"your landmarks are the castle and erotic city".

Wow. Where to start? I just finished day two in Prague and I feel as if I've been here for a WHILE already. This is probably due in part to the fact that I have slept approximately 5 hours since Thursday night (it just became Monday ten minutes ago). I feel shockingly okay, but this will definitely not be as coherent or lengthy as it deserves.

The send-off was rough; my bag cost a lot, the airport couldn't find my reservation, it was five AM, a lady in Germany yelled at me, I teared up publicly in 3 countries in one day (which I have to say is an achievement I'm slightly proud of)...but I got to Prague in one piece with all of my obscenely unnecessarily large luggage. I always try to make jokes about my need to have lots and lots (and lots...and lots) of clothing with me, but let me just say that after flying from Portland to Toronto to Dusseldorf to Prague and then lugging all of my shit through a foreign airport on NO SLEEP that NOTHING HAS EVER BEEN SO SUPREMELY UNFUNNY as my addiction to floral dresses and boots. I also could not for the life of me find the elevator in the hotel we are in for orientation (because it's in a closet. what? those are for coats, not transportation via cables, guys.). So, I tried to lug all of my things up 2 out of the 4 flights of stairs before a unassuming Czech guest at the hotel in which we're staying for orientation showed me to the lift. It was mostly the worst.

ANYWAYS, that all happened, more people showed up, we were all hilariously delirious, it was great. Not much else to say about day one. MOVING ON...

In short, I am so happy here that, frankly, it's a little unsettling. I am used to having a rough time with transitions, and this (very large) transition has been incredibly smooth. This group of people with whom I am traveling and studying are OUT OF THIS WORLD. Straight up some of the smartest, funniest, chillest people I've ever encountered. I am legitimately excited about getting to know every single one of them. It's not like I don't usually get excited about meeting people, but these people are just SO FUCKING EXCEPTIONALLY COOL. I do not have the presence of mind to elaborate in any kind of sensicle way at this point and time. But (for example) they like to do things like play America's Next Top Model while on a Prague scavanger hunt, but in the same outing can have non-pretentious conversation about Kant and the evolution of language (no, I swear, it's possible). WHAT??! Unreal.

An odd thing is that all of these people are from pretty prestigious schools, and while I can make a pretty firm argument for the Johnston Center at the U of Redlands being the most legitimate place to get an undergrad degree on earth, prestige is certainly not our strong suit. But despite being brilliant and hip as shit, none of these people are pretentious at all whatsoever, so it's not like it's an issue. Just interesting.

I JUST HAVE TO SAY THAT I DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW S.I.T. FOUND 14 LIBERAL ARTS STUDENTS WHO WANTED TO STUDY ART AND POLITICS IN EASTERN EUROPE THAT AREN'T PRETENTIOUS. SERIOUSLY. THAT IS UNREAL. UN. REAL.

This is more rambly than I would ever like to be, so I think it might be time to crash before I get to wake up in 8 hours to Prague rain!!! (I am yet again the weird kid who gets pumped for rain. SORRY GUYS, I grew up in Portland and now live in Southern Cali). I am hoping things continue to be as wonderful as they feel right now. I can't shake the feeling that I am the luckiest person ever.

[And whoops, I guess the lengthiness was not an issue....apologies.]