boy am i trying...

yesterday it snowed. not enough to blanket but consistent enchanting flakes. on the tram on my way to school two little kids' eyes were blinkless and beautiful. they as lucky czech speakers have likely seen it before but don't remember, i on the other hand, english- speaking and sun- raised actually have hardly seen it fall. i did cerebral ping- pong between the foggy window and their faces. one headache and awestruck later i was at my stop.

mostly, i admire the little kids and their ability to speak czech. the first few years of education should be nothing but languages. save math for later. i find whether children know if they have 2 shoes or 8 to be irrelevant, hopefully this will keep them less materialistic. after the little kids, i enjoy the really old people at bus stops and sadly am speechless when they explain some exasperation about the weather. i want to tell them, "no i would not ignore you normally, i am quite upstanding for my age and temperament it is just such a tricky language".

so after a wild eyed, red lipped, snow haired maid failed to share a pedestrian moment with me i ran across the cobblestones through trams to an "antikvariat" (used/ antique books) that's about a block away from our apartment. i was so overwhelmed with books on manes and matisse and original copies of mayakovsky and capek i bid the raven- haired owner adieu only to come back an hour later slightly more awkward with a grocery bag with milk, bread, and grapes. he has a whole collection of ex libris labels that are hand penned and beautiful and comical. i plan on returning again for anything we may hang on our walls. but not just yet.

i am in the strange phase where i am well aware of what a tourist is and know i don't fit the description still. i don't need a map downtown, i don't drink tourist beer in wencelas square or get excited about taking endless photos of oompa bands at overpriced mediocre cuisine restuarants. but i can't quite prove it either. i'm waiting for that seamless bus stop chat or to not embarrass the sweet grocery store girl when she realizes she should have been english not czech when i smile blankly after she has clearly asked a question.

i do think there's something good about boiling tea water in the one pan you have in your flat. and never being able to get coffee the way you like it. i would like to meet more people in the middle. so ta-ta comfort i am going to embarrass myself everyday until i can moderately speak czech.

although, one comfort did make its way via loophole. the warmest coat i could find... i sincerely hope there is someone laughing somewhere.