Montauk: The End

Ahhh...My first post-abroad vacation. I've been joking that its a vacation from my last four months of vacation, but it was awesome to relax on the beach with my family. We headed out on Sunday morning to a condo we rented at the Surf Club in Montauk. Within an hour of arriving, all 6 of us were asleep on the beach.

Complete with wetsuits and newly rented boards, we headed to Ditch Plains to learn how to surf. Learning anything among peers can be competitive. Multiply that by 10 and that's the competition between siblings. Our instructor showed us the technique on how to get on the board, and got us into the water as soon as possible. I was hooked from that first wave. Cutting through the water, wind in my salty hair. I collapsed into the water before I hit the sand.

My family and I spent time lounging by the beach and pool, bonfires (with s'mores, of course), and exploring the town of Montauk.One of the highlights of the vacation occurred at John's Pancake House on Wednesday morning. I was midway through my strawberry pancakes when I look to my left, and see... Jerry Seinfeld. IN. PERSON. Mets hat. Gray t-shirt. He was having breakfast with Colin Quinn right next to us. On the way out we had to say hello. (Meaning my dad said hello with his star-struck family behind him.) "Hey Jerry from Queens, good to see ya, big fans! Hey Colin, how's the show going? (Long Story Short) We've been meaning to get in and see it." They were friendly and thanked us, encouraging us to see the show. (Jerry directed it, Colin starred).

We couldn't believe our luck. We spent the rest of the day lounging around the Surf Club. Inspired by the morning's events the girls all decided that since it was a rainy night, we should go and see "Long Story Short" as it was playing in the Summer Series in Montauk. It was a hilarious commentary on the evolution or lack thereof in societies across the world.

The weather wasn't great the last two days, which was fine considering we got the opportunity to explore the towns of Sag Harbor and East Hampton. I was sad to leave Montauk especially because it meant that we would all continue on to summer work and this "real world" people speak of.

Summer Reading List

I used to dread summer reading all through elementary school until the end of high school, always saving it until the last minute, sometimes avoiding it all together. I never would have guessed that I would be making a reading list on my own for summer. I really don't know if I'll be able to read them all, but after asking friends, family, and other travelers about some of their favorite books here is my summer reading list:

1. Sometimes a Great Notion by Ken Kesey
2. On the Road by Jack Kerouac
3. Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
4. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
5. 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel García
6. Boy in Striped Pajamas by John Boyne
7. One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey
8. The Journey to the East by Herman Hesse
9. Slaughterhouse 5 by Kurt Vonnegut

*Please let me know if you have other recommendations!

Na Shledanou Praha!

It's ironic that there has been so much talk lately about the end of the world as my study abroad world just came to an end. I've been living in a dream these past few months and saying goodbye seemed impossible. Friday May 20th had been hanging above our heads for months, becoming more apparent in the past few weeks.

AIFS held a farewell jazz cruise on the Vltava, where we all listened to jazz and celebrated our time in Prague. It was a typical Wednesday, which means everyone was excited to go out. This was the beginning of the end I think because while it was a fun party, I couldn't help but get a little nostalgic. Since then I'd been feeling like a tourist, trying to see all of the things in the city that I hadn't yet seen. There was not a dull moment in the last week, as nobody wanted to waste a moment of time.

My sister Christine came to visit, which was a happy distraction from the inevitable. I loved showing her around all of the tourist spots. It was funny to think that she was seeing it all for the first time, while I was trying to permanently imprint these last moments into my memory.

We have a bar in the basement of our dorm, so the whole group decided to meet there on Friday night. I was deeply touched looking around the room and seeing people that were strangers just a few months ago. We snapped photos, played foozeball & darts, and, of course, cried. All it took was for one of my friends to give me a look, and we would be crying. Sometimes it was someone I wasn't necessarily close with, but I realized that these people have been my life for the past months. They are my classmates, roommates, and friends. They have been my lifeline as we have been on this crazy adventure, and the camaraderie has been one of the best things about this experience. I keep expecting to see them around every corner. The goodbye was filled with hugs, tears, and promises to keep in touch.

Quite a few of us kept blogs throughout the experience, but we agreed not to read each other's until after the semester ends. So, this is for you:

To My Superhero Friends:
I cannot imagine my experience without you. Our semester will always hold a very special place in my heart and in my memory; I will remember all of you in the fondest way possible. I realize that we will forever be bonded by our experience in enchanting Praha and various places around Europe. I have a soundtrack worth of songs that will always remind me of you. I hope to remember forever the first time I saw the castle, the first time I saw Charles Bridge at night, and I will of course always remember the people who were at my side. Na zdraví!

PS. we left without completing the Prague-t List, so we will certainly have to return someday.

What I've Really Been Doing (Second Edition)

Currently finishing my study abroad program in Prague. Here's what I did in March, April, and May in Prague, Vienna, Krakow, Frankfurt, and Dubrovnik.

I do not own this song either. and I am sure Ben Lee wouldn't mind, since I love his song so much I wanted to use it. He'd think I have great taste.

Paris, France

Ah, spring in Paris! After checking into our hostel, we went straight to the Eiffel Tower. The park was filled with people laying out and picnicking with the wonderful view of the tower. We posed for pictures and walked under it. I didn't feel compelled to walk up, so instead we walked around to get all views of the great monument. It was strange to finally be there; I didn't know exactly what I expected everything to look like, but seeing it, actually being there, was surreal.

Later that day we went to the Louvre. Christine and I walked around two of the many departments. We saw the Greek, Roman, and Egyptian work. The Italian paintings were obviously my favorite. The huge halls are filled with paintings of all sizes, except the wall with the Mona Lisa; that wall was bare besides the smiling lady. There were "No Camera" signs everywhere, but everyone took photos anyway.

The next day we took an open-top, hop-on hop-off bus tour. This is probably the most touristy thing I've done in the past four months but it was honestly a great way to see the city. Paris is huge and very spread out, so the bus tour allowed us to see things we may not have made it to on our own: Notre Dame, Grand Palais, Champs de Mars, and Musee d'Orsay. I especially loved the grandness of the Champs Elysees-Etoile, where we stopped to have lunch.

I absolutely loved Montmartre. The hill looked like a garage sale with many people selling trinkets, furniture, and art. I loved browsing through all of the old records and vintage clothes. It was here in Montmartre where Christine and I we indulged ourselves our first French crepes (nutella for her, banana and chocolate for me). It was beautiful and shady with an amazing view of the city.

On our last night we went for a picnic in front of the Eiffel Tower. We had yet to see it at night, and hundreds of people had the same idea as we did. It was a wonderful night to be surrounded by people from all over the world. Drinking wine and eating sandwiches we watched as every hour the Tower would begin to sparkle and the crowd would ooh and ahh. It was the perfect Parisian night in my opinion, and was very sorry to leave the next day.

What I've Really Been Doing..

There is a lot that I cannot write about or explain about my experience studying abroad. Here's what I did in February & March 2011, in Prague, Moravia, Budapest, and Dublin. More to come!




I do not own the song; obviously. So please don't sue me. I hope Rusted Root doesn't mind.

Full Circle: I'm a Tourist Again

In my last weeks in Prague I've been busy bustling around the city, seeing the sights before my departure. It's funny to act like a tourist again. Suddenly I would take my camera everywhere, snapping photos of everything I see. The warm weather has been a welcoming atmosphere for being outside, so here's what I've been doing:

The Vyšehrad

An old fortress of the city. Such a different view of the city - so lush and green!

Charles Bridge
The views as seen from a paddle boat and from the bank of the Vltava river. This is definitely one of the things I will most most about Prague.

Bohemian Glass Factory

I was quite impressed by the glass blowing and molding. We were able to see most of the steps in the process.

Troja Chateau
Such a beautiful chateau surrounded by gorgeous gardens.

Lennon Wall

I finally wrote on the wall! I wrote a Sikh prayer for peace.












Old Town
Walked through Old Town Square for the last time. Its filled with tourists now, but the awesome buildings look more beautiful than ever.

I'm getting quite sad to be saying goodbye to Prague, but the past few weeks have been some of the best of the semester. I'm leaving with such mixed feelings: this city has been my home, yet I don't know if or when I will ever return. Oh, how I will miss Prague!