Prague Round 1

I'm in Prague. I just smiled saying that. My experience here so far is quite lovely. I just smiled again.

:)

It's hard to say what we've been doing exactly. We have been doing a lot though. This is for sure. Mostly, it's been walking around, exploring and taking it all in. This has been the best introduction, the seemingly aimless wandering. At first, I was frustrated at not always looking at a map, but looking back, it really helped provide the dazzle effect. It seems there is an endless amount of beauty and culture to take in. By not being able to comprehend the bounds, the beauty seems boundless. Like I said, dazzling.

Photo-taking has been really fun, but also difficult. It's hard to feel like I'm getting an original photo since this is such a touristy place, but that's part of the challenge I suppose. That being said, I must say that I'm trying hard to also take the time to really look at Prague through my eyes and not just through a lens. It's so easy to get caught up with the calculations of making what you see into a decent enough photograph that you stop looking at things as a whole. I know that all perspectives have their value; I just want to find the balance.

Speaking of photos, here are some of mine thus far:

Odd

Strawberries for pups.

Selfie on dat bridge.

"FARE YOU WELL I LOVE YOU MORE THAN WORDS CAN TELL"
The Lennon wall. I loved this. Victoria and I took couple photos in front of this line.
Sorry, Santiago.

PDA is big thing here. It's common to see couples cuddling, kissing or holding hands.
Most of us find this disturbing, but I like it. I don't mean I enjoy it or whatever, I just think it's sweet and genuine.
In a place where the citizens are stereotyped as cold and mean,
seeing kindness and affection is reassuring and seems even sweeter than your average frat party PDA.

This is from the Museum of Communism.
It was so frustrating and difficult to photograph here because of boring subjects and inadequate lighting.
However.
I was really pushed to try and ended up getting some of my most unique photos yet.

Museum of Communism again.

We took a photo field trip to Olsany Cemetery a few days ago. I am grouping those photos together so you have the best chance of getting a feel for how peaceful and calm I felt there. I spent the first half of my time photographing but then was overcome with the beauty of the place and stopped to sit, look around and journal. And breathe. The air was crisp and cleansing. This pause was also metaphorical. I've described myself this past semester as going a hundred miles per hour and finally I am able to slow down here. I've been feeling really sick, but in a way it's good, because I sleep a lot and take it easy and only do what I want to do instead of what I feel like I should be doing. It's just been really great here so far. Anyway, here are my cemetery photos.

More soon. I miss you guys!

Thank you to my parents for this trip!

Lan

Shakey Graves Built to Roam

First off, I'm tired (remember this, this ties in later in the story), so my writing is probably..... a little too much voice (too frank, too ridiculous, too.... well, Lana) a little too little grammar (also very Lan). Pardon my mistakes, please! Also, the whole Blogger website is in German, so that's fun (confusing)!

ALSO, if I am saying or doing something utterly ridiculous (like posting selfies to my blog that adults I respect read), I am most likely joking. Always assume I'm joking (please).

Anyway.

So, I'm sitting here in the Frankfurt airport when really I should've landed in Prague about... ten minutes ago? "Huh?" You ask? Well, yes, what I mean to say is I did not make the plane to Prague. However, before you pity me, you should hear what happened and pity everyone who has to associate with me. I was sitting by my gate, watching people board and waiting my turn, and I just fell asleep (remember me saying I'm tired). Yup. I fell asleep. The best part is that an alarm went off (completely random, unrelated alarm -- total coincidence) ten minutes before my plane departed and I woke up, turned it off in annoyance at such a stupid, random alarm, and went back to sleep. I saw the time and just went back to sleep. SO STUPID. I AM SO STUPID.

But. It's all good. After being "kindly" told that I probably delayed the plane (which I do feel bad about) and then waiting in line while some travelin' bro flirted with the travel agent, I am here at gate A10 with an espresso (three people told me I looked exhausted, so yeah), a sandwich and I'm sitting by people speaking Arabic. There's also a bratty and witty twelve year old sassing her parents, which I love. I am in a happy place, and I am just thankful that I am still ON MY WAY! Not to mention, two people from my program will be on the flight with me! What a great surprise for them! I am keeping my eyes peeled for their arrival to our gate (they have no idea who I am).

But, let's talk Paris. I had a really pleasant time in Paris. 

Highlights: 

Eating a nutella crepe one time with Jas and another time with Jordan (this is most important)

Seeing Murphy and Jordan. We were able to meet up for an evening, and it was so cool. Of course, there are selfies to prove it. Seeing them really put the spring back in my step. I was exhausted and overwhelmed from traveling alone and being alone in Paris but surrounded by non-Enlighs speakers, so seeing them was so comforting. I also went to dinner with them and kids from their program, which was so delightful. I love meeting friends of friends, because I know that the most exciting thing to share with a friend is another friend. Just as they had told me, there were many funny, smart and enjoyable people on their program. Not to mention, MOROCCAN FOOD. 

Of course, Jas and I had a wonderful time together.

We had to selfie in front of the Eiffel Tower!

Just me representing my university.

Jas crawled into a hole

And still managed to look pretty.



I saw a lot of beautiful things and did a lot of things that you just should do when visiting Paris, but I won't focus on those except for one thing. Jas and I visited the Paris Mosque. This was a very emotional experience for me. It smelled and looked and felt like the Middle East, which was comforting and saddening. I miss my family in Syria, but am trying to just be thankful that they are safe and going about their lives as much as they can. I am grateful for my time at the Mosque, because it brought me a little closer to that part of myself and my family. 

Thank you to my parents for giving me this trip!

More soon,

Lan

Europe Trip Day 1: Traveling to Paris

Well, well, hello. As some of you might know, I took a little Oddities break during my dance (okay struggle) with the McCombs School of Business, but that's over now. I've plucked myself out of the dark and twisty pity party that some call a business major, and I'm back! We are going to be a little less emo a little more spunk now. Maybe I stopped posting because I was making myself sad with only being able to produce sad and frustated-sounding things. Anyway, we've moved on to bigger and better things!

It wasn't all bad, of course. I got some pretty splendid photos out of the year and, more importantly, some amazing new friends. I managed the feat of combining these two things by taking photos of the friends in a fancy little Facebook album I called "Wise Fools." The name comes from a time when I heard that, and who knows if this is true, "Sophomores" can be loosely translated to "Wise Fools" (in… Latin? I just dunno) which is spot on and way more eloquent than what I would've called it ("The Fabulous and Ridiculous" or simply "Smart-Ass Stupidheads"). I'm lucky to have them by my side as we enter our own roaring twenties. 

I've relaunched Oddities for the purpose of updating all of you on my Europe trip happenings. I know, I know, but I have to write 400 words a day for another blog -- das just too much for us to read, you say?! Well, you can pick one. On that blog (lanabaumgartner.wordpress.com), I will talk the more academic talk, but here, I will tell you the funnier, gushier tales and thoughts. I will grace you with stories of my mistakes and, cue the Mary Bryce in all of us, growth. I will mayhaps include my photos here, too. We will see. Some of the things you will see:

-Reasons why I cried

-Embarrassing thing I did to offend that old Czech women

-My attempts and fails to join the gypsy parade

-Why the bone church was cool

-My advances towards joining Dr. Darling's cute family

-etc etc

Can't wait! Hope all is well with you and you and you.

Lan