Prague says "Goodbye", Edinburgh says "Hello"... "Hello, Hello!"

My mom and I spent a few wonderful days in Prague as I took her to all my favorite places and showed her life in the Czech Republic. Traveling with parents versus traveling with friends is SO different. While my friends and I are used to slumming it; eating cheap food and drinking way to much beer, I found it refreshing that mom was used to higher standards but I also missed my friends who had all gone home or left for their own travels. On our last day in Prague, hours before catching a plane, friends and I messaged to express our sorrow when we realized that we would all be in Edinburgh (pronounced Edinbra) at the same time! So we enacted "USAC Reunion: Scotland".

Mom and I on the Charles Bridge

Spiking the Malinovka (Raspberry Lemonade) at the Beer Garden

At Cesky Krumlov!

Snapped a picture of mom after she ate a bug! Muahahah!

It was very sad to leave Prague but I used to say that if I got to Scotland I would die happy because I knew all the work and I effort that it would take to get there would mean I've accomplished enough in my life to be happy. Which brings me to another "Lessons Abroad":  

Accomplishing a life goal at twenty can mean that I  am either dreaming too small or am much stronger than I give myself credit for. From now on I'll have to dream even bigger!

Edinburgh is a great city with so much to see in such a small area. We were able to accomplish a lot in two days and will return to the city after visiting my sister in Stirling, Scotland where she has been studying. Many things are strikingly different than Prague. The first, most profound, thing is that people are SO nice! Prague citizens are impersonal and rarely smile or start conversation with strangers. From our first interaction here with the taxi driver to people on the street whom we ask directions, everyone is not just pleasant but extremely nice; laughing and joking with us! 

The second major difference is the nightlife. The Czech Republic has the highest beer consumption per capita in the world and I've got the beer belly to prove it! Although there are many bars here and Magners, Jagger and Ciders are popular the pre-partying starts early around 8pm and everyone shows up to clubs around 11pm but the clubs close at 3am! In Prague, Spain and other places I've traveled pre-partying starts at 11pm and peak time is 3am with closing around 5am except on Sundays. You can imagine my surprise when last call was at 12:30pm. 

But anyway, I am having a wonderful time in Scotland and am sure my great-grandpa as well as other ancestors are smiling down on me as I tour their homeland! Today is a very exciting day as we go to Bridge of Allan where my great-grandfather and his relatives were born! 

Common place where Scots spit in protest of taxes :]

"Moodie"- J.K Rowling author of the Harry Potter series got many of the names of her characters from the gravestones in Edinburgh Graveyard

Grassmarket

Edinburgh Castle and Botanical Gardens

Mom was nice enough hang out with us youngsters. Here we are at the Elephant Cafe  where J.K Rowling wrote the first two books in the Harry Potter series drawing inspiration from the neighborhood she could see out the Cafe's windows.

Getting Sentimental: Lessons Abroad

I don't know exactly where to begin in summing up my incredible semester. Bags were packed, vans were loaded and I watched as my friends who taught me so much about the world and about myself drove away to catch international planes. To say that I have achieved everything I wanted to over the last four months would be an incredible understatement solely because I have accomplished things I didn't even know I wanted to accomplish, things I couldn't even imagine accomplishing! I can't put all my thoughts into words nor can I explain all the ways I have changed and grown but I am so happy with who I have become and am so full of a love and thirst for life.

Here are some of my greatest lessons;

I have had so much fun this semester finding myself and learning what things I want and need without being influenced by parents, friends or hometown habits.

In the last four months I have been focusing on what I am meant to do in life. I know I must incorporate creativity into every day life and take unconventional routes. No one should take life too seriously! I have to do what makes me happy not what is easiest or most rational.

Everyone always says, "Someday I'd like to..." they always put traveling or other goals off because life gets in the way and I COMPLETELY understand that but I also believe that if you want something you make it a priority. There will always be things that come up but if you put things in the back of your mind they'll stay there. You have to start MAKING things happen. Start doing things today not someday.

Everyone is afraid to try new things. Failing is our biggest fear, but what would you try if you knew you wouldn't fail? I have learned that the real adventures begin when you are put in situations that are outside that little bubble we close ourselves in. To roll up the shutters and see the world with new eyes is the most enlightening experience

.

I can't believe I ever doubted how strong I really am. I have exceeded all the limits I thought I had.

I have learned to choose friends wisely. After all, I decide who I let into my life.

I am so incredibly grateful for my parents and family who are so supportive of my dreams. I love my parents and family so much and am so grateful and appreciative for everything they have given me.

I have to start being myself  despite who is watching.

 More than anything I have learned that in order to be happy in life I need to continue traveling. It is a part of who I am, it's what I must do.

 How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.

Where in the world is Donielle Stevens?

You may be wondering where I've been the last couple weeks while my blog laid here collecting dust and crumbs. Well I have been spending all my time immersing myself in all the things I can do in Europe that I can't do at home. That includes tourist watching, eating Smazeny Syr and Kebabs, going to beer gardens, riding the metro, walking around and letting people think I am a local and then much more exciting things like attending concerts and local music festivals, graffiti bombing underpasses, having beers with my teachers and exploring the nightlife all while also studying for finals and updating my goals list.

I only have 8 days until my program is over and this beautiful chapter of my life must come to an end so forgive me for the lack of posts while I enjoy my last days!

Check (Czech!) back soon though because my mom will be joining me in Prague after my program and then we'll be traveling through Scotland and Ireland!

Music in the park :]

Beer Gardens with my friends and my sister when she came to visit!

Homesickness

As the title implies the last few days I have been feeling a little homesick. It's weird because I haven't been  homesick for the past 3 months. Even my worst days here I never wished I was someplace else. It's not that I don't have a lot to miss; my family, my dog and my friends (not always in that order!). I have a great life at home but I never really missed it until now. Maybe it was seeing my sister last weekend that triggered it but now I can't stop listening to country music that reminds me of my hometown and craving ridiculous foods that I've never cared for before. By no means am I going to wish the next few weeks away and I love every minute of every day I spend here but at the same time I think when I go home I'll be happy to be home.

Here are some of the things I've been craving:

Driving: Long drives alone listening to music and singing along
Gym: Putting in a good run to get the day started
Television: Relaxing on the couch with family or my dog Sugar
Tahoe: I need my lake
Cheetos: I have never craved Cheetos but I definitely am here! You always miss what you can't have!
Spices: Gulosh is about the blandest thing ever-right up there with water and that gross fish
Hugs: I've never been a hugger but I just need a big hug-preferably by a massive teddy bear or dad.
Art Store: I can barely leave Michael's without bringing home three more art projects, I am missing not being able to be creative here (in the way I am used to being creative)
English: I mostly miss eavesdropping on other people's conversations
Shopping List: I miss putting an item on a piece of paper clipped to the fridge and having it appear in the cupboard days later. (Thanks mom!)
Grass: The smell of just cut beautiful think grass, crazy right?

Obviously there are tons of things I will miss from here that I'll crave when I get back home and I'm sure it will be just as random. Sad face.

A Weekend in Munich, Germany

Being a beer lover is no easy task. One must keep the palate open and clean in order to embrace all the flavors. You have to become picky about what you eat-making sure your meal enhances the taste of the beautifully thirst-quenching and wheaty-goodness of the beer you're sipping (or gulping). Atmosphere is also very important to the beer lover; you should be surrounded by family or friends and in some new city, you should be relaxed but excited. Of course, there are many enemies to the beer lover-price for one as well as unenlightened older sisters who can't finish one on her own. These are things I discovered over this past weekend when I traveled to Munich, Germany, famed as the beer capital of Germany and praised from westerners as the best city for drinking! 

Munich was beautiful and I was happy to return to Germany, a country that over several trips I have grown to love. We pulled in on the bus and knew we needed to accomplish one thing: start drinking. Luckily, we ran into Munich's Spring Fest! Complete with rides and carnival treats it also had a beer garden packed with people. Much smaller than Munich's Oktoberfest (which I promised myself I would return for) this little carnival was a sweet surprise. 

The highlight of the trip was reuniting with my big sister who has been studying in Stirling, Scotland. We haven't seen each other in three months so this reunion was very exciting. This upcoming weekend      I'll be showing her the sites of Prague when she visits the Czech Republic for the first time! 

We also saw the Neuschwanstein Castle which was definitely worth the trip. It's in Baravia but outside Munich so it was a bit of a hassle to get there plus wait time on the tour ect. ect. But it was worth every minute. The scenery looked as if you stepped into a painting of some unreal place. Really breathtaking. You can't take pictures inside but it was really cool! You'll have to go see it for yourself!

The best part about these weekend trips is that there is never any let down-ever. We keep our expectations low and only have a few things we want to see, that way when we stumble on a carnival or an outdoor fruit market we are all but thankful and excited. After traveling every weekend we try not to stress ourselves out with little things. Just being in a new city and walking around is enough.

Spring Fest

1/2 Meter long Bratwurst!

German kids are the cutest

Sisterly Reunion!

Fussen, Germany

From the bridge

Quinn, Jenae and I chillin' before the tour

Marienplatz at night!

We even got to hear the Glockenspiel play

Monday market

We've lost count...

Pictures of Jenae's triumph over beer. The Germans would probably throw something at her if they knew. Don't worry boys and girls when she comes to Prague I'll make a beer lover out of her!

Defeat?

NO!

That last sip is always the hardest to go down

Chasing beer with soda?

Finally finishing a beer!