Cookout

Today there was a little cookout in the courtyard at our dorm... I have to tell this story. Ulrik got a grill from some of the International Students when it was his birthday a while back. They decided to use it today. Some of the guys went to the store and bought charcoal and meat and stuff for grilling... They forgot one thing though... Yep.. Lighter Fluid.. Luckily someone had something very close... Yep... Absinthe.... haha* Only in Europe... bahahahahaha**** Oh, I am going to miss this place!!

Smoke Bombs

So I forgot to mention something about the scoreless football game that I went to last week. (Or was that two weeks ago?)) I have no idea.. Yep, it was last Monday.. Anyhoo.... If you Czech out the picture of the field, you will notice that it is pretty smoke-filled.... Yeah, that is because the ref called something that someone on the other team didn't like..... SO THEY THREW A SMOKE-BOMB ON THE FIELD! Before we knew it, there were two or three smoke bombs going off on the field... That is bizarre... But the doozy is that it didn't PHASE ANYONE! Apparently, this is pretty routine at football games in Europe! haha* The other doozy is that we have to go through 'security' before getting into the game. One of the girls I was with last time got her waterbottle taken away! But I guess the smoke bomb in the next cat's pocket was a-okay... haha* Oh, I am going to miss this place.....

"This one time....."

So I was talking to one of my friends from home (Paco) and he was talking about what it was like when he came home from studying abroad. He said the worst part was about when you talk to friends and family. You want to talk about your travels and experiences pretty much ALL THE TIME and it gets to a point where no one wants to hear it anymore and you just sound like you are bragging.... I am going to try conciously not to be "That Girl." Please put me in my place if I do, though! haha* I can see how anyone would want to talk about their travels and experiences all the time when they got home! I have learned so much, met so many great people, and had so many life changing experiences since I have been here! I cannot WAIT to tell you all about them in person next week! ... But not too much.... ;)

Birthday Wishes

Happy Birthday to one the greatest people in my life! Tiffany Bratcher is a woman I worked with at Union Hospital. We grew to be great friends and we still keep in touch! We have sent each other postcards, cards, and emails even since I have been in Europe! Tiffany is a great friend that God put in my life and I thank Him for her! Thanks so much for being a great friend, Tiffany! I hope you have a great birthday! Love you girl!

Max

Kevin met Max on his way to Prahaha. Max is from California and is living in Israel right now to study Judaism. He was really cool and really great to talk to. We all went to see the Jewish cemetary together. It was pretty intense. The graves were all over the place. Apparently there were bodies buried on top of each other. It was really sad. It was really great talking to Max and getting to know him and his beliefs.

Prague

Prague is called Praha here in the Czech Republic. s0o0o0o0o essentially the whole time we were in 'Praha' and saw something funny, we would laugh and say "Pra-ha-ha-ha-ha".. Wow..... we were such tourists.......

Wait.. what?

One of the guys was complaining about his roommate to me today. I said that I liked him. The complainer responded with...."Yeah, but you like everybody...." Huh? Wait, that's a good thing, right? ;) haha* Struck me as a little bit hilarious! ((and a lot bit flattering!)) I DO like everyone! Woot! Good person=me! haha*

Lennon Wall....The second time....

We visited the Lennon Wall in Prague again! It was fun to see it a second time! It was so different than the first time! That shows how fast the wall is painted over and added to. It's been a little over a month! My writing to Mark was still on the wall, though! ((Barely))... ;) The Lennon wall is full of color and sayings... I love it!! ((The second pic is of me pointing to the '08 on the wall.... SENIORS! WOOT!))

Dancing Building

So we were walking to the island on Sunday night and came accross something in Prague that I didn't think that I was going to get to see!! THE DANCING BUILDING! The building is also called "The Drunk House" and "Fred and Ginger" (after Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers). Either way, it is something I just thought I would miss out on this time around in Europe and we were lucky enough to have STUMBLED UPON IT! I was s0o0o0o0o excited! I'll admit it.....I started crying... ;) This is a pic of our group dancing in front of the dancing building in Praha.... Woot!!

QUOTE

"Three grand essentials to happiness in this life are somethingto do, something to love, and something to hope for."-- Joseph Addison

DISCO TECH REACTIONS.......

Disco Tech

We finally went to the largest club in Central Europe! Woot! It was s0o0o0 much fun! We went on a Sunday night, so only three of the five floors were open. It was great! The first floor was the hip hop floor, Floor two played Techno music, Floor three was termed the prom/wedding reception floor because it played music that pretty much everyone knows and can shake their booty to! haha* There is a video of Prom floor playing cotton-eyed joe, another of the prom floor with Spice Girls, "Wannabe" playing... ((PS- how did EVERY GUY THERE know all the words???)) Then there are two videos from the Techno floor... One is of the guys attempting to avoid the lasers all over the room... haha* I HIGHLY recommend this club to ANYONE who comes to Prague! It was about $8.00 to get in, but it was worth EVERY PENNY!! ;)

Fame

So before we went to the largest club in central Europe, our group hung out at a lookout point that had another great view of the city. We met this guy from the United Kingdom who was all kinds of intoxicated. He was talking about where he was from and how terrible his home football team was. To prove it, he threw his SEASON TICKETS into the river! Wow, that sure proved something! haha* We told him that Kevin was famous so they got a picture together....

ISLAND

We went to the island in Prague again.. It is a little sketch at night because (apparently) people get robbed often there.. haha* That is something to make the parents feel safe, huh? ;) Anyhoo, we didn't get robbed, but we did get a GREAT view of the city at night... If you look at the video, you can see the club that we went to.. It stands out a lot.. It has different colored lights and it at the end of Charles Bridge.... It was a great trip!

Hostel

When we got to our hostel, we didn't know how to find our room.. We asked the man at the front desk... He said he didn't know where our room was either?? haha* Wait.. what?!?! haha* We did eventually find the room.. It was in a separate building on the third floor... Eek... Gotta love hostel experiences!!!! ;)

Reactions to the Clock

The astrological clock in Prague was constructed in 1410! It is such an impressive work! But it is a little bit hilarious how many people gather around EVERY HOUR to see the clock in action! I have mentioned this in a previous post, but I wanted to watch our group's reaction as the clock struck.... ;) Enjoy....

St. Vitus' Cathedral

We visited the Cathedral by the castle in Prague! I watched a "Samantha Brown" show on the Travel Channel about Prague before I came abroad. This cathedral was mentioned. It was beautiful! I couldn't believe that I was going to see it in person! The cathedral took 600 years to complete! It was begun in 1344 and was not completed until 1929! Wow! It was absolutely breathtaking!

Speaking of taking your breath away, we walked up the tower (287 steps) to get a beautiful view of Prague! 287 seems like a manageable number.. IT'S NOT! We were in a two lane, 5 foot wide, winding tower. Constantly making circles until we got to the top. I thought for sure I was going to pass out! We had to keep walking to keep the flow up, but it was all kinds of awful! The view when we got to the top was worth it though!

The pic of the guy's face is from inside the cathedral. I was taking a picture and he came up and told me (I think) that pictures weren't allowed... Right... Please tell me and the other three hundred people in this cathedral with cameras. So I took a picture of his face... ;)

Charle's Bridge

We saw Charles Bridge again! ((How could we miss it?!?!)) It is so much fun to walk down! We touched the nasty statue for good luck again! But this time, we were the ones who tried to touch other people while they were touching it! Vicarious luck is great! ;)

So Prague was AMAZING

Brandon and Becky had two friends meet them in Prague on Sunday. I went with them too! I only went for three things: the Cathedral at the Castle, the largest club in all of central Europe, and for some major shopping! I DID ALL THREE!! Woot!! I cannot wait to tell all about it!! Let's start with that amazing clock!

HAITI

Two of my favorite people in the entire world are in Haiti right now on a mission trip! Please keep Kathy and Jenny Richardson in your thought and prayers while they are on this journey! I cannot wait to hear their stories! This is their second (?or third?) time going on this mission trip!

I am s0o0o0o proud to have the people in my life that I do! I think this needs said because, if this trip has done anything for me, it is make me appreciate those that I love back home. I met a guy that I thought made some racist, nasty comments this weekend. I immediately said that I didn't appreciate him talking that way. I really think racism is a sign of ignorance. I was not raised that way and I don't like when I hear it in 2008! What are you doing? Who do you think you are?

I think in our world today, everyone is the problem. As long as people are seeing color and associating it with a group of people, there are going to be issues. I immediately got mad at the guy, instead of attempting to understand his position. In the end, I didn't agree with it, and I ended up frustrated. I wish I could have some impact on him...

I realized the people we have in our lives play such an important role in the way that we act and think. My friends and I go to church together. We have 'Ladies Night' that (a lot of times) involves going over to each other's houses in pajamas, eating ice cream, and talking about our lives. We support each other in every way that we can. My friends drove to Vincennes, Indiana for my Grandpa Crowley's funeral. It was a crazy, blurry time for me, and I appreciate my friends showing that they were there. We all went to a Senior Dinner for Bridget when she was at St. Mary's. ((Not only for the cheesecake.)) I love my friends and am so happy and proud that they are a part of my life!

My family is s0o0o0o important to me! I have taken a lot of things for granted over the years. I have talked to so many people over here who have led much different childhoods than I have. I have a package nearly ONCE A WEEK from someone from home. There are some people who have nothing. And it isn't so much material things as it is the thought. I know people from home care and are thinking about me.

I have so many support systems that I could talk about. Thank each and every one of you for playing such an important role in my life. You have helped to shape me into a person I am very proud about today. I hope that I am a person who has helped to shape yours as well. I try to be as loving and supportive as possible.

Which is why you should keep Kathy and Jenny in your thoughts and prayers... ;)

Home from Prague

We are home from Prague and I have lots to talk about! ...Tomorrow.. ;) XOXO from Europe! See you in TEN DAYS!! WOOT!