I got a good night of sleep, so I enjoyed the scenery from the bus on the way to Kunta Hora today. We toured the Church of the Assumption of Our Lady and Saint John the Baptist and the Sedlec Ossuary where bones from over 40,000 people were placed in intricate layered towers and nailed to…
Category: Plus3 Czech Republic
Czech Dessert & Jazz Concert
Today was an amazing tour of Kunta Hora, a village outside of Prague. It was very whimsical and quaint. We started the day by visiting the bone church, was was beyond impressive. If we had be allowed to take photos, they still would not have been able to convey they size and power of these…
Amazing Czech Food
While visiting a coal power plant our group got to experience a Czech meal from some caterers. It included beef in gravy, beef that was really red, ham, little cupcakes and an assortment of drinks. The different kinds of meat were what made the meal special. Most of the meals here have been pretty light…
Kutna Hora day
Today we took a day trip to Kutna Hora, a small town an hour outside of Prague. The town was created because a surplus of silver was found in the area and now has many old silver mines. One of the main things we saw when we were there was the ossuary. It was probably…
Seventh Day Czech In – The Best of the Best of Prague Cuisine
When I got to Prague one of my fellow students asked me what I was most excited for. I said the food. They immediately chuckled at me answer in astonishment that of all the things that I could be excited about, food was at the top of my list. Well, I bet they’re not chuckling…
Sixth Day Czech In – Cultural Shock
I’ve got to say, I’ve been so used to living in the states that I’ve encountered some major culture shock while being here. I imagined that culture shock was going to happen, but I didn’t imagine it happening like this… being polite in the states is not what it means to be polite here! I’ve…
Fifth Day Czech In – Academic Differences
It’s been a pleasure here going to Charles University and learning from their instructors. However, I have noticed a few differences between the university here and Pitt. One thing that I noticed was here in Prague, it appears as if the students here are expected to conduct themselves on a level of formality much higher…
Taste is the New Trending
Today, we took another bus ride to another city outside of Prague. The city of Kutna Hora was our destination, and it is widely known across Europe for being the central mine for silver. Supposedly, there was one point in Europe’s history where 40% of all silver mined came specifically from this town. We also…
Czech Your Attitude
Today was a very fun day filled with one unique experience after another. We began the day with a bus ride to the Ledvice Power Plant. They gave us a very nice tour of the facility. Then, we went to the top of one of the towers and got an amazing view of the surrounding…
Striking Gold
They say that the countryside of the Czech Republic is beautiful to drive through. I wouldn’t know. I fell asleep within five minutes of getting on the bus. We arrived at CEZ, and they told us about their plans for sustainable energy and carbon neutrality by 2030. I found it ironic, though, that they only…
Digging for Experiences
Today we did some things, some super cool things. We got to tour a power plant and an open-pit coal mine. It was surprisingly fun getting to explore these active sites and see how energy production works firsthand. It was interesting getting to speak with some workers and learn more about the industry as well…
So much learning, so many categories
Prague day 5 !!!! And we are going back to school for the day! The day began with a walk over to Charles University, where we learned more about Old Town along the way and why an incomplete building exists within the bustling square. Once we arrived at the University, we started the morning off…
5/12: To the mines!
Today, we had a very eventful day. We started out with an hour bus ride to the power plant. We then did a tour of the plant, including looking off the balcony 28 stories up! Afterwards, we had an awesome catered lunch, and then watched a fun 3D movie. We then went to the open…
Copycat Czech Statue
It’s hard to believe that just last week was our pre-departure meal in Benedum. Throughout this past week I have had a great time exploring Prague and meeting people along the way. One thing that we learned before embarking on our journey was that Czech people were pretty standoffish and were not the friendliest to…
Black Light & Pyrite
I have never travelled abroad before, nor has anyone in my family. I had no idea what to expect and quite frankly I was scared. I could have never have anticipated this city to feel so safe and welcoming. The walkable streets are more present then I thought possible, and the public transportation makes it…
Coal Miner’s Daughter!
Today we toured a power plant! First, we toured the plant and learned about how it works to supply power to the country. The plant has been around for a long time, but has changed with the advancement of technology and environmental concerns. The plant utilizes brown coal and water from the Elbe River and…
Floating Down the Vltava
College life in Oakland is a whole other world compared to Prague. Campuses here consist of academic buildings spread out throughout the city. Each department is split up into its own building, and it seems like there isn’t much interaction between departments at all. One of the best things about college life at Pitt is…
Misconceptions of the former Soviet Block
Today we went on the best company trip yet. It was a coal burning power plant and the adjacent brown coal strip mine. The proportions of everything were incredible. The top of the coal burner was the highest building in the Czech Republic and the strip mine was absolutely ginormous. What surprised me about the…
European Road Trip!
Today we had our first excursion outside of the city of Prague. After meeting up in the hotel lobby, we all walked to a nearby bus and traveled one hour towards the German border. Our final destination was the Ledvice Powerplant. Overall, this experience was probably one of best visual tours I have been on…
Day 5: Becoming Czech Students
Today was a very classroom-heavy day where we immersed ourselves in the Czech language and culture. We started the day with a crash course on how to pronounce Czech words, which I found very helpful! We also learned some helpful phrases like Hello, Goodbye, Thank you, and more. So, all of us can feel a…