After what felt like an eternity on three different Lufthansa flights, I finally reached the land of my great-great-grandmother – Czechia. However, I was headed for something other than the old family stomping grounds in Moravia. I arrived in Czechia to study on exchange at the Prague University of Economics and Business.
Typical of a Czech winter, the weather was dreary and freezing, which was certainly a significant departure from being in Texas year-round. My buddy, Jindrich, picked me up from the airport, and his gracious family welcomed me to their country by letting me stay with them in Cesky Krumlov for my first weekend.
First impressions? While the Czechs are not outwardly as friendly as Texans, they are warm-hearted with their friends. Jindrich’s family treated me like their own, and I will be forever grateful for that. Another observation of mine is that the Czech language is nothing like English. However, it does share some basic similarities to Russian as they are both Slavic languages. I hope my rudimentary knowledge of Russian will be enough to help me out of a bind.
After a quick weekend in Cesky Krumlov, I was back in Prague for my orientation. To say I was stunned by the city’s beauty would be an understatement. Known as the City of a Hundred Spires, Prague is littered with old Gothic cathedrals, towers, and medieval city walls. I have never seen anything like it, and it would be fair to say it was love at first sight.
I’m also quite impressed with how the city just works. The tram, metro, and bus system work in unison like a choreographed dance. There’s no other way to describe it and its efficiency. I don’t think I’ll miss my car at all, and quite honestly, I’d be too anxious to drive around all the trams here anyway.
All things aside, I’m ecstatic to call this place my second home for the next four months. I can’t wait to see what is in store!