My American Christmas Gift: 2019’s Czech Memories and Newfound Roots

After my high school graduation, I opened my yearbook and found a small, folded piece of paper slipped inside the crevice. When I unfolded this hidden paper, I read the following quote written in sharpie over a scene of dandelion seeds being blown in the wind:

“Storms make trees grow stronger roots.”

To this day I have no idea who left this note in my yearbook. But it was placed inside this book two days after my dad passed. At the time, I found this quote hard to relate to and believe. As I said in my first blog post, at this time I didn’t want stronger roots. I wanted to uproot and escape. Now, it has been almost 5 years later and I finally see the value of these words and why they were slipped inside my yearbook.

I have been in the Czech Republic, living in my own flat in Česky Têšín, for 5 months. I left Boston 5 months ago and have now written almost 20 blogs tracking and reflecting upon new beginnings, mountainous adventures, enriching challenges, and a continuous redefinition of escape. And now I’m about to travel back to Boston so that I can spend Christmas and New Year’s with my family after 5 months apart from them. My Czech life feels like a completely separate world from the one I live in Boston. I know I have adapted and changed so that I can transition into a completely foreign lifestyle on my own. But, I also have a feeling the moment I step foot into the US I may feel a bit disoriented and out of place.

5 months is a long time and it’s hard to keep up with everybody over the phone – especially with the time difference and conflicting schedules. It is very easy to live a completely separate life from everything familiar to me in America. What’s more, an escape is simple when not many people in the Czech Republic know about my past and I can live as my own person – an independent individual with her own story written on her own terms.

All this said, I am using this blog to reflect and open up about how the “storm” of my trauma has impacted all aspects of my life…how the words on that folded piece of paper have rang true all these years. The storm that has flooded my life has actually watered roots and relationships while also instilling ever-growing resilience, perseverance, and strength. While certainly hard to stay afloat from time to time, this storm has granted me a sense of clarity and space to foster, enrich, and broaden my perspective of myself and those that surround me every day.

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2019 has gifted me with many new memories, people, and discoveries that I know will stay with me not only during these 10 days while I’m home but also through all future endeavors that I will pursue. It’s been 5 months of change and growth and I am still learning to embrace and delve into challenges as opposed to hide away from them. I have had completely new experiences, emotions and a harvest of incredible, surprising, and challenging days – emotionally and physically. So now I would like to share my American Christmas gift of my favorite Czech memories thus far with you all. Here are my highlights:

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Fulbright Orientations in Brno and Prague

These trips always came at the perfect times and allowed me to reconnect with individuals experiencing life in various towns, villages, and cities across the Czech Republic. While in different places across the country, everybody was in my same boat. We all have different experiences with teaching and living in a country where we do not speak the native language – and we are all eager to share and connect with each other. I also visited Prague for the first time when on my second orientation and was introduced to a city that has become my home away from home – the heart of Europe and a big one at that.

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Adventures with Roman and Pavlina

Where do I even begin with this gift from 2019 in Czechia? My adventures with Roman and Pavlina have not only shown me the importance of finding family wherever you find yourself but also the beauty of simply living surrounded by laughter, ambition, love, and, of course, the mountains. I know our list of adventures will only continue to grow but I also just really love our day-to-day conversations at the pub and in their flat. We help each other and are continuously growing as a new, international family 🙂 What better way to end 2019 with a Christmas in my flat with this family?! We shared new traditions, champagne, food, and sweet gifts. It was simple and thrown together at the last minute during a very busy week but it was very cozy and a beautiful way to celebrate the holidays with them.

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First Week of School and Teaching

Learning how to teach in a foreign country is certainly the hardest endeavor I have chosen to pursue – but it has also been the most rewarding. Every day I learn to navigate being ok with discomfort and not knowing all the answers. I am not a perfect teacher but am very eager to learn from my colleagues and scaffold my understanding of all the intricacies that follow a teacher’s job. Perhaps the two most important aspects of teaching I know that I want to continually hold onto and discover are confidence and empathy. All students and teachers have their own stories and it is our job to redistribute the power amongst ourselves to ensure that we understand each other and develop authentic relationships – relationships that perpetually establish a collaborative and respectful classroom community. And my baking, running, and after-school tutoring helps this classroom community slowly blossom even more. I’m hopeful that these after-school clubs will grow even stronger and more consistent in the new year.

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My School’s Boating Course in Česky Krumlov

If you asked me last year around my birthday if I would paddle with a group of Czech students along the waters and down waterfalls of Česky Krumlov – and camp there in the cold for three days – I would have said you are talking to the wrong girl. However, after three weeks of situating myself in my new Czech life this is exactly what I did and I do not regret this at all. This trip was the first test of my ability to push way past my comfort zone. All the more, I was able to connect with students in a setting outside the classroom and experience a new activity in a foreign language and in a foreign place with them. Truly wild but again no regrets and now I have stories and memories that I can pass along for many years.

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Climbing in Česky Têšín, Cieszyn, and Slovakia

Again, last year’s Sarah would never imagine herself climbing on rock walls let alone actually rocks and stone walls in the middle of the woods. But again, after 5 months in the Czech Republic, I find myself in Cieszyn once a week with Roman learning different climbing techniques that I can use when I venture into Bohemia and Slovakia to climb on rocks 30 meters high in the spring. Climbing has proven a great way to release stress and expand my athletic experience beyond running circles around a track. Best of all, climbing gifts me quality time with my Czech dad who is a seriously impressive climber with countless memories all over Europe and even parts of the United States.  

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Races in Liberec and Beskydy Mountains

While I definitely have enjoyed climbing as a new athletic experience I will forever be a runner. And here in the Czech Republic I have learned to really appreciate and love running as a hobby as opposed to a stressful, competitive sport. I signed up for a 23 kilometer race up a mountain with little training and ran an uphill race with climbers a couple months after. Running in the Czech Republic has allowed me to explore my new home while also helping me see why I started and continue to run. I love the conversations had with others while running, I love the mental release, and I love how natural it feels for me. I love that running is something I can do in America, the Czech Republic, and really anywhere. I do not run every day but honestly this is good for me. I run to orient myself in my new surroundings. I run now because I want to not because I feel obligated to which is the best feeling.  

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My Return to London

London is the city that solidified my hope to redefine my escape. This city awakened my travel bug and was a major factor in my decision to ultimately apply for my Fulbright in the Czech Republic. My crazy return to London this year took me right back to my first taste of Europe’s charms. The déjà vu was surreal but an incredible blessing at the same time. This trip also gave me way more confidence with Eastern European public transportation 🙂

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First Solo Trip to Krakow for the GRE

In Krakow, I proved to myself that I can travel alone and be ok. Being alone in a country where you can speak to nobody naturally is certainly lonesome. However, it is also mentally stimulating. I was in charge of my own navigation, accommodation, food, and schedule. I was always thinking and planning how I would get to place to place but I also had so many people watching out for me in different countries. Being alone from time to time is ok because you really are not truly alone. There are so many people to connect with even if they are not seen next to you. I reach out and share stories with those that I love and am continually learning to ask for help when needed every step of the way. This was an important realization for me as it has made my relationships stronger in America and the Czech Republic.

American Corner and Primary School in Ostrava

While I love teaching at my gymnasium, it is nice to have Fridays to travel to Ostrava and teach students ranging from 8 to 60 year olds. Primary school students possess a certain enthusiasm and excitement that is not found in teenagers. And the adults I teach carry with them goals and an eagerness to learn and ask questions I also wish was more present in my gymnasium students. That said, teaching at the American Corner and the primary school in Ostrava has shown me that every student I teach will always be different no matter age or experiences. As I said before, every student has a story and it is my job to keep learning from all teaching moments and experiences that come my way.

My time in Ostrava also introduced me to a new colleague and friend. We have not only traveled to Vienna but also had numerous conversations in Croatian restaurants and cafes about our interests, experiences and goals that have really made me feel welcome in a place outside my assigned Fulbright placement. We are currently planning a trip to Croatia so more to come about that in a future blog! 🙂

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Alex’s Visit

And finally, one of the memories from 2019 that has meant the most to me so far, Alex’s visit. He traveled so far to see me and the empathy and familiarity I felt from his visit are two feelings that caught me by surprise. As I said in the post about his visit – while I did write about it, how much this trip meant to me can’t be put into words.  

What do all of these experiences have in common? They all tested my mental strength and ability to not only cultivate independence and intelligence but also ask for help and learn to trust, love and simply let myself live outside my comfort zone.

I am now about halfway through my Fulbright grant. These memories from 2019 will only grow and become more special in 2020. 2019 marked the beginning of my adjustment into my newly rooted Czech life and now 2020 will see me continually water these roots. And I will watch them fully blossom until the very end of my grant and wherever I end up next year and many years down the road.

Writing this weekly blog has proven to be an incredibly beneficial and reflective experience for me. I am so thankful to be able to share my experience with everybody through writing. Even though I’m 4,000 miles away, my writing has helped me share the experience and bring those I love alongside me for this year of change, reflection, and new beginnings.

Returning to that note that was left in my yearbook 5 years ago – I am finally not running away from the storm. I am running straight into it and watching the roots I develop not only grow but thrive. So with that, Na Zdravi to even stronger roots in 2020!

Veselé Vánoce a Štastny Novy Rok! Wishing everybody a joyous week with family, friends, and loved ones. I will return to this blog in 2020 to share what’s next in store for me in Česky Têšín and wherever else I end up…more mountains across Eastern Europe I’m sure 🙂 And as always…ahoj!