So last Friday was a normal day of class, then we went to a performance that night at a place called the Alfred Theater, which is a space here that is dedicated to giving up-and-coming performing artists a place to showcase their work. So because of this, the performances can be really good, or really bad. So this performance that we went to called "interlacing" was an interesting idea, but poorly executed. Its really hard to describe, but basically it involved really good singing and then one of the performers awkwardly rolling around on a sheet of paper covered in ink. So it was an interesting experience, but it needed more development as a concept. But then after the performance we all went out with some guys who work in the cafe by the school who Sarah invited to the performance. We went to a pub and just hung out for an hour or two.

Then the next day I went to a festival at a mental hospital called Bohnice here in Prague. The festival was interesting and it had lots of venders and things, which was neat to look at. And they had a couple performances by groups of homeless people who are in programs that teach them theater. These were really really neat to watch. I think that just the self-confidence and positive attention and creative outlet really helps these individuals in their lives--not to mention that it gives them something else to think about and incentives to keep themselves clean and not drink (some of these programs require that they not smell badly and that they haven't had any alcohol that day). It was interesting to see the psychiatric facilities here--it was basically like a large neighborhood with lots of trees and grass and beautiful buildings. This is very different from the Austin State Hospital that I visited earlier this year that had just a bunch of square brick buildings and kind of a drab atmosphere. It seems like they understand the importance of having beautiful architecture more than we do.

Then on Sunday, I went into downtown around 11 and found a cafe that we had gone to earlier in the week to have lunch and get some reading done. Then I met one of my friends and her host mom and host brother and we drove out to a ceramics market in a small town. It was really refreshing to be outside of the city--I hadn't realized how much I missed seeing lots of open space and trees and everything. The ceramics market was amazing...there were so many artists there, it was very overwhelming (but still very cool of course). Then we met some of my friend's host mom's friends at a pub close by. But before then, we drove through a small town that just happened to have a 900 year old castle in the middle of it, of course. So we stopped and looked around for a while--it was amazing!! I can't believe there are just these super old castles everywhere. So then we went to the pub and the bar tender there found out we were studying about the fall of Communism and offered to take us up to the attic in the pub and show us all his memorabilia he had saved (like old newspapers, propaganda pictures, etc.). It was a very surreal experience, but he was very friendly and enthusiastic to help us!

Then this morning we had our first Czech quiz, which went okay, and tonight we have another performance. Hopefully this one will be better than the last one!

Hope everything's going well wherever you are!
Betsy