View of the castle
River rafting
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
Bohemia Trip
The last trip of the program was more than
amazing. I consider it the best trip,
out of all the other ones we took as a group.
This is for various reasons.
First of all, I really liked how it was structured. One our way to our fist destination, Kutna Hora,
we stopped on the way to see a historical village, Lezaky, which was destroyed
by the Nazi during the Second World War.
When we arrived at the city of Kutna Hora, we toured a medieval silver
mine. That was very interesting. My favorite part of the tour was when we were
in complete darkness, as a way to experience what the mines experienced when
their candles went out while working. I
have never been afraid of the dark and at that moment I felt an unexpected
peacefulness that it surprised me. I
felt free and calm, as if there were no boundaries, no limits. I’m glad I got the opportunity to tour the
mine.
The next day we went to visit the cathedral. There is a painting of St. Christopher and a
legend that if you saw that painting you would not die that day, so the miners
would go into the cathedral every day before going to work.
Second, I enjoyed this trip more because we did
several different activities and most importantly we did outside
activities. One our way to the second
destination, Cesky Krumlov, we stopped to visit the Budweiser Budvar. The brewery was very cool to see and the
process of how the beer is made is quite splendid. Upon our arrival at Cesky Krumlov, we were
free to go explore the town. I liked the
town a lot because even though the buildings were very crowded, there are
trees, green nature, everywhere. Walking
along the river was very relaxing. The
following day we visited the castle and the medieval theater. From the castle, the view of the city is
precious. The castle had always been
sort of guarded with bears and up until today, they still keep two bears by the
castle.
That same day we went river rafting. This experience is unforgettable and it is
one of the main reasons why I really loved this bohemian trip. I have been river canoeing before, so I
thought it was going to be kind of the same.
However, it was more fun than I expected. It was very exciting in the beginning and we
almost flipped into the water, but I’m glad we didn’t although that would have
been a great story to tell. River
rafting lasted a few hours, very relaxing hours. The scenery was so peaceful that I wish we
would have done this kind of activities more often. Rowing was difficult to figure out at the
beginning, but once I had it, it was so much fun.
Another reason why I
really enjoyed this trip is because it was the last one and it gave us the
opportunity for the entire group to have an adventure together. The trip was a good closing ceremony for the
program. These three months in Europe
have really been like a dream come true.
I never really thought that I would be visiting all the places I went
to. It has really been a one of a life
time opportunity. In this trip I made
stronger friendships and new ones too. I
realized that I am extremely lucky because nothing ever went wrong past the
point of being fixable. There were some
difficulties and some getting used to the new lifestyles of different cultures,
but it was all worth it. I still have a
week of travel in Europe. It has not hit
me yet that it is almost over. So, I
will enjoy each and every single hour I have left because most probably I will
not come back in a really long time. I’m not sad to leave; on the contrary, I am
excited to go home and see my family. I
will take all the fun, sad, weird, happy, scary, crazy memories of my time in
Europe and most importantly I will take everything I learned. I did learn to be more patient which is a
very good thing for me. On the other
hand, I leave wanting to learn more about the holocaust and its survivors. Nevertheless, I did learn and see things that
broadened my understandings and my perspective about life itself. At the end of the day, I would study abroad again
without hesitation.
Friday, May 23, 2014
Budapest!
The parliament, it looks like a castle to me!
Second biggest mosque in Europe.
The market. It looks like one in Mexico, but cleaner and more organized.
The chain bridge.
Buda castle! Fireworks video was filmed here...awesome!
The fishery.
Thermal baths...first time in one...excellent experience.
Had to take a picture with the cool statue.
Second biggest mosque in Europe.
The market. It looks like one in Mexico, but cleaner and more organized.
The chain bridge.
Buda castle! Fireworks video was filmed here...awesome!
The fishery.
Thermal baths...first time in one...excellent experience.
Had to take a picture with the cool statue.
Barcelona!
The beach was amazing! It is my favorite memory.
The scent of this tree took me back to my childhood in Mexico. We call it paraiso, 'paradise.'
He has been 60 years painting. His passion and life.
Water show.
Park guell...the famous lizard.
Typical dish...paella.
The scent of this tree took me back to my childhood in Mexico. We call it paraiso, 'paradise.'
He has been 60 years painting. His passion and life.
Water show.
Park guell...the famous lizard.
Typical dish...paella.
Thursday, May 15, 2014
Something Here and There
Palacky University / Czech Republic
Packing and Traveling
-Specifically,
what kind of linens did you need to bring?
I
brought a pillow case and a blanket.
-What
are you glad you packed from home?
All
my personal stuff so that I wouldn’t have to find it here because some of the
stuff is not sold in the Czech Republic.
Also, I’m glad I packed a rain coat.
It was very useful. I wish I had
brought food, such as chili powder, items that you will not find in the Czech.
-What
do you wish you had left at home?
I
wish I had left some of the clothes I brought. Some I didn’t wear too often.
-Do
you have any travel tips to pass on (planning advice, safety considerations,
guidebooks, train vs. bus, etc.)?
Always
pay attention to where ever you go, just in case you have to go again on your
own or get back to your hotel on your own.
-What
places would you advise future students to see and why?
I
would advise them to see near towns, the country side, and to just take time to
go into random places or shops in Olomouc because they will be surprised at
what they will find.
Social Life
-How
did you meet students from your host country?
First
of all I met my roommates. I also met people by going to different national
nights hosted every Wednesday at BelMondo club.
I met other students by going to social gatherings and volunteering
events.
-How
did you like to spend your free time and why? Is there anything you regret not
doing more of in your free time?
I
spent some of my free time watching one of my favorite shows from back
home. I also went running or just on
walks. Other times I went shopping, got
some food and sat at a park, or read some books I brought from back home. I wish I had gotten out of my room more often,
especially in the first weeks, and just be outside doing things, exploring and
meeting people.
-What
opportunities for social, recreational, and cultural events that the host
university or program offered did you like best? Why?
I
really liked the nights at BelMondo club because you had the chance to see a
little bit of a different culture every Wednesday. I did not attend all of them, but I did get
to help out with Mexican and American night.
I also liked volunteering at Olomouc zoo because it was a very nice
experience and you got to go to the zoo for free. Other than that there really were not many
other opportunities offered by the university.
-What
piece of advice would you give future students regarding their non-academic
life while abroad?
During
the first weeks you will have a lot of free time. Don’t stay in your room most of the
time. Go into town and explore the
streets. Take a walk on a random trail. Once in a while, do chill in your room doing
nothing because towards the last month of your stay you will be doing a lot of
traveling and it will be exhausting.
School Work
-How
did your academic experience abroad differ from your U.S. experiences
concerning?
Studying
abroad did not feel as if I were going to school or taking a regular load of
courses. It was more relaxing and
basically full of field trips, which I always enjoyed and learned a lot from. It was not stressful.
-Relations
with professors/classroom instruction?
The
professors are very helpful and understanding.
They are happy to answer your questions and to teach you everything you
would want to know. They also give
really good recommendations of places you should visit or check out. It was easy to talk to all of them.
-Grading?
I had
no problem with it. The professor from
UNK determined our final grades.
-Study
habits?
I
really didn’t have to study much during this academic experience because it was
more about learning and experiencing the culture. For that you don’t have to study. You just take it in and it stays in your
memory.
-Library?
I did
not visit the library and I had no need for it.
-Computer
access?
I brought
my computer and we had no typed assignments, so I never accessed computers on
campus. You have to bring an Ethernet
cable to get your computer connected in your room.
-What
enabled/hindered your successful academic experience?
I
feel that not speaking the language hindered part of my academic
experience. If I were to know Czech
language, then I would have learned so much more and it would have also been
easier to meet locals and actually converse with them and learn from them. I also wished that the university would have
more cultural and recreational opportunities for us, so that we would meet
Czech students and have a more enriching experience studying abroad.
Money and Communications
-How
much money in U.S. currency would you recommend students have at their disposal
for their whole time abroad?
I
would recommend $3,500 or more if they can.
If they are planning to do a lot of traveling and buying stuff, then the
more money they have the better.
-How
much money did you have in foreign currency when you left for your program? Was
it enough?
I had
no foreign money. Right when I got to
Prague, I withdrew money from an ATM in the airport and it worked fine for me.
-How
did you manage your money (credit cards, traveler’s checks, bank accounts etc.)?
How and where did you access your money?
I
just withdrew money from my bank account whenever I need some. I let my bank know the countries I was going
to visit so that there would not be any problem with my debit card.
-How
much money did you spend on:
Books? $10
School
supplies? $5
Food? $500
Entertainment?
$100
Local
transportation? $50
Travel?
$1500
Personal
items (toiletries)? $100
Postage?
$0
Airfare?
$1000
Laundry?
$50
-How
did you communicate with the U.S.? What would you recommend to future students
(e.g. calling card, set up e-mail account and where, etc.)?
I
used Facebook and Skype. I would
recommend Skype definitely.
Other Comments/Tips:
Enjoy every second
of this experience because it is totally worth it. Don’t worry about small stuff just be
patient. Try to adjust to the rhythm of
how people do things in the Czech. For
example, when going to a restaurant expect to be there a while because they
take their time on everything. Be
friendly and just watch what the locals do.
You will learn a lot by just watching.
Please
also list the “Top 10 Must-Do Activities” to experience during your time
abroad. Please give as much detail as
possible (i.e.- Be sure to go to XXXXXX and ask for Mr. XXXXX as he loves to
chat with students from the U.S., or Take bus #XX to the final stop where you
can see a view of the city.)
Don’t
worry if you can’t come up with 10 activities…just list ones you feel strongly
about! ; )
- Take a run or a walk on the trail that is near the dorms by the fields. It takes them over a bridge and into the country side. It is really peaceful and good when you just need to breathe some fresh air.
- Try the kebab place called “The Big Food Point” that is right next to Varna club, it is near the main square. The kebabs are delicious and cheap!
- Try the Nepalese restaurant called “Crack”. It is right next to Belmondo club. They have buffet lunch and it’s cheap and the Nepalese food is amazing.
- Have an ice cream every day and try the different flavors.
- Visit any of the Vietnamese shops that are on the streets branching from the main square. I don’t know how to describe the exact location, but like I said just go into random shops and you will find good stuff. The Vietnamese shops have everything and it is cheap.
- Take a random bus and see where it takes you.
- Get lost once in a while.
- Go to the main square on May Day, May 1st. There are a bunch of shops and hand made things.
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
Terezin & Auschwitz
Terezin and Auschwitz are two experiences that I
will never forget and two places in which the events that took place will not
be understood by simply studying them.
Even visiting and walking the same grounds were the Holocaust occurred
will not be enough to comprehend it and to assimilate it. One cannot even imagine what the people that
suffered and survived these concentration camps felt in flesh. From my own experience, being there was not
enough.
Going to Terezin I expected a much bigger concentration
camp, but I was surprised by its small terrain.
I can’t imagine the conditions in which people suffered from the
overcrowding. Walking in the camp and
going from room to room I tried to imagine the people that went through
there. Even in my mind there was still
space, not even then I could picture so many people as 600 in a barrack. One room that stands out in my memory is the
shower room. I felt anxious there, maybe
because a gas chamber came into my mind.
The atmosphere in this room was different than in all the others. It was sort of more personal, something that
I can’t really describe. The other room
that I will not forget was the punishment cell, where the only light and air
came through a little square hole in the wall.
Up to 60 people were there at one time.
It must have been unbearable, worse than anything I have ever felt or
been through in my life. It is crazy how
the Nazi tortured and took away everything from their victims. They did not even have their dignity or a
sense of self. The cemetery is a great
tribute to those who died after liberation and those who were buried in the
mass grave. I did not know that the rocks
over the tomb stones meant prayers that visitors left. Now I understand why there were so many in
almost every tomb stone in the cemetery.
Visiting Terezin before Auschwitz was good because it prepared the grown
for what we could seen in the actual extermination camp.
Auschwitz was hard to take in. It was a fast tour and on some parts of it I
wanted to just pay more attention to the detail, to trying to understand what
the entrance gate meant, what every room we walked through was used for and
realizing that the things exhibited there belonged to someone. That every shoe had been worn, the hair had
been combed and braided, the clothes had been worn by babies, and that the many
objects had been used by human beings that were treated worse than animals by
other human beings. It is hard for me to
understand how a person could have done that to so many people without remorse
and guilt. They had no conscience
whatsoever.
Birkenau was the most impressive to me. When I watched Schildler’s List, the part
where the train of women get taken to Auschwitz and there train arrives and
passes through the main gate gave me chills and a weird feeling in the bottom
of my stomach. In that moment, I really
did not want to go there. When we went
and we were right next to the rail tracks, I remembered the movie and the
images of ran through my mind. I did not
know what to think, what to say. There
was nothing to say. I was there,
standing in the same spot as many other people back then. The experiences are for from comparable.
Walking the strip were millions of others took the last steps of their life was
very emotional. I wanted to pay my
respects towards all the victims died there, and for a moment I wanted to say a
silent prayer but then I did not know if it would be appropriate. I do pray for the rest of their souls and
they will not be forgotten.
This experience did strengthen my understanding of
the Holocaust. I must say that some
things I will not look at the same way after this. One of them is a chimney. As we were leaving the site, I could see
houses with black, and sometimes white, smoke coming out of the chimney and I
could not stop myself from thinking about the chimneys in the crematoria. Many things will not be the same after
studying the Holocaust. There is still
so much that I would like to study about it.
I would like to hear a live testimony of a survivor. I feel that it would help me understand it
further and more genuinely.
Monday, May 5, 2014
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)