A few pictures

Hi dudes, here are just a few photos from Prague: if you want more... well, come see me in September, and we can do a holiday slide show party!!

Chris and I

Chris, Elly and Liana at one of my favorite Prague cafes.

Ruth at my first going away party.

Bari and her stein in Munich - see Bari! I TOLD you I'd put this picture up! :)

Chris, Adrian, Scott and Matt at my flat.

Well, I tried to put a few more up, but no luck. :( Maybe tomorrow?

Love,

Elizabeth

An Apology

Um, sooo... friends in Edmonton and Wetaskiwin? You know how I said I'd come to Edmonton and visit? Well, I'll be in Edmonton on Wednesday... at 06.15... to fly out to Campbell River. Guess I'm not visiting you after all! Sorry! But I'll be back in Edmonton at the end of August/beginning of September for grad school, so I'll see you all then?

The plan is that I'm living with my brother and his wife for the summer. I'll get work out there (no one knows what I'll be doing - I might get my Occupational First Aid and work in a logging camp, or maybe I'll wait tables...) So I'll be in beautiful BC, and if anyone MIGHT want to come VISIT - well, BC is lovely, and you should come see it.

Ok, I'm off to pack. Blurgh on packing.

Love,
Elizabeth

LOOKING FOR A ROOMMATE!

Hello, mes amis! (moje kamardky!)

The Huebert family held a family pow-wow today to decide my future, as well as solving the minor problem of world hunger, and we've decided that I shall be living in "my" condo in Edmonton for the next couple of years, starting in September. As such, I need a roomie! If you, or someone you know that you think I'll like, are looking for a place to live... well, let me know. The condo is fully furnished, except for your bedroom, and comes with an in-suite washer and dryer (also: fridge, stove, kitchen aid mix master [i love it!] and deep freeze). Rent is about $400/mo., including everything except phone/net. The flat's in Oliver Square, and is within sight of Safeway and Shoppers. 5 minute walk to a direct bus to the U, 10 minutes to the LRT, 45 minutes to walk to campus. If you want to know more, drop me a line at ehuebert AT gmail DOT com.

Loves you!
Elizabeth

Home Safe

Well, I made it. I got into Edmonton at around 23.00 last night, and now I'm staying in Wetaskiwin with my dad. Weird! Not much has changed here (except the comics in the Edmonton Journal), and it kind of feels like I've not been gone at all.

A couple of Prague friends have requested that I keep the blog going, so I'm looking for suggestions for a new name. Since this Pilgrim has done all the Prague-ressing she's going to for the time being, I need something new, something improved, something with that extra-special stain remover power! Somehow, Elizabeth Huebert, Speech Pathology Student Extraordinaire just doesn't cut it!

So that's all for now. If you're in the Wet Ed region, and want to meet up, call me at my folks' - or drop me an email. I imagine I'll be pretty tied up with family this weekend, but next week I should have time for visiting! Oooh visiting.

Love,
Elizabeth

PS - I miss fruit dumplings and cabbage soup already. Time to look up Czech recipes on the web, and have a Prague party!

You know you're from Canada if...

...you understand the phrase "Could you pass me a serviette, please? I just dropped my poutine on the chesterfield." *ba dum dum*

I'm using a whole bunch of these cheesy Canadian jokes to teach my last classes - I've only got 7 left!! 3 more today, 2 tomorrow, and 2 Friday. Oi!! This evening's class is going to read the "You know you're from Canada if..." list, and then make one for "You know you're Czech if..." Should be fun!

This week is MOTORING by. Guess that's what happens when you have Monday off. Yesterday I taught 4 classes, but one ended after 45 minutes because the student was exhausted, and just wanted to go home. Not sure if I should be offended! ;) Then I met with Ade and Courtney for some dinner at their local. Good times, good times. Tonight I'm meeting Ruth and we're going to a pizza place that she's heard good things about. Friday I think I'm meeting with a group of people for a quiet dinner in, and Saturday is my going away party. It's going to be AWESOME! :D Sunday I'm heading over to Tiffany's, Monday is... I don't know yet, Tuesday is dinner w/ Chris, and Wednesday is my going away dinner (my friends love me so much that we're having TWO going away celebrations. That, or they're REALLY excited to see me gone!!). Oi! Time is flying, and I don't think it'll slow down til right about the instant I hit Prague Int'l airport. Somehow I suspect that those 25 hrs of travelling aren't going to fly by.

Also on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday - all my friends will be working, so I'm going to spend the days wandering around and doing some walking tours. I didn't do any when I first arrived, so I know where everything is, and a few of the stories, but not nearly enough. I'm going to brush up on my history before I head for home! Plus, it'll keep me from being bored.

Lordy lordy - I can't believe I'll be home in 8 days. Sweet Mother of Pearl that's soon. Eek! Just a few months ago I was SO homesick - and now I'm not so sure I want to go home! However - I'm super excited to go back to school. And I have some summer reading that I'm supposed to do. Karlie - your Child Language Acquisition book that I borrowed and forgot to return 2 years ago? Can I keep it? I'm supposed to re-read it. ;) I have to confess - it was boring 2 years ago, and I'm not sure that time will have improved it! I also need (and this is really exciting) a new human brain colouring book, since I'm supposed to review my neuroanatomy. I LOVE THE HUMAN BRAIN COLOURING BOOK. I supposed I'll also reread my neuropsychology text - blargh. That class was NOT so much fun!

Ok. I suppose I should go do something productive. (hee hee hee). Like print out my email confirmations that my flights are still Ok, even though I booked them 8 mos ago. I figure if I have the emails where they say that everything is "A-Ok", even if they aren't, the airline will have to help me, because they told me they were. Make sense? Of course it does! See y'all in a little over a week.

Love,
Elizabeth

Happy Easter!

Hi all - I can never remember - do we get Easter baskets on Sunday or Monday? Not that it matters - no Easter basket for me this year. :( I miss having dad around, as he usually rustled up some chocolate for me on the important days!

We did indeed go to the pubcrawl Friday night, and it was a nice night of sititng around and talking to people. The weather was altogether uncooperative, and drizzled all night, so we didn't "crawl" very much - we only went to 3 different pubs. We did find one with a wicked dancefloor, and good music, so that was fun! (Can it still be called a 'pub' if it has a dancefloor?)

Yesterday morning Tiffany and I went shopping. My Austria jeans (my favorites!) have blown in the thigh. Why, God, did you grant me such muscle-y, chubby thighs?? All my jeans get holes there! So I picked out a new pair of pants (trousers, Chris, trousers!), and a couple t-shirts. Yay for clothes that actually fit me.

Then Tiffany and I walked up Vysehrad, and through the cemetery up there. I saw Dvorak's grave. There's a beautiful graveyard at the Basilica - if you come to Prague, I highly recommend checking it out.

Then last night we went dancing! How I love dancing. We went to N11, a rather ex-pat'y place, but it has a good dance floor, good pop-y music, and not too many people. We had a great time - danced til 3.30 am. Whee! Y'all up in Edmonton had better be ready for some dancing when I get back!

Time to go to the potraviny to get stuff for lunch. I'm starved! Catch y'all later.

Love,
Elizabeth

42

Hi all. According to the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, 42 is the answer to "life, the universe, and everything." We just don't know what the question is. I can respect that.

Yesterday evening, after frantically checking my email all day long, I realized that I wasn't going to hear from Dal before bedtime. As such, I decided that it was God showing me that UofA is the right choice. Accordingly, I emailed my formal acceptance to the University of Alberta. If all goes as planned, I'll graduate from there Summer 2008. Crazy.

Of course, when I got up this morning, there was the email from Dal. I'm third on the "out of region" waiting list. They didn't explain what that means, though - is there an "in region" waiting list, as well? How are the positions that come available distributed? *sigh* It doesn't really matter, as I'm going to UofA, but I still emailed Dal back to ask these questions. Inquiring minds want to know! :)

While perusing UofA's website, I discovered that I can do my final 4 month practicum in Alberta, in Canada (I know, I know - Alberta's in Canada, but you know what I mean), in the States, or in Australia and New Zealand. Hello! Elizabeth wants to do her practicum in New Zealand! See, as I've been living and working in Prague, I've come to the decision that I'd like to work as an SLP internationally, at least for a few years. And what better way to get one's foot in the door than by doing an int'l practicum?? Of course, the student has to foot ALL the bills to do it- so it'd be massively costly. But I want to go there. So I'm making it a goal, something to keep focussed on. I'm going to do my damnedest to save up enough moolah to be an SLP in the land of sheep and Kiwis! Eek - something to be excited about!

I come home in 13 days. I had a little cry yesterday - 2 weeks is NOT a lot of time. But I feel better today, more equipped to deal with life, the universe and everything. 42! 42!

I forgot to mention that last weekend, at Lucerna (dance club), we met a couple Austrians. One of them was chatting with me when Alanis Morisette started playing. "A fellow Canadian" I said.

"You're Canadian?" he asked. "Where are you from?"

Taking a big risk, since most people only know Vancouver and Toronto, I said "Edmonton."

"Oh," he replied "I've been there. I have family in Wetaskiwin."

*Elizabeth falls over dead*

It was bizarre. Truly bizarre. I meet an AUSTRIAN in PRAGUE and he has family in the Wonk! Who'd a thunk?

This weekend should be fun - we're going on a pub crawl tonight, then Tiffany and I are going walking and then dancing tomorrow, Sunday is church and likely something fun in the evening, and Monday Josh is s'posed to take me walking around all the parts of Prague I haven't seen but should have. *phew* I'm going to be exhausted by Tuesday!

Love you all.

Elizabeth

It's Wednesday?! Already?! Where'd Monday and Tuesday Go??

Hi all, and a good ...Wednesday... morning to you all. Time is motoring by in the Czech Republic (Prague lies directly on a wrinkle in the space-time continuum, I swear it), and I can't believe I'll be back in Canadia in just 15 days. Eek!

I forgot to tell you about the rest of my weekend, which I think I should do, since dad's convinced I'm becoming an alcoholic, as a number of my posts mention having a drink recently. Ok, but one drink does not an alcoholic make! ;) Anyhoo, Saturday morning I slept in, in a gloriously luxurious sort of way. I do love sleeping. Then I met Chris for lunch, and we climbed Petrin Hill, a surprising chunk of green in the centre (sort of) of Prague. It was a beautiful spring day with sunshine and everything, and we just wandered about up there and looked at the view. Usually things are pretty smoggy in Prague, but it was an oddly clear day, so we had a perfect view of the city. Later that evening I met with Tiffany and Kristen, and we went and saw Swan Lake at the Narodni Divadlo (National Theatre). It was quite good! I was super tired, and kept doing the "head bob" (students, you know what I mean). When the one dancer fell down a few steps, that woke me right up, and I thoroughly enjoyed the whole she-bang.

Sunday I also slept in (hurrah for a church with an 11am service), and then made my way to church. It'd been a while since I'd gone, so there was much welcoming, and a small amount of guilt tripping. It was Palm Sunday (of course), I really enjoyed the service. The music was especially awesome, and we all know how I love singing. After the service I gave away a bag of too big clothes to one of the students here. She's quite tiny, so I hope she knows someone a bit, well... "bigger" to wear them. If they're too big on me, honey, they'll dwarf you! I met Chris for lunch after, and we climbed the Old Town Tower to look out at the view (awesome!), and then walked to Vysehrad, which was beautiful. It was a bit cold and drizzly, which was too bad, but I enjoyed the day nonetheless. My aching legs, well, ached, but I coped! :) Dancing Friday, climbing steep hills Saturday, and long walks Sunday - my legs were pooped. That evening I met Jon, Ade, Ruth and MJ for dinner at a veggie place called Radost's. They have amazing food, if not-so-stellar service. Their couscous salad is to DIE for. Well - at least lose a finger or toe for. We had a nice time just hanging out and visiting. Josh was supposed to join us, but he forgot, and stood us up. Therefore, I'm meeting him for dinner tonight at the Dirty Cafe. Should be fun!

Monday and Tuesday have been work, sleep, read, and visit with friends. It's how I also am hoping to spend the next 15 days. I just want to be with my friends as much as possible. I'm not ready to go home yet! And yet in some ways, I am - I'm quite torn. But there's not much point in focussing on it -I chose 27 April believing it was what God wanted. I still believe that, and so I know it's the right time to go home. And so I shall do it - bravely, with my chin in the air -like the littlest pig, crying all the way home.

Love you!
Elizabeth

I LOVE Prague, and Fridays, and the Lucerna!

Hi-lo folks!

Man alive, was last night OSM. I mean AWESOME. (Sounds the same, but osm means 'eight' in Czech). It was so EIGHT! ahahaha... Me so funny. Anyhoo, it was SUCH a GREAT night! I met Marta, Ruth and MJ at the Budvar Bar at around 9.30, where we sat and had a drink and chattered with each other. Marta and I had Beton - Becherovka with tonic water, a Czech thingy-ma-jig. It's a play on words Be, short for Becherovka, and ton, short for tonic water, makes "beton..." which is also the Czech word for concrete. Mmm, concrete!! :D

Then we went to the 80s and 90s party at the Lucerna club. SO MUCH FUN. They show all the music videos up on the screen, and play such fun dance music. We girls shaked our groove-thang for about an hour or so, and then Chris, Matt, Scott and another Chris arrived, followed shortly by Emily and her friends. There must have been 8 or 10 of us there, and it ROCKED. We danced until THREE in the morning! It was so great. I love dancing.

As I read over this, it doesn't sound like quite as much as it was. But just hanging out with such great people, and dancing all night, was so much fun. It was fabulous, and will be one of my best memories of Praha.

Love you!!!!!!!

Ela

Ah, weekends.

Hi all,

did y'all have a good weekend? I did - I just can't believe it's over already! And I had a 3 day weekend!

On Thursday night, I hung out at Tiffany's til about 11:30, and then we went to Nebe, an ex-pat club that has a good DJ late Thursday nights. We met up with a bunch of other people there (Chris, Matt, Ruth, MJ, Emily...) and danced and hung out til... oh, about 2 in the morning.

Both my Friday classes cancelled (I shouldn't be happy about that, but I was!), so I slept til 10 or 11, and then stayed in bed til NOON. It was AWESOME! I read, and journalled, and was generally lazy. Loved every second of it! Then I met with Chris for a coffee, and we hung out for a while, and I cried because I've been feeling so stressed about so many things, and I got over it, and then I went to meet up with other friends. It was Rob's bday on Thursday, so we went out for drinks and such Friday night.

It was great. We met at the Budvar Bar, and chatted while we waited for everyone to meet up. Then we went to another bar (Truska, maybe? I can't remember the name of it), and hung out there for a while, and we did a shot of tequila followed by a shot of Slivovice (which is meaningless to those of you not in the Czech Republic, but incredibly and painfully meaningfull for those of you who are). It was nuts! Everyone was gabbing away, just having a great time. Then we split up, and Jon, Adrian and I went to meet one of Jon's friends, and the others went to another club. We were supposed to meet back up again, but Jon and Ade got chatting at the third club, and then I got myself sick (oops... I haven't done that in years, boy was I stupid!), so we ended up not meeting up again. Darn! Marta told me there was dancing - and I missed out! Damn, damn, damn!

I fell into bed at about 2, and got up again at 8. Say it with me people, eeeeeeeew. I met Ruth, Matt, MJ and John (not Jon, John this time!) and we went to Dresden. We spent the day wandering around, eating in this super cool medieval cellar (I had duck, delish!), drinking wheat beer (blech!), and looking at stuff. It was super mellow and laid-back, and a great day. We caught the train back to Praha (it was an hour late - where's the German efficiency??!), and then Ruth, MJ and I went to see Inside Man which is an awesome movie, and I highly reccommend it. It was very clever, and quite surprising, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I got home, talked to dad for an hour about grad school, and went to bed at 2.

Sunday I slept til 10 (sweeeeet), and then headed back to the train station, this time to meet Tiffany, Debbie, Kristin and Travis. We rode out to Karlstejn, a castle about 40 minutes from Prague, and the seat of Karel IV, King of Bohemia and Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire sometime in the 14th and 15th centuries. The weather was amazing - 10 or 15 degrees, sunny, and with a gentle breeze. We hiked up the steep hill, stopping for an ice cream on the way, saw the castle (we had an awesome tour guide, and I learned a ton!), and then strolled back down. We stopped at a small restaurant for a light dinner, because Tiffany's friend Debbie hadn't tried the fried cheese yet. You have to eat fried cheese! It's like mozza sticks, only flatter and bigger and deliciouser. I mean, more delicious (and they let me teach English?). Then we got back on the train just in time for the clouds to blow in, and for it to start raining. We also went to a film - we saw Casanova, and it was way funnier than the previews predicted. It was quite good, but more of a renter. Heath Ledger sure is cute!

There's quite a lot of flooding happening in this part of the world, as it's warmed up too quickly, and the snow melt out of the mountains is pushing the river over its banks. We saw a couple streets in Dresden that are completely under water, with just their traffic lights sticking up a few feet above the river. It's insane! I imagine that there's going to be a fair amount of damage done to the houses that are on the banks. I'm glad I live on a hill, a distance from the Vltava!! A couple metro stops have been closed due to the flooding, but I think those might be open again. I need to check and find out.

I mailed home 2 boxes of stuff today, so that I don't have to try and cram it all in my suitcases. Together, they weighed 10.5 kg (22 or 23 lbs), and I carried them all the way to the post office by myself (10 min walk!). Of course, now my arms are all shaky, but I'm still self-impressed. ;) It cost 1300 kC to mail them home ($65CDN), but that's not too bad. Hopefully all the rest of my stuff fits in my bags! I still have to mail home my quilt, but I don't think it weighs very much - so hopefully it won't be too expensive. I imagine I'll beat my stuff home - I sent it slow boat, as cheaply as possible. Hope it gets to Canada before the winter does - my winter coat and down vest are in those boxes!

And now you're fully updated. Hope all of you are well - I'd love to hear from you!

Love,
Elizabeth