For my annual trip to the Czech Republic, I decided to extend my stay a bit longer to visit some new (and old) places, but mainly to see all of my friends and “family” there. Along the way, I managed to see a lot of my favorite spots around the country, as well as go … Continue reading Falling for Autumn in the Czech Republic
This post is was originally written in February 2012 after one of my first weekend trips to Krakow, Poland, during my study abroad semester in Prague. Thinking back, it may have been the first time when I truly felt the need to write down my thoughts in order to fully make sense of my experience. Upon returning … Continue reading Memory: Krakow, Poland
People tend to say that the last few weeks/days you spend in any place tend to have a golden glow around them. You do everything you wished, see the people you love most, and eat everything with no guilt. Maybe my last week in Znojmo/Czech Republic felt amazing because of the “leaving effect,” but I … Continue reading Glory Days
Amidst a flood of metaphorical roadblocks last week my fellow teacher turned to me and commented, “Wow I can’t believe how optimistic you are.” Maybe it’s the tendency for Czechs to be realistic to the point of pessimism, or the American belief in the light at the end of every tunnel, but I think that … Continue reading Maintaining Optimism
While it is definitely still far from being Thanksgiving, I would like to dedicate this post to the amazing things and opportunities thus far in my Fulbright experience. Several times this week I felt elated and overly happy, yet frustrated with the inability to show proper gratitude for people and things here. So maybe this … Continue reading Grappling with Gratitude
Last week was like a mini vacation from my new life in Znojmo. I returned to Prague for the first time since moving to Znojmo and was glad to see the rest of the Fulbright ETAs again for our second Fulbright orientation. Rather than focusing on teaching English and the Czech school system, this orientation … Continue reading Americans in Prague
My last week at home was definitely jam-packed with spending time with family and friends, a lot of going into NYC, packing, running errands, and making phone calls to friends who were farther away. I often find that the build up to actually leave to go somewhere almost makes the going part a little relieving … Continue reading 15 Minutes in the Day of Life
Mariel Sporn Tavakoli 