There is no place like Nebraska!

Location: Selleck Hall, Lincoln, Nebraska
School: University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Duration: two terms in 2008/2009

Well, what we have gone through so far:

1. I have done my class schedule, but probably will change it a bit; we still have time to do it during the first week of class; it is difficult to choose and moreover, quite a lot of classes are full already; fortunately, Larry helps us as much as he can and Robitscheks scholars have quite good reputation here
2. we went for a beer several times to O street - the street full of different bars and restaurants (actually, most of the streets name are very simple - letters from alphabet and these are crossed by number streets)
3. we had tour around the campus - it is quite big with different buildings, several student halls, huge Memorial Stadium and great recreation center
4. than we were all the time running from one office to another because of classes and some other stuff
5. we were invited for dinner at Larry's place where we met Dominika (Robitschek scholar from last year who is still here) and Jiri (Robitschek scholar three years ago who came back in order to obtain PhD degree)
6. I have bought books for $400 (and these are books just for two courses; I am so happy that all this stuff is covered by our scholarship, otherwise it would be impossible to finance everything by ourselves)
7. one whole day was dedicated to international affairs orientation day - they provided us with useful information, pick-nick (well, again hamburgers...), marching band concert at the stadium finished by "tunnel" (all freshmen and international students running across the Memorial stadium - they were all excited as it is the only opportunity for everybody to get to the stadium field)
8. we went for a party to wonderful lake house - wonderful place where I have seen tap in form of little angel for the first time in my life hehe
9. we had lunch with friends of Czech language - unbelievable that even after so many years these people are motivated to maintain the Czech language and all traditions here in USA

My first impressions:

1. it is unbelievably cold in all buildings because of air-condition; even if the weather outside is perfect, I always have to carry scarf and jacket with me when going to the university, bar or restaurant
2. I have to pay even for received call and sms on my cell phone
   
3. all drinks are very cold and they put even more ice into it
   
4. Americans have totally different way of clothing - quite informal
   
5. there are diabetes warning ads all over the city
6. food in the canteen is more or less the same as we got in Yellowstone; however, there is more variety
7. Americans have huge cars and care a lot about legal restrictions
   
8. it is not possible to drink alcohol in the street - everybody is very strict about it
9. in Nebraska there are quite a lot of people with Czech origins
10. if you invite somebody for a dinner at home, it is perfectly ok to prepare hamburgers and bratwursts and serve ice-bars as a desert
11. services are on very high level - if you have to wait in a bank, they serve you Coke or water; in shops and in restaurants they usually take perfect care of you (of course in order to get good tip ;-)
12. beer costs only 1$ hehe, but I always feel a bit sick afterwards, even if I drink just one
13. Americans are quite open and willing to talk to people from abroad
14. there is enormous number of Asians at our university, mostly from China, India, Malaysia or South Korea
15. you can study basically whatever you want here
16. there are quite a lot of fat people around here
17. fraternities and sororities reminds me of Louvain la Neuve and its "cercles" hehehehe
18. legal software costs $15, I will definitely get Office 2007

Everything is going on fine so far; however, I miss my parents, Peťo, Janka and other friends a lot. Even though I do not have time to write emails or to spend more time connected to skype or icq, I think a lot about them... Miss you all!!! Probably need more time to get used to the totally new environment and to find my way of being here. I suppose that after classes start, my mind will be more busy than it is now :-)