I can't tell if life is picking up or settling down

This past week could easily be described as a whirlwind and it’s only the beginning of so much.

Like I said earlier, I have become so incredibly productive here. This is the first time I have ever lived a lone and it has freed me from distractions and most of my dependencies. I was able to get so much work done in my flat and the city before I went to Slovakia it was awesome.

My course is beginning tomorrow and my rolling worries have simmered to a kind of pugnacious confidence. I realize that pride comes before a fall but at the moment I am just really excited to kick this course’s butt.

So lately – Thanks to having wonderful friends who care very much about me, I went on a scavenger hunt through Prague! The start of my mission was sent to me by email – I was to go to a certain hotel and receive a package from the concierge. More instructions would be there. I followed all the directions, got some really great stuff, and meet some really nice people. What an experience. Its always good to have great friends.

I went to Slovakia to see a friend over the past few days and had a great time. Besides the metro here, it was my first train ride back in Central Europe and I was in heaven. I rode with an old Slovak man and two people traveling back to Hungary after working in the North of the Czech Republic for some time. Interesting people.

It has been a while since I was in Zilina and I was so happy to go back. It’s easily my favorite city in Slovakia – having friends there makes me enjoy it even more. I got to spend some time catching up with them the first night and found out that there was a festival starting the next day.

At first it sounded like it was something small that was taking place on one of the squares, but no, it was HUGE and took over most of the city. It’s a celebration of the town’s history, which is 800 years old this year so they had plenty to celebrate. There were little stands selling all sorts of hand made crafts throughout the city and multiple stages around - some with people doing traditional music and dancing, then others with really popular bands mainly from Slovakia but really all over Europe.

Too bad it is so HOT lately. The shade isn’t bad and the evenings get nice. It just really stinks when you’re either at an outdoor festival, or if you go all over Prague trying to find this one travel agency to get an international student identification card that gets you discounts on things, and you finally find it only to have them tell you – OH we’re sorry, this used to be a student travel agency but the old owner left, we don’t that anymore. So I went home with empty, sweaty hands.

But yes, back to school tomorrow and I am all ready to go. Glad I came so early and had some time to work and relax – both very necessary for stabilization – before my course starts and life ends. I meet some current teachers last night when I was out with the girl who lives up stairs. I got mixed reviews (considering one of them failed) but overall I really think I can do this and I am pumped for it to start.

I’ll let you know how it goes later. Looks like rain tonight! Hope the humidity goes down.