Chris Hogan- July 2-3, 2011

July 2nd
For most of us, our day began in a peculiar fashion. We awoke early Saturday morning in order to head to our 8 a.m. Rural Sociology class. Though Saturday classes were a break from our normal routine, we went about them as usual. One of our classes featured a speaker who presented the various Czech classical music styles that unfolded following the 11th century. It was interesting to learn that one Czech composer, Josef Myslivecek, was admired by Mozart. Later in the day the Missouri students went for dinner with their associate dean, and many of us headed to a Spanish restaurant for dinner. The restaurant was situated near the center of Prague in an area we had yet to explore. Admittedly, the restaurant seemed more Mexican than Spanish, but it was a great experience nonetheless.

July 3rd
On Sunday we strayed even further from our routine. More specifically, it was because we had all headed to Sunday morning classes. However, we were fortunate enough to have a lecturer who was the representative of the Czech Republic to the European Union for agricultural affairs. Following class, we celebrated the 4th of July weekend. The night was complete with American football, sack races, tug of war, and a hog-roast. We even got a tour of the campus brewery. Also, we had the opportunity to meet some Portuguese students who had just arrived on campus. The night was a perfect celebration of the 4th of July. We enjoyed roasted pork as well as many other Czech dishes. And to top it off, we enjoyed fireworks at the end of the night. It was a fantastic way to celebrate the 4th of July while abroad. Our relaxing and celebratory night was perfect to prepare us for the homestays that lie ahead.

Epic Tug of War battle against the Portuguese students

The fireworks displayed for us by the Czechs