5) Cultural Comparisons 2

            After 3 short months, the program has finished. I have seen a great number of countries and became aware of the differences between various countries and cultures. I started my blog with cultural comparisons between the Czech Republic, South Korea and America. And, now, 3 months later, I would like to finish my blog with cultural comparisons that I have felt and learned during the program.

             One of my favorite things to do in Olomouc was go to local festivals or events. As soon as spring began, there were various festivals held throughout the town almost every week. I really enjoyed going to the open markets in the old town square filled with hand-carved figures, jewelries, clothes and other handcrafts. Also, Burning the Witches event of May Day, international cultural festival, and Ecology Days of Olomouc were very fun and meaningful for me to further understand and experience their culture. In particular, the historic city center of Olomouc turns into a site of many local festivals. Even though there are many kinds of local festivals in my hometown in South Korea, sometimes it is hard to participate in or access them or even know of their existence. I believe that the old city centers in Europe have a vital role in European society and culture.

Having fun with the "witches."

             The other interesting thing is that many Czech college students don’t pay any tuition until they are 26. Public higher education in the Czech Republic is unlimited and free. I was very surprised when I learned about this and I can’t help feeling a little envious. Korean and American students have to pay a lot of money for their education, which sometimes forces them to work or take student loans. One of my friends, a Czech student, told me that she can take any class she wants and she has taken many classes for fun. Maybe that is why I felt Czech students have lots of free time to hang out with their friends and less stress from school. Each education system has its advantages and disadvantages, so it was very interesting to see the differences.

It was better than any other concerts! Spontaneous music performance in the tram in Olomouc!

             In addition to these differences, I have found lots of differences and similarities between the three countries in regards to transportation, health care systems, food cultures, and holidays. Definitely, the study abroad program has given me a better understanding of cultural differences and the history of various countries. This 3 short months has changed my perspective in a major way.

 Olomouc..Adios! 

9) Field Trip, Krakow

            We have been on several trips during this program and the trip to Poland was one of my favorites. During the course of about three days we visited the salt mines, Krakow, and we went to Auschwitz and Birkenau. All of these places were very fascinating and gave me a deeper understanding of the region.  

            The Wieliczka Salt mines were our first stop outside of Krakow. Salt was first mined here in the 13th century and almost all of the mining was done by hand. Huge Caverns were dug out by hand, salt being chipped out in huge blocks. We saw old wooden machines that lifted the heavy blocks from level to level. I was even able to collect some salt off the walls and tasted it. Of course it was just salty.... We also saw a large chapel that was carved out and filled with sculptures and reliefs. Our guide told us that they even have wedding occasionally. It was very amazing to see!

The wooden lift for mining salt. 

A beautiful chapel in the mine. I want to have a wedding there!

            After we went the historical center of Krakow that we stayed for two nights. The square of the old town is the biggest square in Europe and has a big medieval market and lots of shops and bars. It seemed like a combination of Venezia and Praha. It was more beautiful than I expected and I was dazed by the beautiful surroundings there. Having a glass wine in one of the outdoor bar completed my beautiful night of Krakow. 

One of my favorite squares, Krakow! 

            One of the memorable visits was the trip to Auschwitz. I have been studying Holocaust and visited to Terezin to learn more about it. Auschwitz is one of the most famous concentration camps; it was a horrible and cruel place. Auschwitz and its satellite camps, Birkenau was one of them, were more horrible than I could ever imagine. Seeing it first hand was moving and shocking, many of the things that I saw will stay with me forever. Over 3 million people, mostly Jews, were murdered here. I couldn’t say anything when I saw the pictures and especially woman hairs that Nazi people used for making fabrics. I am disgusted by what the Nazi did for all innocent people. As the tour guide said, it is a message to humanity to never repeat such horrors.

Piles of shoes in Auschwitz museum

Destroyed gas chambers in Birkenau.

2) Academic Life

            It has been almost two months since I came to Czech Republic and the program is entering its final days. All the memories I have gained are really precious and valuable, giving me a way to freshen my life. Olomouc, where I have mainly stayed, has been one of the best cities I have ever visited in my life. I have become one of the locals in Olomouc and a student of Palacký University. Palacký University has more than 400 year’s of history, which makes it the second oldest university in the Czech Republic. Not only have I been traveling all over Europe but I have also learned many different things from the classes such as European history and the Czech language. I would like to introduce my academic life in Olomouc!

The buildings of the Palacký University are old and beautiful.

           We go to school every weekday, class starts at 3:00 p.m. and we have 3 different classes with different professors. Generally, the first and last classes are one and half-hour lectures about different topics such as history, political systems, international relations, religion and education of European countries, especially the Czech Republic. A variety of the courses are very different from the classes I have taken at UNK, and they are interesting enough to keep me awake during the long class hours. One of the very important parts of this program is the field trips we take to many places in Europe. It has helped me gain a better understanding of what I have learned in class and has broadened my perspective. The topic that I find the most interesting is the Holocaust, a tragic period in the history of the world. From the birth of the Nazi ideology to “the final solution to Jewish question” which led to the murder of millions of innocent people, the lectures about the Holocaust were sad enough to bring tears to my eyes. The field trip to Terezín and Auschwitz showed me poignant evidences of this tragic history that I have learned.

On the way to death. This picture made me almost cry. 

           The second class is usually the Czech language class which last 45 minutes. This class is really fun class, and it is also the most challenging class to me. Since the Czech language has a very different system from Korean and English, I have had trouble in pronouncing simple words and understating the grammar. However, I feel like I am getting better to read and speak basic words thanks to Czech class, especially when I order drink or food. The professor is really passionate and active, so the class is always well-prepared and full of fun activities. Even though I am struggling with the Czech class, I am really glad that I can count numbers and introduce myself in Czech which.

           I definitely recommend this study abroad program to other UNK students. You can have fun while studying! 

10) Personal Excursion

             I thought that I need to explore Czech Republic more since I am studying abroad here.  So I went to several places near Olomouc and Brno last weekend. Because this trip was really great and impressive, I would like to introduce this amazing trip!

             I searched the official Czech Tourism website and found the places that I want to visit. Telč is one of the most beautiful towns in the Czech Republic and I found out that it is two hours away from Brno. The historical center of Telč has been a UNESCO world heritage site since 1992 mainly because of its beautiful and unique main square and the 17th century Renaissance chateau. Telč was a very small town, but as soon as I entered the historical center, I was able to recognize why this town is a world heritage site. The town square was encircled by the well-preserved Renaissance and Baroque townhouses, which gave a powerful impression. Also, the tree encircled ponds that surround the small town are very beautiful and the Telč chateau was more fascinating and unique than I expected.     

I am surrounded by beautiful townhouses!

Perfect harmony of the town and lake

Looking at Telc from the tower

           

             Next, I went to Pernštejn Castle in Nedvědice which is about 40 minutes away from Brno. I had to walk 30 minutes to the castle from the train station. But it was definitely worth it! Surprisingly, this Gothic and Renaissance castle is the one of the best-preserved castles in the Czech Republic and it was never conquered. I also heard that the Pernštejn Castle was the background for several movies.

It was really fascinating to see this well-preserved castle! Is it real?

Getting fresh air while hiking.

            

             In addition to these places, one of the best places I have visited is the Punkva Caves. They are a part of the Moravian Karst, which is the biggest and most significant karst region in the Czech Republic. I had to hike more than 50 minutes in order to get to the cave because of road construction on the path that leads directly to Punkva Caves. But it was a beautiful way so I enjoyed hiking up there!

             My favorite part of this cave was the bottom of Macocha Abyss which has a depth of nearly 140 meters and has a beautiful lake. The abyss seems too beautiful to be a real. I tried to take lots of pictures but the pictures do not do justice to its beauty. Also, the boat tour that we took underground in the Punkva caves was a very unique experience, one that I will never forget.

Macocha Abyss. Such a incredible beatuy! 

Very cold...in the cave

Boat trip in punkva cave is a excellent experience.

               I am so thankful that I have stayed and studied in such a beautiful country and visited so many places. I am looking forward to exploring more in Europe during the rest of the time.  

3) Locals

         I was really curious about what Czech locals are like before I came to Czech because I have been interested in the history and culture of this country for a while. Like I mentioned in my other posting, Czech Republic is a country that has a long and rocky history, and it has undergone many hardships and great suffering because of the actions of neighboring countries. Since Czech has many similarities with Korean history, I became interested in the people of Czech Republic and the differences between generations.

           During the orientation, a professor told us that Czech students are very quiet and more reserved in the classroom and also in public. I haven’t been in class with Czech students, but when I hung out with them they were more active and talkative than I expected. I was surprised that many Czech students can speak English very well, and they enjoyed talking about their culture and history with UNK students. In addition to university students, many young people who I have met are open to different cultures and very active.

At the welcome party with Czech students 

We had a nice talk and I really enjoyed the time !

          On the other hand, I have been able to see the difference between the old and young generations. Czechs of the old generation are quite different from young people in that they are not familiar with other cultures and more likely to be passive. As a Korean, in my own country I have experienced the gap between generations steadily becoming bigger because of the great differences in social and economic backgrounds. I have seen many poor and worn out elderly Czechs who understand and have experienced hardship that the young generation will never know. The old generation lived through the Soviet occupation and some of them the Nazi occupation. However, whenever I ask old people for help while traveling, they were always willing to help me. This difference is seen in the way that older Czechs are more solemn and quiet will young Czechs are more vocal and active, especially when drinking beer. 

In the tram. I feel like Czech people are very quite in the tram.

          Overall, Czech people, especially people in Olomouc, are very kind and friendly even though they seem very quite and shy. Once you try to get close to them and talk with them, you will feel their warmth and kindness!

8) Field Trip 2- Vienna and Venice

Since we had a very successful field trip to Prague, I was very excited for our second trip to Vienna and Venice. This field trip has given me a great number of incredible memories! In Vienna, I was surprised that the city is a lot bigger than I expected. We had to walk a long way to the city center from the hostel where we stayed, but, as I walked, I could see the difference between the new town and old town.

On the first day we walked around the old town and went to the Imperial Treasury. The Treasury has a great number of treasures from the Holy Roman Empire and the Austrian Empire, including crowns, swords, orbs, and royal garments. All the treasures were really fascinating and beautiful. Because they were so well preserved, I could picture the people who used them in the past as if it was today.

National Library in Vienna. It was one of the most beautiful libraries! 

The Museum of Natural History in Vienna.

During our free time we went to coffee shops, one of which was quite famous, Café Sacher Wien. The cafe looked really fancy and expensive but I was willing to pay for the coffee and cakes of Vienna! I was very satisfied with the taste of coffee and their service. We walked a lot for two days and visited so many churches and Opera houses. We went to the People’s Opera House and even though we had to stand during the performance (because we paid only 4 euros to save money) it was a great experience.

I can't believe that I was in the Opera house in Vienna!!

Time flew by and we moved on to Venice!! When we first got there, the beauty of the city amazed me; bridges connected many islands. Boats are the major form of transportation, as there are no streets for cars or buses. I love the feeling of being in such a unique city. We don’t need to do a lot of things there, just walk and take in the sights. Walking around is the best way to enjoy Venice!! 

I visited all the churches I encountered while walking. Incredibly, many churches house famous paintings and fascinating decorations. As a group, we all went to the Doges Palace St. Marks Basilica. I still cannot believe how the people of the past built these buildings and created art works of such beauty. 

I strongly recommend buying a 24-hour Water-bus pass even though it is a little pricey. Using the pass, I enjoyed the night view from the boat and I was able to visit Murano and Burano Islands too!  Venice is one of the most beautiful and unique cities I have ever been to. Getting lost in Venice is the first thing that you have to do there!!

I went out during the night to see the night view of Venice. Amazing! 

Nice weather and beautiful place and....me! 

4) Language Issues

Language is the first, and by far most prominent, obstacle that we encounter when traveling in different countries that have different languages. I have been traveled in Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Czech Republic and Italy so far, and have had language problems on so many occasions. I do my best to learn some of the basic words of other languages, such as 'thank you' or 'sorry', before I travel, but it is often not enough to continue a conversation with such a limited vocabulary. When taking a train or bus, or ordering food or drinks in a restaurant or café, a more thorough knowledge of the language is required.

I am getting used to figuring the metro map out in different countries!

I believe this problem can also be an aspect of attractiveness to traveling abroad because it makes each encounter with locals very unique. But only to a certain extent, sometimes it becomes a bit frustrating. There are many people who can speak basic English in the Czech Republic or other countries in Europe, and this certainly helps. But, if there is no language to be shared at all, it is very difficult to order food or drinks. I learned how to read the drink and dessert menu in my Czech language class and this has helped me a lot when ordering drinks or food in a cafe! There is always a risk, though, when I order food that I don’t even know what it is. I am happy to try new things, but having no idea what I am about to drink or eat is a bit risky, but this is how we learn when we travel.

I studied the Czech drink menu at the coffee shop.

And I got a delicious coffee!

When I travel to places that are not famous tourist areas, I have the most difficulty communicating with people, as there is often very few people who can speak English. Sometimes it makes me frustrated when I can’t explain what I want and I have to simply give up. When I had an issue in the Slovakia train going back to Olomouc, I thought I was not going to make it to Olomouc and almost cried. But I am sure that all travelers have the same problem!