The sun starts to drift towards the horizon at about 6ish here which, while annoying, had never been an issue until it began to do so after I had just run 5 miles out to the middle of nowhere. I recognize that the previous statement definitely puts me in a negative light. First, I made the decision to run late and second how could I run so far without knowing where I was going? I think it’s the second of the two mistakes which is more important and relevant here. I went out knowing the area I was planning on running – a park nearby my homestay – as well as the general distance, which was most definitely not the 5 miles I ended up with. The biggest mistake I made was assuming (I hope you all know the old saying about assuming things) that there would be a path that would loop around the park and return me to my original entrance. It was a surprise when I reached the end of the path I had followed and the neighborhood it let me out in was not my own. The nerves that blossomed while running around and trying to find some sort of indicator of where I was grew much stronger when I realized how close the sun was to the horizon.
For clarification purposes I’m going to take a brief aside to explain how the public transport system in Prague works. Firstly there are no ticket turnstiles like the subways in New York or Boston so a large part of the system works on the honor system with the support of random ticket checks. You can either have a one time ticket for a certain time span which you receive a time stamp on when entering a public transport vehicle or you can have a long term ticket card. The second option is what CIEE gives to us upon arriving. With how often you use the metro, bus or tram this is a much easier option. However, not having one of these on you when an inspector comes along can result in a fine on the spot or if you don’t have money or identification may mean being transported to a police station until both can be presented.
Now make a logical jump …. running …. I did not have my transport card with me. Regardless I ended up using the metro to get back considering when I asked for help some girls told me that it would take me at least 10 minutes by bus to get back. This is not the first nor likely will it be the last time that I get lost during my semester abroad. Each time you get lost you learn a little bit more about the city than you may have before until eventually all your wanderings become a cohesive picture that allow you to transport yourself around the city. I have certainly not reached this point but each time I get lost and I find my way again I gain more confidence in myself for figuring it out, for making a mistake but fixing it, for keeping a level head and being creative.
Everyone comes abroad with the general knowledge of this is where I’m going and this is what I am going to do there. I’m going to Prague and I am taking such and such classes. I will also visit such and such cities. However I wonder how many people think about all the in-between moments. Most of the pictures that people share are all these extravagant castles and art museums and panoramas above the city. When you’re not abroad you may not realize all the little things that go into these photos: the moments of having no idea where you’re going or what you’re going to do that day or who you’ll do it with. You don’t realize all the things that are found on the way to something else. Already I feel like I’ve had the chance to see so many things in Prague and at the same time I know that there’s so much more out there I don’t even know about yet! I’ve seen an Opera at the Estates Theatre, toured Prague castle, crossed Charles Bridge, eaten ice cream by the Astronomical clock, gone to Prague’s celebration of American cuisine (yum), and seen so many more beautiful buildings that I haven’t even learned the use or history of yet.