Has it really been a week?!

Apparently, time flies when in the Czech Republic, just like it does in the US. :)

I've been here a week already. So much has happened in that one week...and yet, to some people, it would seem like I've not done much of anything. Here's a glimpse into what the first week has held...

1. I am officially a student at the Charles University (at their Institute for Language and Preparatory Studies). After 2 hours of filling out papers and standing in the "queue," I received my official student card. Tomorrow morning, I have orientation and then classes start on Wednesday morning.

2. I registered at the Foreign Police. What could have been a long process actually only took a half hour or so. I'll have to revisit this place in a few short weeks when I change housing, but it's a good start.

3. I applied for my Open Card, which is my public transportation card for Prague (allowing me to use any form of public transport for the year). It comes in two weeks.

4. I set up a Czech bank account (not a Czech "Czeching" account, mind you). :)

5. I purchased my mobile phone and a two year contract (gulp). Funny thing - it's more high-tech than my phone ever was in the States...though I'm sure I'm still way behind everyone else in that realm.

6. I finally saw the Prague Castle!! Our group somehow missed that last year...

And, the part that I've enjoyed the most...I've been meeting a lot of people. Many of them are connections through Emily. Others, I've met at church. Speaking of church, I think that's going to be a separate blog entry...on Thursday night, I went to Youth Group with Emily and met a number of young adults. It was a lot of fun sitting with them in McDonald's afterward (yes, that's one of the 'cool' places to hang out...), simply starting to get to know them. Two of them also go to the same church that I attended on Sunday. Another one works for the Language Center, so I was able to see her today when I registered for my classes. It's so fun to know/recognize people already!

I'm excited about all the relationships that lie ahead...in my language class, at the church, in the community where I live, and everywhere in between. I'm not naive enough to think that these relationships will come quickly or even easily, but I do believe that they will come in time.