Czech It Out!

Studying abroad was never really even a part of the plan, not that I ever really had much of one. I knew I would end up in college somewhere after high school, but truly, that was the extent to which I knew where my life was headed. My first year of college, although I hadn't laid out any thoughts for how it would go, was much different than I'd believed it would be. With constant assignments, a demanding work schedule, and trying to balance a decent social life, everything became very overwhelming very quickly. When studying abroad was suggested to me, I thought of it as a kind of escape from the hectic life I was living. Little did I know it would end up being so much more than that. About two and a half weeks ago, only a few weeks into the semester at the time, we left Olomouc for our second class trip to Rome. A hop, a skip, and a jump later, or rather, a tram, train, subway, plane, and another tram later, we arrived and checked into our hotel of the next few days. We all...

"Taking things for granted" is a phrase that seems to emerge relatively early in life. As a child, your parents may utter this phrase under the likely circumstance that you beg them for some toy or piece of candy that you wish to have in your possession. You come to learn, quite early on, that it is necessary to appreciate your own belongings or the resources that are available to you while you have access to them. While I may have never started a "gratitude" journal, per se, I do aim to live in the moment, thankful for the opportunities I am given and have earned. When I recognize that I am not doing so, I try to take a step back, and this phrase makes its way to the forefront of my mind. It's kind of embarrassing, but until very recently, I would have sworn to you it went "taking things for granite." My boyfriend expressed to me recently that this was, indeed, not how the saying goes, however, and from now on, I'll strive to say it correctly. ...