English Drama Club

Written by Brittany

I cannot believe it has already been a full month since our drama club performances! This spring is going so quickly.

It’s really difficult to put into words just how amazing being part of the English Drama Club was for us this year.

In high school, Jadon and I were both involved in drama at school, and last year I was given the opportunity to help Mrs. Eileen Kregor with the spring play at Herscher High School. So we didn’t go into this as total novices, but we also did not have very much experience as directors either.

Last June we were able to sit down with Laura Reynolds who had been a conversational English teacher at our school in Prauge 5 years ago. While she was here, Laura started the English Drama Club. As she told us about the opportunity we would have, we were really excited! We enjoy drama and knew it would be a great way to get to know some students on a more personal level. We had a lot of questions and some nerves, but overall we were excited. And that was the right emotion to have.

We had 18 students as part of EDC this year. What’s very interesting about this group is that some of them are our current students at Arabska and others are past graduates. So some of them have moved on to university but were members of EDC when they were in high school, and they come back to participate in it again. This was great because we had some students in their first year with EDC and others in their fifth!

EDC Members at the Christmas Party

We began meeting with the students in early October just playing improv and drama games. In January we had auditions for our play: The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon! Essentially it was a large mash-up featuring characters from many of the Brothers Grimm fairy tales. So characters like Cinderella, Rapunzel, Little Red Riding Hood, Snow White, etc. were all there.

One of our posters, made by Jadon!

We worked on the play from the middle of January until mid-April when we had our performances. The rehearsals were a great experience, and we were weekly impressed with the students’ dedication and abilities. The play was a comedy, and we had students with fantastic comedic timing and a strong desire to make the audience laugh, which they certainly did!

The Enchantress & the Prince in Rapunzel's Tower

Our first performance was April 15, a Wednesday. We were worried that not many audience members would attend on a Wednesday evening, but as I sold tickets, I was amazed that we had 50 people in the audience! Thursday night there were 63 people, and then Friday night we had a full house with 131 people!

The students did a great job, and each night the audience seemed to really enjoy themselves. The play was a full 2 hours, which our students handled so well! They were able to keep the audience engaged and keep up their energy, while performing in English. As Jadon & I walked home each night, we could not stop talking about how proud & impressed we were.

The Princess (from the princess & the frog prince) with her father, the King

So while there were definitely overwhelmed and stressed moments as we tried to think through blocking, costumes, props, sets, programs, posters, tickets, concessions, etc., overall we absolutely loved the experience and cannot wait until we get to do it again next year!

And we must add: we could not have done this without the help of our EDC students. The students we had this year were fantastic. They worked so well together, and constantly were there to answer our questions and help us out. We were certainly blessed by this group!

The cast of The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon! (plus 2 directors)

Istanbul Recap!

Written by Jadon

Over a month ago (April 1^st-5^th), Brittany and I had the opportunity to travel to Istanbul, Turkey during our school’s Easter holiday. If you have followed our story—or just our blog—from the beginning, you will remember that Turkey was our original destination of choice. So this was an interesting trip, not only for the wonderful tourist sites, but also as a reminder of the culture we had been heading toward. As it turns out, and always does, God knows what he is doing. As much as we enjoyed our vacation, which was a lot, we are both glad that we live and teach in the Czech Republic. And without his reshaping of our “perfectly constructed” plan last spring, we would not be here in Prague today.

Flight path from Prague to Istanbul

 You might remember from geography class, but Turkey is one of the few countries in the world to be part two different continents. Although most of the country is considered to be Asia, the city of Istanbul bridges the Bosphorus (a waterway connecting the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara, which divides Asia and Europe). In short, part of Istanbul is in Asia, and part is in Europe. While most of our time was spent on the European side, thanks to a bus tour that crossed the Bosphorus Bridge, I have now been to Asia!! Though our bus nearly immediately drove back across the bridge and back into Europe, and we didn’t get out, so hopefully one day my feet will get go to Asia, not just my eyes… But it was fun nonetheless. Of course, Brittany spent a summer in China, so for her it was a 7 minute return to Asia.

On the highway, entering into Asia

Istanbul is a bustling city packed with history and things to see, and there are so many things to tell you about. From the massive Hagia Sophia and it’s intricate mosaics, to the labyrinthine Grand Bazaar. From Galata Tower high on the hill across the Golden Horn, to the tulips of the Topkapi Palace Gardens. And of course the Blue Mosque and the Hippodrome near its gates. There are so many sites, and they are all so old and so interesting.  But let me just expound on just a few.

First: Apple Tea. Not only is Turkey known for Turkish delight and baklava, it is also known for its tea. Of course there are a ton of varieties—as a walk through the Egyptian Spice Market will quickly show you, but our favorite was the Apple Tea. It was delicious, and we tried to buy some to bring home, but as good as it is, it isn’t the same.

Delicious Turkish Apple Tea!

 Second: Fish Sandwiches. On a tip from a friend, we learned that in Istanbul you can buy fresh fish sandwiches from men on boats near the Golden Horn. Basically, the boat is the kitchen area, and customers walk up to the docked boat, order and pay, and then the food is passed from the boat, across the water, to the customer on the shore. We managed to find one such vendor, and despite the rain and the wind making the boat (kitchen) toss and turn like mad; we ordered our sandwich and managed to find a seat under an umbrella and a heat lamp on the very steady concrete shore! It was delicious. So, if you are ever in Istanbul...

In the back is the "kitchen" on the boat. The man handing Brittany the sandwich is on shore with us, so they pass it out to him once it's made.

Third: The Basilica Cistern. Probably our favorite site of all the great things we saw, the Basilica Cistern is a huge underground cistern that was built in A.D. 532. During the Middle Ages it was completely closed off and forgotten. As the story goes, an archeologist heard rumors that certain residents of the city were able to lower buckets into holes in their basement floors to draw fresh water. Some even claimed to have caught fish from these holes. Of course the archeologist couldn’t let this opportunity pass him by, and eventually discovered the lost cistern. Today the Basilica Cistern is mainly a tourist attraction, and tourists can descend the fifty some steps into the dimly lit, man-made cavern. It is about 210 ft. wide, 420 ft. long, and 27 ft. high, and is supported by 336 marble columns. If I understood correctly, when it was built, water could fill the cistern all the way to the top and it wouldn’t leak! (You’ll have to do the math to figure out how much water that would be.) Today, though, there are only a few lonely fish swimming in about 12 inches of water that rests beneath the walkways. Of course, since it’s a tourist site, there is an underground café, where we, of course, got some Apple Tea!

Brittany in the Basilica Cistern

Istanbul is filled with wonderful sites, stories, and food, and we have many other stories we could tell, but you will just have to ask us this summer. Or take a trip to Istanbul yourself!

Inside the Blue Mosque - We really loved our trip to Istanbul!

 

Prayer Request & Quick Update

Please join us today and this week as we pray for our senior students who will begin the written portion of their Maturita exams today.
The oral portion will take place the week of May 18. That is the part they seem to be more concerned about, so prayers for them for the next few weeks would be wonderful!

 Also.
We know we have been such delinquent bloggers the last 5 weeks. Things have been so busy!
And this next week will be very busy.
BUT!
After that, you will get many updates on things like:
Istanbul!
English Drama Club!
Emily's Visit!
Czech Culture: Final Bell!
Switzerland!
Salzburg for Brittany's Birthday!
Dates We'll be Home in the Summer!

So look forward to all that as we try to get caught up!
- J & B

Czech Culture: Easter Monday

Written by Brittany

This is the first holiday we’ve experienced here that is majorly different than what we are used to back home.

For starters, Easter here is celebrated on Monday, not Sunday. Our students have told us that only if you are religious is Sunday part of the holiday.

There are some similarities. There are still chocolate Easter bunnies & Easter candies sold in the grocery stores. Some families do the Easter Bunny, but that varies. I had some students say their family does it every year and others say that their family has never done it.

They also decorate eggs, but here they paint them instead of dye. The painting of eggs is also seen as a female activity. You can see a picture of them below. Clearly it takes a bit more time & skill than the usual dying kit from Kroger.

Beautiful painted eggs!

Now, the differences.

Based on an old pagan tradition, Easter Monday is a day when men spank women with a whipping stick the men make from willow branches.  This stick is called a pomlázka in Czech. The branches are twined together and ribbons are tied on the end.

The pomlázka or whipping stick

The men then go door to door to find and spank all the women in the house. As they spank them, they are supposed to say an Easter poem. The ancient thought behind this tradition is that whipping the women with tree branches will give them health, beauty, and fertility during the coming year. Essentially, it will give them the energy of the tree.

Once the women have been spanked, the men are then given painted eggs, chocolates, money, or shots of alcohol before they go on to the next house. 

Women do have a small chance for revenge, though. The spanking is only supposed to go until noon. If someone comes to spank them after noon, the women can pour cold water on him.

Since we live in a city, we weren't part of any of this yesterday. And our students told us that in Prague they really only do it to people they know. But if we were in a small village, they said they would go to each house, so it’s a bigger tradition in the villages than in the capital city.

So let’s just say, we’re glad to live in the city :)

Old Town Square decorated for Easter

Prayer Requests:

-       Drama Club – opening night is in 8 days!

-       Health – Brittany came home from Istanbul with food poisoning.

-       Our senior students as they prepare for their exams next month.

Praises:

-       We had a great trip to Istanbul, even if it did end with food poisoning.

-       Such great drama club students! They have made something very stressful into something very fun!

-       Even though Brittany was in bed all day Easter Sunday, so we didn’t get to celebrate at church, we are still praising God for giving us His son, and praising that the tomb is empty!!

The Unwritten Rules of Prague

We did not write this list ourselves. It's part of a larger article you can find here: http://www.expats.cz/prague/article/community/the-unwritten-rules-of-Prague/
Their list is longer; we just pulled out the ones we have witnessed.

So here are some unwritten rules of Prague, and a great look at the culture we live in!

*Reservations are essential. Not just for meals, but an afternoon coffee as well. If it's a place worth going to, it's booked by those in the know. If there is tons of space, it's likely overpriced and awaiting tourists. 

*BYOTP. Women, it's a good idea to carry a packet of tissues to the toilet, particularly if you're at an outdoor festival or a bar after 9:00 pm. Replenishing TP seems to be just below smiling on the customer service priority list, and paper towels are most definitely a luxury item.

*Pets will show up in the unlikeliest of places. Czechs have more dogs per capita than any European country, but you can relax about attacks because they're usually very well trained. However, if you're allergic you may want to avoid public transport, restaurants and possibly your office.

Very common sighting: dog on the tram

*If you want to speak English, you'd better be spending money. Want to work at Starbucks, McDonald's or in any of Prague's shopping centers? Fluency in at least three languages, including English, is a must. Want to work for the foreign police? Just Czech is fine, with conversational German or Russian a plus, but not required.

*The day before a holiday is a holiday. Don't count on a response to emails or phone calls after 12:00pm on Friday (especially on a long weekend). If the public holiday falls on a Tuesday or Thursday, 60% of your office will probably take a 4-5 day trip out of the city with their family.

*Weekends are for getting out of Prague. Any day with decent weather for skiing, cycling, hiking or rafting should be spent outside the city limits. And if the weather isn't ideal for outdoor activities, you can expect to hear complaints about it throughout the office on Monday morning.   

*Nude is the norm. One additional warm-weather warning – in public parks, bathing suits are optional for anyone under 10 or over 50. If you've fallen asleep while sunbathing, you may want to open your eyes slowly… (The entire city doubles as a men's toilet as well.)

*Drinking at lunch is acceptable (but not required). Though you are still expected to perform your duties upon returning to the office! But don't feel compelled to have a pint just to keep someone from drinking alone. Enjoying a beer is more about taste than taboo, so you won't lose any cool points for ordering a coffee, tea or water.
 *Exact change is a religion. Whatever note you're paying with had better be within 20% of the price. Exact change is preferred, additional coins to make the change a round number are expected, and glares are guaranteed for anyone using a 2,000 CZK note, ever.

Czech Currency

*The post will be maddeningly unpredictable. Any package sent from outside the EU will arrive on time, but require three extra weeks to track down which post office it was sent to, plus five pages of forms. If you send both a package and a postcard to the same non-EU city on the same day, they will arrive ten days apart with no consistency on which one takes longer.

*80s music is a guilt-free pleasure. If either "Greased Lighting" or "(I've Had) the Time of My Life" from Dirty Dancing comes on at Lucerna Music Bar at least half the room, regardless of age, is required to sing along and demonstrate the choreography.

*Develop your own Prague laundry system. All clothing, particularly coats and jackets, should be divided into two categories: acceptable-to-wear-for-a-night-on-the-town or reserved-for-non-smoking-establishments-only.

Praises:

- Jadon figured out how to fix our Internet, and now it is working perfectly!

- We got to attend a talk by American astronaut Charles Duke on Wednesday, and it was a wonderful experience!

- We have had multiple sunny days in a row - it seems that spring is on its way!

- We completely lost power in our apartment on Thursday evening, but our landlord had it all sorted by Friday morning!

Prayer Requests:

- Drama Club (only 3.5 weeks until the performances!) 

- Sleep - we have been sleeping poorly the last couple of weeks

- The group from CRU will be in our classrooms this coming week, so prayers that they can use their time well and make some connections with students

New Skype ID

Last week Jadon was able to solve our Internet problem (yay!), and we now have a new router and stronger Internet signal.

However, for whatever reason, Brittany's computer now disconnects from our new network very frequently. Because of this, our Skype sessions are constantly interrupted. So we set up a new Skype account on Jadon's computer.

Our new Skype ID is huddlestonsabroad2

So if you ever Skype with us, or would like to start Skyping with us, please add us at this new account.

Also, if anyone knows how to fix the problem with Brittany's computer (she has a MacBook Pro), any advice would be great!

Spring Break in Finland!

Written by Brittany

This past week has been our spring break from school, and we finally got to go on a trip we have had booked since September! We traveled from Prague up above the Arctic Circle to Finnish Lapland, and it was amazing!

We landed at Ivalo Airport, and then directly south of it is our resort: Kakslauttanen

 We had four main bucket list things we wanted to achieve on this trip: 1. Go above the Arctic Circle, 2. Go dogsledding, 3. Go snowmobiling, 4. See the Northern Lights. And we did three of the four! A bittersweet aspect of our trip: it was unseasonably warm during the time we were there – it stayed right around freezing instead of being 20 degrees below like it normally is, and because of the warm weather, it was also very cloudy. (Many of the natives we talked to complained that it was too warm, and they wished it were colder. They are more comfortable in 20 below than I could ever be!) Because of the clouds, we were not able to see the Northern Lights, but I’m convinced that if it were as cold as it usually is, I, at least, would not have enjoyed the activities nearly as much, because I was freezing most of the time anyway. So all this means is we will have to go on another Northern trip in the future to achieve our fourth bucket list item :) 

We arrived in Ivalo, Finland around 6:30pm on Monday and were picked up from the airport by a bus from our hotel. Once we got there, and took our bags to our glass igloo (!!!) by sled, it was time for dinner. To get to dinner we had to walk about 5 minutes through the dark & cold, but it was very exciting. Dinner, and all our meals while we were there, was delicious and much higher quality food than we were expecting.

Our igloo with Jadon peeking out

 On Tuesday we went to breakfast and then had to check out of our igloo. The igloo was SO cool, but also very small. We were glad we stayed there one night, but also glad that we were changing to a cabin for the rest of our stay. After checking out, we were picked up for our first excursion: dogsledding! This was what we were most looking forward to, and it did not disappoint. Jadon was the driver, and I, the passenger. Once we got our tutorial, we were waiting with our 6-dog team to get started. The dogs were pretty intense. They were barking and pulling and fighting a little, waiting to get started. As soon as we started running, though, they were silent. It was such a neat experience, and so much more peaceful than we were anticipating. Since the dogs were silent, it was just us going smoothly through a beautiful winter forest. We were able to talk and just enjoy the time together. This is something we definitely want to do again some day! After our approximately 2 hours in the forest, we had lunch in a teepee with our fellow dogsledders.

Riding behind our team

With our 6-dog team

During our break in the afternoon we went back to our cabin & made use of the personal sauna in our bathroom! It was a great way to warm up.

That evening after dinner we went on a reindeer pulled sleigh ride “safari.” The main point of this excursion normally is to be outside to see the Northern Lights, but since we weren’t lucky in that department, it was just a nice relaxing ride through the forest. The sleighs were all connected to each other, so we did not have to drive at all, which was a nice difference from our other two activities. Halfway through the journey, we stopped at a fire pit for a hot drink and to learn about the indigenous Finnish people, the Sami. We learned that the Sami people were nomadic people who traveled the way we had been traveling that evening, with reindeer pulled sleighs all tied together to carry their belongings and children. That made the journey even neater since we were doing something native to the area. We also learned that in Finnish the word for money and the name for birch tree bark are the same word. Birch bark is very valuable because it is an easy way to start fires outside, especially in damp, snowy conditions. One of our guides says she keeps her paper money in one pocket & her birch “money” in her other.

Wednesday we went snowmobiling in the afternoon. We were kind of nervous for this activity since neither of us had ever done anything like it before. We got our warm clothing, helmets, and instructions, and then got ready to head out for 3.5 hours in the frozen Finnish countryside. Jadon, again, was our driver, and ended up being very good at it, and I was a very good (though very cold) passenger. We traveled over many miles, and saw a lot of different types of landscapes. We climbed a fell, went through sparse areas with few trees, and traveled through a pine forest (our favorite part). We really enjoyed it, but it was not nearly as peaceful as dogsledding. Aside from the obvious noise from the snowmobile, it was also very bumpy and harder to control. It was a very neat experience, but we would pick dogsledding over snowmobiling every time.

Ready for our adventure!

With our snowmobile in the pine forest

 Snowmobiling was our last planned activity, so we just relaxed that night, had dinner, and packed. The next morning we caught the 6:00am bus back to the airport, and headed back to Prague. Though it was a short trip, we had a wonderful time, and cannot wait to return to the far north again some day! 

To see more pictures from our trip:  https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.966746490817.1073741850.69601108&type=1&l=8303c76010
 

Praises:

-       Safety during our travels & activities

-       We got to experience our favorite parts of traveling: new culture, foods, etc.

-       Only 3.5 weeks until Easter Break ;) (but seriously)

Prayer Requests:

-       Drama Club (5.5 weeks until the performance!)

-       Some American high schoolers with CRU will be coming to Prauge at the end of March to meet with our students, so prayers for their travels and their time once they’re here.

      -    We’ve been having issues with our Internet, which we’re hoping to get worked out this          weekend. While it’s not impossible to live & work without the Internet, it definitely makes it easier, especially as we create a curriculum from scratch and keep in touch with family. So prayers that it’s an easy fix and all goes well as we try to communicate our problems with the Czech workers.