Flield trip 3

 "Aushwitz" I have heard that word but I did not know what exactly happened there. It was how much poor my knowledge was. I had an image of it that some kind of arch gate located and says something. That was about it. Actually visiting, seeing places and reading on wall were unforgettable which was impossible to be compared with just catching information from textbook or any other education system back to Japan. As you read today's my blog post, I hope you might get sort of feeling what I got there but it is not quite same until you actually see them. So I wish you will have an opportunity to be there.

I did not even know Auschwitz is located in Poland. A concentration camp was built and operated by Nazi Germany during World War. It became "Final Solution to the Jewish question" that means trains sent Jews to the camps and Nazi operated gas champers. There is not exact number but at least, 1.1 million prisoners died at Auschwitz. If you want to have some idea how big population it was, population of Nebraska is around 1.8 million now. I was terrified how many people was killed. 90 percent of prisoners were jews. I was shocked by the fact which rest of them were homosexuals, disables and any people who helped Jews hidden. Even in prison, discrimination existed.  I believed in that most of them died because they forced to be in the gas chambers but I was wrong. The truth is they were killed by forced working in extreme way and sufferd infectious disease that were caused by unclean places. They were dying with pain.

I hesitated to take pictures at many places. We were allowed to take pictures without flash at most places but I could not. I stood a point that was called selection process. All prisoners were transported by trains and lined up at that point. Simply, Nazi divided them into right side or left. One of firth prisoners were survived through this process because they looked stronger than others to be forced working. Others were killed immediately because they could not pass this process.

Our tour guide was a very good. He talked in calm,slow and dark tone of voice with seriousness. He said "Nazi did the worst thing that human could do to human but remember they were smart and super organized." How Nazi treated and moved prisoners was absolutely a lie but used their weakness. They even informed they would provide a better working condition to prisoners. Prisoners were struggling and had no hope to survive. They were looking for a way to protect their family and future. Prisoners bought tickets to Auschwitz by themselves. They did not know what they were going through until they arrived. Nazi was smart and planed well how effetely operates a killing process in a short term as much as they could.  In fact, one room of gas chamber could kill one thousand people at once in twenty minutes. Nazi kept getting a process to kill prisoners faster and more people.

The most shocking thing I have ever seem was a mat which was made of women's human hair. The workers who carried prisoners out from gas chambers after process, they collected valuable from dead bodies. Women's hair was not an exception neither. They shaved their hair off and made products from it. I felt my chest got tighten with pain.

What education system did teach even a part of these facts? I thought so many times in this program when I visited historical places and also, if I will have kids in far future, I will bring my kids to those places once they get old enough to understand meaning. Knowing numbers or people names were not all about of history. It is just a surface. More likely, I have learned feelings when I saw a wall of gas chamber, a mat which made of human hair and others. Those actual things encouraged me to understand and learn more.

10) personal Excursions

 First of May,me and my friends went to Ireland. It was great but I felt weird pain on my right side of body and got spread more and more. I did not care that much because we had a busy schedule and took a flight from Czech to Ireland. I thought It was just because I was so tired. However, I skipped going out and went bed earlier, that skin pain did not go away. Moreover, it started more painful like having a bad sunburn day by day. After traveling through Ireland on three days weekend, I knew I had something wring that I have never experienced. At that moment, I had quite different emotion that I had to have a surgery for pulling wisdom teeth out in US because literally, I had no idea who I should ask since I can't speak any Czech but I calmed down somehow and I knew it would be all right. I contacted Martin who is our local advisor and he immediately helped me out for finding an English- speaking dermatologist. It was such a fortunate in my nightmare. Not many Czech can speak English even in public places. There is a hospital which has educational sponsorship with college. Since Czech college tuition is relatively lower than other european ones especially med students, coming to Czech colleges is a good option for them. Students are from mostly English speaking countries such England and Netherlands. So, doctors in that hospital which I went could speak fluent English. It was very helpful. When I arrived at hospital, I did not even wear any clothes on because anything which touched my rash area caused sharp pain that sometimes hesitated me take a breath.  My doctor looked my right side of body for just 10 seconds and said….."You got a shingles" It is a skin infection of a nerve area caused by the varicella-zoster virus. It causes pain and a rash along a band of skin supplied by the affected nerve. The virus usually affects one nerve only.(right side for me)  I had a constant dull, burning and sharp pain. I got a prescription for anti virus pills and lotion. I visited three pharmacies and finally got them. I have taken a pill every four hours and put lotion on three times in a day since then. All treatment cost 1500 koruna that is less than 50 dollars. I was very surprised how cheap medical fee was even as uncovered by insurance. Unfortunately, I was suffered the most painful skin burning for a couple of day but it was quite interesting to have a opportunity to visit a hospital in Czech Republic. And also, I am appreciate deeply for caring from Martin, Mr and Mars Larson and my lovely friends. I would love to say big thank you to them.

1)Daily life

Everyone keeps talking about  "What do you miss the most? or What do you want to eat as very first meal once you get in airport?" Those conversations are always going on and American students are craving for eating american food like Qdoba, Mac and Cheese,  and "Free ketchup" because we have to pay overprice for a tiny package of ketchup to eat fresh fries at fast food places. Moreover, It is unforgettable that they are dying to seek similar taste of Ranch. I think Ranch is very american thing like the rest of world does not know what it is.  It is interesting to hear for me how they react to their home taste. 

Personally, I have already got over with missing to eat my home food since I have lived in US for three years. I better gave it up. However, one thing I have been craving is petting dogs. I know it sounds weird but here is my reason. I have not touched any dogs in almost two month. I have a puppy back in Japan and I lived with my host family in Kearney who love animals all the time. I have never missed this much to play with animals. I would not say there is no animals here. Actually, In Olomouc, people take dogs everywhere. I was surprised when I saw people who take their dogs to zoo, in Buss to any public places and just walked around with them. It is a way more dog friendly city than in US or in Japan but it is a different story if strangers try to pet their dogs off course after asking. I thought it is common when people come toward to dogs with smile , owners would smile back and let them pet dogs. It is a lovely moment, right? However, It is not here in Olomouc. If I tried to get close to dogs, owners would walk faster. I understand I could be a little bit creepy when I see cute dogs because my face gets big smile on or  I thought it was just because I was a stranger and foreigner who do not speak any Czech but I have not seen any strangers pet someone's dogs on street even they are Czech people neither.  I guess the reason, which people here do not like to let strangers pet their own dogs is a safely point. I do not feel in danger when I walk in town by myself but I have noticed it is sometime not a good idea depends on time. Maybe, it could be the cause why locals would not rather to be friendly so much with strangers.

I have never thought I would miss something this much. Getting in a new place and learning different cultures are a big lesson to know what I think important for my life so far.