Art

Holy crap, how is it December? 2008 is coming to its end? what?? Time makes less and less sense to me. I think i spend a lot of time thinking, there will be time soon. I guess we all do and that's how we push away decisions and change until we really don't have time anymore.

Naturally, being here, people ask if I will go home at the end or stay another year. When lyds and I signed up to do this, we assumed only one year. Especially me because, and this is no secret, I am pretty bad at English. In highschool, I took all honors classes....except English. And then the only B on my report card was always from my regular level English class. So i really didnt think teaching it was going to be my life long desire. (But its getting better for me and im enjoying it more and more... although i think i might just be enjoying my students and teaching more and more, not enjoying english more and more :) )

My thoughts last summer was that I would go to grad school after this. But things are so busy here...and maybe thats an easy excuse to use... but I've barely been able to think about what happens next for me, and as for schools...applications need to be in sometimes as early as december. Yikes. I have this visual of me, next year, living in my parents house, 24 years old, with no job and trying to figure out what the heck i am doing. I laugh about that, but it might happen. I am not freaking out about this, yet. I do think I will figure out what to do with my life and I do believe that God has been giving me pieces of a bigger whole, that fit together in one way or another, I'm just not sure yet how or why or what its forming into.

Living here has begun to show me things that I care about. I already knew I cared about these things, but all of a sudden, I am more aware of their vital importance in my life. They are becoming non-negotiables. For instance:

I have always considered myself a groupie to the arts. Usually, people are either The Artist, or don't understand the art at all. I am neither. I understand the art, and completely appreciate it and the artist. To me, art....talent....natural born inspiration...its all drips of God. Some people can't not make music. Others feel inspired to create the images they see in their imagination. Some express themselves in dance, or photos or writing, and so on. All of these art forms just seem to FIT for these people. God has created everyone so uniquely. His creativity has made people different and talanted and lovely.

I should make a note here: I am not saying that I only find God in the arts or that you have to be an artist to express this creativity. It is just one aspect of life that I am intriged by and connect with God through.

So, I have always known that I loved this, and part of wanting to move to Europe was because of its art, architecture, fashion, etc. I wanted to be absorbed in it all. But, God is funny. I moved to Central Europe. Czech Republic. Ostrava. And honestly, there isnt really that environment here. Its not the romantic and poetic Western Europe I was thinking of. That's my impressions so far at least. Fashion is not really the up to date trends and people dont seem concerned about it much. Art is basic and kind of hard to find. And even the czechs arent that impressed with their own music. Innovation seems lost. People arent really trying to stick out of the crowd or create something new.

And this is not said to offend or to be negative at all. And believe me, I think there is something beautiful about life here. They work together. They aren't extravagent or over indulgent. They don't feel this intense need to figure out who they are and find what would make them happy...like Americans are constantly on a quest for. They care about their family. They work hard. They enjoy simple pleasures.

So there are two things this is showing me. First of all, that art is more important to me that i even thought. Just being in the environment of creativity is inspirational to me and energizing. I'm impressed and challanged and fed by it. I think, that in the end, I need to live in a place where it strongly exists.

Second... I think God took me out of that environment because He wanted to show me His beauty and creativity in other ways. I believe Him to be dynamic and mysterious. Being here is giving me an opportunity...actually, I am almost being forced... to learn about Him and find Him in other forms besides the arts. Which, I am now grateful for.

There are other non-negotiables... but this has become a long blog, and once its this long, only your parents read it. So I'm going to pause here for now.

escaped

So my week of sickness was weird. I knew I didn't like to be home a lot or alone a lot and now I also know that doing both of those things, for a few days, will make me lose my mind. On Friday (5 days into being home), nothing sounded like a good idea for me to do to entertain myself given my grumpy mood...and then i started to cry out of no where. This is when i knew i would be running away soon, for sanity's sake. :)

Saturday night i packed my backpack and headed to Krakow on my own. My train was quiet and lonely which made me wonder if i was going the right way. I was. Then i found my hostel and made friends with my new roomies. The next day i met up with some friends and we headed off to Auschwitz. I forgot my camera (tragic) so i can not show you this place...which is maybe good, because you should just go and see it for yourself. It is such a heavy experience.

So heres some quick history....
Auschwitz is a group of concentration, labour and extermination camps built by the Germans during the Second World War. There are 3 main parts to Aushwitz, with 40 sub-camps in the neighboring cities and in the surrounding area. Poles, Jews, gypsies, and prisoners of other nationalities and minorities were incarcerated there in one of the biggest mass murders in history, all part of Hitler's plan for complete destruction ('the Final Solution').

Jewish people were deported from their homes all over Europe to Auschwitz. They believed they would all be safe and with their families and belongings. Most of these people were instead, immediately sent to a gas chamber and put to death upon arrival. Their bodies were afterwards cremated in industrial furnaces. Others were put to very hard work, though people were only able to survive these conditions for 1 week-5 months.

Its hard to tell how many people died from this experience....the Germans tried to keep things quiet and burned papers and bodies. Though well over a million is very safe to say.

The experience was one I won't ever forget.

sick=quarantine

I got sick.  Sunday night i felt it coming. Monday morning didn't sound great.  By Monday afternoon I was pretty sure I'd gross out my students so I called Zuzka and she found subs for me and told me to stay home.  Later Monday night Zuzka called me back and told me to meet her in the morning and we were going to go to the Doctors.  I didn't want to go but agreed. 

So Tuesday morning I saw a doctor.  I was given a prescription for 3 medicines (1-nose spray, 2-cough, 3-aches) and 7 days.  Meaning for 7 days I have to stay in my house.  For anyone that knows me...this may be the hardest thing i will ever do in my life.  I cant remember ever even staying in the house 24 hours.  I get bottled up and antsy and feel like i have to get out and see that people still exist.  But, by law, i cant leave.  Ok i am sick. I dont think i could do normal every day life, but i certainly dont need to be locked up.  And i am assuming in one more day i will be fairly back to normal but still in this house....so if you want to talk online at any point...im home and available.  ha :)

The sad thing is..... we have monday off, and i have friday off because my class got changed so i had a plan. Thursday go to prague.  Friday meet with Italian consulate.  Saturday day trip to town near Prague that has a bone church, among other things. Sunday see the Cold War Kids plan in Prague and Monday go to a Brewery.  Now my plans have changed to sitting, laying, reading, watching, alone, bed.  And since its the long weekend, people i know in Ostrava are leaving too.  I guess it was bound to happen at some point.  Getting sick.  The thing that sucks about getting sick here though is that it doesnt just affect me.  My friends have to pull my weight and cover my classes.  And again, if you know me at all, you know that i hate needing help.  Today i just feel weak, like im failing.  

Krakow, Poland

Krakow might be the cutest place ever. Ever.  The castle is beautiful and dripping of mysterious stories and historic facts.  The town is small enough to be able to just walk everywhere.  They have a big main square and then a smaller square and also the jewish quarter.  All of these areas are filled with live music pubs and clubs and artsy little nocks.  The town was busy with street performers, restaurants, flower vendors, etc.  One of my favorite visits was to the New Jewish Cemetery.  Lyds and I were the only ones in there at the time and it was one of those experiences i dont think i will ever forget.  Knowing the history of the Jews and weight of their sorrows and then crawling into this place of proof of it all, mixed with the perfection of fall colors and falling golden leaves onto beautiful graves with only silence all around... like i said....it was just one of those experiences.  

Krakow also has a beautiful basilica with a huge adorned alter, a giant Cloth Hall absolutley filled with vendors selling repeated items to tourists, a clock tower that supposedly has a dungeon and beer cafe, synagogs, museums, and fashion.  Lyds and i would sit and peoplewatch and lust after their fashion.  The girls are so sleek and trendy.  Id say better than new york!  Amazing jackets and books... the layers, the bags, the hats...oh i loved it! I wish i was a cute polish girl! 

On our last day there we went to a really great book store....rooms filled with english books!!!! floor to ceiling, every topic, ladders, coffee, couches, thoughts, writing, music, reading, hours flying by.  It was really needed to just have time to sit and think and sort out thoughts that havent had time to be completed in the rush of every day life.  Then, on our last night there, lyds and i finally found a dancing club.  Underground there was a huge 6 room cave with lofts and multiple bars and couches and dancing! To good music dancing!  It was a great find and took us forever to discover but was worth it!  Fall break was lovely! And reminded me why i wanted to move to Europe.  What a blessing to live to close to different cultures and to jump on a train that costs roughly $30 and have an adventure in a whole new land. Beauty.  

Wroclaw, Poland

I believe that Wroclaw has perfected the ambience factor of cafes and bars that America has been trying to grasp for years....they make it seem like it was effortless to throw together vintage furniture, warm colored walls, dim lighting, and urban art and photos with deliciousness...paulaner beer or cappuccinos and chocolates.  

Then they have their town square... a big open space of people and energy, overpriced food and historic buildings.  Wroclaw has been called the Venice of Poland though i would never claim such a thing.  The similarity is the bridge idea.  Wroclaw has 112 bridges connecting 12 islands that make up the town.  Of course the bridges are adorable and all different than the others.  I think it was smart to be there during the fall because it was sooo beautiful and we enjoyed the leaves and cool air.

My only complaint is finding Tram 22.  People act like its so easy to find and they point to some vague direction and look at you like your stupid. In reality this tram is sometimes invisible and other times tucked behind and under giant buildings.  And taxi drivers can choose to not take you places which makes getting around....if you are lydia and me... a little challenging. 

FOr some reason my blog wont upload any other photos besides this one, so you can look at my facebook page to see more photos of wroclaw.  sorry..

leaf and leave

well...
I do believe I have a final schedule.... i teach:
1st grade twice a week
3rd grade twice a week
5th grade twice a week
Two groups of highschool kids, each once a week
Four Individuals for a conversation class, each once a week
One Individual for a business twice a week

There have been some added classes lately, either being a sub or teaching a seminar, but the above schedule are my permanent people.

Besides that, FALL IS BEAUTIFUL! Like crazy beautiful. I've seen fall in pictures and on TV and even a bit in America, but not like this. I didn't even get a chance to take a picture of my favorite tree and now all the leaves fell. BUT it had the most amazing bright yellow leaves and a massive deep brown trunk. It was magical. Also, its October... which people at home should know I love! So this whole week my lesson plans have been all about Halloween and eating candy :)
Sad they don't have a version of Halloween here... but we did get to go to a costume party anyway for our Younglife friend Ashley. It was her birthday. Lydia went as the World. And i went as the Moon. So i just ran circles around her all night. It was fun and cost us no money to make! :) And on the Thursday before Halloween, the elementary school is throwing a party in the park for the students. So they will get dressed up with their parents and come and have some activities....so of course i want to go too.

Last weekend some of our friends from Prague came into town. We took them on a bit of a hike up to see the Lipnice nad Sázavou castle (about an hour train ride from Ostrava). It was created in the beginning of the 14th century and is actually one of the largest in Europe. It was so beautiful. I love castles. They just feel alive with stories of peoples adventures.

This coming weekend we have a break. Hallelujah! We have Mon-Wed off from work so it looks as though Lyds and I might head to Poland. I can't stinkin wait. Trains and hostels and new cultures and new views... lovely.

Hmm...what else would you want to know?

I'll think about it and write more later.

stop asking... here

well...

I've been teaching.  All the preparation finally has purpose.  Our schedules appear to be changing quite often, but i thiiiiiink i have an idea of what my year will look like.

I began working in the Elementary school.  I have a 1st grade class, a 3rd grade class, and a 5th grade class...all of which i teach twice a week.  They are adorable and fun of course... but im having a bit of trouble in the discipline area....  Their teachers tell me to make them fear me in the beginning.  That feels impossible really.  I was supposed to assistant teach, but i think the czech teachers were excited for a break because so far they have all left the room and told me to teach every time i have been there.  And although it is just so easy to come up with really great fun and educational lesson plans on the spot....Ive started to plan ahead a bit.  I lost my voice, yet the teacher still wanted me to teach her class.  As i began, Andre interrupts and says, "You sound like your dying."  Dev then adds in "Why dont you just clear your throat?"  Brilliant, why didnt i think of that?

I have two one on one classes and am enjoying both.  I am grateful to have such kind and flexible students! 

This next week i start three new classes.  A youth class of 15 students, an adult class of 7 and another adult class of 6.  I'm hoping they are as great as the classes I have had so far. 

A few weekends ago we went to Prague!!! It was magical and beautiful and overwhelming to stand in front of history like that.  We walked around the New Town Square, and The Old Town Square, and saw the clock, and the castle, and we crossed the Charles bridge and rode paddle boats, and went in the church of our lady before tyn, and and drank wine on a hill overlooking the city, and went dancing, and played in a park.... and more.  Oh and we stayed with friends in their mansion of a place which was fun.  One, because their place is cool, and two, because they are too..

Back in Ostrava, we also went to Younglifes first movie night of the new year and met a bunch of highschoolers and leaders.  It felt like home...like ThElement.  I think i want to get involved with it.  Then we went out with some people to Stodolni for beers and dancing, which, of course, was fun! 

Other updates - 

-Lyds semi cut back on her chocolate craze.  She is still failing at many things and it is still amusing, although ive had a few of my own failures to add in as well.  

-We are still laughing through life....especially at the random things that keeping occuring (taking trams and walking home holding large pieces of vacuums and a huge box of corn flakes.) 

-Its cold!  Its only september geez.

-My cell phone is prettty much just for show.  It can't call, or receive calls.  The three button doesn't work, and apparently neither does the alarm since i have now overslept twice for class.  Apparently in two weeks i will have a shiny new one and i will call someone with it!  

-Our washing machine does not work. (We will be getting  a new one no worries.)  Since i moved here a month ago my clothes are a months worth of dirty.... So today i finally decided to hand washed some of them in our bathtub, wiped the sweat from my brow and wondered what year it was.  Maybe it was because i had just finished doing the dishes by hand too.  :)  

-We are going to Prague "for work" again this weekend.   

-We got our visas!!!! woot woot.  

ok that is more than enough for you to read.  

who knew

I too am a TERRIBLE speller. And even worse at grammar yet now its my job to not suck at those things. ha! It will be an interesting year for me. 

People have been lovely and hospitable and had us over to their homes for feasts.... i've spent two weeks eatting and my pants are already tight...fried, sweets, whole milk, various forms of bread, beer, chocolate.... 

lydia is a disaster!  She falls, trips, gets hurt, breaks things, has to redo things, gets lost, tye dyes clothes, the list continues... its amazing. We just keep saying "Fail" and laughing hysterically. I love it. 

Fishnet contracted with an Elementary school for the first time this year and they are letting me work there! So mon-thur i will be there for two of their classes and I am so excited. Ive already started a one on one class with woman and i think its going good. I have to get the rest of my sched next week.... it should be community classes and teaching at businesses. 24 hours of class total.  But it takes me so long to plan plus teach myself freakin grammar things that its at least 40 hours. 

oh annnnd - my boss is wanting to start making enligh teaching videos that are more fun and funny then the ones out there and has created a green screen room at the school. On my first real day of work he asked us to help him with a practice shoot to check lighting and such...Yet .we ended up having to get in wardrobe (flight attendants!) and be in a few scenes about airport security and the body.  DId i mention about his black face character? He's called Jon Bourno. He paints himself black with a fro.... this is the character he wants to use to teach for the videos. ha!  One of his music videos has this character....You tube.... kuličky štěstí and the song called Stydlivý.  Not a normal first day of work, but really fun! 

Younglife and the YMCA are here and pair with Fishnet to make lots of community activities so i am going to go check out if there is anything i want to get involved in with them. 

annnd Im leaving today for Prague!  woot woot.  

sidenote - Mullets are big here. And two toned hair. Top one color, bottom another. Bascially every hairdo is just terrible and oh and tragic. People rewear their clothes all the time and nothing matches. Its like 1992 here with the clothes and the music they play in public. 

thats all

Lysa Hora is a beast that we have conquered

Lydia's first train ride!!

The hike begins

This is will a nice hike.....

Finally making it up to the top!!  Victory!

We got on a 

train at 8:30am, 

started hiking at 10:05am,  got to the top of the mountain

 at about 1:30pm and celebrated the victory at a pub.  Then at about 2:30-3 started to walk down the mountain, realized we went the wrong way after about a mile, went back up the mountain and re-descended the mountain again.  Once finally at the bottom there was some "Music and Juggling" festival, which really meant techno and reggae music with lots of dreaded and plugged teens.  We made it back to the train at 6pm.  Lysa Hora is the tallest mountain around here and it basically took us all day, and although i now have no control over my stomach or leg muscles, i think it was absolutely beautiful 

and well worth it.

Also.... 

You can eat fruit along the way

AND....lydia, while climbing down the mountain, tripped over a rock, over-compensated, fell horizontal, and log rolled down some rocks.  I cried laughing on the spot.  Then again on the train home.  Then before i went to sleep.  And one more time at church this morning.  

I think we will have lots of fun together this year :) 

photo update

These are some views out of our windows.  There is also a picture of our living room and one of part of my room.  Then there is lydia at our elevator (because we are 16 flights up) and then an outside view of our place.  :)

my new address:

Fishnet, s.r.o.,
Havlíčkovo nábřeží 23
702 00 Ostrava 1

Send me snailmail!  And if you want you can send me orbit (dark green) gum, crystal light (wild strawberry) or mixed cd's so i can enjoy new tunes.

   

Dont feel like you have to ever send anything, I know its inconvenient and expensive, so no worries :)

week one is over

just a few, basic things to dance about:

     Lyd and I flipped a flat into a cuddly new home for ourselves

     I found a sushi restaurant!!!  run by asians!!!!

     My boss is a rock star and his funky latina ecstatic music makes me happy

         (you can watch his videos on you tube, ill write the address later)

     I figured out the trick to get in my front door so it doesnt take 10 minutes anymore

     I sleep the biggest bed i have ever had

     Fishnet workers are lovely and helpful and my boss is crazy multi-talented

     The zoo here is amazing...i got to see elephants! and dinosaur-sized rhinos and hippos, 

                 and a red panda which i didnt know existed and that i almost stole

     Stodolni looks like lots of fun...street of bars, restaurants, venues and discos..and chicken

 sandwhich vendors 

     Tonight i am going to "cardio dance" with jonna

    Coffee always comes with cookies or chocolate  mmmmm

    I have a real work desk! and finally get to go into the "teachers office" 

    We get a good amount of long weekends in the year for potential adventures!

   Lydia asked "where is the egg"  instead of "where is the bathroom" - ha!

blogging is hard especially now with no internet at my house, but i will try to do it more and with better detail soon :)  

     

ostrava= home

lydia wrote this:

ok. we got here at noon. shamrock and adam picked us up (fellow teacher, adam is boss). took us to our flat which is quite large for 2 small girls. we are blessed and uber lucky. we unpacked a little and rearranged... showered... then shamrock came and took us to a super cute retro cafe where we got coffee and desserts and talked for a couple hours. his english is superb. at 930pm, after over a day of no sleeping (minus restless on the airplane), our eyes were shutting - so we went home and slept together - very soundly until 11am. at about 1pm shamrock and adam picked us up and took us to eat in the very cute city center. then adam went back to work and thus began our "transportation orientation" - we have the basics down, have a monthly tram pass, can ask for a bus ticket in czech (jidenku patnact minuto, prosim), have our stop memorized (dum energitiky), went to ikea for sheets that aren't big enough for our bed, came home and hung out w/ shamrock and randomly saw fireworks over the city from out 7th story flat and then gina and i chatted and rearranged the night away in our flat. at 3am we forced ourselves to lie down. note - not tired AT ALL at that point. today we woke up at about 10am and went to tesco agaion (basically - walmart) and spent more money on food and flat essentials (hooks, cleaners, apples (jablko), toilet paper, colored pencils, a fan - no air conditioning here, stuff) and are now at librex - bookstore and internet cafe.

so - our boss is a rockstar - literally - he's been in a band for like 9 years which he described as "funky, latina, ecstatic" and lucky for us - they have a show tonight -- so we're going to that at like 6pm. one of their songs made it big a few years ago and they were on the "czech mtv". pretty stoked about that.

i have never laughed as hard (minus me and twig's trip to nyc) as i have this past month/ week here. everything is funny. our door hates us to get in our apartment - i literally cannot open it. gina has to do it. there's some special trick to it that it refuses to let me in on. so we sit there and giggle for 5 minutes and barter our lives away with the door telling it that we live there and we're allowed in. it's ridiculous. funny for now - i'm sure it will make me cry one day.  

i think in english and spanish - hardly ever czech. i said "uno momento" to some random czech the other day. i think "con" for with. minds and languages are bizzare-o that they do that. i'll be happy when i think in english and czech and not spanish. i've said "si" several times instead of "ano". i'm pretty good at saying "prosim" - universal polite word and "dekuji" - thank you.

our first experience at tesco our first day -- you have to "rent" and shopping cart and we COULD NOT figure that out for a good 10 minutes and finally used czech well and asked someone. i felt very accomplished when we figured out you needed a deset coin.  we tried a penny - note - doesnt work.  must be czech coin.

we live 7 stories up. for 5 stories going down - it's normal. the last remaining stairs just feel silly and stupid. our views are PHENOM. there are so many windows. it is so nice. 

due to the fact that gina is a creative genius - our living room looks cute and 800% better than when we got there and it's using all stuff that was already in the flat. we have 2 twin beds - like each of us - so we pushed them together in each of our rooms. i've slept w/ her both  nights and we dont' even come near touching. however - the sheets are like 2 inches too small. so that's a problem. i do miss my down comforter mucho. oh there is a slide at the bottom of our building.  really its a ramp but gina uses it as a slide everytime and causes us to giggle all the way to the tram stop.  little things are fun and funny.

the first time in prague should be about a month from now unless we can't hold out. that's when our esi retreat is. next week we have school orientation w/ adam in the morning and city orientation in the afternoon (post office, stores, getting around, etc). our other teammates get in sunday and tuesday - that is very very exciting - jonna on sunday (will be 2nd year here) and laura tuesday (will be 4th year here). we hear great things about them so we should be great friends. 

look on facebook for pics. gina is posting our last days at wciu now and pics of ostrava will come soon. if you look at my friends - premek is shamrock and he has pics up of the city and our school. this should be good for now - probably sick of reading. all is grand here. loving it loving it loving it. all exciting and challenging and delightful and funny. 

oh - we have a washer - no dryer. that should be muy interesante (there's that spanish again.)

love you all

beginning

ill blog eventually :)