By now I think we all know that Prague is a pretty cool place to check out. For a small capital city, it packs a lot of punch. However, please allow me to discuss some small, minor facts and idiosyncrasies that I have noticed and observed in my time here.
- When walking along the city streets, waiting at tram stops, riding the metro, etc., the people keep to themselves and often have less-than-jocular expressions on their faces.
Interesting right? It’s generally accepted that this feature of Czech culture was preserved from the communist era, when people were quiet and reserved in public, because it was not necessarily a good thing to stand out. In those times, people could be prosecuted or arrested for public expression of their opinions or feelings if it went against the Soviet system. This mentality is slowly changing, but the majority of trams you jump onto will be hushed. If I really don’t want anyone to look at, much less bother me, I remain silent and assume what my friends and I have dubbed ‘the ceská face’, a dismissive glower.
- Czechs dress less formally for work, and you won’t see the crazy get-ups that often dominate the NYC streets.
- For the 40 years of communism, Czechs lived in a basically culturally and racially homogenous environment.
So, even now, if I’m around town, seeing a black or Indian person is an anomaly. However, randomly there is a distinct sub-population of Vietnamese people, because of a guest worker settlement program enacted during Soviet domination. They are an extremely short people.
- Rollerblading is common in Prague, but bikes are much more of a rarity.
- There are dogs everywhere! And they are allowed on trams and metros!
Last weekend I met with my “Czech Friend” Eva Vavrová for the second time. For interested students, CIEE offers a program of matching up American students with Czech families or individuals to get to know each other. I had earnestly signed up, hoping to matched with a cool, edgy 20-something, but Eva must be in her mid-50s. She’s really sweet though, having used to be a home-stay mom, and has been generous enough to cook me some homemade meals at her apartment in Praha 6. Before I went over the first time, I nervously scanned the aisles of a bakery by Pohorelec for an appropriate welcome gift, finally settling on a large box of Ferrero Rocher chocolates. Last Friday we strolled through her neighborhood and down into Stromovka park, one of the largest in the immediate Prague area. It was so refreshing to see trees and greenery again, although many of the flower beds had been damaged in the devastating flood of 2002. On the far side of the park we passed through a carnival with huge creaking rides, drenched in neon light as the dusk settled.
As far as this week’s action goes, Sunday I was recovering from an interesting night at Zlatý Strom Music Club and Monday I was consumed by anxiety for studying for two midterms and completing my Reach Funding Application. Wednesday we had a party at Kailee’s apartment on Americká for Carly’s birthday, and then a brave few of us ventured out to Mecca in Prague 7 on the night trams. Thursday I had to give a presentation about Stalin and the “cult of personality,” and later that evening went to Nová Scéna (New Stage) to see Graffiti, a modern dance show. To celebrate the end of my midterms, we then went out to Nebe, a cocktail and music bar where I had a very nice chat with a man from Boston who was in town for the Prague half-marathon, who seemed a bit taken aback when he realized that I was studying abroad. The DJ spun mostly Euro house music but took a walk on the wild side when the Macarena came onto the airwaves. Never fails to be a crowd-pleaser, no matter what corner of the earth you’re in.
Miss you all. Love from Praha.