21st Birthday!

My 21st Birthday was the longest birthday I've ever had. It started about a week before my actual birthday, when Anna surprised me with a giant bag of presents sent from my friends all over the place. It was the best birthday surprise. Knocked me out of my chair. I had been so busy packing that I hadn't considered my birthday yet, it was the best celebration. (Thanks guys, really. You're the best.)

The celebration continued when I reached Prague and my had my actual birthday. Since I was around strangers, I took the celebration into my own hands. We were in Intensive Czech classes most of the days that week and I asked our teacher, Ilona, if I could bring in a cake for my birthday. She liked the idea. So the next morning, I set out to a bakery and ordered a chocolate and almond cake IN CZECH. It was delicious!

My birthday cake is the one in the upper left corner... with almonds and truffles on top!

Towards the end of our Czech lesson, Ilona brought out the cake and taught the class Happy Birthday in Czech... and then surprised us with Bohemian Sekt Champagne for my birthday! Not only was it my first drink of my 21st birthday but I also got to cross "drink with Professor" off of some universal list somewhere. 

First sip as a legal drinker--- in all countries.

Later that night, we went on an adventure to find an indian food restaurant in Prague. We did. It was fabulous. More champagne. So much curry. 3 hours later everyone is well fed and happy. A night well spent. 

Anthony, Anna (my roommate), Eli, me, and funnyman Bruce.

Sunset from my Flat

 Welcome to my flat. I live on Veverkova, which means squirrel. 

The view from our flat.

Rainbow!

Arrival in Prague

I arrived to Prague on Thursday, August 25, 2011. Now it is Saturday, Sept. 10 and I am starting my blog. The next few posts will go "back in time" to catch up the last two weeks of adventures and photography.

I live in Praha 7 with about 25 international college students, mostly from the states and mostly studying film. The only 3 photographers are Rachel, Anna, and me, and we all live in a tiny room on the fifth floor with Spenser and Jorge, a Spaniard in the 4 year FAMU film program (taking all his classes in Czech. I don't know how he does it.) 

This semester I am working on large format film photography and alternative process film development with an incredible mentor, Miroslav. I will also be taking FAMU electives for digital photography, to get my fix. ( To see the glory that is FAMU, click here.) Also also, I have the opportunity to take an incredible history class about the contemporary history of the Czech Republic... basically the transition from communism in 1990 and since then, into the EU. So far it is fascinating. (And I am continuing to learn some basic Czech as well. My small talk is approaching decent for ordering in cafes and navigating a foreign city.) 

As for the rest I will mostly let my pictures narrate, but the last thing is that this semester I am far from home and school (Washington University in Saint Louis) and the best people I know. This blog is for all of them, you know who you are, in an attempt to share some silliness from far away.