Learning German and Eating Goulash

Hey Mom,

Sorry it's taken me so long to write. I need to just do it at school, but there are so many distractions once I get there. I tell myself I'll just do it as soon as I get back at night, but then the internet refuses to work. I'm so happy for Levi that he won the elections!! I had to tell Krystle because I was too excited to hold it in. Good for you for doing the silica trail! You've always been such a good example for working out regularly. And good job for starting to run, that's not easy, even if it's not a long way. How come your hip still bothers you? Will it ever get better? Maybe you need to go back to therapy for it. Is the weather warming up there? It's mostly been cold and rainy the whole time I've been here. I think there have been maybe two days that the sun came out...I think it's supposed to warm up this week though. You'll have to tell me how the grandma/yw thing goes. I remember when you guys started that; I was wondering how it would turn out.

Question. Is anyone reading my xoxo blog? I'm just wondering. Do my grandparents or anyone read it?

I'm not fishing for compliments, but do you honestly feel like my pictures are improving? It's so hard to feel like I take anything good since there's 17 of us here all taking pictures of the same things. And half the kids have way nice cameras that can do things mine can't. I just hope mine look good -- remember when I was leaving and dad said, "Kayla, we're expecting some good pictures to come out of this trip!" haha no pressure...

Before I forget, can you check with the bank about some things for me? Is it better for me to take lump sums out of the ATM or should I just pay with most things for my debit card? I've heard some of the kids say it only costs 3% every time they use their debit card, so I just don't know how it will all even out. I heard the conversion rate is getting better, isn't it only like 1.25 euro to the dollar? That's way better than before I left -- it was 1.44 I think.

German really isn't getting any better. I'm hoping it will turn out okay and just the first few weeks will be really difficult...We're already learning about conjugating verbs, and I didn't even learn that in Spanish until my second year! Everyone else seems to share the panic I'm feeling. That class isn't much fun, but I absolutely LOVE my writing class. I think I sit there in a trance, soaking everything up Louise says like a sponge. We usually do timed writing, and after she reads hers I sit there hoping with all my heart I can write something as good as she does in just those rush writes. We have our travel journals we're writing in and pasting things into (it'll be fantastic when I'm done I think), and every week we have to turn in a more polished, 1+ page essay about some part of our travels that week. At the end we'll have 9 I think and they'll be really fun to read all together.

We all met Tom and Louise for dinner tonight at the Gulachmuseum -- a goulash restaurant. Have you ever had goulash? I was scared to try it, but I actually really loved it! I ordered a fish goulash, and it was so good. After dinner we split into groups because some wanted gelato (somehow I resisted) and others wanted to go home. I was with five other girls and we had so much fun walking to the subway station! They keep talking about doing a flash mob to some popular musical song, so they were running around the main square dancing and singing Wicked and Newsies at the top of their lungs. It was so funny, people kept stopping to watch, some even clapped. A few weirdos got a little too close and one stopped to record them on his cellphone for a few minutes. It was so great, haha. They might become a youtube sensation overnight, they're hoping at least.

Krystle and I are back now. I'm really tired, so I think I'll go to bed. We're running at seven in the morning, and we ran lots of hills yesterday, so I'll need some rest! Now I just need to figure out how to limit the nutella, pastries, and gelato and I'll be well on my way through the Vienna Hot Body plan -- Krystle's and my idea so we can be hottie mchotties when we get back; all the boys will want us because we'll be practically European and we'll have toned bodies from working out so much in Vienna. Those dang gelatos though...

Well, I'll talk to you soon. Have a good day, and I hope YW goes well. Tell everyone hi!

love

kayla

Prague: Day 2 {Part II}

Pretty view. I love the pretty views all over this place.

I knew white peacocks existed, but that's something you don't really believe until you see it. Know what I'm saying?

We were making the trek up to the "castle" and stopped to take a picture of the city. I can't get over the red roofs -- love them. So European, in my opinion.

This is the cathedral in the main part of the "castle." Gothic arches, trefoil, flying buttresses. My art history class did something for me!

It was hard to get good pictures in here, too bad because it was incredible.

Prague: Day 2 {Part I}

This is the Charles bridge -- I can't remember when it was built...1300s maybe? 1600s? Anyway, it's incredible and massive and there's a legend that goes with it. They wanted it to withstand the test of time and to be as strong as possible. They figured since the secret ingredient in cake is eggs, it would make their bridge really strong too. They sent for millions of eggs to crush and mix into the cement to hold the bricks together. True story.

Pretty doors are my favorite. Especially when peeling creamy, golden walls are involved.

Another favorite -- the tiny side streets with cobblestones and charming windows and light posts.

My favorite hoodie from Prague. I'm regretting not buying it.

Pizza is a universally delicious food I believe. I love it everywhere. Love.

Pretty view of the "castle," which is really the cathedral surrounded by ancient government buildings. I love the red roofs.

My favorite part of this picture is the Ever After maze gardens behind the flower. Remember those?

It rained a lot while we were there. Too bad, but we had fun taking pictures of reflections from puddles.

Nesting dolls. Tourist magnet. No I did not buy one.

Prague: Day 3

Love the pastries and sweets.

This is the Lennon wall. The story:

During the reign of communism in the 80s, this wall was repeatedly graffitied, but it was immediately painted over. Since communism has fallen, they've made it legal to graffiti the wall, so we each took turns writing on the wall. This was probably one of my favorite places in Prague we visited.

This bridge was covered in locks of different colors and sizes because people will bring one if they have a lover, lock it around the irons of the bridge, and throw the key into the water. Crazy romantic, in my opinion. I'd come back and do that someday!

I loved how quiet this area of Prague was. It seemed kind of forgotten, and I fell in love with it.

One of my favorite things about Europe so far - the bakeries on every corner. The presentation is fabulous; I don't even need to eat them, they're set out to look so pretty!

Prague: The Prologue

Beginning of our Prague adventure. Krystle, me, and Jess with our tickets!

And this is when I discovered the focus feature on my camera. A very happy moment, thanks Jess.

Doors on the Butterfly house - I can't wait to actually go in.

Park in front of the Imperial Palace. Ya, we just get to hang out here since it's right behind our school.

Nasty old cup of soda turned out to be a cool subject to focus on - especially since Jess had just showed me how to make everything else blurry!