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“Figuratively” Speaking (Making Fig Jam)
an unexpectedly lovely weekend here in ceske budejovice! yesterday we sat for hours in the sun at a cafe along the river with a new friend (outdoor cafe season still going! wooooo) and today, it was all about relaxation. ie… cooking. because making life easier for yourself the rest of the week is awesome. i’ve never had a fig before! maybe in a fig newton, but i’ve always hated those. so, i’ve recently noticed their existence– all over the place lately with big sales at the supermarkets and at farmers markets as well. it must be fig season! so i stocked up and decided to have a go at fig…
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Lately, Fall
life here in czech republic is picking up again! alex and i’ve both started back up with our lessons for the new school year. i chose to stick with my job at the language school that i’ve been with since february instead of teaching only children with alex. i loved being around the kids during summer camp and i do enjoy having young students, but i thought that personally, i have a lot i can offer adults as well. so, i will continue to teach a variety of ages, 7 through 60+. what i like about this job is that i can accept or decline new students as i feel…
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How Soon is Sweden
the time is soon for sweden! summer camps are over for the year (post coming soon) and last-minute trip preparations are underway. this is the big one of the summer– a trip i planned so long ago that it seemed like i had ages to plan… but it really just snuck up on me. (can you believe august is already upon us? and this blog’s one year birthday too. awww) i am quite looking forward to sweden in mere days. finally: a journey to my homeland! still need to finish watching the rest of vikings (HBO) before we depart. really, that show is truly excellent. and loading my mobile device…
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It’s Summer! Pt. I
backyard in the city shots of lazy beginning of summer days! lounging in the backyard, on the balcony in the warm evenings, fresh juice and berries at farmer’s markets… and yesterday’s brilliant discovery of the outdoor swimming pool complex here in town! the pool is the nicest i have been in, on par with the most luxury of hotels. surrounded by a lovely grassy lawn for lounging, also with a restaurant and did i mention… right above the vltava river! so it reminds you of one of those “infinity pools”. i know where i’ll be this season! my lessons are dwindling with the summer holidays approaching, and alex has begun…
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an april week
i have determined that i like very much living in europe. the one thing i do not like is that friends and family aren’t here. also in no particular order i miss: fresh seafood, abundance of health foods and fresh veg, good karaoke, and the beach. and a few smaller things… but really, those are the only downsides! so friends: feel free to come visit! won’t you come inside? house tour can be found here. looking down the stairs from the door to our flat. we live on the first floor and there is currently no one living in the flat next door due to renovations. no noise! this building…
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every day is a holiday
weekends like these are reminders of why i chose to come try my hand at living, working, and traveling in europe. so i can go take hikes, eat at czech restaurants, stroll around castles, and lay in the grass in the spring sunshine. explore new areas! eat dinners on the balcony, listen to birds tweeting. life in budêjovice is so chill. walking to work, which barely feels like work takes seven minutes and on the way i walk over a canal, walk down a beautiful street (my favorite in the city: česka) and pass some old churches. the other half of my lessons i actually go to the homes and the places of…
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spring has arrived?
above, facades of buildings of lannova trida, ĉeské budějovice– or “budweis”– the german/more international version everyone calls it when speaking in english. life is good here– alex celebrated a birthday last weekend and we celebrated in true low-key alex fashion: talking a walk, doing whatever at home, going out to a nice czech dinner, and watching a movie he loves (the professional). unfortunately the next morning i came up with an unfortunate bout of mild food poisoning so the past few days have been getting back to normal for me. (coulda been worse, but i’m pretty sure i have a stomach of STEEL) below, one of alex’s all-british birthday gifts… the…
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snowy sundays
awoke this morning with the intention of creating an amazing mexican brunch a la señor moose, my favorite ballard mexican joint. created chilaquiles with ingredients i had already– basically fried tortilla squares under variety of diced vegetables, two eggs topped with sour cream (erm… plain yogurt) and jalapeños, served with horchata lattes. this yielded a big thumbs up from alex, who could not believe he was enjoying eating a mushroom, a pepper, and an onion in a single bite (three vegetables he used to dislike). it’s near impossible to get food mexican food here, and they barely even sell mexican spices. at nicer grocery stores you can pick up…
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funemployment
i have been unemployed (not by choice) for over three weeks, which is normal from what i hear talking to other past TEFLers. the first two weeks were a blast– it was christmas time! lots of dinners, events, fun things to check out. then week three happened– the week that is bringing plenty of wondering: “where are all the jobs?” “should i stay in prague?” “should i start looking elsewhere?“ the amount of jobs and job related activity in the past five days or so has been close to nil. i have heard the january was the second biggest hiring time of year in prague but you wouldn’t know it.…
