All-
First-off, thank you all for leaving comments on this site. I really enjoy hearing from all of you and I'm excited to tell you even more about the trip when I get back.
So, transportation. My dorm is in Prague 6, which is to the northeast from the center of town, which is Prague 1. (I think the different numbered zones of the city are similar to New York's buroughs, but I'm not sure.) To get to class and downtown, I take a twenty-minute tram ride down winding streets and past the Prague Castle. A one-way pass costs about a dollar, but the 15-day pass I bought cost about $16, and I can use that on all tram lines, subway lines, and city bus lines during the 15-day period. Exciting, huh?
The trams are shaky and crowded, and there are signs warning passengers about pickpockets. So far, I haven't noticed anyone trying to grab my wallet, but I still make sure to keep my eyes out for suspicious-looking characters. Of course, I'm sure at least some of the locals are keeping their eyes on that weird tattooed guy that doesn't say too much...
So Monday, I plan to take the tram from my dorm to the subway station, and take the subway to the train station, and hop a train to Pilsen to meet up with Martin and do some reporting there. Getting from Prague to Pilsen should take about an hour and a half, and hopefully I'll get to see a good deal of the countryside on the way.
Because Martin is from Pilsen, he's been able to schedule interviews with local government officials, educators, and Roma families in the area. It should be a big help, and I like the idea of getting out of Prage for a much smaller town (Martin said Pilsen has about 140,000 people).
In other news, Thursday night we went to a Roma music festival at a night club in downtown Prague. Of the four bands that played, the first was my favorite. Dressed in traditional Roma clothes (which are a throwback to the Roma homeland of India), the band used only drums and precussion instruments and featured a woman with long scarves dancing as they played. The speed and precision with which the band played was almost intoxicating, I thought.
Yesterday, we attended a conference on Roma media, and met a woman who is the editor of a Roma magazine called Romana Vodi. Hopefully we'll get to interview her about her role in Roma society, in mainstream society, and the relationship she sees between the two.
Today (Saturday), I'm on my own in Prague, and I plan to spend the day getting lost and finding my way back again. Hopefully I'll remember some streets along the way, and maybe take some pictures. I hope all of you are doing well, please keep the comments coming.
S
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4 comments:
You're there to study the "Romani (Gypsy)" minority, but your latest entry said you saw "Roma" people whose roots are in India. Are these two different groups? I am anxious to hear about the information you are collecting for your class project. I also would love to see photographs but don't know whether you can transmit photos from an Internet cafe site, either on the blog or by e-mail. The descriptions of you commuting around by various rail lines reminds me of your travels through the South Jersey and Philadelphia areas. You seem to love looking out the window, but the view is so different there! Be sure to tour the historic, beautiful buildings in Prague even if they have nothing to do with your journalism report or beer (which are obviously your first and second priorities). Please continue to be careful.
Currently Prague is hosting the Khamora Roma WORLD Festival (the Roma's largest). The variety of music should be fantastic; soak it ALL up for me! (Yes, Pat, the Roma did originate in India...from there to Spain & Europe, etc.) We're LOVING your blogs; keep them coming. G&G
McKee's blog looks cooler than yours.
Love,
Bulger
peter is right. Hope you get some good stuff in pilsen.
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