The Tram Didn’t Wait, But I Found My Way

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On my second day of class in Prague, I confidently stood at Náměstí Míru. I waited for my tram, only to watch it drive right past me. 

It was 8 a.m., and for some reason, trams were running late or being rerouted throughout my neighbourhood. I had only been in Prague for about a week. Everything still felt so new, unfamiliar, and honestly intimidating.

People around me seemed to get on and off trams with ease. Watching them only made me more aware of how out of place I felt. Worried I’d be late to class, I panicked and decided it was time to start walking to the CIEE building. 

Forty minutes later, I arrived sweaty and a little embarrassed. As I look back on that day, I can now laugh at how much my nerves impacted that morning.

In that moment, public transportation felt like another task I had to figure out in a city where I barely knew my way around.

However, five weeks later, it has become one of my favorite parts of the day. 

My commute to class takes about 35 minutes. It’s a 10 minute walk to my tram stop, 13 minutes riding on the tram through the city, and finally a 12 minute hike uphill to the CIEE building.

I’ve reached a point where I no longer depend on Google Maps for every turn. Recognizing my morning commute has allowed me to be present and immerse myself in the city around me. 

Walking between buildings on Hope’s campus can take you roughly ten minutes. But commuting in Prague means I move with the rhythm of the city. I walk alongside people going to work, taking their kids to school, or simply going about their daily routines.

While most commuters keep to themselves, there’s something comforting about sharing a space with people whose worlds momentarily overlap with mine. 

I have quickly come to realize that immersing myself in the place I’m studying in does not have to be remarkable experiences. Sometimes, it can be as simple as finding the rhythm of a morning commute. Unfamiliar streets become familiar, and I have found more room to take my time, observe, and feel connected to the place I am living in. 

I’m still learning to navigate Prague, and as this journey continues, getting around has become less intimidating and started to feel a little bit more like home.

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