So, after hearing about some of the horror stories at Language camp about which room was for whom. I decided it was better to ask. I went around the third floor till I found a stout blonde teacher and asked her for some assistance... She tried many times to explain which was which in English.. but it just wasn´t happening so she came with me to the washrooms and showed me which on it was.. Then after school, I walked to the tram station with Adam, Jelka, Jindra, and we had a good little chat. It was nice talking with Jindra and especially Adam, beacuse I hadn´t really had a converstaion with them before.. Today being only my third day of school. I ended up missing one of my trams, so I walked home.. in the pouring rain, settled down with a warm cup of tea and watched a movie. Shrek II to be specific. I watched it in Czech with English subtitles.. I think next time I will switch it so that the subtitles are in Czech. I think it will help more!! Later I got a call from Vitek and Jindra wondering if I wanted to go the pool with them.. of course I did! SO I hopped onto another Tram and made my way down to the pool. Man do the boys like their speedo shorts.. definitely still not used to it.. all in a matter of time I suppose... Swimming was great. They have a 50 meter pool which is just lovely, though slightly confusing since there are no lane ropes.. After 2 hours and a few moments of being sheer out of breath,( I swear by the end of this trip, my derrier will have been whipped into shape!), Vitek walked me home, where I enjoyed another peachy cup of tea.

So now I sit at the computer, yawning after my day and plan to mosey off to bed. So have a fantastic evening everyone!

Dobrou noc!

Anička

P.S. I don´t know if I have mentioned how amazing the transit system here is.. believe me its fantastic. They have Trams that are a lifeline to many people here like myself, buses, trains, taxis, not to mention that walking is very popular here as well, and still the roads are full of traffic. Crazy!!

Day 12

First of all I´m sorry for the huge time gap between this and the previous blog. I just came back from language camp in Třebič, where I have been for the last week, with very limited access to a computer.
Language camp was a blast! The inbounds are fabulous and we had tons of fun!! It was fantastic being able to meet some of the kids that are going through similar things.. interesting meals, new living arrangements, meeting new family and friends and dealing with a very difficult language.
I leave on Friday to Slovakia to meet the other half of our district. There was 20 inbounds at language camp, and I believe there is a similar number of inbounds staying in Slovakia, hopefully there is a little bit more of a diverse group over there.. Not that there is anything wrong with the Czech inbounds but there is a definite lack of diversity in comparison to district 5060. There is 1 Australian, 1 Brazilian, 2 Mexicans, 3 Canadians, and 13 Americans.. Out of the 20 of us there is 6 guys and 14 gals.
Compared to life in general here in the Czech Republic, the rules were very strict. We had breakfast at 730... lesson1, break, lesson 2, lunch, lesson 3, break, lesson 4, Dinner, Evening activity... Bed..... every night. There just was´t a lot of downtime for us to get to know each other. It was our first group meeting after all. We had to be in our own rooms by 10... lights out. sound asleep. Of course that didn´t happen, us gals know how to chat like no tomorrow, and apparently the boys downstairs were little chatty cathy´s themselves.
The first night, a girl from one of the other rooms came to have a little visit.. after 10, but before the rotary hall guard started duty :), we lost track of time and she ended up getting stuck in our room for the evening. We tried multiple times and had some pretty clever (if i do say so myself) plans to try to try and sneak her out of the room with out him noticing. For the rest of the week she just bunked with us. We had to much fun chatting it up for her to be in another room!! We also forgot to bring towels to the hostel.. assuming there would be some there.. .so between what ended up to be 5 gals in our room, we shared one bathroom and had community towels. Wednesday we made our way to the supermarket so we could buy some goodies for our evening chats........ escorted.. of course.. so we all stocked up for the remaining 3 nights. ( I bought their version of Keiffer (just for you moe... and for the lack of dairy products in my daily diet....), some vitamin C... there hasn´t been all that many fruits or veggies... a chocolate bar, and some flavored mineral water.) Two of the gals bought their items together and really went all out... and considering my purchases definitely didn´t make it till the wee hours of Saturday morning, I was very appreciative!
One of the evenings prior to our Supermarket binge, we went bowling. It was soo much fun! We all had a blast and our team did quite well. At the end of the evening prizes were awarded to top team (my team!!), Top boy (Cord), Top gal (Karmin), and second gal (Kayla)... because of the girl to boy ratio.. The bowling rink also awarded this bottle of Bubblee, a non-alcoholic beverage that was i a champagne bottle. Between the 5 of us we managed to obtain, 2 bottles of Bubblee, half of the top team prize..box of chocolates.. and the prize for second gal. A few of the gals had also purchased some chips while at the rink that we added to our lovely feast of goodies that we shared that evening over our chat :)
On the last night, just when we thought we would have a short little chat before heading off to bed, one of the girls remembered that I had mentioned that I cut my own hair, and came running out of the bathroom asking if I would cut hers. So we looked through all of our bags and came up with a pair of scissors! We sat there in the middle of our Hostel room, towels all around us to catch the hair as it fell, for about 2 hours.. A trim, with layers and some slight side bangs.... I was nervous as all get out! Then again.. so was she :) In the end it all worked out great, the cut was a success!!
In the end it was a great week, I made some great friends, saw a beautiful town, and even picked up a few words!
So I´m off to bed, I have school tomorrow and I have to make up for lost sleep!

Dobrou Noc!

Anička

P.S.
To the Rotary club: thank you ever so much for language camp, I´m no where near fluent, but it helped me to take a few baby steps towards being able to understand. Thank you.