and yes, the weather is lovely...

[threeplusfire]

So I live close to Gymnasium Kepler, and we were too busy talking to notice the wet sidewalk and balloon pieces this morning. Until some giggling Czech teenagers chunked a couple water balloons at us. Heh. It was so funny. Remind me to walk home on the other side of the street.

I went clubbing with Leigh twice this week. The first time was a lot of fun, in this tiny basement place with good looking gay men dancing on the bar. Last night we went to Lavka, a m ore American place and it was gross. Older, aging sleazy American men who can't dance. I had to slap one guy. Tonight I think I'm just going to hang out and drink at a pub with Jean. We're going to Radost this weekend, probably more than once since Eric wants a real American brunch. I hate to admit it but that sounds so good right now.

My Czech classes are great. Jitka is the greatest language teacher in the country, and I feel so honored that she is teaching my intermediate class. She's teaching advanced as well, along with a million other classes. Exams start next week at Charles too, so things will be mad. They can only take so many students, so the entrance exams must be brutal.

Walking home from the little grocery is one of my favorite things to do. My arms are filled with a bottle of water, a bottle of lemonade, two sandwiches and a pack of cookies. Something about going down that hill with my arms full of food makes me alive and happy and something mroe than real. Maybe it just reminds me too much of all the literature, and I wonder if I am really here.

I haven't figured out yet how all the Czech women stalk around in those stiletto heels on cobblestones. I stumble in my Docs still. The prostitutes wear these great heeled boots.

Oh! Levne Knihy is great! I bought a Czech edition of Where The Wild Things Are for 5 korun! Pennies! Also a copy of a Moorcock book, and spent less than a dollar. Now I just need to find a decent dictionary for translations next semester and it will be all good.

While we were drinking at home the other night, we share our ice cream with Hana in exchange for stories. Her father served in the army for a time, and Ivan Klima was the Commanding Officer. She told hilarious stories about what a short, prissy, awful man he was, and the terrible things he father said about him at home. so I feel better about not liking Klima now.

I'm going to answer all my email now. Anyone who wants to keep me updated on the Yogurt Shop murders, McVeigh or Bush's hooligan drunk daughter, drop me a line. Heh. I can't believe I miss Headline News.

Comments

Small Creatures

[raindog.livejournal.com]

It's a strange world. I have no idea what the yogurt shop killings are, but when I find-out, I'll know I first heard about them from someone I've never met who is sojourning in Prague, by way of Austin origin. The other night a friend was riffing on the nature of our existence. She theorized that we are small creatures, not meant to now what is going on outside our immediate communities, that our global connections and consciousness is contrary to our nature and well-being. Certainly the exploited and colonized must say Amen to that. (Or the non-Christian equivalent.) My own instinct for head in the sand would offer anecdotal evidentiary support for the argument. Which brings this comment full circle back to its beginning, yogurt shop killing news delivered from Prague, I think...Hey out there, Amanda -- your posts sound pretty darn festive. Happy late Birthday, today I am 35.

Re: Small Creatures

[tsarina.livejournal.com]

Sometimes I think that because we are so small in the cosmic global sense, that our connections are so important. It creates something more than just the sum of the lives involved.

The Yogurt Shop murders happened in December 1991. Four teenage girls were murdered in a botched robbery, and the place was set one fire. At least one of the girls was raped. It's taken eight years for this investigation to finally bring things to trial, and the story has been a long painful one. It was a shocking thing for Austin in 91. I think there are an awful lot of people who can tell you where they were when they first heard about it. My mom stopped letting me ride my back alone to the grocery or to get ice cream, and I had a peculiar dread of I Can't Believe It's Not Yogurt shops for a long time. I think I still do.

Re: Small Creatures

[raindog.livejournal.com]

As I said, I have a great talent for head-in-the-sand! Hey, I've got and e-mail pen pal in Prague! Very cool. (Thanks for taking time out of an exciting month to write, Amanda)

Re: Small Creatures

[tsarina.livejournal.com]

Hehe of course. I'm addicted to the internet cafe. It's run by a lovely Croatian couple and they play Czech radio.

I was on the Current Events team in high school, and I used to read a dozen newspapers every day. I'm still addicted to the news, and I have this terrible need to know what is going on in the world. So I follow the news always, even the bad things. Comes in handy sometimes. Mostly it probably just makes me look strange. ;)

Re: Small Creatures

[raindog.livejournal.com]

You sound like a great resource!!