I spent the first semester of my senior undergraduate studies abroad. It is an experience I wish onto everyone. It was a fabulous semester where I met amazing people, learned a new language, ate things I never considered before, and truly grew wiser as a person — as well as in girth. Most people have heard of the "freshman 15" (where one has the tendency to gain 15 lbs their first year of college). I lost it. I lost a lot more than 15. But I gained 15 back when I spent my semester abroad.

Throughout my first three years of school I knew I wanted to study abroad. But where? France would allow me to brush up what French I had forgotten from high school. London was... well, too easy, I could already speak the language. And then there was Prague: A mythical city that I knew little about. I had some Czech blood in me. I would be close to Latvia, an opportunity to visit some relatives I had never met. And well, it was an unknown.

Prague is a fairytale city built on a hill, complete with two castles to call home. A light mist encircles the city at most hours, cobblestone streets greet walkers, and architecture-- amazing architecture, from gothic to art nouveau to modern to rustic is everywhere. Art is everywhere. The city is breathtaking. The people are amazingly friendly (especially for a country that has had the short end of the stick for so long). The food is fabulous. The beer is the best. And there are hidden treasures for the right kind of explorer.

I met some of my best friends in Prague. It was with these new friends (some American and some local Czechs) that I explored the city. And Prague is a city for youth. It is friendly monetarily for the student (we were eating 4 course meals for $10 and drinking some of the best beer (ehem, pivo) we had ever had for $0.25!---which might not be the best thing for a student to have access to and making it all the easier to gain 15lbs.) There is a current that hits the student, the traveler, the explorer, keeping one out on the prowl at all hour-- it can be more entrancing than New York.

It was in Prague that I broke my 6 years as a vegetarian. I arrived and was offered (more or less) to eat tomatoes, cucumber and fried cheese for 4 months, or dine on wild rosemary boar, cheese infused kielbasa, goulash with bread dumplings, chicken stuffed with ham and cheese... I thought I should take advantage of the situation. I happily broke my meat fast with bacon-crusted lamb (though my stomach did not forgive me for a while).

There were few restaurants that we could recall the actual name of. We were taking Czech language classes, could read signs, and understand what we ordered (most of the time). More often we called an establishment by the beer they served. Our local favorites included Velvet (mm their goulash!), Staropramen, Gambrinus, Rebel, Radegast, Kelt (with the above mentioned wild boar), Krušovice...

There were two restaurants we could recall the names of. One was U Homera or "At Homer's". Rather, "at Homer Simpson's," where one could order the Milhousova or Margini Syr and other foods based on characters from the popular television show. There was also Portabella Roads. Remembered because it had an English sign out front-- and it was across the street from our favorite breakfast place: "Bernard"-- where we dined on "ghost fingers" and drank Bernard Dark).