The lush, green grass tickled my check as I slowly turned my head to properly see the sunset melting into the clouds up above me. The sun rays glowed like an angelic halo over the expanse of Prague’s medieval Old Town in the distance, perched atop a massive hill as if it were a pedestal.
From my vantage point in the Rajska Zahrada garden, just across the Vltava River from Prague Castle, which is a medieval fortress built in 880 AD, I could almost make out the entire landscape of the golden city under the dripping setting sun. Propping myself up on one elbow as I laid in the grass, I gazed at the lively park around me filled with couples sitting together sipping beer and young children walking with their mothers down a winding trail at the bottom of the hill.
Without turning my head, I heard cheerful laughter and the gentle strumming of a guitar behind me as a simple melody reached my ears. Even though I couldn’t understand the Czech words, I knew it must have been a well-loved song once I heard a chorus of bubbling voices joining with the guitar.
As the cool summer evening breeze circled around me, tiny goosebumps appeared on my bare arms reminding me that I should head back to my flat before it got too dark. Getting up slowly and drinking in the blissful view of my favorite park, I wove my way through the scattered groups of friends lounging on the grassy hillside and started back on the path towards home. As I walked, I treasured the beautiful scene I experienced, committing it to memory forever.
During the month of June in the summer of 2023, I participated in a study abroad program located in Prague, Czech Republic where I studied an Intellectual Heritage class. I applied for the program, but I didn’t actually expect to go because imagining a future where I had the opportunity to travel seemed too good to be true. I almost convinced myself it was impossible. After being awarded a scholarship and receiving encouragement from my parents, I decided to take the chance on a once-in-a-lifetime-opportunity. As my first time out of the country as well as my first solo trip, I was full of excitement but also apprehensive at navigating a completely different country and culture. With its archaic Czech language and deep historical roots riddled with war and oppression, Prague seemed a little daunting. However, the lively social atmosphere, intricate pastel architecture, and accessible transportation and activities made it impossible not to fall in love with the ancient city.
My flat was located in the quaint town of Vinohrady (just a few tram stops away from the city) surrounded by quiet square block neighborhoods with varying shades of gray cobblestone lining the streets. With the absence of constant cars driving down the street, I could hear the soft clicking of the pedestrian crossing light from my flat window and the wiring of bicycle tires fading into the distance.
Vinohrady is famous for its daily farmer’s market that would take place almost every morning in the Jiriho z Podebrad Square. Around 50 vendors of local small businesses and townspeople selling fresh produce, pastries, coffee, and homemade jewelry would line the sidewalk of the park with their billowing white tents, creating shade from the bright summer sun as the local Czech people purchased their goods.
Here was where my roommates and I would try a different pastry or coffee before our morning class and where I was able to practice some basic Czech phrases. “Dobrý den, jak se mate?” or “Hello, how are you?” I would say to the vendor, trying to sound as friendly as I could without tripping over the guttural accents. I placed my container of strawberries, plastic bag of vegetables, and homemade bread on the table and the vendor replied with, “120 korun prosím.” That’s roughly five dollars, I thought to myself doing quick mental math and handing him a 100 crown bill and two coins. “Děkuji” I thanked him with a small smile at my triumph in successfully having a conversation, however simple it may have been.
During my entire trip, I kept a very detailed journal of my experiences that I often look back on to refresh my memory of all that happened and how I changed. On the first day walking through the streets I wrote, “Every minute here I fall more in love with the city; the romantic architecture, the bright golden light that washes over the horizon and makes all the buildings and trees glow, everything feels so peaceful.”
The exquisite architecture of the residential area I lived in filled with vibrant pastel pinks, greens, oranges, and blues always amazed me and I often would spend my free time walking around the city with my film camera capturing the candid incandescent beauty of Prague.
Children were constantly playing in the parks, while young mothers and fathers pushed strollers alongside them as elderly couples walked hand-in-hand. The city seemed to come alive with a vibrance I had never seen before and I relished the community of people dedicated to spending quality time outside with each other.
My class took daily trips to the historical Old Town that dates back to the 9th century when the Bohemians ruled Prague. Old Town Square is home to the Astronomical Clock which, being built in 1410, was a scientific marvel of its time. One can’t miss the defiant statue of Jan Huss, a religious martyr burned at the stake for his opposition to the Catholic Church, in the direct center of the square. As Roman writes in his travel guide to Prague, “There is no way you can say that you have been to Prague if you have not stood at its center.”
From learning about the invention of flying buttresses in gothic architecture to the sweeping arches in romantic buildings, I learned more about the city than I could have dreamed.
Each new location took my breath away as I craned my head up to gaze at the intricate beauty of painted ceilings or the symphony of color pouring from the stained glass windows.
From cathedrals, secret gardens, to authentic beer breweries, Prague was a treasure trove of hidden gems I was determined to explore.
One of those particular hidden gems was the Petrin Tower park, an immense park that covered miles of land in grassy hills with the Petrin Tower at the peak of the tallest hill (about 1000 ft). I was feeling ambitious one evening and wanted to explore a part of the city I had never been to. With my camera over my shoulder, I set out across town, taking two different trams to reach the other side of the Vltava River. On the tram I heard the soft buzz of Czech conversation in the background and marveled at the stunning details in the buildings rushing past me. I arrived at the park just as the sun was getting ready to dip lower in the sky, there was plenty of daylight left but everything was beginning to gleam in a soft golden glow, blending seamlessly into the darker blues of the sky. The longer I hiked through the park, the higher up the hill I climbed until I reached the summit and was greeted by the entire city smiling up at me. Golden hues of brownstone, green, and orange melted into the skyline of buildings and buildings nestled among trees and tall towers spread out as far as I could see.
My mouth slightly agape and my breath shallow with awe, I found a small brick ledge that I sat on as a brand new perspective started to cross my mind. My whole life I have never been able to imagine my future. It was always a looming black screen of emptiness, but sitting on that brick ledge seeing a piece of the world stretched out before my eyes, I realized that I had so much more life to live.
Traveling has become something I will prioritize for the rest of my life. Learning about other cultures and building connections with people all over the world is something that finally seems possible to me. Studying abroad changed me in more ways than I could count, but above all, it instilled in me a hope for my future, an assurance that I have the rest of my life to grow.
