Who Are We, Really?
Note to readers: I read this after it was written and realized it sounds like a rant, but I'm positing it regardless. I started this blog to tell you about my experiences in Germany and Kúnta Hora, but as I started writing, I realized how uncultured I am and kind of got passionate about the subject. Read if you feel obligated, but learn if nothing else.
So, the past week I've spent a lot of time thinking about the world we live in. Sounds vague, right? There's something about studying abroad that is so very inspiring. The world is literally at our fingertips. Here I am, 1 person out of the billions of people in the world, trying to make something out of myself. Everyone has a story. Everyone has history of their own and experiences so completely unique to them. While thinking about all of this... about how there are billions of people on this tiny earth of ours, I've realized that I AM my own person and I HAVE my own story. I'm just one person, but I hope to become more cultured. I want to travel the world.
Living in Europe, I've realized that the United States is so secluded. Yes, in grade school and in college if we choose, we can learn foreign languages and we can learn about history, but unfortunately, we grow up in an environment that expects other people to conform to us and our culture. Majority of people living in Europe are trilingual because they're surrounded by other countries and other people, and they know that in order to get around, they have to learn the ways of the world, not just the ways of their homeland. In the US, we learn primarily English, and everywhere we go, others cater to us and our needs. WHY? Why have I never been exposed to the world? Now that I'm here, I feel like I owe this beautiful Earth we live on an apology for succumbing to the "easy way." Living in the US, knowing English, growing up with free schooling, being blessed enough to go to college, being in close proximity to family, having food and shelter and clothes... I feel like I've taken it all for granted. Learning about the history of Europe and actually seeing it with my own eyes... seeing remains of bodies, graves of holocaust victims, and buildings dating back to as early as 2 B.C. FIRST HAND has opened my eyes not only to Europe and the US, but to the world in general. We have it so easy. Life is guided to set us up for success, and while we indulge and splurge, others are struggling to just to eat a meal for one day. I'm not trying to say we don't appreciate what we have. Just think about it, though. Have you ever had a moment where you experience things so different from the "normal" and let it impact your entire point of view? Because for me, this experience isn't just about seeing Prague and roaming through Europe anymore. Not for me. It's about learning, becoming cultured, trying new things, and realizing the way the rest of the world works. Because of study abroad, I want to see the world. I am an aspiring world traveler. I crave culture.
Now is where I start the blog I originally sat down to write.
Friday, my friends and I went to a Prague hockey game! It was so much fun, and the tickets were only 50 CZK (about $2) for great seats only a few rows away from the ice.
This Saturday, I took a day trip to Dresden, Germany, with Natalie and Jordan (other Panroamers) and saw so many more beautiful sights.
The moment we arrived at the bus station in Germany, we had nothing but ourselves and our purses, so we did a 360, found the tallest building, and decided to walk toward it. Luckily for us, that included walking by a major shopping district with SALES ON SALES. When I left Prague, I brought 80 Euros (courtesy of Tim DeVoogd, thanks Tim!) and while I was in Dresden, I spent 79.55. That's right. I came back with literally 45 cents. However, those 80 Euros went a long way! With it, I got traditional german sausage for lunch, 5 shirts, 3 scarves, a necklace, my 21st birthday dress, gelato, beer at the beer garden, a postcard, dinner, and dessert. Thanks again, Tim!
Aside from shopping, we saw many famous Dresden sights, such as the Procession of the Princes, the Elbe River Banks, the Semperoper Opera house, the Zwinger Palace, Brühls Terrace, and many other things. We also went to the very top of The Church of Our Lady, where we got a beautiful 360 degree view of the city. As we crossed the river, we ran into a tiny shack that turned out to be a riverside Beer Garden, and since it was sunny and almost 50 degrees, they opened for the day! Even though we were only in Dresden for 9 hours, we saw so much. It was great!
Today, (Sunday, February 22nd) Panrimo, the program I am studying abroad through, took us on an excursion to Kúnta Hora, about 1 hour east of Prague. We went to two VERY old churches and saw remains of over 40,000 humans killed by the Black Plague. The first church we went to is known as the "bone church," and you'll see why in the following photos (real human bones). The second was a church that was built in the late 1300's, when Kúnta Hora was trying to be as big as Prague. Check out the pictures below!
Thanks for reading, friends and family!
