So I think that my friends and I have come to the conclusion that we are in the best program we could have chosen. After meeting so many other study abroad students and talking about our programs, I think we have it the best. Our program only has 50 people in it which is awesome because I have gotten to know each person where-as in a lot of programs there are over 100 people so you never get the chance to talk to everyone. This is a group of 50 people, some are closer than others, but I would love to go visit many of them and I have friends from all over the states now. We went out one night with the NYU boys and we went to their apartment to pregame and they have RA's.... Not cool. We are adults and I am in Europe, do you really think you can tell me not to drink in my apartment... HA. So that was a shocker. the RA walked in when we were talking shots and was like 'I can't see anything'  I was like uhhhh wow.... Our apartments are awesome on the otherhand, I can't remember if I talked about them in another post but we are set up in a whole building above a Pub, there are 8 apartments with 5 people each, 2 rooms with 2 people and then 1 single room. We all keep our doors open, just like the doors so people wander from room to room all day, I love my roommates, I couldn't ask for better :)

Also, the boys that live across the hall are great, Ben, one of my closest friends here is amazing, we play cards together and talk about life all the time. (I am semi-distracted because I am in a Cafe and there is a guy playing guitar which I LOVE) Ken also lives across the hall and sits out on the stairs and plays his guitar a lot, it reminds me of the dorm experience I wish I had, I always pictured it this way, my friends roaming the halls, someone playing guitar, people always ready to play a game or drink. I just love it because coming to a different country is scary enough but since we are all here for the same purpose, to make friends and see the world, we all gravitated towards each other because what other choice did we have? It's exactly what I wanted though, in the dorms, everyone had their lives and their friends already because most people knew someone, most people here didn't know anyone coming into this and that's why were all so close and I would have it any other way...

Ok coming back from my tangent.... more reasons why our program is awesome, we have Geiger.....

So Geiger is apparently a 33 year old hippy who works for USAC. But that surely isn't all, the first (and lasting) impression of Geiger was some guy in a bicyclist outfit with a ponytail always wearing his bike helmet but was someone we were supposed to listen to. He is quietly funny, always making side jokes and if you pick up on his Czech humor it's funny. We have a USAC group on facebook which Geiger often posts adventure outings with Geiger which is always an event you want to go on, among these events have been the 16 mile hike in the Czech countryside, city walks, the Moravia adventure, 'Folk Night' at a local bar on the outskirts of Prague, sunset at Vyshrad etc. We can always count on Gieger to show us the cool places to go around here but with a little twist. We often have "cookouts with Geiger" when he comes to our apartments to show us how to make traditional Czech food, the first thing we made was some sort of stew with hotdogs, eggs, potatoes, peppers etc. It was good and then another night he came over and we made pickled cheese which was sooooo good.... We always have good times with Geiger :) He is about to take us on the 5 day trip to Vienna and Budapest which we are all so excited for. We do things a little less conventional in USAC!




Other things I have noticed....


Our school is a lot easier than other people I have talked to, we go to school in what seems like an abandoned elementary school and are only in class for 3 hours per class per week. And our classes are only with our program so they expect little from us which I won't complain about, I have heard from a lot of people that they have a ton of homework and have to spend a lot of time on it rather than drinking and traveling which is what I am here for, duh ;)

Our program director Jan (j's are pronounced like y's so its like Yan...) is similar to Geiger actually, he is a serious bicyclist/roller-blader.... He is funny, his accent is awesome and he will talk your ear off even if you are late to class but he is super easy going and likes to watch us have fun. What I think I like about our program is that our teachers and everyone that runs the program knows that we aren't here to learn, we are here to drink and see the world and they respect that by not giving us a huge workload and taking us out on tons of excursions. Other trips that they have organized for us were to the Pilsen Brewery, Kutna Hora and the Bone Church, and were going on a trip to Terezin(?) concentration camp when we get back from the Vienna/Budapest trip. This is my favorite part about our program, they organize so many trips for us and I feel like my money is well spent since its included in the cost of the program which was already so cheap. I think a lot of people feel like their programs are expensive but I don't think the directors take the time to see if everyone is going on the day trips and just let people slide under the radar, we all know each other and have great relationships. I love USAC! This is the best thing I could have done for myself and I am so happy!!