Final days of class

Today we took our last final in our Czech language class.  Now we are finished with classes and only have one more field trip until our program is over.  It has been a really great time being able to take classes in a different country and being able to experience what it is like.  We had a few history classes that talked about World War 2 and our Czech language class.  I personally loved the history classes because we discussed a lot of the past of the Czech and the surrounding areas.  We learned about different empires that once controlled acres upon acres, and how their reign covered a vast majority of Europe.  Then we would talk about how that empire collapsed and a new power came into play.  The last three months have been full of traveling and learning about events and then seeing them in person.  It has been an amazing experience being able to be a part of this trip.  The history classes we took were definitely my favorite.  Next was our Czech language class, which was also a very fun and exciting class.  I loved learning how to say basic phrases to help get me around.  I felt a lot better being able to speak even a little of the local language.  At first the class wasn't taught very often because of our professors schedules.  Before spring break, which was our halfway point, we had only had the class about five times.  That was pretty difficult because we would have a week break between each class and would forget some things.  After spring break we started hitting Czech really hard.  Our first week back we had the class four times.  At this point in our semester we were no longer learning new material, but reviewing the old material for our final exam.  Every day that we would have that class we would discuss the same stuff over and over again, which wasn't a bad thing but I got pretty burned out after a few classes.  The more we went over the words and phrases more and more I did notice that I remembered something new every time.  As we approached the final test I started to get worried.  Our professors assured us that the exam would be a piece of cake and that we had nothing to worry about, but I worried anyway.  We finally got to the last class and we were told what to study for the following Monday.  Over the Weekend I started reading through my notes and book and tried to memorize as much as I could.  The test kept getting closer and closer and I was still worried about it.  Finally today came and we were ready to take this test.  I sat down and thought that I had probably studied all the wrong stuff and was going to fail.  When I got the test I looked at it for a little bit and thought to myself that this had to be just the first part.  I was handed two sheets of paper with no more than thirty questions on it total.  I immediately started filling out answers before I forgot what I had memorized.  When I got to the final page I flipped it over expecting there to be more on the back but there wasn't.  We were all a little surprised that it was that easy, and that we had worried for nothing.  Overall, looking back at our classes and our time spent in the classroom, I am very thankful for the trip and what these professors have taught me.   It has been a really great semester that was full of adventure and some homework.  Classes really have changed since we arrived here in Olomouc.  When I first sat down at my desk and pulled out my notebook I didn't know what to expect.  I was just ready to sit down and take notes then think about how my finals would turn out three months later.  I didn't realize that we would have this much fun with our classes.  Our professors were always super kind and would never hesitate to tell a joke.  Looking back in my notebook I can remember the days of class, sitting there with my friends trying to figure out how to make three hours not seem so long.  Now three hours doesn't seem so bad anymore.  I think I might miss these classes starting at 3 in the afternoon and going until 6:15.  We somehow got through all of it and now we are here. It felt like just yesterday that we were sitting down for the first time in those desks, and today was the last time we will ever sit in those desks.  This was the best semester I have ever had and it is thanks to all of my friends on this trip and the adventures that we have taken together, and I'm very excited that we get to go on one more together this week.   

First day of Classes

Almost our last day of classes.  I don't have a photo of our last day.