10) Spring Break in Italy

After our field trip in Venice, I traveled with Marissa,Neiley, Keyli,Jordan,and Kara in Italy. I like them a lot. They made this trip special.

Our first stop is Cinque Terre. Definitely, Cinque Terre is my favorite in Italy.I would recommend you travel to Cinque Terre, which is five land. Monterosso al mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. If you get chance travel to Italy, you have to be there.

It's not hard from Venice get to Cinque Terre. What you need to do is go to the train station one or two days ahead, and get tickets. Then get to the station found which line you should get on the train. There always has the information center there. If you confusing about your stop or anything, you can talk with them. 

We spend 3 days in Cinque Terre. When we got to the hostel, it was almost 6PM. Everything was almost closed. We deiced to eat in our hostel.Actually, the food was pretty good. I had pasta with muscles, and backed fish with lemon on it. That was better than I expect. We didn't go out at that night. I met a Chinese girl in our hostel. We had good conversation. I think the best part stay in hostel is you always can meet new people and make new friends.  

The second day, we took the ferry traveled in different lands. We went to the Monterosso al mare, to be honest the sand is not really soft like I thought, but the best part is I did the skywings. 

The pilot is 45 years old, he did this almost 20 years already. He drives me up to the mountain. There was a flat land. After he checked wind, we set up everything we need. He told me the only thing I need to do is run. When I was in the sky, everything is in my eye. I feel we are so blessed in the world. The other day, we found out take the train is way cheaper than the ferry. We deiced to take the train. We did hiking in the Manarola. I was so surprised that graffiti is every where. In China graffiti is forbidden in the public. I didn't see much Graffiti in America either.   

We left the third day in the morning. We when to Florence, Pisa, and Roma for our rest of the trip.   

I feel Florence is a romantic city, it is kind of similar with Praha. Pisa tower is a incredible construction, which took about 200 years to finish it.

Roma, Colosseo is magnificent construction even though it was destroyed. It is hard to imaged that a man fight with the lion. I feel people had cold heart back to that time, they willing to pay for ticket get in colosseo to watch the show. They don't care slaves life, only enjoined show, which was kind of scared me about the class line. Actually, there still have the invisible line in our community. Like, wealth and poor; women and men. When you go to the restaurant, the waiters may treat you differently if you wear nice and fancy cloth; The company generally give more opportunity to the men. However,nowadays, everything is getting better compare to the past.  

I love my trip. I can't wait for next travel!

8) Field Trip 2: Vienna and Venice

My second field trip started on Monday, April 6th. The first stop in Vienna which is the capital in Austria.We spent 2 nights in Vienna.The weather wasn't that good when we were there, it is still kind of cold, but I had good time there. We walked around after checked in the hostel. We met two guys,they were dressed up on the street,and we got the opera tickets from that two guys. I was so excited to watched Opera in Vienna. However, when I got there, I was so disappointed by everything. That was only 10 people doing the performing. Anyway, lesson learned, never believing the people trying to sell the tickets on the street. you should actually doing some study before you travel. The good thing is I went to the real Vienna State Opera House eventually. If you travel to Vienna, I am highly recommend you to experience the real Opera in Vienna. You can get the schedule online, and get tickets in the Vienna State Opera House. I got the cheapest ticket. No site. But there was a little screen on the hand rail, which help to understand the lyric. There is one thing really surprised me , which is the shop all closed around 19:00-19:30. It is hard to believe the business all closed so early. We were trying to got some late supper to eat,however, everything was closed.
I also tried the famous Cafe shop in Vienna. I heard the story about Vienna cafe. After the War, Turkey left some coffee in Vienna, nobody knows what is it, but a business man. He got all the coffee. At first people not used to drink it. Then, he mixed coffee with sugar and honey. People star to like it.The coffee shop star to become popular in Vienna, most people went to coffee shop to talk about political,music,and academic. There is a famous word: If I am not home, then, I am in the cafe shop. If I am not in the Cafe shop, I am on the way to cafe shop." The classic combination is coffee and croissant. Most people think the Croissant original from France. Actually, Croissant from Austria. After two day in Vienna, we went to Venice.

Venice such a beautiful, romantic city no mater at day time or at night.Venice is quite different city than Vienna.I fell Venice is more relaxing. People seems really enjoin they life, you can always see the small on their face. About the food, you have to try the To go Pasta. That is my favorite Pasta so far. To go past is cheap and delicious. I had four cheese Pasta.White source, rich cheese. yum~ I love it a lot.  

 We were walk around in Venice at night. That was really fun.   

Burano, lovely city! Burano, it have to be on your to go list! Burano is not a big city, but all there colorful building are worth to visit. You can pay 20 to get a day ferry ticket. You can use the ticket to travel in different island. you have to found out which line you need to take in different island. Otherwise,you may go back to where you were at if you take the wrong line.    

   This is a good start for my really spring break. There is one thing I learned from this trip, You should study the city before you travel to there, which will helps a lot to organize your free time in this trip. After all, I am so glad I am doing study abroad in Europe.   

2. Academic Life

Before I came to Czech. I've read some about the book<The trail> written by Franz Kafka.The book talk about the main character K was arrested by no reason.The first time he went to court, and give a speech. However, people seems like don't really understand what does he talk about. Somehow, he was killed at the end. At first, I cannot get it. I have no ideal what is he trying to say in the book. Later on, during my lecturer classes, I learned some history about Czech and Germany.I assume K is represent Kafka himself. Kafka was born on the inequality social. People think German is more noble than the Jewish people. People are even judged by what kind of language they use. Most people can speck at least two different languages, because when they go to different stores, they will speck different languages. Kafka was born in a Jewish family. Luckily, Kafka's family is the kind of 'noble' Jewish family. Kafka can use fluent German and gets good quality education, but he still think he is Jew, he has no choice to choose his family.However, most Jewish people consider doesn't belong to Jew. Maybe ,this is why, at the begging of the <The Trail>, K was arrested by no reason.         We also learned about the Economic about Europe.The European Union was established on 1993.Free trade and foreign direct investments influence the European economic growth until 2008 then global financial crisis. The inflection also happened in Czech. Like, the beer. Nowadays, the European's economic is crap, especially, Greece.

Czech language class. Jak se mate? Dobre~~~ Vjde~~~ Spatne~~~

In Czech, when people ask how are you, they are not just say I am good.. They will tell you they exactly feeling.Like, I am good, so so, sad...

Czech also have informal and formal two different way for the expression. For example, Ahoj and dobrý den.. Odkud jsi. And odkud jste.. Čau and na shledáno ......  

It sounds so funny when I speck Czech. The pronunciation sounds weird for me.    

I really enjoined classes, hope I can learn more about Europe. 

4. Language Issues

I was worried about language before I came to Czech Republic. Now, I am been Czech one mouth already. I am going well, I had good time here, just some times had still have Language Issues, but it all turns well eventually.
Dobre rano. Jak se mate? (Good Morning. How are you?) In my Czech Language class, I learned some basic words and dialogues. However, it is not enough if you want to leave without any problem.
I had a ice-cream the other day.Probably, the chocolate crispy is to hard, my tooth brace was broken after I ate the ice-cream.I have no ideal where should I go. Luckily, Dr. Larson and Dr. Petra helped me set up an appointment with dental clinic. I used Google Map to locate the dental clinic before I left. However, it still took me almost 2hrs to find it. After I got off the trim, I followed map. It shows I am here, but everything is written in Czech. I cannot read any of it.I started walk around until I saw the green cross.I opened the door, there was nobody in the first floor.I was keep going until I saw a women at the end of the hall. I tried to ask her where is the Dental Clinic, but she have no ideal what I am talking about,I just showed to her my brace, she started to say something, but I don't understand. The only thing I know I am in the wrong place, because she said, ne,ne,ne...I can feel she tried really hard to tell me where it at, but I am sorry, I don't understand.
I kept walk around.I just can't find it, until a guy took me to a building where has the tooth picture on it. I was wait there almost 40 mins. Then, one of the dentist who can speck English. She told me I am in the wrong place, they don't have tool to do anything about the brace, and showed me where I should go. I was so surprised people here may can speck Latin, German, but not English.
Later on, I went to a restaurant in the square. I was surprised they don't have picture and English translation on the menu. I am not picky about food.So, I was excited when I older food.
After all, I think communication is very important and essential not only in our daily life, but also for business. Languages just a tool for people to communicate with each other.Under the trends of world integration, people will all speck one main language eventually.

How to get to dental clinic: Take tram #2 or#7 from Neredin to Palackeho stop. After get off the tram, cross the road to the other side of the walk street.You will see a small square. Keep go right about 50m. You will see an old building in your lift.That is the Dental clinic. Literally, it will only take 20 mins to get there.