Jewish Ghetto of Prague

On Sunday, March 30^th we got to take a tour through the Jewish ghetto in Prague. Hitler did not destroy the synagogues and Jewish buildings during World War II in Prague because he had sadistically hoped to preserve them in order to create a future museum to represent the “extinct race.” The conservation of these buildings has now given the people of Prague a way to make a memorial for Jewish Czechs that were murdered during the time of the Holocaust. The first building we went into was the Pinkas synagogue that was used to honor 80,000 Jewish Czech victims. Every single one of their names is painted on the wall along with their date of birth and their date of death (if known). I honestly don’t know a word I could use to describe what I was feeling while walking through this large building. The walls were completely covered in names of innocent men, women, and children that were brutally murdered for Hitler’s hope for a “pure” race. We couldn’t take any pictures in the synagogue, but I will attach some photos that I’ve found on the Internet. It was such a moving experience, and the entire time I felt like I had swallowed a gigantic rock.

Farther away look at the thousands of names written in memory of those murdered.
(Not my photographs)

We’ve all sat through Holocaust lectures and have maybe even seen some famous Holocaust movies such as “Schindler’s List” or “The Boy in Striped Pajamas,” but almost nothing can compare to actually being able to personally see the names of thousands of people who had ambitions, fears, friends, hobbies, crushes, memories, and hopes whose lives were cut short far too soon. I saw the names of a seven-year-old boy, an 80-year-old woman—all who didn’t deserve the horrifying death that they received. Some names that I saw that really stuck with me were those of people the same age as me. I feel like my life is just getting started, and I have so taken for granted the freedom that I have and the chances I’ve been given. It was so sad to think that those people missed out on the best time of their lives. The large walls were completely covered in the small print, and although this was a beautiful memorial, it still makes me sad to know that so many will go unremembered. After leaving the synagogue, I couldn’t recall a single name and it made me feel sick to my stomach. Those people deserve so much more.

The upper part of the synagogue also contained colorings and drawings of Jewish children that were living in the Terezin ghetto during the time of World War II. They were amazing to see—some were very dark and truly expressed what that child was feeling, while some were vibrant and colorful like a normal child’s would be. The colorful ones absolutely amazed me—the fact that these children could look past all of the suffering that they were experiencing and actually be able to attempt to function as a normal, happy child. There was actually a poem written by an 11-year-old Jewish boy named Frantisek Bass that had died in Auschwitz that really spoke to me. The last two lines of the poem were, “I shall always be oppressed // I shall always live again.” These two lines were incredible to me, and showed me the hope that these children possessed. It was truly remarkable and incredibly inspiring.

Outside of the synagogue, we walked through a large Jewish cemetery. This cemetery was completely overcrowded with hundreds of headstones that looked like they had just been thrown into the ground haphazardly. They were basically overlapping each other, and had no rhyme or reason to their placement. Tens of thousands of Jewish bodies were layered underneath those headstones—carelessly and without a proper ceremonial Jewish burial. It was an extremely overwhelming and heartbreaking experience.

Hundreds of Jewish headstones

After the Pinkas Synagogue, we went through another synagogue and some Jewish museums that had old religious artifacts. I learned a lot about the Jewish religion, and got to see some very old and beautiful architecture. This entire experience was just a small introduction to what I will experience when I go to the extermination camp, Auschwitz, in a few weeks. I know that it will be a life-changing experience, but to be honest I have very mixed feelings about it. I know that everyone should see Auschwitz in order to begin to understand what the Jews went through and to let the reality of the Holocaust settle in, but I’m very nervous. I think through our history books and lectures we’ve all known that the Holocaust was awful, but still have not been able to completely wrap our minds around how atrocious it really was. I look forward to going, but dread it at the same time. 

Coins, notes, and rocks left on the headstones to show respect

Another blog post will be coming very soon to talk more about our weekend in Prague and Dresden, Germany. Thanks for reading!

Feelin' Lucky

This morning all of the girls slept in late and then we decided that it would be fun to head to the main square to eat a gyro for lunch. When we first walked into the gyro shop, it was unusually packed with people and I considered suggesting a different place to eat so we didn’t have to wait in line. Then we heard people speaking perfect English without any accents! We were all so excited to see Americans that we instantly started talking to them and asked where they were from. They said that they were high schoolers from Idaho. It was so awesome to be able to speak to someone outside of our group without any language barrier whatsoever. We were then waiting in line when all of a sudden I heard a girl from behind me yell, “No way!” I then turn around to—seriously, I’m not making this up—my 3^rd cousin Beth Warner from Idaho! I was completely shocked. To see Americans was one thing, but to actually be RELATED to one of them was absolutely crazy! The odds of us being on a continent other than the U.S. at the same time, the same country, the same town, the same block, and even the same RESTAURANT at the exact same time were absolutely amazing! We haven’t seen each other in years, and it was one of the craziest things that has ever happened to me. She was traveling with a group from her high school for spring break through parts of Europe. She had to catch a bus shortly after we saw each other, and I wish she could’ve stayed longer so I could’ve showed her my favorite parts of Olomouc. I told my friends that I wish Beth and I would’ve bought a lottery ticket together after that!  That’ll be an awesome story that we’ll have, and I’m looking forward to telling my great aunts and uncles that Beth and I share about it! Seriously so cool. 

Hope you have an amazing adventure, Beth! 

New Beginnings

I want to start my blog off by saying that this past week and a half has already been some of the best days of my life. My adventure here in the Czech Republic has only just begun, and I can already say that applying for this program was the best decision I’ve ever made thus far. Growing up in a tiny town I’ve always dreamed of getting out and seeing the world, but never believed I would actually get the opportunity to do so. I am now living out my number one dream, and I think that that is something that a lot of people go their entire life without being able to say. The entire experience has been so surreal, and has really opened my eyes to the importance of making the most of every opportunity I’m given. I know this is so cliché, but life is so short and I think everyone should do everything in their power to be able to live out their dream like I am right now. I’ve never been happier, and I’m growing more and more grateful for my life each day. But enough with the sappy stuff—I’ll get on to what I’ve been up to!

I have actually been completely dreading writing this post because there is so much to say and just not enough energy or room to say it all. This trip started amazing from the very start when I got on my plane from Minneapolis to Paris. No one on the UNK trip was sitting next to each other, and I found my seat next to a man named Al. He spoke perfect French and English, and was traveling to Congo, Africa to see his family again for the first time in about 25 years. We had an eight-hour flight, and by the end of the trip I feel like we had really gotten to know each other. He showed me pictures of his kids in college and we had a lot of great laughs. He was so much fun! (I actually gave him my blog address so if you’re reading this now, Al, I hope you’re enjoying your time with your family!) That flight just set the bar for my entire experience of going abroad; I had just made a friend with someone that I never would have had the opportunity to meet had it not been for this trip.

Prague

We first stayed in Prague, the capitol of the Czech Republic, before heading to Olomouc, where our school was located. Looking back, our first few days in Prague were pretty much a blur. With the busy schedule, extreme jetlag, and so much visual stimuli to take in all at once—it’s pretty hard to recall all that happened. The first night we were there we went out for an authentic Czech meal, and I ordered the famous Czech goulash. Their definition of goulash is much different than ours—and it actually is still in first place for the best meal I’ve had so far. (Sleeping for only an hour and a half in the past 24 hours beforehand and eating only airplane food may have something to do with that ranking, though). 

On our first full day in Prague, we went to the town square and took a guided tour throughout part of the city. I feel like I learned so much, and would take the exact same tour all over again just to be able to remember all of the information that was given. We got to see the astronomical clock, a lot of statues of men I’ll never be able to pronounce the names of, and remains of the Jewish ghetto during the time of World War II. (A lot of these pictures can be seen in my Facebook album.) On the second full day in Prague we just gathered a group of us and wandered around Prague. This was by far my favorite day there. We walked for quite a few hours and I saw a lot of places that I look forward to going back to when we go to Prague next week. Abby, Jess, and I went out that night to meet locals and ended the night by getting pizza from a tiny little Italian place. I pretty much clicked instantly with a big group of people and have already made so many funny and amazing memories with them. Finally, on the third day we packed up and headed to Olomouc to move into the dorms and start school. I absolutely loved Prague, but was so ready to get settled in and start exploring my new “hometown.”

The group of girls wandering around Prague

First week in Olomouc

My roommate and I, the hilarious and fun-loving Molly Osterberg, moved into our adorable little dorm and the next day started our first school orientation. “Orientation” must mean something totally different here, because we didn’t find out anything about our classes, our schedule, or anything that a normal American orientation would have provided. Instead, we listened to a few speakers talk about Czech history and then wandered around. The second full day in Prague we spent the whole day riding a train and walking through a town or two to a large, underground cave. The cave was pretty interesting, but to be honest it was not worth all of the work that it took to get there. After the cave, though, we climbed up a small “mountain” (not sure if you can call it that) and got to see a large abyss that they still have not found the bottom of. That was my favorite part of the day. We got to see some beautiful houses nestled into a forest and every time I see things like that I can’t help but dream of moving back here someday.

The view from a tower of the main square in Olomouc. 

Since then, we’ve started two of our classes. We’ve started the Czech language class and I can already tell it’s going to be quite the challenge. The language is pretty notorious for being difficult, and I’m still convinced all I need to know in order to survive is “Dobry den” (Hello) and “Kde je jidlo?” (Where’s the food?). Our other class that we’ve taken is a history course where several Czech speakers will come and talk to us. The first speaker talked about Czech politics and economics…not really my thang. Soon we’ll start our history course with our UNK instructor, Kami Lammers, and I’m looking forward to it.

One of the days that we were here (I’m already having a terrible time keeping track) we had a man that had lived during the time of the Holocaust come and speak about his experiences of being forced to work in a factory under the Nazi regime and the effects of World War II on the Czech Republic. He had an amazing testimony, and I’m going to try to meet with him sometime to have lunch and hear more of his incredible stories. Listening to him talk definitely made me realize that all of these people that I’ll see and meet know something that I don’t, and have their own unique story. If I’d simply seen this man on a tram I never would’ve known the amazing things that he’s been through. This definitely opened my mind to working to get to know as many people as I can here and broadening my worldview. Everyone has their own incredible story, and I’m now driven to learn as much as I can from these people before I leave.

After this man had talked to us, he then gave us a tour around parts of Olomouc and took us into a few buildings. One of the buildings that he took us into was the St. Michael’s Cathedral of Olomouc. It was easily the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen (so far!). It was absolutely stunning. I took several pictures, but none of them do it any justice. If you’re interested you should definitely Google it—although nothing compares to seeing it in person.

My friend Jess in the St. Michael's Cathedral

I’ve already written so much, and if you’ve made it this far then I applaud you! Other than those pretty big events that I’ve written about, I’ve spent my time being the notoriously obnoxious American in public, eating gelato every chance I get, embarrassing myself by attempting to speak Czech, and chasing down trams with Molly. I am having the best time of my life. I’ve met some incredible people already and have made some of the best memories. After this huge post I’m going to TRY (extra emphasis on the ‘try’) to write a blog post every other day or so, so that you can hear more detailed descriptions rather than a really general overview of everything. Thanks so much for being invested enough in my adventures to read all of this so far! Nashledanou!