Study Abroad Fall 2013: Midterms Round 2!

So last week was another fun filled week of exams and paper writing. It seems like it will never end, but as I type this today, I only have one month left until the end of the program and I can not believe it. We greeted DJ's parents last week and now they've left for the United States. I can remember when he told me they were coming halfway through. I can't believe that has past now. Midterms went well I think! Now it is just up to getting grades back. Last week I decided to stroll through an art gallery called the Kampa Gallery to take a break and being as it is modern art it just made me sad. I suppose that was at least a nice distraction from stress. Here stress is different though. At home it's stress about completing assignments and handing in all of my work. That is a stress here as well, but there is the added pressure of time. They say it's all relative, but here we literally have been on a timer ticking down since we arrived and with only a month left in Prague there is still so much I want to do, while of course getting good marks! All worries aside though, this past weekend was another nice journey around the Czech Republic.
Friday was a day trip to Litomerice, Ploskovice, and Velké Žernoseky. We took a tour through the town of Lito and then had a delicious meal. I had the fish as UPCES was covering it! Who doesn't love free lunch? Then we toured the palace of Ploskovice where Anna Cudova, one of our program staff's, father used to be the caretaker. It was breathtaking. There was one hall that had tremendous high ceilings and frescoes throughout. Anna said that some of the furniture was actually from the Prague Castle and visa versa. Lastly we traveled to Velké Žernoseky where I attended the first wine tasting I have ever been to in my life. Lindsey, Rachel, and I all sat and tried six different wines. The white were delicious, but the red was what I would consider disgusting. They were just so dry! On the bright side we got some delicious bread and cheese to sample along with our wine. I don't think I had ever felt so fancy. Saturday DJ and wandered through the markets with his family before we sent them off towards the United States. That night I had Lindsey and Rachel over for movies and mojitos (made by DJ!). We decided to watch a movie about Paris since that is where we're headed this weekend! Sunday was a day to catch up on all the work that had been put off until then. But that night DJ and I met up with a bunch of our friends and had some classic American food and Hooters Prague. Oh how I've missed barbecue sauce and chicken wings!
Monday I went to internship at the school and that night DJ, Rachel, and I ventured off to the opera. We saw The Bartered Bride, a comedy by Smetana, a Czech composer. It was so funny! I was entranced by the dancing and luckily there were subtitles so we knew what was going on. During the second intermission we enjoyed a lovely glass of wine and met a guy who is studying in Paris so we were able to ask him all the sorts of things that we should do while there. Tuesday I finally made it to the Museum of Communism! I have been dying to go since I got here and my class took me. It was really nice and I enjoyed having a conversation with my professor about the state of communism in North Korea after we saw a small exhibit about it. Now it's all about getting ahead on work so we can really enjoy our last month in the city and my birthday trip to Paris! Can not believe it is already here!!!

Main Square of Lito