One Year Later

I can't believe it's been a year since I started my journey to Praha! It seems so far away. I have a friend who will be studying in Praha this semester. She lived across the hall in my while I lived in the dormitories here at K-State. Here's her blog: Czech it Out. I am a wee bit jealous to think she is doing what I did a year ago, but it is an experience we all get to dable in being an architecture student. And I really shouldn't be jealous, I mean at the time I went and the people I befriended will be a totally different experience then what she'll experience, and I had my chance and I lived life the the fullest when I was in Praha. Living abroad is one of the most amazing experiences I will ever get to partake in!

I do miss Praha, but I miss everyone I befriended in Praha, who are in the UK (because that is where everone is from for the most part) more. Friday will be one year since I met my roomie, Varie, and that will hit me the hardest I do beleive, but I do have some exciting news though...I am going to Scotland in May as my graduation present to myself! I am soooooooexcited!!! I bought my tickets yesterday, so it is official. II'll be going for a week leaving the Tuesday after Graduation, May 15th, - arriving in Scotland on Wednesday May 16th and will be coming back to the US of A on Wednesday May 23rd - which will put me being back just in time for my brother's birthday. I've missed everyone all so much, and now I am just physced about a trip and seeing them all for a week! :D I want to go see some castles and maybe some of the beautiful landscape (Highlands) I hear is so lovely (and I can see a very good example of it on my calendar Varie sent me for my brithday). Now the excitement of graduation getting closer and closer is even more elevated because I'll be in the UK less then a week after I do graduate! I hope you guys are all ready for me! Here are some pics I found on-line...

Glasgow, Scotland

Glasgow Cathedral

Bagpipes and Kilts
I wonder if he is a true Scotsman...

Scotland's Highlands

Scotland's Stirling Castle

So I am very much looking forward to going to Scotland to reunite with all my friends. I hear they are taking a trip to Praha this Spring and yes that would be fun, but I would like to experience another part of Europe, and a place where some of my ancestors came from, and where my friends grew up! Well I must go, this is an extrememly busy semester, my project is huge and we have critiques on Friday (and I am trying to get done before Jason gets here tomorrow). Ciao!

PS - Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

Three Weeks Later

I don't even know if anyone is still checking this, but here it goes. I can't believe I have been back for three weeks. I did finally get to posting some new pics from my last week in Prague. I will finish posting pictures of Berlin, but not at this time. If you want to check out my last week in Prague pics, the best way to do that is to click on this -> June 2006 and look through them. Well I guess that is it for now, enjoy catching up on some of my Prague pics! I do have one final thing to say, I am glad to be home! I do miss Prague, I miss my friends even more though. I have been able to keep in touch with a bunch of them through our bantering e-mails we have been doing for three weeks. It's so nice, I really do miss the banter down in the Menza. Someone told me you always want to be where you are not, and she was right, that is so true! Ahoj!

Prague Castle
(currently my desktop)

Back Stateside

So, after having the longest Friday I have ever had (it was 31 hours long), I am back in the United States of America. It was an interest trip, filled with unexpected surprises, but in the end I made it back just at the start of Saturday (12:05am). It all started with having to shift items around in my luggage because they wouldn't let me carry on my smallest suitcase. So I had to shift all my breakables that were big into a bookbag to carry them for the day. I sat next to a girl on the way to Dublin from Germany who was moving to Ireland for a job, I was amazed at this. It has to be a really hard thing to leave what you know behind and start over somewhere totally knew, especially to an English speaking country when your first language is not English.

I then had a world class experience of United States Customes in Dublin, Ireland. Its not that it is a bad thing, I understand why, but I was so tired, so confused, so jet lagged and I just didn't know what was going on. But I did get it all sorted and I waited to get on our big 330 Aerlingus jet to America. I ended up sitting next to this sweet old Irish lady who was going to Chicago to visit her family. She was so cute, I hope one day I can be that old and cute.


When I got to America, I was overcomed by the English language. It was insane! It has been so long since I have spent any amount of time in a country that is English speaking. Dublin, Ireland doesn't count because the accent makes it hard to understand (although I do understand the Scottish accent so much more). So I was overwhelmed and kept catching myself eavesdropping on others converstations. I really didn't like it to much. Usually it was loud wherever I was, but atleast I didnt' understand it since it was in a different language, so it was just noise to me, here I couldn't feel any peace of mind, I was overwhelmed with a mixture of words I understood, but didn't feel like I understood it at all. It was just a jumbled mess. So after getting my bags going through customes again, then rechecking my checked luggage, I found out that my flight was pushed back again! I was originally only supposed to have a two hour layover when I booked my flights in January, now it was up to six hours. I did not expect me to spend my first quarter of a day in America at Chicago's airport. So I called my parents to let them know I made it safe and then headed to a cash machine for money so I could eat dinner. American money seemed so foreign to me. I only had about a dollar in change on me, but to see a $20 bill was weird. I was used to the colorful European money such as the Czech money or the Euro. Here it's just green and plain, but it was a happy sight to see. I ended up eating at Chilli's at the airport (it's funny my first meal in America was also my last) and I order a ceaser chicken salad with a diet cola (catching myself saying cola light and getting the stragest look from the waitress). I was hoping a salad would ease me back into the processed food of America. You know the kind that is made to keep for a really long time on the shelf (I don't know why we would insist on putting that into our bodies). I've spend four and a half months eating very little processed foods and I didn't want me to be feeling sick, because I'm not used to eating American food. It was alright, but I couldn't eat the American sized portion of food they gave me, and only drank one diet cola with my meal. Afterwards I went to my gate to wait until my flight would leave. I called friends and family to let them all know I was back safe. I wanted to try to let my friends back in Europe know, but I don't have texting on my phone here, and a call would have costed a lot! I then found a plug in and hooked up my laptop to watch Evil Dead. I was trying to stay awake, beacause I felt like it was the middle of the night, but it was still daylight outside. Even thought the movie helped keep me awake, I caught myself nodding a couple of times. After a long wait and even more of a delay, I finally borded my plane. But first someone sang a song for us over the intercome at our gate, God Bless the USA (which brought tears to my eyes) I should have told him it was a greatest welcome home from a stranger then I could have ever gotten, but didn't.

"If tomorrow all the things were gone I'd worked for all my life,
And I had to start again with just my children and my wife,
I'd thank my lucky stars to be living here today,
'Cause the flag still stands for freedom and they can't take that away.
I'm proud to be an American where at least I know I'm free,
And I won't forget the men who died who gave that right to me,
And I gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today,
'Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land
God Bless the U.S.A.
From the lakes of Minnesota to the hills of Tennessee,
Across the plains of Texas from sea to shining sea.
From Detroit down to Houston and New York to L.A.,
There's pride in every American heart and it's time we stand and say:
I'm proud to be an American where at least I know I'm free,
And I won't forget the men who died who gave that right to me,
And I gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today,
'Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land God Bless the U.S.A.
I'm proud to be an American where at least I know I'm free,
And I won't forget the men who died who gave that right to me,
And I gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today,
'Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land God Bless the U.S."A.

After a short 58 minute plane ride, I was back where it all began Kansas City. I was so happy to see my parents and brother (who had grown another 5 inches I swear!). My dad made me a welcome home sign and it was just great. I had imagined my homecoming a little different, but this was just perfect. After getting my baggage, we headed to the trail blazer (it's been soooooooo long since I have been in a car, taxis doesn't really count, they drive too crazy) and headed to the hotel to go to bed. I gave my family their presents, which they liked a lot and headed to bed. I then woke up this morning at 7am. I am so jet lagged, I went to bed at 130am Central time in America, which is like 830am Central time in Europe. So, waking up at 7am is like waking up at 1pm back in Prague (which I never slept that late). So hopefully after a couple of days, I'll be back to a normal sleeping pattern. I got up and around (which I don't think anyone else is actually up) and we will be going to be going back in Manhattan and moving me back into my old apartment. Then tomorrow we'll be heading to Nan's for the Fourth of July and of course my home welcoming even more. I can't wait to see my family, they were the last ones to see me off before I left for Europe with an amazing Bon Voyage party, and now I can't wait to be welcomed back to America the Sullivan way! I'll be going back to Manhattan probably Thursday and be unpacking my apartment and hopefully getting my job back at Hastings. I also get to go have chips and salsa with Juils, Brian and Madeline, which will be great to catch up with them. I can't wait to see more friends and catch up with them, I'm so used to having friends so close to me, so putting myself back in Manhattan with be a bit of a shock since we are all spread out some. Well I should go, and make sure all my stuff is situated, I can then go enjoy some breakfast. See ya!

My Last Blog from Europe

Guten Tag! (Good Day!)

Ok, so today will mark an end to a lot of things. It is my last blog for MandysCzechExperience (well there might be one more after I get home, but we'll have to wait to see). It is though my last Blog from Europe. It is my last day in Europe. I have learned a lot these past few months and I guess a change of scenery has made me look outside the box. I was so comfortable where I was back at home, but things change, but then sometimes things don't change too though, after all my homesickness over the semester I have to say I am ready to come home. I can't wait to see all my family and friends back at home. I've missed them so much! My flight is on Friday the 30th of June at 11am Central European Time from Berlin's Sconefeld Airport and I'll be coming by way of Dublin, Ireland, Chicago, Illinois and finally Kansas City, Missouri (KCI). My flight from Chicago was pushed back a lot, so I won't be getting in at KCI until really late 11pm Central Time (wow never realized I was in two different central time zones, this is a first). I'll be heading back to Manhattan on Saturday to move stuff out of storage into my apartment. It's going to be so weird going back there. After so long, I'm coming home. I then will be heading out to my Nan's farm for the Fourth and of course a celebration of me coming home! I'll celebrate it with you all in Manhattan the following weekend! I want to thank eveyone that has helped me a long the way over the semester. My parents for all the support they have given me (including the finacial) and the love across the miles. All my other family who has given me support and more love across the miles. My friends taking care of my apartment for me and giving me support as well (oh and don't forget the love as well...everyone loves me, how can you not ;) ). Wow I'm thanking eveyone for giving me suport, but it's hard being a million miles away from all you know. I've really growned up this semester (wow never saw that coming), I am still the same Mandy, just a bit older and wiser; I'm sure you'll all see a change in me. I'm sure a lot of things have changed back at home, and I'll adjust to those, just as I have adjusted to being overseas. I do want to thank also my friends that I acquired during my study abroad experience, you guys were amazing, and I know we'll all meet again one day (can anyone say "Mandy is treating herself to a trip to the UK after she graduates?"...plus it's so much easier in this day and age to keep in touch, thanks to the internet).

Well today I have a lot planned, I'm going to be heading to the airport to drop off some of my luggage in a locker. This makes my trip tomorrow morning easier with less luggage on the metro system here (no more going up and down stairs too many times, although the kindness of strangers is always nice to see). I then have to move to my new hotel for the night. The one I am staying at didn't have room tonight, maybe it has something to do with the World Cup, I haven't really mentioned it too much, but it's a BIG thing right now in Berlin (although I knew that in Prague as well, it's just 10 times worse though here). I then plan on exploring some of the area around where my new hotel is. There is a few things I would like to go see, and I might even go to a Natural History Museum, since I never made it to the one in Prague (I have never seen a dinasaur skeleton, I've always wanted to though!). Then I'm meeting Kate at 7pm at Alexanderplatz (yeah a friendly face on my last night in Berlin!) and we are going to get dinner and hangout. Ok, well I will post pictures from my whole trip after I get home, I started to upload them and you can find a few days on the right -> under Berlin, but I will put pictures and fun captions on each day (including today which will just be a day of pictures and no blog) and a few of the last ones in Prague. Well I should go and get around, finish rounding up my stuff and head to Sconefeld with some of my stuff! I can't wait to see you all again!

Tschuss! (See You!)
Big morgen! (Until Tomorrow!)

Yes that is right I did pick up on more German in the few days I have been here, then I could with Czech...but then again I do have the German blood in me! I have to say I almost understand what people are saying around me, but that might be a bit of a stretch, we'll see!

***will post pics later

Berlin Day Three

Well today was a really eary start. I arrived at the Reichstag after my 1/2 hour walk there by way of passing a few things I would visit later that day. The Reichstag's biggest attraction these days is the cupola, a modern dome on the top of this old building that let's light into the meeting hall. I think it's one of the most amaizing things I have seen, and you'll be able to tell by all the pics I took :)

Next I headed to the Jewish Memorial which is a bunch of stones in a plaza that when you walk into it you are going to a lower ground plane and the stones rise above even higher too. It is a very moving place, and I took some amazing shots in the morning daylight.

I then moved back to the DZ Bank. I had to wait till it opened at 10, so I back tracked a bit to go get a glimpse of the "Horsehead". I wasn't allowed to go past a certain point, but I can say I went and looked at it. Why he designed this, I'll never know, but then that's Gehry for you!

Next I moved on to Banhof Potsdamer Platz, which has the Sony Center. This is a major hub of growth from West Berlin. Everything, but one building was destoryed during the war. I went into the Sony Center to take some pics, unfortunantly the BIG football craze here has this big set of chairs and tv screens in the very center of it for watching games. But you do get the idea of the very modern setup they have here. I then grabbed some dunkin donuts (yep they have them here!) and a cola light and walked around the area a bit. After a couple of hours I started getting hungry for lunch, so I decided to go eat lunch in Arkaden, which is a mall of types.

I then went and bought a metro ticket and took a bus to the Bauhaus Archieve and Museum. I wanted to do this, since I am an Architecture student, and it was pretty interesting. I got to see some models of some buildings I have studied along with drawings that went with them.

Next I started off on my big adventure. I was on a search for my Grandma's candy she requested, Marzipan (but it has to be the little pigs she used to get as a child). So I found a place that sold them, or I thought, the other day so after my trip to the Bauhaus Archieve, I hopped on a above ground metro and headed out to it. I arrived at the place, and found out they didn't sell the kind I wanted to get, but the lady that worked there spoke excellent English. She told me the place I wanted to go was a few streets back, and they would have them there. So I set back to go where I started, and I found them! I bought some extra (pigs are traditional at Christmas time, so I bought some teddy bears as well to give, since they didn't have that many pigs) for some others. I even bought a mixture of Haribo gummies for them as well (I know they sell it in the US, but these are made in Germany!).

I then set off back to the hotel with the weight of the candy in my hand, and my pocketbook a little lighter (I always wanted to say that). I rested a bit after my long day, before I was going to head out to get some dinner and go up in the TV Tower. I ended up leaving later then I thought, so I ended up going up in the TV Tower first (and got some good pictures of the sunset) and then headed to dinner at this little resturant my guidebook suggested for good German cuisine called Mutter Hoppe (Mother Hoppe). I had a Berliner Kindl Beer, tomato soup, and a cold roast beef dish with horseraddish, some white sauce, sour veggies (I had to try it even if it was cauliflour, tasted like it was pickled to me), and roasted potatoes. I was amazed at the portion of the dish and ended up eating a good 2/3 before calling it quits. I wasn't used to huge dishes back in the Czech Repulic, but they were filling come to think of it (has to be the potato dumplins). I then headed back to my hotel for a bed, since I was tired from my loooooong day.

Big Morgen!

***Will post pics later!

Berlin Day Two

Today I decided to visit another area of Berlin near my hotel. I started off with heading towards Museumsinsel, which has several museums and the Berlin Cathedral. I walked around outside for a while, seeing all five museums from the outside. Then I headed to the Berlin Cathedral, Berliner Dom in German, to go inside it. For a small fee I could go to almost the top of the dome, which you could view the city of Berlin all around, and all the way down to the lowest level, which had the crypt, café, and gift shop.

Afterwards I decided to head to the Fernsehturm, which is the huge tower that has a football (soccer ball) sphere almost at the top. I arrived at a fountain in front of the Fernsehturm and sat by it for a while to cool off in the breeze that caught water from it. I noticed a church nearby, which happens to be one of the oldest churches in Berlin, built in the end of the 13^th century and decided to go over to it. The name of the church is Marienkirche, or St. Mary’s church. After visiting the church I headed over to Fernsehturm to see the hours and cost of going up in it. I found out that it would cost me 4 Euros, which would probably be worth the view at 666 ft, and I asked the ticket lady what time sunset was, but she didn’t understand me. Luckily a guy behind me in line told me in his American accent (he had a Pennsylvania shirt on, probably a student in Berlin) that sunset was at 930pm, but I probably want to show up around 900pm to go up in it. So I made a plan to come back later. Luckily the walk to the tower is on a large wide big street so don’t worry about me being out after dark mom and dad, I promise I’ll be careful!

I decided that I was starting to get hungry and I thought that a bratwurst sounded like a good lunch with some pomme frites (French fries). So I walked over to the Metro station that was right behind the tower and wandered around until I found a little pub that had decent prices for what I wanted. I had my lunch (which was really good!) and headed towards Alexanderplatz.

Alexanderplatz was born in the 1960s after the war (it was completely bomed during the war), and became East Berlin’s counterpart to West Berlin’s Potsdamer Platz. In the square there is Erich John’s World Time Clock, that has different big cities around the world on it and it moves, so you could see what time it is in Seoul, South Korea, or Denver, Colorado, United States. Another attraction to this square is the Fountain of the Friendships of Peoples, I thought it was an interesting fountain and thought the breeze that caught the fountain water made the heat more bearable.

After deciding it was just way to hot, I decided to head into the huge department store (that reminded me more of a mall, but not having separate stores) that was on Alexanderplatz called Galeria Kaufhof. I asked the front desk this morning where would be a good place to buy German candy, since my grandmother who is German requested a certain type of candy. Well I thought it would be fairly easy to find this candy that my grandma told me was a pig in shape, but unfortunately I couldn’t find any. I guess I should try to find the note that I wrote of what it is called so I can ask for it by name (since the lady that was by the candy portion didn’t speak English. After buying a mix variety of gummy candy for myself, I headed up to the very top floor (I think I was 6 or 7 stories up) to get a good look at the atrium space glazing. It was amazing, and took a few pictures hoping that I wouldn’t get in trouble for doing so (I remember in the Czech Republic they didn’t like me taking pictures inside stores.

I decided since I was going to go back out later that night I would probably head back to the hotel to rest some and to get out of the heat. On the way I noticed a lot of interesting things. The first was a cinema; I thought I might want to catch a flick one evening or even afternoon when it is really hot. Next I noticed my first Dunkin Donuts! I was told they have these in Berlin; I might have to buy some for my breakfast in the morning. On the way I stopped at this little store and bought an orange Popsicle (yummy). When I stepped out of the store I saw this adorable mini that was the same color yellow as the yellow in the German flag that was on it, so I had to take a picture of it. I arrived at the hotel and decided to relax for a while and watch the only English station other then CNN and BBC, MTV. Now some of the cartoon shows are dubbed in German, but others just have subtitles. I don’t really miss TV, but it’s nice to hear English spoken in a length of time. Well I’m going to probably do my hour on the net earlier today then I have, since I’ll be heading back out later to go up the tower at sunset. I might even go back to the department store if I can find the name of the candy I told my grandma I would get for her. I don’t know if I’d do anything else until then, but we’ll see if I feel like going out sooner or just hang around until it gets closer to sunset. Bis morgen!

Well my plans ended up changing, since the weather decided to let rain clouds roll in I'm afraid there won't be much of a sunset to see. So tomorrow night I will take pictures of the sunset from the tower, but I do have great news! I found out that I am not limited to internet for just one hour, I just keep clicking the sixty minutes and I have another hour to work. So do you know what that means?!? PICTURES!!!

Berlin Day One

Well today started later then I thought it would. I was up fairly late last night (ok so half past midnight is not late, but I was really tired from two short nights the days before) planning my week in Berlin. I wanted to make sure I got to do everything I wanted to do, so I marked on the map the places I would like to go to. I then grouped things together each day so I can do that and others along the way hopefully getting it all done. So I tried to get up at seven am, but I was too tired, so I set my alarm for eight hoping an hour would make a difference. It did, so I got up and around and headed down to see what I could do for breakfast. I arrived downstairs and found out that it would cost me almost 10 Euros for a basic breakfast, I decided to skip hotel breakfast and run to the supermarket that was nearby and buy some food and snacks to have in the room (I have a mini fridge so it will help with not eating out three times a day, and instead just once a day). I got some bread, butter, turkey meat, cola, chips, water, gummie bears, apples, and grape juice (I haven’t had this in forever!) and headed back to the hotel to eat some breakfast before heading out.

It was about a quarter till ten when I finally headed out for the day. I decided to do a day of walking tour to places in the area that my hotel is. I started out with walking towards the Jewish Museum designed by architect, Daniel Libeskind. It was amazing, I don’t think words could do it justice, I just hope my pictures do. I spent about two hours exploring the museum including the special exhibit on Freud.

Afterwards I headed towards Check Point Charlie, which is the entrance to the American Sector of Berlin before the Berlin Wall came down. I had someone take my picture with the only remaining part, the control hut.

Next I headed a couple blocks away to the Topographie des Terrors which was the site of three terrifying Nazi institutions had their headquarters. The three places that had their headquarters there were the security service, Gestapo, and Heinrich Himmler had his residence there. There is no longer buildings on the site, it is just a field, but underground there is still the cellars where during WWII prisoners where interrogated and tortured. I couldn’t go into the cellars since they are under construction. There was also a small stretch of the Berlin Wall still standing there, my first of probably many.

Next I headed towards the Brandenburger Tor, or Gate, which is a place in history for Berlin that has had many rulers and statesmen, military parades and demonstrations that have walked through its arches. It is also the site of many modern Embassies that flank around the Pariser Plaza, which because of the world cup, had a HUGE football (soccer ball for all us Americans) in the middle of the plaza.

I started to get hungry, so I decided to head down Unter Den Linden, a huge street that has many embassies, shops, restaurants, a university, and historical buildings. As I walked down, I kept reading signs out of the restaurants to see their range of prices that I thought would be decent. I found a place that I liked and picked a table outside under an umbrella. I order spaghetti and cola light and enjoyed my meal a lot (ok so it’s not German food, but it’s hard, almost all the places seemed to have Italian like dishes, or just way too expensive for my budget).

After lunch I continued down Unter Den Linden and ended up at the end of the street at a university and some other historical buildings. In the middle of the plaza Bebel, there was an exhibition of United Buddy Bears (www.buddy-bear.com) that has been to many countries over the past four years. I found the United States bear in a heart beat, depicting our dear Statue of Liberty in bear form and smiled at the fact that the United Kingdom was right next to it. I had someone take my picture next to our bear and headed around to see the many countries and their bears. I took some pictures of my favorite bears including a few special bears that were made for a specific ideal versus a country. I then headed towards Gendarmenmarkt where I ate dinner last night, and ended up finding a beautiful neo-gothic church on the way. It was free entry so I decided to go in and explore it a bit. The church is Friedrichs-Werdersche Kirche and was designed by Karl Friedrich Schinkel which now houses a museum.

I continued on towards Gendarmenmarkt and walked around the plaza, unfortunately the church that I noticed last night is closed on Mondays, so I’ll have to come back another day to see the interior of it.

I went back to the hotel for a nap, it was a little after three making it the hottest part of the day and I was feeling it. After my nap, I decided that I would picnic in a park that didn’t seem too far away from the way it looked on the map. It turned out to be a 45 minute walk to this park, but it was nice to sit on rocks by the waterfall in the park and eat my dinner. I then read my Czech in a Nutshell book for a while and decided to head back before it got too late. I packed up my remaining food and my stuff and headed back.

The day would have been a perfect one (especially since the weather called for thunderstorms and there wasn’t a single rain cloud in the sky, just white cotton candy) if it wasn’t for what I found when I came back to the hotel. I opened my bad to get stuff out and found out that my strawberries had leaked! I had strawberry juice all over all my books, it soaked one of my guide books and got the edges of the others. I was a little sad, it even had some on the very bottom of my Czech in a Nutshell book. I set my books up to dry so hopefully the pages won’t stick together and cleaned my bag to my best ability. Hopefully it won’t feel stick in the morning, or I’ll be backpacking it for the rest of the week.

Well I am fairly tired, so I think I’m going to use my hour on the net and then watch a movie and head to bed. I have another day planned tomorrow, but with how long it took me today to do everything, I might have to come up with something else to do in the evening. Bis morgen!

***will add pictures later