On Gratitude

“I hate these seats. They f—in’ suck. Now everyone is going to be staring at us the whole time.”

“Mom, did you really think I wouldn’t go shopping? Did you really think I wouldn’t travel? I’m spending MY money and budgeting. Why do you have to be so difficult?”

These are quotes from the only two times I’ve been disgusted since coming to Prague. I’ve been disturbed many times reading history texts and watching films…but I’ve been disgusted by the lack of gratitude boasted by some of my peers. And boasted loudly.

The first quote is from the student who sat behind me at the philharmonic. The school got us tickets to see the closing concert of the season (which was wonderful and which I’ll write about elsewhere) so we got to go for free. Our seats were behind the orchestra, so the view wasn’t the best if you wanted to see the musicians’ faces, but it was wonderful if you wanted to see the conductor’s face (which I did because I have never been in an orchestra and so never been in such a position before). Also, the music was wonderful no matter where you were sitting, and I feel like that is the reason one goes to an orchestra performance, after all. To be blunt, I couldn’t believe this individual was complaining about free tickets to a good performance…If she wanted better seats she should have bought her own ticket. On a side note, how arrogant do you have to be to think that everyone in the concert hall is going to be staring at you just because you’re behind the musicians? Ridiculous.

The second quote comes from a screaming match that a fellow student had with her mom over the phone. She was in another room, but we could hear her loud and clear. She’d gone on a shopping spree—using her mom’s credit card—and then booked her fall break trip—on her mom’s credit card—and now couldn’t understand why her mother was upset and calling her. She spent the summer traveling around Europe instead of working, is now studying in Prague, was entrusted with her mom’s credit card to use for necessary purchases… and couldn’t have called to say ‘Hey, thanks for sending me to Prague and letting me travel all summer. I’m planning a trip that will cost xxx dollars and was thinking of putting it on the card. Would that be ok?” How hard would that have been? Really? I know what it’s like to disagree with a parent, but no one deserves that much disrespect. It should be less ok to scream at someone who’s a family member, not more ok just because they’re stuck with you. If you’re going to be financially irresponsibly, then do it with your own money. And really your own money, not just the money you think is yours.

How could anyone in this program be anything but grateful? Grateful to have the opportunity to be here, grateful to their peers for their (English-speaking) company, grateful to their teachers for their time, grateful to their parents (or other family members) for supporting their choice to come…I’m grateful for my family, friends, and education. Sure there are times when life doesn’t go quite as planned, but what good does whining ever do? And honestly, I hope this is the only post in which I’ll have something to whine about.