Eastward

In the Fall of 2017, I departed for Slovakia on an exchange program with Rotary International. I kept a blog, documenting my travels, as well as Slovak culture and history. Now I’ve returned to Europe. Starting with a month back in Slovakia, I’m traveling across Europe

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Veľká Noc (Easter in Slovakia)

At first I mistook the Slovak name for Easter to be a reference to the time change in March. "Veľká Noc" literally translates to "big night" and—in what I still believe to be rather solid logic—I made a connection between that translation and our yearly extra hour of sleep. However, ...
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The Vltava

I am a fan of classical music and one of my absolute favorite pieces is Vltava (Die Moldau) from Bedřich Smetana's Ma Vlast. The river that inspired this piece runs through the Czech Republic and into Prague, where it serves many tourist-laden ferries and flows beneath the city's historic bridges ...
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The National Technical Museum, Prague

The colossal, rust-colored brick of a structure, lying just across the river from Prague's old center, is certainly one of the least attractive museums (externally) I have ever seen. Yet, this brutal shell contains an interior of educational displays which exhibit the most refined modernity and, at times, truly refreshing ...
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Reflecting at the Prague Zoo

Doctors in the 18th and 19th century originally coined the term “nostalgia” to diagnose acute cases of homesickness which occurred in soldiers, students and other folks living far abroad (NPR, 2018). These patients felt a violent longing for the familiar, so strongly that their bodies revolted in fevers and heart ...
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Near Tisovec

Taking a break from the narration of my days spent in Germany and Prague (mainly because my expectations for the next post are rather high and I am still editing), I return to a small trip I took a few months ago. In late January, I went on a business ...
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Prague Day 2: The Modern Art Museum & My Host Family

It just so happened that one of my dearest exchange friends, who lives in the Czech Republic, was on a trip in Prague with her class while I was visiting the city! We have only seen each other a few times since we first met at the Rotary Youth Exchange ...
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My Introduction to Prague

We arrived in Prague on the doorstep of my host uncle's apartment. Built into a hillside which overlooked city center, the flat boasted a large terrace and afforded a spectacular view of the city. It was situated at the heart of the community Kobylisy and the subway station and tram ...
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Regensburg

If you have read my previous post on Nuremberg, then you pretty much know the story of my trip to Regensburg as well. That is not to say it was redundant or boring! In fact, I enjoyed touring this Bavarian city just as much as the last! The similarity was ...
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Nuremberg

My endearingly stereotypical Slovak family seemed in little rush to see the plentiful sights of Nuremberg. Beneath spires and a castle, over the Pegnitz river and cobblestone streets, they elected to sit and experience the soul of the city... in their own way. In bars and cafes. I was granted ...
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Freystadt, a Perfect European Town

The past week has been one of my best since coming to Europe. A full 10 days of traveling through Germany and Prague with no other cares than where I would venture next. To be honest, I abused my exhausted body, worn thin from trekking in crisscrossing webs around ancient ...
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Wild Park

Europe has an issue with contact zoos. Hardly regulated, these businesses purchase young lions, tigers, and other exotic creatures, advertising adorable cuddle sessions to their customers. This is quite lucrative for a few months, but these animals grow quickly. Soon, they are large and powerful beyond their careless caretakers abilities ...
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GPDT’s Volleyball Tournament

To preface, I have virtually no knowledge about photographing sports. But! I was more than happy to receive an opportunity to learn when my schoolmates asked if I could take some photos of a small Volleyball tournament being held in the school gym. I tried my best to capture the ...
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The Fascinating American and a Slovak School House

Promptly after returning from Ski Week, I visited my host brother's school on an invitation to present about the USA. The wooden, three or four room cottage is by far the cutest school house I have ever seen! Inside, I found the place just as satisfactory, though my attention quickly ...
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Olomouc – Part Two

After quite a busy while elsewhere, my thoughts have once again returned to the historic Moravian capital of Olomouc and I wish to share the rest of the knowledge I gained of this beautiful city. Amid the dreary February weather that smothers Poprad and the Tatras, I am grateful for ...
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A Week of Skiing at Jasná

My breath wet the mask through which it passed, quickly freezing and collecting flakes from the densely falling snow, glued even harder by the rushing air of my descents. Even while my face numbed against these cold gusts, the inside of my coat heated up like a furnace due to ...
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Past Vyšné Hágy and Starý Smokovec

Last Thursday, the Canadians students in Slovakia had a small dinner party in Poprad and planned to tour the village of Starý Smokovec in the Tatras the following morning. I was invited to join them on their trip and instead of traveling all the way to Poprad to take the ...
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Maurice Benyovszky, Adventurer and King

An nondescript building on the main square of Spišská Sobota, one of the communities within the city of Poprad, boasts an odd history. The home once gave refuge to a Slovak King... of Madagascar! Though that certainly isn't how he began. Maurice Benyovszky (Móric Beňovský by Slovak spelling), was born ...
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A Week Away, Skiing in the Tatras

This coming week, I will be journeying to the nearby ski resort of Jasna in the town of Liptovský Mikuláš! Exchange students from across Slovakia and the Czech Republic will spend the week there, skiing and participating in all sorts of activities! Despite Rotary, as per usually, squeezing every hour ...
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Piešťany, A City of Thermal Spas

Piešťany's coat of arms features the symbolic "Crutch-breaker", speaking to the faith put into this city's healing waters. As noted in the previous post, I have spent the past three Mondays traveling. The first two trips were to Olomouc in the Czech republic, but the third took me to the ...
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Olomouc – Part One

The sleepy silence of 3:00 AM and I have become more familiar than I had expected this January. Three consecutive Mondays began with early morning departures and sleep deprived car rides. The first two of these sent me to Olomouc in the Czech Republic. I function poorly on anything less ...
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