Now we have climbed up into Warsaw on our itinerary I look back upon our visits with the CEELI institute and RFE/RL. During both visits I found that the people we met with were able to respond to our question but were very careful about how they chose to answer them. When questions were fielded to RFE/RL about government agency funding the responses were short and quickly diverged from what the question was asking. RFE/RL was particularly good giving very PR style answers without letting too much reflect poorly back upon the company. Questions concerning the Hungarian Revolution and RFE/RL's involvement were particularly hard to get a clear answer. The President instructed us to Google an author who was made out to be some sort of expert upon the revolution. This left me with the impression that the company itself does not often look back upon those times and tries its best to move forward, though I feel like they might be neglecting the lesson to be learned from RFE's efforts during the Cold War. On the other hand they were very good at presenting material explaining their new uses of media including television, SMS and social networks.
My visit to CEELI, an international institute that studies rule of law encouraged me even more to consider what the role western style governments and if they were truly appropriate for people who have not developed egalitarian framework in society and do not revere personal freedoms the way that our multi-party democracy does. Our guide was able to explain that the institute holds conferences on rule of law specializing in everything from intellectual property to human trafficking which judges from many developing nations attend. The prospectus of the institute (from what I gathered) was to encourage the reign of justice and to resist legal corruption withing the standards of law in these developing countries. Though this sounds to be a reasonably inoffensive way of achieving proper rule of law, I find that this could easily be a polite way of saying that they wish to demolish the aspects of developing systems that the west would find to be unjust, thus editing legal systems to fit western interests. Dr. Puchala affirmed more of my thinking when he asked what would happen if their mission was ineffective and our guide was only able to give a highly optimistic ideological answer that asserted that there were common legal principles that did away with societal oppression and fought against disparity, and those principles could be accepted by any system with enough tweaking. I drew from this a parallel to communism, as Marxist theory suggested that certain principles could be applicable for all sorts of people and that there was a general yet supreme method of government that most any thoughtful person would accept in light of its theoretical benefits. That too was quite ideological because communism confronted ideological barriers in the west similar to the barriers that rule of law is facing in the developing world. There will always be some degree of people who reject our methods of achieving justice and differentiation in opinion as to what justice is.
More to come today, I made a friend last night who's working for imagine comp put on by microsoft.
- Will F.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Starbursts for lunch, or maybe a Snickers?
Hey Gamecocks,
I hope everyone is celebrating safely back home in Columbia and all over Gamecock Nation. Hearing about our epic win over UCLA was a great way to wake up, even if it was a bit early for us at 8am Prague time. Hope everyone enjoys the short video I posted.
I just wanted to tell everyone that we have finally made it to Warsaw, city of sausages. It actually doesn't smell too bad of kielbasa and is seeming to be quite a hidden gem on our trip. But since I'm sitting here in my ice cold hotel room overlooking the old Soviet Culture Center, I wanted to memorialize our train ride from Prague to Warsaw for everyone.
It was awful.
But to elaborate some, it was extremely laboring on our bodies, our mental stability, and all five senses. The first pro we found when we got on the train was that our seats in our compartment all pulled out to create a giant cot that six people could lay flat in and get some decent sleep. Brilliant idea, right? Yes, but only if you have decent air flow.
About an hour into our 8 hour ride the AC on the entire train broke, decided to sleep, or just stayed in Prague without us knowing. So here we are, 6 very sleepy college kids, and all of the sudden we wake up slowly and there is no air movement whatsoever in our car. Stifling, smothering heat. It was so bad, we just couldn't get any more sleep. So instead of a decent 5 to 6 hour rest, we all ended up with about a 2 to 3 hour bout of nap time. And I'm sure as most know, college kids need their midday nap or else nothing productive can get done.
And to top it all off we didn't have a dining car. On an 8 hour ride. Really? The only thing they were selling were Snickers and other candies, along with cold drinks. Wow. Needless to say we were quite tired and hungry once we arrived in Warsaw.
But its all now in the past, we are all full of delicious Polish food, and I think we are all calling it an early night. Sort of. Can't wait to get back and celebrate with everyone again for our great Gamecock victory.
Carolina love,
Zach
I hope everyone is celebrating safely back home in Columbia and all over Gamecock Nation. Hearing about our epic win over UCLA was a great way to wake up, even if it was a bit early for us at 8am Prague time. Hope everyone enjoys the short video I posted.
I just wanted to tell everyone that we have finally made it to Warsaw, city of sausages. It actually doesn't smell too bad of kielbasa and is seeming to be quite a hidden gem on our trip. But since I'm sitting here in my ice cold hotel room overlooking the old Soviet Culture Center, I wanted to memorialize our train ride from Prague to Warsaw for everyone.
It was awful.
But to elaborate some, it was extremely laboring on our bodies, our mental stability, and all five senses. The first pro we found when we got on the train was that our seats in our compartment all pulled out to create a giant cot that six people could lay flat in and get some decent sleep. Brilliant idea, right? Yes, but only if you have decent air flow.
About an hour into our 8 hour ride the AC on the entire train broke, decided to sleep, or just stayed in Prague without us knowing. So here we are, 6 very sleepy college kids, and all of the sudden we wake up slowly and there is no air movement whatsoever in our car. Stifling, smothering heat. It was so bad, we just couldn't get any more sleep. So instead of a decent 5 to 6 hour rest, we all ended up with about a 2 to 3 hour bout of nap time. And I'm sure as most know, college kids need their midday nap or else nothing productive can get done.
And to top it all off we didn't have a dining car. On an 8 hour ride. Really? The only thing they were selling were Snickers and other candies, along with cold drinks. Wow. Needless to say we were quite tired and hungry once we arrived in Warsaw.
But its all now in the past, we are all full of delicious Polish food, and I think we are all calling it an early night. Sort of. Can't wait to get back and celebrate with everyone again for our great Gamecock victory.
Carolina love,
Zach
Just a little video to show our celebration
Congrats Gamecock nation on our first baseball College World Series title! Here's a little Gamecock celebration from the Prague train station.
Carolina love,
Zach
Carolina love,
Zach
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Paddle Boat!
Prague is one of the most gorgeous places I have ever seen. Today after our meeting with a journalist from the Associated Press, Morgan and I successfully found the perfect spot for souvenir shopping and cheap discounts on Bohemian crystal. We rented a paddle boat on the river for the equivalent of about 10 U.S. dollars. It was definitely one of the highlights of the trip. We were even surprised to see Dean Bierbauer and Susanne waving to us while grabbing lunch on the side of the river. The city is absolutely gorgeous and looks even better from the river. We could have stayed on the river forever with the baby ducklings and nothing but blue skies, beautiful bridges and buildings surrounding us. If anyone is ever in Prague again, I HIGHLY suggest taking a paddle boat trip.
-Sandy! =)
-Sandy! =)
Selective Memories
My initial thoughts before leaving the U.S. lead me to believe that over time, the view of communism in Europe has become less accurate and become more positive. We have talked to many people in both Hungary and the Czech Republic about the challenges democracy has brought to these countries. These societies no longer have a sense of stability when it comes to keeping a job or putting food on the table. The longing for a stable job allows people to wonder and consider communism in a positive light. But what about the terrorism that occured? What about the other negative things that came with the system? After being here, explanations have jumped out at me. It is not that people think of communism in a positive way now, but part of their history is slowly being forgotten. These societies have somewhat of a selective memory. At the 1956 Hungarian Revolution Research Center in Budapest, we asked what students learn about the '56 revolution in school. Their response was that the students don't really learn about the revolution in school and they aren't interested in the subject. In Prague, we visited Wenceslas Square and were surprised to see a memorial for Michael Jackson. Instead of memorializing Jan Palach and appreciating the Czech history, the square was smothered by western culture. It seems as though the people are trying to forget about some important pieces of their past. The more time that goes by, the more people are forgetting the truth about communist rule. It is clear that the younger generations are simply uneducated on the subject of communism and the schools don't teach them the immensly important parts of their history.
-Sandy
-Sandy
Expectations, realities and adjustments
As we prepare to depart the Czech Republic, second of four countries on our central European itinerary, our students are making mid-course corrections in their research projects. That's as it should be. We asked each to assess some aspect of the cold war, the collapse of communism and the role of the media.
What the students are discerning is that the textbooks, historical treatises and classroom lectures can only take them so far. While those are far from black and white presentations, the shades of gray are even more nuanced when you start to see them first hand. Yes, the cold war tensions between the Soviet and western blocs is often laid out in good guy/bad guy contrasts.
What the students report they are encountering is that people who lived behind the so-called Iron Curtain for the most part made their adjustments and figured out survival techniques. While they have acquired post-communist freedoms, they have also had to figure out survival techniques in free market economies that no longer guarantee them a job and a pension, regardless of how modest. In good times, market economies will exceed those minimums. In hard economic times, such as we are now experiencing, the guarantees are often not there.
You rarely saw homeless on the streets of communist capitals. Occasional beggars were swept away by police. You encounter both now. The view is not sanitized. The problem is not solved.
Is it possible the bad old days could be the good old days? That's where our western lens colors the notion that anyone might want to go back to communism. At least, not the oppressive version we've seen remembered in Budapest's "Terror House" or the memorial to victims of communism down the street from our hotel in Prague.
Since European communism collapsed in 1989--it still exists in Chinese, Vietnamese or Cuban forms--a whole generation of Czechs, Slovaks, Hungarians and more have grown up never having lived in a communist country. They are about the same age as our University of South Carolina students. That generation--European and American--will have to make its own assessment of the post-cold war world.
CB 6/29
What the students are discerning is that the textbooks, historical treatises and classroom lectures can only take them so far. While those are far from black and white presentations, the shades of gray are even more nuanced when you start to see them first hand. Yes, the cold war tensions between the Soviet and western blocs is often laid out in good guy/bad guy contrasts.
What the students report they are encountering is that people who lived behind the so-called Iron Curtain for the most part made their adjustments and figured out survival techniques. While they have acquired post-communist freedoms, they have also had to figure out survival techniques in free market economies that no longer guarantee them a job and a pension, regardless of how modest. In good times, market economies will exceed those minimums. In hard economic times, such as we are now experiencing, the guarantees are often not there.
You rarely saw homeless on the streets of communist capitals. Occasional beggars were swept away by police. You encounter both now. The view is not sanitized. The problem is not solved.
Is it possible the bad old days could be the good old days? That's where our western lens colors the notion that anyone might want to go back to communism. At least, not the oppressive version we've seen remembered in Budapest's "Terror House" or the memorial to victims of communism down the street from our hotel in Prague.
Since European communism collapsed in 1989--it still exists in Chinese, Vietnamese or Cuban forms--a whole generation of Czechs, Slovaks, Hungarians and more have grown up never having lived in a communist country. They are about the same age as our University of South Carolina students. That generation--European and American--will have to make its own assessment of the post-cold war world.
CB 6/29
Monday, June 28, 2010
Scenes of Prague
It's our last day in Prague, but it feels like there's so much left to discover about the city! After a group meeting with a Czech representative of the Associated Press, the day is ours to explore. Many of us will head back to the Charles Bridge and Wenceslas Square (as seen in the above video!) before joining back up with the rest of the group for dinner. Tomorrow we depart by train for Warsaw!
-Alex
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Praha at its finest!
Ahoj Mates!
As our second day in Prague or Praha - as the natives call it, has neared an end, I must speak on behalf of the entire group when I say that the city has not ceased to amaze us. We began our day at around 10:30 am by taking a tram into "Old Town Square." Dean Bierbauer served as our tour guide for the day. I must admit it was not only a pleasure to have a guide that spoke English but it was also nice to move at our own pace, while stopping just about every two minutes to pose for photos!
It wasn't far into our tour, when we stumbled upon the remains of a Michael Jackson memorial. (In celebration of his death a year ago. June 25, 2010) It was then that it hit us. Not only does Michael Jackson's memory live on all around the world but more importantly, western culture is treasured here in Europe. Which brought about how different things have been thus far in Prague as compared to Budapest. There is a much greater sense of comfort and homeliness here. We are also greeted with much warmer smiles and attitudes.
The latter half of the evening, we took a short break. Went back to our rooms to escape from the heat and freshen up before dinner. The group then parted ways to dine at different restaurants in the city. Myself, and seven others seemed to have the best luck of the night when we discovered a hidden gem along the riverside. We dinned at a restaurant called Safran. We were amazed by the modern architecture and character of the establishment. We started of with glasses of wine, warm freshly baked bread served with an herb butter, veal broth with broccoli and asparagus soup and, Risotto. Later, the conversation slowed while we enjoyed our meals - which were all phenomenal to say the least. Conversation was awakened by a remark that regarded...you'd never guess it, the bathrooms! Both our server and the owner of the restaurant could no longer hold back their laughs as we took field trips to the bathrooms to marvel at the beautiful Zebra and Alligator sinks! At that point our actions screamed "Crazy Americans"
Well, we have got an important day ahead of us. A meeting at RFE/RL headquarters is first up on the agenda. So a good nights sleep is vital. Goodnight all!
With love from Prague
-Kyara
No Blisters Yet - From Budapest to Prague
I have been having the best time over here in Europe but after the day is done my head is always swarming with thoughts about how the world over here was totally different than what one would associate with life in more western, democratic societies. My impressions of Hungary culminate into a perplexing mix of both honor and guilt. To clarify, I am honored that the people we met were so hospitable to our group in helping us to understand thoroughly the gravity of Communism's past in Hungary. On the other hand I experienced emotions bordering on a sort of quiet remorse when I saw the state of their economy and other trials they face in light of still slowly adapting to a free market economy. The contrition comes from my own personal disillusionment with the suitability of a capitalist system. By this I mean that I truly began to reconsider my own opinions about a free market economy and made the decision the methods of a capitalist society are not always appropriate. People we spoke with in Budapest told us that Hungarians expect their government to provide for them. With that I find a great deal of freedom that must be sacrificed, a compromise that does not translate well into a capitalist context. I sensed that many people in Budapest were wanting more back from the government than they felt they were receiving. Perhaps even that the tax structure in conjunction with an unstable economic turn has only fueled the flames of corruption within governance. I cannot still understand why a capitalist system has been more successful in neighboring countries of Hungary, but it seems to cause such struggle there.
Prague seems to be an entirely different place than Budapest. I would have to say I feel more at home here because I feel that it is more westernized, or closer to the cultures of other countries I've visited like the UK and France, therefore resting in my comfort zone. The language barrier here has not been so difficult as there seems to be a general enthusiasm for western commercialism, that brings English along with it. Everything from Ford Automobiles all the way to way to Remax, Czech people seem to have brought in more American business than I saw in Budapest (that had a lot of Hungarian businesses). I still have a lot to learn and explore here, I think that our visit to RFE/RL will be one of the best yet! Much more sausage and Czech beverages on the way!
- Will Flourance
Prague seems to be an entirely different place than Budapest. I would have to say I feel more at home here because I feel that it is more westernized, or closer to the cultures of other countries I've visited like the UK and France, therefore resting in my comfort zone. The language barrier here has not been so difficult as there seems to be a general enthusiasm for western commercialism, that brings English along with it. Everything from Ford Automobiles all the way to way to Remax, Czech people seem to have brought in more American business than I saw in Budapest (that had a lot of Hungarian businesses). I still have a lot to learn and explore here, I think that our visit to RFE/RL will be one of the best yet! Much more sausage and Czech beverages on the way!
- Will Flourance
Which way to the nearest Tesco?
Hey everyone,
I hope everyone in the states is enjoying a good Gamecock victory against Clemson in the College World Series and ready to cheer us on against UCLA in the finals.
We made it to Prague yesterday afternoon, and we were met with bright sunshine and a wonderful breeze. The drive around to the hotel showed us really cool parts of the city including the Old City, the Small City near Castle Prague, and the old National Gym Stadium. It can hold 250,000 spectators! Just try to imagine that at a Carolina football game!
Our hotel is in an excellent district in Prague 1, and we are near a ton of restaurants and cafes. One thing we've discovered are the two most important things a travelling student needs to find when in a new city: the closest ATM and the nearest Tesco. Tesco is similar to the European WalMart, and they also have Tesco Expresses, which are like grocery stores. It's very important to find one so we can buy large bottles of still water, which are life-savers considering we all feel so dehydrated from a higher altitude and all the walking we are doing.
Our hotel is near all of the embassies, and the Japanese embassy is a block away. We walked and trammed all day today, and saw loads of cool places, statues, and bridges thanks to our wonderful tour guide, Dean Bierbauer. He really has Prague down, and I'm fairly sure he speaks a little more Czech than he leads on. The Charles Bridge was really cool, and I truly felt like I was walking through a mideval Europe. The Castle district was also neat, and extremely touristy. They had a ton of shops with little knick knacks and some nicer crystals. Today has really been the best first day I've ever spent in any city around the world.
Well, I don't want to keep y'all longer, and we have to go find a laundromat so we can have some clean socks for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty tomorrow morning! I'll leave you with a video from a ragtime band playing on the Charles Bridge. As they say cheers in Czech, Probst!
Carolina love and Go Cocks,
Zach
I hope everyone in the states is enjoying a good Gamecock victory against Clemson in the College World Series and ready to cheer us on against UCLA in the finals.
We made it to Prague yesterday afternoon, and we were met with bright sunshine and a wonderful breeze. The drive around to the hotel showed us really cool parts of the city including the Old City, the Small City near Castle Prague, and the old National Gym Stadium. It can hold 250,000 spectators! Just try to imagine that at a Carolina football game!
Our hotel is in an excellent district in Prague 1, and we are near a ton of restaurants and cafes. One thing we've discovered are the two most important things a travelling student needs to find when in a new city: the closest ATM and the nearest Tesco. Tesco is similar to the European WalMart, and they also have Tesco Expresses, which are like grocery stores. It's very important to find one so we can buy large bottles of still water, which are life-savers considering we all feel so dehydrated from a higher altitude and all the walking we are doing.
Our hotel is near all of the embassies, and the Japanese embassy is a block away. We walked and trammed all day today, and saw loads of cool places, statues, and bridges thanks to our wonderful tour guide, Dean Bierbauer. He really has Prague down, and I'm fairly sure he speaks a little more Czech than he leads on. The Charles Bridge was really cool, and I truly felt like I was walking through a mideval Europe. The Castle district was also neat, and extremely touristy. They had a ton of shops with little knick knacks and some nicer crystals. Today has really been the best first day I've ever spent in any city around the world.
Well, I don't want to keep y'all longer, and we have to go find a laundromat so we can have some clean socks for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty tomorrow morning! I'll leave you with a video from a ragtime band playing on the Charles Bridge. As they say cheers in Czech, Probst!
Carolina love and Go Cocks,
Zach
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Arrival in Prague
Our last night in Budapest was an unforgettable one. Many of the students went to Freedom's Square to watch the Spain-Chile FIFA soccer game in the park (and help cheer for Spain alongside the native Hungarians). It was immersion at its best. Afterward, we spent the evening enjoying the various sites of Budapest on our own before heading back to the Astoria hotel to get ready for the journey into the Czech Republic.
By 9:30 this morning, our train was pulling out of Budapest's central-city station. Six and a half hours later, we've arrived at the second destination of our chronological study of the fall of Communism- Prague (or Praha in Czech). From the 1956 Hungarian Revolution in Budapest, we're jumping 12 years ahead to learn about the Prague Spring of 1968. From there, we'll fast forward another 21 years into the Velvet Revolution of 1989 before moving on to Warsaw on Wednesday, June 30.
As lame puns have become a staple of the group, I guess you could say we've officially czech-ed in.
-Alex :)
By 9:30 this morning, our train was pulling out of Budapest's central-city station. Six and a half hours later, we've arrived at the second destination of our chronological study of the fall of Communism- Prague (or Praha in Czech). From the 1956 Hungarian Revolution in Budapest, we're jumping 12 years ahead to learn about the Prague Spring of 1968. From there, we'll fast forward another 21 years into the Velvet Revolution of 1989 before moving on to Warsaw on Wednesday, June 30.
As lame puns have become a staple of the group, I guess you could say we've officially czech-ed in.
-Alex :)
Friday, June 25, 2010
Leaving Hungary...
For three brisk days--sunny and mild ones--our students have traversed the Hungarian capital absorbing the events of the past seventy years, or so. To Hungarians, the cold war begins almost immediately with the end of World War II and Soviet troops inside Hungary, in effect replacing Nazi troops. There are earlier precursors and ample nuances, but it's substantially a continuum of occupation.
Much of our attention has been focused on the events of the 1956 Hungarian uprising, its suppression and the role of external media, especially Radio Free Europe. The students will have to make their own conclusions about how influential the American radio broadcasts were in encouraging the Hungarians. We'll get additional perspective on that next week in Prague at RFE headquarters.
The pace is challenging, as we try to get in two or three formal meetings a day, a bit of sightseeing to familiarize ourselves with where we are historically and at present, and the adventure for most of being in an unfamiliar land with a largely unfathomable language. (Hungarians themselve admit no one else can understand them.) Very pleased with the way the students have figured out shopping, public transportation and the best wi-fi spots.
Seven hours on the train tomorrow to get to Prague. Prep time and nap time.
CB 6/25
Much of our attention has been focused on the events of the 1956 Hungarian uprising, its suppression and the role of external media, especially Radio Free Europe. The students will have to make their own conclusions about how influential the American radio broadcasts were in encouraging the Hungarians. We'll get additional perspective on that next week in Prague at RFE headquarters.
The pace is challenging, as we try to get in two or three formal meetings a day, a bit of sightseeing to familiarize ourselves with where we are historically and at present, and the adventure for most of being in an unfamiliar land with a largely unfathomable language. (Hungarians themselve admit no one else can understand them.) Very pleased with the way the students have figured out shopping, public transportation and the best wi-fi spots.
Seven hours on the train tomorrow to get to Prague. Prep time and nap time.
CB 6/25
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Visitors and Videos
Today the class met with two visitors, Dr. Tamas Magyarics, Dean of ELTE University's Americas Department, and Peter Bajomi-Lazar, Editor-in-Chief of Media Researcher, for an educational day in Budapest. With facts about the role of the mass media on the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 rolling around in our minds, we set out during our free time to do some exploring. Whether walking down to Elizabeth Bridge or grabbing a gelato and strolling in the park, it was an unforgettable day of insight and adventure.
As promised, here's a short video that captures the sights around Budapest that we've grown to love:
-Alex
As promised, here's a short video that captures the sights around Budapest that we've grown to love:
-Alex
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Budapest, Day 2
Hello again! Wednesday in the city has proved to be unbelievable. Sunshine brought out both the natives and tourists in droves. What did we schedule for the day? Getting up early and hitting the sights, of course!
Some glimpses of Budapest:
Statue Park- Stepping back into the era of Communism
Heroes' Square
Looking across the Danube at Buda
-Alex
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Budapest 20 years later...
A quick stroll through the downtown streets and along the banks of the Danube began to put Budapest back in perspective after some 20 years absence. I was last here as a CNN correspondent when President George H.W. Bush visited in the heady days as the communist bloc was imploding and breaths of freedom were exploding across eastern Europe.
Much has changed. Much still to be done. The city a little brighter, even on a rainy afternoon.
Fancier shops, but that's only a surface gleaning. Construction cranes are always a good sign, though we know the economy is struggling. "We're not on the Euro yet," the guide on the incoming bus noted and added, "that is good for you."
Elections here and just recently in the Czech Republic and, shortly, when we are in Poland continue to shape the coalitions that are struggling with the post-communist transition to full market economies and the revision of social structures. This is what we hope our students will begin to grasp on this brisk tour.
CB 6/22/10
Much has changed. Much still to be done. The city a little brighter, even on a rainy afternoon.
Fancier shops, but that's only a surface gleaning. Construction cranes are always a good sign, though we know the economy is struggling. "We're not on the Euro yet," the guide on the incoming bus noted and added, "that is good for you."
Elections here and just recently in the Czech Republic and, shortly, when we are in Poland continue to shape the coalitions that are struggling with the post-communist transition to full market economies and the revision of social structures. This is what we hope our students will begin to grasp on this brisk tour.
CB 6/22/10
Funny Stories Abroad
Everyone tends to have moments where sleep deprivation and exhaustion tend to catch up with them on trips, which could cause an embarrassing moment. I thought it might be fun to share these moments and people caught in the act already.
Instance number one:
We were standing in the line to go through security in the Munich Airport when a security guard looks at Dave and says, "You have laptop inside?" Dave replies with "Oh I'm sorry. I don't speak German." Sandy and I started laughing and Dave still doesn't know what is going on. Then the guy asks him the question again. Since Dave still looked confused, I felt the need to help him out. We then found out Dave did have a laptop inside.
Instance number two:
We decided to go to the grocery store after dinner to pick up some things. I was in first in line to check out and Kyara was right behind me. The cashier rang up the things I was buying and I handed her my money. She then starts yelling at me. She was saying something was wrong with the bills I gave her, but I had no idea what to do. I decided to turn to Kyara for help. She didn't know what the lady was saying either so we paniced. We then took all the coins we had and held them out to her in our hands. Extremely embarrassed at the looks we were getting, we waited on the cashier to take what she needed and we fled the scene. I don't think we will be going back there any time soon.
Morgan
Instance number one:
We were standing in the line to go through security in the Munich Airport when a security guard looks at Dave and says, "You have laptop inside?" Dave replies with "Oh I'm sorry. I don't speak German." Sandy and I started laughing and Dave still doesn't know what is going on. Then the guy asks him the question again. Since Dave still looked confused, I felt the need to help him out. We then found out Dave did have a laptop inside.
Instance number two:
We decided to go to the grocery store after dinner to pick up some things. I was in first in line to check out and Kyara was right behind me. The cashier rang up the things I was buying and I handed her my money. She then starts yelling at me. She was saying something was wrong with the bills I gave her, but I had no idea what to do. I decided to turn to Kyara for help. She didn't know what the lady was saying either so we paniced. We then took all the coins we had and held them out to her in our hands. Extremely embarrassed at the looks we were getting, we waited on the cashier to take what she needed and we fled the scene. I don't think we will be going back there any time soon.
Morgan
So we finally arrived in Budapest via Munich Tuesday midafternoon. It was quite an adventurous flight, and I'll write another post about my new Albanian friend later. I just wanted to put up some video of the view of our hotel suite and the view off the balcony. The batteries died on me before I could finish, but at least it's a start.
Carolina love,
Zach
Carolina love,
Zach
Budapest, Hungary
The capital of Hungary, Budapest, is a metropolis that spans the Danube and (as you may or may not know) is actually comprised of two separate cities, Buda and Pest. The "twin capital" that was first molded in 1873 has played an integral part throughout history, especially with regards to the First and Second World Wars.
We arrived early this afternoon to our hotel, the Astoria, and spent some time in our rooms getting things sorted out (many of us taking naps) before washing up for a night on the town. At first glimpse, the outskirts of the city of Budapest form an urban void- a lack of activity which is towered over by modern billboards and shopping ads. One look deeper as your drive takes you closer to the city-center, however, and you see the well-dressed elderly man walking his dog along the park, the couple emerging from the metro station holding hands, and the group of friends laughing out front of the historical downtown art museum. It's got all the sites that city-lovers go crazy for, yet a language none of us have ever heard before.
Amid the now-bustling urban atmosphere where everything can give the appearance of being chaotic, in Budapest, it all starts to make sense. The tall buildings and slightly-curving streets give way to a sense of the orderly and the people caught in between famous sites all take on an air of fun. In a weird sort of way, it begins to make total sense that this is the country that produced Rubik and his famous brightly-colored cube.
-Alex
We arrived early this afternoon to our hotel, the Astoria, and spent some time in our rooms getting things sorted out (many of us taking naps) before washing up for a night on the town. At first glimpse, the outskirts of the city of Budapest form an urban void- a lack of activity which is towered over by modern billboards and shopping ads. One look deeper as your drive takes you closer to the city-center, however, and you see the well-dressed elderly man walking his dog along the park, the couple emerging from the metro station holding hands, and the group of friends laughing out front of the historical downtown art museum. It's got all the sites that city-lovers go crazy for, yet a language none of us have ever heard before.
Amid the now-bustling urban atmosphere where everything can give the appearance of being chaotic, in Budapest, it all starts to make sense. The tall buildings and slightly-curving streets give way to a sense of the orderly and the people caught in between famous sites all take on an air of fun. In a weird sort of way, it begins to make total sense that this is the country that produced Rubik and his famous brightly-colored cube.
-Alex
Monday, June 21, 2010
Flight time!
It's Monday evening, and we're about to board our first flight headed for Munich! From there, we'll catch a connecting flight to Budapest, and hopefully we'll be refreshed and ready for our first full day abroad!
Right: USC students Caitlin Fletcher and Alexandria Cherry pose in the airport before heading through security.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
The countdown continues - less than 24 hours
Guten Tag All!
The pressure is on! With less than 24 hours until our departure from the Charlotte Airport in N.C. I believe it's safe to assume that my peers are making their list and checking them twice. I too am doing the same.
We are scrambling to finish packing, complete homework assignments, make our last phone calls before our cell phone bills sky rocket due to International rates and perfect how to say Hello, beer and thank you in four different languages! (We do hope to add a few more words to our vocabulary along the way)
With trivial concerns aside, it is time that we redirect our focus from the classroom to our travels. I hope that you all will follow us as we begin our 20 day journey through Poland, Germany, Hungary and the Czech Republic to develop a deeper understanding of Communism - it's nature, and behavioral and institutional manifestations in society, polity and economy in East-Central Europe.
Let the adventures begin.....
Kyara Massenburg
The pressure is on! With less than 24 hours until our departure from the Charlotte Airport in N.C. I believe it's safe to assume that my peers are making their list and checking them twice. I too am doing the same.
We are scrambling to finish packing, complete homework assignments, make our last phone calls before our cell phone bills sky rocket due to International rates and perfect how to say Hello, beer and thank you in four different languages! (We do hope to add a few more words to our vocabulary along the way)
With trivial concerns aside, it is time that we redirect our focus from the classroom to our travels. I hope that you all will follow us as we begin our 20 day journey through Poland, Germany, Hungary and the Czech Republic to develop a deeper understanding of Communism - it's nature, and behavioral and institutional manifestations in society, polity and economy in East-Central Europe.
Let the adventures begin.....
Kyara Massenburg
Elections here and there...
Our excursion for central Europe sets off Monday, the day before a runoff election for South Carolina's Republican gubernatorial nominee. We'll get the results while we are in Budapest.
But we will be in the thick of things in Gdansk when Poland holds its runoff election to replace the late President Kaczinski. That comes on the Fourth of July. We'll celebrate America's Independence Day coincident with independent elections in Poland.
It's apt reinforcement of the core of our study tour looking at post-cold war former communist states. Of particular interest to us is the evolved role of the media. The real time Polish elections, as well as those held recently in the Czech Republic, are significant departures from the sham elections I once covered as a correspondent roaming through the old Soviet bloc.
More to come as this three-week educational adventure follows the events leading to the collapse of communism and the progress of the former satellites.
Charles Bierbauer
6/20/10
But we will be in the thick of things in Gdansk when Poland holds its runoff election to replace the late President Kaczinski. That comes on the Fourth of July. We'll celebrate America's Independence Day coincident with independent elections in Poland.
It's apt reinforcement of the core of our study tour looking at post-cold war former communist states. Of particular interest to us is the evolved role of the media. The real time Polish elections, as well as those held recently in the Czech Republic, are significant departures from the sham elections I once covered as a correspondent roaming through the old Soviet bloc.
More to come as this three-week educational adventure follows the events leading to the collapse of communism and the progress of the former satellites.
Charles Bierbauer
6/20/10
Friday, June 18, 2010
Packing Away!
With three days left before the big travel day, it's time for us to start packing our things (and hopefully we can keep our luggage under the Lufthansa 50-lb. limit)!
The last week of class is officially over, so it's time to let the travels begin! Here's a look at our itinerary so you can follow along on our trip!
Monday, June 21 Travel Day
Tuesday, June 22 - Friday, June 25: Budapest, Hungary
Saturday, June 26 - Tuesday, June 29: Prague, Czech Republic
Wednesday, June 30 - Friday, July 2: Warsaw, Poland
Saturday, July 3 - Sunday, July 4: Gdansk, Poland
Monday, July 5 - Friday, July 9: Berlin, Germany
Saturday, July 10 Travel Day
Thursday, June 17, 2010
4 Days Left!
Check out our updated "About Me" section for an introduction to the student bloggers who will be sharing their adventures while overseas with the USC community!
Only 4 days left!
Only 4 days left!
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Countdown to Hungary: 5 days!
Nine students from the University of South Carolina's School of Journalism and Mass Communications will board an overseas flight Monday afternoon en route to Hungary! They will arrive in Budapest Tuesday afternoon, and for the next 20 days they will explore Eastern Europe while learning about the role media played at the end of the Cold War.
This blog will be utilized by the enrolled students and faculty during the trip to record reactions to sites and to share their experiences with the rest of the world.
Check back often for new updates!
This blog will be utilized by the enrolled students and faculty during the trip to record reactions to sites and to share their experiences with the rest of the world.
Check back often for new updates!
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