Prague to Change Our Perspective
Apparently moving abroad is not as simple as we’d hoped. Okay, maybe we were naïve. But if we weren’t, I don’t think we would have gone through with the whole ordeal. In the midst of searching for an apartment and praying that we’ll miss out on homelessness, we got some great advice from someone who has been through this whole process before. He said, “Go somewhere. Especially in the first month when everything is piling up and you’re getting stressed out, you need to put into perspective why you’re really here.” I think that’s the greatest piece of advice we’ve received during this whole transition. No matter how stressful and nerve-racking our living situation is, we’re here to travel. Plus, worrying and stressing isn’t going to fix a darn thing.
So, this last weekend, we went to Prague! It was only about a 2 1/2 hour bus ride and we were in the beer loving, beautiful, old capital city of Czech Republic. We stayed at a hostel for €13/person/night right in the heart of old town Prague (a.k.a. Prague 1). I think we walked more than either of us have walked in our entire lives as we discovered the Charles Bridge, the Prague Castle, and St. Vitus Cathedral. We saw the Municipal House, the Powder Tower, the astronomical clock, and all the other iconic buildings that make Prague famous for it’s breathe-taking architecture. And believe me, I walked around with my jaw dropped to the floor for most of the weekend. The architecture is just that incredible!
We also tried out a Czech Beer Spa, which was pretty cool and way more classy than we’d expected. (Yes, we bathed in beer and I just called it classy.) You might not think that’s possible, but it is. We would highly recommend it to anyone!
My favorite part of the whole weekend was when we were wandering in the direction of the castle, not really sure if we were going the right way or what we were about to find. We walked a long steep hill, turned the corner around a tall brick wall, and saw the most incredible view over the entire city. Talk about breathe-taking! Sitting there, at the top of a hill that’s covered in cobble stone streets and ancient architecture, I suddenly remembered why we moved over here, why we are going through all the stress and nerves of an international relocation. I remembered the genuine happiness and overwhelming sense of freedom that fills my heart when I travel to new places, experience new culture, and discover more creation. Talk about putting things into perspective. Staring out over the city was the exact encouragement that I needed to keep trucking along with this insane international move.
Overall, I don’t think Prague will go on our list of top places to visit. It’s way more touristy than we thought; it’s covered in graffiti, and it’s generally pretty dirty. With tons of bars and strip clubs, it kind of reminded us of Vegas. Not in the glitzy, glamour, high-rolling kind of way, but simply because Prague is where a lot of Europeans go to let loose and have a crazy good time. The views are incredible, but that’s about all we thought Prague had going for it.
We made it home late on Sunday night and couldn’t wait to start planning our next trip. We really do have a lot to do at home, though. As of Friday, we’ll be homeless and living in an AirBnB. Luckily, that will be broken up with a little trip over to Washington DC and New York because Taylor has a work trip coming up (and I’d rather stay in his hotel over there than pay for a separate one over here!) We found an apartment that we really like, but it likely won’t be available until mid-August, which poses as a major challenge since we have to be out of our current apartment on June 17th. So say a prayer, cross your fingers, send good vibes- whatever it is you do- do it to help us find a home!
In 2016, our founder, Bailey Smith, finagled her way into moving abroad with her husband. In their off time, they were able to travel all around Europe. Many of Bailey's travel experiences during those two years have shaped Indie Travel Design into what it is today. Follow along with their story of negotiating jobs, applying for visas, and living in Germany.
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