Classes Started

Classes started yesterday, and they all were very interesting. All my professors have amazing credentials. One of my professors sits on the judicial board for all of Prague. He is the equivalent of a supreme court justice in the U.S. Another professor has been in one of the biggest marketing firms in London for 17 years. Should be a great semester. 

Charles Bridge

Pictures of Charles Bridge

Staroméstské Námésti (Old Town Square)

I took a tour of Old Town Square. The highlights were Charles Bridge which was built in 1357 and after more than 600 years it is now being renovated. The architecture is really pretty. Tyn Church is in the square as well as the astronomical clock which is a huge tourist attraction. 

Barter Bride

I went to the Czech Opera "Barter Bride" last night. It was really good. Czech wouldn't strike me as a beautiful language to sing, however it was very nice. The theater was gorgeous. It is right on Vltava River, and you can see Prague Castle across the river all lit up. The Czechs get very dressed up to go to the Opera. I saw a couple women in ball gowns. 

Finding my footing

Today was our first day of orientation activities. We took the metro to Charles University, where we met NYU staff and learned a little more about the country. Afterwards we were split up into groups to walk around Old town square where our academic center is located. Our classrooms are in two buildings in Malé Námesti which means small square. We were shown plenty of cafes and restaurants to go to in between classes. We saw a huge astronomical clock in the square that has huge wheels, and apparently does something special every hour. There was a huge crowd. The weather is a lot milder than I was expecting. It's cold, but not as cold as New York. After the tour the R.A.s left us to do what we wanted. Lisa and I got phones, and went to Tesco, which is a four story department store that carries everything you could ever need. I'm getting used to the metro, however it's a little daunting since all the signs are in Czech. I know I will probably get on the wrong train or go in the wrong direction, but that's all part of the experience! All the lines are referred to by color, similar to the T in Boston.  Intensive Czech starts tomorrow, so that will be interesting! 

Quick stats about NYU in Prague:

Size: 130 students

Men: 40

Women: 90 (Of course NYU would have this ratio)

Not NYU students: 25

Year Charles Bridge was built: 1357

I have arrived!

After an entire day of traveling (seven hours to Frankfurt, a two hour layover, and an hour to Prague) I have finally arrived! I am all settled in my dorm (Machova) in the Vinohrady neighborhood of Prague. We arrived, unpacked, and took a nap. I wasn't able to sleep on the plane. Our R.A.s are students at the Czech University in Prague, so they will be very helpful this semester. The city is beautiful despite the overcast skies and cold weather. The architecture and cobblestone streets look like they are out of a storybook. The terrace of our dorm overlooks the city, and it is gorgeous (I'll get around to pictures soon). 

We took a walk around the neighborhood, and even braved the grocery store on our first day. The clerks could probably tell we were foreigners, because we spent a good ten minutes trying to decide what cheese to pick. Trying to communicate is going to be an obstacle, but I'll be taking a week long intensive Czech course to get by. Interesting to note that they don't provide plastic bags for your food. You are expected to bring your own. They will give you a single bag, but charge you quite a bit, and give you a stare down. I ended up just shoving my food in my purse. It was quite an experience. Tonight the R.A.s are taking us out for dinner. I've already met some nice people, and looking forward to the rest of the week to get more acquainted with the city. 

I already tripped the power of our wing of the dorm trying to test my hair dryer. Ooops! 

Great first day!