Czech Exchange Trip

Our journey to the Czech Republic started off with high spirits, chatter and excitement. The prospect of exploring a completely new culture and completely new lifestyle left us all jittery and just a tad bit nervous.The first thing that really struck us was the cold; ten Bombay kids trying to tackle the completely alien phenomena of weather that went below 30 degrees ( -8 degrees to be precise) and snowfall was a sight to behold;;.

Over the weekend, we toured Prague; a city characterised by it’s rich history, culture and awe inspiring architecture. Exploring the city through it’s narrow cobbled lanes, victorian bridges and baroque paintings was a bonding experience none of us are likely to forget. We also visited a traditional restaurant where the vegetarians contemplated all their life decisions while we gorged on Czech delicacies that were dominated by meat.

Through the week, we stayed in the dormitories at the Open Gate School which is located in the quaint town of Babice. This is where we truly felt the culture shock. From sharing a bathroom with four people to wake up calls to roommates that sleep talk, this small dosage of what college life promises to be was truly eye-opening. The sheer independence and maturity each student held shamed us all as we vowed to be more responsible. Attending the IB classes at the school was our comfort zone, smiling at the familiar frustrations in an otherwise unfamiliar world.

A highlight of the trip was the “Food Festival” where we cooked Indian food for the entire school and the Czech students made us a traditional Czech dinner. We were delighted with the opportunity to share some of our favourite treats with them. Although we were extra cautious with the spice, they were still overwhelmed by it.

On a more sombre note, we visited Terezin, a concentration camp under the Nazi regime. This experience opened our eyes to the unpleasant history of the second world war and as our hosts shared stories of their family members being persecuted, some of us were brought to tears.

If I had to sum up the exchange in one word, it would definitely be enlightening. It exposed us to culture, history and lifestyle that led to introspection and growth towards us as individuals.

Namah Jaggi