Krakow-ka-kow-kow-kow-kow

Once upon a time (back in late October... yes I realize this is a rather belated post), my friends and I spent a lovely autumnal weekend in Krakow, Poland.

Wawel Castle

Krakow is tiny. It's also one of the coolest European cities I've been to. Maybe it's because it's so quick and easy and unpretentious. Having lived in the Czech Republic for so long, I've developed a liking for the matter-of-fact, no-bullshit attitude most Central and Eastern Europeans tend to have.


The journey started on the night train on a Thursday night. It was a long weekend for us as well as my friend's birthday so we took advantage. Since it was me and five other friends, we managed to get a couchette cabin all to ourselves. Three fold-out beds on either side. Of course given that we are a bunch of 20-somethings on the way to a vodka-themed weekend in Poland, there wasn't much sleeping done.

Party in our cabin!
-from Olga

What there was, was a lot of champagne, vodka, beer, sandwiches, chips and mingling with the 10 to 12 random Erasmus students who were on the same train.

Back From the Dead

... or something like that.


It's been more than a month since my last blog post and my best friend's mom had to message me on Facebook to make sure that I'm still alive. 


Indeed I am. Honestly, I haven't been feeling particularly inspired to write. The thing about living abroad is that at some point, you're just living somewhere. Eventually, wherever is exotic and cool for your friends and family just becomes the place to do your everyday, routine junk. 


I'll be damned if I let Prague become just another place I've lived. 

Bliss.

Luckily, Autumn is here and although it's a season in which nature is slowly moving into short-term death, aka Winter, (only to be reborn again in the Spring), it's one of my favorite seasons. It is also responsible for renewing that "Holy crap I live here" feeling. 

Life is Like a Rollercoaster

All summer, and especially this last month, has been an absolute carnival ride. 

Everything has been happening so quickly that I haven't really had time to soak it all in. There was my visit from Ricky. Then traveling with my sister which included whirlwind tours of Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest. 

Then there was another quick weekend 'on the cottage' (as the Czechs like to say) with some friends and a raging good time for Prague's first Pride weekend. 

Next thing I knew, August was nearly over, my class schedule was changing weekly as my students were taking last minute holidays, I got a new roommate and it was bloody hot outside so we had a water fight. What else do you do when it's more than 30°C?

The anniversary of my first landing in Prague came and went and one of the members of my little, close-knit group of friends went back home to California. 

Now all of a sudden it's officially Autumn again (seriously my new favorite season). It's nearly October and my new regular class schedule is starting to settle in. Boy, is it going to be a busy one. I'm looking at three early mornings each week and lots of late evenings.

It'll be worth it in the end.

I have an announcement to make

So I know the blogging has been a bit sporadic (that word always makes me think of the movie Clueless) here but I promise it's because I've been very busy. Mostly.

I've been making new friends and going out a lot with them. And of course I have been studying hard. I'm happy to announce that it has all paid off!

On Monday I was informed that I received a Pass 1 grade in my TEFL course. That's the highest grade they give and it is accompanied by an automatic offer of employment. That means that I have both a TEFL certification and a job in the Czech Republic.

But wait there's more! I was also given an option between starting now or starting in January.