No Longer in Prague But Still Have to Blog

2005-05-07T17:39:00.000-07:00

I'll start with an explanation. I've kept a link to this blog in my profile for months without updating. I'm sorry. I use Netscape on my laptop, because my Internet Explorer was massively corrupted. Unfortunately Netscape didn't support blogspot.com There were clearly solutions available but I just didn't have the time to look into it as it was a low priority. But then I found myself sitting in my room on Saturday afternoon, halfheartedly studying for my Nat Sci exam on Monday and realized now is the perfect time. And my problems are solved because I've decided to switch to Mozilla Firefox. And now, I am back. You can count on blog updates.

There have been many times during the last semester that I wanted to blog to talk about my big 21st Birthday Bash in February, my excellent Spring Break in South Florida with my shiksa and my Jewish grandmother, the insanity that is the Admissions office in April, or finals or Dems or comics, really anything. Now I'm bursting with topics and don't know what to write about.

So lets do a brief weekend recap just to get back into the swing of things. Thursday began at 8 am with my Cold War Final Exam. Actually went pretty well - some IDs, timelines, and two essay questions. On Thursday night, Shawna graciously hosted a dinner for our little Dems cabal to get together once more before graduation and to give some gifts to our departing seniors, Lauren, Shaun, and Dave. Later that night I decided to get loco for Cinco de Mayo at B-Bar. It was an excellent night out, but it always is with Julia when we meet up with Al Val, the Riv, Becky, Marc, and special guest star Kenneth. I ran into the infamous Dantre Connerly and one of my orientees from the previous summer who I had no recollection of, but at least he remembered me positively. The only downside was that we went to Crif Dogs at 2, right as it was closing. I guess we all forgot it was Thursday and therefore Crif Dogs wouldn't be open until 4. Ah well, I could never really get the hang of Thursdays.
I decided to hit up the Bronfman for Shabbat last night. I've always had a tough time being comfortable there at services. Kesher, the Reform group, has way too much guitar for my tastes. Honestly to me the ideal amount of guitar playing at Shabbat is none. I've tried the Conservative services too, but I just can't get the hang of the non-participatory nature. At least it was another opportunity to see Dave get a nice send off before he starts his PhD program at USC. Speaking of Dave and send offs, after dinner he was saying good-bye to Noah. Noah mentioned that it was possible that they would never see each other again (they are only acquaintances) but Dave reassured him that they would...at my wedding. Weird, huh?
Anyway after two Shabbat dinners (one at Bronfman and one at Weinstein) Noah, Julia, and I decided to take it easy and watch Eulogy in my room. I highly recommend it, by the way, Hank Azaria and Zooey Deschanel are both excellent.

As for tonight, I have two parties that I have been eagerly anticipating one is the After Party for the Admissions Ambassador Senior Dinner at Onyx and the other is an awesome rooftop party held by some lovely ladies from Summer O '03. But first Julia and I are having dinner with Noah and Erica, and I hear our friend Corey might be joining us.
Tomorrow Brunch with Mom. Happy Mother's Day.

this is teaching?

2005-01-10T11:45:00.000-08:00

I have been back from Prague for a few weeks now and I think I can now say that I have readjusted to America. As I had been warned this adjustment was much harder than my initial adjustment to Prague. It seems like a long time ago now, but I want to share one story from my journey home. My suitcase was about 10 kgs over the weight limit so I was forced to try to unpack some of the heavier items. I filled a backpack that I had not originally intended to carry on and shoved more stuff in my messenger bag. After two attempts I was able to cut it down by 8 kgs and the check in lady let the rest slide. Fast forward a bit, and I am putting my carry on bags through the metal detector. My backpack is stopped and they call me over. They can't identify a long metal object I have and neither can I. I notice it has 8 prongs sticking up and it is tallest in the center. I actually had to open my bag to realize that I had been stopped for carrying a MENORAH. That story has been actually been nominated for "Most Jewish Story Ever" so be sure to read current issues of Reform Judaism magazine to see if I win.

Since being home I've had a nice Christmas, an excellent trip to Concord, New Hampshire (the girlfriend's home) and a fun New Year's back in the city. At the moment I am subbing in a Gifted and Talented class. They are busy working on their Model UN presentations and I've taken this opportunity to blog. Oh, actually someone seems to have a question. I'll cut this short, but expect more once the spring semester begins next week.

Prague needs deli

2004-12-13T05:05:00.000-08:00

Things are really winding down here. Whenever I’m finishing up a semester I always begin to feel a desire and a readiness to be home. Maybe it’s a conditioned response or maybe sitting in my room and writing papers when I could be going out makes me want to go home. It’s nice to almost be done with the semester but I still need to pack and to buy a few gifts in Prague.

I have nothing very exciting to report about this weekend. I spent the majority of it writing my Modern Jewish History paper on Yiddish lit and my Law and Human Rights paper on Education in the Czech Republic since 1989. If for some reason you happen to be interested in either of these topics I would be happy to discuss them with you.

Dan and I are now focusing on eating once more at each of our favorite places. We went to our favorite Italian place, Pizzeria Grossetto, on Saturday night. Last night we are at Jama, where we go for football and Buffalo wings (I wish the Giants didn’t suck). Today its back to Husa, a place Ondre took us in the beginning of the semester. We will also have to get back to Martina’s place (no one calls it by its actual name, but she showed it to us and it was thus christened) and possibly Retro. Of course we will be returning to our favorite bar (coincidentally around the corner), B-52 on Wednesday night. Actually we rented out the bar, so while we already had our official NYU Farewell Dinner, this will be the actual Farewell Party.

I have absolutely loved being in Prague and I have a new respect for Europe but there really are a lot of little differences. In that spirit I have compiled a short list of little things I’m looking forward to in America. Proper deli (corned beef, pastrami, TONGUE, sour pickles) – watching Conan O’Brien – Driving (Sarah, can I use our car every once in a while?)-Speaking to sales people who know my language – American magazines – sushi and good Chinese food - free water in restaurants – also not having to smell like smoke all the time – watching football in my own living room – and, yes, comic books.

shiksa in Prague and Hanukah begins

2004-12-08T07:04:00.000-08:00

On this previous Thursday I was filled with anticipation. Julia was going to arrive in Prague that evening. I had been looking forward to the weekend and planning it for quite a while and I was not disappointed. On that first night, I brought Jules to our regular hang outs. There is a bar around the corner from our residence hall called B-52. They make incredible White Russians; it is fun, cheap, and around the corner, so obviously we go there often. Once we got there, she had the chance to meet about a third of the Prague program. From there we went to M1, a bar in Old Town. Our first night was our longest.
On Friday we were able to meet up with Julia’s friends from Florence who had also traveled to Prague. We walked around Wenceslas and Old Town and we went up the Clock Tower. Also we did a bit of shopping. I took everyone to Tatry, which is actually a traditional Slovak place but they didn’t know the difference and they were able to accommodate us. On my recommendation, most people ordered the svickova; beef steak covered in gravy with cranberries and whipped cream served with bread dumplings. It’s certainly not Florentine. I should mention that Taryn, who is in the Prague program and is a friend of Julia’s since freshman year joined us for dinner. Taryn suggested we go to Radost after dinner. Radost has a very cool décor and excellent feel as well as an extensive drink menu. So we all had a good time.

Saturday began a bit earlier as Julia and I decided to return to Radost for their famed brunch. I had never been but had heard good things, which were all true. We met up with some of the girls from Prague including Taryn, Nika, Serena, and Liz. I should say that it is not just me, Julia seems to well like by everyone she meets, including Czech guys which I will get to later. After brunch we headed into Mala Strana to see the Prague Castle. We ventured into the beautiful St. Vitus Cathedral, went to the museum of the history of the castle within the Old Castle, and we went to the Toy Museum. She especially enjoyed the Barbie collection, as she was not allowed to own them as a young girl due to Barbie’s unrealistic attributes which reinforce a consumerist standard of feminine beauty. We also walked the beautiful streets of Mala Strana and looked into the little shops. This is where she got a free post card because the man told her “You look nice. Take it.” By this time it was getting dark and cold and we walked across the Charles Bridge and then went home. For dinner we went to Ambiente Restaurante Brasileiro, part of the chain of Ambientes of which I had only been to the Italian one previously. At the restaurant they have a vegetarian salad bar, which includes sushi and a multitude of meat dishes are served by the waiter/chefs. They each prepare a dish and then they walk around and offer it to you. And one of the waiters took a great interest in Jules when I went outside to take a phone call from a friend of hers who was lost. Anyway, it is incredibly fun, a bit adventurous, quite delicious, and definitely one of the best dinners we ever had. We took it easy that evening, after all we had a lot to digest.
Sunday morning was fun we walked a bit more and did a little more shopping. We were also able to observe some of the St. Nicholas festivities. Sadly we didn’t have much time before I had to bring her back to the airport. It was difficult to do that, but we did have an excellent weekend in Prague. I am really glad I got to share this city that I have come to love so much with her.

The excitement doesn’t stop in Prague. On Monday my internship supervisor, Pavel, took me out for lunch. We went to a place near the office. He recommended steak and I obliged. It was pretty delicious and the only material reward I got from my internship at EWI. Actually that’s not true they gave me a mug and I stole a few office supplies.
On Monday for dinner I met with my Cultural History of the European City class and Professor Musil. He took us to a cool place with a nautical theme and aquariums in the floor that you walked over. I didn’t love the food but the company was good. Professor Musil confessed to us that there were times when some of us spoke quickly and excitedly and he was not able to follow what we were saying. (Liz and I are quite confident that he was talking about us) He also told us that he uses Pat’s eyes as a barometer of sorts. Apparently Pat has a very expressive face and looking at his eyes is an excellent way to gauge the interest level of the class. Towards the end of the dinner he was telling us each something he would miss. (this was just after he told Dan that he was “a quiet American” like the Graham Greene) He mentioned Pat’s eyes and Liz’s energy. He gave me “active mind” so I was pretty happy. It was a very interesting dinner as some of us had more to drink than others.

Last night, Tuesday, began Chanukah. I had received my “Hanukah Box” last week so I was ready to go. I made and put up a simple poster to let people know that we would be lighting a menorah in the kitchen of my suite at 6pm. Actually the poster was pretty funny, I found a picture of President Bush lighting a menorah with a young girl. (No yarmulke, though) My mother had also sent latke mix, so I made a batch with some assistance from Barry. Barry said it best when he said, “We are making mothers all over the tri-state area proud right now.” Quite a few Jews and Gentiles alike stopped by for the lighting and the latkes and it was really quite nice. We will continue to light the menorah in my room, fire hazard or no in our all wood apartment. (Mom, calm down, I really don’t want to see an e-mail about fire safety)

Now that I have segued into holidays, I want to share some of the incredibly interesting stuff I have learned about Czech holiday traditions from Martina, my RA, and now through direct observation. On Saturday, December 4, St. Barbara day is observed. Young unmarried Czech girls pick cherry branches to place in their rooms. If they blossom before Christmas the girl will be married within the year. Martina suggested that I go with Julia to find a branch, but I decided against it. (you never know when one of those pagan rituals will work) On Sunday evening, the eve of St. Nicholas a trio characters go to homes to discover if children have been good or bad and reward or punish them accordingly. They are led by St. Nicholas himself and there is a Devil and an Angel. (I always think of the angel and devil on someone’s shoulder in a cartoon.) On the actual day of Christmas, gifts and even the tree are brought to Czech families by “the Jesus baby”
I’m going to throw in one about Easter too, just because it sounds awesome. Men find young willow branches and then go from house to house using the branches to hit girls on their ass. The youth of the willow branch is transferred to the women increasing her fertility. The women then give the men a present like an egg or possibly a drink. I think it’s a little too sexual to be part of Easter, but I suppose most would complain about the chauvinism of the tradition.
On that note, I’ll stop writing and get back to work on my paper. I still have a bit more to do before the semester is over.

the down side of thanksgiving dinner in a restauratnt is that you don't have leftovers

2004-11-29T13:44:00.000-08:00

Last week I spent a bit of time listening to Adam Sandler’s “Thanksgiving Song”. It has become somewhat traditional for me to listen to it at least once a day the week preceding Thanksgiving. In fact, I have long maintained that Thanksgiving is my favorite national holiday. (there was actually a pretty tough competition with Memorial Day for a while) Anyway, I went to Red, Hot, and Blues for dinner. The restaurant had been recommended by the assistant director of the program so I was pretty confident it would be good. I had reservations with Dan, who is arguably my best friend in Prague. So Dan and I show up and are shown to a circular table in the corner of the restaurant with a candle on it. We proceeded to order a bottle of wine, opting not to have beer because we wanted to have more room for seconds. Around that point it became clear to us that we seemed to be on a date. The food was good though. We had turkey, cranberry dressing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, two kinds of stuffing, carrots, corn, green beans and pie. And they did let us have seconds.

I had a pretty good weekend in Prague. Finals are getting closer so I spent a good portion of my weekend writing one of the three papers I have due before the end of the semester.
I was able to spend my afternoons on it, which allowed me to sleep in and go out at night.
On Friday night, I saw “The Incredibles” which was actually a great movie. The voice actors were excellent, especially Holly Hunter and Jason Lee, and the animation had a cool retro feel. After that we ended up Duplex, a club that’s best feature is that it is upstairs and provides a cool view of Wenceslas Square. Saturday night I went ice-skating at an old rink that may not be standing much longer. It has been a while since I have been skating but it turns out I haven’t lost my marginal skating abilities. Sunday night I went back to Jama for buffalo wings, a cheeseburger, and football. The good news was that the Giants-Eagles game was on. The bad news was that the Giants played pretty poorly and I had to watch the Eagles defeat them.

This is a short one, but there just isn’t as much to report. My time in Prague is really winding down now. Luckily I have almost reached a point where I am ready to come home.

In a Land where Wine is Better than Beer

2004-11-22T08:55:00.000-08:00

Its finally fall break. Not that my semester in Prague has been overly stressful, clearly I have had the time for numerous trips and adventures. But nonetheless, everyone in the program sorely anticipated break. For me, the vast majority of my anticipation was due to the fact that I would be visiting Julia in Florence. But first – Rome.
Dave, Erin, Marco and I awoke at a ridiculous hour to get to the airport in Prague and catch our flight to Rome. (I don’t believe I have mentioned Erin yet. We went to Meadowbrook day camp together when we were in middle school and recognized each other as we were flying to Prague. Weird, huh?) Unbeknownst to us Rome Ciampino Airport is nowhere near anything. We found our way to our hostel after a bus ride and quite possibly the longest and most uncomfortable subway trip of my life. Luckily our trip got a lot better. We explored the Pantheon and the Coliseum on our first day. Both are beyond incredible. In the Pantheon I found a weird contradiction I have yet to find an answer for. The Renaissance was a rebirth of Greek and Roman culture thus I presumed that respect and reverence for Roman art would be a given. Yet there seemed to be no problem with melting and destroying Roman sculpture in order to create new artwork inspired by some of the very same Roman sculpture. Do you see what I am saying here? Regardless, it’s fascinating how the Pantheon was entirely rededicated so that Christians could utilize what had once been Roman. The next day, Saturday, we took a tour of the Vatican. As a group of two Jews, an Eastern Orthodox, and one Catholic (none of us art history majors) we thought it would be best. Daniel our tour guide turned out to be excellent. He is an American who decided he needed a change and founded a company in Rome that gives tours and leads Pub-crawls at night. Obviously, we took the pub-crawl that night. There really are no words that could describe the Sistine Chapel.
Another Rome highlight was the Italski Cinske (as they say in Czech) Seriously the Italians have a much better grasp on Chinese food than the Czechs do. On Sunday, I had lunch with the gang but then I was ready to head to Florence.

I have become increasingly skilled at navigating foreign train stations full of signs I can’t read. So it was with relative ease and much excitement that I left Rome heading to Florence and to Julia. I must say Eurostar trains are pretty nice compared to the Central and Eastern European one, I have become accustomed to. Anyway, Jules met me at the station and as we walked I discovered why suitcases on wheels are not popular in cites full of cobblestone. On our way back we stopped off to see Jenn Jordan. She is an Orientation chum and the other half of the incredible hosting team at this year’s talent show. Jenn is also the only other person that I knew was in Florence. Unsurprisingly I discovered I knew other kids there from dorms and class and such.
It had been decided weeks ago that I would stay in Florence in Julia’s apartment and then we would go to Paris on Thursday night. I should mention that Julia’s roommate, Di, and suitemates Larissa and Kaelyn (unsure of the spelling, sorry) were very nice to me and we all got along very well. We all traveled to Paris together as well, but that’s something I can discuss later. The apartment is awesome, by the way, it has three levels basically, a cool drawbridge connecting a walkway to a little alcove under a window, and a balcony.
On Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, Jules went to class and I explored Florence. I had been two years ago but there was certainly more to see. I went to see the sculptures in the Bargello which include Donatello’s David and some Michelangelo. I went to the Palazzo Vecchio which has served as both a town hall and palace for the Medici and I crossed the famous Ponte Vecchio quite a few times. I also went to quite a few churches and rectories. The rectories are most exciting because their walls are covered in frescoes of Biblical stories. I especially like Santa Maria Novella and Santa Croce. Actually the Santa Maria Novella is close to where I stayed with Scholars two years ago, and I was able to find the hotel I stayed in then. It looks pretty much the same.
Having climbed to the top of the Duomo on my previous trip, I decided to climb the Campanile, the bell tower, this time. Not only did I get an excellent view but I somehow made it to the top exactly at noon and I could hear and see all the different bells throughout the city. The only bad news was that the beautiful Boboli Gardens were closed all week due to wind damage from a storm the previous weekend.
Now of course a few Florentine food highlights. On Monday I decided to make dinner because I knew that Jules wouldn’t be home until after 7. Florentine supermarkets have not discovered the beauty of boneless, skinless chicken so I attempted to just cut the chicken myself. Basically I ended up with a lot less lemon pepper chicken than I would have liked, but the mashed potatoes and sautéed spinach turned out well. Tuesday night we went to Zaza. I discovered it on my last visit and actually went there twice then and Jules had been recommended to take me there. It was better than I remember and we both had incredible steaks. I also tried a traditional Tuscan tomato and bread soup. It wouldn’t be Italy without pasta, which is what I had on Wednesday with Julia, her roomies, and Jenn.
On Thursday I decided I wanted to head to La Pietra, the NYU campus in Florence. It is an incredible site and clearly the reason that Florence is the flagship study abroad site. Also the cafeteria is not half bad either. They had some incredible fried vegetables (reminded me of the Harvest Festival – don’t worry if you don’t get the reference) although someone thought it would be a good idea to fry an artichoke heart. It is not a good idea. However the hot chocolate was outstanding, very creamy and rich. That night we took a long train (about 13 hours) to Paris. The Eurail pass is definitely a good idea. My train ticket from Florence to Paris cost about the same as my flight from Paris back to Prague.

It is hard for me to fairly evaluate Paris. If I had gone without my girlfriend it would have been a vastly different experience. As it happened, we both had a fantastic time in Paris. On Friday morning we checked into a hostel with all the roomies and we all walked around together just seeing the city that morning. We all had lunch together and saw Notre Dame. A little later in the afternoon Jules and I separated from the group to head to the Louvre. We discovered was free after 6 to those under 26 so we decided to push back our visit. We just continued walking around the city and we did a little shopping. (By which I mean she tried things on and neither of us bought anything) That evening, we had a great time at the Louvre. It is incredibly huge but we really saw a lot, including the Mona Lisa, a lot of Italian Renaissance art including more DaVinci, the Venus, and sculptures from antiquity, France, and Italy, as well as French painting. Fun Coincidence: we ran into Joe and Jess, from the Prague program, both on the street in Paris and in the Louvre. Actually we saw both Erin and Marco and then Dave and Nika randomly walking around in Florence, too. After nearly four hours in the Louvre, we met up with Amy Pivak. Amy is one of oldest friends at NYU having met one of our first nights in Weinstein, where we lived across the hall. It was awesome to see her and her excellent French and knowledge of the city (she is studying there) guaranteed us a very nice late dinner.
On Saturday morning we checked out of our hostel and went to the Picasso Museum. Both of us had forgotten that he lived for quite some time in Paris and it actually does make perfect sense for it to be there. It is one of those great museums with only direction to walk in which guarantees that you see everything. A little after lunch (the French serve hot dogs on baguettes with cheese on top and spicy mustard) we checked into our room at Hotel L’Ocean. I highly recommend it. I found it on hotels.com and we got a terrific room. It had a beautiful lobby and a very helpful front desk. Plus the room had BBC World, CNN, and MSNBC which at night showed some Conan O’Brien. A real highlight was our trip to the Eiffel Tower that evening. It was raining and bitterly cold. We got off a train and were walking without seeing it (you know how when you get really close to something very tall and you can no longer see it) well suddenly between buildings we see the Eiffel Tower with blinking lights to announce that we have arrived on the hour. Of course we went to the top. Considering that the tower was built in 1889 it really is incredible. It’s pretty cool being on something that high which isn’t actually solid. We had planned to walk the Champs Elysse that night, but it was way too cold. We ended up doing that in the early afternoon on Sunday. Suffice it to say that whoever gave Paris its reputation as a very romantic city is pretty smart.

SmartWings offers good prices and comfortable flights, but they only take off on time when they are leaving Prague. They were two hours late and I sat in Charles De Gaulle until 11:30. Luckily they had a small selection of English books. I have almost finished Diary by Chuck Palahniuk. And now break is over and my “normal” life resumes.

It was weird to see my family in Prague

2004-11-08T05:19:00.000-08:00

It’s been a while since I’ve written we’ve got a lot of ground to cover. We will begin by jumping back to Thursday Oct. 28, which was a Czech National Holiday. As part of a gang of 7 people I flew to Amsterdam that morning. We decided to take a train to Utrecht. I had only known Utrecht from history class (the Peace of Utrecht which ended the War of Spanish Succession) It’s actually a really cool city with classic Dutch architecture, windmill and all. Of the two hostels in Utrecht we found the one that had instruments for us to play, tons of computers with free internet, and free food (apples, pears, bread, even cheese in the fridge) The cleanliness of the hostel however was not its strongpoint. On Friday we ventured to Rotterdam. Rotterdam is quite a switch, it’s incredibly modern and I actually felt like I was back in New York amidst all the skyscrapers. We also found an incredible restaurant called Bazaar. If ever you find yourself there I recommend the Bazaar Bazaar with fish, it was salmon, shrimp, calamari, and sardines over rice, more than enough for two. We found our way back to Amsterdam Saturday morning. I don’t want to go into too much detail because I don’t want any evidence should I go into politics or something, but I hit all the big stops – the Anne Frank House, the Heineken Experience, the Van Gogh museum, etc. The Heineken Experience is quite a tour which includes a ride that allows you to experience what a Heineken bottle does. It was a bit like “Body Wars” at Epcot but probably not for all ages. Suffice it to say the Netherlands are cool and everyone had a great time.

When I got back, my family had already arrived in Prague. Mom, Dad, sister, both Grandmas. My flight had been delayed and I had to keep them waiting for a bit. We had a good dinner that first night close to their hotel. I was delighted to learn that my sister, Sarah had decided to keep a journal of her trip (a paper blog, if you will) On Tuesday and Wednesday, I went about my normal day of class and internship and met up with the family for dinner. I took them to a Czech Mex place and a traditional Czech place that’s a local favorite of most of us who live in Machova. On Thursday I was able to meet up with the gang in the afternoon and Sarah and I got a chance to hang out. That night I brought my suitemates out to dinner with my family and everyone had a good time. I think my father enjoyed meeting some of his frat brothers. (my father as well as Dave and Barry are in A E Pi) Later I brought my sister back home to go out with us. She still has some time before she will be ready to party at an NYU in Prague in level. Anyway, on Friday we all went out to Prague Castle. The highlight of which was definitely the Toy Museum. They have an incredible collection of toys from the 19th and 20th Century including a collection of Barbies. The oddly translated plaques throughout the collection were worth the trip alone. Friday night was their last night in town and we went to Ambiente. It’s a little pricey and I usually stick to pastas, but since it was being picked up by Mom and Dad I went for the steak. I had an excellent time with my family and it was really cool that they were able to come to Prague. I know they had a great time too.

On the heels of my family’s trip my friend Alex Rivera came to Prague and I was able to go out with him last night. It was really good to see him and we had a great time all over Prague. So I’ve been a bit busy. I didn’t even mention that last week I had a midterms in Cultural History of the Central European City and in Czech. Plus there was the election, which I stayed up for hours to watch. I’m as disappointed as any young liberal, but I won’t be leaving the country (once I get back, I mean). The only way to hope for any change in the future will be if all those who feel disenfranchised by our current administration and congress work hard to make it happen.

Anyway, things are getting back to normal now that Monday has rolled around. Only excitement today was that I went to get a haircut. I had hoped for a simple trim to clean up the sides and the back; I hate it when hair gets in my ears. But as sometimes happens I got a bit more chopped off than I would have hoped. It was partly due my smattering of Czech and her limited English, but mostly I just never react when I’m sitting in that chair. Even when I don’t really like what’s happening I always just kind of sit there, and I’m not really sure why. Now I’m just counting down the days until fall break so I can go to Italy and finally see my girlfriend.

Is One the lonliest number?

2004-10-24T17:12:00.000-07:00

As I examined my calendar last weekend, I realized time was running short and I still have places I want to go. So I decided to got to Kracow this past weekend. I choose to go alone. Partly because I grew tired of the effort required to arrange my schedule based on the schedules of others and partly because I felt I needed some "Ben time". It turned out to be a great decision. I was able to accomplish a lot at my pace, doing what I want for as long as I wanted. I was able to meet some interesting people and I read a whole Dan Brown book on the train and the bus because I had no one to talk to. (Deception Point if you were wondering, which is just as predictable as the rest but still engrossing and well researched) The only downside is I noticed an increasing tendencey for me to talk to myself.

I had been told that the train from Prague to Kracow was a dangerous one, known for theft, so I was extra careful. I should give a shout out to Barry, my suitemate, who lent me locks for my backpack as well as Deception Point. I had no problems though and at 6 am Friday morning I arrived. I wandered around the Old Town for few hours and evantually I was able to find the Bling Bling Hostel and get a bed. I didn't want to waste time because I was only staying for two days. By 6pm that night I was able to tour around the Old Town, which includes a Cloth Hall, some museums, churches, etc. I also visited Wawel Castle and Cathedral. The Castle had an excellent armoury which housed the Polish coronation sword. I even made it to the old Jewish section and I must highly recommend visiting the Old Synagogue which has become a museum. Not only is there an excellent collection of artifacts and pictures but Jewish holidays and practices are well explained. Which is how it should be in a country that is roughly 90% Catholic.
Friday night, I went out with a some people I met in the hostel. There was Brit, an Aussi, and girl from Holland. We had a great time once it was decided that we weren't allowed to discuss religion or politics.

On Saturday, I got up early to go to Auschwitz. It was a lot to process and I think I was better off on my own. I spent quite some time at Auschwitz 1 and Birkenhau. If you go, join a tour and make sure you have some time. This is an understatement, but it was a very emotinonal experience.

The question everyone wants answered at this point is - What did you eat? Well, I'm sure at least my mother is curious. On Friday, I had lunch at Chlopske Jadlo (that could be mispelled) which came highly recommended by people who had already been to Kracow. Their salad bar included some health salad and the best pickle I've had since I've been in Europe. I had mixed order of pierogi which included some with potato and cheese, some with meat, etc. All were terrific. I should also mention that the bread was served with lard and I fell for it. It always looks like mashed potatos to me. (Which probably still wouldn't be good on bread, right?) In fact I once heard that lard is used on tv when they need to show mashed potatos. For dinner I ate at Cafe Ariel, in the Jewish section. It was recommended by guide book. I struggled with the menu for quite some time but I decided on chopped liver (fantastic, no regrets) and stuffed cabbage. The cabbage was good but not like Grandma's. I expected it to be more oniony but this was strictly beef and rice. Also the sauce was a creamy orange sauce, with a hint of sun-dried tomato flavor.
On Saturday night I decided to try this place called Hospoda something or other. It was on the square but cheap and serving traditional polish food. I ordered globki as an appetizer to see if it was a different stuffed cabbage, but it was pretty much what I had the night before. This one was even better, I will definitely be searching for a polish place to eat when I get back to New York. I also had a traditional village beef dish which had a great gravy and was served with kasha. Maybe I'm getting tired of food in Prague, but I have been having terrific culinary experiences every time I travel.

To conclude, for the train ride back I bought a ticket in a sleeper car. It turned out to be a luxurious three man car. It had a sink and they provided soap and a towel, and bottled water. To top it off, no one else got in the car and I had it all to myself. I locked it up tight and had great night's sleep.

Now its Sunday evening and I'm going to see a hockey game between Sparta Praha and Slavia Praha, quite the rivalry apparently.

You don't have to leave Prague for a good time

2004-10-18T13:28:00.000-07:00

I know its been a while since I've written, so I'll try to make this one extra good as share what I've been up to recently. My internship is going well, but leaving me with a bit less free time. I'm working hard organizing the archives of the EastWest Institute and I occasionally am given an additional project, usually involving some internet research. Anyway on Friday, I took part in an optional trip to Terezin. It was an experience. We were there with a Czech historian who is a survivor and he was able to tell us about his experiences inTerezin. I can never really understand how someone could discuss something so terrible, but when I asked him about it he said simply that Terezin wasn't the worst place he has been. It was a transit camp, not a death camp.

I hope no one is offended by the transition but I'm going to move to the lighter side and tell you about my ridiculous Sunday. Joe and I decided to go to Kutna Hora to see the famous "Bone Church". (normal Church on the outside, objects made of human bone on the inside) We got to the train station a little after noon and were told that we had missed the train and the next one was at 2:08. Its only a 40 minute train ride, so we decided to head to the bus station and try our luck there. And what do you know? We missed the bus as well, and the next one was at 4. So we headed back to the train station. Now you should also know that last night was the beginning of Forum 2000. Forum 2000 is an annual conference organized by former President Vaclav Havel focused on "Bridging Global Gaps". Joe has been interning for them and needed to be at the Opening Ceremony at 7. I also wanted to go but I didn't have a ticket. So now its a time issue, can we get there and back in time. Turns out that a train leaves Kutna Hora at 5:20 and it would get back with just enough time. Joe and I buy our tickets and kill a little time hanging out outside the train station. Finally we are able to get on our train. We sit and wait and the train doesn't seem to be filling up. We hear some announcments but they don't seem to be about our train. By now its ten minutes after our train shoud have left and we're a bit nervous. So, I went to speak to one of the conductors and find out that our train was cancelled or moved, I couldn't really tell he only spoke Czech. The train we were on is about to leave for Boroun. We got off just in time and really all we could do was laugh.

Joe and I decided two things. We seem to be cursed, so we are taking at least one more person with us in the future. And at this point we might as well have a good meal. We went to Pizzeria Grossetto which is the only place I have been in the Czech Republic that puts silverware out on the table. The custom here is to receive a cup or a plate with silverware and napkin and for you to divide them amongst yourselves. We went back to our rooms and shortly thereafter Joe called to let me know that I was going to the Forum 2000 Opening. Thea, our Associate Director had managed to get a few tickets for students and had set up a system to devise who would receive them. She had a shoebox with slips of paper, some with happy faces and some with sad faces. Each ticket was good for two. On Saturday night, Lauren and I were discussing that we had both been unsucessful and decided that if either of us got a ticket we would take the other as our date. Well what do you know, Sunday afternoon Lauren got a ticket and I'm off to the Opening.

The Forum 2000 opening ceremony was incredible. Vaclav Havel made a brief speech to open the conference. This was followed by a few other speeches and a performance by a Czech girl band that reminds me of Bond (if you know them you have a good idea) Then came the reception, there were classy hors d'vores and champagne everywhere. What I really love about the Czechs is that even at an event that big, they still had kegs of Pilsner Urquell. They understand that when you can make a beer that good, there is nothing lowbrow about it.
After all I shared a few with a gentleman from the Czech ministry of finance, while we discussed Prague, Washington DC, and good pubs. I should also mention this was towards the end of the evening and almost everyone had cleared out by the time we left. Earlier in the evening I had talked with an Iraqi fellow who has lived in London for some time and ran an NGO. He was really interesting to talk to. He was very smart and blatantly unafraid of ruffling a few feathers.
I think I will definitely go to a few more Forum events as it continues today and tomorrow.

I hope this satsifies everyone's Blog cravings, I need to go get some lunch before class.

Screwed by Foreign Holidays...Again

2004-10-05T17:14:00.000-07:00

Through the great and benevolent university that is NYU, I spent the last weekend in Berlin. Let me first say that I really enjoy traveling by charter bus. Sure trains are nice but I feel you get a much better chance to experience a country by bus. You also get to see foreign rest stops. It seems only Americans fill theirs with Roy Rogers and Bob's Big Boy. (Italy had near gourmet restaurants) I could go on and share the explanations I've come up with but you are probably more interested in my take on Berlin.

We left Friday morning and made it to Berlin in the early afternoon. After checking in to our rooms, we had a guided tour of Jewish Berlin. We saw the site of the first synagogue, a few memorials, and the rebuilding done by Berlin's current population. It left me feeling rather bizarre, I mean the Holocaust is by no means ancient history. Don't get me wrong I liked Berlin, but I do not want to live there. This was certainly not the opinion of our tour guide, an LA native who had lived in Berlin for 9 years. She was certainly well informed and good natured, she just had a terrible sense of humor and she chose to bring her son along with her. (Hes 5, and named Jonatan, but she calls him Tantan)
That night I went with my room (Dave, Barry, and Dan) as well as Joe, Jared, Alex, and Sarah to a traditional German restaurant. I bravely tried the Hoppel Poppel, coincidentally the only thing on the menu I could pronounce, which was described as being two meats, friend potatos, onions, and eggs prepared in one pan. My blatant disregard for complete knowledge of what I'm eating was rewarded again. The meat was in small chunks as were the potatos and it was all cooked into a giant dinner omelette type thing. I still don't know which meats they were but I don't care (I'm pretty confident they were some form of pork or beef)

Enough on that, Saturday morning started with a trip to the Jewish Musuem (Jewish history being an intentional theme, and one of the reasons I chose Berlin over Vienna or Salzburg) It was designed by the same man who is designing the 9/11 memorial. It had a powerful tower that was an isolating structure made to simulate in some small way life in a concentration camp and it was very moving. As was the memorial garden which feature slanting rows of large pillars. The museum also had a good collection which detailed the history and contributions of Jewish people in Berlin and Germany at large.
We went touring again, with our favorite tour guide and Tantan, to see such highlights as Checkpoint Charlie, and still existing streches of the Berlin Wall. We ended at the Reichstag, the Parliamentary building, and we were able to climbs its glass dome to have a terrific view of the city. Nearby there was bit of a carnival to celeberate the official reunification of East and West Berlin on October 3, 1990. We had some good brats, went on a ferris wheel, and listened to some bad bands performs such classics as "She works hard for her money"

I should say that both nights included consumption of Wodka Gorbachow (w is v in German) and quests for cool bars and clubs each night. I should also mention that with Joe and Jared, we discovered two awesome playgrounds. The latter of which was particularly exciting as it included a small zip line.
Anyway, Sunday morning we went off to see the Wannsee Villa where Hitler and other party members developed the "final solution" for the Jews. It was in a beautiful lakefront neighborhood with winding streets that I'm sure the bus driver enjoyed. Well we walk up to Wannsee and wouldn't you know its closed. Why? Berlin Reunification Day. If any of you remember the title of this post, you'll say didn't you say "again"? Yes I did, earlier in the summer, July 6, to be precise I went to the Czech Embassy in New York to get my visa and it was closed. Why? Jan Hus Day. Its a bad streak, and I intend to be quite cautious on November 5.
We did however get to go to Potsdam, site of the conference which decided the fate of Germany in 1945. We did not have a tour guide but thanks a few pages of info and my vast tour guide experience I was able to show most of the group around, and we all learned some pretty interesting stuff. For example did you know that Stalin was the only head of state to make it to Yalta and all of Potsdam? FDR was dead by then, and Truman was there and Churchill lost an election to Atlee which caused a break in the conference for two days.

I could go on but this post has been long enough, let just say I made it safely back to Prague last night, and learned that the Giants after beating Green Bay are now 3-1.

If anyone is curious, November 5 is Guy Fawkes Day. It is a commemoration of Guy Fawkes who intended to blow up Parliament and King James I in 1605. He intended it be part of an uprising by angry English Catholics.

stupid computer and/or Berlin Part 1

2004-10-04T06:55:00.000-07:00

I just lost a lengthy post on my experiences in Berlin because when I went to publish it, I got a cannot find server message. Right now I don't have the patience to write it again, so I'll give you some highlights and add more later.

I had a tour of Jewish Berlin, which included the site of the first synagogue, a few memorials, and sites of the regrowing Jewish community.

The Jewish Museum, designed by the same man doing the new World Trade Center/ 9/11 memorial. It was really moving and had a tower which served to isolate you from the world to allow you to in some way relate to experiences in a concentration camp. There was also a memorial garden, with slanting concrete square poles and a good and very interactive collection detailing the history and contributions of Jews in Berlin and Germany at large.

I also visited Checkpoint Charlie, the only checkpoint through the wall used by foreigners. As well as the Reichstag, the Parliamentary building which feature a large glass dome which you can climb to the top of and get a great view of the city.

On Sunday, we visited Potsdam on our way home. We did not have a tour guide but thanks to a few pages of information and my skills and experience as a tour guide, I was able to lead a few people through the former home of Crown Prince Wilheim, the site of the Conference in 1945 in which Truman, Stalin, Churchill then Atlee (Churchill's party lost the Parliament during the conference) decided the fate of Germany.

I wrote a lot more and I promise I'll add it back but not now. As a teaser it will include my experience with Hoppel Poppel.

Ode to Football

2004-09-27T04:59:00.000-07:00

I should begin by making it abundantly clear that I am referring to American football, not soccer. I hate soccer; it is not entertaining. But before I continue to bash soccer, I want to make sure no one gets the wrong impression. Like any forward thinking, liberal twentysomething who has traveled a bit I recognize that in some ways Europe is now superior to the US, especially in light of the actions and attitudes of the current American administration. A perfect example would be the rising value of the Euro as compared to the rapidly declining value of the US dollar. Professional sports is not one of these cases. Soccer, futbol, football, whatever is a game with low scores and little variety. It is monotonous and dull. Soccer is only worthwhile as a game for children to play in which they can learn valuable lessons about teamwork and competition. [in the interest of disclosure and fairness, I have never seen a live soccer game, perhaps it is more exciting, but I doubt it]
However, football is incredibly entertaining. What plays will be chosen? Will they go for a field goal? A two point conversion? Its full of variety, strategy, and split-second decisions that can determine the fate of your team. The NFL's relatively short season makes each game more valuable and therefore more exciting. Of course having this attitude in Prague is difficult.

Saturday night my new friend Jared mentions that he wants to find a sports bar showing football on Sunday. I, of course, was thrilled. And so Sunday evening we set out in search of the NFL. Jared had already visited three pubs with no luck, we made our way to Friday's hoping that something as American as Friday's was bound to show American sports, but alas it was not to be. But then, the bartender told us that if we went to Jama we could find it. Jama has American football every Sunday. He gave us directions and we were off, it was quarter to 7, and we had 15 minutes until kickoff. (1 pm games are at 7pm here)

Jama was like a dream. It was full of true football fans, who were not only knowledgeable but more than willing to yell at the screen and argue with each other. It had been almost a month since I'd seen football and it was terrific, ideally they would have carried the Giants-Browns game, but I had to settle for watching McNabb and the Eagles crush Harrington and the Lions. Anyway I was able to see the box scores and highlights for the Giants and they won! We even stayed to watch some of the 10 o'clock game (4 pm) because c'mon it was Colts-Packers. That's Manning and Farve, who could walk away? Plus Jama has real Buffalo wings, great burgers (with cheddar - hard to find here) and nachos with a lot of beef. I love Prague, but it was great to have an American night.

The Day of Atonement

2004-09-25T13:40:00.000-07:00

Its Yom Kippur and I'm pretty hungry. But to talk about that would only make it worse, so I'll share a story of the black market. I've been reading Reefer Madness by Eric Schlosser, who you may remember from Fast Food Nation. Both of which I highly recommend if you have any interest in the true workings of some of America's largest industries. In Reefer Madness, Schlosser deals with American marijuana policy, migrant farmers, and the black market both at home and abroad. I mention this because this is a story in which one topic seems to crop up in multiple unrelated places. This is the first, my personal reading.
The second is in class. My course on Law and Human Rights featured a reading about the Central European black market that flourished under communism and persists as governments try to shift to free market capitalist systems. Three days ago I was talking to an American student I met at Charles University who started telling me about his thesis on, you guessed it, the black market.

On Thursday I had decided to exchange my remaining American currency for Czech crowns. As I walk up to the exchange booth (I asked around and this one had the best rates) I am stopped by a man who asks me which country I'm from. I told him and he then offers to exchange my currency at a better rate and he tells me he is part of the black market. Not wanting to get involved with him I tell him I have Travelers' Cheques so it will be of no use to him. I begin to exchange my money, and lo and behold, he has followed me inside. He then starts yelling at me, calling me a liar and acting ashamed, as if I am the one in the wrong. I told him, I'm not the one doing the wrong thing, you're the one in the black market. He walked away, but as I'm leaving he again tries to offer me some deal, this time showing me his money, which didn't even look like actual Czech currency. As I walk away, he spits at me.
So that's my first encounter with crime here in Prague, if that's all they got no one need worry.

Hungary...Why Wait?

2004-09-20T18:56:00.000-07:00

Around 5:30 this morning (local time) I awoke as the train I was on rolled into Hlavni Nadrazi in Prague. I had spent the weekend in Budapest, and as I awoke I realized that Prague is home. Budapest is a beautiful city, and so much of it is like a fairy tale. The castles especially are almost unreal. But I'm getting ahead of myself. Thursday night around 11pm we left Prague. I'll establish the cast now and then refer to them specifically when necessary. Stephanie and Elon, Tisch drama students and musical fanatics (read they sing all the time). Then theres Liz, a Buffalo native and University of Ontario student, Matt, a NYU transfer from UConn and a Connecticutian, and Nika, a Yalie from Chicago. I should note that,inspired by me, Matt and Nika have both made Prague Blogs. You should be proud to be reading the original.

On the train ride there we discussed both team names and Matt brought up the legal status of aliens and spirits in Iran, the country of his ancestry. Somehow we decided to call ourselves Jin Jihad, Middle Eastern Ghostbusters basically. As I type this I realize it doesn't make a great deal of sense but you should let it go, sleeper cars breed a bizarre humor. When we got there we soon found ourselves in the Mellow Mood hostel which was both clean and well situated in Pest (the most important factors). It also had a bar upstairs and was furnished entirely by IKEA.

We decided to head up to Castle Hill on our first day. We visited the St. Matthias Church and the Fisherman's Bastion and were generally amazed by the beautiful neighborhood and terrific view on the mountainside in historic Buda. We also found an underground labryinth that had served as both a wine cellar and a bomb shelter and is now decorated with recreations of cave drawings and bizarre statues. We discovered that Nika and Stephanie are both easily freaked out in dark places like that, and of course had some fun with that. That night we ventured out to the Old Man's Pub. It was recommended by the hostel staff and we were told they had live music, which they did. However it was full of old people (I'm using the word "old" as a 20 year old, so we're talking people in their late 30s and 40s - no offense intended to anyone in that age group, especially you Mom) We later went to a karaoke bar to hear awesome Hungarian renditions of American classics, the guy who did "New York, New York" was particularly good.

The next day we split for a while and I spent a few hours in the Budapest Historical Museum. I could go into detail, but I'll spare you. I'll only say the Turkish conquest was fascinating and their influence is still seen in Hungary. When we met up we checked out Hero's Square, the Parliament buildiing, some churches, a lot of historic stuff. Saturday evening's highlight was definitely when we heard a lot of music in the woods. We ventured in to discover an outdoor Hungarian rap show. This was definitely the place to be for all the cool kids in Budapest, so we hung out for a bit. I actually wish I had stayed longer. Anyway, Sunday found us starting our day with a trip to Statue Park. Its a bit out of town, but so worthwhile. Many of the Communist statues that once filled the streets of Budapest have been relocated there. Not only that, they play Communist songs and have awesome USSR souveneirs. We spent the afternoon on Margit Island. They had beautiful gardens, live music, bikes and carts to rent, etc. It was here that Nika, Matt, and I had two GIANT cotton candies and perec, which was basically a giant soft pretzel.

This leads me to Hungarian food. Upon arriving early on Friday morning we just went to McDonalds and good news a Sausage and Egg McMuffin tastes the same. Actually Matt and I returned to McDonalds for their internet acess and I ended up having a Royal with Cheese as well. Anyway, Friday afternoon we found a relatively cheap local restaurant where I tried the creamed veal polok? (it definitely ended in a k and had os) It was awesome and came with great potatos. Nika's wild boar was also pretty delicous. My culinary highlight of Saturday was the, to quote the English menu "Favorite meal of the highwayman Sandor Rosza and potatos." I'm still not entirely sure which meat the cutlet was, but it was topped with extremely hot peppers, cabbage, and pieces of fried goose liver. Goose happens to very big there. I love adventorous eating and I was super thrilled by my gastronomic choices in Budapest. Especially the funnel cake at the train station when we were leaving Budapest. All in all it was an awesome trip, but now I'm back and I must do some reading.

L'Shana Tova

2004-09-16T14:32:00.000-07:00

Today is Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) literally Head "Rosh" the "Ha" year "Shanah". You'll have to forgive me, but having taken Hebrew for the last two years, I like to use it when I can. (on that note - Tov means good and the a is part of the declension) Okay, so thats out of my system, now.
Four of five guys who live in Apt. 11 are Jews, so we went togehter with some of Barry's friends from Duke, as well as Rachel and Sam. The Spanish Synagogue had a Reform service so we chose to go there. This way Rachel and Sam wouldn't have to sit in the back. The service was led by a Rabbi from Stockholm, who sounded remarkably like Mel Brooks and his Czech translator. We had two siddurs, one in Hebrew and Czech, and the other in Hebrew and English. A lot of the service was very familiar, but many of the tunes were changed. It was a bit disheartening, especially if like me you are a huge fan of the High Holiday melodies. I'm sure it is no coincidence but the portion of the service that was least changed, was the Torah service. However I've always read the portion on the Sacrifice of Isaac and here it was about Isaac's birth and the expulsion of Hagar and Ishmael. Of course I'm familiar with both portions and would be happy to converse about either. Seriously merely send me an e-mail, and I'll prove my Talmudic scholarship. Seriously though, it was really nice to spend Rosh Hashannah in such a beautiful and historic synagogue. The congregation was small but very friendly and they were very pleased to have a group of students there. Rabbi Mort cordially invited us to come back at 6 for Tashlich.
I promise I'll write on more secular issues, but first I would be remiss if I didn't mention the sermon. I know I've been spoiled by the excellent sermons my Rabbi at home is known for, but this was pretty crazy. He discussed the differences between faiths founded on truth and faiths founded on lies. He went on to say that a faith that asks you to kill in the name of G-d is not based on truth, and then he went right into an anti-terrorism speech specifically citing Muslims. He really needed to do a much better job distinguishing between religous extremists and the regular religous people. Most of us were a bit shocked.

Totally new topic, I've finally decided which class to drop. I've been taking 5 so far and I had to choose. I knew I was keeping Czech. And I really enjoy my Cultural History of the Central European City as well as my Modern Jewish History class (big shocks there) I was trying to decide between American Literature from a European Perspective @ Charles and Law and Human Rights in Central Europe. The reading list for the lit class had a much more interesting reading list, but was horribly inconvenient for my schedule. So I dropped Lit. Usually it wouldn't be a big deal, BUT I got an internship at the East West Institute. The EWI is not merely a think tank, but a think and do tank. I'll be working in with the Historical Archives as well as handling a few HR tasks. So very soon I will be an expert on the conferences, initiatives, and programs the EWI has done in the past. Anyway it sounds exciting to me.

Thats probably enough for now, tonight I'm taking a sleeper car to Budapest, so I'll have some stories soon.

Expectations and realities

2004-09-10T07:40:00.000-07:00

Before traveling to Prague, I experienced an onslaught of information. There was the information NYU sent, various guidebooks, and info and advice from friends and neighbors. Thus I came with many expectations. I've decided to give everyone some insight into Prague by highlighting I few things that were expected and unexpected.

I'll start with the unexpected. The top of the list is Czech Mex. Throughout Prague and I'm told in the rest of the country as well there are restaurants specializing in Czech Mex. They have burritos, enchiladas, tacos, nachos, etc. Of course its doesn't really taste authentic, but it is good. You may be wondering if I as a New Jerseyan (Jerseyite?) am qualified to judge the authenticity of Mexican cuisine. I assure you I am. Most of you know I have strong opinions on food and I will be happy to supply references upon request.
I also did not anticipate the extent to which American pop music and American TV shows existed in Prague. The pop is in every store and bar. As for TV, I watched a bit of Czech "Friends" this week. And my Czech teacher, Jiri Novak, translates scripts for dubbing. He has worked on "Step by Step" and "The Simpsons" ( He loves Homer and received an award for dubbing on the Simpsons)

Other things I had been prepared for. Smezeny Syr (fried cheese) is outstanding. Imagine a mozzarella stick in patty shape on a bun with ketchup and mayo. There really is no better way to end a long night out.
Also the classes here are really awesome. I had been told this by the few people I know who studied abroad in Prague and its true. Besides Novak, I have an Urban sociologist who survived both the Holocaust and the Communist occupation. The classes are all small and although the traditional Czech educations focuses only on lecture they are all interested in hearing our opinions and having real discussions.
I could go on, but I need to get going theres talk of some ultimate Frisbee in the park.

Lastly, I am trying to discover how to post pictures on the blog, so that's something to look forward to.

What do I have to do to find a hedge maze?

2004-09-06T08:55:00.000-07:00

Most of my weekend went as planned. I visited a 5 story dance club Friday night. My favorite floor was oldies (Where else can you rock to Deep Purple, hear "U Can't Touch This", and sing along to "In the Jungle") And on Sunday, I toured the beautiful Prague Castle, and found a mall/supermarket to stock up for the semester. Saturday's plan was to go on a picnic to Petrin Park. It has gardens, a maze, and a huge tower resembling the Eiffel Tower which provides a spectacular view of Prague. But this plan was dashed by a simple message on the whiteboard in our residence hall "Martina has flu"

First question you should ask is Who is Martina? Martina is an RA in the Machova residence hall (my home in Prague). Martina is also the focus of many crushes due in her large part to her being Czech and having adorable mannerisms. So as you would expect there was a great deal of anticipation for the trip.
Second question is of course shouldn't it be "Martina has the flu"? Yes, it should. Many Slavic languages, Czech among them, lack articles. As such many native speakers often struggle with them and either leave them out or overuse them.

After friday night's debauchery, my suite had a collective late start and a delicous brunch around 1pm. Afterwards, we gathered some other friends and decided to take the tram across the river and explore "Lesser Town" [I wish New York had such literal names for the Boros, I think Staten Island should be Lesser Island] Well wouldn't you know, that the first thing we find on the other side of the river is a huge hill. We start to climb and discover that we have happened upon the very park we had planned to go to. So we opted not to take the tram up the mountain, but instead to walk. It really paid off, we saw some beautiful gardens and nature trails and were able to preserve a spirit of adventure and discovery that would have been robbed from us by something as direct and mechanical as a tram. We were a bit tired by the time we reached the summit but the view from Petrin tower was well worth it.

I wish the maze had been as exciting. Martina had told me about it last week and mentioned that there were mirrors to both confuse you and to distort your image. But it turns out that it was merely a lame path of mirrors that I don't consider a maze because there was only one path to follow. The distorted mirrors were fun, but nothing new. I had my hopes set far too high, I was hoping for a real hedge maze with sculpted topiary and all. And is it too much to ask, to get a minotaur in the center? I'm willing to settle for a statue.

Anyway thats enough for now, and a decent summary of the weekend. Stay tuned for info on classes coming soon.
Hope everyone has a nice Labor Day, we don't have that here in Prague.

OY! A story of mishigas in the Jewish section of town

2004-09-03T17:55:00.000-07:00

The majority of this post will concern today, but I'm gonna start by jumping back to the early afternoon of yesterday. My new friend Sarah, who happens to be a friend of Alex Valentine (A-Val - why wasn't she at your party this summer?) and I decided to walk through the old Jewish section. Within minutes I hear a phrase I've become all too familiar with hearing around campus: "Excuse me, sir, are you Jewish?" Not being one to deny my heritage, I tell him yes. Next thing I know he's putting tefilin on me and we're doing a little "Shema" and "V'Ahavta" The Chasid proceded to ask if I was from America. I said yes and his next guess is Brooklyn. Once I told him that I was from New Jersey, he replied "Teaneck?"

Anyway, today I took an actual tour of the Jewish section. The tour guide was terrific, he is from the area and he was not only very knowledgable of local history and Judaism, but he told some classic Jewish jokes. (i.e. Why do Jews wear kippas? Because so many Rabbis are bald)
I made the mistake of revealing my knowledge of Judaism. He was discussing the history of Jews in Prague and mentioned a travelogue of sorts that cited a population of Jews in Prague. I recognized the book from a Jews of Muslim Spain class I took last year and discussed it with him. Now he thinks I'm this macher and I have to prove myself by stating the date of the destruction of the Second Temple, translating Hebrew inscriptions, explaining the purpose of a Mikvah, etc. I think the height was when he asked if I knew how to chant Torah, I was a bit worried he would make me demonstrate. It worked out well though, he invited me to services so I just might see him again.
We saw some truly incredible temples, and I think I will definitely have to attend a few services at the Old New Synagogue (High holidays, at the least) Plus there were some cool Golem statues, one of which I must own.

Goyim - Its possible there are jokes you didn't get, or phrases you didn't understand in this post. Leave comments or e-mail me and I'll be happy to clarify

Don't be spoiled by the posting frequency thus far

2004-09-01T14:00:00.000-07:00

Due to the good responses I've already received I've decided its time to post again. Its Wednesday afternnon and I've been having a great time.

Yesterday I watched "Kolya" a Czech film from the mid 90s which won the Academy Award for best film. It was a beautiful film and I highly recommend it. It takes place in the late 80s and its about a green card marriage with a "Big Daddy" twist. Kolya is just as cute, and the movie is more serious. I was also really impressed by some of the imagery in the film.
Last night, I saw the Emil Viklicky Trio perform. They fused Moravian folk music with contemporary jazz and were really awesome. It always great to see live music when you can watch the improvisation by the look on the musicians' faces.

I'm really getting to know the neighborhood both by the center and the residence. I've found my favorite ice cream at Cream & Dream and my favorite coffee at Kava Kava Kava (literally coffee coffee coffee) I've discovered that the Czechs can be a very shy and reserved people. Unless they are under 30, in which case they have been raised by the same pop culture as Americans (side note - all bars seem to play pop music that was big like three months ago, which is good because I already know the lyrics) Anyway, the youth are definitely louder but still not as forward as I'm used to in New York.

Although most of you were not awake as I wrote this its already time for me to meet the group for a tour of Kafka sites in Prague, such as the house he lived in, the school he went to, and his favorite bar.
I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the last few days before the semester starts.

First Post

2004-08-29T17:42:00.000-07:00

Well this a new experience for me. My first time posting on my blog, and I'm in Prague (see name of blog)

I haven't done much yet, but I've seen a lot of the city and it is incredible. Its such a beautiful place with a mix of architecture from so many eras. The NYU Center is a 15th century building which is rumored to be the site of the first bible printing in Prague. And the residence hall is great. I have a single in a suite which has two more singles and a double. We have two bathrooms or WCs (one full) and a kitchen. There are also stairs up to a lounge with a balcony.

The people in the program all seem pretty cool and there are a lot of new transfer students as well as students from others schools. There are some Smith girls, which some of you should appreciate, and kids from Vassar, Yale, Stanford, etc.

Well I've got to go out and explore the city a bit more, as orientation is over for today and the prices are as good as I had heard.

Leave me some comments or send e-mails - I'd love to hear how move in/RNC goes.