2nd day of work

Yesterday was my first day of work here in the Czech Republic. The day started at 8:30. I received my schedule for the week and I have 11 and 1/3 hours of teaching, mostly either in the morning or early evenings. It was a Good day.

Tonight, I have an evening class to teach in Prague 2.

This morning, I have an 8am appointment out at IKEM, the Institute for Klinical and Experimental Medicine regarding some routine blood work. A good friend helped me to find them earlier this year. I will meet the physician I have been talking with. He called me yesterday to confirm our meeting. So another important item crossed off my life list for Prague.

I continue to look for an apartment. One in Vinohrady fell through; now I have two more realtors looking for places for me. Hefty finders fees, but I need a place in the near term related to my visa application.

Saw my first film here in the Czech Republic this past weekend. Juraj Jakubisko’s new film, Báthory. It is THE most expensive film ever produced in the Czech Republic by a Slovak Director. ( as my friend Nina reminded me. Her castle is actually in Slovakia, where in her town she is known as bloodthirsty countess Cachtičká paní - thanks Nino). Erzsébet (Elizabeth ) Báthory is infamous, as the Hungarian ‘Blood Countess’ whom the folks at Guinness have given the title of #1 serial killer: 600 kills (she was convicted in 1611 of 80), mostly young girls, she bathed in their blood to preserve her youthful beauty, or so the legend goes; the 17th century lacked the technology to verify such things. This movie is presented as if it were a myth-debunking ‘true story’ of Báthory.

I went thinking it would be in Czech with English subtitles and was surprised when it turned out to be in English with Czech subtitles. At 140 minutes it was long, but I enjoyed it and it was really not a very bloody movie at all. And the movie theatre’s here; huge comfy high backed chairs at such an angle that you do not have to worry about the person sitting in front of you. Cost: 169 kr or about $11.50. Wow, isn’t that amazing. Day 60