Yes mom and dad, I go to class

            Believe it or not... we actually go to class here in Olomouc! Although we are in class normally three hours a day, it definitely does not look like the traditional UNK classroom. Here in the Czech, we are taught by teachers from the local university. The European style of teaching is to lecture for an hour and then ask if anyone has questions. This way of teaching is hard for me to follow. On the other hand, back in Kearney I am in classes that teach me how to be an effective teacher, so we are taught by example how to keep students interactive and attentive. Teachers at UNK will have activities during their “lectures” that will keep students on their toes and aware of everything going on.           

          

As you can imagine, it was a huge difference for me coming here and having to adjust to a different learning style. I'm so thankful to have some of the professors that I do because a lot of them have personal experience or family who have experienced some of the things they are talking about. Therefore, they have insight on the topic and are able to help form our knowledge of the subject. 

I learn about territories being taken over, new dynasties ruling, and significance of certain places that we will visit on class field trips.  All this is very interesting, but as a lot of you may know, I am not a history buff in the slightest. I tend to learn more from interacting with what we’re learning about. The way I learn best is by being able to get up and out of my desk and go learn by seeing and feeling what I am being taught.           

 Although we have three hours of class everyday, most of the learning doesn’t happen in the classroom. The most important lessons that I'm learning are outside of the classroom. For example, when we were in Prague, Jan and Martin took us along the St. Charles Bridge and could tell story after story about how this bridge played roles in the Czech Republic’s history. By standing in the very spot of certain political figures hundreds maybe thousands of years ago, it has a different effect on me then it would if I were to just read about it.

Another thing that was brought to life was when we visited the church that is shown in a movie we watched in class that I previously talked about. By seeing where the soldiers ended their life and the physical bullet holes, it showed me that these horrific things really happened and there is still living proof. I was in disbelief and speechless when I saw it because nothing like that had ever happened. It made the story and the movie that much more important to me and I will never forget that experience. 

Looking forward in our program, we are learning a lot about the Holocaust. This is a very hard and sensitive subject that really fascinates me. We can learn all about the people in charge, the camps, and the people who suffered, but actually getting to go to Auschwitz will be so much more interesting to me. Being in a place where so many people lost their lives will touch me and teach me so much more. Experiencing things you can only see here in Europe help you understand the magnitude of some of the things that happened in history. 

When I came to the Czech Republic, I thought school would be school and free time would be free time. Now that I’m here, I understand that your biggest class is going out to eat, going to the grocery store, trying to book weekend trips, etc. I have learned so much about myself because of all the obstacles that I’ve had to overcome outside of the classroom. These are life lessons that are so very valuable in shaping a person. I am so thankful to have the opportunity to be here and learn in and out of the classroom. 

One lesson I learned that I want everyone to know: don't order the shrimp!