Without further ado I have decided (and by decided, I mean Heidi has persuaded me) to post my very first post on Born to Be Alive. Even though I feel my writing abilities are far inferior to certain other contributors to this blog, I feel it’s necessary to contribute something, if for Patrick, if nothing else.
In exactly 38 days I will be departing Reno and leaving the country for the second time ever (the first being an awful trip across the border into the great city of Tijuana). If I survive my flight to Prague, I am excited to be greeted by a the characteristically non-hugging , frowning Czechs. Although I have never been big into hugging myself, I wonder whether I will miss the awkwardness of feeling obligated to give hugs to people I don’t particularly like when put into an environment where it doesn’t exist.
My recent attempts to become familiar with the Czech culture have brought to the novel I Served the King of England. If anyone else is considering future reading material – I don’t recommend this satire. Not only did I not become acquainted with the culture, I was forced into the mind of an annoying little Czech waiter who marries a German gym teacher during WW2 as his countrymen are being ruthlessly murdered and then abandons his mentally disabled child after his gym teacher wife is decapitated in a bombing.
I have two goals for my time studying abroad at the oldest university in Europe. 1. *There are two regions of the Czech Republic Moravia and Bohemia. Apparently in Bohemia they drink beer and in Moravia they drink wine.* Therefore my goal is to drink wine in Bohemia and drink beer in Moravia.
Goal #2: Visit Mendel’s Pea Garden. You have got to love good old Gregor Mendel and what he did for the field of genetics. Although I don’t particularly enjoy peas or Punnett Squares, I have always had a thing for dead German monks-scientists.
Alrighty, I hope this answers some questions that everyone had, but was too afraid to ask.
The glory that is Patrick.
BORN TO BE ALIVE!
4 comments:
YES!! Everything I ever wanted to know about the Czech Republic but was afraid to ask.
Also, Goal #3 should be to smile at as many frowny Czechs as possible and see how they react. Who knows, maybe you can solely bring the Patrick revolution to this frowny country and make them turn their frowns upside down with the joy and good cheer of Patrick :)
I was trying to think of something for goal #3 and I think that is perfect!
I was trying to think of something for goal #3 and I think that is perfect!
Other suggestions:
Goal #4: If you can, you should try to make it to one of your bordering countries. You could go through Austria to get to Italy, and then you could visit Venice!
Goal #5: Find a cute Czech/European boy, and convince him to come home with you to America when you have to come back (and tell him to bring a friend or two).
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