Czech Me Out: FOMO

So I know that I have been seriously slacking in my posts and for those of you who actually take the time to read this, I apologize.

I’ve realized that I am suffering from FOMO, or fear of missing out. I think this is a good thing because it is making me appreciate literally everything I do, but I have this fear that someday in the future I’m going to look back on this experience and think that I could have done more because there is just so much to do! Every so often I have to stop and just remind myself that I am actually here, in Europe, living in Prague and it’s the most incredible thing I have ever done. When I take the time to stop and appreciate everything around me, I can’t help but just smile. I feel so grateful.

OK. Now on to my latest and most exciting adventure…

Last weekend my roommate and I had the opportunity to go hear the Dalai Lama speak…in Prague. Which just made it all the more special. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but it was an experience that I’m certain I will carry with me forever. I first just have to talk about how adorable he is. He was just a tiny old man who was so silly and had probably the most contagious laugh I’ve ever heard. He had a deep little chuckle that just made the whole audience light up. He was that old man that you just wanted to take home and make him be your grandpa.

The topic of discussion was: Respect and Compassion in Today’s Society. When he first appeared on stage, he opened with expressing his love and respect for Czech Republic’s former president Vaclav Havel, describing him as the most humble and kind man. Since being here, I have noticed the love the Czech people have for their former president and the pain they feel in knowing that he is no longer here for them. Havel died in 2011, and the Dalai Lama made a promise to him that he would return again to the Czech Republic once more and speak to the Czech people.

One of the biggest messages the Dalai Lama was trying to convey was to be happy and care for your self and let all the stress of everyday life wash away. Life is too short to be stressed and overwhelmed with little things that really in the end just don’t matter. If you can find peace within yourself, then you will look at others with understanding and respect and the world will ultimately be a more peaceful place. He said that Man is the ultimate destroyer of peace, but we also have the power to make this world something beautiful.

Towards the end, the Dalai Lama allowed people in the audience to ask questions and there was one man who stood up to speak, and what he said is something that was so touching, I will never forget. He was a man from Cuba and he came with 5 other men from his country. He asked the Dalai Lama for a message to bring back to the people of his country who are currently experiencing fear and violence. The Dalai Lama responded saying that patience is the answer. Be patient and good things will happen. The tragedies that happen in this world are sometimes out of our control, but with patience you can gain the strength to overcome it. It was truly a very moving moment and everyone in the audience felt it. I'm so happy and feel so fortunate to have been able to experience something so special.

Now onto school! I successfully passed my Czech Language class with an A. Woo! Yesterday was our first official day of classes, and I must say I think my classes are going to be pretty great. This semester I am taking Holocaust/Jewish Studies, Modern European and Czech Politics, Czech Film, and Czech Art and Architecture. With having classes on Monday and Thursday only, it gives me plenty of time to travel and see the world, something our professors actually encourage. It’s going to be a lot of work, but I’m not complaining.

I don’t want to be the lame overjoyed girl that keeps talking about how happy and wonderful everything is, but I just can’t put into enough words how incredible it is being here. This experience is everything I hoped for and then some. Everyday I feel like I’m growing into a better and more accepting person. Life is truly beautiful and I’m enjoying every second of it :)

There are a lot of exciting activities in the mix for this weekend. On Friday I will be traveling to Kutna Hora which is an old medieval town in the Czech Republic where there is a super awesome bone chapel and medieval silver mines, and then Saturday and Sunday USAC is taking us to Moravia where we will be attending a wine festival and taking part in other super fun things that I will make sure to write about! Also in the near future I will be traveling to Bratislava to meet my Great Aunt, and then the weekend after that possibly Germany? Poland? Ireland, maybe? The possibilities are endless!

Below are just some photos of what I’ve been up to lately.