A day in an experienced traveller's life

Yes. An experienced traveller, that's what I consider myself, despite all the inabilities I posses, such as the inability to write my birth date correctly in a visa application form. I am still willing and able to help people at airports everywhere (and yes - there's always at least one person on my flight freaking out about something and I'm always willing to tell them where to go, what to do... or go there with them).

Despite all the flights I've been on and all these things, I think I might be least organized traveller ever. But I usually don't get stressed out about it, so I just continue being disorganized. I never pack earlier than the night before leaving. And printing tickets is sometimes a waste of time...

Like when I was leaving Pittsburgh. After telling everyone I'm flying to JFK and then Prague, I found out - a week before my flight - that I'm actually flying to Detroit (I actually kept saying Denver, which made no sense), Frankfurt and then Prague. Fine. I didn't pack until the day I was leaving. Yes, my excuse was that it was finals week. But come on, I wouldn't have packed earlier even if I had a week vacation to do that.

B. offered to drive me to the airport, so I told P. we'd pick him up at 9 am. And since it was the finals week and my last final was Thursday night, I couldn't but join everyone in the bar after that to get rid of all the tension accummulated during the finals. After coming home late, I decided to set my alarm clock for 7:30 so that I can pack. And then I fell asleep. Apparently, there was nothing between the decision-making process and falling asleep. I simply didn't set the alarm clock. I woke up at 6 am with a headache that was bad enough to make me get up and get some water. So I did and looked at my cell phone only to find out that I never set my alarm clock!!! Who'd think I'd ever be grateful for a hangover? :-)

So in the end I really did set the alarm clock and I woke up at 7:30. I managed to wake up B. (2 phone calls :-)) and I managed to pack. We picked up P. a little late but we made it to the airport on time... Sounds ok, right? But there was more forgetting on my part.

Security control. How many times have I been through those? (Yes - how many times have I written down my birthday and still was able to get it wrong when it really mattered?) I was annoyed by the fact that we still need to take off shoes (no need to do that in Europe anymore), but the fact that almost no liquids are allowed didn't bother me at all, apparently. The line stops and everyone, including me, wonders why. Here's why: I had a bottle full of water in my backpack. So I had to take it, go back, get rid of the water, take off my shoes again, go through the security again... P. waiting for me, clapping his hands when I got back, saying: "Bravo! One more time!" :-)

And later... P.: "So I almost forgot that I need to have the I20 form signed before I leave the country. I remembered it this morning and so I left it with K. to have it signed and mail it to me." - Me: "Signed?!!!!" Yes... No - I didn't forget to get it signed. I forgot that I needed to get it signed. So there I am - at the airport with the I20 that is completely useless. It still didn't freak me out, though, and I still believe things are gonna be fine and I'll be allowed back in the country. The fact, that we got to Frankfurt late and there was no way to find out from which gate my flight to Prague was leaving because there was nobody to ask, didn't freak me out either. I was calm. I took a girl with me who flew for the first time and was having the same problem and kept telling her we're gonna be fine despite the huge line ahead of us. We were fine.

I'm thinking - does being an experienced traveller mean that the only thing that can freak me out is losing my passport? But would it freak me out because it's a travel-related trouble, or because I just love my passport with all the stamps so much? :)

Two crazy guys playing the piano

Lovin' it. Jamie, of course. And Tim Minchin.

Hit the road, Jack, and don't you come back, no more, no more, no more, no more...

Jamie Cullum's new video - I'm all over it

And I can't say how glad I am about that...

And I said I could change but I lied...

I just love this song :)

G20 je tady!

A mně nezbývá, než se chlubit, chlubit, chlubit... :) Ale než s tím začnu - v Pittsburghu se dnes a zítra koná summit G20. Co to znamená? Policie, tajné služby, ochranka, zavřené ulice... Když jsem šla dnes ráno do školy, kampus vypadal, jako by byla sobota brzo ráno po velké party. Kdyby tam nebylo tolik policajtů...

G20 je tady a to znamená, že tu je taky spousta důležitých lidí - Barackem Obamou počínaje, čínským prezidentem (Hu Jintao, kdyby vás to zajímalo :)) konče. A taky spousta protestujících - ať už těch, kteří protestují z konkrétních důvodů, nebo těch, kteří prostě jen rádi protestují (Ale slogan "Free Tibet before free trade" se mi líbil). Házení popelnic, pepřový sprej...

A teď už teda k tomu, čím se chci pochlubit. :) V úterý přišla spolubydlící celá nadšená, že na univerzitě bude ruský prezident Dmitrij Medveděv a že bude mít přednášku pro studenty. Vlastně ani ne přednášku - prostě přijde a nechá studenty ptát se, na co chtějí. Moje první reakce? Hmm... Stejně ty otázky budou předpřipravené... V úterý to celé byla navíc tajná informace. Jak se tam spolubydlící dostala? Dělá, stejně jako já, Certifikát z ruských a východoevropských studií (REES). Ve středu se mě někdo zeptal (tajné informace se zjevně šíří rychle :)), jestli tam jdu taky. A mně to začalo vrtat hlavou - sakra, ruského prezidenta přece jen tak neuvidím, ne? A tak jsem šla na REES zeptat se, jestli bych se tam taky dostala. Oni mě připsali na seznam a večer napsali, že si mám přijít vyzvednout pozvánku.

Po středeční statistice jsem šla na pro-ekologické shromáždění, což byl vlastně spíš koncert, domů jsem přijela kolem desáté večer, zapnu počítač, protože jsem musela dělat domácí úkol do ekonomie... A tam e-mail od profesora Stanilanda (což je mimochodem úžasný pán), že by mě mohl (respektive jeho žena) dostat na oběd/přednášku s prezidentem Evropské komise Josém Manuelem Barrosou! Tato akce nebyla tajná, ale byla jenom pro zvané a mě by nikdy nenapadlo, že bych se tam mohla dostat. Ale profesor Staniland si myslel, že když jsem z EU, měla bych tam být... A jeho žena mě připsala na seznam. 150 lidí z celé univerzity (na univerzitě je zaměstnaných 12000 lidí a studuje tu zhruba 34000 studentů) bylo pozváno a já byla 150!

A přišel čtvrtek a mně nezbývalo, než se vhodně obléct, obout nepohodlné boty a hurá do vysoké politiky! :) Prezident EK Barrosa je člověk s neuvěřitelným přehledem (A schopností říct z hlavy jména obou našich letošních premiérů i prezidenta a správně je vyslovit. :) Byla bych ale radši, kdyby ČR mohla být zmíněná i z jiných důvodů, než proto, že naši politici jsou prostě občas neschopní...). Mohla jsem taky srovnat americký a evropský pohled na délku politických jednání. V pondělí jsme totiž na přednášce měli člověka z ministerstva zahraničních věcí USA a ten nám tvrdil, jak v EU dlouho trvá, než se na něčem dohodnou (já si myslela svoje už v pondělí... :)). Barroso řekl, mimo jiné, že ví, že v USA kritizují EU za zdlouhavá jednání, ale že je třeba si uvědomit, že v EU je 27 států a že v USA některé věci trvají mnohem dýl. Úhel pohledu je úhel pohledu. :)

Po obědě a přednášce byl čas přesunout se ke Cathedral of Learning, kde se měla konat ta tajná událost s Medveděvem. Před katedrálou jsem potkala Dr. Albertu Sbragiu, ředitelku European Union Center of Excellence, a tak jsem se vydala jí poděkovat, že mě dostala na přednášku J. M. Barrosy. A vzhledem k tomu, že Medveděv přijel (kvůli protestům) o hodinu později, měla jsem možnost s touhle úžasnou vzdělanou paní strávit skoro dvě hodiny. Naše obavy, že celá akce bude zrušena (večeře všech představitelů G20 totiž začínala v 7 a to Medveděvovi nedávalo moc času...) se nevyplnily a Medveděv nakonec dorazil. Já - díky Dr. Sbragie (fakt nevím, jak to skloňovat) seděla v první řadě. Byla jsem vážně zvědavá, jaké to bude, co mě čeká za pro-ruskou přednášku, která mě rozčílí... :) Jestli byl v té místnosti někdo, kdo čekal, že to bude stát za nic, byla jsem to já. Ale světe div se - odcházela jsem velmi mile překvapená. Nejenže otázky nebyly předpřipravené, ale Medveděv na mě zanechal pozitivní dojem. Je fakt dobrý řečník a ví, co dělá (celou akci si i sám moderoval, jakožto bývalý univerzitní učitel byl mezi studenty jako doma :)). Padly i nepříjemnější otázky ohledně Ukrajiny a Gruzie, ale on nevycouval a na všechno odpověděl. Byla jsem překvapená, vážně mile překvapená. Ale jak řekla Dr. Sbragia: "Buď je to tím, že on prostě není bývalý agent KGB a opravdu myslí jinak, nebo je to dobrý herec. A to ukáže jen budoucnost." (A prý to celé má vysílat ruská televize. Třeba tam budu. :)) A perlička (skoro) na závěr: ruský prezident už na University of Pittsburgh jednou byl. Přesně před 50 lety - 24. 9. 1959 - navštívil Pittsburgh Nikita Chruščov. Náhoda? :)

Co dodat... Odcházela jsem domů pekelně unavená, po 11 hodinách soustředění se (a v nepohodlných botách) se není čemu divit. Odcházela jsem ale s tím, že být tak blízko lidem jako jsou Barroso a Medveděv během jednoho dne se mi asi jen tak nepodaří (a být pod ochranou tolika agentů tajných služeb nejspíš už vůbec ne), takže si říkám, že Pittsburgh se fakt snaží mě přesvědčit, že jet sem mělo smysl. :)

PS: Ta fotka, co tu je, nemá s G20 v Pittsburghu nic společného. Ale je docela zábavná, tak jsem se chtěla podělit. :)

Procrastionation - we all know that...

Tata bojs - Milan Cais aka Bublajs je blázen :)

Já kdybych tam byla, asi bych se na to nemohla dívat... :)

Špim, špim...

Di plyč, ty... :)

Kašpárek v rohlíku - Strejda Jára

A kdo by nechtěl být popelářem, když mu k tomu zpívá Bublajs... :)

Kašpárek v rohlíku - Želvy

Závidím dnešním dětem, že si můžou svůj hudební vkus tříbit už od malička. Žádná Dáda, tohle jim pouštějte! A ty děti na tom koncertě jsou úžasné! :)

New adventures coming...

Plane ticket - check.

Visa - check.

Leaving my home country for Pittsburgh on August 25th - check (and hell, I so much don't want to go anywhere...)

Debts - check (and growing...)

So it seems a new chapter of my life is going to begin soon and this blog is going to have another theme. I decided about three weeks ago. I bought the ticket about a week ago (what I learnt: it really doesn't matter 'cause the ticket prices don't change at all). I went to get my student's visa today. I'm leaving in less than a month to fly in and go to school two days later. I guess I can't do anything without a little bit of stress.

Talking about stress - what do people find so stressful about getting visas? The visa man at the embassy was a really nice guy. What qestions one needs to answer to get a study permit to the US? Here comes the list:

1. How are you? (Good, thanks.)

2. What are you going to study? (Human Security.)

3. So your parents are gonna help you out with finances, what do they do?

4. When you were in the US last year, did you study there? (No.)

5. Ok, you can never lose this I20 form. If you go anywhere, home for Christmas, to Mexico for a crazy weekend... are you planning to go to Mexico? (Not really.) No? You should think about that.

Done. He could barely tell if I speak English 'cause the longest sentence I sad had 12 words (my dad is a ... and my mom is a ...).

So Pittsburgh, here I come. Soon.

Dan Bárta - I Fall in Love Too Easily

Al Jarreau - Steve Gadd - Mas Que Nada

Real compared to what? (again, recommended by those who know :))

My favorite things (songs recommended by those who know :))

Nenalíčená z domu? Jako kde sme?! :)))

Abrakadabra rohlik... .)

Nigerian wedding - you gotta luv it! :)

Everything comes to the same thing in the end... THESIS! oh crap... :)

My life is becoming so so boring. No more trips (and you have no idea how much I'd love to make the week in Berlin with all the people last for at least a month), no more parties (ok, really... it's like when I came from Berlin and told somebody I wasn't gonna drink alcohol and coffee, haha... it lasted until Wednesday (alcohol) and Thursday (coffee, it was a long night...:)) but how can I enjoy a party when the stupid thesis isn't written yet? oh my... of course I'm still gonna party and I'm still gonna have fun... I just know I shouldn't :)), writing, writing, writing, reading, creating tables, writing, democratic, non-democratic, GDP, GNI per capita... I'm probably going to get crazy! Everything is narrowed down to one topic and that's school. Do I sound stressed? That's the worst thing! I am not! I wish I were because that would finally make me work hard!

My dear readers, I, in fact, have nothing interesting to tell you. It was sunny on Sunday (is Sunday called Sunday because it's supposed to be filled with Sun? Sun-Day?). I wanted to run around Špilberk wearing orange tights but didn't make it to Brno in time (at least went for ice cream with Markétka). Monday... grey and gloomy again (sorry, no etymologic analysis of Monday coming to my mind). I need Sun. That's probably the moral of the story. Of this whole post. Give me Sun!!! :) I also need attention. Other than that, I'm pretty modest. And happy. Really, I am.  I found out I can list almost all African countries in 5 minutes. I was so proud of myself (still need to work on it a little, though, still can't name ALL of them). Which brings me to Africa. Which brings me to my thesis again. Oh well, I warned you in the title... everything comes to the same thing in the end... crap... :)

PS: Hope at least some of you are enjoying some Sun, attention, and are simply having a great time!

A week in Berlin... kind of life-changing :)

So I'm back from Berlin, my dear friends. It was a week of fun, interesting information, no time for the Internet, no time for anything, pretty much... I met some wonderful people there and it's funny that it was only 5 days but still it felt much longer (but in a good way) and with some it felt like I had known them before. I already miss them!

The reason I went there was, of course, the seminar on Cultural Diplomacy in Africa (but as I told most of you - I was mainly hoping it was going to be fun :)). The programme was interesting, although not very well organized sometimes. Often, I couldn't figure out the connection between cultural diplomacy and the topics we were talking about, but well, it was good if the topic was good.

What was great about it was that there were people from all around the world and no matter how different our backgrounds were, we all, more or less, shared the same values and worldviews. Which is great not only because of the issues we were dealing with, but also for the fun that comes afterwards - you don't have to worry about what you can say and what you cannot as a joke because the people will understand it's a joke.

So... we had the chance to talk to the ambassador of Lesotho, we had a seminar on water problems in KfW Bank, we talked about tourism and Africa, about racial issues, we had workshops on corporate social responsibility, human rights and other themes... we also went to a jazz club where we were shooshed a couple of times because, apparently, at a jazz club you're supposed to sit down, smoke a cigar and listen to the music respectively, instead of having fun, enjoying the music and dancing... So we left and went to a reggae club (as cultural diplomats, it was a must... :)) and there we were not shooshed even once, we had lots of fun, danced until the first morning trains started going again... Which meant that we all slept about 2 hours and then went to the bank for a seminar. What was really surprising for me was that none of the people who went out didn't fall asleep in the bank! :)

The week was great for me for various reasons. I might have figured out what to do after graduation but I'm not going to talk about it yet much. The point is - I met some amazing people and I'm so so happy for having had the opportunity to go there and meet them. I think I have a couple more great friends. 

And, not to forget, since it's all about cultural diplomacy... I got some ideas about how to spread some information about Africa. I'm gonna start small, though, but I guess that every person matters. The goal would be to break the prejudice, the stereotypes, to teach people about Africa. It seems I talk a lot and it actually already happened to me that a friend of mine told me: "I heard some people talking about Africa and they were saying complete nonsense so I was thinking about what you told me and told them that nothing of what they're saying is true because I know a girl who was there..." :) So even I can have some influence! Because each one of us actually can. I'll let you know if I need some help. :)

Festival Jeden svět

Snow angels

The older, the crazier... Well, the original plan was to have a snowman competition, but the snow was no good for snowmen. We went up to Špilberk and it was beautiful up there, all the snow and lights, and I simply love Brno. It was also very cold. Windy. Freezing. But we had a couple of cups of hot wine and thus I had to do something, if not snowmen... but what? WHAT?? :) Well, there was this place and it simply asked for it - SNOW ANGELS! I haven't done one in soooo long!

But... how do you do it? Well, you simply fall down... like this:

And then you lie in the snow (and it's so so cold :)) and move your arms. Like this:

And then you enjoy the result of your "work" :)

But one snow angel wasn't enough. So V. made another one. And then we decided to have a snow-angel family! We just needed a baby! And that's when P. joined us. And the result was definitely beautiful, I'm sure that anybody walking by will appreciate it. :)

(Notice whose legs are the longest, haha :))

And that's what I do when I'm supposed to work on my thesis. But I did work on it, don't worry! And I guess thanks to this I was only a little angry that I got the info about the seminar in Berlin only today and that I'll have to go shopping for some "formal dress code" clothes since I don't have any and it's required. To be honest, I don't even know exactly what's formal dress code... And I hate shopping... But I made a snow angel so it ain't that bad. :)

Masaryk University ad

This is my university. I guess that if I weren't here already for a.... some time, I'd think it's the best place to be. But 

well, of course, Brno is the place to be. :)

How does Karma work?

Yesterday, I went to Brno. I took the last train which leaves at 21:25. There were almost no people at the train station and when I went outside, it was only me and one other guy. He seemed to be waiting for someone, or looking for someone, I didn't pay much attention to him. Until he was passing me with a locked bike. Well, clearly, I thought that there was something weird about it. I looked at him and all I could think of was: "Hey, that bike's not yours, right?" So I said it. He said it was his, but didn't look very comfortable about me being there. Well, I was never in such a situation, so I didn't know if I should call the police or what, also my train was coming and it was the last train and I needed to catch it. 

The best thing I could think of was to watch him so that he notices I'm watching him. He did notice. Then I took my cellphone and was going to call the police, but then the train arrived which meant I wouldn't be able to hear anything and had to go. Anyway, I was still standing there, pretending like I'm on the phone and watched the guy, who got scared, I guess, put the bike down, and ran away. 

On the train, I didn't know if it still makes sense to call the police, so I discussed it with my brother who should know and who told me they probably can't do anything anymore since neither me nor the guy are there... I called them anyway, just to have clear conscience. So that I could sleep well.  :)

And now tell me - how does the damn Karma that everybody is talking about work? Am I going to get the scholarship for all that I've been through? :))) Oh well, I guess a good night sleep is good enough for the beginning. :)

Good night!

PS: Tomorrow's (or simply the next story) is going to be about my flatmate to whome I decided to devote one chapter in my book (that I'm going to write). Oh people, people, I love (well, what else can I do...) how you're filling the pages already! :)

Is that it, my friend?

Is that it, my friend?

The end of it all?

Did you wait till I break?

Did you wait till I fall?

...

I long to be with you

I long to be free

What this night is for

Well, everytime I find a new Damien Rice song, I love it. And since it's time-taking to look for the songs again and again, I decided to post them here so that when I want to listen to them, they're all at one place. :)

This video is almost completely dark, but it doesn't matter because it makes you focus on the lyrics more. Enjoy, once again.

Oh and we’ve never been in this place before
No, not as it is right now
And we may never know what this night is for
So for now we'll just sit around

Cross-eyed bear

If you push me, I'll fall,

and if you pull me, I'll drown,

and if you're gonna be nailing me down,

I won't rise again.

The professor

Lisa and Damien once again perfect.

I walk away 'cause I can

too many options may just kill a man.

I miss you, but I haven't met you yet...

So only now I understood Linda's comment on my previous post with "I miss you" - I had no idea they changed the song to that video! So here comes Bjork again, with her song I miss you with great great great lyrics. :) This time I'm posting the original video although I don't like it much. But you get the song, finally. :)

He finally did it!

God's on Facebook - part II

God's on Facebook... As I say - FB is evil :)

Fool...

It isn't a very good video but I like the song and haven't found a better one.

I think you'd break it

so much beyond repair

I've overspoken, 

said all that I can say [more than I should say...]

I know I could kneel and cry

I know I could show you how I died

but what good would it do

give the world another fool?

Damien again... Cheers Darlin'!

He's also a brilliant actor...

here's to you and your lover .... *

and I die when you mention...

*original: boy... something else came to my mind, though... it rhymes :)

So that it is not just Damien...

here's Regina Spektor - Ode to Divorce



I know what it tastes like...