Nothing of this world is eternal; everything has a dawn, just as it will have a dusk. Unfortunately, this trip is no exception to this absolute principle. It seems unreal that this trip is drawing to its conclusion after nearly three months of oversea adventures. I recall the moment I stepped onto the plane from the Omaha airport. I gazed back at the last bit of "familiar territory" that I would see for quite some time. I viewed the next few months as eternity. Yet, here I am, about to make the final leap of my journey. This post will be slightly different, so for those who will question my writing style, that is why. Instead of a particular site, or a specific adventure, I will, instead, focus on much broader aspects to this trip, such as my packing, traveling, social life, school work, money, and communications. So, without further ado, let me begin this wonderful summation of my tale.
With regards to my packing, I have to say I have mixed feelings. There are some things that I wish I had packed, and there are some items that I wish I had left behind. Of course, I could not find the right items to bring the first time; that would be too easy. Instead, I had to learn the hard way. But, that is what an adventure is all about--learning from one's mistakes and adjusting the strategy for the next time. First, and foremost, I should have brought my pillow. The pillow that we are provided with here blows (nothing in nature sucks, right?). As soon as I lay my head upon it, I become an appetizer. Literally, the pillow swallows my head, and it is like I fall through it, in a way. There is no structure, no support, and no comfort. It is stinky, itchy, and unpleasant. The comforter is sufficient, but it smells the same as the pillow. Coming in at a close second would have to be my second backpack. The one I am currently using is stressed, to say the least. The straps are beginning to show their wear; I am, constantly, pulling on the strings. Imagine packing enough supplies to last you a week, all in one small bag. This includes a computer, a week's worth of clothing, electronic devices, cords, books, papers, and other miscellaneous items. Aside from those items that would have satisfied my materialistic wants and needs, I would have brought a picture of my family to satisfy my spiritual needs. Sometimes, a little "familiarity" is all I need to keep going. It can get pretty lonely here after a while. Had I the means of doing so, I would have brought along a stash of Mountain Dew. While I found a substitute, nothing can ever, truly, replace the love of my life, that beautiful, caffeinated beverage that I call my friend. For the record, they have Mountain Dew over here, but it tastes terrible when compared to what I can get back home. If I could choose some items to have left behind, I would have to say my jacket would be the first thing to go back. Without knowing the weather of each destination, I have to bring both of my jackets, and it can get pretty miserable wearing both. I brought a few movies with me that I could have left at home without a problem. I have enough going on over here to keep me occupied. Other than that, I am pretty pleased with what I did and didn't bring. Surprisingly, I brought just the right amount of clothing for this trip. I find myself with enough outfits to get me through the week and into the weekend, when I can do laundry and start the cycle over. I am sure there are a few other items, but they escape me at the present moment.
With regards to traveling, I have a few pointers to make. For those who plan on making trips similar to mine, I have a few recommendations. First of all, for God's sake, plan ahead of time. Do not just buy the ticket and then leave the subject alone. Do research and determine the location of the station, the terminal, the gate, and even the bathroom! (Restrooms are publicly sacred, considering you have to pay to use them.) Personally, I recommend traveling by bus or by train, rather than by plane. Flying makes me ill, and I would rather have access to my luggage continuously, and not have to worry about whether or not it will make it to my landing point. It may take longer, but it is, usually, cheaper, so it is worth it, in my opinion. Usually, I don't like to preach what I don't actively practice, but I highly recommend traveling in small groups. Traveling alone is scary and dangerous, and traveling in a large group is a confusing, hectic nightmare. While I traveled, during Spring Break, I was constantly worried. I was worried that I might miss my connecting train, or that I might get lost, or mugged, or become a victim to some other horrible crime too explicit to mention here. In small groups, you can maintain your sanity, remain calm and focused, help each other with research and locations, and, if need be, take watches when sleeping in stations/airports. Hey, it's Europe; anything can happen. Along with that research, find out the currency, should your location utilize a different currency than what you are used to, and acquire that form of currency ahead of time. Find a place that does not charge an exchange rate (There was a place in the mall, "Olomouc City," and they were very friendly). When I, first, arrived in Switzerland, I was unaware that they utilized a different currency that was not Euros. I had to go back to the station and pull out some Swiss Franks, and I was outside of the station when I realized it. Thankfully, I was still waiting for the tram when the epiphany hit me. Other than that, enjoy it and have fun. Don't let your mind be weighed down by thoughts or emotions. Let go of your worries and fears and enjoy it. Trust me, I know what it means to have those negative thoughts ruin an entire experience. Basically, know everything there is to know about the place you intend to visit before you arrive. It may be a headache at the time, but it will spare you one when you get there.
I do have some recommendations on where to visit should you find yourself in this particular neck-of-the-woods. I know it sounds whimsical, but visit a theatre while here. They do vary from what you will find back in the states, and the experience is always fun. The atmosphere is still that of entertainment, but the attitude is different. The people are social and friendly, and they will actually take the time to talk to you and care for your needs (all depending on where you go, I guess.). Of course, I have to recommend Switzerland. More specifically, Aarau, Switzerland is a fantastic choice when it comes to the scenery and climate. From every angle, one can see the mountains, and there are some hills that one can hike through. There is, also, the river that runs nearby for which Aarau was named. Zurich, Switzerland was a good place, but if you don't like crowded cities, then it, probably, isn't ideal. The trams take you to most places, and, from where I stayed, everything I needed was within walking distance. Trams operate in most European cities. The key is checking the schedule to see where they go; it can become scary when you wind up in unfamiliar territory. Dresden, Germany would have to be a good place to visit. For one, it is filled with people who are kind, Cathedrals that are beautiful, and a community that is respectable. (It must be, for there wasn't any graffiti, from what I could see). Honestly, I do not recommend Prague, Czech Republic, or Venice, Italy for much the same reasons. They are crowded, overpopulated, and formatted like a maze. When I walk through them, I feel like a rat looking for the cheese. The water and the bridges in Venice make for a nice, picturesque moment, but that is about it. Other than that, I do not have any highly recommended sights or places to avoid, but I do recommend visiting as many places as you can while abroad. Engaging with diverse cultures and customs is the best educator, in my experience. It will teach you more than you could ever learn from a classroom. It is the best "Hands-on" experience one will ever find.
My social life in the Czech Republic is not much different than what it normally is back in the states. I guess that is my one biggest regret about this entire trip. My only interaction I had with the locals was during my first few days here. At the end of our first day of orientation, our tour-guide showed me around and gave me some pointers on where to go to buy groceries, where to go to avoid traffic, etc. She, also, taught me some of the customs of the local people. We spent the day talking and teaching, but it was getting late, and she had a lecture. I told her I was down for sitting in on a lecture, and, wouldn't you know it, that is, exactly, what I did. I met some of her friends, and the lecture was on Irish poets. It really was fascinating. Unfortunately, that was the only time I talked with any of the locals at any length. I had the average dealings with them, as did we all, but nothing serious. Well, I guess I must mention how one of the locals bashed Americans by saying we don't know our geography. She thought we didn't know where Ukraine was, and I gathered, from her subtlety, that she thought we were stupid. Of course, I was able to give a good impression of our American group because I sat in on their lecture, which wasn't required by any means. Thus, we parted ways as friends. Between the weekend trips, the classes, and my other duties, most of my time was occupied, but I should have made more of an effort to get out and mingle. The free time that I did receive I spent taking walks, visiting local shops, reading, watching movies, and talking with some of the people who came on this trip with me. Everybody, on this trip, loved to frequent the bars. I, however, could not do so. I tried it a few times, attending the bars, but I found it dry and distasteful. I don't drink alcohol, so I find little point in going to a bar if you don't drink. I tried drinking soda, but that isn't any fun, considering everyone else is getting buzzed and crazy, and I am sitting all alone, completely sober. I don't like drinking, I don't like dancing, and I don't like smoking, all of which could be found at every bar. Thus, without frequenting the bars, my social life suffered. I tried to combat that with my own version of fun. One night, I held a pasta dinner party. I bought everything, I cooked everything, and all 24 students on this trip got a serving. It was my way of saying fun could be had without finding a bar. In general, I am not a social person, and I tend to be found alone. I have to say that if you are like that, think twice before traveling abroad with a group. I am not saying you cannot travel; I am saying that you should be aware that you will have to overcome more obstacles and difficulties than anyone else. Not only do you have academics and traveling to worry about, as everyone does, but you also have social aspects to worry about, aspects that most others do not even consider. I advise that you get to know the people you are traveling with ahead of time. Know who the people, whom you will be spending the next few months with, are. The people of European countries are different than what you find in the states. Some people are very outgoing and welcome new members, and some are very closed-off from anything new. Do not jump in quickly. The key is to take your time and test the waters. Start small and quiet, almost reserved, to see what kind of person they are. If they seem to be outgoing as well, then great, but, if not, then a change in tactics is in order.
We must not forget that one of the key reasons for traveling so far was for the academics. Of course, no two educational systems are alike, so, of course, there are a few differences between the education that we received here at Palacky University and the education I have received at the University of Nebraska at Kearney in the past. What may be the most obvious difference is the smaller setting. Fewer students, makes for a much stronger connection between students and professors. All of my classes had the same number of students--24. None of the classes we took were mixed with the local students that regularly attend Palacky. We had one professor that traveled with us from Kearney, but the rest of the professors are regulars at Palacky. The class, taught by the professor that came with us, was just like a class one could attend at Kearney, but my other classes were completely different. One class of mine was an online course, and, in all honesty, I have yet to take an online course, so the experience was new. However, that left two classes that were in the hands of foreign professors. My Czech Language class was taught by a woman named Katerina Prokopova. She was very enthusiastic and intelligent when it came to the material she was conveying to us, as any teacher is supposed to be. However, the main difference, for me, was the mutual exchange of knowledge. At Kearney, the students arrive, they sit, they listen, they take notes, they get up, and the leave. However, at Palacky, the students learn just as much as the teacher does. That was especially true with our case. We learned the Czech language, and she learned more of the English language. I can't even tell you how many times she would ask us if she was pronouncing or saying something correctly in English. She would ask us what our customs were, what was normal for us, and how we compared our ways with theirs. It was a more efficient way of learning because it was actively engaging each and every student. We came to care about her just as much as she cared about us. We wanted to teach and learn as much as she, and that is what spells success--when the students and teachers have the same desires and motives, and when they synchronize with each other. With our other lecture class, the professor changed each time. There were, at least, eight different speakers we had throughout the program. Some speakers were boring as hell, and yet some were completely enthralling. Those that made the biggest impression were those who could relate to us, as students. They made jokes, they laughed, they showed us that they were human. They told us about their educational experience, their downfalls, their failures, but, they also told us about what stood out to them, what was important for them, and what made them a success.Those who drifted from our memory as quickly as they came were those who were monotonous, mono-toned, and robotic. My experiences in Kearney, thus far, have yet to introduce me to that level of connection between a student and a professor. Don't get me wrong; there are some professors at Kearney I would, gladly, study under before the professors found here. For the Czech language class, we had only one test, and it was an amalgamation of the entire year's worth of information. It was relatively simple, considering she gave us everything we needed to know. As for the lecture course, it was graded differently than what I am used to, but I think it was efficient. The class, taught by the Kearney professor, was graded, similarly, to what I am used to, with a test being given at the end in the form of the familiar, dreaded "Final." In order to prepare for my tests, I studied in the same way as I always have, so there was no difference there. Academics, besides the connection between the students and faculty, remained pretty close to the same. However, this connection was, is, and will, forever, be a significant aspect of the classroom experience.
Before we departed for this trip, I took out $500, and I converted $300 of it to Czech Korunas, and $200 to Euros. I learned that it was a good start. I only went to the ATM a few times, but you just need to be aware of some things. One U.S. dollar is, roughly, equivalent to 20 Crowns. The Czech prices vary depending upon the location. In our base city, Olomouc, everything is pretty cheap. However, in Prague, everything is super expensive. The Czech Republic is the only country to use the Crown system. Most other European countries utilize the Euros. Some advice, the Euro system is super expensive and ridiculous. One U.S. dollar is about .72 Euros. I never came across a country that used the Euro that was cheap, to any degree. However, with all my affiliations with Euro-using lands, I still have some of my $200 worth of Euros left. I spent a few days in Austria and Italy and traveled through Paris and Germany. Like I mentioned earlier, before you go to any foreign country, do your homework on the type of currency required. When I, finally, figured out that I needed Swiss Franks in Switzerland, I ran back into the station and pulled some out. It is about the same as a Euro, and Switzerland is one of the most expensive places around. I pulled out $80 worth of Swiss Franks for three days, and I still have some left over. As with my Corunas, I have, probably, used about $300 thus far, and that is about two months. The expenditures range from groceries, bars, theatres, tickets, and other  items one may need. Before you pull out any money, you must, first, decide what sort of lifestyle you plan to lead while abroad. Do you plan on eating out a lot, going to bars, and living the sweet life? If you do, I guarantee you the fees I have listed will double, if not triple. I have been living simply, hardly eating out, making food in the dorms, going out on occasion, and seldom attending the bars. In addition, when one uses the ATM's, an international charge is placed on the account, and the same goes with using debit cards at stores. Thus, I do recommend pulling money out ahead of time, and not using your cards that often. Very quickly, I can give a brief analysis of my spending. I, usually, spend about $30 on groceries per week, and about $2 on laundry per week. If I go to a movie, that is about $6 per time. The few times I went to a bar cost me about $5 on the night, plus an entrance fee of about $2, and my Pasta Night cost me about $30 in itself. Various other expenditures will manifest, but, like I said, you have to decide what type of lifestyle you will live before you decide how much to pull out. Will you buy many souvenirs? Will you travel? You need to do your homework!
Communicating with the States can be tricky at times. At first, I tried to buy a phone and put minutes on it, like a trac phone, but that plan didn't work too well. DO NOT TRY AND CALL THE STATES WITH THAT SORT OF SET UP!! After I put $6 worth of minutes on my phone, I tried to call my parents in the states. My phone might as well have imploded. Needless to say, all of my minutes evaporated. Expensive lesson learned, I suppose. Skype will become your new best friend. What I recommend, if your family doesn't have internet or Skype, is to buy Skype credit. Basically, you buy minutes, and you can call a cell phone from your computer. It became a lifesaver for me as I could, finally, get a hold of my family, who doesn't have internet. Other than that, e-mail and Facebook are a good way of maintaining contact with advisers, professors, and scholarship connections.
Finally, I will close with some more specific places people need to visit.
I realize I listed some places earlier, but now, as I am brainstorming more places, I will list what comes to mind. Bear with my hectic organizational schemes. Contrary to what it may seem, Olomouc has some of the best attractions around. One does not have to leave the country to find a cool spot. From Neredin, our dormitory, the "7" tram will take you into town and drop you off at the stop around the corner. From there, you can either continue walking, or you can get on the "3" tram and arrive at the mall. This mall is the biggest I have seen yet. Granted, the Mall of America dwarfs this operation, but it is still quite large. It has everything from shops, a theatre, a bowling alley, amazonian apparel, and even a dinosaur exhibit (that was there the last time I visited). Another place would have to be Globus. It is a given fact that every person in Olomouc has visited Globus, but, nonetheless, it is a really cool place. Globus is the equivalent to a U.S. Walmart. It has everything,  ranging from food, household appliances, electronics, currency conversion, a phone shop, and much much more. I walk to Globus from Neredin, almost everyday, but many others do not share my enthusiasm for walking. I believe one has to take the "7" tram and then find the bus that will, specifically, take you to Globus. It is only about a 20 minute walk, so I find no problem with it. Hell, one night, I walked back from a movie in the pouring rain. A twenty minute walk in the rain. I was in Heaven. While it is broad and not very specific, I recommend going to Dresden, Germany. From the train station, it is a straight walk through the city. There are shops bordering this hallway-like set-up. When we were there, we thought we were late for our train, so we ended up running through Dresden to catch it. While we missed our train, the memory is still priceless. We ran through crowds of people, and that included a break-dance competition. If you get the chance, run through Dresden; the looks you get are hilarious.
In all seriousness, I suggest visiting the river in Zurich, Switzerland. My host was named Patrick, and I cannot recall his last name, unfortunately. He is on the Air BnB website, so it should be, relatively, easy to find him. His father gave me a tour of the city, and the river was the best part, in my opinion. From Berninaplatz, the place I was staying, take the "10" tram to the "University Irchel" stop. From there, get on the "9" tram, and take it to the river. You will see it when you get there, so you will know when and where to get off. The sight is, absolutely, breathtaking. The people are crowded along its shores, the musicians are playing a tune, the birds are swooping down for a treat, and the breeze carries your essence straight over the rippling currents. Just follow the river, and you will eventually come to a grassy area where people stop and admire, and for good reason. Across the water, you will see the mountains, snow covered in all of their glory. I sat there for a good half hour just admiring the splendor that nature can offer, and that was only a fraction of what nature can really do. I, honestly, can't recommend a place to go in Venice, Italy because I couldn't navigate it myself. It was a personified maze in a box, it wasn't even funny in the slightest. Aarau, however, has some great attractions worth investigating. After you leave the train station, you can either go left or right. Fortunately, there is something beautiful on both sides. If you go right, you can visit the park. There are paths that take you into the thicket, and, for a brief moment, you can lose yourself believing that you are in a legitimate forest. There is  a small pond with a fountain, there are gigantic trees, and there is a building called "The Albert Einstein House." Of course, there are, also, couples making out on the park benches. It wouldn't be complete without those public displays of affection. If you go left, just follow the street. It will be about a 30 minute walk, and it will take you outside of the city limits, but you will come across a hill to hike and a wildlife reserve with some interesting animals. If you visit the animals, make sure to feed them, and if you climb the hill, make sure to take a rock as a memento of your accomplishment. In Krakow, Poland, you will find, should you seek it out, Schindler's Factory. It is a cool place to become educated about Poland's involvement in World War II, and, of course, you get to see where Schindler walked, talked, ate, drank, etc. The factory has been turned into a museum, but, as your progress further in, you will, finally, run into a couple of offices with very important looking desks. It was unclear to me which desk was used for what purpose, but I imagined Oskar Schindler sitting in each one, talking with Mr. Stern about the operations of the factory and creating that wonderful list that spared a thousand lives, roughly. In the last office, you will find a hut made of glass and, within the glass walls, there are the enamelware that the Jews, in the factory, manufactured. Inside the hut, on the walls, lies the names of the Jews. Trying to walk along that floor is quite a noisy process; I do believe that that floor was, by far, the noisiest I have ever heard. I could, hardly, hear myself think, standing inside the hut, where the noise collected and amplified, resonating within my eardrums. Lastly, I must make a brief mention of the camps we have visited. Terezin and Auschwitz are the two main camps we took the time to visit. While they are very interesting, educational, and a true "Once In a Lifetime" experience, I can only recommend you to go there once. Once was enough for me; I have no desire to go back. The sights can be rough, disturbing at times, and a bit unsettling, but everyone deserves to see it, at least once. Everyone needs to see these camps to remember, to honor, to know, and to share the truth. Those are some key places I highly recommend visiting while in Europe. Even if it seems far away, just remember, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. How many more times will you make this journey? Forget those worries, forget those doubts, and just take the plunge. It might lead to some great results.
I hope you all have enjoyed reading my blogs, and this might be my last one. I don't know what is to come, but I just want to say that I have appreciated your attention and interest. I hope that you have enjoyed reading about my adventures as much as I have enjoyed living them. I know that sounds a bit self-centered, but I hope that you will experience them too one day. I will try and keep you all updated with the events that transpire in the coming weeks. Until then, this is it. Thank you again and, as always, "May The Odds Be Ever In Your Favor!"
                                                                                 -Anthony-

Aarau, Switzerland

Auschwitz/Birkenau

Dresden, Germany

Kremeriz

Olomouc

Ostrava

Prague

Prague

Schindler's Factory: Krakow, Poland

Terezin

Venice, Italy

Vienna, Austria

Zurich, Switzerland