From Home to a Temporary Home

I think I’m going to like it here.  Here is Prague, Czech Republic, in a neighborhood called Vinohrady just east of Wenceslas Square. Prague will be my temporary home as I study architecture this semester.

I have arrived here from Italy. It’s such a change from originally leaving Charlotte/Raleigh, where I’m comfortable with my surroundings, to Italy where I became a tourist within a tour group, to then Prague where I’m starting as a tourist but will become a resident. With the Insight Tour in Italy, I was trying to cram everything I could possibly see into a week’s time. Now, in Prague, the feeling is completely reversed. I’m constantly thinking, “Eh, I don’t have to photograph that today, I have 90 more days to do that.” I must remember that just because I have more time, doesn't mean I should take that for granted.

It’s been my first day here in the Pension (dorm/hotel) in Prague.

There is a modernist roof top terrace on the second floor, which is down the hall from my room.

When I look outside one of my bedroom windows in Charlotte, all I see is a grassless backyard and a brick wall of my neighbor’s house.

When I look outside of my dorm windows in Raleigh, the view has either been of another dorm window or of a parking lot.

Here is the view.  It is magnificent as the architecture of the city rises and falls in the distance. The red roofs, centuries of architecture, and landscape all melding together to form this great view outside of my window. 

Yeah, I think I am gonna like it here.

I can get used to looking at that view each day. I’m excited to see how this view transforms through fall and winter.  I will continue to draw the view outside my window to see what I notice differently each season or time of day that I sketch it.

It is refreshing to see trees mixed in within the buildings.  Unlike what I saw in Italy and Prague, it’s very rare to see trees within an urban setting (and the trees by parking spaces do not count).

I’m used to having little space provided in a dorm room back in Raleigh, but I always manage to find how to creatively put up my inspiration images (of architecture/spaces/landscape architecture/art) and my pictures of family/friends on the walls. The walls in the Pension are devoid of framed paintings, pictures or posters at the moment, but the light is absolutely gorgeous with those large windows (plus the view, mentioned above).  These windows take up more than half of the wall height and the ceilings are roughly 12 feet tall.  Right now I’m enjoying having the windows open. Perfect temperature.

Outside of the rooms on my floor is a common area with couches (and good Wifi). It is adjacent to the staircase. While I was sitting here, I decided to draw what I saw from my seat.

I wish I had more time to draw the Pension and the things around it.

Oh wait, I do have time, 3 months of it!