Kearney, Nebraska---> Olomouc, Czech Republic

Ahoy from Olomouc!

The beginning of the amazing 3 month excursion I am about to experience is finally underway. After two and a half months of working 7 days a week, sometimes 13 hour days, and rarely being able to go home and spend time with my family, the time has finally come to pack up and move to my new temporary home in Europe. I came up with this dream of studying abroad as a senior in high school and still cannot believe that my dreams are finally becoming a reality.

Saying goodbye to my friends and family was absolutely heartbreaking but I know in order to figure out who I am in this world I need to step outside my comfort zone and take some risks on my own.

The first three days of my European adventure started off in Prague. We stayed in a nice little Airbnb and visited the famous Charles Bridge and John Lennon wall. Throughout our three days alone in Prague, I personally learned so much about myself, the people I was with, and about living in a different culture.

I learned very quickly what it felt like to be the minority. Americans are so accustomed to being in a primarily English speaking place and we are not at all accommodating to other languages in America. In the Czech Republic some of their signs have the English translation for words, and many people speak multiple languages. It really showed me how hard it must be for foreigners to be in our country and have absolutely no idea how to read street signs, restaurant menus, or items in the grocery store. It was incredibly eye opening for me and I personally think every American needs to experience this feeling of being completely lost in another country. Our country might become a more accommodating place for others if we weren’t so blind to other cultures in the United States.

As far as culture shock goes I would say I have most definitely experienced various cultural differences that I have had to learn how to adjust too, however I would not say that culture shock is the right word for it. Culture shock by definition is, “the feeling of disorientation experienced by someone when they are suddenly subjected to an unfamiliar culture, way of life, or set of attitudes.” Personally I have not felt “disoriented” by these changes, but rather changed for the better. I have only been here 2 weeks and I can already see a difference in myself. Not being able to read street signs or knowing the tram system and being forced to problem solve and figure it out on my own has shown me a different kind of intelligence and instinct that I have inside me that I have never had to use before. Learning how to communicate with someone who only speaks Czech has given me a new appreciation for every foreigner in America, and the lack of optimism from some locals around the Czech Republic has taught me to never let go of my positivity and love of life.

After traveling to Budapest our second weekend here in Europe, many locals in both places have made comments about how Europeans are much more pessimistic than Americans. This cultural difference has probably affected me the most, given that I am a very optimistic person and typically surrounded by others who are as well. I have realized that although it may not be the norm around these countries to walk around smiling, and talk to random people, and be overly happy, it is not a bad thing. Some people respond positively to it and feed off of others happiness, regardless of if it is what they are used to. People generally keep to themselves here and some locals definitely don’t love my spunky and all over the place personality, however the ones that do, and that keep a conversation going with me, I learn SO MUCH from them! If there is one cultural difference that I will not succumb to while I am here, it will be the change in optimism.

I have met incredible people in the last 2 weeks, for example in Budapest, we met a young Russian couple who wanted to talk to us because they are working on speaking better English. They are both photographers and have lived in Russia all their lives. When I asked them what they thought of America they said,

“I love the idea of living in America, everybody does what they want to do for a job, people dress how they want to dress, and no one judges them. Where we are from it is not like that, people are not open to each other and they judge.”

Hearing an outside opinion on America was incredible. Although there is so many differences in opinion on government, religion, laws, and so on in America, from an outside perspective they saw the more individual side of living there, the freedom and openness. I found it very eye opening to talk with them about the differences between our countries, and had we not put ourselves out there to talk to them we might of never met this beautiful couple.

Among the less extreme cultural differences, yet still very tough to handle, has been the absence of ranch on this continent. Ranch is a very vital part of my everyday diet and has been an extreme struggle, however, I do think I will be able to survive. Along with that ICE WATER is not a thing in Europe which was also quite the shock! You have to pay for water and almost never get ice with it!! On the more serious side of cultural differences is the language barrier. This has been one of the most fun differences to run into because it is interesting to figure out how to explain things by using hand gestures and more universal words. This will probably be one of the barriers that I learn the most from.

I’m sure there will be many more differences in cultures throughout my time here, and I cannot wait to find out what I will learn from them. This opportunity to come to Europe for 3 months has already changed me for the better and I am so thankful for family and friends who supported this dream of mine and for the incredible people I have met/will meet while abroad.

Nashledanou!