Ahoj!

In this internet cafe where I am typing, teenagers smoke cigarettes and drink Pilsner Urquel. Lou Reed, techno weirdness, and Johnny Cash play on the radio, punctuated by the monotone Czech dj.  Steve and I drove to Chanovice (CH[as in chutzpa]AN-o-vi-sa) today, which is an absolutely beautiful small town of about 400 people.  We met with the headmistress of the school, Eva.  The school is in a castle that dates back to 1450.  It was photo day at the school and one of the older classes was wearing black jeans and black t-shirts with the students' names written in red on the back of the shirts like concert dates.  

Eva took us on a tour of her husband's dream project, the relocation of historic buildings to a site just outside of town.  It's called a Skansen, which is an open-air museum.  Each summer, high school and college students spend a month dismantling the buildings and bringing them to the Skansen, where they rebuild them.  

The family with whom I am staying in Lanzy are very kind and speak little English.  I communicate primarily through the two youngest daughters, Misca, 17, and Zuza, 13. What amazes me is how much we actually can communicate.  Yesterday, the girls took me on a walk to their chapel with their friends, Karolina and Nikole.  The chapel is called Kostel Pani Maria (the chapel of Mary). The Czech Republic is predominantly non-religious, and the chapel is more historical than religious.  Near the chapel is a firehouse, where the kids practice for the fire brigade.  I watched Zuza and Karolina run drills with fire hoses.  

I've had little time to reflect because the days are full, but my mind has slowed considerably, which feels like peace.