In the beginning, I told myself I’d make European friends. Of course, I did the complete opposite and now my closest friends here are native English speakers. I’m not disappointed seeing as I’ve made some Czech and even German acquaintances and it’s still early in the semester. I can’t be too hard on myself since not all the English speakers are American! That’s right, your girl has done it and made foreign friends-not European, but also not from the homeland. Baby steps, I guess. My new ‘mates’ are from the beautiful country of Australia. Ever heard of the Hemsworth brothers? Well they’re not as attractive as those Aussie gods, but they sure are just as charming! The first night I met them I told them they reminded me of people from back home in New York with their witty comebacks and playful banter. They said it’s because they’re “real Australians” from Melbourne. So my friends and I took these real Australians out on their first night to give them a proper welcome. It was an excellent night to say the least. We laughed, we cheered, we danced until we couldn’t stand and we even booked a train ride together to Brno for the following weekend.

As the weekend rolled around the Australian group and my friend group morphed together into one really loud and fun party. Our day trip to Brno, a small city about three hours from Prague, was a nice break from the busy streets of the capital. We visited the famous ossuary underneath the Church of St. James and the Cathedral of St. Peter and Paul. Towards the end of the trip we decided to take a break from the tourist attractions and enjoyed a bottle (or two…or was it three?) of wine at a local wine festival. It was a Sunday well spent appreciating Czech history, but mainly making fun of each others accents, I reckon.

The following day was spent in the library as classes were back on. It’s a funny thing, studying abroad. You never forget you’re abroad, yet you always have to remind yourself to study. Luckily, with friends like mine I’m never down about the mountain of readings I have to go through. I was especially lucky on this particular Monday as my friends and I purchased tickets to see the renowned Opera, “Carmen”, at The National theater, Národní Divadlo. After finishing our homework, my girlfriends and I dressed to fit the part of sophisticated theater connoisseurs. I don’t know if it worked, but I do know that we felt like royalty sitting in a glamorous theater watching a talent-filled act. Mondays are rough, but we make up for them with pasta and wine after the opera.

After a week of our usual antics, we joined our Aussie’s on their welcome boat party which included exchange students from all over Europe. Baby steps turned into full grown walks on this boat ride. It was a three hour ride across Vltava river accompanied by drinks, a DJ, and new European friends! I met a a French student who, like me, was raised by Colombian parents, a German student who wanted us to visit her home during Oktoberfest and a Greek student who dreamed of living in New York City. I hadn’t had that much fun on a boat since the Pirates of the Caribbean themed kiddie ride I rode at Queens Center Mall when I was 7. But, there has to be a balance to everything. Hence, the break from partying we took later that same weekend.

It was just what I needed. No noise, no drinks, no sweaty dance floors. The open air combined with the vast amount of trees made me feel grounded and safe. Walking across mud flooded steps and narrow, dark passageways between enormous boulders felt like we were headed towards the right the direction. Because even if we were going the wrong way, the adventure was what made it worth it. (Cue Miley Cyrus’ “The Climb”). We reached the top of the mountain to a view that cannot be put into words. I’m talking about Česky Ráj, or the Bohemian Paradise. I had been waiting for this trip since my waitressing days back in New York this summer. It was truly a reinvigorating experience. After so many tram rides and night clubs, I was smiling from ear to ear on this hike. I could tell my tour guide was growing impatient with me as I was often the slowest hiker. I just couldn’t help but stand and stare in awe! What a sight. I can’t believe after all my trips around the Czech Republic, this country still manages to surprise me.