What's up?

I've been so swamped lately. There's my Czech lesson that's keeping me busy twice a week. It's been what, centuries since I took up something? The reverse role in the classroom is kinda strange for me. Not being in charge makes me feel somewhat helpless.

I chose it this way. If I had a private lesson, I could and I know I would, cancel the lesson whenever the little devil whispers at me to just chill at home or go somewhere else. I also wouldn't be pushed to learn. I mean, I couldn't care less if my teacher would find me slow, but being in a class, with ten other people who might think I'm hopeless, makes it too much for my ego to take. I gotta fear embarassment in order to learn.

I feel like I kid. I often kick my cohorts' feet whenever our teacher would ask me something and I didn't know the answer. Same with them. One guy from Turkey would poke my back with his pen whenever his brains refuse to switch to Czech. My life, ladies and gentlemen, is like this every Monday and Wednesday.

Speaking of brain-switching, my sister has been here in Prague since last week. Now I converse to someone in Surigaonon on daily basis. I don't mind, it's actually nice, but when I have to talk to husband in English then talk to sister in Surigaonon at the same time while I try to finish my Czech homework, I just get so mentally constipated.

So if you wont see me here often, blame it on constipation.

One fine day in Prague

We went rowing in Vltava one fine summer day here in Prague. I think it was two weekends ago when A and I decided to play tourists.

New teachers at school would often come to ask me about the best places in town to wine and dine, to explore, to visit. Most often than not they come out empty-handed. You tend to ignore what the place offers when you live there. Such was, and I'm afraid still is, how it is with me and Prague.

You can find lots of boats (row) for rent especially near Charles Bridge. They are for 150kč/ hour. A warm day on a weekend usually means waiting for a while for one to be available. Now when it seems fall has come to kick the summer out, you probably wont have to wait at all.

Our conversation was just me asking where we were going. A said "to Karlovy Lazne," which is a popular discoteque in Prague. It's one of the buildings before (from the Old Town) Charles Bridge.

Sometimes I stop in my tracks when I walk in Prague's center. I still get amazed at how picturesque this city is, but I'm also guilty of ignoring its beauty now and then.

Busy. Crazy.

Teacher by day, student by night---that's me these days. Yup, I've been having Czech lessons since last week.

It's great, I'm enjoying it so far. The language is so complicated but I'm not in a hurry to learn everything right away. One word at a time and I'll get there someday. At least now it's starting to make sense how the words change like a chameleon.

My classmates are mostly Asians. Three Vietnamese, three Chinese, one Korean. Judging by the accent, one is American, and judging by the looks, one is maybe from Spain or Portugal. One Chinese girl doesn't speak a single English and doesn't understand Czech at all. She cried on the first day --she didn't understand when the teacher asked her to fill up a form, you know, just for her to write her complete name and address. I thought that was it for her, that she wont be coming back, but she's still hanging around. I admire her courage.

So now the words are all jumbled up in my head. Czech will be my fifth language (well, two are considered dialects but still they're participants in the chaos that's been going on there). I wonder which one will have to go. I have this feeling my Tagalog will get worse when my Czech will get better. Oh well, I've never been really fluent in Tagalog but still I don't wanna lose it.

A few weeks ago it took me more than a minute to remember "bacon." I was like "slanina, anglicka slanina.....darn it, what is it called in English!" For a while I panicked. Help, I'm losing my English! Then I rememembered the word but this paranoia just wont go away. Now I try to translate words in my head in five languages, just to make sure I still have a grip on them. I am like " cat-kočka-pusa-iring-miya. Dog-pes-aso-iro-ido..."

*Sigh.*

Welcome to my world.