It's been a little while... I've been trying to get acquainted to my new home here! Classes are going quite well. My schedule is pretty relaxed, as I have one class a day, always in the afternoon. The courses are not too difficult so far. Luckily I have a bit of an advantage over the other ERASMUS students since my native language is English! Here is a list of the classes I am taking:
- Java Programming Language
- Fundamentals of Artificial Intellligence
- Algorithms
- Czech History and Culture
I actually have it pretty easy compared to the other students. I am taking the equivalent of 17 ECTS credits, which is the European standard. A normal semester in Europe consists of about 30 ECTS, so basically it feels like I have a half load! There are only a couple homework assignments per semester in each class, a project, and a final exam. I am making myself study and keep up on the lecture notes though because if I don't, I know I will just fall behind and be in trouble at the end of the semester. Been there, done that!
Brno is a pretty neat city. It feels like a "large village." The population is just below 400,000 (which to me, being from Montana, is HUGE) but at the same time, it as a small town feel to it. Public transportation via buses and trams is excellent; easily the number one way to get around the city.
Pricing here is actually very cheap! The Czech Republic uses the "koruna", or crown. One U.S. dollar equals approx. 20 crowns. The cost for a pizza, for example, is anywhere between 25 kc and 50 kc ... much cheaper than even a $5 hot-n-ready! Beers are usually about 25 kc apiece. Rent for the month, which included laundry, utilities, and internet, was 2,500 kc... $125. Good luck finding housing in the States for that price!!
I will go ahead and post some pics from my university and from Brno...
This is the Faculty of Business and Management combined with the Faculty of Electrical Engineering. It is right next door to my dorms, and where the International Student Club (ISC) office is located. A pretty new building! My Czech History class is held in here.
This is my dorm.. Pod Palackeho. The majority of where ERASMUS students are housed, it makes it very easy to meet up with friends and make plans (and of course, having little "after parties" in our rooms is pretty easy too (: ). Right next door to the FBM/FEEC, it is located next to the very last tram stop on lines 12 and 13, at Technology Park.
The yard outside my dorms.
Walkway from our tram stop to our dorms. They are doing some hard-core construction to the right, so this walkway is to be taken out pretty soon... Or so I was told!
One of the main churches in Brno.
Inside the Colossal main cathedral in Brno. It was very impressive!!!
Cathedral of St. Peter and Paul, which is located on Petrov hill. There are quite a few stories about how this came to be built here!
Overview of Brno from the summit of the Castle Spilberk. The landscape in general is very hilly and green... We are too far away from the Alps to really have mountains, but it's still pretty here!
From atop Castle Spilberk.
Well, there are just a few of my pics of Brno. It's a pretty nice city! There are also a few really good night clubs and a million good bars (I'll leave those pics out) since it is considered a college city.
Other than that, I've taken a couple weekend trips to Vienna, Austria and to Bratislava, Slovakia. Those pics are coming up!! Possibly heading to Munich, Germany this weekend for Oktoberfest, and I already have my tickets booked for Istanbul, Turkey in two weeks!! I am having a heck of a time here. Traveling is very easy and convenient since I'm in the heart of central Europe, and everything is pretty manageable, price-wise. I will do my best to keep this updated.. Hopefully I will be able to talk about my Vienna trip and throw some pics up by tomorrow or Wednesday!
Until later!
-Jake
No comments:
Post a Comment