Ahoj from Praha.

I feel bad that I haven't bothered to inform the masses about all that has occurred in my first week abroad. It's been a whirlwind to say the least, and I think I was waiting for a feeling of settlement. It's still hard to believe that I wake up in this place every morning-that I walk these cobblestone streets everyday, as I pass by buildings and landmarks, some of which have been around earlier than the 9th century.

I've talked to many who already know the early details of my time here, but for those who don't, I will summarize some facts of interest:
1. My apartment is located in Prague 5- the Smichov district to be exact. We are on the top floor of an old building, whose spiral staircase gives my legs quite a daily workout. The apartment has a "Snow White-esque" to it, but the best part is the view from our balcony of the east side of the city.
2. I have three other roommates. We are all from different parts of the country, which makes it an enjoyable learning experience for all of us.
3. My school, Anglo-American University, it located in the Mala Strana district. This is one of my favorite sections of the city. Google image it? Almost right next to school is a restaurant called Bohemia Bagel which we are all in love with. They serve American food all day long. Best is their big bagels because they are only 11 czk each (less than $1). This has become a common hangout spot for us CEAers.
4. Prague is most certainly a nightlife city. It NEVER sleeps. I think it may be in part because Europeans eat dinner later (typically 8, 9, maybe even 10 pm). At 3am people young and old are still out on the streets having fun. It's crazy. Needless to say, it's been hard to get a good amount of sleep.
This morning, a bunch of us ventured off on a train for Kutna Hora- located south of Prague. The train traveled through some beautiful, quiet countryside before we reached this small foothills town. Our mission- find the bone church. Or rather, the Klosnice Ossuary. This church, on the inside, is made almost entirely of human bones. Reason being? After the church was first built, a monk brought back soil from Jerusalem and sprinkled it over the churchyard. When this occurred, everyone wanted to be buried in the church's cemetery. Even after an expansion years later, there wasn't enough room for the bodies. So, a half-blind Christian monk began taking the dead's bones and artistically decorated the church with them. Observe:

After we walked through the church, we went upstairs to the other chapel where we were pleasantly surprised to find a violin quartet. After hearing them, I think my appreciation for classical music has strengthened.
The rest of the day was spent walking through this city. It was a good 30-minute walk from the church into town in the boiling heat, but it was worth it. The best way I can describe it is a "Po-dunk town" European-style- if that makes sense? I guess what I mean by European style is that the buildings, though run-down, were still in that pretty-historic architecture (Corey, can you think of a better way to describe this?) We found a little oasis in an alley, a restaurant called Vruthardce. To enter, you walked through a "Secret Garden-like" archway, into a garden/lawn area with exotic looking flowers. We sat at a long bench where we enjoyed a meal of string cheese, bread, and beer/RC cola (pending on who you were). It was all very quaint and relaxing. Today, I was in love with Europe. Riding home on our beat-up train, all of us in and out of sleep, watching as we passed other small towns and countryside, I realized I enjoy this side of Europe the most. I'm not sure why, but the unexpectededness of being outside a famous city, like Prague, makes it all seem more real. I'm truly thankful to be here this semester.