Winter chill means movies and job interviews

Not much new to report currently. Work is pretty routine for the time being, but I do have another job interview at another school coming up this Thursday morning. I've also got offers for two private students, which is a nice surprise. I'd like to pick up between 4-5 more classes to beef up my teaching schedule.

I just started the official work visa process with my school so I will hopefully not be an illegal alien for much longer!

So Prague is currently in the midst of a Russian front that has brought about the COLDEST temperatures that the Czech Republic has experienced since 1940! NO JOKE! It's been 8 degrees below freezing for almost 2 straight weeks now. The worst day, however, was January 22, when it hit a record 20 DEGREES below zero! It's kind of crazy to think that we're situated so close to Russia that we get some of their weather patterns. I really can't wait for spring. I'm so sick of wool...I want to feel khaki and linen against my skin!

Cold weather in Curtis-land means trips to the movies, which is a surprisingly affordable thing to do here in Prague. It generally costs between 90 - 120 crowns to see a movie (roughly $4-5 in American currency, about half the price of a movie ticket in the U.S.). I highly recommend "Walk the Line," which was excellent...and don't believe the critics about "Derailed," as I found it a very enjoyable film! I'm looking forward to "Memoirs of a Geisha," but I really can't wait for "Brokeback Mountain," which won't open here until March. Sigh! Incidentally, you can add Jake Gyllenhaal movies to the list of the three things that make me act like a screaming 12-year-old girl (theme parks and Madonna concerts being the other two). Damn those delayed European releases.

Meanwhile, I've also been passing the time by dreaming of all of the fantastic European cities and places that I want to visit. There are no immediate plans for travel, but I've been creating a "travel wish list" agenda, if you will. On my agenda for 2006: Copenhagen, Berlin, Budapest and Salzburg. Of course I'll return to Bavaria for a visit to the relatives once it warms up a little.

I also checked out the State Opera with my friend Anne last Friday night. Anne works for the Study Abroad division at Charles University and had an extra ticket. The opera was based on Hans Christian Anderson's "The Little Mermaid." How perfect for me! The story was considerably different than both the original tale and the Disney version. For example, the Sea King actually SUGGESTS that the mermaid visit the witch for help in becoming human...definitely NOT part of the original tale! However, Anderson's original tragic ending was maintained in the story. The state opera house was just beautiful, too...crystal chandeliers, ceiling frescos and the like.