Lauren Bardin -- Czech Republic

April 28, 2008

Ahoj! How is everyone?

I can't believe that I'm down to only two months left here. I will fly home June 24th and it just doesn't seem real that it is actually a few days short of two months. I don't know how it'll feel to not hear Czech, see Czech, and enjoy the Czechness of everything around me. I'm going to miss almost everything about this place...even the not-so-subtle hints of remaining Communism. (Mom, Dad, and Kev could explain that for you, they saw it!)

My time spent with Mom, Dad, and Kevin was amazing! It felt so great to laugh and travel with them and we saw so many beautiful places. I met them in Malaga, Spain and we spent six days on the coast of southern Spain. We traveled to Rhonda, Granda, and Morocco and it was all gorgeous. It was so great to see the culture and people of Morocco (Africa!), that's something I definitely didn't expect to experience for my year here. Spain was wonderful; the weather was perfect, although Mom and I didn't get a chance for a real tan. But, as my dad said, you can't go all the way to Europe just to lay in the same sun. Next, we traveled Czech Republic and they got to see Prague, Cesky Krumlov, and Trebic. They actually got to meet all three of my host families and taste the delicious home cooking of each one. That is definitely a priceless experience I think. I know they really loved my host families and Trebic and especially the countryside of Czech. I'm glad they saw it now with its green fields and blooming cherry trees, because they definitely missed the long, gray, months of winter. It is so beautiful here though and I think it takes driving through the countryside, in and out of countless little villages, to really understand why.

Saying goodbye was difficult, as expected, but I just kept thinking I only had two months left as a Czech, so that thought actually overcame the others. I will see everyone and home again in less than two SHORT months and then this life is over, so I'll have to embrace every day as much as possible.

My family left on Wednesday and I was back in Trebic for only two nights then off for another trip with Rotary. Early Friday I woke up and traveled to another city in CR where all the exchange students met up and we filed onto a bus to begin our journey to Venice, Italy! We spent 3 days together.....with no showering. Yikes! Scary thought? Yessss. But it didn't matter because it was an amazing trip and it was the last thing on our minds. (Kind of last). We stopped in Salzburg, Austria and walked around the city at night and got to see it's famous sites as well. Then we drove all night until we arrived outside of Venice at about 6:30AM. We walked into the city and spent the entire day there. I went into one of the museums in the main square, San Marco Square, and got to see some artwork of Bellini!! You might know his very famous painting, Madonna Enthrowned with Child, which I got to see. Also, his famous brother, Giovanni Bellini. We got to walk the streets of Venice, which by the way are extremely small and crowded. After about 30 minutes walking and getting lost, I needed to escape to the seaside and lay in the sun without being shoulder to shoulder with strangers. The weather was brilliant and it couldn't have been better, I need to go back!! I also got a taste of some real Italian cuisine! Oh, and I actually heard a true Italian man say, "Mamma Mia!" That was a highlight for sure.

So, now I'm back to boring old Trebic. No, just kidding, Trebic is far from boring. I'll be back to school and the norm until the next big adventure. We have our Rotary district conference is about a month and that's the real last meeting for all the exchange students.

This is more than just the "last stretch" now, it's really the end. But, I never say goodbye, just, "See you again." I hope everyone is doing just fine and I can't wait to see you all when I return! Enjoy the Spring weather!!

Laurinka