Yedno, Dva, Tre strikes your out

So I actually wrote this entry last Sunday, but since I’m an idiot I accidentally deleted it while typing. Let’s try this again.
Things here are great. The course is going really well and I’ve learned tons in just a week and a half. The first week went pretty slowly, however. Everyone getting to know each other and our teachers just giving us a basic intro to teaching. Not to say it wasn’t fun. I got my luggage Sunday night around 12 and was pretty pleased to be able to wear clean clothes to meet the other students in the course. Eleven students, three guys, 8 girls, and I’m only one of four who has previous teaching experience… Monday was half a day in class and a tour of Prague in the afternoon. The tour, however, was canceled due to a torrential downpour. The streets (coble stoned, beautiful) were flooded and it hailed before nightfall. Really weird. So our tour was postponed till Friday which turned out to be cloudless and scorching. We wandered around the city with one of the head teachers, Brian, giving a pretty entertaining tour filled with ghost stories, tips on where to pick up girls and drunken ex-pat stories. This was a perfect lead in to the course sponsored pub crawl that evening. But is it really a pub crawl if you only go to two bars? It was more of a pub sit-in but fun nonetheless. I tried absinthe at the first place (and drank it incorrectly, apparently) with no peculiar effects. I did however end up dancing till five with a few people from the program and left feeling much more at home in the Czech Republic. You really don’t feel at home abroad until you are rejected by a local girl on the dance floor.

On Saturday I went to watch the Euro Cup Baseball Championships. Czech Republic vs. Italy. I was pretty excited to see the best Europe had to offer on the baseball diamond and it was easily the most embarrassing baseball game I’ve ever witnessed. I didn’t think that many errors was possible in one game. The Czech pitcher walked in a run in the first inning with no outs! Brian and I spent most the last three innings yelling at the Czech third base coach who we blamed for the Czech loss, 6-1 We were also the only ones who (a) sang ‘Take me Out to the Ballgame’ and (b) knew the answer to the trivia question was ‘Cooperstown’. .It was a fun time, despite the loss and I got a great picture out of the deal. The man in the green hat scowling at the camera is actually the Czech President. He was there to throw out the first pitch and this picture was taken just as he was leaving. He stood not ten feet from me, apparently angry that an annoying American was taking his picture. I wish I had had the balls to overcome my total lack of Czech language and shook his hand. Hopefully I’ll get another chance.

So that was my weekend. This week in class has been much more intense than the first. We have been studying English grammar all week, teaching a lesson a day to actual Czech students, and we just began our Czech language lessons as well. The course is supposed to be intensive and it’s in no way overwhelming, but I’m glad I have the experience teaching in Kstan. Looking back I notice so many mistakes I made when I taught there. After this course I know I’m going to be a much more effective teacher. Two weeks left and I still need to find a flat and a job. That’s what this weekend is for.

McPrague

Hey. I made it to Prague ok though I had to participate in the O'Hare Airport Sprinting Marathon to make it to my flight to Europe. I ran two terminals and made it just as they closed the doors. It was awesome. Unfortunately my luggage is another matter. I have no bags. I'm calling the airline and hopefully I get them today since we start classes on Monday and I've been wearing the same clothes for two days.... It's raining now but I had McDonald's for breakfast so it's ok. Yup. McD's and KFC here. It's great. There is a certain soviet feel here that reminds me of Kstan but at the same time it is really western. I share an apartment with a girl from New Mexico and we have a running shower and a washing machine! Plus a patio and hardwood floors. A palace compared to my Bazar Korgon hole. It should be a good time.

I bought a phone. Country code is 420 and the number is 720-555-276. Yes it's real despite the 555 beginning. I double dog dare you to call me. First person to do so will win a dollar. Ok, I'll keep you posted.

Six Days and Counting (again)

I got back from my family road trip last night and damn is it good to be back. It wasn't a bad trip by any means, just a long one. And the majority of the time was spent driving. The West coast is fucking huge.

To make a long trip really short: Stayed in Santa Barbara, went to my favorite restaurant and I had drinks with some college friends. Next day we drove to Hearst's Castle. Very impressive. Drove to Oakland and saw an A's game. A's destroyed the Giants 16-0 (!) and we all decided that the Oakland coliseum is the ugliest place to see a game that we've ever been to. Drove to Carmel, drove around Pebble Beach golf course which was beautiful. Drove further up the coast. Found giant talking Paul Bunyan statue. Drove more. Got to Seattle. I hung out with Ailey and had a great time getting drunk and reminiscing over Kstan stories. Didn't make it to Canada since my brothers don't have passports. But that left an extra day in Seattle. After that we were back on the road heading to Portland. Then to Merced, a very hot and very small town in central California (I pity the kids that will be attending the new UC Merced; nothing to do in that town...) The next day we went to Yosemite, a first for me and my brothers. It was beautiful but we didn't stay long, all of us were ready to go home.
   We got in last night and now I am getting everything I need for my next trip. I'll be in Prague in a week and I have lots of little things to do before I leave. I'll keep you up to date. Talk to you later.