Week 2: The first assignment due... and Going to Vienna, Austria!!! Wooooohooo!

First half of week 2:
After having my first week end here in Prague, it was also one of the busiest weekend so far due to the first essay that we have to write. The essay prompt, was "What is Art?"This was the most subjective essay I had to ever write. The essay was simply about, "What is Art?!" Though sounded so simple, this essay became one of the hardest essay, I ever had to write due to the subjectivity of this essay..... But who cares right, I did it and got a 3.7 on it.... not bad, for an essay that I spent less effort writing it and more effort just trying to think on what to write. So the first half of week 2 (including weekends) was to just trying to start and finish this essay.

Enough of the essay, I want to talk about something else :)

Second half of week 2:
The moment after we all (apartment group) finished the essay that night, we celebrated by going BOWLING! It was so much fun, counting that it had a bar right next to it, and all of us tried out bunch of mixed drinks, such as: white russians, pina colada, sex on the beach, rum & coke, margarita, and others because there were so many....

Anyway, this was a Wednesday and the next morning at 6 am (well maybe I'm exaggerating, but it was early....) we met at the bus station headed to Vienna, Austria!!! Woooooooooo

The bus that took us to Vienna.

We got to Vienna, around 12pm... and we got to our hostel then strolled around Vienna until dinner starts. One bad move that I made, was that I left my camera back in the hostel when we strolled around Vienna that afternoon. Nevertheless, I redeemed myself by taking tons of pictures the next day. But later that night, we ate at Cafe Central in Vienna. This cafe is a fancy one, and has one of the most interesting history. Back in 1917, Stalin, Lenin, Trotzki, and Hitler met up and had a discussion over their revolutionary manifestos, mainly fot the November revolution in Russia (The Russian Revolution was in the 1917). So it was the same exact cafe/restaurant that they were all sat in. I find this very interesting and mind boggling.

The next day, we went to the US-OSCE. The US-OSCE is part of the U.S. government working in Vienna, to help secure the European Union (EU). The OSCE is only able to give 6 tours/year so we were lucky to be one of them. They gave us a tour and a presentation on what they do. They pretty much deal with human rights issue around the EU. I remember the presenter told us that we were very lucky to be an American because our government is the strongest government when it comes to human rights issue.

Just outside of the OSCE building.

The front-view of the OSCE office.

All of the European Union flags that agree to participate with the OSCE.

Entering the metal detector.

Staircase, for more metal detector.

The hallway of the 2nd floor.

I was able to take a "quick" photo of a meeting going on in the OSCE.

getting ready for the presentation.

Mike and Stephanie, acting so presidential.

Showing off my OSCE visitor badge.

Daisy wanted to have a picture with the water bottle. I do not know why.

After given the tour at the OSCE, we visited the museum of Elizabeth or known as "Sisi", the wife of Emperor Franz Joseph I who was the youngest emperor ever in the world. We also visited her apartments on what she would use to eat, how the dining room looks like, etc. This museum was covered in very sophisticated everything: from utensils to bed lining, everything is either gold or silver or something really rich and rare. Anyhow, we spent most of our days there learning about her whole story life. Oh one more thing, we were given this audio phone that as we go through each rooms, through the audio phone, they are telling us what each room is about. In the museum that talked about Sisi's life, we were prohibited in taking photos so there was no photo at all for that one. Nevertheless, it was a very cool experience. By the way, "Sisi" was one the 16 daughters of Maria Theresia, and she has a sister named, Marie Antoinette, sounds familiar? haha. Also the emperor that was killed to jump start WWI, Franz Ferdinand, was also in the same family tree as these people. If not mistaken, Franz Ferdinand was the grandson of "Sisi" and Franz Joseph I.

On our way to the museum.

My ticket to the museum.

Skylar and I are having fun playing with the audio phone.

Simone and Michelle (left background) are way serious in using their audio phones, haha.

So are Min and Jessica. Haha.

The gold utensils they would use to dine.

What the dining room looks like.

Another dining room, filled with lots of centipedes and gold decors.  

If not gold, they would use all of this silver platters.

Finally, I bought a postcard from the museum shop.

Then the next day we went to visit the Summer Palace. The Summer Palace was the place where Maria Theresia, Elizabeth, and Franz Joseph I, all stayed over the summer. The Palace is massive, especially the garden. The Summer Palace is one of the most visited place in Austria, which does not surprise me considering how beautiful the palace is and how organized the garden is.

Mike and Michelle.

Skylar and Andrea, calling us from a distance.

It's gorgeous!

Look at that garden!

The other side too!

Dang, who's this crazy kid? But, a nice view on the background haha.

Starting to get darker and about to rain.

Another angle of the garden.

Another one.

The view from the hill above that we had to hike.

Jane and Trevor, enjoying the view.

Conclusion:
Week 2 was so much fun. From having to first suffer by having to do the essay, nonetheless, we had tons of fun in Vienna. Vienna is one of the most economically advanced city in the world and not to mention its beauty. Although, everything in Vienna was pretty much expensive, it was so worth it and had tons of fun there! However, I felt homesick of Prague a little bit after spending my three days in Vienna. Prague has become my home and felt that I belong here. Additionally, this coming week, another essay is due, but next international stop would be..... Krakow, Poland!!!

Week 1: Arriving in Prague, The Old Town, Cheap and Amazing Beer!!!

From nervous to excited... from [somewhat] getting lost to finding our way... from sunny to rain... from exhausted to energized... from bored to amazed... There were just tons of mixed feelings on my first day here in Prague... But man, oh man, ain't this an amazing city or WHAT?!

I have been waiting for this day for a long time, maybe even before applying to this study abroad program. Now it finally came true, having the privileged to finally be here, I am simply in AWE!

Arriving in Paris:
The adventure began by leaving Seattle at around 1 pm. I also have the honor to travel with some truly amazing people like Lisa, Yas, and Michelle from all the way back in Seattle through Paris and finally Prague. The airport in Paris was so big that we had to walk about 1 hour to go to our next gate to Prague. Unfortunately, I was not able to take some pics because we only had two hours to get from arrival gate, through customs, and to our gate to Prague, and the enormity of the airport of course.

Getting ready to leave to Paris.

Arrived in Paris.

Arriving in Prague:
It was only about a one hour and about 40 min flight from Paris to Prague. Prague is definitely one of the most beautiful city in the world. HANDS DOWN!!!

Just arrived in Prague!!!

Once we arrived in Prague, we met up with Maggie and Andrea and found our apartments using the subway train. Right after I got dropped off at my apartment, at Praha 2 Karlo Namesti 15, I met Skylar and he gave me the tour of the apartment right away! I live with 4 other amazing people... Trev, Mike, Matt, and Sky. Here are some pictures of our crib:

Skylar's side of the bedroom.

Study place in my bedroom.

The tram stops just in front of our apartment. This was taken just outside of our window.

Our little study place. Where the internet works best.

Hallway of the apartment.

Trev, Mike, and Matt live here.

Where the party is at. The hangout room and the nap couch.

View from outside the window.

The tram stop. And also the nice Karlovo Namesti Park is just across from our apartment. 

First week in Prague: 
Prague is so amazing, and there are just so many things to say about them. However, one of the best thing to say about Prague is that beer is so cheap here. Water even costs more than beer at some restaurant. Prague is also know for brewing one of the finest beer in all Europe even the world.

Greg and I are having a good ol' time at Paddy's, one of our favorite bar here in Prague.

Also there are so many old buildings and the center of this is called, the Old Town. Old Town is just about a 15-minute walk from my apartment, Karlovo Namesti, but of course you could always take the tram there. Old Town is one of the most historical place in Prague. One of the coolest thing about Old Town is its famous Astronomical Clock. The clock is tall and massive stands just right off of the Old Town square.

View from the front.

View from the side.

The other most historical places is the Prague Castle, which consists massive Gothic-type churches known as cathedral and also Romanesque-type (older type) which is know as basilica. The gothic church is the most massive church I have ever seen in my entire life!!! And also the most beautiful!!!

Would you look at that?!

View from the bottom up.

View from the side.

View from the front gate.

View from the center of the cathedral.

First weekend in Prague:
The first weekend in Prague was spent paddle boating on the river just outside of the Prague Castle. It is right next to the one and only Charles Bridge, the main bridge that takes you from Old Town square directly to the Prague Castle. What better way to spend our afternoon, paddle boating and drinking beer in the sun! It only cost us about 200CZK/crown per boat for every hour, which is about $12/hour. So it was not bad considering that we took many amazing pictures just from the river outside of the Prague Castle.

On this boat: Ryan, Michelle, Jessica, and Daisy

That's me, just lounging on the back of the paddle boat enjoying the view. Hehe...

Nothing better than drinking beer out in the sun...

... to sum up a great first week in Prague.

Mike, "What is that building?" There are so many random ancient and cool looking buildings in Prague, and that is one of them.

Jane and Trevor, having a good time!

That's the view of the entrance to Charles Bridge, and just on the right is the Municipal Library.

Matt and Yas (on the "date" boat) haha... sorry for the blur.

On this boat: Lisa, Maggie, Andrea, and of course Mr. Skylar  Johnson, lounging back and enjoying the view.

That is Charles Bridge. The way to Old Town Square would be to the right and the Prague Castle would be to the left.

Conclusion:
First week of Prague has been so full of adventures yet also busy. What I mean by busy is that, yes we are here on a study abroad program, we are starting to have to read articles and books everyday and essays to write every week. Oh man, but I am not complaining, rather I am so grateful to be able to study and live in one of the beautiful cities in the world! What a blessing!