Hello from Prague!

Due to some wild weather on Saturday, we weren't sure what our journey would look like!  Newark was busier than ever, as flights were being grounded, delayed, or canceled altogether, which left many passengers uncertain of their next steps.  Throughout all the airport chaos, our students showcased remarkable maturity.  Those who made it to the Newark airport waited ever-so-patiently for next steps and followed my directions to a T; those who missed their connecting flights to Newark stayed calm, communicated well, and successfully rebooked new flights to Prague.  Flexibility is key when traveling, and it's clear that our Dream Team of travelers has that skill down pat.

Our group flight landed at 10:30am Prague time, and we promptly proceeded through customs.  For several people in our group, it was their very first passport stamp!  Eva and Kamila, our program coordinators, met us at the airport with snacks and orange juice.  In no time, our private van had arrived to take us on a half-hour drive to our residence.  We got sneak peaks of the Vltava river, the Prague castle, and the Charles Bridge.  Despite the overcast skies, there were "oohs" and "aahs" throughout the van as students took in their first sights of Prague.

At the residence, we met Kristinka and Misha, who will be our Resident Assistants for the three weeks. We were welcomed with an impressive spread of traditional Czech sandwiches for lunch; options included beat/cheese and ham/pickle.  Fun fact: did you know that Czech sandwiches are open-faced, each made using only one piece of bread?  Kristinka and Misha then gave out the keys to our apartments, which are located in a building that is rented exclusively to CIEE.  Let me tell you--these apartments do not disappoint!   Each apartment has a kitchen (with a week's supply of breakfast food), an eat-in dining area, a bathroom, and at least 1 bedroom.  Students are rooming two-to-a-bedroom.  One cool feature of many Eastern European bathrooms (including ours) is that the toilet is separated from the rest of the sink and tub!  It certainly makes sharing a bathroom a heck of a lot easier.  Did I mention that every apartment has an in-unit washing machine?  A more beautiful sight mine eyes have ne'er beheld.

We then took a walking tour of the neighborhood, discovering local grocery stores, restaurants, coffee shops, bakeries, and the building where our academic classes will be held.  Our neighborhood is just lovely--safe, quiet, and clean, yet plenty to do and explore.  People walk their dogs off-leash, which is legal in the Czech Republic.  I asked our program coordinator if leashes are ever required, and she said, "No, only in some parks."  Quite the opposite in America!  Fortunately, all the dogs we have seen seem to be very well-behaved and loyal to their owners.

After our walk through the neighborhood, we gathered in the downstairs foyer for a brief orientation, including formal introductions, an overview of our daily itinerary, and some basic Czech phrases.  At 5:00, we departed for dinner at a restaurant about 15 minutes walking from our apartment.  We got a sampling of local Czech food; I opted for a beet salad and pancake dessert with tea. The food and service were excellent, and it's clear that we will be well-taken-care-of during our stay in Prague.

Each day, our program itinerary has a "learning objective" which informs both academic content and extracurricular programming.   It serves as the "why" to justify the "what" in all that we do.  Today's learning objective was to get to know the neighborhood.  With a working knowledge of our area, students are empowered to begin making their own decisions about what to do with their free time.  With personal agency comes confidence, freedom, and joy.  After today, our kids seem excited by the beauty and adventure that our neighborhood has to offer.  We're more than ready to make this place our home.