Kafka Excursion to Prague

The FU-BEST Maryland students had their regular class on Thursday, Nov. 11 at 1:30 pm. However, they were excited and came to classroom with their luggage, because we were leaving for Prague after the class.

It took us about 5 hours to arrive in Prague by train. There are two train stations in Prague, and out of confusion, my students and I didn't get off at the same station. Then my wallet got stolen by a thief, who was well trained and ran away so fast that I couldn't catch him. Not a very great beginning at all.

After giving my students the address of the hotel so they can go there and rest, I reported the incidence to the Czech police. I was lucky that there was one policeman who could speak English. It took three hours for them to write the report so I can claim the loss to my insurance company.

On Friday, we had the day as planned: first, a city walk tour in the morning, visited Kafka museum in the afternoon, and attended "Madam Butterfly" in the State Opera House in the evening.


Prague is a city situated on the Vltava River (Moldau, in German) and is spread over several hills. The city didn't suffer as much damage during World War II as some other major cities, allowing most of its historic architecture to stay the way they were, including Baroque, Renaissance, Gothic, Neo-classical and modern buildings, bridges, and churches.

Old Town is the city center. To its south is the New Town, and these two "towns" are located on the left bank of the river, while the Lesser Town is on the right bank. Charles Bridge is the main connection between the Old and New Towns with the Lesser Town and leads to the Prague Castle.

























(photo 1 & 2: a book store owned by Kafka's father; photo 3: the plate on Kafka's birth house; photo 4: Kafka Monument.)


Franz Kafka (1883-1924) was born and wrote most of his German literal works in Prague. When I read his letter to his father (Brief an den Vater) many years ago, Kafka's character and his internal suffering really impressed me. I thought the letter was the best reading piece for all educators.

Several of our students read Kafka's short stories such as The Metamorphosis (Die Verwandlung) and A Country Doctor (Ein Landarzt). We talked about the characteristics of his works before the trip. It is not surprising that Prague is a "Kafka city" because there are 34 sightseeing points that related to his life, and there is a museum to portray Kafka with a wonderful mix of old photos, books, clips, diary extracts, and use-of-mirrors type of props.

A walk through the museum is a truly sensory experience . When we entered, we were advised to "follow the music" as we follow the path of Kafka’s life. Each phase had a different feel and a different presentation and portrayal either of his life or his work. It was a highly educational experience!

The experience of visiting the Museum of Communism was similar to visiting the Stasi prison in Berlin.


When I asked the hotel receptionist about the location of the Communism Museum, he said dryly, "I hated communism, so I don't care and don't want to know where the museum is!" As seen in the picture, Czech people turned the smiling Russian doll into a biting monster. The busts of the former communist rulers are collected, but scattered on the floor without any order. The movie at the end of the exhibition showed how political dissidents were harassed and beaten by the secret police. Eventually, people showed their power when the iron curtain fell.

Prague is a charming city full of history and culture. In the past three days, our students enjoyed the last opportunity to relax before their papers become due and the final exams approach.