1st catch-up attempt for you US-ians

so, i've been totally neglectful this past month... rather busy, missing coral, tryin to find my groove without the kid - don't really like that part of life :(

BUT here's a bit, a brief overview:

Back at the end of May I started and finished writing course through school - we attended the international writing festival here in Prague and the opening of Entropa (please goggle Entropa after you read this if you don't already know about it - it's crazy huge! like 4 stories or something!!) This course presented me a new challenge that had nothing to do with the curriculum or the events we attended - a very friendly acquaintence (we've shared quite a few conversations and have go to tea a few times after class... and this was our 3rd term together) apparently is fiercely anti-american... HATES americans and everything related to America... and is quite generally unhappy at the moment. Her emotional state and intense emotions were rather over-powering and difficult to take when seated next to her in a four-person class where we present and critique our writing.

Coral left and that was a bit of unhappiness for both of us.

I started a new course in intercultural communication - at first i was a bit resistant to the generalizations but am now seeing the truth in so much... and am trying to adapt my form of communication across cultural divides to increase my odds in my attempt to convey to my partner what it is that I mean in the context in which I mean it... I can try to explain later if you really care about it....

Made it to a few more couchsurfing events where I continue to have a great time and meet interesting people, am hosting a few more people which is always interesting. I got caught up in a group of 8 Brazilian travelers - 2 of whom I agreed to host, 1 of whom actually stayed here - across the 2 generations they were all awesome!!

Went to the opera - la Traviata - which was amazing. I can't say enough so I'm not going to say anymore.

My water broke - one morning it came out dark brown - the next morning there wasn't any water.... I have water now.

I moved - my mail is not coming to my new house... not my old mail and not my new mail so if you want to send me something you'll have to use my school address and if you want that ask me for it :)

I've been kind of sick and really really tired for a few weeks - can't seem to get enough sleep even when I stay in and go to bed early... which is really frustrating.

Had a major meeting at work (my univeristy job) and discovered that our Welsh review board is way cool and that the stress I was placed under and the extreme intense energy directed towards me during the prelude to their visit was extremely misguided but not unwarranted - although not for the reasons expected!

My two teachings jobs came to an end. I am really stressed out - I was given a verbal notice from Coral's school that they had made a miscalculation and I owed about 54,000 crowns, which is now down to 25,000-ish but still not at all cool in any remote possible way, especially as my income just ended.... I have gone on two 4 hour job interview type things and am hoping that the third one Monday will not only be much shorter but will also work towards confirming my in a position by the start of the following week.

Lots of celebrities died, there were 2 memorial services back home for women some outstanding well loved women, two of my favorite czech friends each had a grandparent pass, and my brother and his wife welcomed their second child. A cousin was married and another cousin is about to be. A third cousin may stop by for a visit. A high school friend who visited me earlier this year send his Mom over - and I had a nice visit with her Thursday night... I have to meet up with her again as she brought me some chocolate Jello pudding (yum!)

I know there's more, this is sort of the glossy version... but, that's what I offered here. Hope you're great - please let me know - I miss everyone, and today being the 4th of July is making me a bit homesick as that's the last big iconic party thing before I left... and I miss the California summer - this really marks the start for me, which will be followed by our birthdays and my grandparents' birthdays, my Grandma's visit, my sister's birthday.... and more.... things that are part of my idea of summer... over there.