A Bittersweet End
This is a still from our short film Alesi, Hraj (Play, Ales).
11 more days in Prague, I can’t believe it. Our final screening for the professors is May 15th and then my flight leaves at 8:30AM on the 18th. I don’t want to leave Europe, it fits me so well. I do miss everyone at home though and I’m excited to possibly be working in Brooklyn this summer (fingers crossed). I have two interviews tomorrow, one for Rooftop Films as a festival intern and one for an editing internship at Crossborders. But I love it here! I love FAMU and this production has been more than I could have ever asked for, I’ve learned so much. I’m really proud to say I co-visualized the entire film as well as wrote it. We finished with sound today after 6 hours in the studio and Thursday is color grading so then it’ll be complete! I’m coming back to this place, I’ve never felt more sure about everything after this semester. Prague is an amazing city and seriously under-rated. I have my Visual Theory final in about an hour and then just one more paper due next week and we’re calling it a semester!
LOVE Beccah!
Continental Getaway
Prague is no doubt the heart of continental Europe. It is situated right in the center. For this reason one should never make the mistake of classifying Prague as an Eastern European city, especially not in earshot of a Czech. If Prague is the heart than, while you are here, you will find how effortless it is to be carried by the veins of busses and trains that branch out from the city center and take you to all the other organs of the body that is Europe. Here are some of the places I’ve traveled so far and information on the train station and bus services to help you plan your study abroad weekend getaways.
Berlin
The first place I traveled was Berlin. The city is a mere six-hour bus ride away. I booked with Student Agency, which is essentially the Mega Bus or Bolt Bus of Europe. They offer services to almost every major city for a very cheap price.
The city itself is a stark contrast from Prague in size and style. It is an enormous city by comparison yet everywhere is extremely accessible through its advanced system of trams, buses and subways.
Where Prague is very medieval and aged, Berlin is the very definition of modern. Since the bulk of the city was destroyed during World War II, the Germans had to completely rebuild and start over. When you visit Berlin you are visiting a city rebuilt from scratch sixty-seven years ago.
Explore the whole city, but definitely spend more time on the east side. You will find less touristy, cheaper, and tastier establishments and a more hip and vibrant culture. You must see the East Side Gallery, a free, outdoor collection of paintings with what remains of the Berlin Wall as its canvass. Definitely indulge in the Berlin street food. Have the currywurst and the best doner kebab outside Istanbul.
Currywurst and Fries
Amsterdam
Amsterdam’s reputation precedes it. By day, the city is charming and relatively quiet. Filled with art museums, cafes, and cheese shops along side a maze of peaceful canals. By night, Amsterdam is the greatest party in Europe. Having a vibrant nightlife in one of the most relaxed and least judgmental places on Earth. It is a land where sin is legal and celebrated.
Amsterdam is also an amazingly energy efficient city. Everyone has a bike and is the preferred method of travel. It is not uncommon to see hundreds of bikes left about on main streets and dining areas. Bikes accompanied with a great metro and tram system make driving an automobile a pointless endeavor that will result in just getting in people’s way while trying to navigate around the canals and through the tiny side streets. Holland in general sets a great example for sustainability and green energy. As you enter the country, look out the window and take in the sights of rows of modern windmills.
While you are in town, definitely have French fries with peanut sauce. You’ll never want to have it with ketchup again. Amsterdam also has exceptionally good chocolate and cheeses. You will not go hungry.
Istanbul
Istanbul is only a two-hour flight from Prague and well worth your time if you want to see a European city that is completely out of the norm. It is technically in the Middle East and is the crossroads between Europe and Asia. In fact you can even take a ferry between the European and Asian side of the city.
The city is filled with magnificent sites such as the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, the Spice Bazaar, and stunning views of the sea. It is a fun walking city, filled with delicious food and the best coffee and tea you will ever have.
Since the flights and sightseeing were rather pricey, I tried couch surfing for the first time on this trip. I encourage all of you to join the network. Even if you have a hostel, you’ll never be alone in a foreign country, will all the surfers willing to help show you around. Mine was no different, she was really sweet and accommodating the entire time I was in town and even showed me around the nightlife area. I can say that I certainly made a new friend in Istanbul.
Zatín
If you ever have a burning desire to feel like royalty, take a trip to Zatín, Slovakia. Zatín is a tiny town in the Hungarian speaking section of the Slovak countryside. My ancestors hail from that part of the world and my dad wanted to make a trip out there.
The town never gets American tourists thus we were quite the spectacle. The townspeople brought us to the mayor’s office where he insisted on serving drinks. Lots of photos were taken of us shaking hands and he handed us all the gifts he could muster. Mugs, tote bags, postcards and the like.
Me with the Mayor of Zatín
A reception in the mayor’s office was not enough. The man insisted he take us to the local pub. All drinks were on the house. My dad made a remark about the glasses the beer was served in and the bar gave us a set to take home. Everyone in the town wanted to put us up for the night but we had to move on.
Vienna
I have just returned from Vienna a couple days ago. If you are a shopper, Vienna is the place for you. It is essentially New York’s Fifth Avenue converted into a city.
Sparsely placed among the rows of shops and boutiques are art museums of all kinds and little European coffee shops. One of the best hot chocolates I’ve ever had was in Vienna.
If you are a film major or into movies, definitely check out the Jewish Museum. Most of the museum is devoted to a Jews of cinema exhibit that goes through the history of Hollywood. It is complete with clips from all of the best films of the last century. At the end of the exhibit you can see the actual baseball bat used by “The Bear Jew” in Inglorious Bastards.
Unfortunately we did not get to see a show at their renowned opera house but we did walk around the building several times. One thing that certainly goes for the city is the impressive architecture. It is definitely worth spending a day or two there.
48,960 full minutes that I will not take for granted
It seems like mere days ago that I was sitting at Bread Winner’s café with my parents, grabbing a bite to eat before heading to the airport and getting on a plane that would take me to Prague. Wow. The past few days have been a time of reflection for me. With 5 weeks left in this city, I am both excited to return home to my friends and family (and shower, and bed, and the English language), and sad to leave behind a place I have fallen in love with and people who have quickly become some of my closest friends. We are all avoiding the subject of our inevitable departure and trying to really enjoy our final month here. Now, although 5 weeks seems short compared to an entire 4 months abroad, we still have 34 whole days to continue making memories and to finally make our films. 816 long hours. 48,960 full minutes that I will most certainly not take for granted.
Two weekends ago I travelled with a few of my friends to the Las Vegas of the European Union: Amsterdam. Connected by canals, teeming with bicyclists and echoing bike bells, and composed of dark-brick buildings with white trim, Amsterdam could definitely compete with Prague for a “most beautiful city to ever exist” award. While in Amsterdam we spent our days proudly being as touristy as possible. We visited the Anne Frank house – where the Frank family was in hiding until their location was betrayed and they were taken to concentration camps. We also took part in the Heineken Experience at the Heineken museum/brewery. Being the dorky film students that we are we spent a solid 30 minutes watching Heineken commercials. We watched them all, from the vintage Heineken originals to the more elaborate and comedic commercials that air today; the behind the scenes and the extras – which showed humorous interviews with all of the characters. I have to say, we were quite impressed and entertained. We also had the chance to try some of the freshly brewed beer while one of the expert Heineken employees explained how to get just the right amount of foam, what color the beer should be, and how to fully experience a crisp, cold glass of Heineken beer. To be honest, I actually can’t stand the taste of any beer, so this was all lost on me; but the Spaniards behind us seemed to be Heineken fans, based on their boisterous laughter and repeated bouts of “Cheers!”
On Sunday before we had to catch our overnight train back to Prague we took a trip to the Amsterdam Zoo. From lions to lemurs to overweight seals, the zoo was the best way to end our trip, and after a 15-hour train ride, a shower, and a bite to eat we were back in a classroom, tired but ready to get back to work. This past week we completed all of our core classes, so the majority of our time is being spent either in our elective courses or in group meetings, where we are finalizing our scripts, working on storyboards, talking with our production manager, and getting everything ready for our upcoming shoot. As the director of photography/cinematographer in my group my main responsibility right now is storyboarding and composing a shot list. We shoot in just 11 days so over the next 72 hours I will be spending a lot of quality time with the script, a pen, and blank sheets of paper. It is exciting and terrifying and daunting and awesome all at the same time. And although I could definitely happily stay here for another year, I know my parents, my friends, and my dog, Sparky, are ready to have me home. So I have about a month to continue pretending that I am, in fact, a Czech citizen, and to take in as much as I can from this invaluable experience!
March Madness Ends in Prague
If you told me a month ago that I would be sitting outside in shorts and flip-flops, basking in the warmth of the sunlight, I would have laughed in your face. Coming from Dallas, the Prague winter was pure misery; snow, wind, and piercing cold made going outside almost intolerable. But this past week, Prague has decided to join the month of March and we have been blessed with beautiful 65 degree, sunny afternoons.
This past weekend I was, what I like to call, lazy. Saturday I slept in until noon, then met up with a few friends to walk through Letna Park, a large park near my apartment that overlooks central Prague and the Charles River. After relaxing for a bit we headed to Old Town to walk through the Spring Market where we got some refreshing zmrzlina (ice cream) and walked by all of the souvenir and craft stands while listening to the sound of the Czech children’s play that was going on at the top of the square. Although I tend to think that most children’s shows are simultaneously humorous and (mildly) creepy, these elements are both intensified when the play is being performed in a different language, specifically Czech. It was entertaining to say the least.
I spent even more time outside earlier this week, taking a walk along the Charles River between classes and sitting at a park across from FAMU with only the interactions of the dogs playing to entertain us. My friend and I were thoroughly amused for a solid 15 minutes when observing the dogs, and decided that we could probably spend hours watching them play in the park and never get bored. Dogs are actually hilarious.
Along with these lovely spring afternoons comes one of the greatest, most important spring traditions: March Madness. As I am not an avid college basketball fan, I actually have no idea how the tournament is going, but since a handful of my friends here are Syracuse University students we all gathered at a local sports bar to watch their game in the Sweet 16 round. Although they are now out of the tournament, their victory in the first game was exciting for all involved. Except maybe Wisconsin.
Surprisingly, this laziness has not filtered into my academics, and with shooting beginning in less than a month we will soon be kept occupied with location scouting, casting, storyboarding, and rehearsing, so that at 9 am April 28 we are ready to go! As a last weekend of recreation before the madness begins, a few friends and I are headed to Amsterdam tonight on an overnight (15 hour, probably uncomfortable) train to explore another infamous European city. I am excited for the weekend and the month ahead and am looking forward to beginning the process of making our short film. Should be an awesome experience.
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