Sorry it had been almost 2 weeks since the last entry. In those 2 weeks, I successfully finished my ISP paper and gave the presentation, thereby completing my program. Then my group went up to a small town in Northern Czech Republic for a 2 1/2 day retreat to do some processing and just spend time together before leaving. It was a lot of fun and the place we went really was a winter wonderland!
On Friday we had a small end-of-semester party at our school for us, our host families, and anyone else we met over the semester (lecturers, ISP advisors, etc.). Saturday was basically a day of good-byes...the group went out to sushi with our teacher for lunch, then we went out one last time all together that night. It was all very sad, but hopefully it will not be the last time we will all see each other.
Early Sunday morning I took a train from Prague to Munich and have been staying with some friends here for the last couple days. It's been tons of fun: I've walked around the city and seen all the beautiful buildings and churches, strolled through the Christmas markets, saw an exhibition of Kandinsky (a famous abstract expressionist painter), and tonight I'm going next door to have a traditional German Christmas dinner with my friends' neighbors. I have one day left here, then I'll be flying all day on Thursday, finally landing in Austin at 11:30 that night.
So I can't believe my trip is almost over, but it will be nice to be back at home and see everyone for Christmas (for about 2 weeks, then I'll be ready to come back).
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Almost done! Ah!
I am so close to being done, it is unreal. This week is all about the ISP paper (I just finished my last observation session at Vesmirna) so I am currently writing this blog update as a way of procrastinating. But really, I'm in fine shape--I have a rough draft written and although there is quite a lot of work still to be done, I have the next 2 full days to do it.
So highlights from the past week:
-Wednesday I felt a little sick, so I took the day off and hung out with my host family. I also made an "Utterly Deadly Southern Pecan Pie" for Thanksgiving the next day (entirely from scratch).
-Thursday was Thanksgiving, but it didn't really feel like it at all until that evening. One of my friends came over in the morning to meet my host family and then we made a pumpkin cheesecake and apple crisp to bring to the party that night.
-The party was fun--it definitely tasted like Thanksgiving, which is very important, but I think the Czechs outnumbered the Americans at my professor's house, so that was a little awkward.
-Friday was another day of ISP work--an interview and observing at Vesmirna.
-On Saturday my friend and I went to Rehlovice, which was where we went in our third week for the regional stay. Our host there had a fund-raising brunch that she invited us to, so that was a very interesting experience...lots of people we didn't know, but there were a few who we did know who we talked to, which was good.
-On Sunday my friends and I went to the home of one of the families who we went to the woods with a couple weekends ago. We played Settlers of Catan--a board game I'd played a couple time is the States--with them and their kids and ate delicious snacks, and just had a really great time (eventhough I lost miserably at Settlers).
-The past two days have seriously been just working at Vesmirna and writing my paper, so nothing exciting.
So I should probably get started working so I can finish this ISP. I have really really enjoyed this whole research experience and really feel that it has been invaluable, and hopefully even influential on my possible career choice. But we'll see!
I have a week and a half left on this program, then I leave for Munich on the 14th for a couple of days, before flying all day on the 18th back to Austin. I'm excited to get back for some things, like Christmas, but I will definitely really miss this place.
So highlights from the past week:
-Wednesday I felt a little sick, so I took the day off and hung out with my host family. I also made an "Utterly Deadly Southern Pecan Pie" for Thanksgiving the next day (entirely from scratch).
-Thursday was Thanksgiving, but it didn't really feel like it at all until that evening. One of my friends came over in the morning to meet my host family and then we made a pumpkin cheesecake and apple crisp to bring to the party that night.
-The party was fun--it definitely tasted like Thanksgiving, which is very important, but I think the Czechs outnumbered the Americans at my professor's house, so that was a little awkward.
-Friday was another day of ISP work--an interview and observing at Vesmirna.
-On Saturday my friend and I went to Rehlovice, which was where we went in our third week for the regional stay. Our host there had a fund-raising brunch that she invited us to, so that was a very interesting experience...lots of people we didn't know, but there were a few who we did know who we talked to, which was good.
-On Sunday my friends and I went to the home of one of the families who we went to the woods with a couple weekends ago. We played Settlers of Catan--a board game I'd played a couple time is the States--with them and their kids and ate delicious snacks, and just had a really great time (eventhough I lost miserably at Settlers).
-The past two days have seriously been just working at Vesmirna and writing my paper, so nothing exciting.
So I should probably get started working so I can finish this ISP. I have really really enjoyed this whole research experience and really feel that it has been invaluable, and hopefully even influential on my possible career choice. But we'll see!
I have a week and a half left on this program, then I leave for Munich on the 14th for a couple of days, before flying all day on the 18th back to Austin. I'm excited to get back for some things, like Christmas, but I will definitely really miss this place.
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