As a child, I remember being constantly fascinated by the stories my grandfather told me. His tales usually featured his hometown of Prague, where he lived for the first twelve years before coming to America. Each story he told made me wish I lived in another country, a place filled with unique cultural traditions and diversity. I felt that I never got to experience other cultures by living in the United States and I never quite understood why. Perhaps it was the instilled sense of conformity within our society, or maybe just the suburban neighborhood I called home that lacked cultural representation. Either way, I realized that to experience the world and its incredible cultures, I would need to travel, which is exactly what I intended on doing. The ticket in my hand reads “Departure: Austin, USA” and “Arrival: Prague, Czech Republic” as I set off to not only discover a new culture, but also to unearth the history of my ancestry. …show more content…
He would always tell me of its subtle magnificence and how he never tired of looking at it, passing it everyday as he ran through the streets. Afterwards, I continue sightseeing, visiting important landmarks and historical areas. And all the while, picturing my grandfather in each place as a young boy, trying to imagine how the city had changed since his time. By visiting these places I would be able to obtain a general understanding of Czech society and history, however I would inevitably long for a more personal experience with the culture itself. While this might seem challenging to a mere traveler, I had a rather unique