Sami's European Adventure: This one's for you, Mom and Dad.

After my past 3 blog posts, endless snapchats, and countless pictures, I know what you all must be wondering.. "do any of you actually go to classes while you are over there?" Unfortunately, that answer is yes. Though I'm positive it isn't like what you all are used to.

First day of classes!

If I were given one word to describe classes here it would be dysfunctional. Before we had arrived, we were given a tentative itinerary for our classes and what we would be learning, but each day we are presented with a different lecture topic and a new lecturer, which comes along with a new lecturing style, as well. So far, these lecturers have taught us things from important events in the Czech Republic's history to American and Russian relations to piracy in the Czech Republic. Though I find learning about another country's history and culture fascinating, the amount of new information we are presented with each day is, at times, too much.

Before venturing to Europe, we were required to read 3 well-known Czech books ahead of time: "The Unbearable Lightness of Being," "The Good Soldier Svejk," and "The Trial." These books definitely helped us to get a better feel for the culture we were about to be engulfed in, but were difficult to comprehend because of the different style of writing and because they are based upon things we were not yet familiar with. To my surprise, however, I have already seen portions of what we read present throughout the Czech Republic. I'm excited to discuss the literature with our entire class in hopes that I will learn even more about this wonderful country I am lucky enough to call home!

The next class we are required to take at Palacký University is a Czech language course. This class and I have a very strong love/hate relationship. Though I love being able to communicate better with the locals and being able to get around better, it is a very tough language. So far, we have learned basic phrases, how to order in a restaurant/cafe, numbers 1-100, and are starting to learn verb conjugation! As I said, I want to continue to learn more and more of the language I am surrounded by, but that doesn't mean I can't have a countdown of how many Czech classes our left! (9, in case you were wondering).

Yet another portion of the program are the class field trips that typically coincide with our lectures. One of our most recent lessons was about Jews' place in the Czech's history, which was very fitting because we had a day trip to Auschwitz-Birkenau this passed weekend. Saturday started out rainy and cloudy, matching the somber feeling of the concentration camps. We arrived to Auschwitz around 1:30 and our tour lasted till roughly 5:00. Though our tour only lasted about 3 1/2 hours, I feel as if I learned more from this short field trip than any lecture or text book has taught me or ever could teach me. I don't plan on speaking much on the topic of my trip to the concentration camps in this blog because I truly believe it is something that must be seen to even come close to believing the masquer that happened here. What I will say, however, is that this was the single most eye-opening, humbling experience I have ever had that words, and even pictures, truly don't give justice to. All in all, Auschwitz-Birkenau is a place I believe everyone needs to experience at least once in their lives to even attempt to understand the tragedy that is The Holocaust.