Praha 18, or L’Chaim
(written 2/6/07)

One point to whoever can figure out why I titled this entry L’Chaim. Two points if you’re not Jewish.

Becuase I have no cool pictures of architecture or statues to show you today, here's a picture of my bed just after I moved in. Nothing too exciting. My roomate's bed is invisible because it's behind me - it's a long and narrow room. But I got to be by the window, so yay.

Tonight I went Israeli dancing with Ellen at the one Jewish-only school in Prague. It was in the tiny gymnasium with lots of sweaty Hebrew-speaking dancers. I thought it wasn’t so great because I couldn’t catch on to the dances very quickly, and I didn’t know the music. But Ellen was ecstatic – she misses Israel so much that it was like a little bubble of happiness for her (she lived in Israel for a year) to hear familiar music and Hebrew-speakers. I imagine I’d feel similarly if I were at a contra dance in the middle of Prague. But I like that I’ve been dancing, and practicing my bellydance moves at night. Even though it’s still painful (I’ve yet to dance a whole hour without wanting to cry at least once), I like that I make myself do it. If I’m persistent enough, I might actually have rhythm by the end of this semester. Who knows?

Today, I learned about the Czech postal system, when I received a notice in my mailbox. I had no idea what the message said, as it was entirely in Czech, but my name and address were printed on it, as well as a different address marked “Posta.” I deciphered that I was supposed to go to the Post address and claim whatever it was my ticket said. So I looked it up on the map, hiked up the giant hill that is Vinorhadska, and found the post office.

The first step at any Czech post office is to take a number. I found a little automated machine with several buttons. I was supposed to determine what I was doing at the post office (picking up a package, mailing something, buying stamps, etc) and press the appropriate button. I guessed randomly, pushed a button, and it gave me a piece of paper with a number. I then sat down and waited for my number to flash on the giant screens all around the building.

When it was my turn, I went to the window, and asked “Anglicky? (AHN-glitz-key)” The woman shook her head. Oh well. I handed her my slip, and she said something in rapid, irritated Czech. “Nerezumim,” I said with the politest face and tone I could muster. “PASS-PORT,” she said loudly. Oh, damn. I had to have my passport to do whatever it was? I wasn’t mailing myself. I tried to hand her my drivers’ license, but she said “Driver card nedobre (neh-dobr-jheh).” Driver card no good. I signed, took my slip back, went home to get my passport, and came back to do it all over again.

I finally got what I’d come for – a small brown box wrapped firmly in duct tape. I could see a familiar name on the return address, and I grinned widely. Chris sent me a box! I resisted the temptation to open it right there, threw it in my backpack, and ran home just as it began to snow.

In Chris’s box was a bottle of curly-hair shampoo and conditioner, a picture of my whole family (from the Looneybin), several sweet notes, and a small box from Cornucopia (my favorite organic grocery store in Northampton) stuffed with my favorite ginger candies! Thank you, Chris! It made me incredibly happy. And now the refrigerator has a picture on it, and not just the week’s list of chore assignments. Yay for being homey.

In other news, I’m making travel plans! I’m headed to Vienna next week, to visit my (unofficial) aunt Trudi, and later in the semester, it looks like I’m headed to London to visit the fabulous Abby! This weekend is Cesky Krumlov, a little medieval tourist town in the south of Bohemia (Bohemia being the northwestern part of the Czech Republic, a designation much like New England). Keep your eye out for more pictures soon!

Oh, and to all of you who thought Kosnice (the bone church) was creepy – it was so cool. And you are all just scaredy-cats.