Finally after a week of intensive Czech introductory classes and three welcome dinners from the program, I am starting to get settled in my new living arrangements in Prague. I am sharing an apartment with two other students, Luke from Syracuse and Evan from Pomona, as well as our Czech buddy, Zdenék. Luke, Evan, and I have hit it off from the start and seem like we are some of the closest roommates on the program so far. Even though Evan and I both come from the Claremont schools and have a few mutual friends, we have never met. Nevertheless, we have quickly become friends and have made a pact to introduce each other to our friends once we are back on campus and hopefully start some more mingling between Pomona and CMC. Along with Luke and Evan, we have found a group of friends we all get along with from across the United States.
Cooking for myself and others has quickly become the unexpected highlight of living on my own so far. Even in our meager kitchen, which does not have a single mixing bowl, wooden spoon, or sharp knife, we have managed to make some of the most delicious meals in recent memory. A weekly tradition we have started with our friends from other apartments is to host dinner parties and make a communal dinner. So far we have made yellow curry, italian sausage pasta, roasted chicken and potatoes and even crepes.
I am joined by five other students in the photography program I am completing, four of which are studying fine art photography at Syracuse. There are surprisingly a lot of Syracuse students here, and along with students from American University they make up about half of the total program. Making up the rest of the program are students from all kinds of schools, from other small schools in SoCal to big state schools in Minnesota and North Carolina. This has brought another kind of diversity that I didn’t think of when applying to study abroad: getting to meet other American students. While we are by and large very similar as a group, it is easy to forget just how much of a bubble CMC really is and it has been refreshing to swap stories about everything from campus food to bigger issues of campus climate.
So far, I think I am adjusting to Prague and this new social setting quite well. The population density of Prague is just right so that everything you need is within walking distance but living here does not feel as busy and crowded as living in a US city like LA or Seattle. Part of the difference, that I have almost become completely used to now, is that the buildings and architecture have been preserved in their beauty but the inside of the buildings has been updated to include housing, a supermarket, and other boutique shops, all in one space. The tram system is also incredible for those times when it’s cold, raining, or I just don’t feel like walking. Actual classes start soon and I am ready for the challenges of this new academic environment.