Not much time left!

I realized today that there are only 30 days left of our semester! I'm both happy and disappointed about that. The other students are starting to pack up and some are moving home. Their semester is coming to an end now. In the next month we are going to be so busy that the time is going to fly by! We have group trips to Krakow, Auschwitz, Kutna Hora and Cesky Krumlov. We also have a whole week free for whatever we want! Kelly and I are making plans to go to Ireland, Dublin and Paris. I'm actually looking up flight information as soon as I'm done writing this entry. We also found out that on Tuesday we are going on a little extra field trip to a local castle. We leave for Krakow on Thursday and we will be gone for 4 or 5 days. We're going to Auschwitz on this trip too! I'm pretty excited about that!

We also just found out that there are a LOT of really awesome things in Olomouc that we didn't know about! We knew there was a Zoo but we also found out there is a ropes course and a go-cart track! We've been packing in the fun events since we got back from Spring Break because I think it really hit us that we're running out of time.

On Wednesday I went to a futbol (soccer) game! It was the local team Sigma Olomouc, and the game was a really great time. Today we went to race some go-carts and tomorrow we might go see a movie. We are for sure going to a Rugby game on Sunday and we are thinking about going to the Zoo on Monday. It's going to a busy weekend and after Thursday a really busy week of traveling.

-Jessica

Paris

Being in Paris was really cool but it was definitely the most touristy city I have been to so far. My favorite part of Paris minus the Eiffel tower at night was the Musee d' Orsay. Great artist like Monet and Van Gogh were in this museum and it was just so cool to see their original works. I remember seeing all these painting in Art classes with Mrs. Noecker but to see the real thing just took my breath away. I could have stood there for hours just examining the colors and brushstrokes and things like that. I don't even think I could pick out a favorite painting because I loved so many of them. If I would ever go back to Paris I think I would just spend all my time at the museums and skip all the other touristy spots. Although I had so much fun on spring break I was so excited to see the Olomouc sign when I was pulling in on the train. I have missed my little home away from home and I will not miss living out of a suitcase. Now back to school and homework but I'm ok with that for now. I only have like 31 more days here. I can't believe it has gone this fast!! Below are the links to my pictures from spring break. I hope you all enjoy!
-Bernice

-Vienna
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=37641&id=1317120081&l=ec08f01fdb

-Venice
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=38538&id=1317120081&l=b38b076e05

-Rome
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=38540&id=1317120081&l=a556a1bea4
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=38547&id=1317120081&l=d6535c65b8

-Barcelona
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=38561&id=1317120081&l=1cb058d234

-Paris
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=38565&id=1317120081&l=821504f651

Festa de Sant Jordi

So while in Spain on the 23 of April they had this festival called Festa de Sant Jordi. It is a festival celebrating the Patron Saint of Catalunya. On this day the men buy the women roses and the women buy the men books. There are rose and book stands everywhere along with thousands of people out on the streets. I saw roses of every color and even a rainbow rose. It was really cool to see a cities big cultural festival and how they celebrate that day. If your wondering no I didn't get any roses from a cute Spaniard. I know disappointing!
-Bernice

Ace at PT

Let's be honest, public transportation is pretty much nonexistent in Nebraska. What do we have, some buses? In the last week I have pretty much conquered every form of public transportation that there is. Buses, trams, taxis, trains.... and boats. Boat skills will only be handy if I go back to Venice. The fact that public transportation is just part of my life every day now is really strange when you think of how it doesn't even exist in my world usually. Clearly I'm going to have to continue traveling so I can use my newly developed skills.

I'm spending a few days in Prague right now. Exploring and buying things in a place that is CHEAP! I missed the Czech prices more than anything in our week and a half away on break. Tomorrow it's back to Olomouc!

-Jessica

Rome/Barcelona

When I last updated you I had just got to Rome. Well Rome was amazing on Sunday we went and walked the tour we took the night before to take pictures in the light. That took most of the morning and then in the afternoon we went on a tour of Rome by the same people that gave us the night tour. It was really awesome we saw all these cool sites including the Colosseum, Mouth of Truth, Jewish Ghetto, site of Julius Caesar's assassination, Pantheon. Piazza Venezia, Mussolini's balcony, Roman Forums and more. It was really interesting the tour guide Justin really knew his information and was really cute too...total plus!!
The tour started at 2 and ended at 5:30 so it was a pretty long day. We came back and ate, packed, and went to bed hoping that we would be able to get on the plane to Barcelona the next day. The next morning we got up early to go to the Vatican. There I went to St. Peter's Square and the Sistine Chapel, which was breath taking by the way I could have stayed there and looked at it all day. After the Vatican and a quick cheap lunch the group went to the Colosseum to tour the inside, which because it was culture week was totally FREE!! The Colosseum was just amazing and interesting enough they don't know how this amazing building was constructed, which makes the building even cooler. We then went back to the hostel to get our bags so we could go to the airport!
We got there and were so excited because our plane was totally flying! Score! To Barcelona we went. We got to Barcelona really late, so we basically just got to our hostel and slept. The last two day here have been spent like all vacaciones should be (look some Espanol) on the playa (beach). Well that and napping....totally relaxing!! Its really really pretty here and the sea is gorgeous all though it is quite chilly. The first day I got a little burnt but today I was fine. Tomorrow we are hoping to explore downtown and do a little bit of shopping. Adios for now!!
-Bernice

The Silver Lining

Even in all the disappointment of our plans being canceled and all the stress of creating a new plan, a little bit of light peeked through today.






A few of the students from our group found a hostel that is on the outskirts of Rome. It happens to have a beach. And they invited us for a visit. I spent most of the day laying in the sand next to the Mediterranean Sea. I also fully submerged myself in the salty, chilly waters. It was, by far, one of the most fun days I've had here so far. We turned Sam into a Mermaid. The day was a success!
-Jessica

Staying Positive!

In the words of Peter McKay, "The erupting Icelandic volcano achieved what world wars, terrorism, environment campaigns and even Britain's Got Talent all failed to do: it shut down European aviation".

So due to the shut down airlines EVERYONE is looking for a train. There are no longer any trains to Paris or Amsterdam, so those trips have been canceled for me. I have a ticket in my purse that will get me back to Vienna and from there I'm headed to Prague then Olomouc. It's too expensive and will take too long to get to the places we planned at this point. So we are nixing the rest of our trip and heading back to our dorms. Not exactly the most exciting Spring Break, but we are going to be making plans for our last free week and we will stop at a couple of the places we missed. Hopefully by then everything will be back to normal!

-Jessica