So we have been here with our hosts for 5 days now, and we have had lots of fun time in here. All the time we are doing something, so in the evenings we are very tired. Or at least I am so tired.
Initially, when we came to Žďár, I was a little excited. But when we came to our hosts homes, the excitement was gone. Families were very nice to us. But I think that in the first evening we didn´t do
that much, just taking a shower or eating a little bit. After that we went to bed and slept tight until the next morning.
Now it is Wednesday and we have had lots of fun. Almost a week has gone so fast in here. Only thing that I miss from Finland is my own bed.
Veikka 12.9.
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Funny dancing lesson
Move your body! said Mr. Pleva to us. Do you know why?
Because we had a country dancing course on Sunday afternoon. At first
time nobody wanted to dance, but after a few minutes we all were on the dancing floor.
The first dance was in pairs and every girl wanted to have the best dancer. Unfortunately there were more girls than boys, so some girls had to pretend that they are boys. The dance was hard, but we did
not give it up! In the end we all were dancing the country dance and everyone was laughing very much. Parents and relatives were amusingly watching our dance and listening to the exciting instructions in English, Czech and Finnish language.
Then came the second dance. We were in a circle and we were changing our partners. This dance was more difficult but we managed it!
Natálie and Inka
Ensimmäinen päivä/ The first day
Aamulla 5. syyskuuta aamu alkoi hostellin hyvällä aamiaisella. Se ei tosin ollut yhtään tyypillinen aamiainen meille suomalaisille, sillä se oli makea niin kuin täällä lähes kaikki ruoat.
The morning of the 5th of September started with a great hostel breakfast, even though it wasn't a typical breakfast for us. We aren´t used to eat as sweet a breakfast as it was.
Hostellilta lähdimme hyvissä ajoin nähtävyyskierrokselle. Otimme raitoivaunun kohti Hradčanya ja Prahan linnaa, jonne suuntasimme ensimmäisenä.
After breakfast we took a tram towards Hradčany and the Prague castle where we went first.
Prahan linna oli todella iso, kuulemma suurin muinaislinna maailmassa. Se oli 100 metriä leveä ja puoli kilometriä pitkä. Sen perustaja oli prinssi Bořivoj 800-luvulla.
The castle was huge, we heard that it is the biggest ancient castle in the world. Its length is 100 meters and it is 500 meters wide. Prince Bořivoj founded it in 9th century.
Linnasta matkamme jatkuin Pyhän Vituksen katedraalille, joka oli kaunis kaikkine monivärisine mosaikki-ikkuinoineen ja yksityiskohtineen. Mietimmekin, että mahtaisi mennä muutaman vuoden kuvistunnit samankaltaisen ikkunan tekemiseen.
Then our trip continued to St. Vitus cathedral, which was beautiful sight with those many colorful windows made of mosaic. We thought that it will take pretty many hours to make window like that.
Pyhän Vituksen katedraali, jonka toinen puoli oli remontissa.
St.Vitus cathedral´s other side was under repairment.
Kiertelemisen jälkeen lähdimme kävelemään Vltava-jokea kohti, jonka yli kulkee Kaarlen silta. Se on goottityylinen kivisilta, joka on täynnä turisteja ja kauppiaita myymässä erilaisia matkamuistoja. Silta on massiivinen, minkä ansiosta se onkin kestänyt monet tulvat ja katastrofit. Sillalta on heitetty alas pappi Jan Nepomukilainen vuonna 1393, sillä uskollinen pappi ei suostunut kertomaan kuningattaren rippisalaisuuksia. Jan Nepomukilainen on meille tärkeä henkilö projektin kannalta, sillä tutkimme papin maailmanperintökirkkoa.
After sightseeing we started walking towards river Vltava and Charles bridge which crosses the river.
It is a massive bridge made of rocks in the Gothic style. It´s made of rock so it lasted many floods and other disasters. Loyal Jan Nepomuk was thrown from this bridge in 1393, because he didn't tell the Queen's confessions. Jan Nepomuk is an important man for us because he is the founder of the Green hill church.
Otettuamme yhteiskuvan oli vuorossa omatoiminen ruokailu ja shoppailuaikaa Prahan keskustassa.
After pictures we had time to go shopping and have lunch in Prague.
Keskusta oli täynnä kojuja ja erilaisia näytöksiä.
There were many kind of shows and marketplaces.
Kävelyä oli kertynyt jo paljon päivän aikana mutta mäkkäriruoan ja shoppailun ansiosta fiilikset olivat taas energiset kaikilla, jotta jaksoimme vielä illalla mennä Petřinin kukkulalle. Kukkulalla oli 299 rappusen pienoismalli Eiffel-tornista.
We walked a lot but after McDonald's food and shopping everybody had lots of energy. Next top was Peter's Hill where was a copy of the Eiffel tower. There are 299 stairs in the tower.
Petřínin kukkulalle mentiin raitiovaunun tyylisellä kulkuneuvolla. Korkealla ylhäällä oli upeat maisemat, josta näki koko Prahan.
We took a tram to get to the top. The views were breathtaking. You can see the whole Prague from there.
Růžový sad
Vierailun jälkeen kaikki oli väsyneitä, joten otimme ratikan hostellille ja menimme kaikki yhdessä illalliselle hostellin lähellä sijaitsevaan ravintolaan, joka oli mahtava loppu koko päivälle. Paras ryhmä, mahtava päivä!
After visiting the Petřin tower everybody was quite tired so we took a tram to our hostel and we all went to a restaurant together. The best group ever, it was a great day!
- Eve
The morning of the 5th of September started with a great hostel breakfast, even though it wasn't a typical breakfast for us. We aren´t used to eat as sweet a breakfast as it was.
Hostellilta lähdimme hyvissä ajoin nähtävyyskierrokselle. Otimme raitoivaunun kohti Hradčanya ja Prahan linnaa, jonne suuntasimme ensimmäisenä.
After breakfast we took a tram towards Hradčany and the Prague castle where we went first.
Prahan linna oli todella iso, kuulemma suurin muinaislinna maailmassa. Se oli 100 metriä leveä ja puoli kilometriä pitkä. Sen perustaja oli prinssi Bořivoj 800-luvulla.
The castle was huge, we heard that it is the biggest ancient castle in the world. Its length is 100 meters and it is 500 meters wide. Prince Bořivoj founded it in 9th century.
Linnasta matkamme jatkuin Pyhän Vituksen katedraalille, joka oli kaunis kaikkine monivärisine mosaikki-ikkuinoineen ja yksityiskohtineen. Mietimmekin, että mahtaisi mennä muutaman vuoden kuvistunnit samankaltaisen ikkunan tekemiseen.
Then our trip continued to St. Vitus cathedral, which was beautiful sight with those many colorful windows made of mosaic. We thought that it will take pretty many hours to make window like that.
Pyhän Vituksen katedraali, jonka toinen puoli oli remontissa.
St.Vitus cathedral´s other side was under repairment.
Kiertelemisen jälkeen lähdimme kävelemään Vltava-jokea kohti, jonka yli kulkee Kaarlen silta. Se on goottityylinen kivisilta, joka on täynnä turisteja ja kauppiaita myymässä erilaisia matkamuistoja. Silta on massiivinen, minkä ansiosta se onkin kestänyt monet tulvat ja katastrofit. Sillalta on heitetty alas pappi Jan Nepomukilainen vuonna 1393, sillä uskollinen pappi ei suostunut kertomaan kuningattaren rippisalaisuuksia. Jan Nepomukilainen on meille tärkeä henkilö projektin kannalta, sillä tutkimme papin maailmanperintökirkkoa.
After sightseeing we started walking towards river Vltava and Charles bridge which crosses the river.
It is a massive bridge made of rocks in the Gothic style. It´s made of rock so it lasted many floods and other disasters. Loyal Jan Nepomuk was thrown from this bridge in 1393, because he didn't tell the Queen's confessions. Jan Nepomuk is an important man for us because he is the founder of the Green hill church.
Otettuamme yhteiskuvan oli vuorossa omatoiminen ruokailu ja shoppailuaikaa Prahan keskustassa.
After pictures we had time to go shopping and have lunch in Prague.
Keskusta oli täynnä kojuja ja erilaisia näytöksiä.
There were many kind of shows and marketplaces.
Kävelyä oli kertynyt jo paljon päivän aikana mutta mäkkäriruoan ja shoppailun ansiosta fiilikset olivat taas energiset kaikilla, jotta jaksoimme vielä illalla mennä Petřinin kukkulalle. Kukkulalla oli 299 rappusen pienoismalli Eiffel-tornista.
We walked a lot but after McDonald's food and shopping everybody had lots of energy. Next top was Peter's Hill where was a copy of the Eiffel tower. There are 299 stairs in the tower.
Petřínin kukkulalle mentiin raitiovaunun tyylisellä kulkuneuvolla. Korkealla ylhäällä oli upeat maisemat, josta näki koko Prahan.
We took a tram to get to the top. The views were breathtaking. You can see the whole Prague from there.
Růžový sad
Vierailun jälkeen kaikki oli väsyneitä, joten otimme ratikan hostellille ja menimme kaikki yhdessä illalliselle hostellin lähellä sijaitsevaan ravintolaan, joka oli mahtava loppu koko päivälle. Paras ryhmä, mahtava päivä!
After visiting the Petřin tower everybody was quite tired so we took a tram to our hostel and we all went to a restaurant together. The best group ever, it was a great day!
- Eve
Monday, September 10, 2012
Oh, it´s hot, it´s Granny´s summer!
Arriving at Prague Ruzyne Airport after mere two hours of flight one would expect the weather wouldn´t be that much different from the Finnish fall we left behind. But it sure was. I certainly thought for a moment that we had come to a totally wrong country, Spain or Cyprus or something. Come to think of it, it wouldn´t be too surprising, given that Juri was in the cockpit during the descent of the flight...
In Žďár nad Africa the temperatures were even higher than in Prague, but the air was much clearer and fresher. Sometimes the wind carries an earthly scent of countryside into the lively town. Overlooking the town and it´s surroundings stands the Pilgrimage Church of St. John of Nepomuk. The church can be seen from quite far away, and from the windows of our hotelrooms in U Labutě -hotel. I think it´s a beautiful sight especially in the evening when it´s lit by the light of the sundown. It looks like some fairytale castle or a space ship ready to fly.
Of course it´s amazing that in Žďár alone with it´s c. 25 000 inhabitants there are about 70 different restaurants or bars. As a teacher of mother tongue and literature I´m even more amazed and very glad to see how Czech people seem to be reading books everywhere, in bus stations, in railway stations, in cafés and bars, even while walking in traffic lights! There seems to be a bookstore in every other corner of both Prague and Brno. In Žďár I found a little catholic bookstore from where I bought a nice rose-scented rosary for my wife. The shopkeeper was an elderly lady who spoke neither English nor German. Yet we managed to do business.
Czech people are friendly and eager to help a foreigner even when they don´t share a common language. The young people are exemplary polite and well mannered. The streets are clean, and especially the thousands of culturally valuable buildings and sites are seemingly high respected and well taken care of.
A true sign of an old Central European civilization in my mind is the condition of WCs. In this respect Czech republic hasn´t failed me once: restrooms for men have been very clean and fully equipped. If one gets locked inside a house while visiting a restroom, it´s quite comforting that it isn´t like a scene from Dante´s Hell and smell like a Norwegian fishfactory.
I´ve enjoyed my stay and hope to come back some time soon!
Jari Juutinen
In Žďár nad Africa the temperatures were even higher than in Prague, but the air was much clearer and fresher. Sometimes the wind carries an earthly scent of countryside into the lively town. Overlooking the town and it´s surroundings stands the Pilgrimage Church of St. John of Nepomuk. The church can be seen from quite far away, and from the windows of our hotelrooms in U Labutě -hotel. I think it´s a beautiful sight especially in the evening when it´s lit by the light of the sundown. It looks like some fairytale castle or a space ship ready to fly.
Of course it´s amazing that in Žďár alone with it´s c. 25 000 inhabitants there are about 70 different restaurants or bars. As a teacher of mother tongue and literature I´m even more amazed and very glad to see how Czech people seem to be reading books everywhere, in bus stations, in railway stations, in cafés and bars, even while walking in traffic lights! There seems to be a bookstore in every other corner of both Prague and Brno. In Žďár I found a little catholic bookstore from where I bought a nice rose-scented rosary for my wife. The shopkeeper was an elderly lady who spoke neither English nor German. Yet we managed to do business.
Czech people are friendly and eager to help a foreigner even when they don´t share a common language. The young people are exemplary polite and well mannered. The streets are clean, and especially the thousands of culturally valuable buildings and sites are seemingly high respected and well taken care of.
A true sign of an old Central European civilization in my mind is the condition of WCs. In this respect Czech republic hasn´t failed me once: restrooms for men have been very clean and fully equipped. If one gets locked inside a house while visiting a restroom, it´s quite comforting that it isn´t like a scene from Dante´s Hell and smell like a Norwegian fishfactory.
I´ve enjoyed my stay and hope to come back some time soon!
Jari Juutinen
Ensimmäinen ajatus First thought
Minua oikeasti jännitti vähän, kun tulin Žďáriin, koska tiesin, minkälainen Terka on, mutta en tiennyt yhtään, minkälainen hänen perheensa on. Kun olimme hänen kotonansa, hänen iskä ja sisko oli paikalla. He oli tosi mukavia: tarjoavat mulle koko ajan ruokaa ja juomaa. Terkan iskä René ei osannut hyvin englantia, mutta kysyi aina, haluanko jotain. Hän on tosi mukava ihminen ja osaa kokata hyvin, yrittää aina puhua kanssani, vaikka tajuaa, mitä sanoin, hän ei osannut itse puhua englantia. Terkan sisko Anna on tosi kiva tyyppi, mutta hän ei osaa yhtään englantia, ja hän pyysi minua tekemään itselleen letin. Hänen äiti Laďka ei ollut paikalla, kun tulin. Hän oli Saksassa jossain koulutuksessa, mutta hän tuli kotiin perjantaina. Hänkin oli tosi tosi mukava ihminen ja yllätys! - hän osaa puhua englantia. Hän kysyy, aina mitä haluan, ja kun syödään tai kun tullaan jostain, hän kysyy aina, miten mun päivä on mennyt ja ihan kaikenlaista Suomesta ja kouluista ja Kuokkalan koulusta. He ovat tosi mukava perhe. Tereza asuu kerrostalossa, hänellä on kaksi maailman ihaninta kissaa ja yksi papukaija. Mä tavallaan asun hänen huoneessaan, joka on tosi mukava. Heidän kotinsa lähellä on yksi puisto, jossa me yleensä käydään Veikan ja Kuban kanssa, joka asuu toisessa talossa. Yleensä me heitetään frisbeetä tai me vain istutaan siellä ja jutellaan. Kaiken kaikkiaan hänellä on tosi tosi mukava perhe.
I really was not that nervous when I came to Žďár because i knew Terka but I really didn't know nothing but her family except that she live with her parents and her sister. When we went to her house her father and her sister were at home they were really kind they offer me all the time food and something to drink, her father René didn't know how to speak English but all the time he was asking me if I want something even though he can understand what I said but can't speak it he tried talking to me he was really was nice person and a very good cook. Her sister Anna was a really a sweet girl but she to can't speak English so we don't talk that much. Her mother Laďka wasn't there when I came but she came back on Friday. She is a really a nice and kind person she always ask me how am I and how was my day and she ask about Finland and Finnish school. Altogether they a really nice good and kind family. They live in a flat. Tereza has two cats and one of them is the world´s most sweetest cat and she has a bird and a parrot and I really like their house. Right behind the house there is a park. Sometimes we go there with her friends to play frisbee or just sit and chat. Altogether she has a nice family and I like living with them and I really am enjoying the stay in Žďár and all because of them .
Mariama
10/09/2012
I really was not that nervous when I came to Žďár because i knew Terka but I really didn't know nothing but her family except that she live with her parents and her sister. When we went to her house her father and her sister were at home they were really kind they offer me all the time food and something to drink, her father René didn't know how to speak English but all the time he was asking me if I want something even though he can understand what I said but can't speak it he tried talking to me he was really was nice person and a very good cook. Her sister Anna was a really a sweet girl but she to can't speak English so we don't talk that much. Her mother Laďka wasn't there when I came but she came back on Friday. She is a really a nice and kind person she always ask me how am I and how was my day and she ask about Finland and Finnish school. Altogether they a really nice good and kind family. They live in a flat. Tereza has two cats and one of them is the world´s most sweetest cat and she has a bird and a parrot and I really like their house. Right behind the house there is a park. Sometimes we go there with her friends to play frisbee or just sit and chat. Altogether she has a nice family and I like living with them and I really am enjoying the stay in Žďár and all because of them .
Mariama
10/09/2012
Students' observations
What happened in the time our Finnish partners came to the Czech Republic?
David has a broken arm and he tried to protect his gypsum clean (that means bright white).
However, he couldn't be with us.
Czech people invited Finnish people to bowling match. We were so intrested in the game that we were rolling on the floor.
First impressions from the Czech Republic
On Thursday the 4th of September we arrived in the warm city of Prague. Everyone was excited for the couple of upcoming nights in beautiful Prague and the excellent sights and shopping places even after many hours of travelling.
We arrived at the airport of Prague at approximately six o´clock in the evening. After that we took a bus and a subway to the center of Prague. Our hostel was located near the underground station just a few hundred meters away from a mall called 200 shops.
All in all from the first days in Czech Republic I can say that it is a really nice country, all the people are nice and everything has gone fine.
Tiistaina 4. syyskuuta saavuttiin lämpimään Prahaan. Kaikki olivat pitkästä bussi- ja lentomatkasta huolimatta innoissaan muutamasta tulevasta yöstä kauniissa Prahassa ja sen tarjoamista hienoista nähtävyyksistä ja shoppailupaikoista.
Saavuimme Prahan lentokentälle noin klo 6 illalla. Sen jälkeen otimme bussin ja metron Prahan keskustaan. Hostellimme sijaitsi lähellä metroasemaa ja vain noin 200 metrin päässä 200 shops-nimisestä ostoskeskuksesta.
Kaiken kaikkiaan ensimmäisistä päivistä Tšekissä voin sanoa, että se on erittäin hieno maa, kaikki ihmiset ovat mukavia ja kaikki on mennyt hyvin.
Ve čtvrtek 4. září jsme dorazili za teplého počasí do Prahy. Všichni se těšili na noční Prahu, na krásné památky a na nakupování po hodinách cestování.
Přijeli jsme na letiště do Prahy v šest hodin večer. Poté jsme se autobusem a metrem dopravili do centra Prahy. Náš hostel se byl v blízkosti stanice metra, jen pár metrů od nákupního centra s názvem 200 obchodů.
Z těchto prvních dnů v České republice mohu za všechny říci, že je to opravdu krásná země a lidé tady jsou krásní a všechno je tady fajn.
Filip and Henri
We arrived at the airport of Prague at approximately six o´clock in the evening. After that we took a bus and a subway to the center of Prague. Our hostel was located near the underground station just a few hundred meters away from a mall called 200 shops.
All in all from the first days in Czech Republic I can say that it is a really nice country, all the people are nice and everything has gone fine.
Tiistaina 4. syyskuuta saavuttiin lämpimään Prahaan. Kaikki olivat pitkästä bussi- ja lentomatkasta huolimatta innoissaan muutamasta tulevasta yöstä kauniissa Prahassa ja sen tarjoamista hienoista nähtävyyksistä ja shoppailupaikoista.
Saavuimme Prahan lentokentälle noin klo 6 illalla. Sen jälkeen otimme bussin ja metron Prahan keskustaan. Hostellimme sijaitsi lähellä metroasemaa ja vain noin 200 metrin päässä 200 shops-nimisestä ostoskeskuksesta.
Kaiken kaikkiaan ensimmäisistä päivistä Tšekissä voin sanoa, että se on erittäin hieno maa, kaikki ihmiset ovat mukavia ja kaikki on mennyt hyvin.
Ve čtvrtek 4. září jsme dorazili za teplého počasí do Prahy. Všichni se těšili na noční Prahu, na krásné památky a na nakupování po hodinách cestování.
Přijeli jsme na letiště do Prahy v šest hodin večer. Poté jsme se autobusem a metrem dopravili do centra Prahy. Náš hostel se byl v blízkosti stanice metra, jen pár metrů od nákupního centra s názvem 200 obchodů.
Z těchto prvních dnů v České republice mohu za všechny říci, že je to opravdu krásná země a lidé tady jsou krásní a všechno je tady fajn.
Filip and Henri
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