Pictures at an Exhibition

Jana, center, invited colleagues

Justin and me

to join her at a reception

for a Czech photographer's

exhibition of Tibetan culture.

It was the 50th anniversary

of the Dali Lama's exile from Tibet.

I predicted that one of my students

with a thing for Tibetan culture would be there.

This was the only time I ever played hooky from class.

I guessed, correctly, my student would be playing hooky too!

We rescheduled the class for another time.

The reception was at one of the Czech Parliament Buildings.

Here is the receptionist's nifty period in-and-out-board

for knowing which official is in the building

and which isn't.

Prague is full of beautiful cloak rooms

with pleasing period fixtures.

and a few toys.

The librarian in me was completely enthralled by

these glorious documents on display

on the way to the reception room.

Look at the "signature" seals on these things!

The explanations were only in Czech

but I believe the document below is a

Czech constitution from some moment in Czech history.

The reception was very intimate

and felt more so due to a light rain outside

falling on the skylights.

Yet, this government-sponsored reception

felt completely accessible, open, and friendly to

anyone with an interest in the topic

whether they were Czech or from some other country.

I love that about the Czechs.

I never get the feeling of "exclusion - natives only please."

There were all kinds

of interesting people in attendance.

The guest of honor: the photographer

who took the beautiful photographs on display.

A sample of her photographic work above.

Czech people know what it is to be a tiny country

that feels forgotten.

I came away from this evening understanding that

there are supporters of Tibetan rights
all over the world, not just the USA.

Jana was excited to meet Kateřina Jacques,

Vice Chair of the Czech Green Party.

"She is like our Obama!"

Jana explained to me that Kateřina Jacques

had become famous throughout the Czech Republic

ever since a You Tube video surfaced

of her 'treatment' by authorities at a political rally

at the start of her political career.

Jana was toying with getting involved in Czech politics.

I admired my friend for that because

my experience so far had been that Czech people don't see how their

individual involvement in politics can make a difference. 

It can! It does!

And to end on something lighter than politics:

my favorite food discovery of the evening

was this Czech pastry I was

introduced to that night - věneček.

It's the one second from the right.

Totally, totally worth the calories.