Daily Life Part 2

            Daily life in Olomouc has changed since I first arrived in March.  First of all it seems crazy to even think that I only have a few weeks left, it makes me really sad to think about.  However, I am loving every minute of being here and am so thankful for this opportunity!

            As I look back on my time here in Europe so far, I can see how much my daily life has changed and evolved.  It is hard to classify what “daily life” really means on this trip because part of our daily life routine means traveling to different cities, which does not usually go under the daily life category.  However, my daily life has been a mixture of days spent in Olomouc and also traveling to other countries.  As far as daily life in Olomouc, however, I think the weather has played a big role in how my routine has evolved here.

            When I first arrived in Olomouc, I did not venture outside near as much as I do now because the weather was much colder then.  Now my daily routine consists of being outside much more and exploring the town and even going for walks.  I have been trying to be conscious of not letting myself get stuck in a rut and sleeping in and staying in the dorm room until class.  I feel like our daily life when traveling has evolved with the weather as well.  For example, in Prague, it was very rainy and cold and therefore, we did not want to be outside much or even explore as much as we have in cities such as Venice where it was warm and we walked around all day exploring.  Not only that but I feel more a more confident navigating and making my way around cities without our professors than the first few trips.

            As far as food in my daily life, I do like to try new foods and places to eat when we are here in Olomouc and also while traveling.  However, eating out for every meal can get extremely old and also very expensive, so I have tried to do some cooking on my own. We do not really have much to work with in the dorms for cooking but even a sandwich and some fruit can make it feel like more of a “homemade” meal than eating out.  I do enjoy the typical Czech food that they have to offer here in Olomouc.  Although, I personally would not have thought to put some of the combinations together that they do, I have grown to enjoy the food.  Sometimes I feel myself crave some American food, like mac and cheese which does not seem to really exist here in Europe.  Occasionally we end up going to Subway or McDonald’s but I have tried to stay away from that.

            I also feel like I am more comfortable interacting with the people here in Olomouc now that I have learned a few Czech words and about their history and culture.  I have become more accustomed to the way of life, like taking public transportation everywhere.  I still miss being able to drive my car whenever I need to go somewhere.  It is still hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that my daily life right now includes taking public transportation and relying on eating out!  I would have never pictured that but it is starting to become normal for me.  It will be weird to drive again once I get back to the United States.

            One struggle that I have had with daily life here in the Czech is that I feel as though I am not as healthy or productive as I am at home.  Part of me feels like it’s okay to relax and not have to be working on homework and five other things at once but yet I always feel “lazy.”  Another aspect is that we really can’t have much of a daily routine since we travel so often and our schedule is always different.  Therefore, it is hard to go workout, eat healthy, or even just get a consistent amount of sleep.  I feel like I am so busy and constantly moving when we travel, so when I get back to the dorms for a few days, I want to lounge and not be productive!  I would say my life right now feels like I am living in a hotel for three months.  Our dorms are our “home” for now and it’s funny how after traveling we want to go “home” but we mean our dorm rooms.  When I first arrived my room just felt like a hotel room, but now it is familiar and although it basically still is like living in a tiny hotel room, it has become home.

            Even the town of Olomouc is feeling more and more like home and I enjoy coming back to it after being gone.  I enjoy walking around and finding new places and new activities to do in the town.  For example, going to one of the town squares yesterday to see the Mayday celebration and interact with the local people.  It is nice to be comfortable with the town and be able to feel like we can go to festivals without any hestitation.

My daily life has definitely evolved since I first arrived and I am glad I have adapted.  It is crazy how well we can adapt to situations and start evolving even when we do not realize it is happening.  I am having an amazing experience here in Europe and I will be very sad to leave, but I am looking forward to a little stability in my daily life. 

           

View from a bridge near the dorms!

Mayday Festival!

Town Square on Mayday!

Our group during a picnic!