It has been a long time since I have posted anything on my blog. I started it back in February 2007, just 3 years ago. I made a decision that has changed my life for so much good. I moved to the Czech Republic then. After 8 months of being away, I am back in my hometown, Brno! Being away made me realize how much I have here and that I know I will never leave.

I moved back thanks to the generosity and understanding of my parents and my good friends here in Brno who also call this good place home.

I moved back without having situated a job and so, I am a little anxious to get going. I hope to teach English and I want to learn Czech as well as I can. I am staying with a good friend of mine (I really have to say that he is like a brother to me) Bogdan. He and Ana are very kind to let me stay with them for a while.

Its a beautiful morning here and I feel great. Today and tonight I will see my old friends, Czechs and others, but, tomorrow is a busy day for me. I am going to visit in person all the language schools here, and, post an ad at the British Counsel to teach English and IT English.

I go back in my mind to February of 2007 and my first weeks here and marvel at how much for the good my life changed. I really never thought it would - life was a bit miserable for me for many years. I know that I can make a good life here and I wish I could explain to family and friends that it is not true that you can be happy anywhere. My expat friends here understand this though, after all, that is why they are here as well.

Its time to get out there on the wonderful cobblestone streets of my hometown, and, it will be with a big smile on my face and a sense of peace that I've never had anywhere else on this planet. Ciao for now, and I hope I can keep this blog up to date. I will also post pictures at http://picasaweb.google.com/tulcak. Nothing new there yet.

July 2008 - It All Happens at once, doesn't it?

I've got no pictures to post yet. A lot happened in July. First, I moved to a new flat in the section of Brno called Lesna. I love my new flat. Its in one of those infamous panel-lock constructions from the communist times, but, they've really fixed it up and its a really nice place to live. Its called a "1 + 1" meaning that you have one main room, and then separated by a wall, you have the kitchen, a hallway, and then the closets, bathroom, and toilet (why is it that everytime you move into a new flat or apartment, something is always wrong with the toilet?). Lesna is to the north-east, up on one of the hills that run along the river valley that Brno is built in. It is very quiet, and green with many parks and paths. The tram and bus stop are close to my flat, but, I usually walk to where I am going, whether its to work or to Brno centrum (center). It gives me my exercise.
Second, my parents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in San Marcos. I almost was not able to be there. What a great time it was. I'll have a blog just for that. I was in San Marcos for five days and then it was back on the plane to Prague. A friend of mine, Dennis Bridger, met me at the airport, and from there, we drove nine hours to Apeldoorn, Holland (just east of Amsterdam) where he had just sold his house and was taking care of some details. We were planning to go to Amsterdam, but, we ran out of time. And, anyways, Apeldoorn was a fantastic time. We didn't do much at all except relax and see a little of the city night life. Holland is a very flat place. And bicycles are everywhere. I think the dutch learn to ride a bike before they walk. There are more lanes and traffic control for bikes than there are for cars. And there are more bikes by far on the road than cars. You don't see a lot of fat Dutch.
On June 4th, I started my new life without glasses. I had the Epi lasik surgery in Zlín (100Km east of Brno). A friend of mine here, Vernon McLaughlin, went to the same clinic with me and had the same surgery done a month later. It works different for everyone. He walked out of the clinic seeing perfectly. It has taken me a month and a half to almost get to where he was at back in July. But, so far, I am very pleased. Its a dream come true and it happened because of the Czech national health care system. Also, in case you were wondering, Zlín is an internationally acclaimed medical center, and the clinic Mac and I went to is known world-wide as one of the places that uses the most advanced techniques and equipment. There were Americans, Canadians, Brits, French, Asians, Russians, etc. when I went, as well as Czechs.
Yawn, what a boring blog. Oh, well, I will be adding more with new pictures. I am just waiting for pictures from the 50th Wedding Anniversary. That's it for now.

FAMILY

Its been a long while since I've posted on my blog. I wanted to post some photos of the family. I need to flesh out this post a bit... I will have to do it later. I love this picture of Chris. It shows him having a good time which I like to see. He's very serious most of the time; although, I can't think of a funner guy to be with. Here is a link to pictures of him and his great wife, Paige. The only funner time I can think of is being with Chris AND Paige. There is also one picture of Grandpa and Grandma Ulcak with Chris and Paige and the Liebenows: Mark, Rose, Christian, Alexandra, and Andrew. I need to add some pictures of the Embertons: Keith, Theresa, Caroline, Rosalyn, and Meredith.
Easter is here again in the Czech Republic. I made a post a year ago about what Easter is like here. Check out my older blogs. I will also be making a post of my parents' (Ben and Mary Ulcak) 50th Wedding Anniversary that happens in July...