Exchange student from Czech Republic in Texas: Christmas and New Year's Eve

Christmas brake is around to end so I’ll share with you how I felt these days of year as an exchange student.

It is weird to spend this time so far from your home. There are two reasons. You’re not with your family and you don’t celebrate holidays same as usually (in Czech you have a lot of traditions). On the other hand it is a huge fun. In my opinion the way how to recognize any culture better is to live there throughout holidays and see their celebrations. And then when you have awesome host-family (as I totally do have) the homesick is minimal and you are really enjoying time here.

This Christmas was way different then in Czech. I’ll talk only about the things which were new experiences for me. I’m in America so I have to start with food! We made a lot of Christmas candy. I think at least 10 kinds. It was amazing because I tried new candy. I like most one kind which was pastry, coconut, chocolate, pecans, and hazelnuts. I ate it a lot of that. :D

On 24^th December we went to grandparent’s house. In US is not state holiday on 24^th but people celebrate by way that go somewhere for fancy dinner or have dinner at family circle. I also visited church for the first time here in the US. It was really cool and I’m not surprise why in the US are more younger people attending ceremonies at churches than it happens in Europe. I was at ceremony at 5pm so technically at the midnight ceremony in Czech. J Then we had dinner. It’s clear that I didn’t have carp and potato salad as usually but in the meal were also kind of fish. The name of dish was ……. It was rice and fish soup. It could be described like a paella more like a soup. It was very tasty. Then we had pecan-pie with ice-cream. After all of that we start repacked gifts. It was awesome I got plenty of them! We sat and talked it was nice spent time.

On 25^th December the real American Christmas started. It was like at movies. With one little exception I was woken up. But then we met at living room in pyjamas and saw the presents. I got toovmany presents. I really didn’t expect that. I do have simply the best host-family ever!

During the Christmas I was killing time by chilling, playing video games, I also did some work to Czech school. Basically I finished everything what I want to. On 30^th December the soccer practices started again so since then I’m busy again.

It kind of influenced my New Year’s Eve. I had practice at 8:30am on 31^st and also 1^st. That was weird for me because that cannot happen in Czech. I think there are only few live people at that time in my country. Thus according to this situation I spent time with Mark, visited one party and then went back home. Around 1:30 I was already ready to fell asleep.

To sum up everything I have to say that I really enjoy this time. It was way different than in Czech but exactly this is the reason why it was so interesting and magical. Moreover, when I spent this time in the best host-family. :)