Honestly, I was a little anxious about first coming to Prague. I knew that no one in our group spoke the language, and I had heard so much about targeting Americans and pickpocketing them. But when we got here my job dropped at the beauty that the city held. All thoughts of worry left my mind and that space was filled with appreciation.
After we dropped off our bags in the hotel, our wonderful guide, Renata, and set off for our walking tour of the Old Town and Jewish Quarter. There we saw a synagogue from the 13th century. That’s older than Gutenberg. Walking through the synagogue made me really appreciate all the effort it must have taken over the years to preserve this place of worship. The group was also able to walk through the Old Jewish Cemetery, where the Jews that died from the 1400’s through the 1700’s were buried. One of the biggest highlights for me, though, was the place that Mozart’s Don Giovanni had first premiered. This was specifically special to me because that opera was one of the first I had ever listened to and sparked some of my love for theatre and performances.
The next morning we set out for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Holy heck this was amazing. I was not expecting to love this as much as I did. As a theater major I was skeptical of the impact this would have on me because I am not a journalism major. But let me tell you, from the moment we cleared security and entered the grounds, everything became clear on the importance of this place. Everyone was on a mission, which is something I can entirely relate to. Walking around the building and being able to witness a live broadcast was mind boggling. To be completely honest, I had not heard of Radio Free Europe before this class. But learning about all the important work they do and all of the news and information they are able to distribute is completely amazing.
Prauge holds a special place with me because a large part of my family is from this city. Although it may have been years ago that any of them had been walking around the city, I could feel a connection with them as I walked around. It was as if they were here with me, guiding me and helping me appreciate all the city has to offer. I never thought I would be able to connect with a city like the way I have with Prague. I’ve loved every minute we’ve spent here, and I am counting down the days until I am able to come back.
-Emily
Kat & Em Take on Gutenberg 