To Begin

by

This is my destination.

Current listening: Shingo Nakamura- Hakodate
Current location: Comforts of my own home (Anaheim, CA)

Typically, my posts won't be this lengthy, but here is an introduction of such.
I am starting this blog to document the process, my experiences and the knowledge I gain prior to, while abroad and after my semester stay in Prague, Czech Republic. This is designed for my family and friends to follow me via pictures, videos and stories. I am also writing it as an insightful guide for future study abroad students and individuals considering traveling to Prague (and other parts of Europe).

 The count down until my departure is at 14 days. The process of studying abroad up to now has taken about 6 months. At first, I planned on studying in Paris but I had already visited there twice before. I've also been to most of western Europe (England, Spain, France, Germany, etc.) so I wanted take a stab at something completely foreign to me. That’s why I chose Prague as my destination to study. It's centrally located in Europe and the gateway to both the east (Poland, Hungary, Slovakia) and west.

 Leaving everything I know and love in California wasn't an easy decision at all, but I needed to do it for my own personal growth. Studying abroad is a great way to understand and experience the culture of one that is very different compared to my own. Cultural differences include more than just differences in language, food, and appearances. A person's culture reflects very deep perceptions, beliefs, and values that influence his or her way of life and the way that he or she views the world. Also, it will provide me with the opportunity to travel, meet new people and really enhance the value of my degree (Sociology). This experience will give me a chance to really learn about myself. I want to return home with new ideas and perspectives about my culture and myself. I hope the experience will allow me to embrace new concepts, perceptions and enable me to see life through new eyes.

 I am studying through CEA, a very reputable study abroad company. I chose to go through them because of their outstanding reviews, great price and the excursions they take us on. It’s been mostly smooth sailing because I started the process rather early (strongly advise). However, there was an excessive amount of much paperwork involved. Plus, I had to make about 11 trips to go see my Cal State Fullerton counselor, get a ton of things signed, made multiple trips to LA to retrieve my student visa, and plenty more. After all of that, I'm finally finished and ready to leave Anaheim!
Accordingly, I am making a promise to myself... From now until I return home May 24, 2013, I plan to share everything. I'm taking pictures of all the delicious foreign cuisine, videos of me exploring the countryside, test grades and chip wrappers from people I meet on the train. Everything. I want to sensually, visually and mentally immerse the reader in my own experiences abroad. This means detailing the music I'm listening to (throughout the trip and while writing this blog), the sights around me, my mood/mood of my surroundings, the smell of the waiter’s cologne, everything.          
Let's begin.