A Unique Opening
While I am, along with my peers,
extremely excited to be here in Grado and studying Italian again, I have
elected to focus my first blog towards the incredible experiences I have had
even before arriving in this beautiful island town on the coast of the Adriatic
Sea. Grado is in fact far from my first stop here in Europe this year. I was
privileged enough to spend my spring semester in the magical city of Prague
starting the last week of January. It’s crazy to think I am already into my 5th
of 6 months here on the other side of the Atlantic. To spend half a year in
Europe at such a young age is something that I like to think has molded me into
a more culturally immersed person. From trying different foods I would have
never thought I’d eat to the challenges of maintaining relationships with
people back home, I have learned a lot about myself and the things I value most
in life. I have wanted to try and get my thoughts written down on my
experiences in Prague, for the first few weeks I struggled to think clearly
because I was homesick. Prague is completely different from Dallas, Texas where
I was born and raised, yet in only a few weeks I settled into the city and felt
completely at home. The way of life in the Czech Republic aligns very well with
how I prefer to live. For one, intimacy is an extremely crucial aspect of the
social culture there. Unlike in the United States when you are walking down the
street, it is not normal to smile and say hello to almost every person you walk
by or give the dog they’re walking even the slightest attention. The latter was
extremely hard for me at first because I love dogs, but I began to recognize it
wasn’t that they didn’t want you to give their dogs attention and rather they
didn’t want their dogs to give you attention. Historically, dogs are embedded
in the culture of Prague and the Bohemian lands. The Czechs take great pride in
image and obedience of their dogs when walking by other people. Being a dog
lover, once I was able to gather this concept, I started to envy their
abilities as dog owners. I have never seen so many beautiful, healthy, and
obedient dogs in one place in my life.
Going back to the social intimacy,
in Prague the people speak very quietly. Often when two friends are riding the
public transportation together they are either silent or so close to each other
a whisper will suffice. As I was always with Americans in these situations, I
grasped just how loud and obnoxious we are. You always knew when the Americans
were around in Prague because you could hear them even before you saw them.
Because of this, the Czechs aren’t too fond of Americans. But personally, I
enjoy peace and quiet and noticed my tone of voice getting quieter as my time
in Prague went on.
I hope to discuss more in depth other
aspects of Prague on this blog but we will see if that is permitted. I am still
excited to share my insights during my time here in Grado but right now I’d
have to admit my heart is still in Prague. In truth, it may always be. I’m
already considering getting a flight one weekend this summer to return for a
little taste of a city I will forever call home. Ciao e grazie per leggere!
AJ
The first days of Grado
As I wrapped up my program in Prague, I had two weeks before
I needed to arrive here in Grado and begin the program. My mother was kind
enough to fly out here and travel with me as we worked our way down from Prague
to Grado. Along the way, we stopped in Vienna, Ljubljana, where we set up base
and travelled throughout Slovenia and Venice. Out of these places, my personal
recommendation is spending an entire week in the beautiful country of Slovenia.
The country is one of the most unique places in the world. It takes only 3-4
hours to get from one side of the country to the other, yet within its borders
you have coastline on the Adriatic Sea and a section of the Alps just 2 hours
north from the coast. What is most appealing to me about Slovenia is it’s
natural beauty. I have always had a passion for hiking and getting atop
mountains and cliffs in order to stand over the beautiful views this world has
to offer. I’ve even lived in Southwest Colorado for sometime now, but the views
in Slovenia make the hikes around where I live rather dull. It’s genuinely
incredible how clean and pure Slovenia is. The rivers and streams up in the
mountains are so clean, you’re free to dip your hands in and drink directly
from them without the slightest concern. In fact, Ljubljana is the most
sustainable city in the European Union. There is a freeing sensation when drinking
water directly from the source. In today’s times with the growing concerns of
pollution in all aspects of our environment, having the opportunity to drink
water straight from a river is something to cherish. The gorge near Lake Bled
(my #1 most beautiful place in the world) has incredible rapids and scenery
with the clearest water you could even imagine. It’s a wonderful stop even when
taking a trip within Italy. Slovenia is just a stone’s throw away from Grado.
In fact, when up on a viewpoint along Slovenia’s coast, I was able to see the
island of Grado off in the distance before even arriving.
At last, I made it to Grado a week prior to the program
beginning. I was staying in a hotel near the city center where I spent a lot of
time unwinding and trying to relish in the incredible memories I had made from
Prague to Venice before reaching my final destination of my six months in
Europe. Luckily, I have an incredibly outgoing and friendly home-stay father
that was kind enough to take me out on the town my second night here in Grado
and afterwards I felt very much at home. The people here in Grado are
incredibly friendly, much more so than in Prague and once you meet someone at a
bar or restaurant, the town is so small, when you see them again on the street
they’ll yell ‘ciao’ across the street and give a big smile. It’s truly an
endearing island with genuine people who really try to make your stay in their
town as special as possible. It really is no surprise that Austrians and other
Europeans have made Grado an annual stop during their travels. From the
restaurant owners to the beach workers to even the local sitting at the table
next to year at a bar or café, each and every one of them is incredibly
appreciative for those that come to spend their vacations in Grado. Ciao e
Grazie per leggere!
AJ
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