Jenna Tajchman experiences Europe
By ROWENA PLETT
Staff writer
Jenna Tajchman recently returned to Kansas after spending almost eight weeks in Europe. She is a senior in agribusiness at Kansas State University and plans to pursue a master's degree in the same field.
Along with other university students, she studied for six weeks at the Czech University of Agriculture in Prague, Czech Republic.
She received scholarships from the KSU College of Agriculture study abroad fund, the KSU Office of International Programming, and the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi.
She spent three days in London, England, before going to Prague. At the end of her studies, her mother, Barbara of rural Lincolnville, joined her. They visited Austria and Germany before both returned home Aug. 8.
Tajchman lived in a dormitory on the university campus during her stay in Prague.
During six weeks of study, she attended classes four days a week in agricultural economics, rural sociology, and international studies.
At mid-week, a day was spent outside of Prague, sight- seeing or visiting farms.
During the fifth week the 26 American students, six Czech students, and six sponsors traveled together by bus for six days around the eastern part of the Czech Republic, better known as Moravia.
Highlights of the tour included visiting a large cooperative farm, a family farm, and an organic farm. They also hiked 12 miles one day in the Czech mountains and saw many historical buildings.
The Prague campus was located about a half hour from the city center. Many evenings were spent in the city center — dining out, shopping, and sightseeing.
The Czech students organized optional activities such as swimming and attending a ballet. They also hosted basketball and soccer tournaments as well as throwing the Americans a Fourth of July party.
"They (the Czech students) were an integral part of our survival in the Czech Republic," Tajchman said. "They did almost everything we did except attend class."
Tajchman and Kati Neil, a fellow K-Stater, were paired and then matched with Czech student Lenka Vavrouskova for a three-day visit to her home. The family lives in Jilhava, a town of 50,000 located about two hours southeast of Prague.
"Kati and I were welcomed with open arms," Tajchman said.
Although their hosts spoke no English, they were able to carry on some small talk.
The two Americans visited Lenka's grandparents' farm and dined on homemade Czech cuisine.
Wheat, corn, barley, hops, sunflowers, poppy, sugar beets, canola, and potatoes are principal crops produced in the Czech Republic. Pork is the primary meat, followed by chicken, then beef.
Typical farms are smaller than those in the U.S. but are consolidating and growing in size. Ninety-three percent of all farmland is leased or rented.
Tractors and equipment are generally smaller than in Kansas. John Deere and Case International have a growing presence. The Zetor tractor, manufactured in the Czech Republic, is the most common type of tractor found.
Tajchman also visited the town of Studenec, the hometown of her great-grandparents, and Konsin, where they attended church.
Weekends were spent in international travel, including trips to Budapest, Hungary, and Krakow, Poland. While in Poland, Tajchman visited the Auschwitz concentration camp.
She also traveled by train to Plzen and explored for a day. The town has a population of approximately 100,000 people and is the home of the Pilsner Urquell brewery.
Beer, also known as pivo, is a widely consumed beverage in the Czech Republic.
"They boast of having the best tasting beer in Europe, and I can attest to this," Tajchman said. "I read Czechs consume an average of 120 liters of beer annually. No other nation in the world can top this statistic!"
While studying at the university, Tajchman met Gaea Wimmer, the agricultural education teacher from Centre High School who also was spending time in Prague.
"It was great to see a familiar face," she said.
Tajchman said her parents provided a lot of emotional support and encouragement as she prepared for the trip and while she was away.
"Language was by far the biggest barrier in my travels," she said.
She noted, however, that she was able to survive with little struggle while traveling in Hungary and Poland not knowing a single word of the native language.
She said it helped her understand how foreigners traveling to the U.S. might feel, although they have a knowledge of English and so are one step ahead.
Tajchman said the experience made her less picky about food.
"I learned to eat whatever was placed in front of me. I came home and ate a supreme pizza — that would have never happened in May!"
She said the summer experience enhanced her interest in agriculture and her Czech heritage. She also received six credit hours which can be applied to her degree.
"This summer has increased not only my independence but also my desire to travel," Tajchman said. "I know this trip will not be my last to Europe!
"I would highly recommend everyone spend time in another country," she said. "Experiencing the culture, which includes a definite language barrier, changes a person forever. In my case, it was for the better. This was an experience I would do again in a heartbeat."
