Praha 25, or Just an Ordinary Day


This week, in the midst of all the fabulous traveling I’ve been doing, I thought I’d tell you all what my average school day is like. I usually wake up between 8 and 9 o’clock, depending on what time my classes start that day. I usually have a roll schmeared with something for breakfast (see my kitchen to the left), or buy a pastry at the little street pastry stand on my way to school.

My walk to school isn’t very long – it usually takes about three or four songs on my ipod to get from my apartment to our classroom building. Our classrooms are in a building that also houses a bunch of other things, like a bank and a lawyer’s office. It’s right in the very center of Vaclavske Namesti, or Wenceclas Square, which is in the very center of Prague. I’ve become an expert and dodging the many crowds of tourists, who like to get out early to photograph the National Museum building at the top of the square, and the commuters, who are as aggressive with their briefcases as most high school kids are with their overstuffed backpacks.

I hold my breath as I say “Dobry den”, or “Good day” politely to the doorman at school – he’s a sweet guy, but doesn’t believe in deodorant, and the whole lobby smells like feet and armpits. He remembers my red ski jacket every day, and at this point doesn’t even ask me to show ID – just buzzes me right on through. If I’m feeling lazy, I take the elevator up the four flights to the third floor classrooms, or if I’m feeling disciplined, I jog up the stairs.

Classes at CET take place in either of two classrooms. There’s also an office for the program leaders, Kim, Jiri and Ivana, a small kitchen with a coffee pot, sink, and a refrigerator full of soft drinks we can buy. On the other side of the kitchen is a computer lab, where usually three out of eight computers will work on a given day. There’s one additional classroom that’s used by a different program, but otherwise it’s pretty small.

Classes end anywhere between 12:30 and 18:00 (that’s 6pm for all you mathematically un-inclined). On days when class ends early, I’ll go out to an ovoce-zelenina, or fruit-vegetable store to do grocery shopping, as well as Alberts, the biggest supermarket chain. Yesterday, I discovered an Italian deli that is chock full of actual imports from Italy and happily bought some Parmigano Reggiano cheese (cheese is terrible here – no flavor), and balsamic vinegar (which is also weirdly hard to find).

On Tuesday and Wednesday nights I have bellydance class in different parts of town, and I try to eat out at least once a week, for a treat. I usually do my homework at night, in our big living room on the couch, or at the kitchen table, eating Disko cookies, which are the cheap Czech answer to Oreos.

Since Prague is a late-night kind of city, it’s entirely possible to leave the house at midnight to go to a bar or club. I go out occasionally, but I’m usually in bed by 12 or 1. And then I wake up the next morning to do it all again!