The Good Soldier Švejk.

This entry is going to be in bullet form.

• I am up late because I saw one of the most amazing theater pieces of my life tonight. It was called "Čekárna," and I will do my best to explain, which may be difficult (I could get out of bed and transpose the English part of the program but that sounds all kinds of difficult right now). Essentially, it was first conceived by some people in a railway station in Slovakia that trains full of jews on their ways to be interned went through. It was a very movement heavy piece, mostly in Slovakian nonsense that was supposed to replicate the emotions of being in that space now and knowing what it had been used for. It was incredibly violent dance with amazing music and some of the most committed performing I've ever seen. It really doesn't do it justice to talk about it, even to people who saw it, so I won't ramble. More than one audience member was brought to tears, though. Seriously incredible.
• It is really amazing being exposed to all of this culture on SITs dime (well, kind of. And kind of Redlands' dime. And a lot my dime. Well, my parents dime). I love art and theater and try to expose myself to a lot of it, but it's hard. It sort of feels like my brain is drinking some kind of ice cold water from a mountain creek after a long time of tepid flat seltzer, which is a nice way for one's brain to feel.
• I think I aced my first Czech test! Dobrou noc lekce jedna! Christ, Czech is essentially the most stressful form of gibberish known to man. Except for sometimes when it's not, and instead it's just the funniest. Occasionally on the tram I feel like I'm inside a Sims game, because the way those computerized people talk is soooort of a lot like Czech. Whoops, is that offensive? oh, another fun fact is that the Czech word for "juice" is "djuz" (so, essentially, "juice") and the Czech word for "ham and eggs" is "hemenex" (so, essentially, "ham and eggs" but on a spaceship). I think I have those ones down. As opposed to the ones like zmzrina (ice cream). Do you know how it's pronounced? Me either because it's mostly z's and r's. JOKES.
• My homestay family took me out to dinner and I accidentally ordered an entire duck. It was mostly the worst. Though it is always a nice bonding experience to laugh together, especially when laughing at the dumb American facing down food that still has arms on. 
• Lastly, I really like my homestay family, but staying in a homestay is just inherently really hard for me. It's hard for me to shake the feeling that EVERYTHING I'm doing is rude or unacceptable - even though these people are so chill and kind and warm, I'm just counter-productively neurotic. The kids are also RIDICULOUSLY cute. I have decided Czech should be mandatory for all children under five just because "Špatne" is a cute thing to listen to a toddler saying. HOWEVER, and many peoples' reactions to this will be "duh, Naomi," it is REALLY HARD COMMUNICATING WITH TODDLERS WHO DONT SPEAK THE SAME LANGUAGE AS YOU. I sort of thought my comfort with kids would translate and it just doesn't. I mean, we get along great, and Mojmir helped me during The Great Duck Fiaso of 2011, and Zora likes it when I help with her shoes, but it would be pretty nice if I could connect beyond that. Their parents want me to speak English with them, but I feel like a huge idiot. Though that is generally how I feel all the time right now. I have a feeling that will go away soon.

Okay, actually last: at a restaurant tonight, on the menu, under "Traditional Czech Cocktails," was featured Absinthe Redbull. And I think that's how you tell the tourist spots apart from the real thing. As much as I would like to think that my Czechoslovokian ancestors were the first to discover that bull testosterone gives you wings, or whatever those commercials used to say.

Dobrou Noc! 

P.S. Tonight, myself and two other girls on the program spent about half an hour sharing times we've had moments of 'WHAT THE FUCK HOW IS THIS MY LIFE' in the past 9 days. I am maybe the luckiest person on earth. Not to brag or anything.

[the view of the garden behind our apartment-turned-school from our little balcony. WHAT??! I just said that sentence. because my life is magical.]