Student Journals: AIFS in Prague, Czech Republic

Blair Kmetz
Xavier University
Charles University, Czech Republic

Blair KmetzOn a recent walking tour of Prague's Old Town Square my Czech Literature professor ironically captured the beauty of the city I have come to so admire. He explained, "In the 1800's you had to walk around looking up for fear someone may dump their sewage off a balcony but now you have to look down to avoid the dog waste." Despite this warning and the plethora of well-behaved dogs in Prague, I have decided that stepping in dog poop would be a minor price to pay for the reward of the Prague skylines. My neck has been straining for the last 5 weeks because I am constantly turning my eyes up to enjoy an enormous gothic spire, a beautiful baroque facade, or just the comfortable, crisp and clear fall sky. Between climbing to the top of Petrin Hill, grabbing a beer at the Letna Park beer garden, or walking among the narrow and winding streets there is always something astonishing to see.

My favorite experience so far has been a class visit to the Prague Castle to talk about the gothic architecture of the St. Vitus Cathedral. After freezing in the low temperatures while looking at the flying buttresses outside I ran to a little tea shop at the top of the hill and spent a few hours reading for my Literature class. I ordered a green tea in Czech (zelený caj) and enjoyed a little time to myself after the busy and social weekend. After deciding to brave the cold again I was rewarded by the best view I’ve seen yet. Overlooking the Strahov Monastery apple orchard to my right, the Prague Castle to my left, and all of Prague’s Old town in front of me I walked down the hill relishing the opportunity to actually live in such a beautiful city.

Charles University