Greetings from the Czech Republic! A month has gone by since the beginning of my abroad journey—there’s really so much to write about but I guess I should start off with a brief introduction. I’m a junior Psychology major and am studying in Prague through the NYU program this semester. Let me begin by saying that in just this short month, Prague has become more of home for me than I ever could have anticipated.
Every building in this city is so beautiful. Prague features such a unique mix of old architectural styles and modern ones — I wish I had time in my schedule to take a class on Czech architecture!
But you know one of the best parts about studying abroad? You have the luxury of being completely anonymous. It’s freeing, and many days I find myself exploring the Old Town area where my academic buildings are located. There are cute cafes with umbrellas in bright green that read PILSNER URQUELL and chalkboards that offer you something delicious, like a sausage stew. If you were to explore a little farther beyond the main roads, you’d find so many cool places tucked away along side streets. One of my favorites is Bílý Koníček —a great lunch spot and, in my opinion, they have some of the best cappuccinos in the city! Below are two pictures from this fantastic café (anyone notice the Wake Forest ThinkPad? The Bridge team would be so proud).
My only complaint (if you could even call it that) is that grab-and-go snacks are hard to come by. But you can always find a panini vendor or some greasy sausage being sold on the street, if you’re up for that challenge. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not hating on the food. Actually, I’d like to thank Prague in particular for having gelato stands on every corner.
Just so y’all can get a visual of the amazing sights I’m seeing… “Czech” out some of the photos below from when I explored Brno, the second largest city in the Czech Republic and the largest in the Southern Moravian region. We explored the beautiful caves there, ate like kings and saw St. James’s Church and its underground ossuary.
Prague is at the heart of central Europe, and right at the point where Eastern and Western Europe intersect. As a result, I’ve gotten to travel a little outside of the country too. So far I have visited Berlin and Croatia and have plans to continue to wander throughout Europe to my heart’s content. In fact, this weekend I travel to Munich for Oktoberfest! I could not be more excited.
Finally, the nightlife in Prague is nothing short of fantastic. You can pretty much find any type of club you’re looking for on any night of the week. There’s also an interesting underground bar scene. And when I say “underground” I mean it quite literally. Like, in the basement. It seems like you always have to go downstairs to get into a pub, and there’re usually these window-less stone caverns dripping with atmosphere. It’s awesome.
Until next time,
Na shledanou