Little Things I Left Out...

I've gone back to my old posts and added "hind notes" where appropriate, but here are a few little things I left out completely:
Miss Anna the lovely of Moscow came to visit Prague on her way back to NYC, and we walked up Petřin in the ice and snow, and found a magical little gallery in the middle of Petřin full of paintings by an artist named Reon (www.reon.cz -- surrealist in a good way). He had created an environment, not a gallery-- filled with cavernous nooks and crannies, painted fantastic colours, and in-stereo celtic music to match his fairies and mythical creatured paintings and sculptures-- way cool. Then we we walked up to the mirror-maze (none of us brave or young enough to go for that), and Prague's "eiffel tower," which offers a freezing cold view of the entire city, and no elevator, unless the former communist gate maid deems you unable to walk. But then, hey, we got to slide down the mountain (complete ice) gripping each other by the arm, so I got my satisfaction of Anna hugs:) We then went a a restaurant at the bottom of Petřin (where stairs leading nowhere sport metal statues of disappearing men), which I loved called "Le Bastille." I also love "Le Patio" and "Pizza Coloseum." I'm starting to see a pattern with my taste for all restaurants not Czech...

Also, I've been told I'm officially a Prague citizen, now that I've bought a Metrocard that lets me ride all the city's buses, trams, and subways-- and disappoints the conducters, whose eyes glow in the hope they've found another tourist to fine, when they hear me butchering their language. I don't like the picture.

A good friend of Raph's, Andre of Portugal, has left for a new job in Amsterdam, and I shall miss the early morning barging into our room, one of our pieces of fruit in hand, and "so what are we doing today?" moments. Never fear, Andre and Raph are already planning a road-trip from Berlin to Brussels...
A new housmate, Will, from Kansas has arrived, so that adds to the already english-speaking Andel clubhouse of me and Raph, Erik from Vancouver, Jenny from China, Adam from Poland, and Geri from Bulgaria.

This coming Thursday is Australia Day, so Raph and I stayed up making Lamingtons-- that's right-- BY HAND last night, so they would ripen to the traditional Australian staleness by tomorrow. Meanwhile, Chinese New Year was celebrated by the whole house, managed by Jenny, in a Chinese food pot-luck mixed with a viewing of "The Corporation." Questionable combination, but good for discussion.

Published!!!

OK, pictures are going to take a bit longer, as my computer is new, I didn't bring the software CD for my camera, and the obscure company which made it doesn't seem to have any download links in cyberspace.

Sorry guys-- but look at it this way: you're imagination probably makes me look thinner:) And if not, well then, you're never allowed to paint me!

What HAS been published, is Aditi's and my poem "Naan Onnumey Pannelay" (see www.columbia.edu/~mc2069 for more poetry by me). Spanking wet copies of "The Tablet" came out at Columbia University a couple days ago, so those of you within reach-- pick me up a copy!!!

Also, I've started work at La Strada (www.strada.cz), and I love it there. All seven women who run this organization are incredibly inspiring. They're also very interested in me, and have a lot of great work for me to do, so I feel very useful:) It's a nice change from the finance/IT home environment too (not that I don't love you guys!).

Flamenco classes are great. Our teacher, Jana, seems very professional (proper warm-ups and stretching, mum!) and teaches our class in Czech, English and Spanish! Truly though, we need to get Raph some flamenco shoes...I don't know how he manages...

I joined a gorgeous, beautiful, amazing gym in the mall next door, which was pretty cheap by US standards...Honestly, I didn't feel truly recovered from jet-lag, being sick, etc., until I sat in that steam sauna for a good 20 minutes. I only have a 24 entry card, though, so I'm looking forward to the weather warming up so I can run outside!!

Oh yeah-- and more great news: I got a telephone interview with CUNY (my #1 PhD choice)!! That should take place early Feb.

OK, all for now. Those trying to give me jury duty need to send me a free roundtrip ticket:)

An American in Prague

Hey, someone was nice to me today! I'll have to take back all those things I said about unfriendly Czechs! I've done a lot of walking in the past few days, and found my way around the old town and the new town with a map, and just wandered around my neighbourhood without a map;)
Raph and I met up with (my former Czech teacher and friend) Krystof and a couple of his lovely friends before he ran back to the University of New Orleans, and it seems a generation of Club Andelers (housemates) are leaving, and a new one coming in.
Raph and I have a Czech-English language exchange tonight--at KFC of all places-- with a very sweet and intelligent couple named Ales and Lucka (i.e., Alex and Lucy).
Friday is our first flamenco class, and I start work tomorrow, but as you can see, I have been busy enough nonetheless!
Pictures promised soon.

Anděl bound

Ok, caught my mandatory cold and spent all day (hindnote: a week) in bed and feel a bit better now. Hopefully, we can head off for a trip to Budapest tomorrow (hindnote: didn't happen), and see Krystof in Brno on the way (hindnote: saw him in Prague instead), and take care of Raph's visa paperwork in Bratislava too (hindnote: this we did do, and stayed at a nice hostile, Le Patio, after Raph vetoed the Hilton-- but-- it was a Slovakian "bank holiday" and everything was closed, including restaurants, and most importantly, the Czech emabassy. This, combined with the pouring rain and how sick I was, meant we went directly home the next day, with a stop at a lovely chocolate cafe-- with a chocolate fountain--Maxime's, in Bratislava's main square) . I haven't started work or seen much of the city yet, but all the rest and sleep is (hindnote: desperately needed) worth it!!

Hezky Novy Rok!! (Happy New Year!)

I have arrived saftely in Prague. Albeit 8 hours later than expected, I was nonetheless in time to sleep some and see the city's competitive New Year's fireworks from Petřin, a large snowy hill near Prague Castle. It was absolutely beautiful. My camera's flash wasn't working, but it's burnt into my memory.
Raphael is still amazing-- i'm not disappointed at all;)
Thus far, I find the Czechs themselves...less than friendly, but perhaps my constant smiling is scaring them off;)