And I finally don't want to leave

Strudel!
A few of us at Radost FX Thursday night
Making my way down from the castle.

Took a while, but the clouds have finally parted and sunlight is what has been waking me up the past three days. It's the Prague I've been asking for. Don't-need-to-wear-a-jacket Prague. Ow-my-head-hurts-and-I-need-me-some-sunglasses Prague. I-don't-want-to-be-inside Prague.

Sorry it's taken me so long to blog. Without traveling it's hard to find important things to fill blog pages with but I suppose there are a few things worth mentioning. I've been able to cross several eateries/lounges off my list. And I followed in the footsteps of Samantha Brown, that perky blonde tour guide on the Travel Channel, and found Prague's best strudel over in Praha 3. It was delicious and ENORMOUS but the cold weather cooled it down really quickly and we all know there's nothing like a hot strudel.

Classes are... going. Truthfully, they're a waste of my time and most of the time I'm thinking of my future life in the South End come fall but I go because attendance is taken and we're only allowed one absence. I'll take advantage of my get out of jail free card when my dad/sister come and later on my cousin. I am so excited to be reunited with my family especially now that Prague is so amazing. Anyway, I don't have any midterms and one of my final papers is 3 pages, another is due in June (?), and another is a presentation and I'm required to write two pages. Really tough stuff. 

I finally got to check out the Prague Castle for myself last week. There were swarms of people so I just walked around outside but it's definitely worth seeing a few more times. And I stumbled into the Prague Half Marathon as well... cool? I also went for some traditional Czech food at this awesome cafe by the kolej and had some of the most delicious beer yet in Prague. 

I've been having fun, keeping myself busy. Worrying much less about money and I'm trying to pay more attention to staying healthy. Though I am starting to walk much more my indoor time has given me a bit of a belly. But I'm in Europe. I should not be worrying about things that can be fixed when I go back home.

Oh wow, it's April. My last full month here in Prague. It's a shame it's taken me so long to LOVE it here but I have to say that the weather played a huge role. But things are better now. Even though the city is filling up quickly with annoying tourists, there's an overall happier vibe. Czechs still don't like Americans and I am still constantly struggling with refraining from cursing at these people... but in a way I guess the American students have infiltrated Prague. The dirty looks get tiring though... and aren't we helping their economy? We're the ones that are actually giving money to Charles University and I'm hoping they can take that to fix the place up... if not pay the professors a bit more than the bus drivers. It's true, my professor told me that she gets paid less than bus drivers. I suppose education ranks lower than transportation on the importance scale?

Regardless I'm really starting to learn my way around the city and I don't dare bring a map around with me. I'll figure it out. Prague really isn't that big of a city. At least not the important parts. 

I saw He's Just Not That Into You last night because it's a cheaper alternative than going out for drinks and though I thought the movie was pretty bad overall, it did make me feel better about not being "that" girl... anymore. And it made me feel like I'm in a much better place in my life right now. I don't worry about much, there's nothing to really worry about other than the superficial things such as how I look and if my love handles are growing exponentially. They probably are. And I do hope that can be fixed. But for now I need not to worry about not being able to know the caloric value of what I'm eating, about having no income, about grocery shopping being such a process. There's no heartbreak to be dealt with, no stress with school, no drama, no tears, no drinking age, no problems really. 

And what makes me even happier is that I'm not sad to go back either. Granted that's not for another 7 weeks but the point is that my life here isn't better than my life back at home. I've managed to find the equilibrium, that happy equilibrium. Even though I won't be surrounded by European awesomeness when I'm back in the states, I'll be surrounded by people who know me, who have known me before, during, and after Prague. I'll be in a new apartment, newly 21, back on my cross-Boston walks, back in classes that actually mean something, in Boston in the SUMMER!, taking those dreaded-but-necessary gym classes, back with my cousin, back to work. And then I'll be living in the South End come fall, in the apartment I've been dreaming about, with a roommate who is equally as excited as I am about our new neighborhood.

I don't want this feeling to ever go away. I'm feeling good.

S.