Lauren Bardin -- Czech Republic

April 2, 2008

Ahoj, Ahoj, The first thing I have to say is, what I meant in the last email when I said I have a "jungle in my bathroom and staircase," I meant that there are humongous plants EVERYWHERE. When Doug was here he told me that comment was really confusing, until he actually saw all the plants, then he knew.

So, the adventure with Doug was fantastic, we had so much fun together. We had so many great brother/sister experiences in so many beautiful places. Doug's plane came in a little late so we didn't have time to catch our train to Krakow, Poland. Instead, we took a train to Otrava, Czech Republic, which is a city right on the border of Slovakia. I have some friends living there so we met up with them and they showed us a few fun places. Then we caught a 2:30AM train to Bratislava. This was quite complicated and I don't think either of us really remember how we did it or where we went because it was the middle of the night, Doug was jetlagged, I was trying to wake up at each stop to read the station signs so we'd know when to get off and find our transfer, and.....I ended waking a little late, just to see the "Bratislava Hlavni Nadrazi" sign as we pulled away. But, this train was ending in Budapest, which was one of our future destinations, so we decided we'd just switch our timetable around a bit. Once we arrived in Budapest, we realized we needed a map and a hostel ASAP so we could get some real sleep. After walking with our hiker backpacks in the pouring rain for about an hour, we finally reached a nice hostel and climbed in bed. Our two nights in Budapest were amazing! We met people from Ireland, Scotland, Norway, Israel, and Iran and had a blast with the 39 year old man from Ireland. He was the typical little Irishman, he had a lot to say and was a great deal of entertainment too. Next, we made our way to Bratislava for two nights. This is a beautiful city but it is smaller than most so there's not as much to see. Although it was very nice for me because the Slovakian language is very close to Czech so I could understand and get us around much easier than while we were in Austria or Hungary. Next we headed to Vienna, which was gorgeous! It is so easy to see the immense change from Eastern to Western Europe. Vienna had all the "new" (newer) government and museum buildings and many many clothing shops and western styles. Oh, and he Euro prices, yuck. We also met some cool people here at our hostel; some people from the states,from Romania, Ireland again, Japan, and Australia. The next two nights we spent in Trebic and, as I expected, Doug did really like my town! He got to meet my host family, former and present, my exchange friends, and my Czech friends. I think he had a good time, I know I had fun showing him beautiful Trebic. We spent the next two nights in Prague, where we saw only a small fraction of what there really is to see there. We met up with a friend of mine who lives there and he tried to be our tour guide but despite the fact that he'd been living there for 3 years, I had more of a sense of direction there than he did! It was fun though, we got to get a little lost and see the backstreets people don't normally travel by choice. We had one night in Dresden, Germany, which was....gross, actually. Whenever I think of that night it kind of makes me cringe, haha. Well, Doug and I were staying in a nice hostel but this hostel was pretty empty, except for maybe 7 other people...who all happened to be over the age of 40. There's nothing wrong with that, it's just different than what we were used to. And the two of these people who were in our room were lacking either manners, hygiene, or social skills. Or all 3. They were nice people to talk with, but Doug and I could not sleep all night because the 50 year old man from Kosovo kept waking up, walking around the room, opening the window, spitting, smoking out the window, riffling through his bag...there was no end to it. I was actually praising my 5AM alarm when it went off. The next days without Doug were so strange! We'd spent all the time together for about 12 days and then I was back in Trebic doing my normal routine. No Budapest, no crazy accents, no trains, no playing chess with crazy old Kosovonians. It was quite a trip; a SPECTACULAR one!

March was a crazy month; there was a lot of traveling and holiay from school. We had a week off for Spring holiday and then 3 more days off for Easter the following week. Oh! The Easter tradition here is the greatest! Well, I was away for Easter so I didn't get to witness it first hand, but I love the stories. Easter morning before noon, boys are supposed to go from door to door, each with some sort of soft branch from a tree. The girls in the house have to come down and the boys must say a rhyme while they whip the girls with the braches. It's supposed to symbolize health each time the girls are hit. Then, if the boys do a good job with the rhyme, they either get candy (for the little boys) or a shot of homemade slivovice (for the older boys).

Another exchange student, Kristen, from Texas, had her family here in Trebic so I got to meet them. That was fun, a little Texas flavor in Trebic! They were hilarious and a lot of fun.

This Saturday I am moving to my last host family. I don't know them at all, but the President of my rotary chose them for me and he's a cool guy, so I'm hoping they are welcoming me! I know they have 2 or 3 older kids; older and in university in Brno or Prague. So, maybe I'll have my own bathroom again! That'd be just fine with me. :D I'm a bit sad to be leaving this house though. Wow, can't believe I'm saying that after all the worrying when I first found out I was moving here. It's been great here and I've really come to enjoy the family; their humor, kindness, cooking, and care. I hope I can be as lucky in the next home.

In two weeks I will be in Malaga, Spain with Mom, Dad, and Kevin and I am BEYOND excited about that!! I can't stop thinking of how it'll feel to see them at the airport. And this time I'll be the one walking through the arrival gate with my suitcase instead of waiting endlessly for my own visitors in Prague's airport. After 6 nights in Spain, we'll fly back to Prague and spend two nights in Trebic, one night in the beautiful town of Cesky Krumlov, and three nights in Prague. !!!!

I've got to actually start packing for my move this weekend. I can't believe how much STUFF I've accumulated, what will I do with all of it when I have to fly overseas in a few months?!

So, I hope you're all doing well. The weather here is starting to get more and more pleasant so I imagine it's similar in Upstate NY. Yeah? I hope so, the Spring air is beautiful!

I miss you all!!!! Take care!!! Laurinka